My First Pillar of Sustainability: Health – How Living Healthy Creates Meaning While Also Positively Impacting The Planet
In my previous post, I described my three pillars to a meaningful life: health, happiness, and connection. They are 3 lenses that I use to evaluate everything I do in life and see whether it’s contributing positively to my life or not. Health is the first and most obvious one to understand why I include it.
Why health is foundational to a meaningful life
Your body and mind are the vehicle through which you experience and interact with the world – often, they determine what you can and can’t do, and both can be shaped and molded through training, practice, and food choices.
Think about it! Do you have a body that allows you to climb mountains? Play tennis? Fly a jet? Do you have a mind that is disciplined enough to become an Olympic athlete? Skilled enough to cultivate trusting, loving relationships with others? Your body and mind have a very direct effect on your experience of the world we live in, so it makes sense to develop the body and mind that is optimal for the life you want to live.
When it comes to my health, just as important to me as body and mind is spirit, which I think of as being those things that act on my feelings, the little things that resonate within me to make my days feel complete – a morning walk, drinking coffee while watching the rain, or playing the viola. Activities done for the health of my spirit may not make me physically stronger or increase my knowledge or skills, but they contribute to my health by lowering stress and making me feel stable and grounded.
How I think about improving my health
I feel like health is the simplest of my three pillars to improve (though not necessarily the easiest!). There is so much information out there on how to live a healthier life, it can actually be overwhelming. When I think about health, I’m not just thinking about the absence of illness, it’s a state of physical and mental well-being that allows me to fully engage in life. In general, I like to work on these three areas: movement, nutrition, and recovery.
1. Movement: Strengthening the Body and Mind
I hate exercise.
There, I said it. I’ve never been one to exercise a lot or keep to an exercise routine. However, I recognize that when I do exercise, I feel more energetic and my mood gets lighter. I also feel better just moving through the world – walking, picking things up, or hopping over a gate (yes, something I have to do from time to time), all feel easy after regular exercise.
Personally, I have a stretching routine I like to do at least once a day, but most days do it once in the morning and once at night. I also do 30 burpees and 12 decline pushups every weekday (and am steadily increasing or adding exercises over the years!).
But you don’t have to have structured workouts to get benefits from movement. Just trying to stay active throughout the day has scientifically proven improvements on your mood, energy, and mental state. The more you move, the more capable and energized you feel. Movement is like oil to eliminate friction as you move through your world and just makes everything feel smooth.
2. Nutrition: Fuel a Good Life
When it comes to food, I find myself repeating two sayings in my head: “You are what you eat” and “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants” (Michael Pollan, read Salt Sugar Fat!). Your body and mind are literally made of the things you eat. The thought of my body being made of McDonald’s cheeseburgers grosses me out. When you eat well, everything gets better! Eating healthier foods can enhance your energy levels, cognitive performance, and emotional well-being. On the flip side, poor nutrition can leave you feeling sluggish, foggy-headed, and unmotivated.
Recently, this has meant I eat very little meat and dairy. I’m not vegetarian or vegan, but I would estimate that I only eat about 10% of the animal products I used to. I also prioritize whole, nourishing foods that make me feel good—plenty of vegetables, protein, and healthy fats. And, like in my previous blog post, I try to keep it simple – a bowl of brown rice with some veggies and tofu or a quick veggie sandwich are personal favorites.
Don’t get me wrong, I splurge on desserts and unhealthy food from time to time too. Sometimes indulging in your favorite comfort food isn’t just about nutrition; it’s about joy and connection (especially when shared with friends or loved ones!), which are equally important aspects of health.
3. Recovery: The Power of Rest and Regeneration
We live in a culture that glorifies productivity (I love reading books on productivity, but I admit that most of them take it way too far – productivity does not always lead to happiness…blog post for another day), but just as important as getting things done in a day is how you recharge and recover. Getting a lot done in a day is great, but not if it’s at the expense of your health. Recovery is when the body repairs itself, the mind processes information, and emotional resilience is built. It’s your time to destress!
This means getting quality sleep and spending some time thinking about mindfulness and relaxation. I’ve learned that pushing through exhaustion only leads to burnout, whereas allowing myself time to rest makes me more effective, focused, and present in everything I do.
For me, sometimes this means meditating or going for a walk, cuddling with my dog, or sometimes it just means sitting down and letting myself be “bored”, which I define as just time spent with no goal in mind. It’s been shown that boredom has been shown to have amazing benefits to creativity. Just think about how many of your favorite thoughts come while you’re in the shower or driving! Boredom leads to your best thoughts!
Related Side-Point: I don’t really think of watching Netflix as one of my recovery things. It can be OK to take a load off or for entertainment, but I recommend only using Netflix to destress in moderation…There are better and healthier ways for you to destress and relax that are less…”turn you into a vegetable”y. Binge watching tends to make my mind feel more busy, rather than less, and I don’t come out of it feeling calm and relaxed.
How Health Connects to Sustainability
So I called health one of my pillars of sustainability, but I haven’t mentioned sustainability once yet in this whole post. Like I discussed in my previous post, I think that sustainability for sustainability’s sake is a fine motivator, but for me personally, health, happiness and connection are the things I try to improve, and I find that they all lead to more sustainability in my life.
The choices we make for our bodies, from the food we eat to the way we move, often have a ripple effect on the planet. Eating whole, locally sourced foods supports regenerative agriculture and reduces the carbon and pollution footprint of our meals. Choosing to walk or bike instead of driving benefits both our physical health and the environment by avoiding fossil fuels. Even practices like reducing food waste and avoiding processed products contribute to a healthier body and a healthier planet. When we view health and sustainability as interconnected, we realize that taking care of ourselves also means taking care of the world we live in, creating a cycle of well-being that extends far beyond just our individual lives.
The Big Picture
Health is the foundation that supports everything else in life. Remember that you’re not just taking care of your mind, body, and spirit for health’s sake, either! Health has direct connections to happiness and connection too! Regular exercise can boost mood (happiness) and provide social opportunities (connection), just to give a couple examples. When you feel strong, energized, and mentally clear, you can pursue your passions, cultivate deep relationships, and fully embrace the world around you. And don’t forget that most of the actions you do to be healthy are also better for the planet!
I hope I’ve also impressed upon you how imperfect I am as well! I slip and miss an exercise day here and there, eat unhealthy things from time to time, and occasionally burn way too much time watching TV. It’s not about perfection—it’s about always striving to be a little healthier. Taking small, intentional choices over time add up big, shaping the body and mind that allow you to live the meaningful life you envision.
What’s one small change you can make today to invest in your health? Give it a shot! What’s the worst that could happen? You might just end up healthier, happier, and more connected!
