Studies have showed that the state of mind of an individual affects his physical well being and wellness. As they say, you are what you think, and a healthy mind means a healthy body. Staying happy is really a choice: and before you decide to dismiss this as a run off the mill statement, hold on. There are many people in the world who have proved this. Every life has adversity and challenge. Every face has a story behind it, and most often, they can be stories of difficulty and pain. Many people who have faced such adversities have managed to get over them: how, you ask? Well. By staying happy.
Here’s your guide to staying happy throughout your life, just by following a simple path.
– Spend time in the outdoors and with nature. Allow your mind to breathe while your body does, expanding with space and light and soaking in good vibes. Go for a walk in the mornings or the evenings, and admire the scenes around you without worrying about anything.
– Exercise regularly. The more you exercise, the more your body begins to release endorphins, or feel good hormones. This, in turn, keeps your mind relaxed and body healthy, all because you feel happy.
– Eat healthy. When you deprive your body of food and energy, you wind up struggling under depression, anxiety and withdrawal symptoms that also make you feel fatigued and exhausted. Eating healthy helps your body stay supple and your mind, robust.
– Get enough rest and sleep. When you remain active each day, your body uses up a lot of its energy and needs to recharge. To do this, it needs sleep. When your body loses sleep, it loses the capacity to function normally, and the mind becomes tired and fatigued, so you fail to coordinate and remember things, and stay in a good mood, too.
– Drink enough water. When your body is dehydrated and loses its water and essential salts, which in turn leaves the mind bereft of its supply of energy. Dehydration can cause the mind to struggle with fatigue, anxiety and forgetfulness.
– Spend time in the company of others. Be gregarious and allow yourself to laugh and spend time with people around you. Don’t stay cooped up indoors and in isolation – remember, cry and you cry alone. Laugh, and the world laughs with you!
– Spend time, sometimes, to do just nothing. Sit back on your recliner or lie flat on your back and admire the skies above, and enjoy spending time just relaxing. When you do nothing, your mind and brains recharge quicker and you become more productive.
References:
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-18642/9-extraordinarily-simple-ways-to-get-healthy-happy.html
http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/5-ways-to-stay-happy-no-matter-what-happens/
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/10-scientifically-proven-ways-stay-happy-all-the-time.html
https://www.livealifeyoulove.com/how-to-stay-happy/

Photo Courtesy: read.plash

The longstanding saying that you are what you eat is reason enough to keep an eye out for what goes into our systems. The mind and body connection is not merely a psychosomatic association, but rather, one that goes deeper in its association. The food we consume, the medication and drinks we indulge in can influence our overall health.

In addition, our stomachs and guts are home to certain kinds of bacteria that help ensure our health and wellbeing. The health of the brain is affected by the extent of our resident bacteria and the state it is in, and therefore, it is imperative that we do as much as we can to keep them in a healthy state. To ensure that you’re on the right path with this, here are a few pointers to keep the bacteria in your gut safe, to rebuild your brain and body health. – Indulge in probiotics: Probiotics are good bacteria and stimulate a state of good health for the body.

A good source of probiotics are usually off-the-shelf probiotic drinks and fermented foods, since they are natural sources that enhance the extent of probiotics. Where natural sources of probiotics are unavailable or inaccessible, the best bet is to take up supplements and probiotic drinks. – While probiotics are good, it is also important that you lockdown on the consumption of antibiotics and keep it to a minimum.

The usual deal of pill popping in the face of infections tends to affect your health adversely, while attacking the illness itself. Unless it is absolutely necessary, do all that you can to avoid antibiotics.

– Fibrous foods are exceptional for the body, especially prebiotic fibre, since it encourages the growth of healthy probiotic organisms. Fibre is also good for digestion, and augments circulation.

– Cut back on refined foods such as refined flour and breads and biscuits made out of refined flour. By eating too much of refined food, you tend to put your resident bacteria into a state of ill health.

– Cut down on sugars and carbohydrates, especially gluten, since the digestion of these food groups is technically the digestion of very complex foods. It creates an imbalance in your system, and result in inflammations. Gluten increases the permeability of gut lining, so it allows inflammation producing bacterial contents into the circulatory system.

– Use organic food products, groceries and grains. A lot of genetically modified foods come with the threat of frugal nutrients and high level chemicals, which can erode your system. – Cut down on sodas and heavily acidic foods, especially since they create a hostile environment for probiotic bacteria in your body.

References:

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-18318/8-tips-to-reset-your-gut-optimize-brain-health.html

http://theconversation.com/you-are-what-you-eat-how-diet-affects-mental-well-being-27115

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/improve-mental-wellbeing.aspx

Picture Courtesy:bestbrainfood.net

Did you know that your happiness begins with you? It’s all really quite simple: because the key to being happy is to stay content and to remain in a place of comfort with all that you have going for you. Stress is an unwanted element in life, and can affect you adversely by impacting your health and well being. Here are a few ways to be happy.
– Indulge in a pastime that lets you unwind and follow your heart with passion. Nothing gives you happiness more than being in touch with your inner self by giving you exactly what you like to do most.
– Go on quiet, relaxing strolls that allow you to be one with your own thoughts, and to allow yourself clarity in your thinking.
– Listen to peaceful music that helps you de-stress and unwind without much effort on your part. It actually fills your brain with feel-good chemicals that cut back on stress!
– Be one with nature: watch birds, or walk amidst greenery, and spend time with animals. It helps you tune into yourself and forget your worries easily.
– Take a snack break when you feel too stressed. A light snack, a small slab of chocolate or a drink can help soothe your mind.
– Sleep well. Either take power naps or sleep a whole night without interruption. Even twenty minutes in between a stressful day can work wonders for your mind.
– Write your thoughts out, either in a journal, or on a sheet of paper that can help you get your worries, anger and negative feelings out of your system.
– Indulge your imagination with visualisation, as it can help you calm down and reduce the extent of stress and anxiety you may experience thanks to work and other demands of life.
– Exercise regularly, for it helps your body enjoy the rush of endorphins, which in turn keeps stress in check.
– Spend time with your loved ones, and don’t hold back on hugging and kissing to show your love. In the company of those that you love, you are uninhibited and you enjoy the freedom of your own identity!
– Laugh out loud. Whether it is after watching a sitcom that cracks you up unfailingly, or if it is after watching a particularly ridiculous sketch by your favourite stand up comedian online, make sure to indulge in anything that makes you laugh out loud. Laughter is a phenomenal de-stressing technique.

References:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/de-stress/13-scientifically-PROVEN-ways-to-de-stress/articleshow/46876749.cms
http://www.happyhalfway.com/ways-to-be-happy.html
http://www.beliefnet.com/Wellness/Health/Simple-Ways-to-Be-Happy.aspx

Picture Courtesy: http://claire-smith.com/

Who doesn’t have a life full of stress? Life has many demands to make of anyone, regardless of what his career or family needs may be. The pressures of everyday living can throw many spokes in the wheel and put a person in a state of stress. Regardless of how small or big an issue maybe, the response one has to it can be the factor to define stress levels.

                  Ways for you to overcome anxiety and stress.

1. Identify the issue that is causing you the stress. Sometimes, a little introspection can help you identify what the root cause of all your stress is. It is not always a particular factor at the superficial level, for there are many issues that can contribute to heightened stress levels. Start by looking within – is there a hike in the stress levels at particular times in a day, or when a particular kind of incident occurs? Try to find the things that trigger you, and address them effectively to help settle your issues.
2. Indulge in a hobby. Very often in life, we are so caught up in the demands that life and career obligations make on us. Consequently, we forget what it is to do things we like. Nurture a hobby and indulge in it, and allow your mind to soak in some stress busting comfort.
3. Meditate often. Meditation is not a religious practice, and need not even be a spiritual practice if that is what you best prefer. It is just about improving your concentration on a particular thing, enough to encourage your cluttered mind to feel lighter and more peaceful. Set 10 minutes aside everyday to meditate, and feel yourself growing calmer.
4. Do a lot of physical activity. The more active you are, the sharper your mind is, and the more comfortable you feel about the many things you need to attend to. Physical activity need not be rigorous – it can even be just about enough to discourage a sedentary way of life
5. Introspect within and always ask yourself if whatever it is that you are stressing about will be worth it a year from now, or if it will matter a year from now. If it will not, then why waste time worrying about it?
6. Keep a good circle of friends whom you can trust and vent to, and comfortably engage with to ensure a positive frame of mind.

References:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/de-stress/Simple-ways-to-deal-with-anxiety/articleshow/44607494.cms
http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/coping-with-anxiety
http://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-Anxiety

Did you know that stress is actually your body telling you something? It tells you that you are out of balance, and that you need to step back for a bit to ensure that you get back on track.

Stress is actually important: but too much of it can be disparaging. There are many ways to make sure that stress is at its minimum, and that you really focus on yourself in life to ensure that you feel good about moving from one day to the next. Here are some really simple steps to make sure that you lead a happy and stress free life.
– Listen to what your body is trying to tell you. Are you sensing a tension headache? Do you feel a little under the weather? Do you feel anxious or tired? Do what it takes to give your body the attention it needs. Spend time in the quiet, unwind, and let your body repair and reconstruct itself before you pick up strings and move on with life. If you push your body beyond limits, remember, it won’t be able to respond efficiently!
– Be your own friend: Sometimes, we set unrealistic goals for ourselves, and expect too much out of ourselves. This is both dangerous and impractical. It is necessary to start by loving yourself enough to understand your limitations and capabilities, and to function accordingly. This will give you positivity and encourage you to feel better about the many things you need to attend to.
– Do a lot of physical activity in a day. This does not mean hitting the gym with a mean vengeance with no energy left to spare: but rather, to move about, to do your exercise, and to incorporate mobility in your lifestyle. It is a good way to get sedentary energy – which is the hub of negative thinking – up and moving. When you do that, you find yourself better disposed to work more efficiently.
– Eat, but eat to stay healthy rather than to stuff your face like there is no tomorrow. Eating healthy food in moderate portions, while also hydrating yourself is a definite way to making sure that you remain healthy in mind and in body without any hindrance to your wellbeing.
– Spend time doing nothing, so that you can recharge and get back into the fold. Life makes a lot of demands on you from different quarters – work, family, friends and the like. You need to find yourself a space to allow your own needs to be heard and attended to. Nothing does that better for you than yourself.
Stress can be very disparaging if left unchecked – and the key to making sure that you stay on the right side of good health with stress is yourself. Make an investment in your wellbeing and be committed to following through with all your efforts to siphon out stress. In the years to come, your mind and body will thank you for doing that!

References
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-18313/7-ways-to-use-stress-before-it-uses-you.html

Picture Courtesy : generationnext.com

You have a dozen things to do before it’s time for breakfast. You finish as much as you can, but it’s all still not done. But you need to be at work on time, so you rush out, grabbing a slice of toast and stuffing it into your mouth hastily on the way. You get into your car, and try to play the music you like, but the traffic is so heavy that you’re barely paying attention in the hope of getting to work on time. You make it in the nick of time and rush to your desk, where you find a whole lot of other things that need doing. You go through the day with your attention divided between many tasks, until you realise that it’s time to leave. By the time you’re home, you only want to crash.

A work-life balance is what’s missing, to help you find a way to juggle many balls while also taking good care of yourself. You might think this isn’t the case with you. But hold on. Here are a few things you need to keep an eye out for, to see that you don’t fall in the trap of all-work-and-no-play:

– You have no time for friends and family, and don’t show up to spend time with them on special occasions. By no time, it could also mean that you don’t spend time having quality conversations with them on the phone, or in person. There may also be a repetitive pattern of cancelling plans at the last moment in pursuit of work demands.

– You are always complaining about work. Whether it is your boss or the sheer volume of work that you are saddled with, you have something or the other to nitpick about when it comes to your career. You have no mental space for anything else.

– You are constantly in touch with all your work communiqué. Be it through emails on your smart phone or tablet, or a perennially switched on computer, you simply cannot stay away from checking in on your work email to see if you’re needed for anything.

– You have no room for hobbies because you think it eats into your work time. You do not exercise, or indulge in activities that take you out of the work sphere. Even when you do indulge in the one off event of this kind, you find yourself feeling very anxious and jumpy about not being on top of your game with work.

– You fall ill a lot – and they’re not major illnesses, but rather immunity related issues like colds, stomach infections and anxiety headaches. You find yourself popping pills by the number, and generally feel tired most of the time.

If you find yourself fitting into this niche, beware of where you are leading yourself. This is not a good situation to be in, admittedly a part of it is your own doing in not letting your personal needs have a place in your life. Work is, of course, a vital part of your life, but it isn’t everything. Step back a bit, and live in the moment. You have only one life to live, and it isn’t any use if you’re letting yourself down a spiral of ill-health.

References:

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-18290/7-signs-you-need-to-work-less-play-more.html

Woken up many nights in a row with a cold sweat taking over your head and back? Feeling clammy and disturbed? Did you see something in a dream that is now occupying far too much space in your mind to leave you to your peace? Well. Looks like you’ve had a nightmare!

Chronic nightmares is a realistic issue, and many over the world face the challenge of having to wake up from difficult dreams that don’t let them rest. Science proves that dreams are a product of Rapid Eye Movement, an action that allows one to capitulate images from their subconscious memory in a series of representations while asleep. To this end, certain images remain ingrained in your mind, and remain a recurring dream. Needless to say, nightmares are a nightmare, in that they don’t leave you with much comfort. Here are a few ways to help you overcome your chronic nightmares:

• Make notes: Keeping a dream journal is a very useful way to keep in touch with your mind and what it is trying to tell you. It is also a way for you to try to identify the intensity of the nightmare, and gauge when it is at its worst, or when it is comfortably better. Accordingly, you will be disposed to make changes in your lifestyle.

• Use the imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT): When nightmares keep coming back over and over again, they are chronic. Owing to the repetitive nature of these dreams, it is easy to recollect some, if not all, details from the dream you see. Psychiatrists use a technique called the Imagery Rehearsal Therapy, to help treat chronic nightmares. All it requires is for you to write down a very basic description of the nightmare itself. Then, after that, be guided to start altering the course of the nightmare – you can rewrite the ending, and then the remainder parts of the dream. Then, once you have the new dream in order, spend some time mentally rehearsing the new dream. This will help you alter the kind of visuals you see in your nightmares. Before sleeping, make sure that you tell yourself that you have influenced the course of your dream, and that your mind should show you this new dream.

• De-stress! Most nightmare issues come from a place of stress in life. When you experience a lot of stress and don’t give your mind or body an outlet for the stress, your mind finds ways to release the pressure. Invariably, this manifests as nightmares of a repetitive and chronic nature. Some useful ways to de-stress would be to do yoga, meditation, to listen to peaceful and soft music, and also perhaps to do some breathing exercises.

• Avoid watching television : particularly violent programs – and / or reading violent books with content that makes your mind fall in line with a rather aggressive state. If you simply must read or watch something, preferably watch shows and programs or read material that are light on the mind.

References:

http://healthmeup.com/news-healthy-living/how-to-overcome-chronic-nightmares/32917

Photo courtesy: readlakewriter.wordpress.com

The Buddha once said, “Your mind is everything. What you think, you become.” Your mind is where you live, really: it is your space with your thoughts, and it is the platform from which you engage with yourself and the world. Did you know, that most diseases are really not physical conditions, but a manifestation of what your mind carries in it? Stress, fast paced living and the demands of a modern life put a lot of pressure on your mind. To keep your mind healthy, here are some simple ideas!

• Eat well: It is important that you eat well, and eat nourishing food. Foods that have a rich supply of vitamins, folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids and salts keep your brains sharp and active. An empty stomach can also cause your mind to slow down. Starving is a big no-no!
• Sleep enough: If you give your body at least six to eight hours of sleep each day, your mind is sharp, alert and remains with good memory. You are less susceptible to stress when you rest well. Otherwise, your mind is full of thoughts and it destabilises your capacity to think.
• Exercise regularly: Keeping your body fit and exercising regularly gives you physical strength to withstand stress. Exercises also keep your mind fit, allowing you to blow off steam from all the demands of life and work. Yoga and breathing exercises specifically help you fight stress and keep calm.
• Be social: The more you talk to people around you and interact with them in real time, the better your mind is at staying healthy. Interactions have been confined heavily by technology, and these things tend to stunt your social skills. Talk to people, have simple and light-hearted conversations and engage with others for a healthy mind.
• Indulge in a skill: Keep up with your hobbies and talents, enjoy a skill and hone a hobby. The more you do to keep your creative juices flowing, the more vibrant you become, inside and out. It gives your mind a fantastic workout that will allow you to be more alert and sharp. Doing puzzles and playing games also allows you to keep your memory, logical and decision-making skills and thinking skills alive.
• Laugh out loud! Watch sitcoms that are funny, read a funny book, listen to jokes and perhaps even join a laughter club. The more you laugh, the more you allow your mind to soak in cheerful fervour. A cheery disposition sets in, making you capable of taking on life’s stresses without tension.
• Bust all your stress: Stress is easily a key factor in bogging you down and bringing down your spirits. It happens – especially seeing how fast-paced life has become, and how there are tremendous demands on everyday living. Set some time to unwind, relax everyday and invest in yourself, and siphon out your stress out of your system to enjoy a peaceful mind.
It is important to make sure that your mind, just as your body, gets all the nourishment it needs, to stay healthy. Your mental state is significant, for it controls your consciousness and also determines how you and your body operate.

References:
http://www.healthxchange.com.sg/healthyliving/SpecialFocus/Pages/10-Proven-Ways-to-Achieve-Mental-Wellness.aspx
http://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health/
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-18084/9-ways-to-slow-down-aging-through-your-food-choices.html

Picture Courtesy : http://liveboldandbloom.com/

This was the finding of a small study from Mayo Clinic that was presented at the 64th Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology in San Diego on Sunday.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say insufficient sleep is a public health epidemic in the US.

Insufficient sleep is linked to motor vehicle accidents, industrial disasters and medical and other occupational errors.

People who do not get enough sleep are also at higher risk for chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and depression, as well as cancer, premature death and reduced quality of life and productivity.

Their Study:

For their study, the Mayo team enrolled eight healthy people of normal weight, aged from 19 to 36, in a 16-day inpatient trial.

The first 4 days was an acclimatization period. Then followed 9 days of either sleep restriction (4 hours of sleep a night) or normal sleep (9 hours a night), and 3 days of recovery.

The participants’ blood pressure was monitored regularly over the study period.

The results showed that in the nighttime, the average blood pressure readings in the sleep restriction phase compared with the normal sleep phase were 115/64 mm/Hg versus 105/57 mm/Hg.

Normally, one expects blood pressure to fall during the night, but the researchers found this was not the case during the restricted sleep period. The researchers also found that nighttime heart rate was higher during the sleep restriction phase than the normal sleep phase.

Click here to get some tips for a good night’s sleep

Article Courtesy : http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/

In order to work well and to prove good at studies or at work, one needs to show good memory power. If you have a strong memory it reflects a healthy brain. You might be a student who is studying for the final exams or you might be a working professional. In all such cases, memory is the one thing to depend on in order to do well and to stay sharp. Again, for those who are aging, they need to find ways to preserve as well as enhance their grey matter as they age. There are many things that can be done in order to improve one’s mental performance including memory.

Increase Sleep And Exercise

It is often said that an old dog cannot be taught new tricks but that is not applicable for the brain. Studies show that the bran has the capability to adapt and change. Such abilities can be harnessed to improve the power and capacity of the brain even at old age. The main thing to emphasize is on is a good lifestyle that includes exercise and sleep at adequate measures.

• Exercising The Brain And The Body – If you treat your body well you will increase the ability of the brain to process as well as recall information. As one does physical exercise they increase the oxygen being sent to the brain. This also lowers the risk of disorders which can lead to memory loss such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
• Sleep On It – If you are not getting adequate sleep, your brain will not be able to function at full capacity. When your brain is not rested fully, critical thinking, problem solving abilities and creativity are affected. Whether you are studying for an exam or trying to keep up with a pressing work schedule you need to give yourself adequate rest. Memory consolidation is seen to occur during the deepest stages of sleep which has a key memory enhancing role.

Increase Time For Fun And Friends

Many people think that increasing or boosting the memory is more to do with serious activities like trying the crossword puzzle or mastering a strategy in chess. However, it has been proven that participating in light hearted pastimes can improve the brain function and memory.

• Having Healthy Relationships – Relationships help stimulate the brain. When one interacts with others it is the best way of exercising the brain and memory. Meaningful relationships and a strong support system can aid brain health.
• Laughter Is Good For The Brain – You may have heard that laughter is the best medicine and it holds true for the brain as well. Laughter engages different regions in the brain which benefits the brain to a large measure. Listening to jokes and working on punch lines help activate different areas in the brain.
• Find Fun In Your Life – You could laugh at yourself by sharing your embarrassing moments with others. You could be a part of funny situations where you find out what is funny and realize the humor in it. One should try and spend time with fun and playful people who have a unique approach to life and help others to laugh easily. Try and spend time with children who have the best tips for being playful and finding fun in everything.

Keeping Stress At Bay

Stress is one of the worst enemies of the brain. If you do check on your stress levels, chronic stress will destroy brain cells and the region where new memories take place and where old ones are retrieved.

Click here to read more

Article Courtesy: http://www.myhealthtips.in/

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