Month: March 2007

Overall Wellness

Breathe, Just Breathe

YourStellarSelf

One of my first posts on this blog was about breathing. It is such a basic thing, but it is easy to get into the habit of not breathing fully. I know that when I get stressed out, I have to remind myself to slow down and breathe. It’s amazing how much a few deep, full breaths can calm you down. I have been on the verge of being stressed out lately, as many major things are converging in my life at the moment, so I think it’s no coincidence that I happened to come across two blog posts on breathing. I’d like to share them with you.

David Thomas at Glittering Stew Muse poetically describes the process of getting in touch with his breathing, providing a yogic breathing-type exercise in his post The Cycle of Breathing. And Cindy Hebbard’s Wisdom of Healing article, Seven Steps to a Worry Free Day reminds us of things we can do every day to keep things in perspective, and stay calm. The first step is to breathe.

Body

Exercise Builds Brain Cells

YourStellarSelf

While we are all aware of the physical benefits of exercise, more and more research is showing that it has benefits beyond buffness. The cover story for the March 26th issue of Newsweek, Stronger, Faster, Smarter” talks about how science is now finding that regular exercise releases biochemicals that promote cell growth and neural connections. This is even true for areas of the brain where cells have died — people put on regular, rigorous exercise routines actually grew new cells.

Yet another reason to get up off the couch!

Mind

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

YourStellarSelf

An article in the October 2006 issue of Monitor, the magazine of the American Psychological Association, featured a story on the research of Dr. Mark Rosenbaum, who looked at the role of restaurants in providing social support to divorced and widowed individuals. Rosenbaum found that these people received about 60 percent of their social support from the restaurant he was studying.

According to the article, sociologists call businesses that serve as gathering spots as “third places,” because they are the third important social space—after home and work—in many people’s lives. If you don’t have many friends and family living near you, these types of places are a great way to connect with others, to find social support.

Because I am self-employed, don’t work with a group of colleagues, I often find that during the day I crave company, and the energy that comes with being around a bunch of people. So, I will often head out to one of my favorite spots, like my local coffee shops or cafes.

While we are all different in terms of our need for social support, the fact remains that people need people. Research by psychologists and epidemiologists has shown that support from others strongly influences our mental as well as physical health. Positive social support has been found to enhance our self-esteem, and our sense of physical and mental wellbeing. It also reduces the incidence of stress and depression, boosts our immune systems, lowers our risk of all sorts of illnesses, enhances and supports treatment and recovery from illness and addiction, and can even slow biological aging!

So, if you are feeling like you could use some company, why not head out to your favorite local hangout?

Body

Brush It Off

YourStellarSelf

A while back my naturopath recommended that I include dry brushing as a part of my overall healthcare regimen. A technique used for hundreds of years, dry brushing removes dead skin cells and increases blood flow to the surface of the skin, which stimulates the lymphatic system and increases the skin’s ability to eliminate toxins.

To give yourself a dry brush massage, use a soft, natural, vegetable bristle brush (you can find them in most natural food stores). Begin by brushing from your fingers and toes and work in circular motions up your limbs toward the heart. Brush all of your skin, using light pressure, except the sensitive skin of your face and inner things. Finish off by brushing from your back towards your stomach. If you don’t have a body brush, you can also use washcloth or loofah, but the dry brush is the best.

Dry brushing stimulates hormone and oil-producing glands, it opens your pores, removes dry skin cells, helps break up fat deposits, and leaves your skin feeling soft and looking rosy. So brush every day and soon you will have healthy and glowing skin.