Do You Hear That? It’s Your Body…It Has Something to Say.

Your body is constantly communicating with you. Sometimes it’s a gentle tone—a little brain fog accompanied by a minor headache while other times it’s full-on screaming at you with an upset stomach, migraines, skin breakouts and so on—good or bad, your body has something to say. The challenge comes with listening.

It’s very easy to ignore the daily signals your body sends you. Feeling groggy or going through an afternoon slump have a cup of coffee, experiencing a skin breakout cover it up with makeup, have a headache take some medicine…Today’s world offers a plethora of temporary solutions to silence your body. The thing is, these signals are important and your body is sending them for a reason.

So, how do you go about listening to your body and how do you know what it is telling you? It’s tricky. As humans, we get used to ignoring these signals. It’s not intentional. We simply get used to hearing them and they become our new “normal”.

Let’s talk about “normal” real quick. Normal is not experiencing digestive issues daily, it’s not regularly experiencing an afternoon slump either. Your normal should be waking up well-rested feeling amazing and maintaining that amazing feeling throughout the day. You should feel great!

Will you have ups and downs in your day, of course you will, that’s where listening comes in…

We live in a fast-paced world, most of us are constantly “sprinting” through the day and dealing with a variety of common stressors on a daily basis. When you understand these stressors along with your body’s signals you can properly address them and maintain this great feeling.

So, what is your body telling you? Let’s look at a few common signals and what they mean.

Digestive Issues
Digestive issues come in a variety of forms, gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation and so on. Experiencing any of these symptoms on a regular basis is not normal and it’s your body’s way of letting you know that something isn’t right. It could be a number of different things. Your gut bacteria could be out of balance, you could be sensitive to certain foods or food groups, you may not be consuming enough fiber and so on.

Correcting digestive issues can be a journey but here are a few things you can do to support a healthy gut:

  • Add some gut-loving supplements to your daily regimen. We are talking about enzymes, probiotics, and prebiotics. These friendly helpers will provide your gut with good bacteria and help you to digest and utilize the nutrients in your food.
  • Move your body however you are able to. Moving your body helps to get everything else moving, including your digestion.
  • Drink up. Be sure to drink water throughout the day. Hydration is a key component of digestion.
  • Get your fiber. Fiber is your friend and helps to keep the digestive tract flowing.

Skin Issues
What shows up on the outside is typically a reflection of what is happening on the inside. Breakouts and rashes can come with the season and/or the body’s cycle. When these signals fall outside of the season and your body’s cycle, it’s time to pay attention to what is going on inside.

Here are a few things to pay attention to when your skin is acting up:

  • Check your stress. Stress triggers certain hormones and chemicals to release that can lead to breakouts. While you likely won’t be able to eliminate the stress from your life you can find ways to manage it. Try a variety of stress-reducing techniques and find what works well for you. This may include meditation, exercise, breathing techniques and the list goes on.
  • Focus on food. Eat a balanced diet rich in whole foods and avoid the over-processed junk. Aim for a variety of colorful vegetables, fresh fruit, quality protein, healthy fats, and whole complex carbs.
  • Note your vitamin intake. Review your supplement regimen and ensure you are consuming whole food supplements as opposed to synthetic. Your vitamins should come from natural sources including plenty of raw fruits and veggies. Quality is of the utmost importance.

Exhaustion
Getting a night’s sleep and waking up exhausted is never a good signal and it’s typically your body telling you that your stress levels are too high and that something is getting in the way of your quality sleep.

Here are a few things you can do to help improve the quality of your sleep:

  • Practice some gentle evening yoga before bed. If yoga isn’t your thing try a few guided stress-reducing meditations.
  • Play with essentials oils. Invest in a diffuser and enjoy the scent of relaxing oils while you sleep.
  • Take time to wind down. Ditch everything with a screen about an hour before bed. You can use this time to take a warm bath, read a book, journal, listen to relaxing music…whatever helps you to relax.

Remember, you should feel great because that’s what normal is. Take some time to listen to your body and what it is telling you. Rather than using a temporary fix, think about what you can do to remedy the issue long term and enjoy great health!