In this day and age, there are so many diet fads and fitness crazes. One could make themselves rich if they were to receive a dollar for every pound lost and gained on each one. Eating right and exercising are essential for healthy living.
Granted, that could be dubbed the most unpopular sentence in the world as we are on the cusp of Thanksgiving Day, but nonetheless, it’s still true. Another fact of healthy living is that in order to maintain the youthful, vigorous energy needed to live an active life, you must take care of your mental health, as well. Below are a few tips on how to do just that.
Reduce The Bad Stress
Stress is the number one killer of a healthy mind. Unfortunately, it’s unavoidable. We have to work to pay the bills that keep piling up. Then, we must spend the rest to take care of our family’s needs such as food, clothing, and field trips. That’s just the beginning. Our boss’s bad day usually means a bad day for us.
Traffic jams, slow lines at the register, and worrying about things we simply don’t have any control over sets things in motion that can irreparably damage our bodies. The stresses listed only account for our daily lives. The stress of buying a new home, or getting the news that a loved one has been in an accident, or finding out that you have an incurable disease are stressors that can inevitably take years of our lives, but only if we let them.
Keep a journal close by. Sometimes, it helps to have a place where you can talk about your day in a way that no one will ever judge. You could try scheduling some time with the punching bag. A workout is a great way to release some of that extra cortisol, a most unpopular stress hormone. Take some time to sit back with your favorite tunes. It might sound childish, but put on those headphones and lose yourself for awhile in the land of musical therapy.
Volunteer
One of the greatest ways to improve your mental health is to do for others. There are so many opportunities to give and needs that have to be met and there are so few people willing to help. Take some time to give back to those around you. Sign up for your child’s PTA group and donate your time to helping make sure your child and his/her schoolmates have the appropriate supplies they need to succeed in class.
Sign up for the Salvation Army. This wonderful group of people help feed the hungry, house the homeless or at least make sure they are warm, and help struggling adults find work through the Dress For Success program. If you are a little tight on time, reach out to the Angel Tree program which helps children of inmates have the Christmas their imprisoned parent can’t provide.
Donate money to local churches. The majority of them buy gifts and food for families in need year round. Helping out without the thought of receiving in return will give you a sense of purpose and will boost the gratefulness you have for the stresses you don’t have to face.
Indulge in Some Dark Chocolate
Have you ever noticed that when you have a really bad day that a good dose of chocolate can pep you right up? There’s a reason for that. Dark chocolate, especially, has a great deal of anti-oxidants. These anti-oxidants do all kinds of good things for us. Number one, they are great for taking the steam out of the stress hormone, cortisol.
This is the hormone our body releases when we face a stressful situation. Too much of it has been known to raise your blood pressure, create an environment perfect for strokes and heart attacks, and add to weight gain. The flavanols in dark chocolate have also been known to increase retention of memories. Remembering where you left your keys could help most days have a much better beginning.
It’s important to note, the reason dark chocolate is preferred over regular chocolate is because of its sugar content. Dark chocolate has a higher concentration of cocoa, thus the need for the added sugar is negligent. Sugar is not a great thing for a healthy brain. So, if you are looking for a sweet treat that will keep you on your mental feet, choose the dark chocolate.
Diet and exercise are great for maintaining a healthy body, but if you want to give yourself the gift of a a long and meaningful life, take care of your mind, as well.
