There’s a special kind of wisdom locked into practices of the past. We turn to ancient philosophies like those of Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine to teach us how to move through the noise of modern life and get back to our bodies innate equilibrium.

It can be hard to harness a sense simplicity while keeping up with modern life. Where do we begin to revive our natural rhythm? First, we stop interrupting it. Holistic nutritionist and founder of Soul Wellness Method Shauna Faulisi, shows us how…

We live in modern times but our bodies have not adapted to modern living. While we scurry to stay connected, climb the corporate ladder or make our entrepreneurial dreams a reality, our poor bodies are taking the hit. We haven’t evolved to the modern lifestyle of constant blue light disrupting melatonin production, stressful cortisol hits from a barrage of daily emails (rather than actual life-threatening danger) and sitting for hours instead of moving in all directions. We need to adapt strategies to better incorporate our lifestyle for our body’s health.

Here are the five ways you are possibly disrupting the body’s ancient patterns, and how to honor your health and wellness while living in today’s modern world:

5 Disruptions To The Body’s Ancient Patterns
+ How To Shift:

using Your Cell Phone in The Bedroom | We’ve abandoned our own primal needs for the pull of social media. Here’s a not-so-fun fact: Apps are designed to keep us hooked. Instagram has a purposeful delay before it shows you notifications. This increases our stress response while we wait, quickly giving us a dopamine hit once we see those little orange notifications. We are becoming increasingly more reliant on dopamine hits, and increasingly less reliant on our highly intelligent bodies and minds.

the shift: This doesn’t mean you should stop using your favorite app, but it is a suggestion to use them more carefully. Thirty minutes of technology-free time upon waking and before bed is a game changer. Also, turning off sounds and notifications on your phone can be a tremendous help in reducing anxiety. This way your thoughts are no longer interrupted by someone else whenever it’s convenient for them. Set boundaries around your phone and you’ll experience the world around you in a way you probably didn’t realize you needed.

Eating While overly stressed | Eating should be a time of joy. This is the time to fuel your body to sustain you throughout the day, to nourish it and make it happy. How often have you eaten while looking at your phone and/or simultaneously try to watch a show!?

When stressed, our body makes cortisol — also known as the fight-or-flight hormone. Long ago, cortisol was the hormone that allowed you to run for your life or fight off danger. Today, cortisol isn’t used for this purpose and stress appears in the form of deadlines and lifestyle choices. The problem? If cortisol isn’t used up it becomes a fat-storage hormone. This leads to the storage of body fat and hormone disruption, so it’s never a good idea to eat while stressed.

the shift: Mealtime is your chance to take a break from what’s going in your life and refuel. Without eating in a state of calm, our bodies have a hard time absorbing nutrients. Even if you don’t have the luxury of a sit down meal, take a moment and be grateful that you’re caring for your body and soul.

Not Listening To Your Body’s Needs | We are meant to move. We are meant to rest. And our ancestors instinctively knew the right time to do both. Today we have female hygiene products so women can continue going to work and school while menstruating. And we saw the powerful, life-changing nature of this modern advancement in the Oscar winning documentary Period. End Of Sentence.

Somewhere along the way it became cool not to take any days off, but let me tell you, we need days off. Our ancestors wouldn’t dream of doing heavy lifting or long treks while menstruating as they viewed bleeding as sacred, using this needed time to rest. Often an entire tribe of women bled at the same time on the new moon, while ovulating during the full moon.

the shift: WomanCode author, Alisa Vitti, offers a method of cycle syncing and, according to her, here are some workout suggestions for when to ramp up and when to slow down:

+ Menstrual phase: Go easy on yourself. Rest, get extra sleep, go for walks and work on a project at home that allows you some alone time.

+ Follicular phase: Say good-bye to bloat and hello to energy! Increase your cardio, and incorporate HIIT workouts.

+ Ovulation: Now you’re feeling confident, expressive and social. Estrogen levels are at a high, and it’s a great time to go hard. Try spin, boxing or The Class.

+ Luteal phase: We’re more sensitive to pain and bloat creeps in. Activate your lymphatic drainage by hiking, walking and light yoga.

Not Focusing On What’s Actually Important | Life can be overwhelmingly stressful. Not ideal, but that’s the reality. We each have our own goals and aspirations, but we can’t forget to live our life in multidimensional ways. It’s important to spend some time asking yourself, What am I actually working for? What does success really look like in my life? More often than not, time at the office doesn’t fit into this vision.

the shift: Not to oversimplify, but it’s important to enjoy your life. You’re perfect the way you are, and you’re exactly where you need to be at this time. No amount of personal growth books will help you see that, even if you’ve figured out how to slow down. Reduce your stress levels, clear out what’s not working for you, build a community and be true to yourself.

Isolating Yourself | Our ancestors lived in hunter and gatherer tribes. The men would go hunt while the women collectively tended to the home front. Women would share news of home life upon the men’s return, hence why women thoroughly enjoy long chats.

As we stray further from close connections, our happiness is suffering. It’s become increasingly difficult to intimately connect in social situations. Social connections supply you with a hit of dopamine and serotonin. And connecting through the internet doesn’t give you this same benefit.

the shift: I encourage you to exercise your social muscles. Talk to someone new the next time you’re out. Challenge yourself to put your phone away and stand tall when you don’t know anyone at the party. Take yourself out on a solo date and sit at the bar. Enforce phone-free dining with your friends. This will get easier over time and I know you’ll be happily surprised at your own strength and confidence.

Bottom line? Tap into your primal needs and reap the benefits!