Physical and spiritual health for the New Year

(Photo: Unsplash/Cecilia Par)

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'Tis the season of family, tradition and midnight mass, where millions of people across the globe partake in feasts and Christmas customs. And while practicing temperance in your daily life is an integral part of maintaining the balance so important to faith, it does become trying over this time of the year.

However, once the festivities are over many people turn to change their lifestyle habits with the promise of a New Year's resolution. These resolutions range from healthier food choices to deeper spirituality.
Today we will look at how you can detox your physical and spiritual self, to enter the year to come in a grounded manner.

The Physical

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you?... Therefore, glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

While holiday feasts are part of the tradition of Christmas, they are not designed to keep health at the front of the mind. After consuming rich dishes and desserts, you may want to consider a detox cleanse that will help you to reset your body to a healthier state.

Supplements

To ensure that you are receiving the optimal nutrition (while embarking on your detox and healthy lifestyle journey) it may be worthwhile to include specific vitamin and detox supplementations into your daily regime.

If you have chosen to abstain from certain foods, your diet can easily lack certain nutritional substances that allow you to perform at your best. For this reason, it is a good idea to seek these minerals and vitamins from other sources. Reviewy will have more info on which dietary supplements you could try this New Year.

Diet

Lent, Good Friday and Ash Wednesday are not the only times where moderation and abstinence should be a part of your life. When detoxing your body, you should keep the following questions in mind when it comes to food and drink.

Do you practice temperance by not overeating?

Do you practice prudence by nourishing your body with healthy foods?

Do you practice fasting, abstaining from meats not only on Lent but throughout the year?

Do you abstain from excessive alcohol use?

These questions will help you to stay on the right track when it comes to your diet and spiritual self.

Exercise

Your physical health enables you to be more sound in your spiritual well-being. And a significant part of staying healthy is to keep active.

Find time to incorporate some form of exercise into your daily regime. Join a gym, take up a specific sport or go for a regular brisk walk. You may also find that exercise can be the ideal time for prayer. When jogging, your mind may be at peace, allowing you to contemplate and reflect on your faith.

The Spiritual

The Bible frequently discusses proper spirituality, and when considered in biblical terms, it refers to the relationship between God and man. It can be summarized as holiness, the gift of the Spirit, your life in the Spirit, as well as your discipline of the Spirit.

Your spiritual health is therefore just as important, if not more significant than your physical wellness.

Mass

"Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day" (Exodus 20:8).

The importance of attending mass during the Advent season (and throughout the year) for your spiritual health, can be attributed to many reasons, including the following.

Receiving the Eucharist ( Holy Communion ), which nourishes the soul through the body of Christ.

Enriching your understanding of religion and faith, through readings of scripture and sermons.

Personal prayers become strengthened, as more people gather in faith.

It establishes a solid foundation of community and support.

Allows us to practice charity and give back to those in need.

Prayer

In the gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples the Our Father which teaches us the importance of persisting in prayer. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye. shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Matthew 7:7)

The more you pray, the happier you will become. It allows us to achieve peace of mind and understand ourselves and God more intimately. The habit of prayer has been shown to reduce anxiety, depression and improve overall spiritual health.

Serve

"The greatest among you will be your servant." (Matt. 23.11).
It is vital that we serve others as we would wish to be served ourselves. Faith and religion without living out what you preach are futile. Being called to serve is a big part of Christianity.

Treat others with kindness and patience, be committed to charitable habits and live these attitudes out truthfully. By showing love and compassion to our fellow man is a great way to strengthen your spiritual health.