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I’ve spent more than a minute in the health space. I’ve tried my fair share of extremes. At one point, I even quit health altogether. While I don’t discount any part of that journey, I can’t help but wish I’d known ten years ago what I know now: the three non-negotiables required for health.
A few years ago, after “quitting health,” I realized something important: I still wanted to be healthy. It wasn’t my desire for health I was over. I was over the approach we’re told to take to get there. Through years of research, experimentation, and frustration, I uncovered a truth that’s radically changed my perspective:
The problem isn’t you—or your body. The problem is the system you’re trying to use to get healthy.
You might be thinking, I’ve changed my approach, tried different things, and still, nothing changes. I get it. But here’s the thing: nearly every approach to health—even when wrapped in positivity—stems from the same flawed foundation, restriction, deprivation, and scarcity.
Sure, some approaches focus on addition, like crowding out the bad with the good. While that’s better, our skewed understanding of what it takes to get healthy often twists even the best intentions into forms of restriction. And this, my friend, is what needs to change.
Because health doesn’t thrive in restriction, health grows through expansion.
In this episode, I’m breaking down the three non-negotiables for health—the principles that will shift you from surviving in restriction to thriving in expansion. I’ll also share one simple way to get started living this approach today.
If this episode resonates with you, I’d love for you to leave a rating and review. It means the world to me—and most importantly, it helps others find the show and join us on this journey toward expansive health and life.
All Healing Happens In The Same Way
In the world of health, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of diets tailored to specific conditions. From protocols for Hashimoto’s to plans for histamine intolerance, the diversity can make healing seem overly complex and calculated. But at its core, all healing follows the same foundational principle:
Healing happens when the body’s resources exceed its burdens.
Understanding Resources vs. Burdens
Health is a balance between the resources your body has and the burdens it carries. If the demands on your body outweigh the energy and tools it has to manage them, health declines. While specific diets and routines might help some people, it’s important to recognize that even “healthy” changes can become burdensome if they deplete more resources than they replenish.
This is where many get trapped: pursuing health through perfection—perfect meals, perfect routines, perfect habits—only to find themselves more stressed and unwell. A stressed, rigidly healthy diet can sometimes cause more harm than good. That’s because health isn’t about forcing the body into compliance but supporting it so it can thrive.
The Key to Healing: Increasing Resources
Healing starts with increasing your body’s resources—the elements it needs to function and repair. The good news? Most of these resources are simple, accessible, and often free. They include essentials like:
- Quality Sleep: Your body’s natural reset button.
- Sunlight: A vital source of vitamin D and circadian rhythm regulation.
- Connection: Relationships that nurture emotional well-being.
- Movement: Gentle or intentional activity that energizes rather than depletes.
- Nourishment: Wholesome foods that fuel and repair.
When you focus on providing these resources, your body gains the capacity to handle its burdens and initiate healing.
Take Action: Start Small
The path to healing doesn’t require massive overhauls. Often, the most effective changes are the simplest ones. Here are 15 small actions you can take right now to support your body by providing an immediate resource or burst in energy:
- Drink a glass of water (add a pinch of salt for extra minerals).
- Turn on your favorite playlist and hum or sing along.
- Take a quick walk.
- Get outside and soak up some sun.
- Take three deep belly breaths.
- Eat a nourishing snack or meal.
- Call a friend and catch up.
- Give someone a hug.
- Write down your thoughts in a journal.
- Pray or meditate.
- Stretch.
- Laugh—watch or listen to something funny.
- Sit quietly and just be.
- Dig into a good book.
- Rest—close your eyes for a few moments.
Moving Forward
Healing isn’t about overhauling your life overnight. It’s about consistent, mindful steps that support your body and reduce its burdens. Start by asking yourself: What does my body need right now? Then, take one simple action to meet that need.
Health isn’t about striving for perfection—it’s about creating capacity. By focusing on increasing your resources, you empower your body to do what it was designed to do: heal and thrive.
Expand your knowledge with these resources:
- 12 Ways To Make Health Simple
- I Quit Health: Maybe You Should Too?
- How To Get Healthy: The Most Important Thing
- 5 Tested Granola Recipes Worth Making
