Over the past 20 years I have been through quite a transformation.

Recovering from addiction, eating disorders and health issues meant I needed to make big changes in my life if I wanted to feel more empowered, balanced and nourished.

For me, Empowered Balanced Living has come to mean being fully responsible for myself across all areas of my health and well-being. Not just with food, exercise or meditation but working on all three. There is no one more important than the other.

This is what I have discovered anyway.

Here are some of my essential tools that help me live a more empowered balanced life today:

1. Eat Real Food

Unrefined, unprocessed, free of chemicals.

2. Eat Mostly Plants

Predominantly a plant-based diet is optimal for our health, but it enables us to be more in tune with our body, our feelings and our intuition. I didn’t say Eat Only Plants; I said Eat Mostly Plants!

3. Home Cooking

Cooking something nourishing for yourself is an act of self-love and also a meditative tool. It helps us stay grounded and connected to our body. The more connected, the more "at home" we feel in ourselves.

4. Listen to Your Body

Your body will always be telling you what it needs, but often we never ask. The more we listen to what our bodies are telling us, the more we can trust ourselves and feel empowered in our own skin.

5. There Is No Perfect Diet!

The only constant in life is change; we will change, so will our needs as will our diet. Learn what is right for you right now and what doesn’t work. Then be ready to let it all go when things change again!

6. Journaling

Writing is a magical tool we can all do. You will begin to meet yourself, know yourself and hear yourself in your words. The more we get in touch with who we are, the more we know what we want in life and how we want to live it.

7. Feel Your Feelings

Ignoring feelings does not make them disappear, I’m sorry to say. Our feelings are part of the beautiful make-up that makes us, us. Please don’t ignore them; they may make you feel more alive than ever before.

8. Meditation

There are few things more empowering and nourishing for the soul than regular meditation. Spend ten minutes each day sitting quietly with ourselves and our breath. It is in this quiet that we can hear our deeper guidance and intuition.

9. Daily Movement

Each day move your body so that you can feel more connected to it. Stretching, walking, dancing, whatever it is: may it be an act of love rather than an act of punishment.

10. "Me" Time

Spend a little time each day to give yourself some love and attention to make sure you are feeling truly loved in your life.