There are so many simple little things you can be doing each and every day to make yourself feel healthier, better and to keep mind/body/spirit together….I have listed a few of my favourite places to start…..

1. Go homemade with an item you would usually buy. Make your own pot of jam (cook an apple, 2 peaches and handful of strawberries, juice of 1 lemon, ½ cup water, until thick, no sugar or pectin needed). If you have a food processor roast 1 cup of raw almonds and make an almond nut butter – cheaper and tastes far better than shop bought. Or search online for recipes for homemade versions of mayonnaise, mustard, chutneys and preserves – they taste far better and you feel such a sense of accomplishment from making your own.

2. Cook a meal from scratch   - no tins, no packets – a meal entirely from fresh produce and wholesome ingredients. You might start with jasmine rice, stir-fry of fresh greens, beans, onion, garlic, leek and grated carrot, small piece of grilled or baked fish to top the meal off. Add some of your homemade mustard made into a sauce…

3. Choose a day to fast! Get some clean spring water, lemons (organic are better) and clear herbal teas (not the fruit kind). Once you finish your last meal of the day, get into fast mode while you only take in water, lemon juice and clear liquid herbal teas for the following full 24 hours. It’s like putting your car in the garage for a tune-up, give your digestion a mini break, repair can take place, and you will feel great. There are many of us who have adopted this as part of a regular week with healthy results (lower cholesterol, normal blood pressure, regulated blood sugar etc.)

4. Exercise in shorter sessions or bursts of 5, 10 to 15 minutes two or three times over a full day. You will not only feel better, fresher and more engaged in your activities you will also oxygenate your brain more frequently (great for students, writers, busy moms!) and feel stronger. It may be far easier to exercise in shorter time intervals throughout the day then one long session. Try it, exercising this way keeps your routine fresh and there are only benefits to be gained.

5. If you don’t have this already, create a sacred space at home or in your garden. This may be a place where you have your favourite books, candles, precious mementoes, incense – it could be a table, comfy chair or a shelf. If you have one already, give it a revamp, clear out the old energy and create some changes with fresh flowers, a new candle, or a new location. Then sit and enjoy a cup of herbal tea as you write in your new journal….

April 

This blog was first published on The Pagan Diet blog.