In our modern world, stress has become our everyday enemy. We have even become stressed about not being stressed! As a result the team at Nourished Nederland are always looking for ways to create more balance in our lives. Being a Libra, it's not a coincidence that I am writing this article for you!
Stress has been labelled the silent ‘killer’ for a very good reason. It is a great idea to have a healthy routine in place to help you cope with stresses of day to day life. Eat healthy, aim for 8 hours sleep per night, drink plenty of water, & try to find a little peace in each day to regain your energy whenever you can.
These are my ways of ensuring I have a healthy balance in my life:
Find your flow
I found my flow in yoga. One of my good friends inspired me to follow a class with her and from that moment I fell in love with the practice. Why? Because during that 1 hour class my mind was quiet, empty, calm. No thoughts, no stress, just being.
I tried a lot of different classes and styles. My perfect fit is ashtanga vinyasa yoga, an intensive class existing out of Asanas (poses) and Pranayama (breathing). The classes have a rhythm, a flow. When you feel the rhythm everything else follows. If you are ever in Amsterdam please visit my favorite spot: Svaha Yoga.
If you think yoga is not your cup of tea find your jam. A walk in nature, a beautiful bike ride or a hula-hoop session! Be physically active at least 30 minutes a day. Your body doesn’t regain energy sitting in front of the television or computer.
Breathe!
When we feel pressure we tend to breathe short and fast. Whereas deep inhales and exhales calm us down, provide our body and brain with enough oxygen, and assist to move us from the stressed ‘fight-or-flight- state into a state of relaxation or ’rest & digest’.
Feeling rushed? Try to inhale deeply and slowly through your nose for 4 counts and exhale slowly for 8 counts. Repeat this a couple of round. You WILL feel the difference. Always try to come back to your breathe in stressful situations.
Eat Healthy
Our number one energy source is nutrition. What you put into your body is where you generate cells from. You literally build your body out of the foods you eat! Which gives us all the more reason to make the base of your daily diet: vegetables, fruit, legumes and grains. Get nature's energy in.
If you are feeling stressed and rushed, ditch the caffeine for a while. Soda’s and coffee, you DON’T need them for energy. Whilst coffee may give you an instant energy hit, it is typically short-lived & can leave us feeling even more exhausted afterward.
Sleep
Sleep, on the other hand, will help to revitalise you. A good night sleep gives your body the opportunity to heal itself and recharge itself.
If you have trouble sleeping create an evening routine. Put your phone on flight mode from a certain hour (at least two hours before bedtime). Take a bath with some good essential oils before going to bed and drink a nice cup of evening tea. Once at home, avoid work emails and calls, caffeine, alcohol, loud music & even hectic television show. Don’t over-stimulate the brain before going to bed.
Get Adjusted!
The intelligence that lives inside your body and tells your heart how to beat, your lungs how to breathe & your body how to heal, repair & regenerate travels between your brain and your body. Your spine houses a large majority of this intelligent communication, however with everyday stresses like poor posture, sports, computer use, injuries & accidents, our spine can stop moving and working at its best. When this happens it can interfere with the way the brain and the body talk to each other and ultimately our body’s ability to recover, regenerate & keep itself healthy.
I visit my Chiropractor fortnightly to remove any interference that the stresses of my busy life place on my spine and nervous system.
Organise your life
Make an overview in your agenda with work-time, chore time and downtime. When you actually schedule yourself some free time, it is easier to make it happen.. This also gives you something to look forward to during busy, stressful times.
Waking up 15 minutes earlier than you normally do can give you the little bit of extra time in the mornings to turn them from a frantic rush trying to get out of the house on time, to a calm and enjoyable start to the day. The way we start our day is often the way it continues and ends.
This is my way of creating the much needed balance in my life Tell us your daily feel-good routine below. We look forward to being inspired by you! Liefs, Floor x
