14 minute read
Wellness
Advertisement
Is it ok to want more?
BY KIM RAAIJMAKERS
Are you eyeing a new promotion, another home, a diff erent holiday or something else that would be ‘more’ in your life? As you desire this more in your life, is the feeling of guilt also creeping in? Do you wonder what others will think of you wanting more? As I build my life how I want it to be, I fi nd myself feeling guilty at times because I am living a great life and yet I still desire more. More time with family, more experiences, and yes even more nice things to make life comfortable and luxurious. Should we be constantly desiring more, thinking that the grass is greener on the other side? Or can this desire for more actually be a healthy and needed within our lives? If your neighbor’s yard is greener - they may just be watering or fertilizing more. We were all born wanting more. As a baby, you weren’t happy to stay on your blankets, you wanted to crawl, then walk, talk etc. As you grew up, you wanted what adults and friends around you had, a faster car or a bigger apartment, house. Now, as you have accomplished goals and outcomes you have set out for yourself in the past, you are again wanting more – and that it completely natural. This keeps you moving forward in your life, keeps you dream and inspires creativity. You can be grateful and happy with what you have and still want to have more. What you don’t want is that you keep pushing your feelings down. When you keep ignoring your feeling of wanting more, you will fi nd yourself ignoring your instincts and you will only increase the feeling of guilt and frustration. When you want more, you also take actions and take initiative to realize new things. Your desire for more, brings out your creativity and your passion. If you look to companies, especially those that have been successful and grown into large corporations, they have accomplished this because the leaders of those companies continuously strived for more. This has created innovations across all sectors of society, economies have been built because companies and people have wanted more! If you’re an entrepreneur or have a professional career, you get to the next level by wanting more. If you’re a parent, you would encourage your children to do more, achieve more and be more! Allow yourself the same freedom. There is no guilt in wanting more. What if this means that you have more love in your relationships, you have more freedom in your life, more fulfi lling memories and more experiences allowing you to get the most out of life? So rather than supressing your desire for more, give it space. Add what you want more of to your vision for the future – and be specifi c! Look at all the diff erent areas of your life – health, money, career, family, personal development and learning, your partner and love life, community, environment, fun and recreation. As you begin to accept wanting more, it may feel strange and you can have moments of either guilt or judgement rushing back in. Hold true to yourself, YOU ARE WORTHY OF MORE and reach out when you need help. Asking for help is an amazing way to bring having more into reality.
Why Yoga is the Perfect Summer Pandemic Activity for Parents and Kids
BY STEFANIE BARANOWSKI, DIAMOND LOTUS YOGA
When I reminisce on what it was like to be a kid, the one thing I looked forward to was the end of the school year and summer holidays. It was a marker of freedom from the confinements of my school desk, homework and no running in the hall way rules. Summer meant I could spend hours upon hours playing outside with my friends, riding my bike and climbing trees and going to camp.
I loved summer camp because I was an active kid and loved to learn and explore. As a kid, my whole world was in my backyard and my neighborhood. I had no idea that what I was engaging in was the idea of living in the present moment, free to explore who I was and staying active. That dream reality fades away as we enter into a confined restriction centred summer for the second year in a row. Mask wearing is mandatory, fear of the known drives anxiety and playing outside with your friends and going to summer camp is no longer an option.
This year for parents, the covid struggle is real. Finding the answer to the daunting question of how do I keep my kids entertained while I still continue to live a life of work and responsibility can bring on stress. Two weeks’ vacation hardly covers the entire summer and the kids seem to have more energy now than they did during the school year. That dilemma has hit harder during covid times. This will be the second year that parents will have the privilege to spend more time with their kids at home as the world slowly gets vaccinated and lock down restrictions in some places are still yet to be lifted. Parents and kids are struggling during this time to find a sense of entertainment, fun, exercise and peace.
“Mindfulness” and “Wellness” are two buzz words that have come up recently and are now creating waves of new perspectives on living. “What do these words mean and how do I practice them?” and “I wish I would have known about this earlier in life” are common spoken words from people that come across these buzz words. As adults we are starting to learn them and understand them and as we learn and understand what they mean, these become concepts that we can teach kids so they can grow up knowing them and understanding them lot younger. Mindfulness programs are being integrated into school curriculum and mindful movement breaks and wellness spaces are introduced into the classrooms. You can bring mindfulness and wellness into your home space for the summer that creates connectedness, and a balance of movement activity and peaceful stress management for both parents and kids. One way to do this is through the practice of yoga. There are so many benefits that practicing yoga brings that encompasses wellness as a whole.
Yoga improves the body’s: • balance • strength • endurance • aerobatic capacity in children.
Yoga and mindfulness also has incredible psychological benefits creating an overall emotional balance such as: • improving focus • memory • self-esteem • academic performance • reduce anxiety and stress creating an overall of emotional balance.
A kids yoga class is not the same as adult yoga classes. In adult classes we walk into a silent room, lay out our mats, lay down in savasanna and wait for the yoga instructor to instruct a class of adults where the only sound you hear is the instructors voice and the sounds of breath from the class of students. Kids yoga is meant to be playful and interactive. A typical kids yoga class includes being creative in the yoga postures and allowing kids to explore how the postures feel in their body and explore their own bodies capabilities; sometimes that requires falling in order to observe what our bodies can and can’t do. To help kids understand the postures, stories, games and sometimes music are used to create a sense of fun while learning mindfulness of the body. Giggles are always permitted.
To encourage awareness of breath and a sense of peace and calm, kids are encouraged to engage in different breath exercises and imagery during yoga practice to find the peaceful component to yoga. Here is a simple exercise you and your kids can do to cultivate focus, a sense of calm and quiet awareness of self.
1. You’ll start laying down on your back, eyes closed and hands on your belly
2. Imagine that there is a balloon in your belly. Imagine what colour that balloon is. Taking a breath in, imagine that you are filling that balloon up with air. Open your mouth and sigh it out letting all the air out as if you are deflating the balloon in your belly. Repeat 3 times. 3. Come back to a natural breath in and out of your nose.
Count each inhale counting up to 5 and then from 5 back down to 1.
4. Think of the word peace. Think of some examples of what the word peace means. If peace were a colour, what colour would it be? Imagine peace as a colour.
5. To finish off the practice, imagine breathing in the colour of peace in your body. Where does the colour go as you inhale. Breath out the colour of peace to share with others and imagine where that peace would go. Repeat the peaceful inhales for 10 rounds of breath in silence.
As adults, we sometimes forget how to play; we forget the simple pleasures of just being present in exactly what we are doing without entertaining the monkey mind. Kids are an inspiration for that live to learn spirit, their capacity to be fully submerged in the present moment and their openness to explore new facets of themselves through play. Kids yoga can be enjoyed as family yoga to set the foundation of mindfulness through kinesthetic learning and peaceful breathwork practice. Wellness can be accomplished when we take an active step towards creating good health both body and mind. Try out some kids and family yoga this summer to bring more fun, active living and a sense of calm and peace into your home and watch how the ambience of wellness unfolds.
When it comes to getting outside, nothing beats a hiking day trip on the many paths in Manitoba. Hiking is an excellent work out and offers multiple physical and mental health benefits. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in nature, get a good workout in and recharge your batteries.
Unlike walking on a path or a treadmill, you are faced with more variables when you are hiking – of course that’s what makes it so much more enjoyable. Here are some tips for a successful hiking trip.
1. DRESS FOR SUCCESS.
The best thing about hiking is that it doesn’t require any special gear, and you probably already have everything you need.
Your feet will top the list on what to wear. Painful feet can ruin a walk and a good pair of sneakers is
your best bet. Pair the right shoes with the right type of socks. Avoid cotton as wool or synthetic socks are the way to go.
Dressing right is the key to comfort on your hike. Stay away from jeans that will chafe, or anything cotton that will get damp and feel clammy. Dress in layers to easily adjust for changing temperatures so that you can add or shed layers as needed. Long sleeves and pants make sure that you don’t get scratched up and protect you from the elements.
2. PACE YOURSELF. Hiking is better steady than quick. Conserve your energy, especially on long hikes, as you never know when an unexpected hill may appear. Hiking at a comfortable pace is not only a smart matter of safety,
it’s also a great way to soak it all in. Enjoy the fresh air, the outdoors and wildlife that may cross your path.
If you are hiking with a group, stay with your group. If you do decide to split up, plan regular meeting points.
3. CHECK THE WEATHER AND KNOW YOUR TRAIL. Once you have set your destination, map out the path you will take. Find out the path’s distance, if the path is a loop or has a separate exit. Look for peak points for a picnic or a peak with a view.
Leading up to the hike, just before your hike, and during your hike, check the weather. This will help you plan the length of your hike and help you plan on how to dress.
4. LEAVE NO TRACE. No matter the path you take, have respect for the trail, the wildlife and other hikers. It’s up to every outdoor enthusiast to take care of natural spaces – and to educate the next generation of hikers.
a. Don’t litter or throw fruit peels. b. Don’t leave the official trail. c. Don’t disturb the environment around you (breaking branches etc.)
d. Be considerate of other hikers – no loud music, let others pass, keep dogs leashed etc.
Hiking is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the outdoors and can be a solo or family adventure. Discover the beauty of nature with your own two feet, at your own pace with only what you need for the day. With a little planning, preparation and consideration, it’s an activity for almost anyone!
See you on the trails!
Summer nutrition tips
BY JENN MCMILLAN, ROCKED COMMUNITY FITNESS
Summer is officially here, which means we are faced with a whole new routine – or lack of routine. Without a daily structure, it may be difficult to balance work, kids, and a nutritious diet. While routines are more flexible during the summer, keeping an easy plan in place can help you enjoy summer and stay on top of your health goals. HYDRATION GOAL Have a daily hydration goal 2L of water per day. When you hit that goal 10 days in a row, bump it up to 2.5L or 3L per day.
SUPPER BECOMES LUNCH Take advantage of the beautiful weather and BBQ lots of meats and vegetables. Cook enough so that you always have leftovers the next day.
USE THE PLATE METHOD A healthy balanced meal should be ¼ plate of protein, ¼ plate of starch and ½ plate of vegetables. Focus on the plate method for lunch and supper.
K.I.S.S Keep It Sustainable and Simple. Try something new like BBQ’d zucchini strips, pineapple slices, chicken thighs, bell peppers or mushroom kebobs. If you can cook it, then you can BBQ it!
DITCH THE SUGARY DRINKS This is the simplest habit to boost your health. Replace sugary drinks with flavoured sparkling water. You can even mix gin or vodka with it for a healthier cocktail.
BBQ’d zucchini strips
Ingredients
2-3 medium zucchini, cut into equal slices 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice Lemon zest ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1 tsp minced garlic 2-4 garlic cloves 2 tbsp parsley, chopped Optional – add a pinch of Red Pepper Flakes for a touch of spice.
Instructions
1. In a bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, minced garlic and cloves. 2. Add zucchini. Toss to coat. Refrigerate for 30 mins up to 2 hours. 3. Preheat BBQ to medium- high heat. 4. Add zucchini to heated grill, in a single layer. Cook 3-4 minutes per side. Season with additional salt and pepper. 5. Remove and serve immediately.
