Caring for Your Mind, Body and Soul

A holistic approach to health involves caring for your mind, body and soul. No longer is it just about physical fitness; it has to be the entire package deal! It only makes sense to care for every single important faculty of your being, because face it, how can you be truly healthy if you're a psychological and emotional wreck underneath that perfect size six body?

Here are five great tips to get you started on the road to holistic self development and satisfaction.

Eat healthy. Self development starts with a healthy constitution and that means following a well balanced diet. Nourish your mind, body and soul with foods sourced from natural, chemical-free ingredients such as organic greens, hormone-free dairy products and whole grains. The vitamins and minerals you derive from such foods keep your bodily functions in balance, make you less prone to illnesses such as the common cold, help stave off depression and give you that overall glow that no cosmetic product can ever match. Eat right, eat well and eat in moderation.

Say goodbye to harsh chemicals. If you're still using very strong chemicals for, let's say, your house cleaning products, trash them now! Not only do they harm the environment, but they also expose you to substances that can wreak havoc on your health. If you've ever cleaned your bathroom using industrial-strength bleach, then you know how the scent alone can make you dizzy and leave you irritable afterwards. Its unseen effects, on the other hand, are what it can do to your lungs; bleach fumes can burn your lungs and leave permanent scars in you. Get rid of all harmful substances from your cupboard and stick to natural sources to protect your mind, body and soul.

Activities For Senior Citizens - How Hobbies and the Mind Body Connection Work

Hobbies have a mind body connection, they are important activities for senior citizens and are an important part of healthy aging. Active seniors are proof that you can enjoy better health and have fun doing it.

Research studies have shown that leisure time and physical activity promote a healthier lifestyle. Our bodies are meant to be active and move. Many, as they age, tend to become increasingly inactive, preferring to watch TV to help pass the time away. Finding fun activities for senior citizens can change that.

Active seniors are involved and participate in what life has to offer. Hobbies give an individual a reason to get out and share with others. Whether it is painting, building model airplanes or playing cards the benefits of a hobby can be an increase your chances for improved physical, social and emotional well being.

It is important to have regular leisure time physical activity. Anything that promotes moving and being active will benefit you as you age. The health benefits of staying active are a delay or prevention of a chronic disease such as: heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and arthritis. Physical activity also promotes brain fitness. This can help delay or prevent dementia or Alzheimer's.

Participating in a variety of hobbies helps many cope with the stressors of life. How you react and respond to different situations in life affects your health. Stress and anxiety can lead to poor health. Active seniors are involved and lead a more balanced life.

ody Methods to Decrease Pain and Increase Healing of the Body

This article provides the nuts and bolts of a solid mind-body healing routine to incorporate to stay connected and decrease pain.

A side note on learning new stuff- adding new routines and actions to your life is building skills. The great news about building skills is that we can do it until the day we die (YAY!). The part that is important to recognize and keep in mind is that it feels awkward and hard when we first learn anything new. If we can keep that in mind, we can stay curious and open to our experience of learning, as well as be kind to ourselves while we move through the part that feels all weird and contrived. After a while, it feels like second nature. That is the beauty of our brains.

The very first thing I do in the morning is 5 minutes of stretching and deep breathing in bed. I do a quick scan of my body, and do some deep breathing into any parts of my body that feel sore or not so good and offer those parts of my body some appreciation and love. Sometimes, I "sense" clear messages from those parts of my body, sometimes not. I then do a few stretches. This practice is a quick way for me to connect with my body, first thing. It sets the tone for my day. If I don't make this happen, it can often lead to a day gone awry.

Next up is a mind dump for 5 - 10 minutes. I spend time writing, free-form, whatever comes up in my head. The writing it down part is critical for me to catch the ongoing stories that I tell myself about who I am and the world I live in - often I find that the stories are connected in some way to the pain in my body (in fact, a lot of times the pain I may be feeling in my body will dissipate dramatically during my mind dump). It's the negative thoughts and beliefs I'm concerned with - the stories with lots of "can't", "should" and "have to's" thrown in. This gives me lots of fodder for changing my stories through The Work.