A Healthy Body Makes Your Mind and Spirit Stronger

by Cooper Elling

The human body, mind and spirit are a complex integration of physical, mental and spiritual awareness. To get the most out of your own personal self, it is important to be strong on all fronts. I believe that it’s hard to connect with the rest of yourself if you fail to take care of your body. An unhealthy body clutters the mind and spirit and will leave you less fulfilled in life.

Our ability to be fit and healthy is one of life’s greatest gifts. The experiences we can have because we are physically active are some of the most rewarding and memorable in life. Maybe you go for a hike into a place that helps you find yourself amongst nature or play a game of volleyball where you connect with friends and realize the power of a team. You’re not going to find understanding in life by watching soap operas on TV, but you will find them through adventures that can be had on your own two feet.

A Healthy Diet

A healthy diet is one of the most important factors to being full of natural energy. If your diet is composed of too much fast food, processed sugar, bad fats, and simple carbohydrates you will have no energy to make the most of every day! Make sure you focus on a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, lean meat, nuts, beans, etc to get all the appropriate vitamins, minerals, proteins and amino acids your body requires. Today’s world focuses entirely too much on eating convenience over cooking and preparation. Your freezer should be used to store your leftovers and fresh goods versus pre-packed items loaded with preservatives and ingredients you cannot pronounce.

Another reason to put more focus on cooking and the meal is the social aspect of bringing people together over food. Too many people eat in front of the TV and on the couch versus sharing a meal with friends and family. I feel that I have some of the best conversations and learn the most from my friends over food than any other time. You’re happy, you’re eating, you’re focusing on the people around you and learning from one another. I’m not saying that we’re all able to take the time to prepare large home-cooked meals every night, but make more of an effort to call your neighbors and friends, get together over healthy food and I bet you’ll end up gaining more than a happy belly.

A Fit Body

It’s hard to focus if you can’t calmly draw in a smooth, deep breath. If you’re in great physical shape you have a great understanding of what your body is capable of doing and it’s very empowering. While physical exertion may be hard and tiring, it’s also something you learn to enjoy and look forward to.

You owe it to yourself to be in good shape. We all have one body so why not take great care of it. People always act like staying in shape and doing physical activity takes so much time it’s hard to do. I didn’t realize that it was hard to find 30 minutes to an hour in your day when the typically American spends almost 3 hours a day in front of the TV.

Today I was running on the beach, staring out into nothing except more waves and sand, and noticed that I was smiling. I was wearing sunglasses and having one of those moments where the sun is in your face and you feel that warm glow, your lungs breathing and you can’t help but feel happy and alive. It’s those simple moments that are what life is all about.

Working Out Should be Fun

If working out is a chore to you, it’s because you consider it “working out.” Physical activity should be something you enjoy, not learn to hate. Some people love to go for runs and they find it rejuvenating. Personally, I don’t mind the occasional jog on the beach with my dogs, but I prefer mountain biking, volleyball, tennis, basketball, and pretty much any other sport. The feeling I get from doing any of these activities puts a bigger smile on my face than anything else in the world. It’s a shame when it’s hard for me to find people that want to join in considering there isn’t anything else I’d rather be doing.

Exercise to Help Connect

There are some activities out there that really offer a great opportunity to connect the mind, body and spirit. One of my personal favorites is hiking or an overnight backpacking trip. You’re out in the beauty of nature, traveling by foot, contemplating what life means to you and what really matters most. I also really enjoy yoga and feel that stretching for long periods of time and focusing on breathing really takes you within yourself. Lastly, and maybe different from many, I also feel that swimming makes my body feel more connected and full of life than anything else. The combination of refreshing water, smooth powerful movements and the breathing feels so fantastic to me. Find what makes you happy and feel connected the most with your personal energy and get out there and do it!

Cooper Elling is passionate about health, fitness & blogging. When he's not working out, he writes about Sono Bello, cooking and a myriad of other topics. He's also active with Sono Bello on Twitter and Sono Bello on Facebook.

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