A New Year, A New Way to Keep Yourself Emotionally, Physically, and Mentally Healthy

By Brigit Atkin

Gratitude... has the ability to dispel fear, heal the body in miraculous ways, and build new neural pathways in the brain.

The new year always seems to beckon us to renew our resolve for healthier eating and commitment to exercise. While this is a great endeavor—I’m a big fan of morning exercise and clean eating—I have recently discovered some highly effective and simple ways to keep the mind and body in a happy balance, and I’d like to share them with you. I am finding that when the mind, body, and spirit are in alignment, many wonderful things happen: hormones balance, muscles relax, the mind clears, anxiety dissipates, and the appetite normalizes. I also find that quality sleep is induced and that overall, I am better able to deal with life’s stressors.

Below are some easy habits to incorporate into your daily routine. Start with one or two, and add more as needed to help you work through difficult circumstances and emotions.

1. Start each day with gratitude and a glass of water. Water holds memory, so as you speak gratitude while holding a glass of water, it will reinforce that high vibration into your body as you drink it. Gratitude is such a powerful emotion that I write articles about this trait alone. It has the ability to dispel fear, heal the body in miraculous ways, and build new neural pathways in the brain. A body filled with gratitude is a happy, resilient body!

2. Get some sunshine. Doing this—especially in the morning— will reset your sleep hormones. Make sure you are facing the sun so that it shines on your forehead. This is where you produce melatonin, and getting sun into this place for a few moments each day will help regulate this important hormone. The sun (in small amounts) at any time of day is healing, so do whatever you can, when you can, to take advantage of this natural and precious resource.

3. Drink at least one hot drink per day. A quality herbal tea or a glass of hot lemon water will do wonders for your liver, kidneys, metabolism, and urinary tract, and it will calm and sharpen your mind and spirit. Lemon has many healing and clarifying qualities and is key for helping water get into the cells. If water can’t get into the cells, it will dehydrate the body instead of replenishing it.

4. Reset and reactivate your vagus nerve and diaphragm. The vagus nerve, the longest cranial nerve that stretches from the brainstem to the colon, is the portal to the parasympathetic nervous system. It governs the restorative bodily functions and is where most healing and release occur. If the vagus nerve isn’t happy, it affects your health and speeds up aging. It affects the brain, neck, ears, tongue, heart, lungs, stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, kidney, spleen, and reproductive organs in women. It is also linked to anxiety, among a host of many other issues. There are several ways to reset this very important nerve. Here, I will mention only two:

• Lie on your back with your fingers interlaced behind your head. While keeping your face toward the ceiling, look as far to the right as you can without hurting your eyes. Breathe as you keep your eyes there for about a minute or so. Then, switch to the left for the same amount of time. This is a quick and effective reset.

• Place a foam roller horizontally under your back as you lie on the floor. Rolling along the upper and mid back frees up the diaphragm and increases the capacity of your breath volume. This will oxygenate the blood and connective tissues and activate the vagus nerve, creating a sense of calm and release.

Add the above suggestions to your existing health plan. There is no substitute for regular workouts, even if you are limited to practicing yoga in a chair. Any movement you can do is good for a happy body, mind, and spirit. Combining this with healthy eating will bring much healing to your soul. Take care of yourself in every way you can, and you will find that you are able to navigate life’s challenges as well as enjoy its pleasures.

I wish you the happiest and most prosperous new year and hope you find wellness at every corner.

About the Author

Brigit Atkin

Brigit Atkin–Brigit of Brightworks helps improve the lives of others facing challenges and difficulties. She is certified in the SimplyALIGN™ method and was trained by founder Carolyn Cooper herself. For more information, visit www. brightworksbybrigit.com.