Time to Be Mindful By Daniela DeFeo
In a world of endless responsibilities and expectations, life can be a balancing act of sorts, and it’s easy to put your health on the back burner. However, remaining mindful, especially during holiday season and other celebratory occasions, is essential to keeping your wellness routine and goals on track. Try these tips to help keep your health and fitness objectives in place. Mindfulness matters in terms of your health. Be sure to take care of it, so it can take care of you. MIND YOUR MANNERS Food is thy medicine, particularly when it comes to your brain and gut health. Often, when we sit down to eat, we’re either eating too much or too fast, or we’re not eating enough throughout the day. Instead, graze to fuel your brain, improve digestion and speed up metabolism. Eating smaller meals will help your body efficiently metabolize food, absorb nutrients and regulate blood sugar and hormones. And remember to slow down and chew thoroughly; this will help alleviate pressure on the digestive system to break down food, which can lead to intestinal discomfort such as gas and bloating. EXERCISE YOUR WILL Where there’s a will, there’s a way…to get your workout in, regardless of where the party’s at. Resistance training builds muscle and strength, beneficial for strong bones and boosting calorie-burning metabolism, even at rest. Likewise, cardiovascular exercise conditions the body for proper blood circulation and elimination of waste, as well as increasing metabolic rate and workout recovery. If you’re pressed for time, consider interval-style cardio and multi-joint exercises such as squats and chest presses. FIND YOUR EQUILIBRIUM Balance your mind and your body by breathing in and out. Stress is a common daily occurrence, however if there’s a constant flow of the stress hormone cortisol, it can lead to wear and tear—aging the heart, shrinking the brain, weakening the bones and suppressing sleep. Implement deep-breathing techniques to get
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oxygen flowing throughout the body, which will calm your nerves and relax your muscles. Take slow, deep breaths from
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the belly, exhaling longer than you inhale.
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