Acting The Way You Want To Feel

Why Acting How You Want to Feel is Important

We all want to maximize our potential in life, to achieve our goals, be happy and experience fulfillment. In the end, we all want our dreams to come true. The trick is how do we make this happen? There is plenty of information out there as regards to maximizing your potential, reaching your goals, or making your dreams come true. Which bit of information can you believe? Which one is right for you? Better yet, which one works?

One of the best ways to determine what will work for you is through trial and error. You certainly want a technique or program that will provide actual, tangible benefits when you put that information to work. One of the most effective self-improvement techniques out there is acting how you want to feel. Check out this post from the usual bliss ACT the way you want to FEEL.

This technique is based on the simple concept that just as thoughts influence actions, actions have the power to influence thoughts, and by extension feelings. Many of us go through life allowing feelings to dictate our actions. If we feel positive emotions, we take positive actions that achieve the positive results we desire. However, by feeling negative emotions, we take negative actions that cause negative consequences.

We’ve all heard about the power of positive thinking. If you think positively, then you get those powerful, positive results that allow you to reach your goals. The problem is that positive thinking cannot be faked. You can pretend to have a positive attitude. You may fool the outside world that you are actually positive. However, a fake positive attitude cannot fool the real judge – you. Unless you truly experience positive emotions, you will continue to take negative actions and produce negative results. It’s that simple. If you want to learn about the power of positive thoughts check out this post from Mindvalley The Power Of Positive Thoughts.

The theory of positive thinking has actually got the concept completely backward. It’s not positive thinking that’s powerful. It’s actually positive actions that are powerful. You see, when you act in a certain way, your actions have the ability to influence your thoughts. Even if the actions feel forced or awkward, they still have consequences. You still see results from those actions. These results reinforce the strength of those actions. As a result, your actions begin to have an effect on your outlook and your emotions. You begin to feel the way you’ve been acting.

What Does It Mean To Act How You Want to Feel?

Have you ever wondered why you feel the way that you feel sometimes? Have you ever done something and then, at a later time, or even immediately wondered why you acted the way you did? If your answer to either of these questions is yes, you’re not alone. We all, at one time, have regretted doing or not doing something, saying or not saying something. The thing is, there is absolutely no reason to have these regrets.

We all, at one time or another, have felt we were being held hostage by our feelings. Negative emotions, prevent us from fully enjoying all the wonderful things that life has to offer. These negative emotions can take many forms – shyness, fear, or lack of confidence to name a few. The thing that they all have in common is that they prevent us from getting those things that we really want.

The key to living a fuller and richer life, one free of those restricting negative emotions, is deceptively simple. It’s so simple that most people reject it out of hand as being too easy, too good to be true. That’s unfortunate because all you need to do to rid yourself of negative emotions is to begin acting how you want to feel.

Four Examples of Acting How You Want to Feel

While you might think that your actions follow your thoughts, just the opposite is true. This means that if you can act the way you want to feel, your feelings will follow suit.

Example 1 | Say that you’re shy. You find social situations awkward and uncomfortable. Because of this, you pass up opportunities to get together with other people. Many of these opportunities are events that you really want to attend. You like people and you want them to like you in return. It’s just that your shyness is like a barrier between you and the rest of the world.

All you need to do to eliminate this problem is begin acting confidently, even if you don’t feel confident inside. It’s initially difficult to do, but fairly quickly you find people responding positively to your confident attitude. You begin to enjoy socializing. Acting confident begins to make you feel less shy. Because you act with confidence, you begin to feel confident. All of this occurred because you began to act the way you really wanted to feel.

Example 2 | What does success look like? Very often success looks confident. This means that if you want to appear more successful, you need to act with more confidence. Walk like you own the world. Talk like your dreams are about to come true. When you start to act like you’re successful, you begin to adopt a more successful state of mind. You exude confidence and that confidence changes the way you think. Once you start acting successful, you’ll be surprised at the opportunities life presents to you – opportunities that you’re now mentally ready to take advantage of.

Example 3 | How do you begin to feel healthier? It’s easy. All you have to do is begin acting in a healthy manner. You see while our thoughts have the ability to influence our feeling the opposite is also true. Our actions can also influence our thoughts. So start taking healthy actions. Stop taking elevators. Use the stairs instead. Reject your urge to eat fast or processed food. Start eating fresh, low-fat foods. Soon, you’ll start seeing some amazing changes. You actually are going to start feeling healthier. Why? Because you are healthier. Take a look at my post on Food and Your Health.

Example 4 | If you’d like to feel more happiness in your life, start by simply finding those things that bring you joy, and do more of them! If bird-watching makes you happy – do some birdwatching and watch your feelings accompany your actions! The true key to happiness is allowing yourself the permission to be happy! So find what it is that makes your heart soar – and do it!

I choose happy, and being an introvert I choose unafraid. What will you choose for yourself?

Managing Your Life And Symptoms During Menopause

Why I wanted to write this. When I was a girl, the onset of menses was not an easy subject for most mothers to approach with their daughters. None the less by 1970, they were dealing with it fairly confidently.  It was much easier in my turn when I needed to prepare my daughter. 

Moving forward 25-30 years when my mom was going through menopause she never said a word to me beyond that it had begun and so the end was near. Now we are a little savvier and know that the end can be as near as 2 years or as far as 10 years away. That's a big difference. Still, when I want through menopause at 38 I didn't say a word to my daughter. I never discussed with her the things I was dealing with and what I was learning about it along the way.

WHY NOT?

Why are we as mothers, or even as women in general not making this major life transition easier for those who follow us?  I don't have an answer for this but it is time that menopause is spoken of both openly and respectfully. So this is me stepping out of my comfort zone and bringing up this little spoken of subject. 

Anyone with Menopause Needs a Good Support System

Menopause can be a big transition for anyone, so don’t assume you have to deal with it silently or alone. Having emotional support is an integral part of dealing with this new phase in your life.

The Transition Can Be Difficult

While menopause is a completely normal phase of life that every woman will go through, that doesn’t mean it is easy. Similar to when you are a pre-teen and start your first menstrual cycle, it can be a tough transition to get through. There are a lot of different changes that happen, including mental, emotional, and physical ones. You reach the age where you can no longer get pregnant, which is hard on some women. You also deal with all the physical changes, discomforts, and pains, along with heightened stress and anxiety. You need a solid support system and to figure out the remedies that work best for you.

There Are Emotional Changes with Menopause

As mentioned in the previous section, menopause comes with quite a few emotional changes. You might be sad that a certain phase of your life is over, or you may notice that your stress is heightened due to the night sweats, insomnia, headaches, and bodily pains. This is completely normal, but don’t let it get you down. And importantly, don’t assume you have to deal with it alone. Menopause is not something you need to be silent about or pretend like everything is okay. Reach out to your partner or spouse, family, and friends and talk to them when you need to. Get that emotional support that you need and it will go much better for you.

You Might Need Support Due to Your Physical Changes

Of course, women are often more concerned about the physical changes. Even though you don’t have your menstrual cycle anymore, you might still get the menstrual-like cramps, which can be hard to handle. Some other physical changes include headaches, neck or shoulder pain, back pain, hot flashes, and night sweats. There are many ways to deal with these naturally, like essential oils, herbs, yoga, and dietary changes. But you should also have someone close to you that supports you. If your night sweats are worsened with another warm body sleeping next to you, it is good to have someone who wouldn’t mind if you slept in a separate bed until this part of menopause is over.

Dietary Changes Suggested during Menopause

If you want to go through menopause in the healthiest, easiest way possible, while also working to lower some of your side effects, dietary changes are the way to go. Here are some recommended changes to make.

Reduce Your Fatty Foods

The first thing you need to do if you want to make dietary changes for the relief of your symptoms is to reduce the fatty foods you are eating. This might be hard at first, but small changes are totally fine. Just remember not only will it help with your menopause, but with overall health as well. Fatty foods that are loaded with trans-fats like margarine and vegetable oil are not good for you and can increase your cholesterol. Try to stick to healthy fats, and you will feel much better. Reducing your sugar and salt intake can also help.

Increase Your Calcium

One of the more important nutrients to have in your body when you are going through menopause is calcium, but make sure you don’t have too much of it. You want to aim for no more than 1,000 mg a day of calcium between supplements and natural food sources. Natural is always better, so first try to get your calcium from your diet, such as with dairy products or non-dairy milk like coconut milk, as well as vegetables like leafy greens. If you don’t get enough through these sources, then take a supplement every day.

Get More Iron and Fiber

Two more nutrients that are important to include in your diet are iron and fiber. Both of these help women who are in the menopausal period of life, reducing your symptoms overall and making you healthier. Iron is often found in eggs, leafy greens, nuts, and red meat, so whether you are a meat eater or not, there are options available to you. To get more fiber, try whole grains, fruit, pasta, and vegetables.

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

You probably know by now that you should be eating a certain amount of fruits and vegetables each day. This is not only important during menopause, but for overall health at this stage of your life as well. Try to have 5 servings or 2 cups of fruits and veggies every day, more if it fits within your daily diet.

Essential Oils to Ease Menopause Symptoms

Essential oils are oils that are extracted from flowers and leaves of various plants. These essential oils provide a lot of amazing health benefits, including helping you to ease your menopause symptoms.

Peppermint Oil

You may have heard that peppermint the herb is often recommended for easing your menopause symptoms. Naturally, the essential oil of peppermint can also be really helpful for you. Peppermint oil is extracted from the leaves of a mint plant, similar to how other essential oils are made. There are several different symptoms that peppermint oil helps with, including relieving your cramps, as well as the hot flashes and night sweats. Try adding some peppermint oil to your tea or using an oil diffuser.

Basil Oil

The reason basil is so useful is that it has a natural compound that works similar to the estrogen hormone, so it can help balance out your hormone levels naturally. When your estrogen is adjusted, some of your side effects of menopause are also improved. Some things you will notice that get better are a relief of menstrual-like cramps, less hot flashes, and improved mood and stress relief.

Lavender Oil

Lavender is definitely one of the most popular and useful essential oils you can get. This smells amazing and promotes relaxation and calmness. It is also known for boosting your mood naturally. As you can see, there are many ways it can help you. Since it relaxes your body and mind, you will get better sleep with lavender. The effects can also help with stress and other emotional issues you might have. It is best to use it at night in your bath or before bed in a lavender tea to help with insomnia.

Geranium Oil

Lastly, consider using some geranium essential oil. This is from the geranium flowering plant, and can be used to help with your hormonal imbalances during menopause. All you need to do is add a few drops of this essential oil to a diffuser each day and you will notice an excellent difference.

Remember that if you use the oils on your skin directly, you first need to dilute them with a carrier oil.

Herbal Remedies For Menopause

Herbs can provide many health benefits, from lowering your cholesterol to easing mental health disorders. They also work great as a natural remedy for menopause. Take a look at some of the top herbs available.

Wild Yam

The first type of herb you should consider taking for your menopause and its symptoms is wild yam. This is not the same thing as yams or sweet potatoes, which you are probably already familiar with. Wild yam is actually a wild plant that contains nutrients to help with your symptoms, including phytoestrogen. This works similar to how DHEA can help with human sex hormones. This herb helps to balance out your hormones, which is how you can reduce your symptoms. Though like all herbs, you should discuss it with your doctor before using it.

Sage

Next on the list is sage, which is an amazing and beneficial herb. Sage is often used when looking at natural holistic or medicinal herbs, but it can also help if you are going through menopause. The side effects it primarily helps with are hot flashes and night sweats, both of which are not only uncomfortable but can cause stress at night because they tend to interrupt your sleep. There are some different ways to get more sage into your diet, from adding the herb to your cooked foods to making a peppermint tea with a little sage added to it.

Valerian

The last herb you should try is called valerian or valerian root. This is another herb that has been around a long time in different parts of the world but is becoming more popular as a way to treat medical conditions. Recently, it has been used for menopause by helping you with anxiety, insomnia, and some of your hot flashes. The great thing about valerian is that you can get the root in herb form for cooking or adding to a healing tea, or you can get it in supplement form if that is easier for you to handle.

Many other herbs can also be useful when it comes to your menopausal symptoms, so as long as you eat a healthy diet and use lots of fresh herbs, you are bound to benefit from them. You can also start growing herbs in your own backyard, helping to add more exercise to your daily regimen, which is also good for menopause.

Managing Hot Flashes during Menopause

One of the biggest side effects and the most uncomfortable is having hot flashes. Hot flashes happen to approximately 50 percent of menopausal women. The following methods are all natural and can be very effective.

Make Sure You Hydrate

If you are struggling with hot flashes and night sweats, the culprit might be dehydration. Many women drink water throughout the day but aren’t drinking enough. This can lead to the headaches associated with menopause.  Remember that you need extra water when exerting yourself during workouts or when it is especially hot out. If you are spending more time outdoors, you need to increase your water intake. One good way to tell if you are probably hydrated is by looking at the color of your urine. The clearer it is, the more hydrated you are.

Wear Breathable Clothing

The hot flashes tend to be worse at night when you start getting night sweats. It often feels like nothing you do will take away the intense heat you experience, making it really hard to sleep properly. One way to combat this is by wearing more breathable fabrics. Wear fewer layers, ditch the pants and socks, and look for ‘cooling’ clothing materials. Many retailers now sell pajamas specifically for people who get hotter than normal, so these can help tremendously. If you can’t find them, cotton is usually a safe bet for sleep clothes.

Stop Eating Spicy Foods

There are even dietary changes you can make that will help to cool you off during the day. One of the recommendations is to stop eating spicy foods. The spice tends to peak the internal cooling system in your body, even more so when you are going through menopause. If you tend to like hot and spicy foods, you might notice that your hot flashes are becoming more common. The best thing you can do is to limit how much spicy food you eat.

Change Your Sleeping Environment

Your bedroom itself can also be what is making the heat worse at night. Try to keep a fan blowing on you or sleep next to an open window for cool, fresh air at night. There are also mattress pads and pillows that provide cooling power so that you are not too hot at night. Using a light down comforter is better than a thick comforter that provides too much warmth.

Meditation and Menopause

Among the different natural remedies available for menopause, meditation is one of the best. Here are some different ways you can benefit from doing meditation.

It Helps Reduce Your Menopause Symptoms

Meditation can help you during this phase of your life by helping reduce the uncomfortable symptoms. The side effects can be really hard on you after a while, from the hot flashes that occur randomly throughout the day to having cramping similar to menstrual cramps, and various other body pains. With meditation, you are relaxing your body and mind, which can really help you to regain your focus and mentally decrease the symptoms you experience.

Meditation Helps You Get Better Sleep

Less restful sleep is another major symptom and side effect for women who are going through menopause. While there are many different natural remedies out there to help with your insomnia, like herbal supplements and listening to certain music, meditation really helps you to de-stress and relax, which is going to be beneficial in helping you to get better sleep as well.

You Can Reduce Your Stress and Anxiety

While many women think about the physical side effects, like the menstrual-like cramps, hot flashes, night sweats, and other muscle cramps, it also affects your mental health. Having a trigger in stress and anxiety is very common. Luckily, meditation can help with these symptoms. So if you are dealing with a lot of stress that is keeping you from good sleep or your anxiety is affecting your personal or professional life, then meditation just might be the answer.

It Provides Good Alone Time Each Day

Having some time to yourself each day is really important for self-care purposes. If you have been looking for more ways to take good care of yourself, then this can be the answer you are looking for. Meditation should be done when you are alone, often in silence or with a guided meditation. By meditating each day, you are making sure to schedule some time all to yourself, so you are benefiting from it in multiple ways. If it is hard to find time alone, think of other times during the day when you have a few minutes to yourself, like walking during your lunch break or in the shower each morning. You can meditate while participating in these types of activities.

Menopause Relief Supplements

If you are just entering menopause or pre-menopause, you might be struggling to find the right treatment option. Luckily, you don’t necessarily need to go straight to progesterone creams and prescription medications. There are many natural remedies to help you through this stage in your life, including taking the following supplements.

Omega-3 Supplement

When you look into diet recommendations for menopause, you will notice that omega-3 fatty acids are recommended often. That is because these fats can help smooth out your skin and reduce inflammation, which also has a positive effect on many of your symptoms. It can also help with mental health issues from this stage of your life. If you aren’t a fan of food sources of omega=3 fats, like fish or flaxseed, then you can instead take a supplement each day.

Black Cohosh

If you have never heard of black cohosh, it is never too late! This is not only one of the best herbs for menopause, but also available in a supplement that can be very helpful to you. Black cohosh comes from the root of a plant, also called black cohosh. The herb from this root helps to reduce your hot flashes, one of the biggest issues related to menopausal symptoms. Just be careful not to use too much of it. This is also available in a supplement if you don’t want to use the herbs.

Dong Quai

Another supplement to try out when you struggle with menopausal symptoms is dong quai. This is from China primarily and really helps tremendously with balancing out your hormone levels. These are what typically contribute to the side effects, so it can help a lot. With dong quai, you will notice less hot flashes and body pains, plus a general wellness.

Vitamins B and E

Some vitamin supplements are also recommended when you have menopause, whether you just started or have been dealing with it for a while. The first is most of the B vitamins, which are all water soluble and can help decrease stress related to your menopause. You should also get plenty of vitamin E, which can help a lot with your hot flashes. Try to get about 400IUs of vitamin E each day, which comes in a supplement pill form.

Give these supplements a try for a more natural remedy for your symptoms.

Stress Relief during Menopause

One of the emotional side effects of menopause is dealing with stress. It not only can make your stress worse due to the other side effects, but it can be hard to find relief for your stress. This endless cycle can be stopped with the following natural remedies.

Be Honest With People

It is possible that a lot of your stress comes from simply trying to get too much done during the day. If you feel like you are always being asked to host parties, run errands, and do favors for people, it might be time to learn how to say no. This can be really hard to do, but your stress can affect nearly every aspect of your life, including making menopausal symptoms worse, so it is important. Just be honest with people if they ask you to help out with something you simply don’t have time for right now.

Reduce Your Caffeine and Alcohol Intake

Both caffeine and alcohol are stress triggers, as both are stimulants. These types of stimulants give you a short-term boost in your mood, but when it wears off, you feel even worse than you did before. Not only are they bad for your stress and can actually make it worse, but they are also depressants. Caffeine has also been shown to have a negative effect on the stress hormone cortisol, which is only going to make your stress worse. Plus, alcohol tends to affect the normal REM sleeping cycle. Try to switch to other beverages and activities that you can enjoy.

Improve Your Sleep

If you are dealing with high-stress levels while going through menopause, then you should really start focusing on getting better sleep. Insomnia is, unfortunately, a common side effect during menopause, so take your time and figure out what works best for you. This might be taking a relaxing bath with lavender essential oils, drinking a cup of herbal tea before bed, or doing your workout in the evening so you are tired enough for adequate sleep before bed.

Do Something Good for Yourself

Many women find themselves overwhelmed with personal and work responsibilities, and rarely have time for themselves. If this sounds like you, then it is time to pamper yourself more. Schedule time for yourself to get your hair done, get a manicure, go to lunch, or go for a walk on the beach.

The Key to Getting Better Sleep during Menopause

If you struggle with insomnia, you are definitely not alone. Insomnia can come from the emotional and physical side effects, from stress and anxiety to having hot flashes at night. The following natural remedies are available for you to get better sleep as you go through menopause.

Cool Off Your Body

The first thing you need to do is cool your body at night. Your insomnia is probably at least partly due to the night sweats and hot flashes you experience. This might be accomplished by wearing lighter fabrics, using a cooling pillow, or switching the type of sheets and blankets you are using. For some women, having a fan is absolutely essential, while others find that the cooling mattress pads with cotton sheets work wonders. Try different things until you figure out how to cool your body.

Take a Hot Bath before Bed

This might seem counterintuitive, but it actually helps. It is a trick people use when they live in a hot climate. When you take a hot bath, you are increasing the temperature of your body. This makes it to where you can withstand the warmer temperatures, so when you get a hot flash, you don’t actually feel quite as warm as you would have otherwise. Drinking a hot cup of tea before bed can also work in the same way.

Get Enough Exercise

Exercise provides excellent benefits for you during menopause, from helping to relieve your stress, to giving you more energy. However, when it comes time to go to sleep, the exercise you did during the day just might be the trick to sleeping better. Your body will be tired by bedtime from the workout, so you can sleep much more soundly.

Try Natural Sleep Aids

Instead of constantly taking Benadryl or over the counter sleeping aids, try instead to look for natural remedies. This might include a cup of chamomile tea or the use of an essential oils diffuser with lavender essential oil to relax you. These are popular methods that are completely natural and also provide some other menopausal remedies at the same time. Similar to other recommendations, you just need to figure out what works best for you.

Yoga Benefits during Menopause

Exercise is an essential part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle during menopause and helping to ease some of those uncomfortable symptoms. In addition to regular exercise, yoga can be very beneficial. Here are some ways yoga helps you during menopause.

You Can Reduce Your Stress

If you are already going through menopause, then you are quite aware of how stressed you become and the effect it has on your mind and body. Plus, stress can then lead to anxiety and even depression, so it is best to get a handle on it now. Yoga is an excellent way to relieve your stress in a more natural way by focusing on breathing exercises and various moves which can get rid of all those negative feelings causing the stress in the first place.

It Helps to Reduce Physical Pain

Another common side effect of menopause is physical discomfort. Where you experience pain or discomfort may vary from person to person, so you might have headaches or migraines, neck pain, or muscle cramps. It is also very common to experience cramps in your abdomen or back very similar to menstrual cramps. For these types of pains, yoga is ideal. You should try Hatha yoga, which is great for beginners and has more gentle moves. Let your yoga instructor know if you have any physical discomfort, and they will show you some modifications as well.

Hot Flashes

One of the first symptoms people notice when they go through menopause is hot flashes. These are common and can also be accompanied by night sweats. Hot flashes happen randomly throughout the day, where you feel fine one minute, then suddenly it is too hot for you to handle anything. This can also lead to more stress. Luckily, yoga is also useful for relieving the hot flashes, especially when you continue going to yoga on a regular basis.

You Sleep Better

Yoga helps with sleep problems due to menopausal insomnia in a number of ways. It helps you sleep better since yoga helps with stress and anxiety, plus it helps with those hot flashes and night sweats. The breathing exercises help you to relax before bed, and doing exercise during the day also helps you to sleep better at night.

For More Information: 

Menopause Symptoms

What Are The Signs And Symptoms

34 Menopause Symptoms

Let me know if you liked this post and please share it with anyone who could use this information.

10 Best Reasons For You To Become Mindful

Mindfulness is a powerful tool that is the perfect tonic to modern day stress and anxiety. But it goes far beyond that and can be instrumental in helping you improve in a vast range of different ways. Read on and we’ll go over 10 of these many benefits to demonstrate just how transformative mindfulness really is…

If you are newly exposed to mindfulness then I believe this article HERE How To Practice Mindfulness: A Beginners Guide, can help you choose a way to easily begin. Just know, that the method you use to achieve that state of mindfulness can be as simple as breathing, taking a walk, or my personal favorite; doing the laundry.

Top Ten Mindfulness Tips

1 It helps reduce stress

Mindfulness teaches us how to be present and how to exist in the moment. This helps us to rise above the stressful thoughts we might be having and even to ‘reprogram’ them in some cases.

2 It improves focus

Mindfulness practice requires intense focus and mental discipline. This is something that many people are lacking these days owing to the constant distractions we get from our technology and our general ability to get any information or entertainment in seconds.

3 It’s free and easy

Health organizations love mindfulness because it’s something anyone can practice. Once you understand the concept and have been taught the basics, this is something you can do anywhere and with no equipment. It can even be taught over the web!

4 It improves athletic performance

Mindfulness is only one step away from being a ‘flow state’. This is a heightened state of awareness and presence that leads to amazing improvements in athletic performance.

5 It helps sleep

Studies show that mindfulness can be used effectively to combat insomnia.

6 It can treat panic attacks

Likewise, mindfulness is one of the main treatments used for panic attacks

7 It combats negative emotions

In general, mindfulness can be used to make dealing with almost any negative emotion considerably easier.

8 It enriches life

Being mindful means being present and that in turn means being aware of all the wonderful things happening around you. Instead of being in your own head, you start actually experiencing the world around you. This can even enhance your relationships.

9 You’ll learn about yourself

Learning to ‘observe’ your own mind and thoughts is an amazing skill that teaches you about how your own brain works. If you have tried meditation as a stress relief and found the thoughts tumbling around in your head even more stressful then try turning it around. Don’t try to quiet your thoughts observe them. This is both fascinating and a very useful skill for growth and development.

10 You’ll learn about others

And when you learn more about yourself, you learn more about the minds of others too. Mindfulness will give you the means to help your friends and family and to better manage your relationships with them.

So by fully engaging all of your senses while disengaging the preconceived notions of your mind, you too can reap the benefits of mindfulness.

If you enjoyed these 10 tips please let your friends know.  

Top Benefits Of Exercise For Your Health

Exercise and health

The benefits of exercise on your overall health encompass a range of physical, mental, and emotional. It is, like sleep and nutrition, what I like to call a foundational piece of your self-care habit. Changing any one of these three habits for the better can make a difference. To change them all for the better will noticeably improve your health and life.

What kind of exercise?

The types of exercise that will do you the greatest good depend on several factors. Your fitness level when you begin, what your health goals are, your fitness goals, your age, and the time you have to devote to it. Don't allow any of these above-mentioned factors to prevent you from taking charge of your health.

There are many kinds of Exercise Routines for what you want to target. From low to high impact. Weight and strength training. Aerobics and resistance training. Training that uses free weights or other types of appliances.

Last but not least is how easy it is to begin. A pair of comfortable trainers, shorts, and a tee-shirt. Your venue can be your own home, the more social atmosphere of the local gym, or the nearest park if you are a runner.

Nonetheless, almost anyone can begin by walking 15 minutes a day and slowly increasing the pace and amount of time over a couple of weeks.

If you are out of shape, ill, or elderly, you should consult with your doctor before beginning any kind of exercise regimen. He or She will want to steer you in the proper direction and help you to reach your health goals.

Benefits of exercise

• Decreased chronic illness risk

• Reduced cancer risk

• Lowered risk of anxiety and depression

• Boosts mood and feelings of happiness

• Helps with weight loss

• Improves flexibility and balance

• Increases muscle tone and bone density

• Promotes brain health and memory

• Boosts your skin health

• Increased energy level

• Linked to improved sleep and sex life

This is the third and last of the posts to do with your health that I call basic self-care. You can find the first post on Sleep HERE and the second post on Nutrition HERE. If you liked this please share or leave a comment.

The Right Nutrition Will Make You Healthier

Nutrition and you

Good nutrition is one of the main self-care habits I mentioned in my last post, that leads to a healthy life. Your health can be improved by eating a balanced diet. You should be eating these servings from the five basic food groups each day. Grains-9 servings, Vegetables-4 servings, Fruit-3 servings, Dairy-3 servings, Protein-2 servings. For easy-to-use Dietary Guidelines check this out.

You might remember this or a similar diet plan from elementary school and for many people, it works just fine. Most of the time. But not for everyone. And, not as well as we begin to age.

Not for me. I am lactose intolerant. Maybe not for you either unless you tweak your diet to fit your needs.

Healthy eating

To begin with, there are some things we can all do to be healthier. Some of these suggestions are easier than others but all can make a difference if applied. 27 Health and Nutrition tips

• Water: Add more water to your daily routine. Begin with a glass a half hour before every meal. It makes you feel fuller so you don't overeat and it revs up your metabolism. Proper hydration is also linked to a reduction in heart attacks, certain cancers, migraines, and fatigue.

• Unhealthy fat: Reduce the amount of unhealthy fat you eat. This includes dark meat chicken and chicken skin, fatty pork, beef, and high-fat dairy foods. Don't forget that it's better to bake or broil rather than fry your foods. Remove the skin from your poultry before cooking. Add more healthy fat from fish and nuts to your diet.

• Sugary drinks: Reduce the amount of added sugar in your diet by saying no to sodas and fruit juices. Both are high in sugar and the fruit juice has no fiber which would mitigate that factor somewhat.

• Junk food: Get rid of junk food. We all love it, but we don't need the empty calories full of salt and/or sugar.

• Keep a food journal: Track the food and drinks you eat in a day. Add notes on how it is prepared and served if you know (broiled fish with lemon butter sauce rather than broiled fish with lemon wedges on the side). This extra information helps you to recognize foods that aren't as good a choice for you and keeps you accountable for adding and eating more of those that are. Keep this journal for a couple of weeks at a time, once or twice each year, to see your progress.

• Read nutrition labels on the foods you buy: Understand what those labels mean to you. Labeling and Nutrition

• Dietary supplements: These can be a useful addition for children and older adults, who may not have the appetite to eat the foods they need, in the quantity that will provide them the necessary vitamins and minerals. But before you decide to take any medications you should discuss supplements with your Doctor.

Consider this

See your doctor if you don't feel as well as you should or if eating the right things don't maintain your health. He/She will send you home with a diet plan suitable for you and other advice as well as medication (when necessary).

Take your Doctor's advice. Eat right, but make sure it's right for you. 

I hope you liked this post. Please share it if you did. It's number two in what I like to call my three basics of self-care. The next one will be the one that gets you moving. Perhaps you missed my last post on Ways Sleep Boosts Your Health find it HERE. 

7 Ways More Sleep Boosts Your Health

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The importance of a good night’s sleep

How do you feel when you wake up having gotten plenty of sleep the night before?  In a good mood, bouncy and energetic, ready to tackle your day?

Did you know that a good night's sleep can improve your memory and make you smarter? When you sleep your brain is sorting memories and the knowledge and skills you work at during the day get processed at night.

The benefits of a good night's sleep on our mind and body cannot be emphasized enough. Yet, there are many diseases and common illnesses that could be minimized or improved if we only got enough quality sleep.

Sleep Deprivation and Its Effects

1 | Your immune system becomes hampered. This not only means you can take longer to recover from an illness, but it raises the risk of increased chronic illness. So don't let yourself get run down. Get into the habit of getting the rest you need to keep your immune system in tip-top shape. That, in turn, improves your ability to fend off colds, the flu, and other infections.

2 | Poor sleep quality increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Sleeping helps heart vessels to heal and affects processes that maintain blood pressure and sugar levels. Skip the sleep you need and it can lead to a surge in stress hormones. Your heart works harder and doesn't get the rest it needs. Getting plenty of sleep fosters a state of relaxation that helps to reduce blood pressure.

3 | Sleep deprivation also increases the risk of respiratory diseases. A nighttime disorder can interrupt your sleep lowering the quality of that sleep. As you wake up through the night these experiences cause sleep deprivation. This leaves you more vulnerable to respiratory infections and can worsen existing respiratory diseases.

4 | Lack of sleep can affect weight. Hormones that control feelings of hunger or fullness are affected by sleep. When you sleep less you eat more and have more difficulty burning the calories. "Researchers at the University of Chicago found that dieters who were well-rested lost more fat of their weight loss than those who were sleep-deprived, who lost more muscle mass. (They shed similar amounts of total weight regardless of sleep.)"

From <http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20459221,00.html#have-a-healthy-weight-0>

5 | Sleep deprivation causes the release of insulin. This can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes by affecting how your body produces glucose. What happens, with ongoing sleep loss, less insulin is released after you eat. But, your body secretes more stress hormones, which while helping you to stay awake makes it more difficult for the insulin to do its job.

6 | Lack of sleep is a factor in stress headaches. If you get stress headaches or migraines getting plenty of sleep will help to keep them away. Sleep deprivation plays an indirect role in making your head hurt. Stress and anxiety can bring on a headache even if you are properly rested. Keep in mind that too much sleep can also cause headaches.

7 | Insufficient sleep can affect hormone production, testosterone levels, and sperm count in men. It can wreak havoc with your emotions, making both of you too tired, or just plain uninterested. Good quality sleep keeps testosterone levels high. Cheat yourself out of sleep, and you cheat yourself out of great sex.

For further reading check out this article Health Benefits of Sleep.

7 Quick Tips to Sleep Better

• Avoid alcohol before bed

• Avoid caffeine after 5 pm

• Don't eat late in the evening

• Exercise during the day

• Optimize your bedroom (light, noise, temperature)

• Take a relaxing bath or shower

• Try to sleep and wake at consistent times

Sleep is just one part of improving and maintaining good overall health. Nutrition and exercise are also pivotal. I think of these 3 things as the most basic self-care habits. Yet of the three, sleep can be the easiest to-do. It takes little thought or preplanning in most cases, unlike menu planning or an exercise schedule. So take any Mom's advice, and get to bed at a decent time. You'll thank yourself the next morning.

I know a good night's sleep leaves me feeling refreshed, and on top of the world. But the best part is that my day just seems smoother and any problems that arise are easier to manage. So let me know in the comments how you feel after a good night's rest or let me know if any of this is helpful to you.

7 Tips To Manage Your Life's Transitions

TOP TIPS

The one aspect of life you can count on is change. People are not fond of change, but it happens to us all the time. Most people (if they’re lucky) will get older. Many will have children.

The children will grow up and go to college and then branch off on their own. Parents get older to the point where their children may have to take care of them. This goes on and on.

The following tips are helpful ways to deal with life transitions.

I also include 2 actionable steps you can take right away and a shortlist of suggested readings for people who are looking for additional information.

1.  Accepting Change

Of course, some changes are going to be easier than others, while many changes are difficult or just plain beyond our control, and there’s no way around that.

Therefore, it’s best to accept them and get on with your life. That’s not easy by any stretch of the imagination. But, once you learn to do this, you will find it much easier when those types of changes occur.

2.  Don’t Live with Regrets

We are unable to change our past, at least not yet. Until someone discovers a way to do that, don’t worry about what you can’t change in your past. It’s a huge waste of time and energy.

Instead, it may help you feel better if you make amends where possible, or do that one thing you feel you missed out on doing. Besides, if you let regrets rule your life, you risk missing out on the life you still have in front of you.

3.  You Are Not Alone

Regardless of your stage of life, there are plenty of people who have already experienced it or are doing so right alongside you.

Seek out these people and learn from them. Don’t forget to pass on to others what you already know. You’ll meet new friends in the process, and you’ll discover that the world is not as lonely as you thought.

4.  Have Some Alone Time

You shouldn’t go it alone. But, you should take some alone time for yourself. Think quiet contemplation. This is a time that you spend to help clear your head of the cobwebs.

Go for a walk, go to the park and feed the pigeons, or go to the gym. Whatever you want to do, it is for you to decide.
 

5.  Enjoy Life No Matter What

Everybody deals with tragedy and disappointment at some point in their lives. You will grieve the loss of loved ones, and you may even have adverse situations that you’ll have to deal with.

 As much as possible, keep your chin up and try to enjoy your life no matter what type of situation you find yourself in. You only get one life, you want to live that to its fullest.
 

6.  Understand Your Purpose

You were put on this earth for a reason. You do things differently than anyone else. Even though you think you do something similar to others, you have a unique angle or spin that only you can bring to that thing.

Try to determine what it is you are meant to do and do it. If you are stuck on something that doesn’t fit for you, your life is going to be miserable or unsatisfying at the very least.
 

7.  Get Help When Overwhelmed

There are going to be situations where it feels unbearably tough to deal with. If you ever get to this point, seek out help.

You can start by asking for advice from your family or friends. But for more serious situations, consider seeking professional help.

ACTIONABLE STEPS

Get Your Financial Affairs in Order

Financial burdens are with us throughout our lives. These get more difficult as we take on more responsibilities and as we age. Older people use medical services more than younger people, on average. You need to make sure you have what you need whatever your stage in life. It’s a good idea to seek out professional help from an advisor for this.

Update Your Will

It’s amazing how many people don’t do this and when they finally leave this wonderful planet, those left behind have to pick up the pieces. Make sure you specify how your assets are going to be divided when you are gone. It’s going to happen, hopefully, later rather than sooner. But, happen it will.

FURTHER READING

1.  Transitions: Making Sense Of Life's Changes

By William Bridges

2.  Tough Transitions: Navigating Your Way Through Difficult Times

By Elizabeth Harper Neeld

3.  The Anatomy of Change: A Way to Move Through Life's Transitions

By Richard Strozzi-Heckler

I hope these tips help you deal with the transitions you will face in your life. I know that some transitions are pleasant and others are not. But, I also believe that it is well within our ability to influence the changes they bring to our lives.

In that same vein of dealing with transition/change, I have created an e-guide called Embrace Change See a New You. Some topics include The top 10 fears that prevent us from change; The reasons people want to change; and The butterfly effect of change. It can be found HERE on my shop page. 

Let me know if you have any thoughts or tips of your own on this subject. I'd love to hear them. 

Lessons I learned From The Titanic

Yes, I did, I said that.

I know I will as like as not receive a ration of sh** for this post. Oh well. I am accustomed to the eye-rolls people shoot me when I mention Titanic (you Titaniacs out there know exactly what I'm talking about).

My Grandmother took me to see The Unsinkable Molly Brown when I was five. Now Debbie Reynold's as Molly, was only on Titanic and in that lifeboat for about 15 minutes. But I was permanently hooked. To my five year old mind I thought here is a woman who lived her life large, talked about and splashy. Yet, when it was most important she urged the women of her boat to row for warmth and helped to keep their spirits high.

Titanic’s lessons are hindsight learned and full of what ifs. If you are interested in learning more about Titanic there are books (way too numerous to mention) to read and movies to watch. So in keeping with the approaching 106th anniversary this is some of what I have learned from Titanic.

Make a Splash In Your Life –

The days are long but the years are short so make them count. That can be in a huge noisy way that affects many people on a grand scale. Maybe you have built the better mousetrap everyone wants to buy or you just want to help people. If you are the quiet type maybe your impact reaches a handful of close family and friends only.

Your Life Is a Journey –

Don’t rush through it. Making memories takes time. Savor the experience of people following along the same path with you. Revel in the time you have with those whom you briefly meet. Enjoy the sights and sounds as you go along.  It’s better to see half as much and remember it than to see twice as much and remember nothing.

Heed the Signs –

Things can and do happen out of the blue sometimes and we are not prepared for them. Sometimes we bury our heads in the sand and want to believe nothing bad will happen to us. Either way you need to take some kind of precautions and heed whatever signs you are given.

You Are Not Alone –

Sure, you should try to do some things on your own. But when you have tried or just know it's too hard to go it alone. Ask for help. As a general rule people want to help you. It makes them feel better about themselves. Give help when you are asked for it. And especially when you are not asked and you see a need that you can address.

Be Strong And Persevere –

You don’t always get what you want. Sometimes you just get what you get, and you have to make the best of it. These people are very strong because it's never easy to make the best of a bad situation. Yet, it’s the strongest of people who consistently persevere, who view obstacles as challenges and find new ways of going around them or over them. We call these people winners because they have made that choice.

I do have one book recommendation for you if you have no idea where to start reading about Titanic. You can't go wrong with Walter Lord's "A Night To Remember." It's a straight forward un-embellished account of what happened on April 14 1912 when Ship meets iceberg.

I hope you have enjoyed this post. Drop me a reply so I know if I should write more of these life lesson type posts.