Do You Know Five Ways You Can Listen to Your Body?

Our bodies talk to us every day but sometimes we don’t listen and miss out on some important cues that can help keep us in top physical and mental shape! To make sure you are feeling good every day, be sure to spend a little time alone with yourself and really listen to what your body is telling you.

Here are five ways you can listen to your body by asking a few questions:

1.         Do you feel rested, tired or so-so? Is your body telling you to get a good night’s sleep or do you feel energetic and ready to tackle the day? Do you need to break up your busy day with a nap? Restful sleep is an important part of feeling good every day and one aspect of practicing empowered living.

2.         How are you feeling mentally and emotionally? Are you sad and depressed, anxious or stressed out? Or do you feel calm and content? Paying attention to your state of mind can help you maintain high energy levels and to avoid a slump. Sometimes all it takes is getting up and taking a walk in the fresh air to feel stable again. Deep breathing, getting up and stretching, a few minutes of quality time with yourself—these are all simple ways to maintain your mental equilibrium.

3.         What do you like to eat and is it nutritious? Are you eating regular meals? Are you snacking in between meals when your blood sugar dips? Are you actually hungry when you eat, or are you eating mindlessly out of boredom? Do you have a good cut-off time in the evening when you stop eating until tomorrow morning? Overeating and undereating can both wreak havoc with your body and your overall mood, so are you eating more or less than usual? If you are, what is your body telling you? On the other hand, mindful eating or eating the right foods at the right times of the day—based on your personal preferences and needs—can help you feel good every day.

4.         When was the last time you exercised? Do you have a daily routine to get up and do something active? Exercise doesn’t have to be a full-out strenuous workout at the gym. It can be a brisk walk with your dog or a stroll with your toddler. It can be doing a few laps in the pool or doing chair yoga, stretching out on the mat or cleaning your kitchen. Setting aside time every day to do something active can help you feel good every day. Once you start, your body will remind you every day it’s ready for some movement.

5.         Quality time with people who are important to you is key to feeling good every day. Are you spending enough time staying connected to those you care about? Do you text or call your elderly parents? Do you text or call your adult children? Never underestimate the power of talking and laughing with someone you feel close to, whether it’s a friend, mentor or family member. It does wonders to cheer you up or you can be cheering them up!

Listening to the body means cultivating a mindful awareness of what it (you!) needs at any given moment, followed by honoring that need. This intuitive practice will help you understand and make decisions based on internal cues, rather than steamrolling past your own limits. Long-term, sustainable health comes when you listen to your body, and then respond with care, action, and compassion.1

1 https://lindywell.com/listen-to-your-body-strategies/?srsltid=AfmBOorRVWB2X-ZymDQsijV9BGE7JIWRiyMBMSmQ8zRIM26bj0Y9WTDf

What is the Foundation for Vitality?

What’s the first thing you think of when it comes to vitality? What do you think provides you with that feel-good sense of being able to take on the world? Is it a healthy heart or a great set of lungs? Is it your clarity of mind?

It may be surprising to know that your digestive system plays a crucial role in how you feel! The microorganisms that live in your gut contribute to a balanced (or unbalanced) microbiome. When it’s balanced, nutrient absorption is working at optimal levels and the key to energy production. In other words, a digestive system that is breaking down food very well, is enabling the body to extract and absorb as many nutrients as possible, resulting in high energy levels.

The “feel good” neurotransmitter is serotonin, and it is vital to the connection between gut health and whole body energy, since about 95% of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut. A healthy gut produces ample amounts of serotonin, which helps mood and sleep, two essential factors for maintaining high energy levels.1

Proteins, fats and carbohydrates are all essential for energy production. Even if you eat balanced whole foods, if your digestive system is not functioning well, these nutrients cannot be absorbed efficiently. If your body does not absorb enough nutrients, you may feel tired, lethargic or have an overall feeling of fatigue.

What you eat plays a significant role in gut health and energy levels. Professional athletes adhere to a strict diet regimen because it directly impacts their performance. The same holds true for all of us—a poor diet that is high in processed foods with added sugars and unhealthy fats will disrupt the balance of gut bacteria. By choosing whole foods rich in fiber, you can actually create a healthy and balanced gut, which in turn produces high levels of energy that help you to feel good every day.

Eating naturally colorful foods, mostly found in fruit and vegetables, helps provide a broad range of nutrients that include antioxidants. Since fiber is so important for a healthy gut, incorporate whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa and oats. Fiber will help you stay regular, another important aspect of gut health. Include lean proteins found in fish, poultry and legumes, as they will help you maintain muscle mass and energy levels.

Probiotics and prebiotics are found in fermented foods and are known to promote balance in the gut. If you like the taste of yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi or garlic and onions, you can incorporate them into your daily food regimen. You can also supplement with Golden Gut Formula, an advanced, integrated nutrient source uniquely designed to support gut health. It not only helps to balance the microbiota in the gut, it provides prebiotic support to help the probiotics work more efficiently and to deter bad bacteria from growing. Always remember to drink lots of PiMag® water to stay hydrated, knowing that water helps digestion!

Good nutrition is key to gut health, but physical activity is also important. Regular exercise helps maintain digestive health and support gut motility. You don’t have to be a high-performing athlete to achieve an improved gut: simply choose an activity you can do consistently—whether it’s walking, biking, swimming, yoga, Pilates or chair exercises—your gut will feel the difference and your overall energy levels will improve, so that you can experience vitality—the essence of feeling good every day—and the empowered living lifestyle.

1 https://greaterorlandogi.com/2025/01/13/how-digestive-health-affects-your-energy-levels/