If you have spent any time investigating or trying to improve your health, you know it is comprised of many of things. While at times you may feel like it is your diet that needs improvement, the following week it is your stress level or how much sleep or exercise your getting, etc.

Over the past decade, I have seen hundreds of people come in and out of my office. From Iron men and women to professionals working 80 hours per week and everything in-between, all of whom struggle with acheiving optimum health.

Did you know that the body is most capable of regenerating, fighting disease, solving problems and functioning optimally when we are relaxed? You are even more likely to make healthy food choices when relaxed.

As you begin to relax your whole system begins to slow down. Even your brain begins to change. From a staccato Beta to a relaxed Theta brain wave, your mind slows down which enables you the ability to think, feel and operate much more effectively. Healthy stress levels and activity play a major role, but the key is balance.

So does this mean that all we have to do is relax? If we all knew how to truly relax, yes. But here in lies the challenge. What we often think of as relaxation, is merely coping with the day to day stress of life. An after dinner drink, tv, movies, going to a bar. You may feel like they help you unwind after a long day, but the side effects of all of these things actually make our bodies work harder in various ways via stimulation or detoxification.

True relaxation nourishes the body. And while a restorative yoga class can be a great way to deeply relax, there are countless other ways that take 1/10th the amount of time or can be incorporated into your every day life.

For instance 5 minutes of deep breathing, 5-10 minutes of slow stretching, sitting on the earth for 5 minutes with bare feet, a bath, singing (out loud ;) 5 minutes of gratitude, 5 minutes of day dreaming or positive affirmations. Or any of the 5 minute examples listed above, you can do while you are washing dishes, doing laundry, vacuuming, etc. And there are many many more to add to this list.

What simple tasks do you do on a daily basis? Instead of tuning out or rushing through, what nourishing thought or breathing exercise can you incorporate?

So here is where the act of mindfulness really starts to show itself. Whether you sit down and practice a breathing technique or do laundry and breathe deeply for 5 minutes, it is easy to become distracted. The key to overcoming distraction is Mindfulness.

As we begin to practice mindfulness (the practice of observing our thoughts and behavior without judgment) we begin to learn about ourselves on a new level. We build a relationship with our mind and body simply because we are listening. For example, we may begin to notice that a food is bothering us before we get heart burn, or that we need to readjust our seat before our back begins to ache, or that while we have been doing something for years that we actually don't like doing. We just did it out of habit.

As we practice mindfulness, it slowly makes its way into our daily life. We become more productive, less harried, more intuitive, less confused, more energetic, less stressed... Because we are more tuned into our bodies instead of distracted and numb.

As we learn ways of getting the body into a relaxed state through mindful practices, we open doors that naturally move us towards better health. During this process, we can support our selves by paying attention to what we know i.e. balanced exercise & diet, stress management and taking time to have some fun. As we slow down and relax, we can better listen to what our bodies truly need. Then you can better navigate the countless bits of information that tell us what is and is not healthy.

We all have the ability to sense much of what is best for us. As you fine tune your ability to listen to the innate wisdom of your body (i.e. the more truly relaxed you are), the better health you will have.

For more information on relaxation and mindfulness, please feel free to contact me via email or schedule a consultation.

How Does Relaxation & Mindfulness Improve Health?

Kari

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