I came upon this via a new website (well new to ME..) called Well + Good, you can sign up for their daily newsletter which I enjoy (so far). In Integrative Wellness Rules by Jim Nicolai the director of Miraval’s Dr. Andrew Weil Integrative Wellness Program compiles dozens of the simple practices of healthy people and the article in Well + Good shares nine of them with us (thank you!)
1. Hang out with positive people and movers-and-shakers
-just as with your kids, you should hang out with the 'right crowd' the book suggests. This seems all too obvious but so very true, and something we rarely think about for ourselves. Take care that your friends are feeding off of your energy and you can positively feed off of theirs, the idea alone makes you more energized to be a better person. (the photo used in the article is two women running together... see!! it works!)
2. Take a break from your militant diet and exercise regime
-if you never ever indulge you are not living well, the article suggests. Right... that sunday sleeping in with a cup of tea and the Sunday paper is ooohhh so good! Take off Sunday and you will be all too eager to get back on track Monday morning.
3. Get back to - or into - nature
-There’s a reason why apartments overlooking the park are more expensive. Whether we realize it or not, humans have a profound connection with nature. No matter where you live there is nature near by (so people may have to look harder than others) take advantage of it, take the time to use it and it will give back to you.
4. Practice Hari Hachi Bu
-I had NEVER heard of this.. and I think I am pretty tuned into this kind of thing. This is the Japanese practice for eating until you’re 80 percent full, which is helpful because we’ve all heard that it takes about 20 minutes for our brains to catch up with our stomachs. (duh!) but all too often today we race from here to there with little time to sit down and eat (not to mention eating at our desks!). Try this, sit down to eat, hold hands with your family and chant OM three times - we do this at our family dinner and it gives you the time to come down from the day and relax before you eat dinner. We are happier with each other and have a better meal every time, NOW I will only eat 80% though!
5. Double your D's
-Dr. Weil has always been a big proponent on vitamin D, I think about it every time I am at the beach, taking a walk (especially in the wintertime) or anytime. Doctors used to only think vitamin D was good for bones, but new research has associated it with preventing a host of maladies, such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, and depression.
6. Try some Tulsi
-although I drink this tea, I did not know about it's amazing properties: "Known as holy basil, this herb has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years (mystics believed it fostered personal growth and enlightenment). Usually sipped in tea or taken in supplement form, tulsi is full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Even better, tulsi also lowers cortisol, the hormone associated with stress and belly fat.
7. Eat your Mushrooms
-we have added more mushrooms to our family meals this year, it's also a macrobiotic thing but there is more and more evidence that mushrooms are a positive daily intake. Shiitake, enoki, oyster, and maitake boost immune system activity and have anti-inflammatory properties.
8. HIT some HIIT
-that’s High Intensity Interval Training. Short bursts of activity have been shown to be even more effective at burning fat than prolonged periods of exercise. I think it's important to remember that this is intense workout so running, spinning, etc...
9. Know your trigger points
-and be aware that your training takes into consideration these muscles or joints that are your problem areas and take care of them.
see the full article in Well + Good here
get the book here - Integrative Wellness Rules by Jim Nicolai
