Practicing Mindfulness

Living in the here and now - mindfulness in a nutshell. This week we will focus (pun-intended) on Mindfulness. Yes, mindfulness, the new, hot and trendy, wellness technique. The great thing about it however, is that it works, it truly does! And, there is plenty of data to back it up, not only in neurosciences research again and again, but also thousands of years of practice in the Eastern world. 

We will share some daily mindfulness techniques to utilize in your already set schedules. The fantastic thing about this practice is that it is very easy to implement into one's life. Some of the following techniques have been adopted from this resource:  

Mindfulness in Your Morning Routine

Pick an activity that constitutes as a part of your daily routine, such as brushing your teeth, shaving or taking a shower. When you do the activity, totally focus on what you are doing, the body movements, the taste, the touch, the sounds, the smells, the sight, etc. The idea is to involve all of your sense and fully experience the activity with them all with awareness. 

When thoughts arise, acknowledge them, let them be, and bring your attention back to the activity. Again and again, your attention will wander, when this occurs and as soon as you realize this has happened, acknowledge it, note what distracted you, and bring your attention back to the activity. 

Mindful Eating

For those looking to cultivate an awareness of how food and drink might make you feel, both physically and emotionally, and break free of unhealthy eating habits.

At Mealtimes: Prepare your meal as you normally would. Turn off all distractions, no mobile phone notifications, no TV, no laptop to distract you from your meal. Set your table with care and include a candle in your arrangement. Set your meal before you. Before you begin to eat, light the candle, if possible.  

Spend a moment in contemplation of the meal you are about to consume. Where have all the ingredients come from? Why have you selected them? How do you think this meal will make you feel? Does it have emotional significance to you? When you are halfway through your meal, pause for a moment and allow yourself a rest. How do you feel? When you have finished your meal, allow yourself a moment to feel grateful for the food you have eaten. When you are finished with your contemplation, blow out the candle.  

Mindfulness of Domestic Chores

 

Pick an activity such as ironing clothes, washing dishes, vacuuming floors, and do it mindfully.

For example, when ironing clothes: notice the color and shape of the clothing, and the pattern made by the creases, and the new pattern as the creases disappear. Notice the hiss of the steam, the creak of the ironing board, the faint sound of the iron moving over the material. Notice the grip of your hand on the iron, and the movement of your arm and your shoulder. 

 

If boredom or frustration arises, simply acknowledge it, and bring your attention back to the task at hand. When thoughts arise, acknowledge them, let them be, and bring your attention back to what you are doing.  Again and again, your attention will wander. As soon as you realize this has happened, gently acknowledge it, note what distracted you, and bring your attention back to your current activity. 

Simple, everyday activities can be done in a mindful manner. With time and practice, leading up to more mindful living. 

 

“Keeping one’s consciousness alive to the present reality” -Thich Nath Hanh

Positive Self Talk

The self talk habit is one that is often solidified in childhood, whether positive, negative or a mix. Then over the years this - self talk - tends to color the way we live our day to day lives, from every event we experience to every decision we make. However, the good news is that we can change it anytime we want, and now is a better time than any to change and create a more positive self talk. Not only will having more positive self talk boost productivity but can also help with increased self-confidence and more stress relief. We will present a few strategies with which one can create more positive self talk in one's life.

First, you can begin with noticing the patterns: once you are more conscious of your internal dialogue, it will become much easier to navigate through the thoughts and alter them. 

One sure way of tracking such activity is by keeping a journal: you can carry a journal with you and make a note of self talk throughout the day, or write out a summary at the end of the day, whichever is preferable; journaling can surely provide great insight into the internal dialogue taking place daily to later analyze and make changes. 



Second, after you are aware of the internal dialogue, you can begin by changing the negative internal dialogue to a positive one. 

One method of accomplishing the above is by incorporating milder wording: in your self talk, replacing emotionally charged words with milder versions of them can help in neutralizing the feelings, for instance - instead of using words like 'hate' or 'angry' - you can use words like 'dislike' or 'annoyed'.

Another way of combating negative self talk is to change it to neutral or positive self talk: if you find yourself having a negative thought, for example - having plans cancelled last minute to something you were looking forward to can seem negative initially, but think of what you can do with the new free time you've gained. So, if a negative thought or event takes place that kicks off the negative self talk, attempt to think of a positive that combats the negative in that situation (and once you pause to think of them, they will be there).  

An additional method is to change self-limiting statements to questions: self-limited statements can be damaging to self-esteem and confidence and can also cause stress. Next time a thought that comes across your mind that may go something like the following: "I cannot do this!" and "This is impossible!" change it to "How can I do this?" and "How is this possible?" will turn it into a more hopeful situation and open up more possibilities, which in turn, can help in reducing stress and boosting confidence.

 Positive affirmations can be incredibly helpful solidifying a more positive internal dialogue. These positive affirmations can be desired outcomes and goals and short and focused. By repeating them and even reading them out loud with emotion will make it that much more powerful and can give way to a new set of beliefs, creating a more positive internal dialogue.

Focus on enjoyable moments: while challenges and difficult times are inevitable, the enjoyable moments come as well- and to hold onto those memories and thoughts and focusing on them can aide in creating a more positive outlook overall. You can choose to fill your mind with positive images, in fact, you can choose to do a fun project to make it a point to focus on the positive once, at least every day with the following - https://100happydays.com/

Lastly, practice, practice and more practice! The more you practice in changing the self talk to a more positive one, the better you will become at it, just like exercising any muscle of the body can make it stronger, changing the brain and mind act similarly and require practice!

Relaxation Techniques

Relaxing - it is absolutely necessary, even if we may not seem to think so in our fast paced, fleeting, daily life. Stop. Breathe. Take a moment to yourself. You deserve it. Everyone has their own way of relaxing, and what one may find relaxing another may find not such that. We have complied some tried and true ways of relaxation. Maybe give one of these (or more than one) a try today! 

1) Autogenic Relaxation - "autogenic" = something that comes from within oneself. This technique utilizes both visual imagery and body awareness. One may imagine a peaceful environment, and then focus on different physical sensations, i.e. a calm heartbeat, easy natural breathing, heaviness of each limb, the temperature of each limb, etc. This relaxation technique can lead to a deep state of relaxation. 

2) Progressive Muscle Relaxation - in this particular method of relaxation, one focuses on slowly tensing and relaxing each muscle group. One way in which one can practice this type of relaxation method is by starting by tensing the toes for 5 seconds followed by relaxing them for 30 seconds, and moving up the body all the way to the head with this manner of tensing and relaxing each group. One can also start at the head and move to the toes if that is more preferable. This relaxation method can help one become more aware of tension in the body and just overall physical sensations. 

3) Visualization - during this relaxation technique, one uses mental images to take a visual journey to a peaceful environment. In this technique, one can use as many senses as possible, sight, taste, sound, touch and smell. For example, imagine a beach, smell the air, taste the salt in the air and the water, feel the warmth of the sun and the coolness of the water, hear the sounds of the waves and the seagulls.


4) Breathing - breath deeply, take a 5 minute break and focus on your breathing, place one hand on the belly, and the other on the chest. Eyes closed, take a deep breath, inhaling deeply and feeling the abdomen push against the hand. Hold the breath and slowly exhale, and repeat. This type of deep breathing for a minutes in a day can lower blood pressure and relieve stress. 

5) Guided Imagery - in this technique, one would listen to a guided imagery CD or another individual guide them into a state of deep relaxation. There are many apps, websites and CDs/DVDs out there to utilize for guided imagery. 

Please see the following links for some quick ways to kick start your relaxation! 
Guided Imagery (on youtube)
Guided Imagery (on iTunes)
https://www.calm.com/
www.stresslesstips.org
10 Tips to help you De-stress

Food & Mood

The food that we consume has loads to do with how we feel daily. There is a delicate balance between our food and mood which can easily be swayed in many directions. Today we will present a few ways in which one can manage anxiety with food. Including the following in one's diet may lead to better management of anxiety via food.

1) Vitamin B - eat food rich in vitamin B or take a vitamin B supplement to ward of anxiety, studies have shown a relationship between mood and the B vitamins. Some food that has vitamin B includes meats, chicken, leafy greens, legumes, oranges and other citrus fruits, rice, nuts and eggs. 

2) Tryptophan - tryptophan is a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin, which helps you feel calm. That tired feeling one gets after eating turkey on Thanksgiving - comes from the tryptophan in turkey. Tryptophan in the form of meat has been shown to reduce anxiety disorder. Some food that includes tyrptophan are turkey, chicken, banana, milk, oats, cheese, soy, nuts, peanut butter and sesame seeds. 

3) Carbohydrates - carbs also increase the production of serotonin in the brain. Go for whole grains for brain healthy options, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice and whole grains. Opting for the processed grain alternative can lead to one feeling lethargic due to the sharp increase in energy due to the insulin rush followed by a quick decline. 

4) Omega-3 fatty acids - there is some evidence that indicates omega-3 fatty acids can be uplifting and improve moods. Some food that has omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, sardines, mussels, anchovies, tuna, lake trout, herring, and mackerel. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids may reduce risk of heart disease. 

5) Protein - protein helps stimulate other neurotransmitters (norepinephrine and dopamine) both of which have shown to improve alertness and mental energy. Some food that has protein include Greek yogurt, fish, meat, cheese, eggs, nuts, beans, soy and lentils. 

6) Potassium - potassium naturally helps lower blood sugar and is great for brain health and anxiety. Food that has potassium includes avocados, sweet potatoes, bananas, clams, winter squash, milk, soybeans and orange juice. 

7) Magnesium - magnesium helps with over 300 enzyme systems in the body which regulate diverse biochemical reactions. In addition, it aids in blood glucose and blood pressure regulation, all of these factors make this mineral a very important one in managing mood. Some food which have magnesium includes Swiss chard, spinach, leafy greens, almonds, peas, broccoli, flax-seed, tofu, cashews and bananas. 

8) Curcuminoids - curcuminoids are antioxidants found in turmeric which have been found to enhance mood and have a neuroprotective factor. One can cook with turmeric as an added spice in their dishes. In addition, one can take a curcumin supplement.

9) Dark Chocolate -  dark chocolate may lower levels of stress hormones; cocoa has been found to be rich in a class of antioxidants called flavonoids which have been linked to a number of health benefits. A small piece of dark chocolate is not only satisfying but also beneficial! 

10) Tea - several teas have natural calming effects on the body. Chamomile tea for instance has shown to significantly decrease anxiety symptoms in just a few weeks. Green tea has an amino acid L-theanin which has been shown to curb a rising heart rate and blood pressure, which in turn can lead to a calming effect. Rooibos tea also known as the red bush tea has many great properties including zinc, copper, magnesium, calcium and potassium, all of these have been shown to reduce anxiety and aid in managing overall mind and body health.