Contributed by Luke Smith
People are more aware of environmental needs now than ever before. 93% of people want to live more sustainably and do what they can to protect the environment, ensuring a bright future for the next generation.
At the same time, most people also recognize the importance of self-care and maintaining health. People report that self-care leads to benefits like boosted self-confidence, increased productivity, and higher levels of happiness.
Surprisingly, caring for yourself can also mean that you’re caring for the environment. By being conscious of your health and considering how your habits could impact the planet, you can make changes that will keep you at your best while doing the same for the world around you.
Nurturing Through Nutrition
It should come as no surprise that the “you are what you eat” saying has some truth to it. Your diet has a profound impact on your mental and physical health. In fact, the digestive system – also known as the enteric nervous system – acts as a sort of “second brain,” linking your gut health to your mental health. Eating the wrong foods can lead to physical issues, like high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. It can also impact your mental health, contributing to depression, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating.
Certain foods can also take a toll on the state of the planet. Some of the worst foods for the environment include:
- Sugar;
- Coffee;
- Beef and industrial meat;
- Fish;
- Chocolate.
By making small changes in your diet, you can focus on your health and the state of the environment all at once. Simply switching to local produce — or growing your own — can make a big difference in cutting down carbon emissions. Reducing your consumption of red meat can also make a difference.
Do your research on food sources. Choose to support local farmers and brands that are dedicated to sustainable practices. Eat organic whenever possible, and avoid food that’s been heavily processed. Your body and the planet will thank you.
Staying Comfortable in Extreme Temperatures
Air conditioning and heating are creature comforts that many of us are used to. It’s hard to imagine life without a heating unit in the middle of winter. However, large air conditioning units can consume over 4,000 watts each hour and a standard home furnace uses about 400 watts per hour.
Energy-efficient models are much better when it comes to energy consumption. If possible, it’s a worthwhile investment to switch out your HVAC unit for something newer and more energy efficient. It’s important to keep yourself healthy and comfortable throughout the seasons, but that’s no excuse to throw away environmental care.
If you want to take things one step further, consider investing in a geothermal heating system. Geothermal heating doesn’t deplete our natural resources by using fossil fuels. Instead, it uses geothermal heat beneath the ground to warm up your home. These systems are up to four times more energy efficient than traditional HVAC units.
Of course, this investment is only one way to stay healthy and comfortable at home while doing something good for the planet. Changing all of your appliances to energy-efficient models, installing low-flow toilets and sinks, and reducing your waste production are all ways to keep yourself and the environment happy and healthy.
Practicing Preventative Care
You might not think that going to the doctor regularly has anything to do with the environment. However, preventative care isn’t just good for your personal well-being. It’s also a way to prevent the planet from shelling out more of its resources.
Preventative medicine helps to improve natural environments, including where you live and work. Healthier communities tend to do more to give back to the planet by making more sustainable choices.
By regularly seeing a doctor and taking care of yourself, you’ll also help to reduce things like:
- Material waste;
- Carbon emissions;
- Sourcing supplies.
Lifespan expectancy is on the rise all around the world. That’s largely due to preventative health practices. However, longer lives lead to greater drains on our resources. By doing your part to take care of yourself, you’ll help reduce that impact, and you’ll be less likely to end up with a serious or chronic health condition. The more often you see a doctor, the easier it will be for them to monitor your health and take care of any issues before they become too serious and end up using more resources.
A healthy version of you can also be more active and take part in sustainable community practices. This way, you can contribute to the national biodiversity initiative by planting crops and creating more diverse habitats.
From what you eat to the home habits you practice every day, there are so many ways your health and the state of the environment overlap. Keep these ideas in mind as you do your best to maintain your well-being, and consider how your activities could be impacting the world around you. The more you do now to make changes, the brighter the future will be for everyone.
About Luke Smith
Luke Smith is a researcher turned writer and blogger. With a background in science, Luke brings his expertise and enthusiasm to his work, and hopes to share genuinely helpful information and science news. When he isn’t writing, you can find Luke taking photographs, traveling, or learning about the latest tech.
This piece was prepared online by Panuruji Kenta, Publisher, SEVENSEAS Media