Baby Steps to Living a Healthy Lifestyle
One Step at a Time
You have heard it before. Maybe even said the following things or done some of the following things, such as: I need to detox, get healthy, live a “clean” lifestyle, lose weight, get better sleep, stop eating so much sugar, etc... But you are feeling stuck and getting no traction. Perhaps you feel overwhelmed and really don’t know where to begin your journey?
I know one thing for sure–this world that we live in is one toxic stew pot–from the chemicals in our bedding, homes, furniture, schools, food and water to the highly processed non-nutritious foods we consume. Not to mention the negativity in the news and subtle programming that is going on via the media. Oh, and how about all those prescription drugs people are taking and then self-medicating with alcohol?
25 years ago, I started studying aromatherapy. I still use it to this day. I also tried a lot of different diets, wanting to lose weight and “get healthy” and that was about as far as it went. Before I decided to get serious about cleaning up my lifestyle, I was living it up. I was a heavy smoker, a heavy drinker and ate whatever came my way. I was a gourmet cook and wine connoisseur. Then one day, I woke up. I thought, “you aren’t going to live forever and this road is paved with really bad outcomes” (as I wheezed and coughed through my morning cigarette).
And, I worked in the health field. My training as an occupational therapist has taught me one valuable skill–which is is to break the complex into manageable pieces. At the time, my life was complex with an unhealthy lifestyle piled on with high stress. What would you guess my first step to health and wellness was? Nope. Not quitting smoking or drinking. It was more basic… more baby step than that. 15 years ago, I stopped putting cream and artificial sugar in my coffee. One. Little. Step. I had drunk my coffee with cream and sugar in it for 40 years. I eliminated the cream and switched to stevia for the sweetener. It didn’t taste all that great, but it helped me naturally cut down on my caffeine intake and then I began drinking more water. That one step that I took spurred me on to make other small changes. Like switching to eating at Chipotle and other places when I dined out that offered a healthier fare and adding in more vegetables to my diet as I began eating at home more.
Give your change time
Once you put a change in place give it at least 20 days until it becomes a habit. It took 60 days for me, but I can be a slow learner. My habit was changed in my daily routine. Some might say–taking the cream and sugar out of coffee isn’t that big of a deal. But it was to me! I had success! With that little stretch out of my comfort zone, voila! Over the years, just that one little baby step has snowballed into a path of health and wellness that most people wish they had. At 62 years old, I have more stamina, energy, life force and gusto for life than most people half my age.
As I took that one little step and had success with changing a long-standing habit, I was naturally guided to further clean up my diet. I love cooking and so enjoy seeing how healthy and clean I can eat. This led me into a journey of food growing, procurement, preparation, and preservation and of course, consumption. 12 years ago, I stopped smoking and 9 years ago I stopped drinking. It took some time for me to get healthy enough and have enough successes to tackle the “big ones”. Five years ago, I moved out to the country with my husband and I am growing some of my own food! Living as clean as I can! It is so exciting for me to see what comes next in my own personal journey.
I hope this article perhaps inspires you to look within and find one of those “habits” that you have had for a long time that you can let go of now. What is your baby step going to be? Will you start with tossing out chemical air fresheners? Using less cleaning products? Stop eating GMO foods? Shop only the perimeter of the grocery store? Stop eating sugar? Begin meditating? The list is endless, and all it really takes is one small step. I promise. It will snowball for you like it did for me.
Rosemary Slade, PLLC, OTR, NC is a practicing occupational therapist and mineral-nutritional balancing practitioner. She can be reached on this website. This article is not in any manner, shape or form intended to be considered or construed as medical advice or providing a medical diagnosis. This article is for entertainment purposes only. Please see your medical doctor for medical diagnoses.