Healthy Living

This is a look into the importance of defining yourself, owning your narrative, and getting empowered. Humans are meaning-makers. We find meaning in everything, whether it’s a novel, a scenic view, or a troubling experience such as the death of a loved one. Meaning enhances our lives and makes them richer with detail, depth, and awareness. This is similar to reading a good book. When we’re engaged in a novel, we find meaning without even realizing it. We root for the hero and we’re present from beginning to end. Similarly, we can create our own stories and define ourselves however we want. As the main characters in the story of our lives, creating and owning our stories for the ups, downs, and in-betweens, will help us more fully understand ourselves and the world around us. Here are a few ways to create your story and make meaning.

Can jogging help your recovery? Running is most known for its endurance-enhancing effects and the ability to produce mood-boosting endorphins. But can running help us with our recoveries? Exercise, in general, is great for both the mind and the body. It makes us stronger, more heart-healthy, and more in tune with ourselves. If you’re thinking about taking up jogging, you might be surprised to find that there are myriad benefits that can lead directly to a heightened overall mindset, resulting in a profound effect on your recovery and health. In this article, we’ll discuss a few of the reasons why running is a great addition to your health toolbox.

Unpacking the importance of healthy nutrition for our minds, bodies, and recoveries. Healthy nutrition is one of the essential healthy habits. Oftentimes, in our focus on sobriety and recovery, we can forget just how vital it is to be getting proper vitamins and nutrients and to be eating foods that make us feel our very best. In recovery, we need all of the physical and mental support we can get and healthy nutrition offers a foundation for greater physical and mental health. In this article, we’ll look at how healthy food choices can help us combat some of the physical effects of addiction. We’ll also examine the link between healthy eating and our mental states, as well as the importance of finding balance and knowing what works for you. Lastly, we’ll get into some of the nutritional specifics -- vitamins, minerals, caffeine, and other important factors.

The ocean is one of the most relaxing, mysterious, and expansive things on the planet. There’s a reason everyone feels great after spending a day at the beach. The ocean has many healing powers and we can reap the benefits simply by being near it. If you don’t have access to an ocean or a large body of water, visualization is a powerful tool to connect with the healing properties of the ocean. Here are a few reasons why the ocean is such a healing force.

The mind-body connection has been getting a lot of mainstream attention. Ancient practices like yoga, acupuncture, and meditation have become accepted complementary therapies and activities. For a long time, mainstream western medicine took the stance that the mind and the body were separate entities, largely uninfluenced by each other. Parts of the body, brain, and self were often treated as separate from the whole. Holistic medicine and practices, which have been gaining popularity and seeing a resurgence over the past several years, recognizes the intricate connections between all parts of ourselves. Holistic medicine can simply be defined as a practice that considers all parts of the whole person including mind, body, spirit, and emotions. By looking at the whole person and addressing the interconnectedness of the mind and the body, we can strive for optimal wellness and integration. To achieve health and an overall feeling of wellbeing, holistic medicine stresses the importance of the mind-body connection, and in fact the connection between all parts of ourselves, including the ways in which our environment might be impacting us. In this article, we’ll dive into the definition of the mind-body connection, why it’s important, and some practical ways we can strive to improve this connection.

The importance of finding meaning in your life through your values and vision. Throughout life, and especially in recovery, it’s common to ask questions about our life’s meaning and purpose. You might find yourself wondering why you’re here, where you’re headed, and why you’re in recovery. These questions are common and completely normal. In fact, it’s great to ask these kinds of questions, as they help us to more fully understand ourselves on more complex levels. Having a purpose helps us to navigate the world in more meaningful ways. Your purpose is like your north star. It guides you through the hard times and acts like a light that you can strive for and live by. Here are a few questions to ask yourself when trying to figure out your life purpose.

As kids, our creativity and imagination are often nurtured and encouraged. We played, felt carefree, and ran around. As adults, it’s easy to forget that we are all inherently creative beings, as creativity simply refers to imagination, innovation, vision, and originality. While we all have the potential for creativity and innovation, we don’t always feel the creative fire. You don’t need to be a self-described artist to be creative. We all possess the power of self-expression. In this article, we’ll discuss some simple ways to boost creativity and feel more enlivened.

Appreciating life and recovery as seasonal, cyclical, and filled with change. Life moves in seasons and cycles, not in straight lines. We often hear the same about the recovery process. It’s not necessarily a straight line from point A to point B. Recovery is filled with cycles, seasons, ups, and downs. The end of September marks the end of the summer season and the beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere. Seasonal transitions are an excellent time to reflect upon your progress, be present, and set goals for the season ahead. Fall, in particular, is a wonderful time to release what no longer serves you, just as the trees will be shedding their leaves. Let’s talk about a few ways to ease the transition into autumn and bid farewell to the summer.

You’ve probably experienced a “gut feeling” or a “gut reaction” to something. People have been talking about the “gut-brain connection” for a while now and research keeps pouring in about the connection between a healthy brain and a healthy gut. While this topic is trending, and for good reason, what does the gut-brain connection really mean and how can you use it to your advantage? In this article, we’ll unpack the details and science behind the gut-brain connection and talk about some practical ways you can use food to increase digestive health and overall happiness.

Exploring the world of yoga and its many options. There’s something for everyone. Yoga has become mainstream, and for good reason. It’s a great exercise for the body, offering increased flexibility and strength. It’s also an incredible way to connect the mind and body, as yoga is all about connecting with yourself and your breath. The word yoga actually means to yoke or to unite. In the practice of yoga, we’re uniting our movements with our breath and therefore, fusing our minds and bodies. This is why yoga is considered a great way to unwind. Now that yoga has become so popular, we have access to several different kinds of yoga. Whether you’re looking to unwind, increase your spiritual connection, or get a serious workout, there’s truly a kind of yoga for everyone. Some people are more anxious and need to unwind with more relaxing, slow-paced movements. Other people want to feel like they’re in constant motion, moving along with the music and breaking a sweat. This is a guide to understanding some of the different types of yoga. You might want to try several different kinds before you settle into a routine. Additionally, there are days when you’ll want a more relaxing practice and days when you’ll need an energizing flow.

It’s normal to feel down and out every once in a while. Recovery is an emotionally-charged time and our brains are adjusting to our substance-free life and new environments. After having relied on our substance(s) of choice, it can be difficult to know how to find those happy feelings without drugs and/or alcohol. This is where endorphins come into play. Endorphins are substances found in the body that relieve feelings of pain while increasing positive feelings. There are many simple, natural, and safe ways to increase endorphin activity in the brain. Here, we’ll examine some lifestyle habits to employ if you’re looking to boost positivity and overall happiness.

One of the worst feelings is not being able to sleep at night. You start tossing and turning, you can’t get your mind to “shut off”, you awaken easily, or you’re just too tense with too many things to do to actually get to sleep. For many Americans today, this sleeping problem is quite common. We become stressed out, or overly worked, or simply have health issues that translate into difficulty relaxing and staying asleep.  At the beginning, it may even feel like a few minor changes will fix it - we try going to bed earlier, taking some Tylenol, or even talking to a close friend or family member about our stressors to try and ease some of the discomfort. When these minor solutions don’t work in the long-run, however, it becomes easier to rely on what we feel must work - in many cases, sleeping pills. Even adults who reach out to their family doctor may find that they’re being prescribed sleeping pills as a way to relax - and, if taken exactly as recommended, along with trying holistic practices alongside it, can work well - but if medication is abused, the potential for addiction becomes very apparent.