For many of us, when we think of nutrition our thoughts begin and end with eating healthy. During stressful times, I challenge you to think of the nutrition you are taking in through your other senses:  sight, hearing, touch and smell.

As we continue to practice physical distancing, it is especially important to take good care of all aspects of our health. The effects of trying to go about our daily lives while distanced from friends, family and loved ones may be felt physically, mentally and emotionally. One way to approach taking care of our whole bodies is through the concept of nutrition through the senses. Now is an excellent time to pay attention to the nourishment we take in through our eyes, ears, body, and nose.

Nutrition through sight includes whatever you find pleasing to look at. It might be pictures of those loved ones we can’t physically be with at this time. For some, it may be taking in images of animals, nature or art. Take a moment to think about what is pleasing to your eyes.

Feeding your sense of hearing might include laughter, music, or the sounds of the birds singing. Call that friend with an infectious laugh, stream your favorite music, or take in a virtual concert.

We may undervalue the sense of touch until it is absent from our lives. During times of physical distance, those who live alone may feel the effects the hardest. The topic of missing touch has come up recently on a couple different webinars I attended. One participant shared finding comfort in holding her own hand. In another instance, a group of over 300 participants from around the globe participated in a group virtual hug! A common self-compassion practice is putting your hand on your own heart for comfort.

You may still remember the smell of a favorite childhood dish cooking. Our sense of smell can bring comfort and ease stress. Try lighting a candle, using an essential oil diffuser, or baking those favorite cookies. Get outside to check out the smell of the fresh spring blooms in your neighborhood.

In the coming weeks I invite you to experiment with feeding yourself physically, mentally and emotionally via nourishment through your different senses. Perhaps focus on one sense per day, or challenge yourself to feed multiple senses.