JANUARY 2022 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 39
Ask Coach Catherine: Self Care is the New
Health Care and it all begins with you!
Welcome to my monthly column where I will be taking
questions from readers like you regarding how to
create and improve your holistic lifestyle.
I am Catherine Canadeo, a board-certified holistic
health coach and integrative functional nutritionist
certified by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, a
member of the American Association of Drugless
Practitioners, and an allied health professional of
the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. I am
also a lifestyle coach and have been helping people
throughout the United States cope with their emotional
and physical well-being.
Here’s a question from Alyssa of East Northport:
How do I create a New Year’s resolution creating a
happier, healthier lifestyle for me and my family?
Hello Alyssa,
According to experts, 80 percent of our New Year’s
resolutions fail. That number is quite discouraging,
not to mention that’s a lot of pressure to put on ourselves.
Selecting the perfect New Year’s resolution is
something that a lot of people struggle with- how do
you dedicate yourself and your family to achieving
a goal that you’ll commit to all year long and has the
power to improve the quality of your life?
A major reason that New Year’s resolutions fail is
because they don’t speak to your ambitions holistically
– they don’t embody the needs and wants of
your body, mind and spirit or soul. In order to truly
improve your wellbeing in the New Year, you need
to be wholly committed in every aspect. By taking a
holistic approach and incorporating goals designed to
nurture your mind, body and soul – you can become
an interconnected person!
These goals could include a wide range of things, from
taking a natural approach to living to trying alternative
methods of healing. Holistic living acknowledges
that many parts of ourselves are connected and affect
one another. By committing to them with an understanding
of their benefits from a holistic standpoint,
they might be even more meaningful to you in the
New Year. And, by taking them in smaller steps from
the beginning, you’ll begin to lay the foundations for
a healthier life without overwhelming yourself with
drastic changes. Small changes are everything!
The goal here is to build healthy habits and create
new patterns of positive experiences that will help
you maintain a vibrant lifestyle.
Easy Ways to Make Holistic Living Part of Your
New Year’s Resolution:
1. ‘Tis the season to be kind to yourself: Be patient
with yourself the way you would be patient with
your spouse or loved ones. Start by ditching the
guilt and shame associated with weight issues. Our
health and wellness are dynamic- it’s an ever-changing
balancing act. We each have natural cycles of
activity, restoration, nutrition, and elimination.
Maybe what’s holding you back is that what used
to work may no longer be effective for one or more
reasons. Consider rebalancing your seasonal lifestyle.
Winter can be a time for increased nurturing.
This may mean reading a book, sharing more
quality family time, or enjoying a hobby.
2. Eat more whole foods: Many people attempt a New
Year’s resolution of “no junk food,” but completely
cutting out processed foods, excess sugar and other
foods isn’t realistic- nor is it the true path to healthy
living. Instead, make a resolution to incorporate
more fresh (organic) whole foods into your diet
each week. By adding more foods like vegetables,
fresh fruit and other nutrient dense ingredients
to your daily meals, you’ll have less room for
junk food while still being able to indulge every
once in a while. Fresh and whole foods can help
stabilize your mood, reduce brain fog, and improve
concentration, which will help you mentally and
make it easier for you to do the things you love
– feeding your soul in the process. I follow the
80-20 rule- try your best to eat healthy-mindfully
Monday through Friday and enjoy occasionally on
the weekend. Don’t forget hydration: every cell in
your body needs to function. Focus on fluids that
are rich in electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals;
examples include herbal teas and Kombucha.
3. Make time for meditation: Meditation has become
a buzzword especially with all the stress we’ve been
exposed to these past two years living in challenging
unprecedented times. Experts believe that
meditation can have a multi-faceted improvement
on your life. It’s a perfect reminder that the mental
affects the physical, and the physical affects the
mental. It can help you relieve daily stress, provide
peace from anxiety and even bolster your immune
system. Meditation is truly a holistically beneficial
activity, and its easily buildable. Start small in the
first few weeks and gradually add more time into
your sessions as you can.
4. Sleep more and more easily: Sleep is yet another
comprehensive way to improve overall physical,
mental and spiritual wellbeing. While most people
see sleep as a way to combat fatigue, sleep provides
us so much more. It helps our bodies heal and stay
strong to fight illness, aides in stress relief, keeps
our moods high, helps us to concentrate and much,
much more. 70% of healing occurs while we sleep!
If you aren’t sleeping well improving your sleep
health should be one of your main priorities in the
New Year. After doing so, many of your other goals
are more likely to fall into place.
5. Take a probiotic: Gut health is essential and is
another example of how the body and mind work
synergistically and are much more connected than
we think. The bacteria that reside in your colon
can have beneficial effects, but they can also have
negative effects, and both kinds affect not only
physical health, but also mental health. Adding
a daily probiotic to your routine is a very simple
thing to accomplish, but it can make a world of
difference for your overall health and well-being
by keeping your body and mind in balance, and
harmful pathogens at bay.
6. Reassess your fitness goal: Life happens, so be
flexible. If your current activities aren’t working,
begin to reassess your goals by looking at what’s
healthy and reasonable for your specific needs.
When it comes to our fitness, your priorities and
goals will vary depending on age, gender, and other
health conditions. The intensity, pace and type of
exercise that worked for you in your 20s or 30s
may no longer be effective. Start by setting a goal
of 150 minutes for the week to build consistency. If
22 minutes of activity per day isn’t doable… then
maybe 30 minutes every other day is fine if you
keep moving during the week. Also alternating
cardio and strength training with yoga will help
you find the right balance.
7. Control stress: Nurture with Nature. Spend time in
nature. Take a long walk, it’s relaxing, and immune
boosting properties help with brain fog and restore
your spirit. Enjoy the forests and landscapes of the
season near a window, or in front of the fireplace
with a cozy blanket and a favorite healthy beverage.
Depending on the season and where you live,
you may want to try forest bathing, a winter hike,
cross country skiing, bird watching or even build
a snowman with your kids! Focus on optimizing
your whole health, and don’t get fixated on just
one concern.
8. Keep a positive attitude: One way you can is by
surrounding yourself with positive people. Don’t
get dragged down by someone else’s negative
outlook or emotions. A positive outlook keeps you
energized and ready to tackle life’s challenges, while
a negative one will only deplete your physical and
mental strength. Positive and optimistic people tend
to be more physically active and follow a healthier
lifestyle. After a bold, ambitious start to the New
Year there may be many reasons to get sidetracked
on the road to your healthy lifestyle. The great news
is that by trying these strategies, you can get back
on track to reach your goals naturally.
We all have the power within us to create what we
desire – Coach Catherine
Catherine Canadeo is a nationally – recognized holistic
health and wellness consultant and has coached and
consulted with hundreds of private clients, groups, and
corporations. She teaches workshops and speaks at a
variety of venues from national corporate events and
conventions to local spa studios.
She can be reached at catherine@catherinecanadeo.com
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