Self healing is not about adopting a “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” cowboy attitude, taking every nutritional supplement and psychedelic medicine available or pursuing spiritual practices. It’s about implementing healthy and sustainable routines into your daily life that enhance your wellness and promote healing.
Self healing can take time, so it’s important to work with a mental health professional.
Exercise
Exercise may seem like an unlikely healer, but regular physical activity is one of nature’s most powerful and proven natural remedies. From heart health to mental resilience, immune system fortification to emotional balance, the benefits of exercise are endless. Exercise is a powerful stress buster, prompting the release of endorphins, the body’s natural mood elevators. It strengthens the mind, reducing cognitive decline as we age and even improving memory function. Moreover, it fosters social connections, giving individuals an important sense of belonging. When combined with other holistic practices, such as meditation and mindfulness, exercise is an essential component of self healing.
However, committing to a fitness regimen can be challenging, especially for those suffering from a mental health issue. Read on to discover how to overcome common obstacles and reap the full rewards of a healthy, naturally healed lifestyle.
Nutrition
Food is one of the most important sources of healing nutrients. Eating nutritious meals and snacks on a consistent basis can help you build a framework for self healing by creating healthy eating habits that improve your health in the long run and help prevent relapse.
During recovery, it’s especially important to eat enough protein. It will help keep your appetite in check and promote the growth of new cells. Be sure to drink milk with meals and snacks, or choose a dairy alternative that has added protein like soy, almond or pea protein. Also, be sure to keep protein-rich snacks like cottage cheese, yogurt and nut butters on hand.
Learning to shop for and prepare your own foods can also teach you valuable life skills, save money and improve your nutrition.
Sleep
Your body needs adequate sleep to stay healthy and heal. While it might seem like a luxury that can be sacrificed during times of injury or illness, healthy sleeping patterns are critical to your self healing process.
This is because your immune system makes more white blood cells to fight off infections during sleep, and your brain reorganizes and catalogs memories and new information you’ve learned – much like a librarian sorting and shelving books – to make it easier to access them later.
Sleep deprivation impacts our mental and physical health, causing increased risk of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, depression and anxiety, as well as decreased cognitive function, and impaired learning. Prioritizing good quality sleep supports muscular recovery, enhances physiotherapy outcomes and improves your overall wellness.
Mindfulness
Studies have shown that mindfulness is a powerful tool for healing. It reduces the body’s inflammatory response to stress, and it allows us to better understand our personal thoughts and feelings.
It also brings a level of stability to the mind that can help us navigate illness, treatment and recovery. One study even found that mindfulness decreases rumination and worry, improves spiritual well-being and vigor, and increases nonreactivity and acceptance of experience in cancer patients.
Clinical psychologists use mindfulness as a foundation of many types of evidence-based therapy, like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. If our hospitals and health care systems incorporated mindfulness into their practice, they would restore the sacred nature of the doctor-patient relationship based on Hippocratic principles. This could move health care more toward integrative practices that focus on healing the whole person, not just fixing body parts.
Soul Connection
A soul connection happens on a spiritual level, you are on the same wavelength as this person. Whether it’s with your soulmate or someone who helps support you on your journey called an etheric soulmate, this bond can be healing and uplifting.
You may experience physical sensations such as tingling, buzzing and warmth when feeling close to this person or experiencing their presence. You also might feel a sense of familiarity with them, like your hearts just know each other. This is a sign of a soul tie and can be healthy or toxic depending on the quality of your relationship.
The body and mind, with their ailments and negative emotions, can create a block from connecting to the soul’s innate healing power. Energetic clearing through forgiveness and release rituals can help free you from an unhealthy soul tie.
