Todays’ world moves at a very fast pace and many of us spend our lives trying to keep up. Increased stress, reliance on coffee, alcohol, prescribed and recreational drugs can all be added to the mix to try to keep us going. Added to that, often there is little time for healthy food, sleep and free time. By supporting our mind and brain we improve our health and overall sense of well-being.

- Take breaks. Sleep is important for the brain to heal, nourish and rejuvenate itself. Power naps are a useful aid to the busy person. Try to snatch some rest at break time, or park the car for a while, or when the children are at nursery. Twenty minutes is often enough to make a difference in a busy day, enabling a renewal of energy and a more positive outlook. Try to wind down each evening, ideally up to two hours before bed. This enables stressful thoughts to calm and the mind to settle in preparation for a comfortable nights rest.

- Exercise is important for many reasons. Team sports require interaction with others, co-ordination and concentration. All these factors require focus on the game and so take the mind off other stresses. They burn calories, require some aerobic effort and engage the brain in eye to hand or foot co-ordination. Which is good stimulation for both the brain and the body.

- A healthy diet feeds the brain and enables clear thinking, concentration and good health. The brain uses about 25% of the calories we consume so it is important to feed it well. A balanced diet of fresh fruit and vegetables, lean proteins and low fat, low sugar and low salt support our bodies brain function.

- Minimise alcohol and caffeine. These cause dehydration and impede the supply of blood to the brain. Sleep and dreaming are often affected by an excess of either.

- Medication and recreational drugs all impact on the way our brains and our bodies function. Using drugs over a long period of time or a combination of several drugs together can impact on the quality of sleep, thinking and brain function, as well as the other side effects that can affect our bodies.

- Reduce time spent on the TV and computer. Parents sometimes use the TV as a babysitter for their children. Excessive TV and time spent on computers and video games provides overstimulation, especially to the young brain. Encourage reading books. With books, the mind has to make the pictures, construct the scenes, fill in the gaps and as such develops imagination, rather than having the pictures provided by special effects and flashing imagery.

- Stress management. Stress is a major factor in daily life and affects people of every age, from children worried about school, home and bullying, through to older people with health and money worries. The mind can become cluttered with these stresses and lose focus and clarity of thinking. Use lists to clear the mind of unnecessary thoughts and over-activity, practice regular relaxation techniques and commit to regular exercise as a way of effective stress management.

Susan Leigh is a Counsellor and Hypnotherapist who works with
- stressed individuals to promote confidence and self belief,
- couples in crisis to help improve communications and understanding
- with business clients to help support the health and motivation levels of individuals and teams

By Susan_Leigh

Healthy Body

Exercise

Moving your body is essential to balancing out the chatter of your mind. Here are some great forms of exercise:

1. Yoga – There are many forms: Anusara, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Kripalu, Kriya, Kundalini. Yoga can be aerobic, releasing, meditative, strengthening and energizing – it depends on the kind of yoga you are practicing. Find out what appeals to your body.

2. Walking – Walking is the most basic form of exercise. It can be done anywhere and can do a lot to calm your mind and balance the right and left hemispheres of your brain. 20-30 minutes per day of this exercise may not seem like much, but it can do a lot!

3. Running – Running appeals to some, but not to all. It is a great way to really get your lungs working and heart pumping. The drawbacks are that it can be inconvenient in the harsh weather and difficult on joints. So buy a mini-trampoline! They are a fun way to run in place in the comfort of the indoors and a wonderful alternative to running on soil or pavement. Also – mini-trampolines fit easily into most offices. This is a great way to take a 10 minute break from work and then come back energized and clear-headed. Alternatively, you can join a health club and use some of the wonderful equipment that offers balanced and low impact exercise. Speak with a trainer to determine the best workout for you.

4. Swimming – This activity is so healing to the lungs and mind. All the muscles in your body are working at the same time that the water is soothing them. Once you get used to swimming a lot, you will have more than enough oxygen for any other type of sport. This is a great way to exercise and feel nurtured at the same time!

Diet

1. Food Selection – There is some truth to “you are what you eat”. Your body is constantly rebuilding its cells, so you need to replenish it with nourishing foods. Incorporating fresh vegetables and fruits into your diet is essential to your health. Eating a combination of cooked and raw vegetables keeps you healthy. Studies have shown that eating some form of protein in the morning elevates your energy dramatically throughout the day. You could choose nuts (especially nuts soaked in water for a couple of hours beforehand) or another form of protein such as beans or meat.

2. Meal Time Selection – Eating several small meals throughout the day is easier on your digestive system, so you won’t be bogged down by digesting big meals. Try grazing throughout the day – it can be a good way to lose weight. Keep healthy snacks by your desk. Eating before bedtime can keep some people awake at night. However, it’s up to you to experiment with. A bit of protein before bed can also slow you down, if your mind is racing. Find out which works for you. Notice if you have a tendency to eat when you are stressed out. Exercise and meditation can be a nice alternative to handle stress and enable you to feel a lot better in the long run. Read the rest of this entry »