Archive for the ‘Wellness Weds’ Category

Learning to Love and Accept Yourself

Happy Valentines Day to our raw food and holistic health family! To continue with our celebration of our Love Your Body Month, we would like to talk about learning to love and accept yourself. You are all beautiful. magnificent beings and we are so happy to have you be a part of our family. Often times we associate love with other people (such as family members, friends, or a significant other), animals (your pet) and experiences (how you felt when…..). When we say “I love you,” we’re always saying it to another person. How often do we express our love for ourselves?

Let’s take a look within for a moment. Many of us have lifelong goals and aspirations that we hope to acquire, maybe it’s finding your true soul mate, getting a new job that excites you, or taking an adventurous vacation. No matter what it is, in the end, it all comes down to the basic need to be happy, being accepted and feeling loved. We all achieve this state through different paths (new career, new partner, new beginning, new adventures). But one way to catapult yourself onto the path of happiness, being accepted and feeling loved is to love yourself.

In order to truly love yourself (and in return share that love with others) you have to accept and love yourself unconditionally. Even if there are parts about you (physically, mentally, spiritually) that you are still working on, love those parts anyway. They are apart of you, a forever changing and evolving being. We would like to share with you 5 tips to help you love and accept you, for the person you are right now, and the person you are going to be.

5 Tips to Love and Accept Yourself

1. Show The Mirror Love. Often times when we look at ourselves in the mirror, our eyes are immediately drawn to what we consider to be our flaws or things we would like to change. Some of us get up in the mirror, not to gaze into our eyes, but to examine the size of our pores (yes ladies, we said it!). We think about “I wish my [fill in the blank] was [fill in the blank].” Well, if all you look for are flaws, then that is all you will see. So instead look for beauty. Next time you look in the mirror, give yourself a compliment (“hey there good lookin’!” “wow you’re looking great today!” “I love those bright eyes of yours!” etc). Say it out loud and with a smile. It may seem silly, but its guaranteed to put you in a good mood and stir up some positive energy. Remember too, as you gaze at yourself, see your whole self (the whole amazing package of everything that you are); this really puts love and acceptance into perspective.

2. Make A List. What do you LOVE about yourself? I mean absolutely LOVE!!! Make a list of 10 things that you absolutely adore about yourself. This list can be a combination of physical and personality traits! And be sure to write this down as we believe there is power and energy in the written word. This can be a really fun and positive exercise for yourself, a chance for you to brag about what makes you so awesome! You can put this list a couple different places. It can be a post-it note on your bathroom mirror or a journal entry in your diary. Or, you can hide a couple copies in a book, binder, wallet or purse, so you’ll find the sweet surprise later. What an excellent way to continuously send love your way.

3. Say “I LOVE YOU.” How often do we look into the eyes of someone (a romantic partner, spouse, friend, family member) and say “I love you.” We say it, we mean it, and we look into their eyes. We see that person for exactly who they are, and we LOVE them for it. Why not treat yourself to that same love? Let’s go back to the mirror. Let’s look into your own eyes, call out your name, and genuinely say “I love you.” It may be a gentle whisper at first but we guarantee that you will get louder and more convicted each time you do it! You’ll probably incorporate a little dance and maybe a wink after a couple weeks of this. Have fun! You are so worth it!

4. Beauty Is A State of Mind. If you are happy with yourself. If you think of yourself as beautiful and sexy, then others people will think that way about you too. It’s about confidence. What can you do to be m ore confident? Aside from these fabulous tips, wear clothes that make you feel good. That’s right, clothes carry energy too. If you love it, and it looks great on you, you will exude that confidence and others will notice. Take care of yourself physically. Working out in any shape or form releases endorphins and good energy. You feel awesome because you accomplished something and you are working towards a goal. Eat right! Eating the right foods that give you proper nutrients is another way to heighten the level of positive energy you have in your life. When you eat right, trust us, it shows. Be kind and compassionate with yourself, through taking care of your mind, body and spirit, you are showing yourself love and acceptance.

5. See The Whole Person. We live in a society that is way to judgmental. We see someone and based on their appearance we make judgments. We make preconceived notions about who a person is, based on how they look. Change the way you think, change the way you see the world around you, and ultimately you will change yourself and bring more love into your life. Next time you are out and about, or even if you are in the office, try to remove your blindfold of just seeing a physical person, and instead see the whole person. See what makes them so unique, see what their amazing traits are. What makes them who they are, unlike anyone else? What makes them so special? You don’t want to be judged by superficial standards, so shift your mindset to not view others in this light.

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. Love is in the air. Whether or not you’re celebrating with someone else, make sure you show some love to yourself, for our Love Your Body Month, and beyond.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Wellness Weds: Power of Positive Thinking

“Perhaps the biggest gift that humankind has been given is the choice to decide what thoughts and attitudes we put in our minds.” -quoted from the book Change Your Mind, Change Your Life by Gerald G. Jampolsky, M.D., and Diane V. Cirincione. How often have you heard the words you are what you think? So many motivational quotes and words of wisdom are based upon the notion that in order to enjoy life you need only to simply change your thoughts.

Is it really that easy? Indeed it is! Positive thinking does more than just lift your mood, it can also affect your overall health and well being, as well as play a key role in stress management. Let’s get some questions answered about positive thinking and how it can benefit you, and then also provide you with some helpful suggestions to get you well on your way to being a radiant being of sunshine, no matter what.

What is positive thinking?

Positive thinking is a mental attitude that admits into the mind thoughts, words and images that are conductive  to growth, expansion and success. It is a mental attitude that expects good and favorable results. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health, and a successful outcome of every situation and action. Whatever the mind expects, it finds. Positive thinking doesn’t necessarily mean that you fully ignore life’s less pleasant situations, it just means that you approach the unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way.

What is self-talk?

Self-talk is the endless stream of thoughts that run through your mind everyday. You know those thoughts very well! You probably experience them the most while you are in commute to somewhere (such as driving in your car or sitting on the bus/train), or you experience them while you are daydreaming at work. Some of your self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information. Take a brief moment to reflect on your thoughts. Are they mostly negative or positive? How does this effect your outlook on life?

What are the health benefits of positive thinking?

• Better psychological and physical well-being. Being a healthy person is more than what you eat. It’s mind, body and spirit. Positive thinking is a large component of that “mind” portion of this equation. Having a positive outlook shifts your personal experience of life and the world around you.
• Lower rates of depression and distress. There is a quote by Lou Holtz that says “life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it.” Through positive thinking you recognize that you are in control of your response and your view of each and every situation you are in. Then you can shape these situations and your response to be in your favor.
• Achieved balance and awareness. As you dive deeper into holistic health and get more in touch with yourself, positive thinking will help to further align your mind, body and spirit with your purpose in life and role in the universe. Suddenly, a potentially stressful situation at work just rolls off your shoulder. You are not focused on one grain of sand, because you know there is an ocean in all its entirety and splendor that awaits you at the shore.
• Significantly reduced stress. This benefit partners up with the two bullet points above. There is a quote by Anthony Robbins that says “you can’t always control the wind, but you can control the sails.” Having a different view of various circumstances and then recognizing your ability to choose the outcome is a direct benefit of positive thinking.

How do you identify negative thoughts?

Below are some common forms of negative self-talk. Take a moment to check yourself and see if any of your thoughts identify with the categories below. Do not fret if they do, awareness is the first step.

• Filtering: You allow the seemingly negative aspects of a situation to outweigh the positive ones. For example, you gave an excellent presentation at work. Your boss and coworkers are very impressed and they let you know with compliments to your work. But later on that day a fellow colleague points out a flaw in a statement that you presented. Later that evening, instead of remembering all the great compliments you received, you focus on that one flaw in your statement.
• Personalizing: This is when you make seemingly negative situations that occur about you, when really they are not. For example, you would love to get your friend’s together to go see a movie. But unfortunately, everyone you contacted has plans already or will be out of town. Instead of chalking it up to coincidence, you assume that no one wants to go out with you.
• Catastrophizing: You automatically anticipate the worst. For example, you are driving in your car to a location you haven’t been to before. You are attempting to follow the directions but you make one wrong turn and you automatically assume that you will be horribly lost and won’t be able to find your way to your destination.
• Polarizing: You see things as either good or bad; everything is either black or white. There is no middle ground. You feel you either have to be absolutely perfect or the only other option is that you have failed.

How do you shift into positive thinking?

It is a learning process. The process is quite simple, but you must be patient with yourself, as you are creating a new habit and that takes time. Below are some tips to help you improve your self-talk and aide you in your positive thinking.

• Check yourself. Periodically throughout your day, stop and evaluate what you’re thinking. If you notice that your thoughts are negative, come up with a way to put a positive spin on them.
• Laugh! Laughter is the best medicine, but you must be open to it. Give yourself permission to smile and laugh, especially in difficult times. Seek humor in your everyday.
• Be healthy. Doing things like eating the right foods and exercising regularly will provide your body with the boost of energy it needs to help foster that positive outlook on life.
• Surround yourself with positive people. We have a great article on this, The Dream Team, where we talk about the importance of having the right people in your life and seeking out these people. Having a lot of negative people in your life can increase your stress level, and may make you doubt yourself and your abilities. Take some time to evaluate the people in your life and your relationships. Are they helping to foster your positive outlook on life?
• Practice makes perfect. Be patient with yourself as making this change will take time. If in any given situation a negative thought enters your head, acknowledge it, evaluate it, and then respond with affirmations about how amazing you are and what makes you so special.

How do you turn a negative into a positive picture?

Check out these examples of how to turn a negative thought into a positive one.

Instead of saying “I’ve never done this before,” say “this is an opportunity to learn something new.” Instead of saying “This is too complicated,” say “I’ll tackle this from a different angle.” Instead of saying “there is no way this will work,” say “I can totally find a way to make this happen.” Instead of saying “I’m not getting any better at this,” say “I think I will give this another try.”

Simple reinforcing positive thoughts like this can easily counter the negative thoughts you have in your mind. Keeping positive images and motivational quotes in your space as a quick visual reference can also be helpful in refocusing your mind on the good. Always remember, you are in control. Take this one step at a time, and watch how quickly your reality changes with just the thoughts you have in your mind.

References

The Power of Positive Thinking http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_000009.htm
Mind Your Thoughts http://www.lifepositive.com/mind/psychology/positive-thinking/thoughts.asp
Positive Thinking: Reduce Stress, Enjoy Life More http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/positive-thinking/SR00009
Rational Positive Thinking http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTCS_06.htm

Photo credit: Sirisak Chaiyasook http://saki09.multiply.com/

Wellness Weds: The Dream Team

This Wellness Wednesday post is from the mind of Jessica, the visionary behind Raw Food Nation:

I was surfing around the many facets of cyberspace when I happened upon a really great quote by Naomi Watson, a DC based model-to-be on the rise, shooting for the moon and landing amongst the stars. She says “if I say it’s my dream to live on the moon, I want my true friends to suggest fashionable spacesuits!” WOW! Immediately I knew I loved these words, so simple, with a twist of humor; so practical, and yet the underlying message is quite clear. You are the company that you keep. Are you surrounded by people who mutually support and uplift each other in their endeavors? When you tell your friends about your hopes and dreams or what you would like to accomplish, do they provide words of encouragement, or do they tell you the many reasons why it might not work out and can’t be done?

In a world full of challenges, obstacles and adversity, it is more important now than ever before to have your friends behind you and supporting your endeavors. Positive people help your self confidence because they tend to see the potential in you, even when you might not see it in yourself. Those with negative view points, on the other hand, will hinder your self confidence because they tend to reinforce your self doubt and any negative thoughts you may have.

Surround yourself with positive people and you’ll become more positive and self confident. The good vibes and energy that is exchanged between you will stay with you and help you to carry out your personal goals and aspirations. Surround yourself also with people who will hold you accountable for what you want to do. For example, if you say “I would really like to buy a house in a year,” you need to have someone you trust who can gently or firmly remind you to start researching local real estate agents in your area.

When I think about the people that I have or want to have in my corner, I immediately think of creating my own dream team, my own posse, or for our readers who are into sports, my own fantasy football team. Take a moment to contemplate and ask yourself: if I could choose the people I want in my inner circle who will motivate me, inspire me, and hold me accountable, who would they be? If I could choose people where there would be a constant, mutual exchange of positive energy and reinforcement, who would those people be? If you do not have these people in your life in one form or another already, seek them out. If you do have them in your life, bring them closer into your circle of trust. You want people who will accept you for who you are, but are willing to challenge you, in a positive and constructive manner, to excel and to become successful.

Then make it your responsibility to create those situations that will foster that special dose of positive energy that you need. By that I mean, perhaps once a month (or more) meet up with a couple of those people over dinner for conversation and catching up with each others lives. Be proactive about making plans to hang out with these people, not always for serious conversation but just for the sheer joy of enjoying their company. Remember your mood and attitude are your responsibility, just as last week we said your happiness is your responsibility. With that in mind, what steps can you take to make sure you get ample exposure to good energy?

And then the more challenging question is: are you love people with negative outlooks any less? No, in fact some of them maybe in your immediate circle of friends or in your immediate family. However, we must acknowledge the roles that people play in our lives and then be proactive about what we do with that knowledge. For example, you should take note of how you feel after interacting with certain people. As you start out with this self evaluation technique, you should consider setting boundaries and limiting your time around negative people. You should also consider what you say around people with negative outlooks (for example, you wouldn’t tell a person with a negative outlook that your dream is to one day own your own business, they will certainly tell you how it cannot be done). In several instances, they are thinking about their own personal experiences and situations and not yours.

Others may tell you to end these relationships immediately, but we have a more compassionate approach. In the long run, as you bring more positive people into your circle and you become more positive, you will surely attract positive people into your life. Good energy attracts good energy, and the further along the path of enlightenment you go, you’ll find just the right people crossing paths with you.

Now it’s your turn. What steps can you take to be a positive person who radiates good energy throughout her/his aura, and then what steps can you take to develop your own dream team? We send out good vibes all the time on Twitter, and would be more than happy to be a part of your crew. Be sure to join our nation.

Resources:
Surround Yourself With Positive People in 2009 http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/bud-bilanich/success-common-sense/surround-yourself-positive-people-2009

Wellness Wednsday: Happiness

This Wellness Wednesday post is from the mind of Jessica, the visionary behind Raw Food Nation:

hap-pi-ness [hap-ee-nis] noun
1.     the quality or state of being happy.
2.     good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy.

What will it take to make you happy? If someone were to ask you right now, “{insert your name here}, I want you to be happy, what will that take?” How would you answer? Would you have an answer? Would it come quickly or would you have to get back to that person later, after carefully thinking about the question.  We are all on individual paths of enlightenment as we unfold the mysteries of this life, as we experience the ups, the downs, and everything in between. But when it comes to happiness, to true bliss and contentment, when it comes to that inner protected light in which no man or thing can extinguish, how do we obtain that?

I was enjoying a warm summer day with a good friend, under a shaded tree laying on a blanket, discussing life, literature and everything in between, when she recommended that I read the book Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I had initially thought this book was about dieting given its location in the bookstore and proximity to other nutrition/lifestyle books. But little did I know that within the pages of this masterpiece was the definition of happiness that agreed with me the most, so clearly articulated and written with good choice of words. I would like to share this definition with you, which to me goes far beyond the dictionary definition above, and makes more sense too.

“…people universally tend to think that happiness is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you are fortunate enough. But that’s not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it, you must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it. If you don’t, you will leak away your innate contentment. It’s easy enough to pray [to whomever you choose] when you’re in distress; but continuing to pray even when your crisis has passed is like a sealing process, helping your soul hold tight to its good attainments.”

Suddenly the notion of happiness is much more than awaiting for something or someone to fall upon you, directly into your path. And it’s also something that you must not only work to obtain, but also work to keep. Happiness becomes something that you can have in this lifetime, instead of spending a lifetime searching for it, it becomes obtainable and within reach. No longer being a stroke of luck, consider this: your happiness is your responsibility. Just as is your health and wellness, and just as it is your responsibility to rise each morning and carry out your mission on earth. So your daily “to do” list should read something like this: “take shower, prepare lunch, get presentation ready for meeting, work on obtaining/maintaining my happiness….” and so forth and so on.

I close with article with yet another excerpt from the book, on the same page nonetheless, “…all sorrow and trouble of this world is caused by unhappy people… The search for contentment is, therefore, not merely a self-preserving and self-benefiting act, but also a generous gift to the world. Cleaning out all your misery gets you out of the way. You cease being an obstacle, not only to yourself but to anyone else. Only then are you free to serve and enjoy other people… When you set out in the world to help yourself, you inevitably end up helping everyone.”

And it is with these final words that I encourage everyone to get up, go out, and get happy!

After reading this article, feel free to comment below and let us know your personal definition of happiness for your life.

Wellness Weds: Mismatched Socks

This Wellness Wednesday post is from the mind of Jessica, the visionary behind Raw Food Nation:

Join the Mismatched Socks Revolution!

One morning many sunrises ago I was getting ready for my office job. Although I was running a little behind schedule, there were neatly pressed clothes awaiting me in my bedroom, and a green smoothie going in the blender. My morning routines had gotten so planned and organized so that I could maximize my time and get out of the door to make it into the office. Even though on this particular morning I was running late, I am baffled that I halted my routine in an attempt to locate the mate to a sock  I was planning to wear.

Of all the things to worry about, my attention was fixed on finding this lost sock. I searched frantically through the sock drawer and my hamper. Is there really a sock monster that comes and steals the innocent socks from their owners?! Where the heck is my other sock? Five or ten minutes into it, I gave up, but not with the intent of picking out a new pair of socks. Instead, I grabbed a completely different sock all together that seemed to be without a mate and decided to have mismatched socks for the day. Was I a little late to work? Yes. But how cool was it to have people ask about my socks and if had I mismatched them on purpose.

Now, normally I do not give much thought to the socks that I wear, but after this incident, a question came to mind: why do we put so much emphasis on matching our socks? My goodness, half of the time they are hidden by worn jeans or dress trousers. And even when they are fully visible, does anyone really pay attention to them? And aren’t mismatched socks more fun? Think about it, no longer will you worry about pairing socks or how to go about pleasing the sock monster. Now your sock drawer can be free to let its contents mix and mingle however they choose.

If you are not too shy or you are looking for something different to do, next time you need to grab a pair of socks, go mismatched and see how it feels. Challenge yourself to carry out this small task. I can almost guarantee that you’ll smile and maybe even chuckle every time you get the opportunity to glance down at your feet. Something as simple as mismatched socks can brighten your day and give you a dose of good energy. Not to mention they are just plain fun. Let a little bit of your creativity shine through. It’s very liberating, and follows the same notion as coloring outside of the lines and thinking outside of the box.

Join me, in the mismatched socks revolution.

Peace & Veggies,
Jessica

Wellness Weds: Let’s Talk About Stress!

For some of us, it may be quite stressful to talk about this topic. No worries… take a moment to collect yourself. Calmly take a deep breathe in and then out (repeat a couple times if necessary). We are not talking about stress in a way that will make you feel stressed out. Instead, we are offering a constructive approach to stress in hopes that this article will help you to take some small steps to improve how you handle it. First things first, let’s go straight to the basics:

What is stress?
Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. When you sense danger – whether it’s real or imagined – the body’s defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response.

The stress response is the body’s way of protecting you. When working properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert. In emergency situations, stress can save your life – giving you extra strength to defend yourself, for example, or spurring you to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident.

The stress response also helps you rise to meet challenges. Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work, sharpens your concentration when you’re attempting the game-winning free throw, or drives you to study for an exam when you’d rather be watching TV.

But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life. In our fast paced world, stress is something so common that many of us live with it on a daily basis. We get it from our work environments, our home life, and sometimes our relationships too. Having a better understanding of stress, its causes, and our responses can be very helpful for how we deal with it.

How much stress is too much?
Experts say that the body doesn’t distinguish between physical and psychological threats. When you’re stressed over a busy schedule, an argument with a friend, a traffic jam, or a mountain of bills, your body reacts just as strongly as if you were facing a life-or-death situation. If you have a lot of responsibilities and worries, your emergency stress response may be “on” most of the time. The more your body’s stress system is activated, the easier it is to trip and the harder it is to shut off.

Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.

Because of the widespread damage stress can cause, it’s important to know your own limit. But just how much stress is “too much” differs from person to person. Some people roll with the punches, while others crumble at the slightest obstacle or frustration. Some people even seem to thrive on the excitement and challenge of a high-stress lifestyle. With this in mind, learning to control our thoughts and having a plan for positive responses to stressful situations can be very beneficial to your health and your well being.

What are some things you can do to better handle stressful situations?
You may feel like the stress in your life is out of your control, but you can always control the way you respond. Managing stress is all about taking charge: taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. Stress management involves changing the stressful situation when you can, changing your reaction when you can’t, taking care of yourself, and making time for rest and relaxation.

Here are some super easy tips to get you on your way to better handling stressful situations:

• A strong support network is your greatest protection against stress. When you have trusted friends and family members you know you can count on, life’s pressures don’t seem as overwhelming. So spend time with the people you love and don’t let your responsibilities keep you from having a social life. Make it a priority to build strong and meaningful relationships. You can do this by finding a local organization to volunteer with and be a part of, do some social networking (through social networking sites where groups meet regularly, like http://www.meetup.com), schedule time to hang out with friends and colleagues (even if you have to literally pencil it into your calendar, it is totally worth it).
• You can’t completely eliminate stress from your life, but you can control how much it affects you. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing activate the body’s relaxation response, a state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response. When practiced regularly, these activities lead to a reduction in your everyday stress levels and a boost in your feelings of joy and serenity. They also increase your ability to stay calm and collected under pressure. The next time you feel a stressful situation arising, take a moment to breathe in deeply allowing oxygen to flow throughout every facet of your body, and then exhale releasing that air back into the world. Focus on your calm breathing and relaxing your muscles.
• Most people ignore their emotional health until there’s a problem. But just as it requires time and energy to build or maintain your physical health, so it is with your emotional well-being. The more you put in to it, the stronger it will be. People with good emotional health have an ability to bounce back from stress and adversity. This ability is called resilience. They remain focused, flexible, and positive in bad times as well as good. Easy ways to invest in your emotional health include doing things that challenge your creativity, finding ways to relax (lighting a scented candle, taking a bubble bath, creating a space in your home that is just for you), exercising, doing meditation and/or yoga, spending time with animals (visit an animal shelter), having leisure time (do things because they feel good), and engage in work that ignites your creative energy.

Above all, it is important to recognize when a stressful situation is about to occur or when you are in one. Acknowledge it for what it is, and call it by no other name. Then calmly determine how you are going to handle the situation. For some, this may mean taking a step back and reevaluating how to progress forward. For others, this might mean taking a time out to listen to your favorite song (one that will pump you up and let you know you can handle it). It may take some time to determine what will work best for you, but whatever it is, do that one thing. Don’t let a stressful situation get the best of you. Remember that you have the power within you to handle the situations you are presented with, and stand firmly upon that knowledge.

Resources:
“5 Easy Ways to Reduce Stress” http://www.holistic.com/holistic/learning.nsf/Title/5+Easy+Ways+to+Reduce+Stress
“10 Ways to Reduce Stress Without Spending A Dime” http://www.dumblittleman.com/2008/10/10-ways-to-reduce-stress-without.html
“Understanding Stress: Signs, Symptoms, Causes and Effects” http://helpguide.org/mental/stress_signs.htm

Wellness Wednesday: Sleeping

One of our favorite topics: precious sleep! It’s such an important part of your life. Sleeping is what allows your body to rest, rejuvenate, and recoup from your busy day. Many recommend at least 8 hours a night (but keep in mind this number may vary by person and lifestyle). You should awake each morning restored and feeling anew. Sleep should be right near the top of your daily “to do” list next to making healthy eating choices and getting exercise. The combination of these three elements in balance are sure to improve your quality of life.

But let’s say that sleep does not come easy for you. Maybe your mind is always racing right before bed or your feet get cold and that wakes you up. Whatever the reason, before you start jumping to conclusions, why not try some of these easy techniques to see if you can lure yourself into a more rewarding sleep pattern. Do you have your teddy bear ready? Okay, let’s go!

Sleep in complete darkness or as close to it as possible. If there is even the tiniest bit of light in the room it can disrupt your circadian rhythm and your pineal gland’s production of melatonin and seratonin. There also should be as little light in the bathroom as possible if you get up in the middle of the night. Whatever you do, you should keep the light off when you go to the bathroom at night. As soon as you turn on that light you will for that night immediately cease all production of the important sleep aid melatonin.

Listen to relaxing music or nature sounds. For some, just having relaxing, soothing music in the background or a CD playing nature sounds helps to relax them so they can fall asleep. These CD’s can be found in a lot of local stores and online too. They are inexpensive to purchase and can do wonders for your quality of sleep.

No TV right before bed. It would be even better to get the TV out of the bedroom completely. It is too stimulating to the brain and it will take longer to fall asleep. Television before bed is also disruptive of pineal gland function.

Wear socks to bed. Your feet often feel cold before the rest of your body due to the fact that they have the poorest circulation. A study has shown that wearing socks can reduce night wakings.

Do some light reading, like something spiritual or religious. This will help to relax. Don’t read anything stimulating, such as a mystery or suspense novel, as this may have the opposite effect. In addition, if you are really enjoying a suspenseful book, you might wind up unintentionally reading for hours, instead of going to sleep.

Journaling. If you often lay in bed with your mind racing, it might be helpful keep a journal and write down your thoughts before bed. This way they are out of your head and on paper, freeing your mind to be more relaxed and get you to sleep.

Get to bed as early as possible. Our systems, particularly the adrenals, do a majority of their recharging or recovering during the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. In addition, your gallbladder dumps toxins during this same period. If you are awake, the toxins back up into the liver which then secondarily back up into your entire system and cause further disruption of your health. Prior to the widespread use of electricity, people would go to bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do (unless they are nocturnal), and which nature intended for humans as well.

Remove the clock from view. It will only add to your worry when constantly staring at it… 2 a.m. …3 a.m. … 4:30 a.m. … If you have to use an alarm clock keep it at least 3 feet away from you. Also consider adjusting the volume of your alarm clock to be lower, as it is very stressful to the body to be awakened suddenly.

Keep your bed for sleeping. If you are used to watching TV or doing work in bed, you may find it harder to relax and to think of the bed as a place to sleep. Watch TV in your living room, do your work in your study. Have separate places for doing various tasks, and then make sure you respect the nature of the bedroom.

Put your work away at least one hour (but preferably two or more) before bed. This will give your mind a chance to unwind so you can go to sleep feeling calm, not hyped up or anxious about tomorrow’s deadlines.

Exercise regularly. Exercising for at least 30 minutes everyday can help you fall asleep. However, don’t exercise too close to bedtime or it may keep you awake. Studies show exercising in the morning is the best if you can do it.

Establish a bedtime routine. This could include meditation, deep breathing, using aromatherapy or essential oils. Whatever works for you (so you may have to do some experimenting up front). The key is to find something that makes you feel relaxed, then repeat it each night to help you release the day’s tensions.

With that we welcome you to take a moment and think about the things you can do to improve your sleeping habits, and then how you can put them into action… Sweet dreams!

Resources:
33 Secrets to a Good Night’s Sleep http://www.mercola.com/article/sleep.htm

Wellness Wednesday: Me Time

Wake up, morning routine, breakfast, out the door, traffic, work, work, work, lunch, work some more, work, work, work, grocery store, errands, traffic, home, dinner, phone calls, emails, facebook, myspace, twitter, bedtime.

Breathe….

There is something missing here. The average person is busier than ever, often times jugging a job, a home life, a social life, and everything in between. How do we achieve balance? We step out of bed and we practically hit the ground running, leaving little time to stand still or think of anything other than what’s next to do on our schedules. What happened to the idea of slowing down, appreciating life more, and remembering to LIVE? Have we forgotten those simple things that our spirit longs for?

Did you know that something as small as taking 15 minutes a day to sit in silence, meditate, close your eyes, pray, write down your thoughts, take a walk, talk to a friend, play the guitare, whatever it is for you, can make an unbelievable difference in mood, energy, and quality of life? Furthermore, it will be fuel for managing the constant flow of demands that can wear down your batteries.

Let’s say that you need to rejuvenate or replenish your energy but you might not be able to afford an exotic retreat or an all exclusive getaway. No problem! How about instead you do something much simpler and make a retreat in your home. (Say what??) That’s right, let’s take it to the home front. Turn off your phone, your computer, your television and all other electronic distractions and plan your escape. It’s much more practical.

Set up a mini retreat in your home. This is less expensive than a major vacation, much easier to plan, the follow through will be a breeze, and the benefits are endless. Here are some suggestions to get you thinking:

• Stop by a craft store and pick up a new project kit to try (tie dying, paint by numbers, knitting/crochet, fabric/tshirt decorating, wood painting, stain glass sun catchers, etc)
• Go to your local bookstore and splurge on a couple great books
• Make it a point to rent new movies on a schedule so that you get the opportunity to do something for you
• Buy a relaxing CD (meditation, nature sounds, light instrumental solos), then close your eyes in your favorite chair and let the tunes take you away
• Go to your local bookstore and invest in a journal for writing (pick the journal that speaks to you because of its shape and design)
• If you enjoy pets but can’t have one at this time, volunteer at the local shelter to walk the dogs or spend time with rescued cats that need attention
• Volunteer for a cause that you truly enjoy (like working with children for example)
• Treat yourself to a delicious meal or dessert, set the table and style the plate with love, and then savor the flavor of every bite
• If you want to make a day trip/weekend out of it, do a little research for local getaways (visiting local museums, going to a concert, hiking on a nearby trail, camping in a National Park, visiting a day spa, going biking or other outdoor sports, or just picking a winding road and driving with the wind in your hair)

The company you work for pays you money for your time, but how do you pay yourself? We suggest with something more important than money….time. Making time for yourself, whether it is 15 minutes a day or 1 day out of the week, will allow you to decompress and obtain clarity of mind. These little moments when you take time to be aware of yourself and your needs break up the “gotta do this now” routine that we often fall into.

You deserve better. You deserve you. Take out your planner, or write on a post-it note. Whatever it takes,  schedule in some me time.

Resources:

Get Some Me Time by Will Meek, PH.D. http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2006/09/19/get-some-me-time/
More Important than Money – Paying Myself With My Time by Sid Savara, http://www.sidsavara.com
The Importance of Me Time – Indulging or a Necessity? by Jan Hoadley http://www.associatedcontent.com