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The (Me)ntal (Heal)th of Yoga

The (Me)ntal (Heal)th of Yoga

Sarah Jamieson / Events, Meditation, News, Teachers, Thoughts, Tips, Yogis / , , , , , , / 0 Comment

Most of us recognize that when we breath and move, we feel better.  Slowing down and taking time to de stress, relaxes our body and mind, isn’t just a “buzz phrase.” There are physiological, as well as psychological proven benefits that extend well beyond the mat when you practice yoga and deeply affects your mental health.

Thursday night I held a salon conversation connecting youth with the positive platform of mental health and at risk youth. Yoga came up frequently,  from all the speakers, as one of the best forms of exercise that can be implemented into schools to help promote self confidence, discipline, and balance.

Lets dig deeper and answer these questions…

Can yoga help them do more than just feel a little bit better?

Can it heal their mental illness?

Yoga has long been seen as a tool for improving mental health, although concepts of what that entails have shifted over time and are distinct in different cultures. Not to mention mental health statistics vary globally.

Mental illness affects 1 in every 3 Canadians, and what most of us do not realize is that suicide is the second largest killer of young adults between the ages of 15-24. The annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health, states about 20 percent of adults suffer some sort of mental illness each year, and about 5 percent experience a serious disorder that disrupts work, family or social life. In Canada, one 1 out of every 6 children or youth has access to mental health resources. These are staggering numbers.

There are several schools of yoga that focus specifically on the intersections between asana practice and emotional health, and a growing body of studies indicates that yoga is often an excellent tool to treat the troubled mind.

My personal opinion on style is through experience with populations who have or are at risk for mental illness, and what I have found works for clients with mood disorders and especially my work with vets in the Canadian Armed Forces, injured in combat, a Yin style or light Vinyasa seem to have the largest affect. Both involve breath work and slow, controlled movement.

To date, the most persuasive evidence of the benefits of hatha yoga, and in particular pranayama, stems from research conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience  in India. New studies have shown a high success rate—up to 73 percent—for treating depression with breathing. .” It involves breathing naturally through the nose, mouth closed, in three distinct rhythms.

Yoga has been integrated into many high stress service careers; such as police departments and the Canadian Armed Forces. People who suffer from operational stress injuries or jobs that are high stress physically, as well as mentally are at greater risk, and Yoga can help combat high stress levels. Stress is one of the key factors in the onset of depression and anxiety.

Other benefits of yoga on our mental can include; improved ability to sleep, better moods, increased feelings of self-control, and better concentration and focus.

 

 

Sources:

Check out the full report in The Washington Post : http://wapo.st/wzYeST

Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA): http://vancouver-burnaby.cmha.bc.ca/

 

Ohhhhh That Monkey Mind

Leeann / Reflections, Thoughts, Tips / , , , , , / 0 Comment

Do you ever feel like things are out of control? Your mind is racing with the things you have to get done. Perhaps the left over task you didn’t accomplish the previous day. There are so many thoughts rushing through your head that you cannot concentrate on one specific thing. Add into the mix the judgement we place on ourselves for not accomplishing everything we wanted to do in a particular day. The little negative thoughts that do not help but somehow slip in.

That’s the Monkey Mind; the devious little monkey that chatters away until we cannot think straight. It happens to all of us. I am sure it even happened to the Buddha at least once. Or maybe not, but to us mere humans it is a constant affliction that we try again and again to overcome.

I sometimes find that even on my mat I am surrounded by a cloud of thoughts that swirls out of control.

I try my hardest to bring myself back to the present moment so that I may enjoy my practice. It is a challenge, but eventually I just focus on one thing – my breath.

I try to see the breath flowing from each part of my body.

I try to feel the texture of my breath as it slips through my nostrils; slightly cool on the inhale and a little warmer on the exhale having come from my lungs.

I take myself to my lungs and see if I can image them expanding with each breath; the rib cage accommodating that needed expansion.

I feel my shoulders slowly relax as I exhale – encouraging my body to release and let go.

I feel my heart beat, with each breath it slows down.

I then travel to my belly and try to squeeze it closer to my spine in order to press out any remaining breath.

Then I start over, but perhaps this time I start with my toes – can my toes breathe? Why not?
You can imagine anything; there are no limits to the imagination. Have fun!

The mind may still wonder – again that monkey mind, but I try to imagine those thoughts as clouds in a beautiful blue sky. I acknowledge them and then I let them pass. I place no judgement on them, or value, I just let them go.

Of course, this in on your mat, but I believe that the same principles can be applied no matter where you are. Just bring yourself back to your body and your breath. Allow yourself to focus on something as lovely as the sky – even if it is grey. There are textures to that grey. There are rabbits in those clouds. Or anything else you can imagine. Isn’t this fun? Try not to be so serious, let everything go.

Allow yourself a moment or two to just breathe and remember that your mind doesn’t control you, you are in charge. You can slow everything down by taking yourself to your breath.

And remember to always be kind – the world is harsh with judgements. Try to believe that you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

You are perfect in your imperfections.

Namaste(source: dfareviews.com)

Retreating!

Alison Boons / Events, Tips / , , , , / 0 Comment

In Vancouver we are usually lucky with a beautiful summer, this year Mother Nature seems to be on vacation. As the rainy days continue to pound down on us and the torrential rain pounds outside the window, I’ve begun to look deeper into sunny and warm yoga retreats.

{Source: www.yogaretreatgreece.com}

Not only are there many studios locally who offer there own annual or semi-annual yoga retreats, there are retreats offered world wide, so where do you begin. Here are some tips to think about when planning a yoga retreat;

  • How much can you afford?
    Set yourself a budget, start here and set yourself a budget. Most retreat costs do not include airfare, keep this in mind.
  • Who are you travelling with?
    Many retreats are based on double occupancy and the price increases if you are a single occupant, while others offer shared accommodations. Decide if you are looking for a solo journey, a journey with you partner, friends or use it as an opportunity to make new ones.
  • Meals;
    Make sure you read the fine print and determine what meals are not included in the price and that you will be responsible for.
  • Type of Yoga:
    If you are going to take a retreat with a teacher you have never practiced before, find out as much you can about the teacher and what style they teach. Many retreats offer two classes a day, are you going to be happy with the teacher.
  • Other Activities:
    What other activities are included in the retreat? Tours, events etc?
  • Free Time:
    How much free time do you get to explore and be on your own?
  • Where do you want to go?
    We are lucky living in Vancouver to have places like Galiano and Salt Spring Island to find a retreat close to home. Decide where you want to go; somewhere far (Europe), somewhere closer (California), somewhere tropical (Costa Rica) and see what’s in your budget.

These gloomy rainy days have got me looking deeper into the yoga retreat wish list. Here are a few that are on the top of my list;

Have you been on a yoga retreat? What did you like or not like?

Finding Your Own Meaningful Mantra

Alison Boons / Reflections, Thoughts / , / 0 Comment

Most of us are familiar with “Aum,” or “Om” as it is referenced in the West, as not only the opening but the closing of your yoga practice. While many teachers do not use any mantra in their classes, many do and although “Aum” is the most common and the root of all mantras there are many more that you may hear or even grow to love as you embark on different lineages of yoga and different teachers.

From the Ashtanga Invocation to various Kundalini mantras that are used throughout the class, we are introduced to the idea of using mantra in our yoga classes and slowly become familiar with them. 

When finding our own personal mantra do we have to use pre-existing ones? Not necessarily, but there is certainly something to them. A mantra can be as simple as a phrase that you repeat to yourself over and over again, a reminder to yourself everyday that there is a purpose to your action. While we have the opportunity to explore and hear all of these beautiful words, we also have the opportunity to create our own, take them from our favourite songs or poems or even quotes finding whatever resonates with us.

A Mantra is clearly defined as;

A sound, syllable or group of words that is considered capable of “creating transformation.”

My Bedroom Wall

Perhaps you have come across a mantra in yoga that really speaks to you, that touches you deep to the core every time you hear it or perhaps you have created your own or even have yet to come across something that talks to you.  Personal mantra’s or affirmation are likely to progressively change as we move through our lives based on the challenges and opportunities that face us, but how do you even begin to find your “mantra?”

While not an easy task to find something that fits you and speaks to you here are some steps when considering your own personal mantra, whether you make your own or find one;

  • What Do You Want to Achieve? What is your passion, what do you want from your life? Take a look at where you are today and the challenges that are before you, what would help you get where you want to be?
  • Positive Language! Look for things that use positive language. By changing your language not only in the use of a mantra but everyday, you can change your life. Look at the difference between “I will” and “I want to.”
  • Choose a Few! Nobody said you only have to have one. Can’t decide take them all, and write them down!
  • Visualize! Post your mantra somewhere that you will see it every day, whether that’s on the bathroom mirror, or the front door. Leave yourself a constant reminder!
  • Repetition! Find ways to bring your personal mantra into your life, share it with others, make modifications that make it more suited to you.

Finding your own personal mantra can be a challenge, when there is so many to choose from. Remembering to look inside to find what really touches you, that makes you feel good, that brings a smile to your face and leads you to YOUR definition of happiness or where you want to be in your life.

One of mine;

“Everyday, think as you wake up: Today I am fortunate to have woken up. I am alive. I have a precious human life. I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself to expand my heart out to others for the benefit of all beings.” ~ 14th Dalai Lama

Do you have your own personal mantra? Please feel free to share in the comments below.

Stretching Into New Possibilities

Leeann / Reflections, Reviews, Studios, Styles, Teachers, Thoughts, Tips / , , , , , , , , , / 0 Comment

When it comes right down to it Yoga is basically a form of stretching.

From stretching your ability to breathe; lengthening your inhales and exhales to stretching your mind’s capacity to quiet down, to become silent for longer and longer periods of time. To go further into the practice where it becomes not so much about the asana (postures) as it is about the ability to let go of desire, to allow for the spirit to move into the space you have created.

But really in the beginning, for me, it was all about the stretch, the movement into silence came later.

So sometimes I am surprised when people say: “Yoga?!! Oh, I could never do that”.

I try to ease them into it by saying: “Well, have you ever done any stretching after going for a walk, a run or any type of physical activity”. Actually most people have done some type of stretching in their lives. I ask them to start there; allow yourself the space to just stretch into yoga.

The asana are really a specific type of stretch; especially Yin Yoga where you stay closer to the ground and hold the stretches for a longer period of time.

As I am in my third week of recovery from an operation, I decided to try a Yin Yoga class at Yyoga Flow Wellness on Burrard Street.

The instructor, Megan Johnson, put everyone at ease by stating that as with all yoga, the length of the stretch is all up to the individual. I talked to Megan before class about my concerns and she was very reassuring by stating that although Yin can be very intense, I should allow my body to decide and just be very gentle.

I was game for that.

We started in Sukasana (easy cross legged), opening with Pranayama to settle into the space and relax into our bodies.

She then guided us slowly into little stretches of the neck where we allowed our head to drop to each of the shoulders, increasing the stretch by allowing one arm to lengthen to the floor.

Megan told us to deepen into the stretch, come to your edge and then breathe and settle in. But only go so far as to touch your edge; always bring it back if you feel any pain. Yin is about becoming comfortable in the stretch and then holding it for a specific length of time.

For the next 8 poses we stayed close to the ground, deepening our breath and allowing the body to relax.

What is interesting about Yin is that it is not about moving fast from one pose to the other, it is all about lengthening, stretching, breathing and relaxing into the pose, letting go and finally settle for awhile.

Yin does specific things that complements other types of yoga. It allows for a deepening of the stretch which in turns strengthens your muscles by creating little tears that the body repairs. Stretching into the deep connective tissues: the fascia. This is how the body keeps supple. That old saying: “use it or lose it” really does hold true for the body. To keep your body young and flexible, you need to actually use/move it. Yin is a gentle way of moving it.

Megan took us gently into this type of stretching, which is exactly what I needed after a few weeks off from yoga. Her voice is very calm and reassuring. She asks nothing of you except your willingness to try.

If you would like to give Yin Yoga a try, I can easily say it is something anyone can step into if you have done some stretching in your life. Remember that the length and depth of the stretch is always up to you, only go as far as your body allows and try to be kind to yourself. Yin only gets intense if you push yourself further than your body is willing to go. Remember to keep that ego in check.

You might notice that as you stretch further into your body, you might find yourself stretching into a yoga practice that is perfect for you.

(source: theyogafitnessguide.com)

Baby Steps

Leeann / Reflections, Thoughts, Tips / , , , , , / 0 Comment

As mentioned in a previous post of mine, I have just recently had an operation; an operation to remove my gallbladder and gallstones. As this is right in the region of the core muscles, and having practice yoga for over 13 years, I was nervous as to how this would affect not only my ability to practice but also my ability to teach.

When I asked my surgeon how long my recovery would take the expected response was “as long as it takes, it depends on each individual”. What about yoga, I asked. Again the response, “take it easy and play it by how you feel; your body will tell you how slow or fast you should go”.

When he said that I was curious, but also hopeful that my body would tell me what was okay, hopeful that my mind would not get in the way of my recovery. As we have all experienced, the mind has its own set of rules, expectations and judgements. Sometimes these expectations are perfectly reasonable. Other times we can be very critical on ourselves.

As I am just on the early side of recovery I am hoping I will not fall into any false expectations or overly critical judgements of myself, but really I won’t be surprise when I do. It is natural to set up goals for oneself. I am hoping that if I keep reminding myself to take it easy, be kind and just accept whatever happens as being exactly what is supposed to happen, things will be fine.

I know that at least I have a foundation of yoga within me. That yogic breathing sets one up to regulate the body, to slowly calm and focus the mind away from all the rushing thoughts and expectations back to what is truly important: to remain focused on the breathe and try to relax.

It is also important to note that when trying to manage pain, a three pronged approach of yogic breathing, relaxation and meditation has be proven to help. According to an article in WomenFitness.net, meditation can have a 40% reduction in pain intensity. As muscles tend to relax when exhaling, it seems only logical that to extend the exhalation could only help reduce any built up tension. When in pain there is an increase in stress and tension, as the body tries to push the pain away. But by allowing yourself to remain focused on your breathing, allowing yourself to relax, this gives you an opportunity to move through the pain rather than resist it.

Of course this is all about taking baby steps back to a practice that is so important. I am hoping that if you or anyone you know are dealing with an injury or possibly chronic pain that you will continue to give yoga a try. And please remember to be kind to yourself.

(source: weightlosssteps.net)

5 Ways To Make Your Practice Your Own

Taya / Reflections, Thoughts, Tips / , , / 0 Comment

1. Follow your teacher’s instructions during class, but do your own thing at home. Did you learn the “proper” way to sequence a class during a workshop or teacher training? Try it that way for a while (so you know you understand how to protect yourself from injuries), then throw it out the window. There are no absolutes in yoga. Experiment and find out what works for you.

2. Practice a lot! Practice at home. Practice at work. Practice in your car. Practice at the grocery store. Practice while you do dishes. Practice at the dog park. Practice at the beach. Practice before you fall asleep at night. Practice… well…you get the point… Eventually, you’ll find your own rhythm, breath, and style, but it takes TONS of practice…

Click here to read the rest of this article.

Practicing Ease

Leeann / Reflections, Thoughts, Tips / , , , / 1 Comment

Are there times in your practice when you feel like you can give it your all and other times when you can hardly get on to your mat?

Our lives are so busy these days that adding one more item on to the list can feel over whelming. If you have a regular yoga practice you may have come to the realization that yoga definitely helps with dealing with the stress in your life. But sometimes you just don’t have the energy to get yourself to the mat.

I have noticed that if I can get to my yoga class, sit on my mat, start breathing that everything else in my life falls away, if only for an hour, but I end up feeling much better than if I just lounged on my couch for an hour.

The trick I find is to remember the reason why you have come to yoga. It is not to compete with your neighbour or even yourself. That is the Ego talking. The striving to always out-do yourself can not only add stress but also misses the true gift in yoga.

Peace or the gift of equanimity; a state of even minded openness that allows for a balanced, clear response to all situations, rather than a response borne of reactivity or emotion, can come through a regular yoga practice. When you are always reacting to events and situations rather than just calmly observing these events stress is added to your life. By always striving to get better results there is no joy in life as you are never satisfied.

We live in a culture where striving for results colors our every endeavor. The chatter of our mind is constant; how much did I accomplish today? Did I meet /exceed my quota? Is there something else I need to do to make myself feel complete and purposeful? Why is it never enough?

Having a regular yoga practice can help you to recognize where, when and how you get caught up in the results. It also clearly shows your reaction/attachment to those results; either good or bad. When practicing your asana (postures) you might start to notice your internal running commentary; I got deeper into my breath yesterday, I had more energy, and I got lower in my Utkatasana.

All these judgments on yourself create stress and is counter- productive to your growth and ultimate happiness. If you allow yourself to step back from the experience; with all the things attached to it, such as; thoughts, emotions and pure sensations, by not getting caught up in a reaction which would have you identifying with those thoughts, emotions and sensations that would give you the peace you need.

To just purely experience things without attaching any emotional baggage gives you the ability to calmly remain balanced in any situation.

To practice with ease will bring you closer to the pure joy awaiting you in yoga.

Namaste

(source: topnews.net.nz)

6 Tips to Deal with the Elephant in the Room

Alison Boons / Reflections, Thoughts, Tips / , , , , , , / 2 Comments

Okay so I’m just going to say it! Many of us our ruled by our emotions! 

{Source: http://www.function1.com}

 There’s the over emotional, unemotional or those who deny emotion. There are the people that react or overreact or just act, or the people who are boisterous, quiet or confident all of which are tied to our emotions. Sure our emotions encompass our personalities, but they shouldn’t have to define us. Our patterns, actions and behaviours, that result from our emotions, can be “trained” without changing our personalities, but for some reason we seem to grow up with this disconnect. 

What are emotions exactly? Well, according to the dictionary; 

Emotion is the complex psychophysiological experience of an individuals state of mind as interacting with biochemical (internal) and environmental (external) influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves “physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience.”Emotion is associated with mood, temperament, personality and disposition, and motivation. Motivations direct and energize behavior, while emotions provide the affective component to motivation, positive or negative. 

Therefore, those individuals who say they aren’t “emotional” are wrong. They are, they just don’t see their anger or aloofness as an emotion. So what are we supposed to do with all of these emotions in our lives?

Well, here are 6 tips to begin dealing with the elephant in the room; 

  • Be Aware– Start to take notice of how you interact with the world. Notice when you are acting or reacting or even overreacting. While in the moment your emotions may not let you see this, take a moment after a conversation or any social interaction and review how it went. Were you polite, interruptive, reactive to their thoughts, beliefs or opinions, this affects you and them!
  • Practice Patience –  While a fairly simple concept, be patient with yourself and others around you. Remember that everybody has to deal with their own emotions and while you may not like the way somebody interacts with you, remember you don’t know where they were or what happened to them 5 minutes before they saw you. Take a deep breath and let it go, maybe they are dealing with something really hard, don’t take it personally.
  • Keep a Journal – Keeping a journal is a great tool to “get it all out” or make sense of the clutter in your head. It is a great resource to say the things you wish you could say but feel you can’t, and to “let go” of everything that weighs you down.
  • Do One Thing a Day That You Love – Whether its yoga, or a hike or a run, or something a simple as reading a chapter of a book. Take that 10 minutes or 2 hours to do something for you! Your emotions and your soul will thank you and your presence will show that happiness to all.
  • Be Authentic –  There is a way to express your feelings, desires and emotions to those that surround you without causing them any ill emotions in return. Don’t do the things you don’t want to do if it doesn’t serve you, but let people know why. “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” ~ Dr. Suess.
  • Breathe – You know in the heat of the moment that you are either angry or upset, take a moment to breathe before reacting. Remember that everybody has problems, challenges and obstacles in their lives and we can interact and still be our own person without being ruled by our emotions.

Our emotions shouldn’t define who we are, and while they can make all the difference in our lives by building lasting emotions of love and happiness, they can also make us live a life of bitterness or sadness. Remember, when you wake up in the morning you have a choice; choose to smile!

Take Your Mat Out: Outdoors Yoga

Sophie Legrand / Tips / , , / 1 Comment

Practising yoga outdoors is a real treat, and now that the good season is finally coming, it’s time to think of that spot in your friends’ garden, at the park or on the beach, that will make a great setting for a more natural practice.

Here are a few tips:

  • Try to choose a place in the shade and orient your mat ensuring that the sun will not be blinding you each time you go through your salutations!
  • If shade is not available find a good sunscreen and sunglasses that won’t fall off your nose when you are in downward dog.
  • Have some fresh water handy.

On the grass:

  • Make sure the ground is even and get rid of twigs and stones.
  • Use a thick mat, or two thin ones, or lay a big thick blanket on the ground
  • If mosquitoes and flies are buzzing around, invest in a insect repellent incense or citronella candles.

[Source: http://pee-jayhearts.blogspot.com/}

On the beach:

  • If the sand is thin, mats are not ideal, but you can practice on a towel, the main challenge on the beach is the instability of the ground for standing poses.
  • It’s a fantastic practice ground for arm balances. You might choose to build your practice around abdominal strengtheners, backbends, seated poses and arm balances such as crow, handstand, side crow, and eka pada koundinyasana.

Finally get plenty of fresh air in your lungs and enjoy the breeze on your skin!

21 Beautiful Benefits of Yoga

Tanya Lee Markul / Reflections, Tips, Yogis / , , , / 23 Comments

There are many positive and wonderful benefits that we can gain from the practice of yoga. On a physical level, yoga cleanses and strengthens the body. However, these physical benefits are simply a side effect of this powerful practice. Yoga also harmonizes the mind and body making them work in sync. When this happens this opens up the opportunity for us to attain what we thought were unattainable feats. We are so often unable to perform optimally due to stress, confusion, negative emotions, self-doubt and other conflicts of the mind. Yoga can help to correct this.

Here are just some of the tangible benefits that can be achieved through the practice of yoga.

Yoga can help to…

  1. relieve anxiety, depression and stress
  2. increase self-confidence
  3. improve your mood
  4. alleviate anger and hostility
  5. improve concentration and motivation
  6. improve memory
  7. improve reactions times
  8. improve metabolism
  9. improve posture
  10. improve your sleep
  11. improve balance
  12. prevent migraines
  13. delay aging by stimulating detoxification
  14. relieve constipation
  15. alleviate allergy symptoms
  16. reduce blood pressure and pulse rate
  17. help prevent disease by massaging internal organs
  18. help improve your immune system
  19. heal the body and prevent injuries
  20. make you more flexible and strong
  21. enhance a sense of awareness, overall consciousness and gradually lead us toward self-realization

What have you experienced?

13 Tips for Overcoming Cravings

Tanya Lee Markul / Food, Tips / , , / 2 Comments

Many of us can’t resist desserts, sweets, french fries or ice cream. And, many of us succumb almost immediately to our cravings and often feel bad about it later. This often becomes a cycle that is repeated over and over again and those of us who can’t overcome cravings often struggle with weight, health and are not living as optimally as possible. However, it is possible to overcome cravings.

Here are 13 tips for helping to beat cravings. Enjoy!

1. Question the craving. Before digging into something deemed not quite healthy, like that second piece of chocolate cake, ask yourself if this is really something your body needs or wants. Chances are that if you have to ask, you don’t need it.

2. Consider the impact on your health. It is important to think about the nutritional benefits of everything you consume. You don’t have to be a nutritionist to know that a handful of cashews is better than a donut.

3. Be aware of the vicious cycle. If your diet or cravings consist mostly of processed foods rich in fats and sugar, then you will most likely only want more. These types of food do not have an adequate nutritional value so the body will crave more. In order to break the cycle, you have to make healthier decisions and give the body what it needs.

4. Take your time. Remember to not only breathe and take your time while eating, but also take your time when choosing what to eat. If you only have a few minutes to decide, use that time wisely or choose a healthy snack to hold you over until you can consume with peace of mind.

5. Use self-control. You know what it is, you own it and it’s always there. Learn to channel it, manifest it and use it. You can do it.

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6. Get physical. Yoga and exercise have many great benefits for the body and mind. Getting the body in good physical condition will positively influence you to make good choices.

7. Keep it simple. Don’t get caught up making rigid regimens or a bunch of rules in order to be healthy. You know what is healthy and what is not. Just relax and make awesome decisions.

8. Listen. You can learn to listen to your body to differentiate between hunger and cravings: to know when your body needs to be replenished or if it’s just nerves. You can also learn to identify when you are craving in order to fulfill an emotional gap versus an actual physical need.

9. Limit the amount of alcohol. Cut back or eliminate alcohol. Most of us have experienced that being intoxicated or hung over does not help us make healthy decisions. Enough said.

10. Get enough rest. A rested mind and body helps us feel more at ease with life. Not enough sleep makes us stressed and intolerant. Rest helps the body heal and refuel. It helps the mind be more calm.

11. Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water, herbal tea and fresh fruit and vegetable juices. Often times our hunger can be triggered when in fact we are only thirsty.

12. Want what is best for your self. Having a positive mind set will help motivate you to make good decisions. You deserve it. Believe it and want it.

13. Be sincere. Commit to wanting to be your optimal self. Don’t treat being ’healthy’ as a diet or fad. Make it a life change. Make it who you are right now.

Unhealthy cravings can develop into repetitious, poor habits that last for years and can have adverse effects on the body and mind. It’s never too late to change and develop better, healthier habits.

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