I have struggled with my mental health since last several years. Realizing that I need help and being open to receiving that help have opened up many doors for me and allowed me to improve my mental health. Sharing tips/things I do to bounce back and feel better. They have all been so helpful to me personally so check them all out and see which one resonates with you/works for you. I don't do every single one of them everyday, but whatever I feel like and that has enabled me to listen to my mind and my body and get in touch with my intuition.
- Get professional help (counselor/therapist, medication, etc.)
- Inner child meditation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lHiWyWU-Eo
- Cold showers: check this page for benefits and how-do-guide: https://medium.com/@juanpabloaranovich/using-deliberate-cold-exposure-for-heath-and-performance-81828b9c4773 (I listened to the podcast that they mention in this article a month or so ago and started doing this daily and haven’t looked back since then)
- Wim Hof breathing, this and cold showers stimulate the vagus nerve which is responsible for our wellbeing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tybOi4hjZFQ
- Gratitude journaling: Fill in the blank: Today I am grateful for________. Do this daily. I blogged about it here: https://swarmingforselflove.blogspot.com/2022/06/gratitude-journaling.html
- Daily Walks in nature, some days I just go sit in nature/backyard/in sun when I don’t have energy to walk.
- Depression Yoga with Adriene (15-min) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxddnugwu-8
- Anxiety Yoga with Adriene https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJbRpHZr_d0
- Om Mani Padme Hum chanting / listening to this YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-ZO7bsA2pA (This one calms me down and my fears disappear)
- Doing things that bring me joy.
- Stretching/dancing.
- Daily Energy Routine (DER) (7 min): https://youtu.be/3UHjyjvE14s
- Activate Joy in your life (Radiant Circuits) (6 min): https://youtu.be/8AHS4GrRztg
Also sharing tips and list of foods that reduce cortisol/stress hormone:
1. Foods high in B vitamins - nutritional yeast, fortified cereals
2. Foods high in Omega 3 fatty acids - walnuts, avocado, chia, flax, olive oil
3. Magnesium rich foods - relaxing muscles, reduce inflammation, regular heartbeats - pumpkin seeds, almonds, pistachio, broccoli, banana, avocado, artichoke, spinach, dark chocolate
4. Foods that help regulate blood sugars - eat regular meals, protein rich foods, beans, legumes
5. Foods that promote healthy gut microbiome - eat lots of high fiber foods, plants, fruits, vegetables, fiber is called prebiotic - 30 types of plants per week. pro-biotics - foods that have good probiotics - kimchi, kombucha, yogurt, kifer, sauerkraut
Stay well hydrated.
Avoid: alcohol, caffeine, saturated fats, simple sugars, soda, candy, white bread (increases cortisol)
Photo from my favorite park where I go for walks every week.
#GratefulKanan #SelfLove #SelfCare #SwarmingForSelfLove #SelfLoveSaturdays #MotherNature #OptOutside #natureishealing #healing #mentalhealth #mentalhealthweek2023 #depressionhelp #gratitude