As a Body Stress Release (BSR) practitioner I always like to make my clients aware of the simple things they can do to improve and maintain their health, apart from having regular BSR sessions. Most people stick to the advice I give them, but for a minority it seems hard to be and stay persistent and consistent. Both seem to have problems, though, when it comes to public holidays and major celebration of any sorts. Especially with icons like Christmas and Easter, where our intake of -let's call it this way- the "less good stuff" is on the increase dramatically, we should be taking more care of our life's vehicle, but......we just don't want think about that for a while. Recognise the following feelings: your belly is somewhat full; not temporarily, but constantly. It juts out, feels bloated. You've got extra love handles, the scales must be wrong, your skin is dried out, your head feels like a wad of cotton, and your energy levels are below the zero-line. Probable cause: having had too good a time with all sorts of foods and fluids, combined with late nights and little exercise. Don't panic when this is you exactly; there's a way out, and it doesn't have to take long. I'll give you a couple of tips that can assist you feeling better again within a short period. Cut back First and very simple: do not change much, just eat and drink less. For instance, if you were used to two glasses of wine per evening, now only have one. If you normally eat four sandwiches, now only have two or three. There is amazing power in this form of minimalising; it seems like you are doing the same thing as always, but your body has been given time to rest and digest, thereby reducing the stress on your digestive system. Drink, drink, drink No, not alcohol, but water. The most powerful cleanser, hydrator and transporter of waste products available. Roughly two litres of water is enough for an average human in average circumstances, but if you are out in the heat working hard, you may need 2-4 times as much! If water doesn't rock your boat, then try green tea. Green tea is said to have many good properties to stimulate your health (lowering blood pressure, boosting your immune system, containing anti-oxidants, etc). I thoroughly advise anybody to keep on drinking it, even after your clean-up has finished, although in moderation, as it holds caffeine. Try to stay away from having too much ordinary tea and coffee. Although I find them not as bad as some people try to make us believe (I go by the rule of "everything in moderation"), coffee and tea do dehydrate. A coffee or tea in the morning is a brilliant way to get your bowels going, though, so one cup is fine by me! Feed yourself fibre There are many reports that the population is lacking in fibre intake. This means that in the majority of us there is a risk that toxins residing in our intestines get absorbed back up into our system instead of being excreted with our stool. Fibre has the capacity of binding toxins in our intestines, and of speeding the bowel movement up. That will definitely help your system to de-stress, and to help it get rid of what it needs to get rid of. My recipe for the last couple of years: two teaspoons of psyllium husk in my morning muesli, which works a treat! These options work well too: eat breakfast cereals that contain barley, wheat or oats; switch to wholemeal or multigrain breads and brown rice; and if you want to snack, do it on (dried) fruits, nuts or wholemeal crackers. And if you're still not sure, go and see a nutritionist! Sleep tight One of the most important parts of re-energising and staying energised is sleep. Our bodies usually crave for 7-9 sleep per day in a fairly consistent pattern. I assume you have been aware once or twice of how you start to feel when you miss out on a couple of good nights' sleep. There are people who claim they can do with 3 to 4 hours only, and yes, that is possible, but still an exception. Just let your energy levels be your guide; you will know without a doubt whether you can do with less than average (or maybe even need more!). The sleeping state is used by the body to repair, replenish and re-energise, and is a major period of getting rid of accumulated "body stress" in the system. When we deprive our bodies from this precious time, the long-term effects will be self-evident. There are even people that contend that without sleep, we can die more quickly than we would without food! For a change, go to bed earlier than you normally would, and keep that up for about one or two weeks. You will notice the difference for sure. Eat yourself healthy After indulging in all of the "too good" stuff for a period of time, your body is longing for something more wholesome. If you want to clean yourself thoroughly, it is advisable to restrict yourself for a period of time to eating foods that enhance the cleaning-up. Veggies like Brussels sprouts, beets, carrots, spinach, cabbage and cucumbers assist the liver in cleaning itself, as do brightly coloured fruits (they help eradicating free radicals in your body). Moreover, these veggies and fruits are high in fibre, which helps the digestive system. Any extra fruit and veg intake for about two weeks will help your body immensely, so throw yourself on preparing salads (fruit or veg), and snacking on veggie pieces (buy a dip for them if you really can't stand it otherwise). Get moving! Exercise is of extreme importance, whether you have been overeating and overdrinking or not. We have become primarily sedentary in the 21st century, but our bodies are not liking that all that much. Exercise is a great way of airing your body, getting fresh oxygen to all the parts that have been getting a bit too little. Your memory will improve with exercise, in fact all your brain functions will benefit. And after having had parties and/or celebrations, exercise is great to clear your body from waste products and toxins that may still reside in your system. Your lymphatic system can do its work more properly, which is an important detoxifier. By exercising you also stimulate what I call "the sacral pump". Moving around means you are moving your sacrum too, and that stimulates the flow of cerebro-spinal fluid in your spinal cord and around your brain, which has positive effects on your health. How much exercise is necessary? Well, that depends on each individual person, but 30-60 minutes each day of some form of exercise should be the mark, I feel. You don't have to exaggerate it; brisk walking can be good enough. In "the old days" people didn't run or jog all that often; only when they were hunting or trying to outrun a sabre-toothed tiger! Some resistance training or cardio workout once or twice a week will be very beneficial, but I am under the impression that we make it too big a deal nowadays. Just do what feels good, but be honest with yourself! Relax! In both my BSR and Coaching practises I claim that having a peaceful and relaxed mindset is of paramount importance. When you are at ease mentally, it is much easier to be at ease physically as well. I wrote in an earlier article that the way we think about our bodies and health determines how and what our feelings are about them. The more positive your thoughts, the better your feelings and the better your health. It all has to do with the Law of Attraction, loosely translating into "what you focus on is what you get". Although you should be thinking and feeling good about your body and health all the time, there are extra benefits when you do this consciously after a period of indulging. Set yourself a health goal for a couple of weeks, and persist with it. Maybe get some help from a personal trainer or life coach. Moreover, meditate regularly -at least 20 minutes per day, and if you don't like that, take some time purely for yourself en just "be". Don't do anything in particular, just think "healthy" thoughts. You will be surprised at the positive effect on your overall health a more positive way of thinking and feeling will have. Push your buttons In general, but especially after too much of the good, it is advisable to enjoy some body work. Have a massage, do a sauna detox, have a couple of BSR sessions, etc. You will assist your re-balancing greatly. The more un-stressed your body is, the easier it will bring itself into balance, and stay that way. Coming from my own perspective, a few BSR sessions will allow your body to heal from the "bad stuff" in no time. When the brain and the nervous system are communicating properly, your body is able and capable to take care of itself, and you will be up to scratch before you know it. Don't worry, be healthy Our body system is quite forgiving. It cuts us a lot of slack and allows us to misuse it every now and then without punishing us for it. On the other hand, our bodies ARE our main vehicle in this earthly experience, so we want to treat them well. This means that regular maintenance is required, and after a period of misuse a bit of extra care will not go wasted. We seem to expect that our bodies just keep going, no matter what we do with them, but it doesn't work this way, really. We -our bodies- DO require attention. The good news is, that this doesn't have to be a huge issue. A couple of steps in the right direction, and we're on our way back to the right track. Expect health, but do not take it for granted! |
Main
