A few years ago, I went through a burnout that forced me to stop and rethink what being healthy actually meant to me. I was surprised to realise that it’s so much more than making sure I was getting my 5 a day and squeezing in a few workouts each week. True health is about maintaining a delicate balance between five key areas:

• Nutrition – what we choose to nourish our bodies with
• Movement & Exercise –exercise for your mental health just as much as your physical health
• Mindfulness – the practice of being present and calm
• Hormonal Health – the rhythms that affect our mood, sleep, and energy
• Visualisation & Mindset – the deeper inner work that shapes how we show up

Of course, nutrition is important, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. If we want to feel truly well, the other four elements matter just as much. And yet, it’s so easy to forget this when life gets busy, when we’re carrying extra weight, or when we’re laser-focused on just getting the number on the scale to drop. Sometimes the real solution isn’t about cutting calories or punishing ourselves at the gym, it’s about creating balance so our hormones can settle, our stress levels can lower, and our bodies can thrive.

For me, health is about finding harmony in all five elements. That doesn’t mean I do it perfectly all the time, far from it. I often see new clients who are at the gym seven days a week, yet they’re still exhausted, stressed, and running on empty. That isn’t health. That isn’t balance.

We are great at showing up for everyone else,  and holding it all together, but eventually, something starts to give. A small tear in the fabric appears. And if we don’t step back, pause, and create space to reset, that tiny tear can become bigger, until we no longer feel like ourselves.

Here are some easy tips and reminders on how to nurture these 6 pillars of health:

Diet & Nutrition

• Prioritise protein and fibre
• Eat healthy fats
• Choose complex carbohydrates over simple sugars
• Eat a diverse range of plants

Movement & Exercise

• Prioritise resistance and strength training
• Work on mobility – Pilates, Yoga
• Do some cardio and H.I.I.T
• Walk, ideally uphill

Mindfulness & Meditation

• Focusing on taking space, sit in silence for even a few minutes to start with if you’re new to meditation
• Practice the 5-4-3-2-1 mindfulness method: name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, and 1 you taste.
  It’s a quick way to ground yourself in the present moment.

Hormonal Health

• Prioritise sleep – Aim for 7–9 hours; hormones like cortisol, insulin, and melatonin regulate best when you’re well-rested.
• Manage stress daily – even 5 minutes of breathwork, meditation, or a walk lowers cortisol and helps other hormones stay balanced.

Visualising & Manifesting

• Future-self journaling helps you step into the mindset of the person you want to become.
• Mental rehearsal trains your brain to believe it’s possible, wiring new neural pathways for change.

If you are feeling out of balance, and could do with some guidance and accountability, check out my 1:1 coaching program to see if it’s right for you.

Image credit: Bas Van Est