How To Have A Robust Mental Health - Part 3 - Nutritional Ways And Holistic Treatments

How to Live well mentally and physically...

We cannot control what happens to us in our lives, the experiences and events in our lives that happen to us. We can't control what other people do, we can't control how our life pans out, we can't even control the weather! All we can control is how we respond to the life experiences that we face, the circumstances and the external situations.

It's how we deal with them when they happen, we each have a choice what we do and how we act and behave in certain situations and what we do and how we feel about things.

There will always be things to worry about or fear, but it's our choice how we deal with the situations that we face. We all have a choice to see the situation for what it is, accept that there are things that we have no control over, all we can do is to be ourselves, to be balanced in our knowing of who we are, what we are doing each day to help ourselves and to live our lives to the best of our ability and to make the most of everyday. This is all that we can do. We need to manage our expectations, for us all to value ourselves enough to be able to look after our everyday needs and to accept what is.

That is all that we can do. We need to focus more on what we can do, instead of what we can't do and to avoid the fear, doubt, worry, anxiety and pain when it is unnecessary.

As a qualified mental health practitioner and a holistic life coach, I help people to grow and to become more acquainted within themselves and to improve the quality of their lives, or to improve their performance by talking through problematic situations.

I help people to set and achieve goals, improve their relationships, improve personal effectiveness. By helping to direct a person along a path leading from their present state to their desired state. To what it is that they want or need more of in life.

I have found that the health and wellbeing ways that I will be sharing with you in this blog post, such as the right nutrition, supplementation, exercise and treatments and therapies which I believe are the nuts and bolts that we all need to know and that we all need to follow, that allow us all to live well mentally and physically and to have a healthy robust mental health:

If you haven't done so already, please check out my last two blog posts on ways that you can have a healthy and robust mental health blog posts that are within this series. Please check out the first 3 ways here... and the last 3 ways that can help you to have a robust mental health... Lets continue to our last and most important step to living a robust and healthy mental health...

7. To Be Healthy -

To have a robust mental health, we need to have a healthier body and a healthier lifestyle to help you to find more joy in your life.

Mental Health really does come from within! With my 25 years as a qualified massage and beauty therapist, reflexologist and holistic therapist and Mental Health Practitioner, I know the importance of a healthy body and a healthy digestive system and gut health, and it's effects on our mental health issues - such as depression and low moods.

Not only that but also the effects on other areas of our body. Especially your skins health, the health of your hair, tension aches and pains in the body, circulatory issues, weight issues, hormonal issues, etc...

All of these issues effect our mental health also and how we are feeling on a day-to-day basis.

That is why the following lifestyle steps are key to helping to maintain a healthy mind and body and to help boost your mood...

1. Nutrition

Nutrition is the key to a healthy and robust mental health and mental wellbeing. Nutrition can affect your mental health and researchers are indicating that their is a robust link between good nutrition and mental health.

It is true that YOU really are what you eat and consume of daily. Consider your health in one year, five years and in 20 years from now, which all depends on the nutrients that are absorbed by your gut today. Your gut health today influences your wellbeing and health of all areas of your body and mind in the future.

You could eat all the healthy foods that your stomach can hold, but if your gut isn't primed to receive them, your health and mental health may still suffer.

Gut health has become a popular topic in the health and mental health world, and for good reason. Research is in support of a robust gut and that digestive health can affect every part of your body and your risk of disease and mental health conditions.

Think of your gut as your home base. It is often overlooked and defiantly underestimated. Your gut is the central control station of your body. Everything that you consume goes into your gut, starting in your mouth, to your stomach, to your small and large intestines nutrients are absorbed and assimilated and then moved to where they need to go throughout your body and then the waste of that you have consumed is removed through the anus.

Our human gut is host to a highly complex ecosystem of microorganism; their function, interaction and various other functions are still a big mystery to modern science. Gut flora alone comprises of an astonishing 95% of the total number of cells in the human body. Meaning you have 10 times the number of microbes than human cells. These microbes weigh about 2-3 kg's. You gut garden is as unique as a snow flake, no microbiome is the same.

While much yet remains undiscovered, we do have a developing understanding of some of the main bacteria existing in both the large and small intestine. There is a growing body of evidence that the therapeutically supplementation of probiotics and digestive enzymes may be helpful in various specific condition. I will explore the science, their uses and various benefits.

Human’s gastro intestinal tract consists of over 400 different species and more than 100 trillion total bacteria. Friendly and bad bacteria form a delicate and constantly changing balance, as they compete to take hold and remain ahead in the game.

The Fundamental of good health depends on how you Absorb, Assimilate and eliminate your food and nutrient. All of these processes are reliant upon the friendly, symbiotic bacteria that inhabit the digestive tract.

Without a good bowel health, your whole body will not be able to function optionally. A healthy gut contributes to a strong immune system, heart health, brain health, improved mood, healthy sleep and effective digestion. This will then give you a healthier body and mind.

If you want to enjoy a robust mental health, good health, this can only be achieved if your Colon (Your Gut) is clean and healthy and fully functioning as it should be.

The Food We Eat

That is why we need to be seeking out foods in their natural, unpolluted state and preparing them in a healthy and wholesome way. We need to avoid the modern farming and food processing methods of our staple ingredients of the typical western diet, such as wheat and diary. The processing that they go through, which were originally wholesome food, is now indigestible and toxic to our system. Instead of buying everything from your supermarket, check out your local health food shop or farmers market for organic and bio-dynamically grown foods that are available. If we can afford it, go organic, it cuts down on the toxins that are in foods and is better for the environment.

Eating more fibre in your diet is key to a healthy gut and for it function fully. Its really important to consume soluble fibre (such as oats) as it has more absorbent qualities and tends to be more water retentive. Which makes it more 'gentle' on the digestive system and is often better for people with sensitive bowels than eating insoluble fibre such as wheat bran.

Also its important to give your body some variety of healthy food, eating something different each day for your breakfast, lunches and dinners. Giving your weekly meals a thought each week. It is also a good idea to eat at regular times each day as your body likes routine. If the body expects food to arrive at a particular times it produces adequate digestive enzymes to assist in efficient food breakdown at these times.

The key to a healthy diet is to avoid any processed foods, to eat fresh vegetables, like lots of leafy greens, largely plant based, as much organic produce as possible, oily fish, very little sugar and alcohol.

The Top Foods And Drinks That You Should Actively Avoid Are:-

Caffeinated beverages, one to two cups of caffeine in the morning are safe for most people. However consuming more than 3 cups daily, especially in the afternoon or evening, increases your likelihood of sleep problems, which leave people feeling more tired and sensitive to stress. Common sources of caffeine include coffee, tea, cola and non cola soft drinks, energy drinks and chocolate. This also goes for alcohol. If you are drinking these throughout the week and weekend. You will run the risk of draining vital stores of key nutrients including magnesium and vitamins B and C.

Processed Sugar and artificial sweeteners, cause the bodies insulin levels to spike. Any food and drink that has added sugar in them. This includes diet sodas, fruit juices, they all have added sugar in them to make them taste sweeter. Its best to avoid these, as they will not help.

Limit your intake of sweets and other sugary foods - these can cause rapid shifts in blood-glucose causing people often to become irritable when their blood glucose levels are low. Eating any sugary sweets or sugary food, even as a snack can quickly raise blood glucose levels in the body and then lead to a sudden drop of blood glucose levels and can cause you an impatient and irritable mood.

Meat, especially red and processed meats. Aim to reduce your intake of saturated animal fats by keeping your intake of red meat to a minimum. If you eat meat, then eat grass-fed meats, ensure that the meat has been farmed with care and consideration for the animals welfare, as well as fresh sustainable fish. Its important to take steps to build your digestive strength because meat is much more complex to digest than other foods and it will putrefy in the gut if our digestive system is not strong enough to cope with it, or if we eat it too often. Its important to cook your meat with digestive herbs and spices, to exercise regularly to speed up your metabolism and consuming it only in small portions once or twice a week rather than every day.

Diary foods, especially milk and eggs to a minimum.

Processed foods, especially baked goods, like flour baked goods, cakes, crisps, white

bread, white rice and any sources of refined sugar or any fast food. Avoid trans fats found in hydrogenated oils - used in processed foods, such as vegetable oils, non - hydrogenated vegetable oils, in baked goods such as muffins, cakes, pastries and doughnuts, margarine, lard, non diary coffee creamers, crackers, pre-made dough, microwave popcorn, crisps, fried fast food such as fried chicken, battered fish, hamburgers, french fries and fried noodles, sausage rolls, pies and pizza's. The trans-fat concentration increases each time the oil is re-used such as with french fries and hamburgers which are often cooked in vegetable oil, which is trans fat.

Also avoid eating white bread, our digestive systems are not designed to eat processed white bread, the intake of gluten in wheat over many years is believed to be one of the causes of bowel problems. White bread also contains no fibre, vitamins nor minerals. Fibre is what your gut needs to help break down food. White bread is made from fine rolled milled flour that is produced so quickly that the starch it contains remains so wrapped up, that our digestive system is unable to get into it. It then ends up becoming undigested food and gets stuck in the colon and the lower bowel area.

Bread made from traditional stone ground flour is easier to digest because of the millstones crack open the wheat, allowing our digestive enzymes to reach the starch and can be easily be broken down. Eating more bread like Sourdough which is more digestable and is better for people who suffer from IBS. When choosing bread your best to read the label. You want to make sure that the bread of your choice has at least 3-4g of fibre and does not include an ingredient list as long as your arm, and doesn't include any artificial dyes, added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and any other 14-syllable words you can't pronounce.

Foods And Drinks You Should Be Having:

Eating more green vegetables, Lots of Leafy greens - such as Kale, Spinach, Broccoli, Swiss chard are all packed with stress fighting nutrients and magnesium which is a mineral especially important when you are stressed. Also cabbage, cauliflower and Brussel sprouts, which all have anti-inflammatory properties.

Oily fish, such as salmon, herring, sardines, Mackerel and anchovies, trout, kippers all have high amounts of omega 3-fatty acids which can help alleviate anxiety.

Plant based diary free alternatives, such as coconut, nut milks or tofu.

Berries - such as raspberries, blueberries blackberries and strawberries all are high in Vitamin C and antioxidants, which helps your body cope with the impact of stress on your body.

Beans - black beans, all lentils and lima beans are all rich in magnesium, that is a mineral the body needs to provide relaxation and calm to the body. As well as kidney beans which all have a lot to offer in terms of nutrients.

Nuts - such as Brazil nuts which contain selenium, which could help improve mood, Almonds and walnuts can help lower blood pressure levels. Nuts and seeds are also high in magnesium, that all help as a relaxant and better anxiety management.

Eat more wholegrain oats, - Ideally organic wholegrain oats and soaking them overnight can reduce phytic acid as raw oats contain concentrated amounts of phytic acid, which can hamper your body's natural ability to absorb minerals like calcium, iron and zinc. You can also eat more wholegrain brown rice and sweet pototoes all are complex carbohydrates that help the body to release serotonin, which can help to improve your mood.

Dried fruits such as figs, prunes, apricots, seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower, sesame seeds, as well as beans like kidney, black bean and legumes like lentils, which all have a lot to offer in terms of nutrients.

Dark Chocolate - which is rich in antioxidants and full of protein and fibre and supports a healthy mood. It could help to lower stress hormones in the body, but only a good high quality dark chocolate ( I recommend eating 85-90%+ dark coco beans only) and to eat it in moderation each day, such as a small piece about 1oz. Make sure it doesn't contain any unnecessary added sugar.

Citrus Fruits - such as oranges, grapefruit and strawberries which contain vitamin c - Vitamin C could help ease stress levels and decrease anxiety levels.

Eggs - are referred to as natures multivitamin as they are packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants needed for healthy stress response.

Drink plenty of fresh water, everyday, as I mentioned above. At least 2 litres a day

Try incorporating some of these foods into your life and meals to naturally promote stress relief.

Eat fewer processed carbs, avoiding foods that have been processed should be limited as they are less nutritionally beneficial for you and are more likely to include added extras such as sugars, salts, that can all upset the natural balance of your guts flora and fauna by increasing inflammation and disrupting your cognitive functions and mood.

My advice is to read the food labels, if it has a huge label and list of ingredients, it may mean that there are too many processed ingredients in it. Processed food has no nutritional value, there are no nutrients in the processing of food, all of the good stuff has been stripped off and your left with empty calories that can only increase weight gain and mental fatigue.

I also would recommend the following when out shopping:

Never go shopping for food when hungry - always eat before you go for your food shopping, otherwise you are more likely to buy more or buy more carbohydrates and sugary foods, which is the opposite to what you actually need.

2. Do not bring foods into the house that you know are tempting for you. - This one is key to living a healthy life and can be a massive help when you are trying to reduce your food and drink temptations.

3. Try giving up the one food item that you feel is your greatest weakness, such as chocolate or alcohol for example. Give it up for a week, then try another one. Do this in rotation so that you don't feel like you are being deprived.

If you struggle to eat healthy and well or with any of the above, please contact Ravi, my husband who is a fully qualified Nutritionist and Full trained International Chef for the past 20 years. He could help advise and guide you on the foods that can help you to maintain a healthy body and mind, during periods of stress or a busy schedule. You can contact Ravi here and schedule in a free 15 minute call to discuss your health and wellbeing concerns with him. He would be happy to help.

Remember:

Success doesn't come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently. Being consistent in what you want to achieve, its about consistently showing up each day to get things done, make things happen, to get up when you say that you are going to get up, it's about being mindful of the things that you do on a day to day basis. It also means that you are clear on what you want to accomplish and that you are taking the necessary steps to reach it, no matter what it takes.

Like it or not, being consistent is essential if you want to make a significant change in your life. It's about how you live your life? how you act and behave? What you set out to do each day? And what you do consistently over and over again to get something done.

It's a commitment that you make to yourself and to others and keeping your word to carry out what you've agreed to do. It also reflects your values and your standards as a person.

Your doing what's required right now to achieve a better outcome for yourself. No one else is going to do this for you, it's you and you alone that can help to transform the way you feel, but this comes with dedication, self-discipline and a healthy lifestyle and eating habits.

Being consistent is a great habit to have for a healthy robust mental health. If you struggle with keeping a plan together, such as eating well, exercising, looking after yourself and your daily responsibilities, setting time for your working life and home life. It can become a struggle and can massively effect the way that you feel.

As a mental health practitioner and life coach, I have found that people who struggle with consistency often have these character traits:

Have a lack of patience
Lack clarity and focus
Lack discipline and dedication
Have an "all or nothing" mindset

That is why having a plan, an idea of where you are heading towards, especially if you wish to achieve something. Because without consistency you are more likely to fail and get stuck again and again, until you get up, make a plan - What is it that you want and why do you want it? And then stick with it day in and day out until you get what it is that you want to achieve... i.e a healthier body, healthier life and happier mood?

Ask yourself these questions honestly and truthfully:

Q. Are you ok in making a decision regarding your health and to actually take some steps to make things happen each and everyday and to stick with them to see them through?

Q. How will you know that you are making progress?

Q. What is the first thing that you must do today to be able to move forward in your life?

Ways to Help you to Become More Consistent in your life and in your health:

Make sure that you schedule your priorities each day, when you are trying to make something consistent in your life, you really want to build you whole life around it, rather than trying to fit it in. So you need to schedule it in to be successful.
If we are struggling to be consistent, it's also really important that we ignore and override that inner voice that says " I don't want to do it" I don't want to do anything!"' I can't be bothered!" We have to say, no this is what we need to do, especially if we want something, this is the only way that we will get it, by being consistent with ourselves and what we do each day. We have to change the way that we think , otherwise we will spend our days doing nothing, sitting on the sofa binging on Netflix series, and eating rubbish and nothing will change in our life.
Start with one thing that you want to achieve, don't do too much to start with. Create specific and realistic goals that you want to achieve. Create easy, simple steps with specific measurable results.

You will already know what is important for you, and that you are living life to the best of your abilities. This is when we become more grounded and disciplined in our life. Where you can make wise decisions regarding your health and your life.

2. Supplementation

As we already know that good nutrition is vital for building up mental resilience. But taking some essential vitamins and mineral supplements can be a great way to improve your physical and mental health as well as helping to boost your mood also.

Just like other organs in our body, our brains also needs a helpful dose of vitamins and minerals to function well. If you are deficient in them, you are likely to experience problems related to your cognitive functioning, your feelings and emotions as well as your mental health and wellbeing. Here are some key Supplements and nutrients that can help you to have a healthy mind and mental outlook...

Supplementation For A Healthy Robust Mental Health:-

Magnesium - This is your sleep and relaxation mineral. Taking a magnesium supplement or using a magnesium spray daily to use on your skin can help to reduce tiredness, fatigue and is also vital for the normal functioning of the nervous system and psychological health. Magnesium is required for the manufacture of adrenal stress hormones, helping with adrenal fatigue and its relaxing effects on the nerves and muscle functions of the body.

Magnesium is involved in the production of melatonin, which is the hormone in the body that controls our sleep cycles. It's also the mineral that is essential for our energy metabolism and how we feel. During stressful and anxious times, magnesium is more depleted than ever, without sufficient magnesium levels in your body, you will experience more stress, anxiety, frustration and adrenal fatigue. That is why it is important to take a magnesium supplement everyday to balance your mood and your mental wellbeing.

Vitamin D3 - the sunshine Vitamin - A lack of vitamin D3 can contribute to depression. That is why taking a Vitamin D3 supplement daily is vital for optimum brain function and a positive mindset, mood and mental wellbeing. Especially more so during the winter months here in the UK, when there is less sunshine for us to receive Vitamin D.

Omega 3 - taking a good quality Omega 3 supplement that you can put in the fridge, and that has a high EPA and DHA. Which are fatty acids that are found in fatty fish and fish oil. Fatty acids in fatty fish are polyunsaturated fats that are responsible for most of the brains mental health. As it is crucial for normal brain function and development throughout all stages of life. It can also help to improve depression and mental health wellness.

B Vitamins, including B3 - are single handedly one of the most essential nutrient groups for the brain. In almost all its forms, Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6 and B12 help in the transportation of neurotransmitters and alleviates the symptoms of depression, stress, anxiety and the slow down of mental decline as we age. They also help to support the nervous system, they can help you to feel less tired, they can also help with your memory and help you feel like you have more clarity. When you feel stressed or anxious, your B vitamins can become rapidly depleted, which can make you feel worse than you already did.

Taking a good quality B- complex supplement daily can have beneficial effects on your well-being, self-confidence and your mood...

Vitamin C - Extra strength Vitamin C with bioflavonoids. People who are deficient in vitamin c are often fatigued, depressed or have adverse mood.

Some studies have shown that people who have lower than normal vitamin C levels found that their mood improved and lowered they're anxiety levels, after taking an extra strength high quality vitamin C supplement.

Vitamin C also works to clear the body of excess cortisol produced during times of stress. Less cortisol in the system often translates to a reduced feeling of stress and anxiety. Vitamin C also prevents blood sugar levels from spiking during stressful situations. It also helps to improve cognitive functions.

A Good Probiotic supplements with varied species. (Improves Gut ecology) - Probiotics are live bacteria that have beneficial effects not only on gut health and your immune system. But also on your mental health, the gut-brain connection.

Probiotic bacteria is now believed to have an indirect effect on the brain as it regulates serotonin, which improves your mood and improves anxiety and depression symptoms. As much as 95% of our serotonin is made within the lining of our digestive tract. They literally lift your mood.

But anything like antibiotics or some medications can deplete your gut microbes, so that is why it is really important to get a good probiotic, capsules if possible, and buy a good quality probiotic that needs to be kept in the fridge. Look for a multi-strain probiotic which contains at the very least L.acidiophilus strains and Bifodobacterium species.

Having healthy levels of beneficial bacteria in the gut could help to calm and elevate your mood and your bodies ability to cope with stress.

Ashwagandha - This isn't a vitamin but is an ancient medicinal herb and an annual evergreen shrub, commonly known as a winter cherry. And is commonly known as Indian ginseng. It is known to calm the body and the mind, as well as giving you natural energy. It's ideal for stress and anxiety and can lower blood pressure and increase the immune system. It also helps prevent the depletion of vitamin c. It can also help to improve sleep. It can also help to reduce symptoms of mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. It can also increase brain function and cognitive abilities

You can take it in capsules or as a powdered or liquid form and you can include it in drinks, such as tea and juices.

Here are just a few ways that you can keep your mental health well.

Remember that none of the above can replace a healthy diet and healthy eating, so shouldn't be used as a replacement, but alongside your healthy eating habits.

We can change and we have the opportunity to grow, as soon as our desire to change becomes greater than our desire to remain the same.

3. Adequate Exercise

Researchers have found that exercise can elevate mood, reduces stress and anxiety, and improves physical health.

Exercise is good for getting mentally and physically fit. It builds your confidence, and generally gives you an easy measure of improvement.

Any form of physical exercise is an important holistic stress management strategy because:

It releases endorphins, which produce positive feel good feelings.
It expels the hormones and other byproduct that are produced and maintained in the body when the stress response is triggered.
It reduces future stress reactivity.

It is always best to choose an exercise or a physical activity that you enjoy, otherwise you will be less likely to make a commitment to a regular practice.

If you suffer from stress and anxiety, it is best to avoid any type of intense competition or high risk exercises or activities that leave you feeling more tense than when you first started or if it upsets you to lose or to perform poorly. This type of activity wouldn't be helpful to your mental health and stress response.

Instead look for exercise that are most beneficial for stress. Give yourself some pleasant exercises to do everyday.

To maintain a healthy body and fitness regimen, it is recommended that you exercise for at least 20 to 40 minutes per day (depending on the intensity of the physical activity) ideally 3 to 5 times a week. The main goal in exercise is to increase your heart rate at a comfortable pace that doesn't interfere with your breathing.

Always allow enough time to warm up prior to your exercise and to take time to cool and stretch afterwards.

It's also best to avoid eating a heavy meal before exercising, its best to wait at least 2 hours after you have eaten before you start your exercises. And to wait at least 30 - 45 minutes before eating.

And most importantly, stick with it, find ways to motivate and reward yourself.

One of the best forms of exercise is dancing; it is fun and a natural expression of joy. You don't need any formal lessons - just trust yourself enough to follow your natural instincts and go with the flow with some of your favourite songs.

Do you need to be consistent about your exercise habits?

Our bodies are designed to move. Exercising regularly brings a whole heap of health benefits both short and long term to every aspect of our mental health. Such as it increases energy, improves brain function, mood and reduces levels of anxiety and depression as well as improving your digestive health and allowing your digestive system to function fully and consistently.

Regular exercise, preferably in the fresh air daily is key to a healthy bowel and gut health. It does not have to be in large amounts and it doesn't have to be intense, it can be 10-15 minutes of walking, two to three times a day outside, as long as its done consistently every day. It is also important to do many different types of exercise and find the type that you enjoy doing, such as walking, hiking, cycling, jogging, skipping, dancing, swimming, aerobic exercise or taking part in some sports such as football, tennis, hockey, netball, squash, rowing etc... So regular exercise is key.

Some tips to get you moving each day:

Cycle or walk to work/shops in good weather. If you take the bus why not get off a stop or two earlier and briskly walk the last section of your journey
Set a regular reminder throughout your working day, such as every 30 minutes, to stand up from your seated position and to move your body with a few dynamic stretches to engage your muscles and increase blood flow.
Take a walk with colleagues on your lunch break, aim for about 30 minutes or more, if you can, walking and talking is a great way to increase your heart rate!
Standing desks have become popular in the work place recently. You don't have to stand all day, alternating between standing and sitting increases muscle activity in your legs and body.
When watching TV perform small exercises during the ad breaks, such as 10 squares on the first break, 10 sit ups on the second and 10 jumping jacks on the third.
When talking on the phone or brushing your teeth, pace the room or walk up and down the stairs.

Moving more combined with regular exercise could greatly contribute to your overall mental health and wellbeing.

4. Adequate Sleep

On average, UK adults sleep for less than six hours per night; below the seven to nine hours sleep recommended by the National Sleep Foundation.

With women getting an hour’s less sleep on average than men (six hours vs. seven), they are also more likely to say they aren’t getting the right amount of sleep, and are currently suffering from insomnia. Sleep disruption is very common among many of the ladies and men I have met over my 25 years in this profession, with more than two thirds (67%) of UK adults agreeing their sleep is often disturbed, rising to nearly three quarters (74%) of women.

Here at Pure Bliss Holistic Therapies, we know how vital your sleep is to your health and well-being of your body and your mental health. Especially busy women with family, work, home and life commitments that find them struggling, with just a few hours of sleep each night.

There are many reasons as to why sleep patterns can be interrupted but once they become irregular, a lack of sleep can impact the mind and body in a very negative way. By utilising the various techniques available to you, it is possible to identify issues and to reset sleep patterns so that sleep becomes a healing and therapeutic resource.

That is why we should all aim at getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

Committing to 7-9 hours of sleep per night, and going to bed early and rising early everyday. Keeping a regular sleep schedule will really help your physical and mental wellbeing and health - nap when you need to, just 20 minutes can help you feel mentally and physically refreshed.

We all know how vital sleep is in healing and repairing our body, Your brain needs uninterrupted sleep that allows it to go through all five stages of each sleep cycle. This is especially important for the release of growth hormones, which occurs mainly at night during deep sleep.

If you find it hard to sleep, find ways that can help you to drift off,

like avoiding your iPhone or tablet for at least 2 hours before going to bed.
Set yourself a time each night to go to bed.
Avoid anything that contains caffeine after 3pm
Switch off all electronic devises at least 2 hours before heading to bed and
either jump in a warm salt or relaxing aromatherapy bath for 15mins
or grab a book to help you to relax and prepare you body and mind for rest.
Avoid anything that is too stimulating for your body and mind at least 2 hours before heading to bed.

There are many natural ways to help to induce sleep, this can be anything from essential oils or herbal relaxing teas that can help you to drift off. Whatever you try, try them often and stick to a sleep schedule, your be snoozing in no time...

5. Regular Treatments And Relaxing Therapies

Each day I offer relaxing treatments and therapies to ladies in the Henley-on-Thames area, that can help create relaxation, mental clarity, improves mood and mental agility.

Here are four of my top treatments that I would recommend for mental clarity, relaxation and a more robust mental health

Reiki - is a Japanese energy healing method that is usually done by placing the hands in a series of positions over or slightly above the body.

Reiki allows positive energy to flow into the body through the hands of the practitioner and this balances and heals and re-aligns the energy in the body. Reiki has been scientifically shown to relax the mind and body. It can also help with mental clarity and can help to strengthen the mind and bring more body, mind awareness to the receiver of Reiki. Reiki can only do good and can never cause harm.

A treatment feels like a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through and around you. Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind and spirit creating many beneficial effects that include relaxation and feelings of peace, security and wellbeing.

Many of my clients have reported miraculous results. I would highly recommend some Reiki sessions to help you to feel more balanced, relaxed and mind calm. In each session I use healing crystals to enhance the natural state of equilibrium.

To book a session please message me here.

2. Reflexology - is an ancient art that dates back to Ancient Egypt, India and China.

Reflexology is a non-invasive complementary holistic healing therapy that can be effective in promoting deep relaxation, wellbeing and balance within the body and the mind.

It can help reduce stress in peoples busy lives and can help in building good mental health and resilience.

It is a touch therapy that is based on the theory that different points of the feet, lower leg, hands, face and ears all correspond with different areas and systems of the body such as the bodies organs which are either mirrored or reflected in areas of the feet, hands, face and ears. By applying different amounts of pressure to the feet, hands, face and ears, this allows the body to release any tension that has built up, allowing vital energy to pass through the bodies systems until it reaches the area in need of healing and balancing.

A reflexologists touch can also help to calm the nervous system, promoting a deeper state of relaxation and other benefits just like any form of massage. Due to calming the nervous system the body then has space and time to heal naturally and to help release any emotional and mental distress allowing your mood to be improved and to reduce stress within.

It helps the body to restore it's balance naturally, reducing tension and allowing you to feel more relaxed and grounded. I highly recommend at least a few sessions, especially if you like your feet being massaged. If you would like to book your first session with me, please message me here.

3. Indian Head Massage - This traditional Indian Head Massage is a gentle healing treatment based on Ayurvedic philosophy, which has been practised by generations of Indian families within their home for centuries.

Indian Head Massage can help with mental tiredness and edginess, anxiety and stress, relief from mental and emotional stress, depression and helps to rebalances vital energy flow, instilling a sense of peace and tranquility and helps to create mental clarity.

I would highly recommend a few Indian Head Massages to feel the full benefits of this relaxing treatment. To book your first session, please message me here.

4. Hopi Ear Candling - is a natural and ancient wellbeing therapy for the ears that has been handed down to us by the Native Americans.

It's a wellbeing ritual for the body, soul and spirit. Allowing the body and mind to feel balanced and in harmony again. It also helps to treat stress, anxiety and creates more mental clarity and relaxation on a deeper level.

I would highly a few sessions of Hopi Ear candling for you to feel the benefits and to create a clearer head and a more relaxed body and mind. If you would like to book your first session? Please message me here.

Other treatments that can help you on your mental health journey, would be having some personal one-to-one Holistic Life Coaching sessions to help you to follow the key stages of having a healthy and robust mental health. Such as - truly knowing yourself, how you can take full responsibility for your life, how to be decisive, consistent and mature in your everyday life and towards your life goals that you have, plus how to develop more strength and determination in achieving the life that you wish to have.

In a Holistic personal Life Coaching session, we can also look at ways to stay healthy and implement healthy nutritional habits, exercise, sleep, supplements if needed and any treatments that can help even more, and to make this your new way of life and your new lifestyle practices that can help to keep your mental health healthy and robust throughout.

If this interests you and you would like to find out more, as to how I can help. Please message me here and I will be happy to help you.

Conclusion:

What it takes to transform your life is to take full responsibility for everything in your life, what you do, how you look after yourself, how you conduct yourself in a day-to-day capacity, the role that you take in your life is your responsibility and no one else's.

What you feed yourself, how you take care of yourself and your health and wellbeing, what you choose to watch and consume through social media and TV, how much sleep you get, when you get up and when you go to bed, how much work you do or don't do, and how you conduct yourself in front of others on a day to day basis.

It also takes decisiveness, commitment, hard work, dedication, self-control, discipline, integrity, patience, perseverance, transparency and authenticity. It's only when we start to develop ourselves in these areas, that we become more responsible and empowered, that we begin to see results.

As a Professional helper, Achologist Practitioner - which is applied psychology - is to help people to grow and to become more acquainted within themselves, and to improve the quality of their lives, or to improve their performance by talking through problematic situations.

To help people to set and achieve goals, improve relationships, improve effectiveness (personal). And by helping to direct a person along a path leading from their present state to their desired state. To what it is that they want or need more of in life.

If you would like to share your comments to the questions that I asked in these blog posts, please do share your thoughts. Plus if any of the questions helped you to see things from a different perspective, or help you to re-clarify your wishes and goals for the future?

I would love to hear your experiences and if this post was helpful to you in any way.

Please Like and share with anyone you think might want to find more clarity or understanding.

And if you feel the need at any point to reach out to me to get the help and guidance that you might need, to help you to move forward and to find some more peace, calm and contentment? Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me. My email address is pureblissretreats@mail.com I look forward to connecting with you.