soothe
relax
balance
restore
gentle guidance
comforting care
Holistic Wellness
Bodywork
Bodywork is really anything that we do that can help bring our attention and awareness more deeply into our body. Regaining a connection with (and within) our bodies helps us to know ourselves better. Releasing restrictions on the physical level can certainly affect our mental/emotional sense of well-being. CranioSacral therapy, chiropractic adjustments, massage and such practices as yoga, tai chi or qigong are highly beneficial, as is regular moderate exercise.
Journaling
There are many ways in which journaling can be a catalyst for healing. In addition, it's important to keep a written record for yourself, particularly when utilizing natural healing methods as the effects you'll see can sometimes be very subtle. A written record of your physical symptoms and state of mind will help you to see the progress you are making: that the issues you have now are new, while the ones that troubled you weeks ago have improved or disappeared altogether..
Nutrition
We all know the importance of diet. Your nutritional needs
will be unique only to you, and will vary over time depending
upon your life situation, as well as your own internal cycles.
Note that it is important to not only pay attention to what you
eat, but how you eat it. For some additional information on digestion and nutrition, please read the following websites and articles:
Hydration
Staying adequately hydrated at all times is critical to maintaining optimum function of all bodily processes. More
important than the amount of fluid we consume is the amount of fluid we absorb. It involves an intricate balance of water and electrolytes. Consuming too much water, without the necessary salt or minerals can be as detrimental as insufficient water intake. To learn more:
Sun
Important life processes within the human body require Vitamin D (read more about Vitamin D in wikipedia and this article), and our only natural source is through exposure to the sun. On a more elemental level, the balance of light and dark is essential to maintaining our circadian 'clock' or 'rhythm.' If you are "circadianly out of sync" you may notice:
“For thousands of years, man has been active during the day and restful at night. In modern times, our indoor environment is much dimmer and has a different pattern than daylight.”
George Brainard, Ph.D. professor of neurology
Create the optimum environment for healing:
Take Steps
Many natural therapies are effective at dissolving subconscious issues we may have. It is our responsibility to take action for ourselves when we are consciously aware of things in our life that just "aren't right" for us. (Whether that be a job, relationship, or any situation.) When we don't take positive steps to do something about it, the internal conflict we are feeling will eventually manifest as a physical symptom. Many times we feel stuck, and wait for a way out to present itself before making a move. The reality is that sometimes we have to make the move so that opportunities can open up!
Breathing
Breathing is so natural that we often don't think about the importance of breath, and how we breathe. It is true that our breath provides the oxygen so prescious to our bodily functions, and is one of our main forms of toxin elimination. Our breath is also very closely tied to (and can provide us with invaluable information about) our physical and emotional state. We come into this world breathing the "belly breath" of babies, and tend to breathe increasingly shallow "chest breath" as we age. This is a function of built up tension over time. Breathing exercises are an extremely effective way of releasing tensions throughout the body, and are an integral part of many physical/spiritual/healing practices around the globe.
For maintenance of optimum health:
1. Spend quiet time simply paying attention to your breath
2. On a daily basis practice abdominal breathing exercises
Relaxation
If you have a method of relaxation that works for you, it is important to practice it on a regular basis (ie, once or twice each day for 10-20 min at a time). Over time, your body will be able to enter a deeply relaxed state more quickly and easily. This is important for the overall balance of the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous System responses, and your body's natural ability to deal with stress.
Medical*
Another term for "alternative" medicine is "complementary"
care, which more aptly describes it's role, as it is meant to enhance and complement, not replace, the care you receive from the medical community. As part of a comprehensive wellness plan, it is your responsibility to seek and/or maintain appropriate treatment from certified medical practitioners.
Sleep
Sleep and relaxation, though they go hand in hand, are not
synonymous. Each is necessary in its own way. Consider that we can survive without food longer than we can survive without sleep. Sleep is a deep-set physical need that has far-reaching effects on your emotional, mental and spiritual
"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase. Just take the
first step."
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."
Will Rogers
"feeling sleepy, or alert, warm, or cold, hungry or without appetite, at the wrong times of day or night - as if jet lagged several hours." Syd Baumel
"The breath is the primary stress modulator/stabilizer. It is the lead horse in the team of horses called the autonomic nervous system."
Michael White
Music
Probably the easiest way to change the way you feel is to listen to music. In general, certain genres of music have been found to be beneficial in specific ways: for example, slow classical music has been proven to lower blood pressure and heart rate. However, music is very personal and songs can have very specific associations, depending upon personal experience. Surround yourself with music that is soothing or uplifting for you. Explore this topic further:
Any little thing that you can do to support your self will have a dramatic effect on your overall level of well-being.
**Please consult your physician before making any dietary changes.**
Read about other ways to heal with water: Benefits of Soaking in a Bath
Also, see tangible evidence of the profound effects that different thoughts and emotions have on water molecules (and ourselves) at: Dr. Masaru Emoto's "Message of Water"
Exposure to light, either sunlight or full-spectrum light, is highly beneficial, particularly for those of us living in Northern regions.
**Please consult your physician about Vitamin D supplementation or light therapy.**
EXAMPLE: While in Winnipeg, I had a conflict driving my son 30 min each way to daycare and back. I made the bold move of submitting my two week notice to remove him from care. I began to panic when every daycare within a 15 min radius had a waiting list from 6 months to 5 years, but a week later I came across a newspaper ad for a dayhome in my area. I was then able to put him under the care of a beautiful lady not more than 2 blocks from where we lived.
Use EFT to improve breathing: try my video series entitled Just Breathe
One Breathing Exercise to try: Think of a door. Breathe in to the count of 4 going up one side of the door. Pause for the count of 2 going across the top of the door. Breathe out for the count of 4 going down the other side of the door. Pause for the count of 2 going across the bottom of the door. Be gentle with yourself - you should never feel out of breath, or that you are gasping for breath. If you need, adjust the count so that your breath flows naturally with ease. For more information visit:
The following exercise is taken from the book Quantum Fitness, Breakthrough to Excellence by Irving Dardik and Denis Waitley. There are six simple steps. With each one, repeat the phrase over and over again in your mind and visualize and feel the affirmation as a reality. When you notice the appropriate change in your physical body, move to the next step.
1. Heaviness: "My arms and legs are heavy."2. Warmth: "My arms and legs are heavy and warm."3. Heart: "My heartbeat is calm and regular."4. Respiration: "My breathing is relaxed, effortless."5. Abdomen: "My belly (stomach) is warm."6. Forehead: "My forehead is cool.""The time to relax is when you don't have time for it." Sydney J. Harris
health. Anyone who has experienced any form of sleep deprivation understands this well. Improving the regularity and quality of your sleep will have an immense impact on your well-being and quality of life. Generally you will find that good sleep will come naturally when all the other aspects of your life are properly balanced: diet-exercise-play-relaxation-spiritual connecions. Please read more:
Play
We often tend to 'drop' the things that we enjoy the most - thinking that it's not as important as our work/chores and the other necessities of life. Play should be a priority too. When you fit things into your life that you find 'fun', it boosts your mood and energy like nothing else can. Join a sports team, start up a hobby, play with your kids/pets, have friends over, play an instrument, take a class...
Nature
Getting outdoors, or bringing the elements of the earth indoors, can have dramatic effects on our sense of well-being. The act of connecting to the earth - trees, animals, fresh air, bodies of water - is known by many as "grounding." When we feel 'grounded' we feel stable and supported, and better able to cope with anything that may come our way.
There are many possible steps you can take to promote and enhance health and wellness. It's not necessary to try to make changes in every aspect of your life at once - you'll likely find that one small step in the right direction will naturally lead to changes elsewhere, and greater balance overall...
It is very similar to any other electrical system - when we are not grounded, we feel the danger of getting 'zapped' by the intensity of things we experience in our lives. Reconnecting to nature as a grounding source can be as simple as going for a walk, having a picnic in a park, sitting with your back against a tree, or doing some gardening. You can surround yourself with elements of nature indoors through pictures, plants, water fountains, aquariums, fresh flowers, and pets. Many people introduce grounding excercises/meditations into their daily practice.
"I would say that the flow of life's energy, like electricity, now has a ground, a connection that makes it more manageable and less scary. She is no longer about to be 'fried' by the emotional 'charge' in the room or by her old emotionally charged memories."
Suzanne Scurlock-Durana
Copyright © 2009-2011 Cora Rennie, Cold Lake, AB
DISCLAIMER: Information on this site is not intended to and does not constitute medical advice, recommendation or counselling under any circumstance.
Social Connections
One of the greatest boosts to a person's sense of well-being comes from having close connections to other people. We are social beings by design, and there are direct correlations between a person's health and happiness and the degree to which they feel they have close, 'good' friends in their life.
Feelings of solitude and loneliness are not always easy to overcome, and social relationships also have the potential of being one of our greatest sources of stress, but this area of your life is a highly important one. Take the time, and set the priority to foster the kinds of relationships in your life that help you to feel good. There is immeasurable benefit from knowing that others are 'there' for you, through thick and thin, that you can share your truths... not to mention the amazing gift of being able to give the same kind of support to someone you care about.
