Water, fire, air, and earth are essential to our existence and have held a vital role in human health. Water keeps us hydrated, sunlight gives us energy, air provides us with oxygen, and the earth allows us to plant and grow food – all of these elements sustain life and without just one, we could not exist.
If you think about it, life starts as an embryo growing in an amniotic sac and as life progresses, water aids in carrying nutrients through our bodies via the blood while also protecting us from injury by surrounding our brain, spinal cord, and joints. We also require water in order to properly eliminate waste from our bodies which is comprised of 60% water, and the earth of 70%!
Just as water is crucial to everyday living, so is clean water. Human pollution is a large reason for contaminated waters including chemical runoff and the effects of industrial farming (another reason to reduce your animal consumption). If you haven’t yet explored water filtration systems for your home, I highly recommend doing this along with trying some of the following tips to improve water quality:
• Locate a fresh water spring in your area
• Purchase a test kit to test the water in your home
• Experiment with water filters for your sink (or entire home)
• Choose a reusable glass water bottle over plastic bottles
• Consider replacing old plumbing, which can expose water to lead
• Opt for eco-friendly cleaning products
• Avoid pouring cooking fat down the drain
• Only use what you need – in terms of both the water you consume and the cleaning products you use
FIRE
Oh, phototherapy! It’s no surprise we enjoy basking in the sun, as do our pets and virtually all livings things. Sun exposure helps us to synthesize vitamin D which is crucial for bone density and maintaining their strength, but there’s also the risk of too much exposure and the risk of skin cancer. While sunscreen is important for prolonged periods of being out in the sun, please check with the Environmental Working Group to find a sunscreen that contains no harmful ingredients that are toxic to your body!
AIR…do I have any runners out there? I think we can all agree running outdoors is highly preferred over running on a treadmill, but sometimes the quality of the air we run in can jeopardize our lungs and allow us to inhale a number of harmful pollutants. Keep in mind that in today’s society we tend to spend more time indoors than outdoors so the quality of indoor air is just as important. Focusing on breath with clean air allows us to calm the nervous system, increase oxygen to the brain, and places us in a state of feeling calm and relaxed. Who wouldn’t want that?!
Finally we’ve come to our one and only planet Earth. We grow food to nourish our bodies and minds that fuel us to do what we love but unfortunately over time, our soil has been depleted of its essential nutrients which makes it a fertile ecosystem in the first place. This is what plants depend on to grow and flourish, and we are what we eat. Being mindful of how we treat our Earth and the infliction of deforestation, urbanization, non-rotational crops, and dumping to name a few and these alter, if not destroy, all living organisms in the soil.
GET CONNECTED! Experience nature and feel the sand between your toes, the sun on your face, and sip some cool water after a nice hike through the woods and let me know your emotional response. Has your mind been stimulated, nerves calmed, leaving you with a sense of fulfillment or gratitude?
X ~ Jaclyn
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