Healthy Lifestyle – Pagina 7

Why Your Well-being Must Be a Top Priority

The society we live in often leads us to reverse priorities and put work first. This can negatively affects our quality of life and physical, mental and emotional health.

According to researches carried out in France, physical suffering related to work affects 3.1% of women and 1.4% of men, but according to some experts, the figures are higher. The international classification of diseases identifies burn-out as a work-related phenomenon but in reality work is not the only cause.

With the cost of living constantly rising, we are likely to work longer hours to earn a salary that allows us to provide for our own needs and those of our family. Because of this, many elements of our private life are put aside.

We spend many hours working, reducing the time to eat, to rest, to be with the family, and we do not realize how much this can harm us.

While most of us cannot afford to leave their job, a balance must be found between work and private life to prevent stress from building up in a worrying way.

In this period of forced tele-working, it is even more difficult to put boundaries between work and private life. For this reason, many governments have been drafting directives that establish the right to “disconnect”. We need to have the time to do sports, to walk, to take care of our dear ones, to follow our passions or simply to rest.

More and more people suffer from stress, feel exhausted, have problems with nutrition, addictions, or relationship difficulties, and all that because of the long working days, which do not leave us the time to do activities for our well-being.

If you feel you are in one of those situations, know that no salary is worth your health, no job is worth the wear and tear that comes from working days that annihilate your energy and happiness.

If you have no other alternatives to the work you are currently doing, find something positive to balance your life, because otherwise, there may come a time when you will start making mistakes at work and your overall performance will suffer. Start looking for another job but put your health in the first place, because if you get ill it may take a long time to recover.

Your job is an important part of your life, but it is not your life. There is much more: family, health, and friends. Do not allow work to take up all the space in your mind and body, taking the joy away from you.

Remember always taking care of yourself first, because this is the only way you can live a better life.

How do you take care of yourself?

Late Bloomers: Instructions For Use

There is a direct relationship between ageing, physical, and mental activity. People who adopt a sedentary and passive lifestyle after retirement accelerate their ageing process. Lack of movement diminishes the body’s responsiveness and few social relationships inhibit intellectual abilities.

If we add also loneliness, the ageing process accelerates. Spending the day without stimuli other than television or cell phone, without seeing anyone or going out can cause you to lose motivation to take care of yourself and your health. Many of the illnesses we attribute to age are not due to age.

On the other hand, an active and purposeful person (a person with a purpose of life – ikigai) keeps connections and maintains healthy habits.

Therefore, to keep fit, why don’t you follow those three tips coming from Japan?

1. Give yourself a goal for your next birthday. For example, you may decide to practise some moderate physical activity every day to lose weight and reach that goal by your birthday. In addition, sport promotes the production of endorphins, the hormones of happiness.

2. Reconnect with nature. Practice shinrin yoku at least once a week, or immersion in a forest recommended by Japanese doctors to promote longevity. Furthermore, this practice can also protect you from diseases because the proximity to plants strengthen the immune system.

3. Be grateful. In the same way that an attitude of complaining and constant anger increases the level of cortisol (the stress hormone), an attitude of gratitude towards life and the people around us, promotes serenity and the joy of living.

Remember that life expectancy is statistically high in our Western societies. Most likely, you still have two good decades of “useful” life left after retirement that you could fill with meaning and activity.

Ageing with care is an art. The third age, which I prefer to call third youth, can become an opportunity to be able to love you more and take better care of yourself. Find something you enjoy doing or that you can attach an immediate reward to, and involve friends to add the lovely component of socializing.

What are your plans for your third youth?

10 Ideas For Spending Your Holidays At Home.

In this period of mobility restrictions caused by the pandemic, the time when we could travel freely seems a long ago. Last year for Easter, I had planned a trip to Berlin and I would not have expected to cancel it. This year too, I would have liked to leave for the Easter break, but the virus is still among us and it is better to stay where we are.

Covid has changed many aspects of our life and going on vacation is one of them. It is obvious that going on vacation is very important for physical and mental health. You should think about taking rest periods even without being able to travel.

When we work we look forward to the weekend but it is not long enough to fully recharge ourselves. To be able to really disconnect from work we need more time.

Holidays are a period of time that we need, we need it as well as sleep, eat, drink, in short, they are a necessity. If we want to stay healthy, we have to take vacations.

Waiting for the pandemic to pass and then taking a long vacation is not a good idea. It is better to take shorter vacations but more often.

Of course, we cannot travel now, it is strongly discouraged, but this does not mean that a period of rest at home or close to your place, depending on what you can do in the country where you live, will do some good. Holidays allow us to recover and when we come back, we often feel better, full of energy and even more creative.

It does not matter where you go on vacation. The main thing is that you can rest and put aside your daily worries. Choose what to do, with whom and when to do it. Not everyone likes travelling. Some like to have time to read more, do more physical activity, spend time outdoors. Others like to take small hikes, without straying too far from home. Some people enjoy long trips, some other like only short ones.

With the health crisis, many of us had their vacations at home. Let us see the positive aspects of it: definitely less pollution, you saved some money and also the stress of travelling.

However, there are people who do not like being at home. They do not know what to do, they get bored, they do not want to tidy up the house (but for this one could call someone to help), and the children (when they are there) need care and attention. They have to think about many things, as if they were working. On the other hand, they may simply want to change air and get to know new places, or return to places they have loved before.

If, however, you are forced to stay at home due to travel restrictions, take some days off and try to take advantage of your free time anyway, as doing so will make you feel better. Moreover, think that the pandemic will be hopefully over soon.

If you find yourself in the position of having to stay at home during your holidays, try these tips:

1. Don’t read professional emails;

2. Do little housework;

3. Establish rules and times for being at the computer or television (both for you and your children, if you have any);

4. Look for new places to discover in your neighbourhood;

5. Spend time in nature because nature is a source of energy;

6. Make a list of what you would normally do on vacation, eliminating the things you cannot do due to anti-Covid rules. For example, in Belgium, where I live, you can ride a bike, but you cannot go to a restaurant;

7. Organize a movie marathon with friends and discuss with them to find out which ones you all liked the most;

8. You can do the same thing with a book. Choose with your friends a book you all would like to read. When finished, you gather together (on-line if not possible a real gathering together) to comment on it;

9. Why do not you sign up for an online course to learn new things? There are many possibilities even for free!

10. Indulge yourself with little vices: buy some chocolate (soon it will be Easter, the best moment to buy it), a good bottle of wine, or have a three-course meal delivered.

What kind of vacation do you like? Do you prefer to travel far away or stay closer?

How the Pandemic Has Changed Our Lives

It is undeniable that the restrictions imposed by the ongoing pandemic have drastically changed our habits and our lifestyle. There is no doubt that the stress produced by uncertainty, prohibitions and lockdowns, whether partial or total, have prompted us to search for distractions that can give us some relief. As Ovid said, human beings seek what is forbidden and desire what is denied them.

There is a thread that links excessive behaviors (drinking too much, smoking too much, overeating, spending too much time on the computer or watching television) to stress.

Clearly, the pandemic puts our desires on hold and it is normal to wish for what cannot be done. Only when we go back to a more or less normal life and our desires will be satisfied, our lives will be brighter. The pursuit of pleasure is an absolutely human behaviour, there is nothing to worry about.

Our brain identifies and reinforces beneficial behaviours such as eating well, socializing, having fun. This complex reward circuit that generates pleasure is the result of the evolution that guarantees our survival, that orients us in daily life and that keeps us going on. The more we can produce dopamine (the pleasure and reward hormone), the more we can generate pleasant sensations in a natural way. As a consequence, we would not need to adopt excessive behaviours that can lead to addictions.

However, the situation we have been experiencing for about a year has affected and affects motivation and self-control. We are no longer able to generate pleasant sensations and situations naturally and we have to look for different means to improve our life condition. The sudden lack of dopamine results in a short circuit of pleasant sensations which then pushes us to seek pleasure in another way.

It is important to be careful that these behaviours do not turn into addictions. Luckily, few people drive themselves to the point of becoming addicted to new harmful habits.

To prevent addiction it is necessary to put in place strategies that favour self-control, especially anti-stress strategies. Practising physical exercise, walking in the nature, trying not to isolate yourself but to maintain contact even remotely, are just some suggestions.

Do you have any anti-stress strategies? Let me know!

Photo by Maarten van den Heuvel on Unsplash

5 Secrets To Sleep Better

We all know someone who complains about not sleeping or sleeping badly. In Europe, about one third of the adult population has difficulty falling asleep and between 10% and 15% suffer from chronic insomnia. I myself have suffered from insomnia for a long time. This is a problem that can have various causes (from the excessive use of digital devices that emit blue light – computers, tablets, TVs, etc. – to biological issues). One of the causes may also be the obsession with sleeping well.

What is this obsession? It is a phenomenon called orthosomnia (from the Greek ortho, “perfect”, and from the Latin somnia, “rest”) and, according to experts, although it is not yet considered a disorder, it is getting increasingly common. It consists in continually recurring thoughts, that I call “circular thoughts”, namely thoughts that enter a vicious circle precisely because they are always the same and recur all the time. The main causes of these thoughts are, guess what, stress and anxiety. Not being able to sleep, your mind does not stop thinking about the same things over and over (hence circular thoughts, i.e. thoughts that come back).

If you suffer from insomnia, even if not severe, it would be good to do a complete sleep study (polysomnography) to find an effective solution. I had this test. I was in a sleep clinic for one night, with electrodes attached all over the body including, of course, the head. I have found that, during my sleeping time, Alpha waves (the brain waves typical of the awaking period) intrude from time to time.

The obvious solution would be to try eliminating or at least reducing stress. I know, it’s not easy. Therefore, I propose that you try the following five tips.

Learn to breathe well and deeply by practising a discipline such as Yoga, Pilates or meditation.
Create a relaxing environment. A quiet home is the key to a restful night. If you have trouble falling asleep, keep your bedroom clean and clear of unnecessary items, tidy up the things you have left lying around and you will see that you will have a more peaceful night.
Use essential oils that are particularly suitable for inducing sleep, such as lavender or chamomile.
Create a playlist to help you relax and fall asleep.
Try using Bach Flowers and melatonin. White Chestnut against circular thoughts and Rescue Sleep to help you fall asleep. I used them for several months, then gradually I stopped and now I suffer much less from thoughts that come back and I also sleep much better. At the moment I use only melatonin and I think it is a good solution for my insomnia.

And you, do you suffer from insomnia? Do you have circular thoughts that haunt you? Would you try these tips?

6 Ways To Warm Up Your Hands

Are you like me who always have cold hands in winter? Here are six remedies ((without putting them on the radiator) that you can easily use to warm up your hands during this winter that is rather cold.

When you go out put on your gloves, of any kind they are: traditional, in thermal material, or with a battery. To avoid arthritis you should wear natural fibre gloves, such as cotton or wool, but it is true that gloves made of thermal material, such as those used for skiing, are warmer. In any case, you shall wear them with warm hands already, therefore before leaving your place, otherwise it will take longer to warm them up.
Use hand cream. It helps you to form a protective barrier which then decreases the feeling of cold. A thick cream is certainly more useful than a fluid cream. In addition, it also helps you to prevent the formation of cracks caused by frequent washing, which is absolutely necessary in times of pandemics, like the one we have been living for about one year.
Avoid smoking (your lungs will be happier too). You will not have to go out on the balcony (if you live with some other people who don’t smoke) and you will avoid tobacco hindering blood flow, a constriction that causes a drop in body temperature since less blood will be circulating.
Give a warm hug. Contact with bodies is the best way to transmit heat. Many people put their hands under their arms to be warmer when they feel cold or when they are in a cold environment. Of course, hugging in the days of Covid is not recommended, so do it only with those who live with you.
Put your hands into warm water. This remedy is also used to treat freezing symptoms. However, you must be careful since, with the loss of sensitivity of the hands caused by the cold, there is the serious risk of burning them if the water temperature is higher than 40/42 degrees.
Say goodbye to alcoholic aperitifs and drinks. Although there is the idea that alcohol heats you up, this is a misbelief. The truth is that it is only a temporary sensation. Alcohol, like smoking, facilitates the vasoconstriction of the arteries. Much better to drink a hot herbal tea or tea.

Would you try one of those remedies and let me know if it works? I use gloves and put hand cream, and actually it works!

How To Cope With the Fatigue Caused by the Covid-19

For about a year, we have been facing a health crisis that does not give us a break and actually begins to cause psychological effects.

If you feel tired and have little energy to do things, know that you are not alone.

Fatigue is one of the most common consequences of this pandemic. We are exhausted for several reasons. The disease directly causes one of them. Obviously, if you had the Covid, you have been more tired afterwards; it takes some time to recover from it and to get back into shape.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined “pandemic fatigue” the fatigue resulting from always being super attentive to the precautionary measures that we must comply with in order not to catch the virus.

More and more people suffer from nervousness, anxiety and feel pushed to the limit of their ability to bear the situation.

This state of hyper vigilance with Covid represents a constant strain of our hormonal and endocrine system which results in greater anxiety and, sometimes might turn into depression.

The economic situation and the uncertainty about the future we are living now are working our nerves out.

In addition, you have to consider the deprivation of liberty caused by the lockdown.

Knowing that we are vulnerable to pandemic fatigue, we must put into practice measures that help us regain some well-being.

Here are 3 ideas that may help you out:

Normalize what you feel. It is normal for you to feel stressed or sad. These last months are even harder because we are in winter and we do not see the way out (during the 1^st wave we had summer ahead).
Your well-being must become your priority. Just as you pay attention to wearing a mask, respecting safety distances and washing often your hands, you must take care of your well-being. Try to eat healthy, practise physical activity even at home, and talk to friends or beloved ones even if you cannot do it in person. If the rules in force allow it, go out, especially when it is sunny. Vitamin D is good not only for the body but also for the spirit. Find a hobby, or if you had one before, start doing it again.
Give your mind a break. Stop listening to the latest news on Covid. Take a break from the news. Give yourself permission to disconnect. If you miss the latest update on the contagion data, nothing will happen. When you talk to someone, try to avoid the Covid topic. It is not a matter of pretending nothing has happened, but simply of avoiding further fatigue.

Let me know which tips you find more useful!

5 Steps To Be Healthy During the Winter

Winter, which is about to come, looks like a difficult season due to the cold temperatures that bring with it diseases such as colds, coughs, flu and this year Covid also. To protect yourself adequately, it is necessary to strengthen your immune system.

Here are 5 essential things to do for an efficient immunity.

Healthy and balanced nutrition. Proper nutrition provides the energy needed to stay fit and to produce antibodies. You will therefore have to be careful to consume seasonal fruit and vegetables, limiting industrial and over-sweetened products. The ideal is to prepare your own meals, limiting sodas, pastries and alcoholic beverages because they can hinder the immune system. Some vegetables, such as mushrooms (like shiitaki), garlic, onion, shallot, and ginger have antibacterial properties. To stimulate our immune defences, you must also include fats in your diet, favouring mono-saturated or poly-saturated fats (fish such as sardines or mackerel and vegetable oils such as extra-virgin olive oil). It is highly recommended avoiding saturated fats like butter and whole milk. It would also be important to take a probiotic cure to strengthen our intestines. Perhaps you know that 70% of our immune system is in our intestines and probiotics strengthen the intestinal mucosa, especially in winter or if you have a serious or chronic illness. These micro-organisms are found in yoghurt and fermented milk. Another important part of winter nutrition are elements like zinc and selenium, which also contribute to stimulating the immune system and are found in foods rich in proteins such as crustaceans, egg yolk, poultry and the cheese.
Vitamins. Vitamin A is a precious ally of immunity because it stimulates the production of antibodies. Products of animal origin such as meat, fish, whole milk and milk products in general are rich in vitamin A. Vitamin C, found in fruits and vegetables, helps the formation of immune cells. Vitamin E is naturally present in sunflower seeds and vegetable oils. It has to be an important part in the nutrition of elderly people because it compensates for the loss of immune defences due to ageing. As for vitamin D, its effectiveness is proven in the regulation of immunity. It also acts to counter the development of some autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. The main source of vitamin D is the sunlight. If you live in Belgium like me, or in another country in the Northern hemisphere, where the sun is scarce during the winter, taking supplement of vitamin D is recommended, especially if you are a woman in menopause or a person of a certain age. It is true that you can also find it in fatty fish, but in small quantities.
The quality of sleep. Sleep disorders affect many people. The benefits of a pleasant night are well known. Stress and toxin are eliminated, tissues are repaired, cells are regenerated and you wake up in a good mood. A good sleep, in addition to having these effects, also strengthens your immune system and protects you from infections. To be well rested, you need to get enough sleep, between 6 and 8 hours. If you are having trouble falling asleep, have a ritual to clear your mind, avoid drinking coffee, overeating, and drinking too much alcohol in the evening. To prepare for a quiet night, remove from your room all the elements that stimulate your attention too much and emit blue light (TV, mobile phone, computer). Practising a relaxing activity such as meditation and reading before sleeping, may help you in falling asleep. An herbal tea before going to bed may also help you.
Exposure to light. Light has an impact on the regulation of the biological clock. The lack of light, or the wrong light (artificial light, the blue light from the LED screens I mentioned earlier, night work shifts, or too rich diets), could have consequences on sleep and the immune system. To regulate your biological clock, try to get maximum exposure to sunlight, letting it into your home and workplace. In case of major disorders, you can buy a light therapy lamp that simulates sunlight in intensity and light spectrum. You can find them in every price range.
Finally, physical activity. Regular physical activity has a direct effect on immunity. By improving blood circulation, exercise allows the different components of the immune system to spread better in the body. In older people, it helps prevent the decline of immune functions. But be careful not to practise too intensely as this could have a counterproductive effect. It is quite easy to practice good habits to get some physical activity on a daily basis. For example, you can take the stairs instead of taking the elevator or you can walk 30 minutes a day. If you want to go to the gym (a bit difficult in these Covid times), take it easy and listen to the advice of your coach or use an app.

So, are you ready to face the winter?

6 Less Known Benefits of Ginger

Ginger is a flowering plant that originated in Southeast Asia. It’s among the healthiest (and most delicious) spices on the planet.

The rhizome (underground part of the stem) is the part commonly used as a spice. It’s often called ginger root or, simply, ginger.

Ginger can be used fresh, dried, powdered, or as an oil or juice or in infusion. It’s a very common ingredient in recipes. It’s sometimes added to processed foods and cosmetics.

The unique fragrance and flavour of ginger come from its natural oils, the most important of which is gingerol.

Gingerol is the main bioactive compound in ginger. It’s responsible for much of ginger’s medicinal properties.

Gingerol has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, according to research. For instance, it may help reduce oxidative stress, which is the result of having an excess amount of free radicals in the body.

Ginger has a very long history of use in various forms of traditional and alternative medicine. One well known benefits of ginger is the hot infusion with lemon and honey used to treat the flu and cold.

But there are less known benefits of ginger.

Let’s see them.

1. It can treat many forms of nausea, especially morning sickness

Ginger appears to be highly effective against nausea.

It may help relieve nausea and vomiting for people undergoing certain types of surgery, and also for chemotherapy-related nausea.

It may be also effective when it comes to pregnancy-related nausea, such as morning sickness.

Although ginger is considered safe, talk to your doctor before taking it if you’re pregnant.

2. It may help with weight loss

Ginger may play a role in weight loss and in achieving your BMI (Body Mass Index).

It appears that its ability to influence weight loss may be related to certain mechanisms, such as its potential to help increase the number of calories burned.

3. It can help with osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common health problem.

It involves degeneration of the joints in the body, leading to joint pain and stiffness.

Researches have found that a combination of topical ginger, cinnamon, and sesame oil can help reduce pain and stiffness in people with OA.

4. It may lower blood sugars

This area of research is relatively new, but ginger may have powerful anti-diabetic properties (not all types of diabetes though).

The results are incredibly impressive, but they need to be confirmed in larger studies before any recommendations can be made.

Therefore, consult your doctor before using large amount of ginger.

5. It can help treat chronic indigestion

Chronic indigestion is characterized by recurrent pain and discomfort in the upper part of the stomach.

It’s believed that delayed emptying of the stomach is a major driver of indigestion. Interestingly, ginger has been shown to speed up emptying of the stomach.

6. It may reduce menstrual pain

Dysmenorrhea is the scientific name given to pain felt during the menstrual cycle.

One of the traditional uses of ginger is for pain relief, therefore menstrual pain is included.

To conclude

Ginger is loaded with nutrients and bioactive compounds that have powerful benefits for your body.

It’s one of the very few superfoods actually worthy of that name.

I like candied ginger and also infusions with lemon and honey to help recovery from flu or cold, as said at the beginning.

Now that end of the year holidays are approaching, you may want to try the Pepparkakor, ginger biscuits typical of Scandinavia that are absolutely delicious!.

What about you? Have you ever tried ginger?

How and Why Fighting Your Stress Is Important

I’m sure you use the word stress often throughout your day.

We all feel a little stressed due to the multiple commitments we have, pending deadlines, and lack of time to dedicate to ourselves.

The common denominator of all forms of stress is a feeling of malaise, fatigue, irritability that makes us more fragile with illness and less tolerant of others and of daily problems.

Actually stress is an adaptive response that has allowed our species to survive throughout its evolution.

Hans Seyle, the first theorist of stress, conceived it as an adaptive response that the body puts into force to overcome all the situations that its alarm systems deem dangerous.

The stress reaction is indeed characterized by the secretion of hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline which make the muscles stronger and the person more reactive. In this sense, stress has a value that is not only positive but also necessary for the survival of the species.

Primitive men had to face dangers that were of a short duration. While they were hunting, for example, they might encounter an animal and had to decide whether to run away or face it (have you ever heard of the “fight or flight” response?), but once they made up their mind and acted accordingly, they had plenty of time to recover.

In the contemporary age, we too have this type of reaction when facing what, on a conscious or unconscious level, we perceive as dangerous (stressor). But today’s stressors are definitely different from those our ancestors faced. Modern stressors are psychosocial and no longer physical. It’s about the work environment, social relationships, financial worries, the huge amount of commitments we have and the limited time to complete them. Above all, these stressors are not momentary but can persist for a long time and consequently we need more time to recover.

Look at these signs that may indicate that stress is becoming a threat to your health:

Discomfort with sounds and lights
Muscle pains, contractures and cramps
Headache
Sleeping Disorders
Cardiac arrhythmia
Hypertension
Digestive difficulties
Anxiety
Depression
Irritability
General fatigue

What can you do concretely to combat stress, when the conditions in which you find yourself do not allow you to avoid it?

Physical activity, especially aerobic, such as brisk walking, swimming and cycling, is undoubtedly one of the best remedies for stress.

Breathing control, like getting used to using the diaphragm and slowing the respiratory rate, is another useful tool against stress.

Other activities may be: yoga, tai chi and meditation. In recent years, mindfulness has become popular. Mindfulness, by increasing the level of personal awareness, carries out an anti-stress action.

Obviously, a good massage that helps you increase the level of oxytocin, a hormone capable of counteracting cortisol, is certainly effective.

As regards food supplement, magnesium is the anti-stress mineral for excellence, also because we are chronically deficient. Remember that a supplement is such because it must be complementary to a healthy diet. Therefore, remember to eat well!

What about you? What are the solutions you adopt to fight your stress?