Personally, this is how I take care of my mind, body and soul.
I now have a self-care morning routine.
I do 30 min exercises.
I write on a gratitude journal things I am grateful for.
I listen to positive affirmation.
I do a 10 minutes foot exercises. I decided to give a name to this foot exercises and I call it "Pieds Beauté". I thought giving a name to it, would make it official. My "Pieds Beauté" include pointing my toes up, spraying my toes, stretching by grabbing one toe at the time with my hand, separating each toe for a few minutes while opening my legs very wide, and I end up in a strange position. I used to dislike my feet because I have one overlapping toe but "Pieds Beauté" helps me to love my feet because of the giggling & feeling silly pose I have by doing this exercise.
By connecting and playing with a part of my body I do not like, I grow to love them.
This self-care morning routine as well as the occasional crying is keeping me good.
I have asked expert in their fields.
Dr Charlie Easmon MBBS MRCP MSc Public Health DTM&H DOccMed
Medical Director of Your Excellent Health Service
President of The International
Association of Physicians for the Overseas Services (IAPOS) www.iapos.co.uk
Co-founder of Global Health Action Strategies & Solutions (GHASS) www.ghass.co.uk
How to recognise mental
health?
We can all understand physical
pain but unless you have suffered, it is harder to understand mental pain. We
can imagine the agony of breaking a leg in a fall from a horse but what is like
to feel constant unease and constant dissatisfaction with yourself? Sleep and
concentration are huge clues. The restless mind finds it hard to sleep as it is
like a scab constantly picking at itself. The restless mind focuses on external
things because it constantly wants to and cannot help but pick at itself.
Understanding mental deterioration is hard and the following may help you better understand it. Since I was a kid, I have brushed my teeth twice a day, morning and evening. However, one decadent weekend as an adult I overindulged in sugary sweets and booze and then crashed out without cleaning my teeth. On the Monday I was in agony with toothache and an emergency visit to the dentist confirmed dental infection/caries that required the tooth to be removed. For a while I was puzzled as to how one forgetful weekend could do that. It seemed such a short time.Then one day writing a chapter on oral hygiene it hit me that time is relative and for what for me had been less than 24 hours for the infecting bugs in my mouth that 24 hours had been like millennia of my time as they ‘happily’ multiplied exponentially and took over from the good and protective bugs that had peacefully co-existed prior to my feast of sugar and booze. I use this story to illustrate how rapidly mental health can deteriorate to the point of someone wanting to take their own life. So many times, at funerals parents, relatives and friends are shaking their heads along the lines that ‘he or she seemed so happy'. How could this have happened? When I saw them the evening before they seemed more than okay.” The mind plays tricks, and these tricks can magnify with malevolence in minutes.
Rone Stephens
Nutritionist and Personal
Trainer
www.nutrifitnessuk.com
What type of exercise can help mental health and wellbeing?
Exercise and physical activity
are most associated with weight loss, bigger muscles and working up a sweat!
But did you know that exercise also serves another important function in the
body, which affects our brains!
Whether you swim, walk, run, or
lift heavy weights, exercise raises the heart rate, increasing oxygen levels in
the body and brain! This triggers the release of the neurotransmitter’s
serotonin and dopamine! These are sometimes referred to as the ‘Happy Hormones’
as they can help to reduce stress, pain and anxiety.
Studies show that doing regular, moderate to vigorous exercise, for approximately 3-5 times per week, can be more effective in reducing depression and anxiety than taking antidepressants, especially when compared to those who do very little or no physical activity.
Fabrice Lephysique
Personal Trainer
Website: Munsterfit.com
Instagram: @fabricelephysique
Running (even for just 15/20mins ) because it releases endorphins which help cope with stress . They are called feel-good chemicals.
Yoga: it helps with flexibility
and alleviate tension on the body which can contribute to a tensed and stress
nervous system.
And any sport!
Playing sport with others create a social bond which is extremely effective when trying to keep mental health in check.
Ola Ipaye
Nutrition Coach
https://fitnessfoodrecipes.co.uk/about
While I imagine you find the best approach that work for your client physiology, certain food and drinks add to stress, right? So, how to practice mindful eating?
Yes, certain foods can
contribute to stress depending on the person’s goal. An overweight person that
continues to eat in excess will gain weight and their stress levels will
increase.
Sugary drinks, excess coffee,
lack of water, alcohol can also contribute to stress.
Mindful eating in my opinion is
a result of eating in moderation, eating and chew you food slowly, being aware
of your environment, drink water with your meals, eat a nutritious food that
you enjoy, knowing what to eat and cooking your meals instead of panicking and
relying on takeaway foods.
Also, when you are eating just
focus on the food and stop eating when you feel full instead of overeating.
All contributes to what I consider mindful eating.
Conclusion
This year has been challenging!
Having an intimate relationship with my body, keeping physically fit, and trying to have an healthy diet is how I improve my wellbeing.
What about you?
Feel free to share your story in the comment section below or contact the professionals!
Many thanks again to the contributors of this article:
Dr Charlie Easmon
Rone Stephens
Fabrice Lephysique
Ola Ipaye
