Wellness Expert Jia Singh Shares Five Essentials For Healthy Life

Sitting pretty behind her desk unassumingly, Jia Singh is a postcard picture of wellness. Her pixie like demeanour and inner calm are exceedingly refreshing.

She is profoundly mindful for her years. Jia has been a holistic nutritionist, freelance writer, self-care, body positive advocate for much of her adult life.

In an interview with BW Businessworld's Nina Kler, Jia Singh talks about her wellness journey and the core ingredients for a healthy life.

Over two sublime cups of green tea that she poured for me, I learned about her journey and what she considers the core ingredients of wellness and being healthy.

From a young age Jia wanted to make an impact with her writing. Once she found herself in a position to be able to guide people regarding nutrition, she wanted to positively impact the way women view their bodies. Through her writing

For Jia wellness is a life long journey that you embark on one day at a time diligently performing your rituals, the results of which you see over the years, not over night.

On her wellness blog- Wandering for Wellness she writes on yoga immersions, fitness retreats, boutique hotels and alternative health care practices to improve the quality of one's life and consults patients on holistic ways to improve their health and well-being.

She contributes regularly to magazines in India and overseas like GQ, Elle and Vogue. Her life is one to envy, she is living her dream doing all she loves and believes in.  She travels, swims, spends her time learning more about yoga and meditation, and when no one is watching she dances too. An ideal situation where what she loves and what she does for a livelihood are in complete alignment.

I picked her brain to unearth the five essentials that she believes in for a healthy life:

1. Sleep: we live in an age where everyone you meet is sleep deprived and most of us don't even think about fixing it. Sleep deprivation can cause chronic inflammation, lower immunity, make you moody and is also responsible for the fat around the middle. Jia believes in establishing a nighttime ritual to allow your body to relax and enjoy a good nights sleep to ensure recovery and healing. Herbs like ashwagandha and tulsi go a long way in calming the mind and allowing the body to de-stress. Restorative yoga and guided meditations are also great tools to induce relaxation and prevent frayed nerves.

2. Gratitude journal: Journaling - this is something you were often doing in school but journaling is back in a big way. It helps you deal with everyday things, become more grateful and allows you to be aware of everything happening around you. Jia started maintaining a daily gratitude journal at a time when she felt things weren't going her way but writing her blessings (big and small) really helped her reconnect with herself and become more appreciative of the people and things around her. She prefers a handwritten note in a diary but some of you might prefer typing it out on your computer and that's fine too. Just remember no blessing is too small and get into the habit of writing every day.

3. Exercise: it doesn't matter what motivates you to wake up in the morning, whether it is spinning, running, yoga or a CrossFit class- don't give it up. Numerous studies have shown how a diligent workout routine can fight stress, boost mood, increase endorphins and also promote longevity. Jia believes in carving out at least 60 minutes from each day to do some activity that you enjoy. While some of us crave the adrenalin rush from a sprint or a team sport, others like brisk walks and restorative yoga. Finding a workout buddy that motivates you and helps you reach your goal- is a great strategy for good health.

4. Mindfulness: Everyone's talking about it but not many of us actually practice it.  We rush through our days with our eyes glued to the screen and a lot of the time- we lose out on the present moment. Jia takes a long walk on the grass every morning to feel grounded and connected. She says that feeling the dew drops on your soles is a great way to appreciate the moment and become more aware of the moments that often pass us by. There is something so therapeutic about slowing down. The next time you are having dinner with your parents- take your attention away from your gadgets and engage in a meaningful conversation. Most of us are pressed for time at meal-times but there's nothing more important than eating mindfully. Jia insists that you should eat away from your computer and your phone so you aren't distracted. Eating mindfully allows for better assimilation and your body will signal to you when it's full, so you won't overeat.

5. Make fat your friend: yes, you heard that right. Eating fat isn't bad for you which means that your yolks can come back into your brekkie recipe. In fact, your brain is made up almost entirely of fat. Your body needs adequate fat for recovery, lubrication of joints and to help your brain function optimally. The key here is to focus on the good fat. Jia insists that you should ditch vegetable oils and sprays and instead cook with ghee, coconut oil and butter. These oils prevent inflammation, are more stable at high temperatures and have cardio-protective properties.

Jia is presently piloting her wellness-focused retreats for the strong woman in destinations like Maldives, Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, Goa and Sri Lanka.

Sure to be on the top of the to-do list for those on the wellness path!