Amanda Bown reveals how to take better care of your body and mind with these small but effective life changes.
Oct 19, 2010 11:16:00 AM by Veronica Kirby
woman smelling flowers
Make your day healthy by doing some small (but significant) changes and incorporate new routines in to your life, such as stretching your body daily, counting your blessings, seeking-out solitude, going floral and eating seasonal produce.
The Daily Big Stretch: Stretch your body daily, as stretching affects several tissues in the body, and it targets joints, aids joint lubrication and stops our muscles from becoming tighter. So rid yourself of the ‘rounded shoulder’ look by stretching-out upon waking, hold each position for 10-20 second, building-up the number and range of stretches with each rep. The final hold should be comfortably strong, and not painful.
Sleep Deeper: If you have trouble dropping-off to sleep at night due to an over-active mind, try some DIY reflexology. Massage your palm with your thumb (from the other hand), then use slow, yet firm, circular movements for approximately one minute, whilst breathing slowly, as the slower your breath, the calmer your mind will feel. Complete by gently rubbing down the outer edge of your thumb for a further minute on each hand.
Breakfast Juice: Skipping breakfast may seem like an easy way to keep calories down, but in the long run, it does more damage than good. “Fruit juice can be a waste of calories, a small glass can contain up to 24g of sugar, (same as a cup of ice cream!).” Juice is less filling and doesn’t have the fibre-content you’d get in the whole fruit, and orange juice is very acid. “Too much of the acid in orange juice can lead to joint problems, digestion problems and heartburn,” says Paula Gilbert, Grayshott Spa’s Dietician, grayshottspa.com. So, skip the fruit juices and go for the whole fruit instead.
The Power Of Solitude: By going solo and seeking-out some time for solitude, not only gives you perspective about your life and any issues you may have, it also allows you to re-connect with who you really are, (and you can tune-out those voices from other people).From spending time in the park, taking a long walk or cycle ride, you’ll find that ‘answers’ come to you with a big dose of intuition or ‘gut instinct’.
Exhale Your Stress Issues: Dr Mark Atkinson author of The Mind Body Bible (£12.99) suggests that we think about what’s stressing us out, and notice where in the body you feel this stress. Breathe deeply in and out, and completely focus-on that area. Tell the stress feeling to soften and flow, and it’ll move about your body (so keep shifting your focus), and it should exit within ten minutes! “You’ll know you’ve got to this stage, as you’ll feel much lighter and more energised,” says Dr. Atkinson.
Eating Seasonal Produce: Butternut squash and pumpkins are highly antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, it’s packed with vitamins A and C, beta-carotene, which can help regulate blood sugar levels and potassium which can lower blood pressure. Apples are packed with fibre and vitamin C (great for flagging collagen levels!). So get yourself signed-up for a regular fruit and vegetable box, to ensure your body gets the best pick of seasonal produce.
Go Floral: Seeing flowers first thing in the morning, gives you an energy and mood boost that lasts for a few hours, with kitchen blooms being the most effective says Dr Nancy Etcoff from Harvard University. “Make sure you place them away from the fruit bowl or vegetable rack, as these produce the gas ethylene, (a ripening agent) which can increase the speed at which the flowers will wilt. And keep them away from heaters or appliances that give-off heat too,” Says Rhian Maidment from serenataflowers.com.
Refresh Your Mood: When you’re feeling stressed-out or full of PMT, grab some fresh pine needles, wrap them in a muslin cloth, tie-up the ends, and as you run a bath, place under your bath taps, so the water gushes over it, infusing the water nicely for a fantastic pick-me-up! If this is tricky, try using an uplifting oil. “Use of uplifting oils will help keep your energy levels up throughout the day, or use Frankincense to ground your emotions, clear a busy mindset, and aid any stressful situations,” says Geraldine Howard, President and Co-Founder, Aromatherapy Associates. aromatherapyassociates.com.
Speed Reader: The faster you think, the happier you feel says psychologist Professor Emily Pronin of Princeton University. In tests, she asked people to read statements twice as fast than they normally would, and they felt happier, more energetic and more powerful afterwards. This is because it mimics the way your brain reacts when you’re excited or feeling inspired.
Count Your Blessings: By feeling content and grateful for what you have in your life can boost your immunity, switch-off any stress that you’re feeling and improve healing by triggering the release of oxytocin. It’s known that levels of this ‘cuddle’ hormone are boosted by physical contact with a loved one. Scans of ECG’s show that being grateful is associated with more harmonious electricity activity (around heart and brain), allows these organs to operate more effectively.
http://www.handbag.com/health/stay-healthy/ten-ways-be-healthier
