As a nutritional therapy practitioner, I see these same benefits in my clients when I help them cultivate healthy practices in their own lives. You can incorporate rituals in your everyday, starting now. Here are my favorite health rituals to bring stability and calm to our often unpredictable modern lives:
1. Start by being mindful
How you start and end your day will determine the quality of everything that happens in between, helping you to be more mindful and deliberate about what you do and say and the decisions you make in your life.
Mindfulness meditation has been used for thousands of years as a ritual to create inner peace. And today, mindfulness for lowering anxiety and increasing focus is very well-researched. But just as with fitness, consistency is key. A regular, consistent meditation practice will grow your mindfulness muscles!
I also love the app Simple Habit for mindfulness and meditation.
2. Start your morning with turmeric
I am a big fan of something warm for your morning elixir. Try hot water and lemon, your favorite tea, or anti-inflammatory turmeric milk. Get up early enough to be able to enjoy this drink sitting down, creating a sacred space of calm before your busy day.
3. Use adaptogenic herbs
Adaptogens like ashwagandha and rhodiola are a family of herbs that has been shown to balance stress hormones and calm even the most headstrong personalities.
4. Diffuse essential oils
Diffuse essential oils like citrus blends like lemon and bergamot are popular and have been shown to calm stress levels. My personal favorite is stress away by Young Living.
5. Burn dried plants
Burning dried plants like sage or palo santo has been a ritual for thousands of years to cleanse living spaces of negative energy. Today, researchers have found that medicinal smoke can be an effective way to clean indoor air of airborne bacteria, giving that “negative energy” scientific backup.
6. Bring the plants inside
Create a sanctuary for yourself by bringing nature into your home and workspace. Surrounding yourself with beautiful plants not only purifies the air, but brings life into a space that otherwise wouldn’t have it.
7. Try grounding
Make it a point to get outside as much as you can during your day. Taking small breaks to connect to nature is a great centering ritual. On nice days, ground yourself by taking off your shoes and socks and walking on the grass. This is called “earthing,” the practice of direct skin-on-earth contact.
Not to mention, vitamin D decreases the risk of depression and can even help you sleep better at night!
8. Declutter your home, declutter your mind:
Clutter in your living space will create clutter in your mind. Donate what you don’t use and clean and organize your space.
9. Detox from the digital:
Turn off the smartphone, TV, computer, and any other electronic device. Try to give yourself “no screen time” breaks of at least two hours before bed. If you are up for more, check out Will Cole’s smartphone detox guide.
10. Indulge in the bath tub:
At the end of your long day, unwind with a detox bath ritual. Add 1 cup Epsom salt, 1 cup Himalayan sea salt, and a few drops of sandalwood essential oil to a warm bath and soak for around 20 minutes. If that’s too intense, start with just five or ten minutes and work up to longer soaks.
If you want to learn more about your own health case please check out what I offer as a nutritional therapy practitioner. I offer in-person as well as phone and webcam consultations for people across the United States and am now taking one-on-one clients!
