How to Care For Yourself and Our Planet

Health and wellness are multi-faceted concepts. It isn’t just about taking care of your physical body, though that is undoubtedly a part of it. Instead, you also have to factor in your mental and emotional wellbeing, ensuring you’re caring for yourself in a holistic manner.

If you care about the environment, thinking of finding eco-friendly approaches to health and wellness is a must. That way, you can improve your life without doing any harm, creating a win-win scenario. If you aren’t sure where to begin, here are some health and wellness tips from Reyiko that work with an eco-friendly lifestyle.

Try a “Greener” Workout

Most adults need at least 150 minutes of exercise each week to maintain their health. While it might not seem like an exercise routine wouldn’t be eco-friendly, that isn’t always the case. For example, hopping into your car and driving to the gym increases your carbon footprint.

Luckily, you can make your workout “greener.” One option is to look for non-traditional ways to exercise that support an eco-friendly lifestyle. For example, making your own compost and cultivating a home garden can qualify as exercise. Pulling weeds and planting can burn up to 300 calories per hour and also gives various muscle groups a workout.

If you live near a beach, park, or other open areas, heading out and doing some trash cleanup could be a great way to get in some exercise and help the environment. If you jog as you pick up garbage—a workout called “plogging”—you can burn up to 330 calories in just 30 minutes. That’s 60 more calories than if you just jogged for the same amount of time.

Make Your Diet Organic

If health and wellness are a concern, and you want to have an eco-friendly diet, shifting toward organic foods could help. When it comes to eco-friendly food production, organic farming provides many benefits. It’s considered more sustainable over the long term.

Not only does it reduce soil erosion, but it also keeps harmful pesticides and fertilizers out of water supplies. Plus, eating organic may be better for you. By maintaining an organic diet, you can potentially reduce your exposure to harmful pesticides.

However, it’s important to remember that switching to an organic diet can take a bite out of your budget. Organic foods cost more than non-organic options, so you may need to figure out which organic products matter most to you. Or, figure out which organic options will play a bigger role in helping you to feel healthier. Play with your budget and adjust your diet accordingly.

Find the Right Career

If eco-friendliness is important to you, you want to find a career that aligns with those values. Otherwise, you may find yourself dissatisfied with your job, frustrated with your employer, or fighting signs of burnout because the company’s mission doesn’t fit with your priorities.

Consider what kind of work matches your values. Once you do, pivot your career to head in that direction. If you’re thinking of starting your own business, choose a home base that’s more welcoming to your green philosophy. In some cases, simply finding a new job might do the trick. But if you need to boost your skillset first, going back to school may be your best choice.

By choosing an online degree program, you have an eco-friendly approach to learning. Instead of paper books, your textbooks will be digital. You won’t have to commute to a campus, increase resource use at your school, and more. Plus, there are online programs for whatever piques your interest, so whether you’re looking to start a business or help people, there’s something for you.

Online degree programs are also convenient. Many of them are very flexible, giving you time to handle your work and family obligations while you study. Just make sure that you choose an accredited school with competitive pricing. That way, you won’t have to break the bank while getting your quality education.

It can be difficult to find ways to prioritize your wellness while also trying to help the planet. But, using the above tips, you can find ways to simultaneously care for yourself and the planet.

 

A guest post by Lisa Walker of NeighborhoodSprout.org

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