I recently stumbled onto a website called Thug Kitchen. Like all of the other health blogs out there they promote eating healthy foods but in a no-nonsense way, grabbing your attention and calling you to action with extremely (:o) colorful language. I love it. It is not my personal style but boy I have to admit that I sometimes would love to grab a hold of some people, shake them up and give them an earful just like that.
I am talking about the people that are a disaster waiting to happen. I am sure you know a few. Their lives are a lethal combination of high stress, poor diet, irregular routines, alcohol and lack of exercise. Does it really take a health crisis for them to wake up to the realization that they have got to SLOW DOWN? That we all have to step back sometimes and examine our lives and realize that the pace with which we are living is causing us a lot of harm with potentially devastating consequences?
This is what I would like these people to know: you can run a successful business, manage a high profile job, look after your children, have a fulfilling social life and spend time with your family, eat good food, exercise and reduce your stress levels. It is absolutely possible. It is not even that difficult. All it takes is a few changes in your daily routine and a HUGE change in your commitment to personal health and wellness. It is time to make that change because you have a responsibility to yourself and the people that love you.
Let me just remind you of the kind of difference it can make:
- You will sleep better. Revitalizing, sound sleep that has you waking up refreshed and your body repaired on a deep, cellular level.
- You will be in a better mood. Positive, upbeat, cheerful, with an “I can figure this out” attitude.
- You will be more productive. More pro-active, less reactive. You will have a steady, focused mind and more time to finish your tasks.
- You will look better. No more bags under your eyes. Healthy weight. Clear skin.
- You will eat better. Gone are the cravings. Bye bye sugar binges. You will eat for success.
Those are just a few of the reasons. As far as I am concerned, this should be enough for anyone to want to pull up their socks and get their act together.
Here are 6 ways to get you going:
1. Breathe
10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening and every time you remember in between, just breathe. Breathe deep breaths that start in your belly and fill up your lungs completely. Focus on lengthening the exhale thereby activating your parasympathetic nervous system which is all about deep relaxation. Your awareness and attention should be on the breath only and nothing else. And if the mind wanders, which it will, gently bring it back.
That’s it for now. We can go much deeper into breathing exercises but this is enough to start. Watch the difference.
2. Be nice to your adrenal glands.
They are the little endocrine glands that release cortisol, the stress hormone. And they are under a lot of pressure with the constant stressors in our lives. So let’s avoid adding to the pressure. Reduce alcohol, caffeine, sugar and energy drinks as all of these raise cortisol levels. Eat wholesome, nourishing, nutrient dense food. Michael Pollan said it best: “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
3. Get a massage.
Massages are relaxing and here is why: they stimulates the vagus nerve (the long cranial nerve that runs from your brain to your belly) which activates the parasympathetic nervous system thereby lowering cortisol levels and raising oxytocin, the “love” hormone. Who doesn’t need some of that good old “loving feeling.” It’s better than the “running around like a mad(wo)man ready to snap at anyone who stands in your way” feeling. So schedule that massage. Once a week to once a month should help tremendously.
4. Try some gadgets.
Stanford Medical School, the U.S. military, and corporations such as Hewlett-Packard use a gizmo called HeartMath for helping employees rebalance mentally and emotionally. It is a small device that measures your heart-rate variability (which is an indication of stress levels) and provides a guide to bring you back into balance. The same company offers a HeartMath sensor called “Inner Balance” which plugs into your Iphone, Ipod or Ipad and even better, they have recently launched a free app called “GPS for the Soul” which uses the Iphone to measure your heart rate variability. If you need visible proof of your emotional or physical stress levels and a way to get into a calmer zone, try this.
5. Go for a walk
Doesn’t matter if it is a comfortable stroll or a brisk walk, studies have shown that any kind of walking helps to calm the nerves, release endorphins and enhance moods. If you walk with awareness you stand an even better chance of bringing down your stress levels. So head out, becoming blissfully aware of every breath you take, every move you make (thank you Sting) and the sounds and sights around you.
6.Be regular
This is a hugely important concept called “dinacharya” in Ayurveda. We are supposed to move with the daily cycles and rhythms of nature for optimal health and wellness. According to those cycles you should rise between 6 and 8 am (the closer to actual sunrise the better), you should eat lunch between 12 noon and 1 pm because your digestive “fire” is at its highest. A light dinner between 6 and 7 pm is ideal and bedtime should be between 9:30 and 10:30 pm. I suggest you summon up some self discipline, try this routine for a week and notice the difference.
None of these steps are hard to implement. They are small changes but can have a huge impact on the quality of your life and your future. And for those of you that feel blissfully relaxed most of the time already, do your high powered executive friends or family members a favor and forward them this post. A little cue might be all it takes. And it is any time better then a harsh wake-up call down the road..
