Nature’s 7 Healers

The body is exquisite living poetry.
-Dr. Farida Sharan, ND

Health and wellness is everyone’s birthright including yours!

Cultivate a life that includes the tools found in Nature’s 7 Healers and you are guaranteed to enhance your overall health and well-being.

You deserve to live a life of abundant happiness, health, and harmony.

Begin NOW and take small daily action steps
It is your turn to shine!

1. Nutrition

• Eat fresh food that is raw or minimally processed - not too much and not too little.
• Eat food that is grown locally. (Locally grown food has more nutrition than foods that are picked and shipped across the country.)
• Choose nutrient dense whole foods.
• Eat when you are calm and relaxed and have the time to properly chew, digest, and assimilate your meal.
• Eat a variety of fresh organic fruits and vegetables. Choose from all of the colors of the rainbow as each color has a plethora of wonderful and specific nutrients to support your health.
• Get creative and prepare your own nutrient-rich meals.
• Eat foods that make you feel fantastic and enjoy the positive effect  eating clean has on your life.

Macro-nutrients: Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Choose macro-nutrient dense whole foods that come from whole foods are essential to a well-rounded nutrition program.

Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates, the basic energy source in plant foods, are made up of carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight. Your brain, nervous system, and muscles all rely on carbohydrates as their primary source of fuel.

• Expand your fruit and vegetable portfolio.
  Fruit and vegetables contain water, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes all of which are imperative for our overall health. For maximum benefit choose vibrant colorful, locally-grown fruits and vegetables.
• ELIMINATE or at least limit processed sugars. Processed sugar is stripped of vitamins and minerals and is proven to be destructive to your health. Process sugars are found in the majority of foods on grocery store shelves. Read the labels.
• Eliminate obvious junk food such as sodas, candy bars, and alcohol.

Protein:
Made of amino acids, proteins contain the basic building materials body.

Vegan choices: blue-green algae, spirulina, wheat grass, organic tofu, black beans.

Non-vegan choices: farm raised organic eggs, cold water fish, grass fed beef.

Fat:
It is imperative to eat the right kind of healthy and essential fats* to support your brain, body, and nervous system. 

* Essential fats are called ‘essential’ because the body does not make them and therefore they MUST be included in your personal nutrition program.

Sources of healthy fats:
Avocados, soaked nuts (almonds, cashews, mac nuts), raw olives, coconut (MCT oils), sunflower, pumpkin, and hemp seeds (hemp is non-psychoactive).

• Supplement with essential fatty acids: Omega 3-6-9 (hemp oil and omega-3 rich fish oils).
• Supplement with CBD Oils  Cutting edge peer reviewed scientific studies show that CBD Hemp oils are excellent for the brain and nervous system.
• Eliminate hydrogenated fats and partially hydrogenated fats. Hydrogenated fats are also called long-chain triglycerides. These cheap fats are added to food to extend shelf life. In your body they are unrecognizable and are immensely destructive to your health.

Micro-nutrients: Vitamins, minerals, enzymes, probiotics.

Vitamins: An organic compound and an essential nutrient that an organism requires in limited amounts.

Minerals: Found in high quantities in fresh fruits and vegetables. Minerals are required for rejuvenation, health, and beauty.

Enzymes: Vital to all life process, enzymes are the cells ‘spark plugs’ and are required for every biological process in the body. Protein-based molecules, enzymes are found in every cell of your body and act as biological catalysts.

Probiotics: Assist digestion. Supports production of serotonin.
Regulates vitamin production (especially B vitamins including B-12)
Supports proper function of immune system.

2. Breathe

Healthy breathing is an effective and essential tool for balancing your body, mind, and spirit. Proper breathing supports the uptake of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide from our systems naturally improving your overall health. Breathe breathe breathe!

The Practice:

Take a comfortable seat.
Focus on breathing fully and deeply.
Find a rhythm and balance the length and depth of your inhalations and exhalations.

Inhale for a count of 2
Hold for a count of 4
Exhale for a count of 2
(Build up to 8-12 rounds)

3. Hydration

Water is a key element to both our planet and our well-being. 75% water and our beloved planet is 75% water.

The human body requires proper hydration to function optimally. Hydration increases energy, relieves fatigue, flushes out toxins, boosts the immune system and numerous other positive actions in the body.

Whenever possible, choose pure alkalized water, coconut water, or fresh pure spring water.

Hydration formula:

0.5 x body weight = ounces of pure alkalized water per day.

4. Sunshine

Sunshine is transformative. It both rejuvenates and recharges and is an essential component of health and wellness. Go outside and play in the natural sunlight. Sunrise and sunset are both wonderful times to be present in nature. 

The benefits:

• Supports the production and uptake of vitamin D, calcium and magnesium.
• Builds serotonin (the happy chemical in the body) and benefits everything from to immune system to bone strength.
• Increases the amount of iron in the blood. Sunshine is magnetic.
• Normalizes hormone balance.
• Balances sleep and wake cycles.  
  
  

5. Exercise

Exercise oxygenates and enlivens the body, mind, and spirit. Our physical body is meant to cherished and enjoyed and a regular practice of exercise is guaranteed to improve your life.

Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, hiking, martial arts, yoga, pilates, surfing, or dancing….

Find an exercise program that you love and DO IT! 

Benefits of exercise:

• Tones the muscles and strengthens the bones.
• Stimulates the organs, nervous and digestive systems. 
• Strengthens the respiratory and circulatory systems.
• Improves mental health and mood.
• Improves memory and cognitive function.
• Reduces stress.

Exercise Formula: frequency, duration, intensity.

Phase 1 Frequency:
As with any new exercise program begin slowly and build over time and please consult with your primary care giver or personal health care practitioner is you have any questions or concerns.

• Begin with two to three per week.
• Increase the frequency of exercise by adding another day of two per week of play before increasing the duration (time) of your activity. Once you are consistently exercising three to four times per week for a month to six weeks you are ready to increase the amount of time that you are exercising.
  ex. 2-3 x per week. Increase to 3-4 x per week.

Phase 2 Duration:  
Begins with twenty to thirty minutes of mindful movement.
Increase at a rate of 10% per week.

ex. 20-30 minutes per session. Increase to 22-33 minutes per session. The second week increase to 25-36 minutes per session and so on…

Phase 3 Intensity:
After one month to six weeks of regular exercise you are ready to increase the intensity of your practice. Increasing intensity includes things like adding hills to your walk, adding weight, or adding speed.

Fitness is a life- long practice. Begin NOW and remember to follow the
‘less is more’ axiom.

6. Sleep

Sleep is essential for optimal health!
Take time to regenerate your body, mind, and spirit will thank you for it.

Signs of sleep deprivations:

• Mood and energy swings.
• The feeling of being both ‘wired and tired’
• Noticeable changes in body weight.
• Crazy cravings.
• Imbalances in hormones.  

Positive action:

• Sleep in a dark and quiet room.
• Treat yourself to a fabulous eco-mattress, bedding, and pillows.
• Enjoy moderate daily exercise and gentle stretching.
• Sip on warm herbal tea.
• Take a warm bath with calming essential oils such as Roman Chamomile or Lavender.
• For optimal health go to sleep by 10 pm.
• Turn off the computer, TV, and other electronics. 
• Spend time in quiet reflection and NEVER go to bed angry
• Eat your last meal two hours before going to sleep.
• The body is designed to detoxify and heal during sleep.
• Release alcohol, pop, caffeine, recreational drugs, and sugar.
• Rise with the Sun and enjoy being in sync with the natures rhythms.
  
  

7. Mindfulness

In this overly busy and fast paced world it is imperative that we carve out time and space for restorative care and quiet self-reflection.

Cultivate a mindfulness practice such as meditation, reading, prayer, or whatever makes your mind and heart calm and centered.

The practice:

Find a comfortable seat, either on the earth, in a chair, or on your cushion.
Allow yourself to feel both rooted in the earth and uplifted to the sky. Place your awareness on the breath and quiet your thoughts. 

Make this a daily practice.

Author: Dr. Michelle, ND holds a BS in Kinesiology, a master’s in Education, and a doctorate as a Naturopathic Physician. In addition, she is a licensed Massage Therapist for both humans and animals. She leads wellness play-shops and retreats.