our 5 pillars of wellness
our health and happiness are driven by all the little decisions we make every day. over the past 8 years we’ve been lucky enough to explore this world of wellness with leading scientists, researchers and thought leaders, and found there to be five things which collectively have a huge impact on our physical and mental health – eating plant-based foods, exercise, mindfulness, sleep and hydration.
we call these our 5 pillars of wellness, which our wellness tool ‘my tracker’, will help you build into your everyday lives with personalised wellness plans. ‘my tracker’ can be found within the deliciously ella app.
my tracker
introducing our new wellness tool, my tracker, serving up personalised weekly wellness plans across our 5 pillars of wellness. from personalised recipe plans, invigorating exercise classes, and ways to find 10 minutes of mindfulness in your day, plus help getting 8 hours of sleep each night. all housed within our intuitive tracking tool, which allows you to log your progress as you work towards your goals.
our five pillar series
each week we will be delving into the science behind each pillar to understand why it is so important for our health, and importantly the small every day steps you can take to incorporate them into your daily routine in a manageable and enjoyable way. we’ll be sharing helpful articles, recipes and podcasts on this page, and you can always find more on the deliciously ella app and in our newsletter (sign up below).
plant-based foods
Our first pillar of health is to eat a plant-rich diet, specifically aiming to eat 30 different plant-based foods a week - fruit, veg, nuts, seeds, pulses and grains. Research shows this creates the healthiest gut microbiome, which has a profound impact on our mental and physical health, as well as ensuring we get enough fibre into our diets. There is no such thing as perfect and it’s about what we do over a lifetime, not a day, that matters; we want to help you create a way of cooking, eating and living that feels genuinely enjoyable and sustainable in the long-term.
some helpful links
How food affects our mood (podcast)
https://deliciouslyella.com/podcast/how-our-food-affects-our-mood/#playDiet myths (podcast)
https://deliciouslyella.com/podcast/diet-myths/#playThe gut; why it matters (podcast)
https://deliciouslyella.com/podcast/the-gut-why-it-matters/#play5 Pillars of Health (podcast)
https://play.acast.com/s/deliciouslyellapodcast/fivepillarsofhealthWhy we should all be aiming for 30 different plant-based foods per week (article)
https://app.deliciouslyella.com/article/qiofomY4GYvntx1Q8roasted courgette pesto pasta
https://deliciouslyella.com/recipes/roasted-courgette-pesto-pasta/our plant-based store cupboard essentials
https://deliciouslyella.com/our-store-cupboard-essentials/roasted courgette pesto pasta (recipe)
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water
Our second pillar of health is staying hydrated, ensuring we drink enough water every day. Water truly is the foundation of our health. 60-70% of the human body is composed of water and it’s involved in everything from regulating our body temperature to transporting substances around the body, keeping our heart healthy, breaking down food – fats, proteins and carbohydrates – so that they can ultimately be used as energy sources, brain function and so much more. Quite literally, every cell, organ and tissue needs water to exist.
some helpful links
Why we should aim for 2L a day? (article)
https://app.deliciouslyella.com/article/D7NGfKuzSTdYkEqF8Five Pillars of Health (podcast)
https://play.acast.com/s/deliciouslyellapodcast/fivepillarsofhealthFruit infused water (recipe)
https://deliciouslyella.com/recipes/fruit-infused-water/fruit infused water (recipe)
1.5L
exercise
Our third pillar of health centres on moving our bodies. Studies show that consistent exercise can help, prevent and even treat many common disease, as well as improving mental health, with 150 minutes of exercise a week even significantly reducing depressive symptoms. As with every pillar of wellness we have, no goal will ever be sustainable and last for the long-term if you don’t enjoy it. The key is to find exercise that you want to do so it enhances your week rather than adding any more stress into your life; whether that’s a brisk walk with a friend, a sweaty HIIT class or a quick morning yoga flow.
some helpful links
Why is exercise good for us? (podcast)
https://deliciouslyella.com/podcast/why-is-exercise-good-for-us/#playThe science of happiness (podcast)
https://deliciouslyella.com/podcast/the-science-of-happiness/#playHow exercise impacts on the brain and our mental health
https://deliciouslyella.com/podcast/how-exercise-impacts-on-the-brain-our-mental-health/#playThe 5 Pillars of Health
https://deliciouslyella.com/podcast/five-pillars-of-health/#playLoaded Sweet Potato Wedges (recipe)
https://deliciouslyella.com/recipes/loaded-sweet-potato-wedges/Katie's 30 minute full body workout (app workout)
https://app.deliciouslyella.com/strength/UshNnjbXRxPvKnsF6Johnny's lower body HIIT (app workout)
https://app.deliciouslyella.com/cardio/J4AfcvQWCLzkxnH6ALisa’s 30 minute juicy back bend and heart opening flow (app workout)
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/deliciously-ella-app/id1445510165Cordelia’s stretchy yoga for sleep (app workout)
https://app.deliciouslyella.com/yoga/zT1SYdUdYDzTYaPu9Harriet’s 45 minute twisty flow (app workout)
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/deliciously-ella-app/id1445510165Ella's Sun Salutations
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sleep
Our forth pillar of health is sleep. In our culture of celebrating busyness and a need to fit it all in, we can be quick to dismiss our need for a good night’s sleep. Getting into bed a little earlier and getting that quality sleep sounds simple, but it has a huge number of health benefits, ranging from boosting our immune system, preventing disease and helping improve and protect our mental health, which is why getting eight hours each night is one of our 5 pillars of wellness. Most of us aren’t getting enough sleep to allow our bodies sufficient time to rest and reset. In this pillar, we delve into the powerful benefits of sleep, as well as how to improve your sleep routine.
some helpful links
why we should all aim for 8 hours of sleep (app article)
https://app.deliciouslyella.com/article/xxKpvniNWgTuELmg8Why we sleep with Matthew Walker (podcast)
https://deliciouslyella.com/podcast/why-we-sleep-with-matthew-walker/#playDealing with stress (podcast)
https://deliciouslyella.com/podcast/dealing-with-stress/#playPlant power; eat yourself healthy (podcast)
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/plant-power-eat-yourself-healthy/id1428704212?i=1000445094031stretchy yoga for sleep (app yoga workout)
https://app.deliciouslyella.com/yoga/K9T8CkjezaEMwQ78Abedtime routine (app yoga workout)
https://app.deliciouslyella.com/yoga/12dp7kjmjCEu9oQg7yin evening flow (app yoga workout)
https://app.deliciouslyella.com/yoga/tTLBqR8Qt5av8UGo8Golden turmeric latte (recipe)
https://deliciouslyella.com/recipes/golden-turmeric-latte/Golden Turmeric Latte
mindfulness
Our last pillar, mindfulness, is something we hear a lot and not something lots of us relate to. When you break it down though it’s really quite simple - it’s purely about being more present, being aware of how we feel, and engaging in what’s happening in the world around us. In this sense we can all be more mindful across the day –in the way we eat, work and interact with those around us, and how we spend our days.
some helpful links
why we should aim for 10 minutes of mindfulness a day
https://app.deliciouslyella.com/article/uBGY2Rs9GFJDB4it6dark chocolate truffles (recipe)
https://deliciouslyella.com/recipes/dark-chocolate-truffles/10 minute bodyscan meditation (app guided meditation)
https://app.deliciouslyella.com/meditation/2rXqdUTEnTKd34a67bedtime 10 minute meditation (app guided meditation)
https://app.deliciouslyella.com/meditation/6ViSBr3gYvgRBkMYAcounting breaths from a monk's guide to happiness - 10 minutes (app guided meditation)
https://app.deliciouslyella.com/meditation/nHM46Jr1BZtPnyyy510 minute fully body scan
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our five pillars of wellness
plant-based foods
exercise
water
mindfulness
