Improve your health: 7 best ways to listen to your body

You’ve probably been told that you need to listen to your body, but how do you actually begin deciphering what it’s saying? There is a lot going on inside your body that is somewhat invisible. Blood is flowing through your veins, your stomach is digesting your food, your brain is creating thoughts. Much of the body is a wonderful mystery—you are a walking miracle!

Lucky for you, even though your body is extraordinarily complex, it does have subtle ways of letting you know when things might be out of balance. If you've been feeling a little "off" lately, your body may be whispering to you, asking you to spend some time taking care of yourself.

Use these simple techniques to check in with yourself and begin listening to the signals that your body is giving you. Please do note that every one is unique. Even at your healthiest, you may have one of more of these characteristics. They may be a natural part of your genetic makeup. These are general guidelines that will get you started, but it’s up to you to listen to what your unique body needs.

1. Got cravings?

What foods are you craving lately? Your food cravings are a powerful messaging system for your body. Sugar cravings, salt cravings, alcohol cravings, coffee cravings, cravings for red meat and more. We all have cravings so why not deconstruct them and figure out what they’re saying? Be sure to visit www.junglegirlhealth.com for more insight into the world of food cravings.

2. Pumped or slumped

Do you feel energetic throughout the day, or do you feel sluggish, struggling to get from one commitment to the next. If your energy is consistenly low, this is a red flag.  It’s time to get your energy back!

3. Bright eyed and bushy tailed

Grab a mirror and look into your own eyes. What do you see? Are the whites of your eyes (around the pupils) clear and white, or are they yellowish or bloodshot? Ideally, you want the whites of your eyes to be white and clear. Yellowish eyes may indicate a build up of toxins and imbalance in the body. Redish and bloodshot eyes may indicate inflammation, fatigue or stress.

4. Making faces

Stick out your tongue and give it a good look.  What does it look like? What shade of red is it? Is it a dark red or more a light pink? The shade of red of your tongue is a good indication of the inflammation in your body. Dark red may indicate inflammation and imbalance in the body. Inflammatory foods are very common in the American diet and inflammation is one of the biggest health challenges we currently face.

5. Keeping things moving

How is your digestion?  If your body is balanced and healthy, your digestion should be smooth and comfortable. You should not feel bloated throughout the day and you ideally will have one to two healthy bowel movements daily. 

6. Swinging or steady

Your moods can give you a glimps into your internal health. Are you on top of the world one moment, and in total despair the next? This emotional roller coaster could reflect your body’s internal struggle. It’s difficult to have a balanced mood when there’s an internal imbalance.  Simple changes such as reducing caffeine consumption, getting more exercise and eating whole foods that naturally balance your hormones can make a huge difference in this area.

7. As clear as mud?

What’s going on in your head? Are you thoughts clear as water or clear as coffee?  Hazy, cloudy thoughts are a good reflection of your overall health. If your body is struggling with imbalance—food sensitivities, poor nutrition, and toxicity— this will certainly be reflected in your thoughts. Headaches are also an indication of internal struggles in the body, dehydration, stress, hormonal imbalances and poor nutrition.

These are just a few good ways to check in with yourself regularly. These are subtle signals from your body that could help you prevent more serious health challenges down the road. It’s never too late to begin a healthy relationship with yourself and your body. Spring is a wonderful time to consider doing a gentle cleanse and boosting your nutritional foundation. I’m ready to support you with figuring out what works best for you! Contact me for your free health breakthrough consultation, www.junglegirlhealth.com .