For natural health enthusiasts, one of the great challenges of this lifestyle is sorting through the overabundance of information and choosing the options that are best for you and your health needs. Often, the scramble to find the best information and make informed choices ends up adding extra noise and confusion to your life. This goes against the principles of natural health, which is supposed to make your life more peaceful and quieter. It is supposed to help balance out the overcomplexity of modern life and give you that all-important sense of balance that is so hard to achieve.
For these reasons, there is one golden rule that every person who lives a natural lifestyle should abide by: Keep it simple. When you are choosing between two options, the simpler one is usually going to be the better one. And in your daily decision-making with regard to food, exercise, and other activities, the “keep it simple” mantra will almost invariably guide you in directions that are best for your mental, spiritual, and physical health.
Here are a few specific tips for implementing the power of simplicity in your natural health activities.
Eat simply: An intricately prepared meal is great every once and a while, especially on a special occasion, but you do not need to put pressure on yourself to make complicated meals every evening. And eating simply does not necessarily mean lowering your standards. It just means relying on fresh foods prepared in ways that do not break down their nutrients. Think salads and whole grains, and maybe some fresh fruit for dessert.
Find the essentials: One of the best ways to achieve good mental health through natural means is to take stock of your life and locate the clutter. When you have an open space in your schedule, take some time to do this. Simplify the ways you communicate, cut out extraneous social noise, and accept that there are certain things you can go without. For instance, sometimes immersing yourself in a single good novel is a more enriching experience than skimming a thousand internet articles and news stories.
Try new things, but one at a time: Living a healthy, simple natural life does not require you to shut yourself off to new experiences. The key is to introduce new experiences and sensations in such a way that you can truly enjoy and appreciate them. For example, rather than constantly trying to bring new foods into your diet, have one new type of dish each week.
Self-regulate media use: There is no denying that the omnipresence of the various forms of media in 21st-century life can be oppressive, but you do not have to go along with all the new trends just because other people are doing it. Focus on the types of media that truly bring something to your life, and when it comes to communication, do not fall into the trap of thinking you have to be constantly plugged in. A couple sessions of email checking per day is sufficient, and you do not need to run your news and social feeds in the background while you are doing other things.
Remember to unwind with simple pleasures: Every day, spend at least an hour enjoying something simple such as reading a book, going for a walk outside, or interacting with your family. These timeless activities help keep you refreshed and balanced and remind you that life does not need to be complicated to be fulfilling.
By Marc Courtiol