Is Self-Care Eluding You?

Do you take good care of yourself? Of course you do, or at least you think you do. However, you may not realize that the level of care you give yourself is far sub-optimal, in many cases even being regarded as neglect. Yes, circumstances may force you to spend less time on yourself than you would like, and there are usually dozens of reason why. 

 

However, before you can make a conscious effort to improve the level of care you give to yourself, you need to realize the areas you are deficient in. Self-care may be eluding you if you find yourself doing any of the following things.

 

You Are Selfless

 

If you find yourself putting the needs of every single person ahead of your own, you are exhibiting a classic sign of self-neglect. By prioritizing the needs of everybody except your own, you find yourself being burnt out or resenting doing things altogether. 

 

Though nobody likes a selfish hog, let’s be realistic- you have to put yourself first sometimes. You may end up unable to do anything for anyone if you continue at this rate, not to mention resenting all the people you give up things for. A totally unhealthy cocktail.

 

Your Appearance Is Subpar

 

If you feel guilty for fancying up yourself, again, self-care may be eluding you. You have the right to spend time on yourself, if that means indulging in a bubble bath for an hour, or moisturizing and doing weekly pedicures, it is a necessary part of your overall care. 

 

Another typical symptom of this is the chronic habit of dressing in “wash and wears,” which makes your appearance as cheaply dressed and not classy. Take some time every weekend to arrange your outfits for the coming week. This involves picking out accessories, shoes and steam ironing your clothes if needed. You are special- dress for the part.

 

You Don’t Have Friends

 

Not having a small circle of closely knit friends is another obvious symptom of poor self-care. Good friends are there not only through the good times, but also the bad and can be an invaluable part of your well-being. Whether this is your choice (or excuse) or something forced upon you by family, it is not healthy and ultimately affects your wellbeing. 

 

You Feel Unfulfilled

 

You may be grown, have a home and money in the bank, but still have the sinking feeling that you have achieved nothing or not enough in life. This could be the result of personal un-fulfillment, because perhaps you never got the chance to complete your college education, to pursue a passion or you maybe you simply do not find your career to be rewarding. 

 

Well guess what- there is no better time than now to get up and go after whatever it is that would fulfill you. What needs to be kept in mind is the fact that no other person can achieve this for you, so go get it.

 

You Don’t Exercise

 

This is one of the more serious symptoms of poor self-care, as it directly affects your well-being on an emotional and physical level. Lack of exercise boosts the likelihood of negative health effects developing, reduces quality of life, and harms your appearance. 

 

Exercise performed just 3 times weekly can help you maintain a healthy bodyweight and body composition, and is one of the best things you can give yourself.

 

You Feel Life Is A Chore

 

The final symptom, that sums up the disdain you have for yourself is your lack of joy. Living brings you no real pleasure; you’re just going through the motions of life, without truly finding joy in the day-to-day moments. 

 

You don’t stop to take in the views on your way to work, you don’t experience joy from little things your kids or grandkids may do, and only look forward to going to bed. Feeling as if life has no real purpose for you can be not only sad, but kick starts a cycle of negativity and can spiral into depression.

 

Conclusion

 

Though self-care should be second nature, many of us have de-trained these instinctual behaviors and replaced them with “politically correct” habits and a robotic pursuit of daily living. 

 

You need to be selfish sometimes and to think about yourself, so you can meet your needs and desires, it can only serve to make you happier and more content. 

5 Tips To Better Handle Holiday Stress

The holiday season is an opportunity to spend time with family and friends, to take some time off work, or even escape for a winter getaway. For all the joy and fun, though, so comes the stress. 

The expectations of social events, gift shopping, and entertaining guests can become too much for even the most festive types. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association 8 out of 10 people expect to experience an increase in stress over the holiday season. 

With stress comes a greater risk of anxiety and depression, and reports from the Mayo Clinic show that depression is frequently an unwelcome guest over the holidays. 

All is not lost however, there are many ways you can minimize your stress and anxiety to allow you to truly enjoy the season. 

Set A Budget

Shopping can be fun, but spending money isn’t always easy, and Americans spend almost a $1,000 every holiday season on gifts alone. It’s unavoidable, but you can minimize the damage by setting a budget and sticking to it. 

A lot of the stress that we experience during the holidays is due to financial pressure and the Mayo Clinic suggests that setting a budget can be beneficial to your stress levels. Work out how much you can afford to spend on food and gifts, and stick to it. 

Exercise 

The American Heart Association wants you to stay active all the time, but it’s extremely important to keep that up during the holidays. Any activity or exercise you can fit in will help reduce your stress and elevate your mood. It’s going to stimulate endorphin production and trigger a positive feeling in your body. 

You might be busy, but if you can find time to exercise for half an hour three times a week, you will feel better. You can go walking or jogging, swimming or biking, play sports, and find time for aerobics.

Take It Easy

The American Psychological Association reminds us that we need to take time for ourselves. There are parties and gatherings and we are constantly surrounded by people. It’s great to be with the ones we love and laugh about the old days. 

You shouldn’t miss all those great times, but what you should be careful of is setting unrealistic expectations. You can’t do everything, and it’s okay to take time out for yourself, even if it’s just 15 minutes. 

If you do a whole lot of hosting, make sure you delegate- whether you ask everyone to bring a different dish, or you rope in family to take on certain tasks.  

Stay Smart

The holiday season is a time of indulgence, but as the Mayo Clinic directs- it doesn’t mean you should abandon your healthy ways. There’s no need for a free for all that will just add to your stress. 

Enjoy yourself, but try having healthy snacks before holiday gatherings so you don’t over snack while you’re out. Make sure that you’re getting plenty of sleep, as you are more likely to overindulge after a poor night’s sleep. 

Choose Your Battles

We all have someone in our circle that rubs us the wrong way. It’s only natural- not everyone can always get along. Allowing someone else to get under your skin, though, is only going to ruin your holiday and increase your stress levels. Learn to pick your battles, and don’t take the bait. 

The Mayo Clinic suggests that if you have a real problem with someone, set it aside and save it for another day. Even the calmest people can lose their cool during the holidays. 

Bottom Line

Self-care is conscious choice and this is even more true during times of more stress, such as the holiday season. Make sure to take the time and create a deliberate plan! Remember, the holidays are supposed to be a time of fun, family and relaxation, don’t let stress interfere with this great time of year.

 

7 Pillars Of Brain Health

A person’s existence has a huge impact on their brain health. How a person manages stress, how well they socialize, how well they sleep, how much they exercise, and what they drink and eat all are crucial to brain health.  

So how does one achieve brain health? Here are six pillars of brain health that can help you achieve optimal brain health, even into old age.

1.     Physical Exercise

You need to get your body moving, because those who exercise on a regular basis have a decreased risk of coming down with Alzheimer’s disease. Exercise can improve both your memory and your blood flow. It also causes chemical changes in the brain that boost thinking, mood, and thinking. It is important to exercise and stay fit in order to have a healthy brain. Exercise can prolong your life, reduce the risk of heart disease, maximize sleep, help you lose weight, and improve your mood. The mind is closely linked to the body so the more exercise you get, the better your mind functions. Try regular exercise to develop a strong memory.  

2.     Reducing Risks For Mental Health Conditions

We cannot always avoid mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety. However, there are things we can do to reduce risk factors for such diagnoses. For one, avoiding and dealing with chronic stress can help reduce risks for depression and anxiety conditions. Additionally, learning healthy coping skills for dealing with life’s problems and our own emotions can help prevent going into a depressive spiral, one of the biggest considerations in this respect is the health of our relationships, where we actually have more control than we might have in other life situations.  

3.     Food and nutrition

There is some truth the old adage “you are what you eat.” By making good food choices every day, you can improve the health of your brain. As a person ages, their brain is subjected to stress that can be harmful to their brain health. The process by which stress affects brain health is known as “oxidation,” which can be damaging to a person’s brain health. Food that is high in antioxidants can help reduce the negative effects of oxidation. Try eating a Mediterranean diet, which is high in nuts, olives, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, and fish. The Mediterranean diet can be a way to achieve good brain health.  

4.     Medical health

Good brain health starts with controlling your medical risks. Things like smoking, high cholesterol, head trauma, depression, obesity, and diabetes all increase a person’s chances of developing dementia. If you get regular check-ups and follow your doctor’s advice (that means taking medications as prescribed), you will be better both physically and mentally. Your brain is happier when you take care of your medical health. Make sure you avoid obesity as people who are overweight have an increased risk of diabetes, which can lead to dementia. Try to improve balance exercises, strength training, and aerobic exercises. 

5.     Sleep and relaxation

Your brain functions better when you are well rested. Sleep is energizing, improves your immune system, enhances your mood, and restarts the brain. It may also decrease the development of beta-amyloid plaque, which is linked to Alzheimer’s dementia. Anyone who has had to stay awake for an extended period of time, or got a bad night’s sleep knows how much of an impact this has on mental functioning, focus and concentration. If you have trouble with sleeping well, try meditation to manage your stress levels, which may also help to decrease the age-related loss of brain health. There are few things that help a person feel better than getting enough sleep. It sharpens the brain and helps maximize the brain.  

6.     Mental fitness

Brain health depends on using your mind to its maximum ability. Those who spend much of the their time in front of a television are not really stimulating the brain and exercising it in a way that promotes its growth and power, something that is similar to muscle atrophy from lack of movement. Getting enough mental exercise is just as critical as physical exercise is to brain health. Mental exercise can maximize a person’s ability promote brain cell growth and improve the functioning of their brain. It can decrease the chances of developing Alzheimer’s dementia. 

Just as a person exercises their muscles, they need to exercise their brain. There is something known as “brain reserve,” which helps the brain respond and adapt to mental changes and reduce the risk that your brain will sustain damage. A person’s brain reserve starts when they are children and only gets stronger when the person gets older. People who persist in developing new interests and skills, engage in things that are interesting, partake in new activities, and continue to learn new things that will maximize their brain reserve. 

7.     Social interaction

People who maintain social interaction and remain connected with others have better brain health. Try to engage in conversation with others, spend time with others, and stay in touch with loved ones. Those people who have the most social interaction enjoy better brain health.

 

Vitamin C 101

Vitamin C, technical name ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin present in certain foods but that can also be obtained through supplementation. 

Humans are different from other animals in that they can’t synthesize the vitamin by their own bodies but must get it elsewhere.  

The Benefits Of Vitamin C

·      We need vitamin C in order to make L-carnitine, collagen and some neurotransmitters.  

·      Vitamin C is also involved in the metabolism of protein.  

·      We need vitamin C for the formation of collagen that is part of the connective tissue in the body’s organs and plays a role in wound healing.  

·      Vitamin C is also a good antioxidant, which makes it good in preventing cancer. It has the important role of regenerating other antioxidants in the body.  

·      There is research going on that looks into whether or not vitamin C is definitely linked to its antioxidant properties or whether there is something else going on that makes this a good cancer fighter.  

·      Oral vitamin C produces tissue and plasma concentrations that are tightly controlled. As a water-soluble nutrient, it is excreted by the urine.  

Recommended Intake of Vitamin C

The dietary intake of vitamin C has been set up by the Food and Nutrition Board. It sets up the Daily Reference Intakes for all types of nutrients. 

According to this board, the recommended intake of vitamin C includes the following: 

·      Ages 0-6 months, the intake should be 40 mg per day

·      Ages 7-12 months, the intake should be 50 mg per day

·      Ages `1-3 years, the intake should be 15 mg per day

·      Ages 4-8 years, the intake should be 25 mg per day 

·      Ages 9-13 years, the intake should be 45 mg per day

·      Ages 14-18, the intake should be 75 mg per day

·      Those who are older than 19 years, the intake should be 75 mg per day

Food Sources of Vitamin C

·      Some of the best sources for vitamin C are fruits and vegetables.  

·      Citrus fruits, tomatoes, and tomato juice, as well as potatoes are good sources of vitamin C. 

·      Other foods that will give you vitamin A include red peppers, green peppers, broccoli, kiwifruit, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, and cantaloupe.  

·      While vitamin C isn’t found in grains, it is often added to the cereal we eat. 

Prolonged storage and cooking may destroy vitamin C so it is best when eaten with raw fruits. 

The good news is that many of the best food sources of vitamin C, such as vegetables and fruits, are usually eaten raw. Foods that you can eat that will give you’re the best sources of vitamin C include:

·      Red pepper gives 158 percent of the daily value

·      Orange juice gives 155 percent of the daily value

·      One medium orange gives 117 percent of the daily value

·      Grapefruit juice gives 117 of the daily value

·      Kiwi fruit gives 107 percent of the daily value

·      Green pepper gives 100 percent of the daily value

·      Broccoli gives 85 percent of the daily value

·      Strawberries give 82 percent of the daily value

·      Brussels sprouts give 80 percent of the daily value

Dietary Supplements

Dietary supplements of vitamin C can be given. It is given in the form of ascorbic acid, which has the same bioavailability as the naturally occurring kinds of vitamin C eaten in food sources of vitamin C.  

Other forms of vitamin C supplements include calcium ascorbate, sodium ascorbate, ascorbic acid with bioflavonoids, dehydroascorbate, xylonate, threonate, and calcium ascorbate.  

A few research studies using human participants found that the bioavailability is different depending on the form of vitamin C used.  

Other studies have indicated that there are no differences in the bioavailability of the various types of vitamin C. These vitamins are all extremely cheap and can be used to indicate the individual’s vitamin intake.  

Vitamin C Deficiency

Vitamin C deficiency results in scurvy.  

The timeline for getting scurvy depends on the body’s initial stores of the vitamin in the body to begin with. Signs begin to show up within a month of withdrawing all vitamin C from the diet. Symptoms start out with tiredness, malaise, and other flu-like symptoms.  

As it progresses, the individual can develop gum inflammation, poor healing of soft tissue, petechiae, purpura, poor wound healing, and ecchymosis of the skin. Other signs of a deficiency include swollen and bleeding gums, depression, and corkscrew hairs.

 

How To Beat Self-Doubt And Insecurities To Become The Best You

One of the most limiting things a person can experience in this life is self-doubt. It has the ability to keep you feeling locked away in a prison of your own insecurities. It will suffocate your ability to explore and be free to engage with opportunities and adventures and it will hold you back from ever achieving the things that you really want.

I have personally met people who even gave up on wanting anything at all due to having such a high level of self-doubt. Their insecurities had escalated to such a point over the course of their life where they eventually gave up on even considering that they had any level of freedom at all regarding their own choices. 

This is a terrible place to find ourselves in and it causes a person to live a life that has been massively limited by the illusory constructs that have formed in their mind. Fortunately, though, with a little work and the right amount of determination there is something that we can do to conquer this.

Dominating Doubt

Doubt itself, by its very nature is negative. It is something that denounces and turns down any thoughts of positive or action-inspiring suggestion. If left unchecked, doubt becomes a mindset that keeps a person completely closed off from the world of positive inspiration and it keeps a person confined to a self-centred and destructive ego. 

In order to dominate doubt we must first desire to do so. If we do not have the desire to at least investigate the ability to overcome doubt, then there is truly no hope for us. 

A person who is happy to live in a world of doubt is like a cancer that will infect and overcome anyone who has even a shred of positivity to express, like a black hole, they consume all light, and there is no hope of it ever being re-produced in return. 

Someone who has decided to overcome doubt though is like a black hole that has decided to try to stop sucking in everything and instead has chosen to learn how to produce and create a little light. 

Without having made the choice to do this, without having personally decided that they want to become more positive, more inspiring and more encouraging, a person has no hope of ever conquering their own self-doubt.

The Argument Of Doubt

The main argument that people offer to encourage their own self-doubt is that they have either never been able to, or never witnessed something happen. For example, if you try to encourage a person to become a confident public speaker and they harbor massive amounts of internal self-doubt, they will argue that they have never been able to speak confidently in public before and so they just think that from their own point of view, it cannot be done. 

Another person who doubts the ability of someone to come up with some kind of new and enlightening invention doubts it because he has never seen it done before and therefore thinks it simply cannot be done. In all cases of self-doubt, a person is living with a mindset that has experienced great limitation somewhere in the past. 

Therefore, when we know this, we can implement strategies to conquer and eventually destroy these specific doubts. How do we do this?

Creationism

No not the kind of creationism that claims the world was created in 6 days and that all life on earth is somewhere in the region of 6,000 years old, do not even get me started on that! What I am talking about is a form of creationism that is completely and intimately personal. It is inspirational, encouraging, motivating, it is creating and producing and freeing. It is everything that self-doubt is not. 

This works for all kinds of self-doubt and insecurity because it has the effect of contradicting and opposing every form that self-doubt or insecurity takes. We intimately prove the self-doubting limitation wrong, and eventually the mind learns a newer and more positive way of thinking about things, because it has witnessed firsthand the undoing of every single one of its limiting, doubting thoughts. 

In order to do this we must either show or create a case for the opposite. We need proof. Show yourself the opposite of your own self-doubt. Investigate and encourage yourself to try your very best to achieve or to witness or experience the very thing that your mind doubts. 

Commit yourself to the challenge of proving every single one of your doubts wrong, and if you can do this, you will slowly re-program your mind to be able to achieve anything that you could possibly want to achieve.

Conquer the limitations of your doubts and you become a purely positive, inspirational, creative force of life on this planet earth. 

Sit with your doubting mind however, and you will begin to fester in a world of negativity, opposition, and argument for all things limiting. I know which path I would rather choose. 

Now the choice is up to you.

 

Anti-Inflammatory Foods And Diet To Combat Aging

 

Aging gracefully means being as healthy as you can be for as long as possible.  Your dietary and lifestyle choices play a big role in that.  Even though you make the effort to exercise and eat right, you should always be looking for ways to fight aging through eating anti-inflammatory foods. 

 

All of the anti-aging philosophies, promises, and products can be daunting.  You may wonder whether or not eating anti-inflammatory foods is helpful to you.  It turns out that the body’s aging process can be accelerated by inflammation in the body. You need to talk to your doctor, dietitian, or nutritionist to find out more about this. 

 

What is inflammation and how can it affect your body?

 

The immune system responds to injury and diseases by providing you with inflammation.  This is a normal process that is important for healing.  One the other hand, not all inflammation is healthy for you. 

 

When inflammation gets out of hand, it can attack the normal cells of your body and the process that is supposed to heal you becomes self-destructive.  It is now well known that chronic inflammation is the root cause of many serious illnesses, especially those related to the aging process.  

 

Persistent stress, over-exposure to environmental toxins, and poor diet can all contribute to this type of inflammatory process.

 

Can something be done?

 

The good news is that there are some lifestyle choices that can help this process.  Following an anti-inflammatory diet is one way to control the aging process.  While it sounds like a good idea, be wary.  The anti-inflammatory diet is an eating plan you follow through on throughout your life in order to combat the aging process.  It isn’t technically geared for weight loss but rather helps improve your overall long-term health.  

 

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet

 

The anti-inflammatory diet places a focus on whole foods that are whole and unrefined, high in anti-inflammatory spices, high in healthy fats, and high in omega 3 fatty acids.  

 

Some things to include in an anti-inflammatory diet include the following:

 

·      Soy products, such as tofu, soy milk, tempeh, an edamame

·      Healthy fats found in extra virgin olive oil of high quality, beans, avocados, seeds, and nuts

·      Vegetables and foods that are brightly colored, such as dark berries, fruits, and vegetables

·      Clean water and green tea as a beverage

·      Spices that are anti-inflammatory, such as cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger

 

Foods to Avoid

 

It is also important to decrease your intake of foods that cause inflammation. Highly processed foods are inflammatory as are carbohydrates that are quickly digested, such as sugar and sugary snacks. You need to stay away from foods containing vegetable shortening, partially hydrogenated oils, and polyunsaturated oils, such as soy, corn, safflower, and sunflower oils.  

 

It may be difficult to know if you are eating any of these foods, which is why you need to read the food labels to see if any of these inflammatory foods are in them. When you’re not sure, you should buy raw unprocessed foods and cook them yourself. Food that are labeled “raw” or “organic” can be seen as good foods to choose in an anti-inflammatory diet.  

 

Does an anti-inflammatory diet work?

 

According to the expert dietitians, there is good evidence to show that monounsaturated oils and omega 3 oils can fight inflammation. On the other hand, some of the information is off when it comes to taking anti-inflammatory foods to combat aging. One study indicated that heredity can play a role in who gets the disease and who doesn’t. 

 

While diet is important, genetics also plays a role in the aging process. You can decrease the effects of chronic diseases by eating an anti-inflammatory food diet. Don’t make big changes all at once. Start introducing anti-inflammatory foods gradually into your diet and take away inflammatory foods so that eventually your diet represents an anti-inflammatory diet as much as is possible. 

 

Are there risks to an anti-inflammatory diet?

 

According to experts, there are no known risks to taking an anti-inflammatory diet. You should, however, take precautions if you have food allergies. You should talk to your doctor about finding ways to use this type of diet to your advantage.