
Photo by Edu Lauton
The calm that comes after a satisfying workout. That light feeling after catching up with a good friend. That overwhelming problem? Well, it seems more manageable after eight hours of sleep.
There are many ways in which the mind exerts influence over the body, and the body over the mind. One influence is in the way we fuel our bodies. The old saying that we are what we eat? There's some truth to that. That's why we always try to fuel our physical self with nutritious food and drink that help us thrive—and why we love the Daily Blend drink from our friends at LIFEAID. Filled with natural ingredients designed for optimal health and vitality, their Daily Blend helps to reduce stress, and its consequential physical inflammation. We really feel the mind-body connection when we drink it—and tap into a more holistic vision of our health.
Of course, these kinds of helpers aren't the only way to to make sure your physical heath is supporting your mental health, as well as the other way around. Here are 5 other ways to hone your holistic wellbeing—both physically and mentally.
Get moving.
We all know it’s good for your body, but did you know aerobic exercise also has many effects on your brain? When exercise increases blood circulation to the brain, it influences the way the body reacts to stress. Thirty minutes of jogging or dancing causes the brain to send out calming messages to its limbic system (which controls motivation and mood), the hippocampus (memory, motivation and mood) and the amygdala (this one generates fear in response to stress). It really is possible to dance your worries away! Gardening, walking, swimming and yoga have similar benefits, either practiced alone or with a group for an extra mental boost. Getting focused on fitness also distracts from the day’s worries, and makes you feel good about yourself for taking positive steps in doing something nice for yourself. Stress can cause a range of negative symptoms, like high blood pressure, and getting active can help counteract or reduce these effects. If that’s not enough, other mental benefits of activity include improved sleep quality, more interest in sex, higher endurance, stress relief, better mood, increased energy, more mental alertness, healthy weight maintenance, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and higher cognitive function.Eat and drink well.
In with the good! Feed your brain what it needs to thrive—omega-3s and zinc help increase connections between brain cells. Choose foods that feed a healthy gut, too. Probiotics help strengthen the digestive system, which in turn benefits the immune system and decreases inflammation. Studies show a healthy gut may even produce brain-benefiting B vitamins. On the other hand, poor nutrition has been linked with mood disorders, learning delays and more—it’s just hard to function without the right fuel. Feeling stressed? Herbs like chamomile and lemon balm can help you feel more relaxed, naturally. Same goes for your drinks... Step away from the soda and alcohol! Companies like LIFEAID create lines of beverages specifically designed for all sorts of mental wellbeing, as well as physical.