How Are Your Primary Foods?
This month I wanted to focus on Primary Foods.
The 4 Primary Foods are:
- Relationship
- Career
- Spirituality
- Physical activity
As a health counselor I believe that Primary Foods are as important, if not more important to us than the food we eat. Whether through stress or unhappiness, I’m sure we’ve all had moments that have affected our food choices – I certainly have. In past relationships or particularly stressful times at work, I have often found myself neglecting my body by not eating much. I now know that this was because I was simply unhappy. Being able to recognize these feelings is often the hardest part but it is the first and greatest step you can take towards making a better life for yourself. We only get one life so we have to make the most of it!
A Simple task for you;
Take a moment to think about these 4 pillars of your life. Grab a pen and paper and write down a little bit about each one (mark each one if you can – 100% being completely fulfilled). Is there anything about any of them that makes you unhappy? Whatever feelings arise about each of them write it down. Become aware and work on it.
It’s not always possible to get all four of these to 100% at the same time but the closer we can get to 100% and achieve a good balance, the more fulfilling, nourished and happy our lives will be.
Relationships 
Throughout our lifetime we will meet many people and with some of those we will form relationships, whether through friendship or love and intimacy. Look at the people in your life and how they make you feel – how they treat you as a person. Do they nourish you and fulfill you in some way? Do they make you happy and bring out the best in you? Are there some friends with whom you would like to spend more time with and some maybe not so much?
Do you have someone close to you (a friend, lover, husband, wife, boyfriend or girlfriend) that you can share your inner most thoughts with, your dreams and fears, your insecurities, your joys? Why not tell this person how much you appreciate them, give them a hug and don’t be afraid of physical intimacy. As babies and as adults we thrive on human touch and warmth and yet a lot of us are afraid of it.
On the other hand are you comfortable being on your own, do you enjoy spending time with yourself and finding out what makes you tick? It’s all about creating a balance.
Communication is another important aspect of any relationship, especially with couples. A lot of the time marriages fail due to lack of communication. Take a moment and think about how well you are communicating. Could you be communicating better? Take some time out as a couple and talk about your relationship. Remember it is important to not just focus on the negative but focus on the positive too. In fact, start with the positives and then move onto the areas that may need a little more work. It’s best to choose a neutral place to have this discussion in, switch of all the phones and laptops and just focus on each other – this is the person you cherish and love with all your heart, they deserve this time, you both deserve this time.
Relationships should nourish you, does yours?
Career 
Career can play a huge part in our lives. We spend a lot of our time working; in fact we spend most of our time at work. We also probably spend a lot of our time complaining about the work we do? It makes us stressed and unhappy and yet we all feel powerless to do something about it.
It’s all about “finding the work you love, loving the work you find”.
Finding the Work you Love; think about what it is that you love to do? Think about your hobbies and interests? Could this inspire you to try something new, to pursue happiness in a different career? Some of you are probably reading this and thinking if only it were that easy… it can be! You just have to realize what it is that you want and then go for it!
Loving the work that you find; alternatively, if you’re reading what’s above and think it seems completely crazy and something you would never do, start thinking about improving your current situation. Is there some way that you could turn your current job into something you love? Take on more or less responsibility? Modify your role? Ask for support to learn a new skill? Or perhaps it’s just a case of making your working environment more pleasant to work in.
Having a career that satisfies and nourishes you can be a life changing thing. Think about it.
Physical activity 
We are all aware that we need some form of physical activity in our lives to keep our bodies healthy but yet not everyone does it. The key is to find something that you enjoy doing. Why not get a friend involved – it’s great to have a support network if you’re starting out. Start with something small like walking and see how you get on. Join a gym and get involved with the classes. They are a great way to meet new people. Why not sign up for an event, like a 5km run or maybe even a marathon if you’re feeling brave enough. It’s great to have something to work towards – to have a goal. It gives you a sense of purpose and at the end of it achievement.
Amongst other things, physical activity has been known to boost the immune system, help prevent heart disease, obesity and adult onset diabetes. It can also help to lift your mood. If ever I am feeling a little blue a good run or yoga class can help energize me. So next time you are feeling stressed or depressed get outside and go for a walk or a run – depending on how energetic you are feeling – and see the difference it can make!
Spirituality 
As a health counselor I encourage people to discover a spiritual practice, whatever that may be. For me a spiritual practice is about finding peace and happiness within myself. I believe it is important as individuals to learn to be at one with ourselves. I grew up in the country, surrounded by trees and fields and so this is where I feel more at peace. However, living in Manhattan it isn’t always easy to be surrounded by trees and so I turn to Yoga. When I’m feeling overwhelmed by day-to-day life in the city I take a class or practice at home to relax and calm my mind.
Spirituality doesn’t necessarily have to be about religion and god; it’s also about personal well-being. Take some time out and discover what makes you happy – find your spiritual side!
————————————–
“Far more indispensable than food for the physical body is spiritual nourishment for the soul. One can do without food for a considerable time, but a man of the spirit cannot exist for a single second without spiritual nourishment.” – Mahatma Ghandi
