BETTER HEALTH FOR EVERY BODY

BETTER HEALTH

for every body

TRAVEL THERAPY

Many people like to travel for reset, relaxation and inspiration. But research shows that travel may significantly benefit people with dementia, particularly regarding mental health and wellbeing. Travelling could impact the following areas and other elements of treatment: cognitive and sensory stimulation, exercise, increasing social interaction and talking about experiences. The study added that vacations could improve mood and reduce anxiety by removing people from the activities and environments they associate with stress.—Medical News Today

SLEEP IT OFF

We all know sleep is good for us. But research has identified that the human brain processes emotions during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. During REM sleep, the brain consolidates the storage of positive emotions and minimises negative emotions. Our brain takes difficult experiences we’ve had during the day and processes them to remove the sharp edge off emotional events. REM sleep essentially acts as a form of overnight therapy. That is if we get our 7–9 hours in.—Science Daily

HEALTH HACK: DON’T THROW OUT THE SEEDS

Did you know eating pumpkin seeds can actually make you happier? Dopamine and serotonin play an important role in regulating anxiety and stress. The brain cannot make these unless tryptophan is first present. Insufficient tryptophan is one of the main nutritional causes of depression. Some depressed individuals are very sensitive to even a small, temporary reduction in tryptophan, and missing just one day of moderate-to-high tryptophan intake can send them into a relapse of depression. Roasted pumpkin seeds are one of the highest sources of tryptophan. Just two tablespoons meets nearly half of an adult’s daily needs. The easiest and tastiest way to include them into your diet is to add a splash of olive oil and some salt and put the seeds in the oven for 5–10 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle on almost any savoury: salad, soup, pasta, lasagne. Or enjoy them as a side or a snack.—Nedley Health

RAGE ROOMS

Healthy anger management tools are needed with more people experiencing heightened stress and emotional issues. Such means may include seeing a therapist, exercising, meditating, journaling or the latest fad . . . rage rooms. Rage rooms (which are popping up all over countries like Australia and America) are spaces stocked with breakable items and tools for you to break them with. Turns out smashing things can be a helpful way to express and process complicated feelings.—The Healthy

GRIEF ON THE GUT

Have you ever experienced the loss of appetite after losing someone close to you? Grief, whether from death, heartbreak or something else, can activate our sympathetic nervous system to the point that our body struggles to focus on digestion or eating. This throws off the bacteria in our stomach and compromises our microbiome. Doctors advise eating simple high-fibre foods like fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, grains and probiotics to help ease grief and gut issues.—Time Magazine