Your emotional health is powerfully influenced by your physical health.

During times of intense or prolonged grief and stress, one of the best ways to support your emotional well-being is to support your physical well-being. The foundation of your emotional healing will be built on the health of your body.

Here are five things you can do NOW to support emotional health by supporting your physical health…

1. Breathe. Your brain can only live 3 minutes without oxygen. Breathing is the most essential function of the human body. Breath is literally life, physically and emotionally.

Breathe often and breathe deeply. Instead of reacting, take a breath.

When you feel overwhelmed, take a breath.

Angry? Take a breath.

With breath comes clarity and calm. When you are clear and calm you can choose well-being instead of reacting to stress.

Regular exercise is a great way to breathe. And during a season of grief you exercise should be restorative. Take a walk. Do yoga. Play with your dog.

Don’t’ join CROSSFIT or decide to run a marathon. Save those for after you heal. Right now, just breathe.

2. Hydrate. Stress and worry cause inflammation in the body. Staying hydrated combats inflammation and regulates PH by flushing out toxins.

When you are hydrated your body is stronger and more capable of adapting. Hydrating also boosts immunity and supports adrenal and brain function.

So drink plenty of water each day, consume broth regularly for its mineral content, and drink green and herbal tea daily for its hydrating and comforting properties.

Skip (or at least limit) coffee and alcohol as these cause inflammation and dehydration – ultimately undermining emotional health.

3. Nourish. Eat nutritious, alkalizing, whole foods to build up your physical and emotional resilience.

How can you expect to be emotionally well if you are nutritionally deficient?

Healthy food is the foundation of emotional health. Unprocessed foods high in vitamins and minerals, quality calories from natural sources, alkalizing foods that fight inflammation (like leafy greens, fresh fruit, and cultured food like yogurt, sauerkraut, and kombucha), and clean proteins rebuild every cell and are essential to not just a strong body, but a strong emotional disposition too.

Junk food, alcohol, too much caffeine, and processed sugar will not only make you physically weak and sick but also emotionally fragile and easily overwhelmed by stress.

4. Supplement. Stressful times deplete you in ways you can’t compensate for with only mindset and meals. You need to bring in reinforcements.

I can’t stress enough the connection between physical and emotional health. If your body is running on empty you’ll feel it emotionally too.

Build your resilience by taking adaptogen herbs, b-vitamins, probiotics, and adrenal support supplements. I also suggest taking Firewater daily, using only real mineral-rich sea salt (not iodized table salt), and adding superfoods and bone broth to your diet.

Find a list of the supplements I swear by HERE.

5. Rest. You are not an energizer bunny. You must create time for sleep and rest to restore the energy reserves your body uses under stress of all kinds.

Stress consumes an unbelievable amount of energy, especially taxing your adrenals. When you get tired and run down (especially if you experience any level of adrenal fatigue) EVERYTHING feels bigger, harder, and more overwhelming.

Have you ever seen a small child meltdown when they are tired? Exhaustion robs you of your emotional coping skills, even if you are all grown up.

Reinstate your ability to cope by resting. Get quality sleep nightly. Carve out moments in your day to check in with yourself, collect your thoughts, and take a few deep breaths.

Set boundaries and ask for help when you need it. Say no when you are overbooked and trade activities that leave you depleted with ones that are restorative.

Make rest a priority and reap emotional benefits in spades.

These 5 tips might seem small, but they make a huge impact. Use them to support your healing journey.

Would you like more FREE healing tools?

What have you done to help yourself heal after loss?

Email me at Rachel@thegriefgal.com. I’d love to know.