Living Better Longer: The Mind, Body, Spirit Connection

By Mary Howard, RN

Can you control your destiny? Well, maybe or maybe not but there are a few things you can do to help it along. Let's look at physical drains and how they affect the mind and spirit and emotional drains and how they affect the physical body.

There have been studies done and it has been proven that people that knew they were being prayed for actually healed better and faster from heart surgery than those that did not have anyone praying for them. Your emotional state during a health crisis has much to do with the rate of healing. A reason and a will to live can make the difference between life and death.

Almost more important than taking supplements and eating "X" number of foods from the proper food groups, is not putting the wrong things in your body. When you put toxins in your body like Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine, Sugar, and Chemical from processed foods, they deplete nutrients from your body. This can cause a short-lived boost, but then leaves your body physically and emotionally spent. If it is done on a continued basis with out replacement of nutrients it can cause chemical imbalances in your body and lead to depression and health problems.

Setting goals for yourself and your family is sometimes a good way to make positive changes in your life. Make a point to compliment each other for doing a positive activity such as drinking glass of water instead of a soda, exercising, or helping a neighbor. Taking a walk with a loved one or family member is a great time for communication and a good form of exercise. Write your goals down so they become real and place them in a visible spot so family member can assist one another in meeting these goals.

It is very important for your physical and emotional well being to decrease stress in your life. Set emotional boundaries for yourself; learn that it is okay to say, "NO" to a commitment if it is going to overextend you. Making a list is a good way to make sure you use your day more efficiently but don’t beat yourself down if you don’t get everything done. There is always tomorrow and forgiving yourself is a powerful tool to your own well being.

There is power in forgiveness of those that have wronged you and in asking forgiveness of those you have wronged. Forgiveness helps keep the past from tainting the future. It also frees up energy to focus on healthy relationships in your life. Forgiveness helps you to separate the person from the injury.

If you continually pull down your physical well being you will not have the energy to do the things you love. Doing the things you love and working at something that makes you feel full-filled will help you to live healthier longer. Remember, "Everything in Moderation" and by exercising, sensible eating, decreasing stress in your life, doing things you enjoy and healthy relationships are all part of the recipe for living better longer.

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