Self Care Tips

In our busy days it is often hard to know what to prioritize in terms of looking after yourself - physically, mentally and spiritually.....and for everyone it can be a little different too in terms of what your needs are... Some things to think about: 1) if you do 15 minutes of meditation or deep breathing a day, you get a generalization effect - so you start to feel calmer in general. One technique is to breath in to the count of 4, hold for 2 and breathe out to the count of 4. See if you can lengthen your breaths, if you breathe for 6 breaths a minute or less you start to induce the 'relaxation response' instead of the 'stress response'; 2) just 30 minutes of walking boosts those endorphins and cuts your heart attack risk by 50%; 3) if you feel flat or down in your mood, then exercise or seek out social contact. Social connection is a buffer against depression. Exercise boosts mood; 4) if you feel stressed try and consistently practice dropping your arousal level as you go about your day - consciously focusing on deep slow breathing and staying centred; 5) be mindful, train your neural pathways - just saying a simple mantra such as 'I am happy and i feel good' works on many levels to help you stay centred and change your brain. The key is to learn to unhook from unhelpful cognitive and emotional cycles. I will talk more about this; 6)look after your gut, recent research shows a big link between mood and gut. Drink bone broth; address gut permeability; have a good probiotic and eat soothing gut foods and most importantly address your stress! (there is a strong relationship with IBS and stress)....