Lifestyle Choices

Regardless of income, background or lifestyle, modern women have no excuse for being badly groomed. We can all transform our appearance simply by bothering to attend to details — and a little regular care and attention doesn’t take as much time as you might think. Here are some guidelines.

Hair

Clean, conditioned and well-cut. Individual needs obviously vary but, at minimum, have your hair trimmed every 6-8 weeks. (more…)

You should visit your dentist at least once a year (more often if it’s suggested) to check for cavities and to have your teeth professionally cleaned.

If you wear braces or a retainer, your teeth require special orthodontic care. Many young girls hate their braces, but what’s a few months, or even a year or two, of mild discomfort for a lifetime’s worth of beautiful, healthy smiles? Remember, orthodontia is more thy n simply cosmetic; it’s a real health plus, too, insuring that your teeth are aligned correctly and performing their proper function. Result: stronger, healthier teeth and gums and, as you get older, fewer teeth lost and bridges. (more…)

Even more important than the food you eat is the air you breathe and the way you breathe it. They can affect how you feel emotionally and physically, how your skin looks (for cells of the skin are dependent for their metabolic processes on a constant supply of enough oxygen), how much vitality you have, and even how clearly you can think.

Because breathing is the only one of your body’s functions that can be either completely involuntary or voluntary, it can form a bridge between your conscious and unconscious functions. This makes it possible to look at your breathing to find out how you are feeling and what is happening to your body. It also means you can use breathing to change your energy level or your mood. (more…)

The Decanter

This exercise stimulates the nervous system and at the same time stills a restless or anxious mind. I like doing it after I have been working in an immobile position for a long time—for instance, when I have been at my desk writing for several hours. I do it just before I get up to move about.

Sitting comfortably in a chair with a straight back or cross-legged on the floor, imagine that your body is like a decanter, the bottom of the decanter being your pelvis and hips and the top of it your head. Pretend that you are going to fill it with energy in the form of air. (more…)

1. When you breathe, breathe with your whole chest and abdomen too. Most of us breathe only with the top part of our body, which means we are not fully lowering the diaphragm and expanding the lungs and so are not making use of their full capacity. This kind of restricted breathing stifles emotional expression and is often linked with anxiety, depression, and worry. To check for abdominal breathing, put your hands on your tummy. Does it swell when you breathe in and sink when you breathe out? It should. Lying flat on a firm surface, practice breathing fully and gently until you get the feel of it.

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Wilhelm Reich (1897-1957), a pupil of Freud, extended analytical ideas on repression of thought and feeling to include the physical level. He showed that people literally tense against an uncomfortable or socially unacceptable thought,by tensing muscles and thereby creating an “armouring”, rendering the body physically less vulnerable. When the body is harder, the person feels less vulnerable emotionally. Many people are aware of their bodies tensing in a tense situation, for instance, their necks stiffening in a moment of anxiety. Lowen and Pierrakos, both patients and pupils of Reich, took the best ideas of Reich and developed what they called “bioenergetics“. In this form of psychotherapy they made use of physical movement to help release old tension patterns, which Reich had recognized to be related to old patterns of thought and feeling. (more…)

When it comes to acknowledging your own self-care, we believe there are a few basics you need to tick off your list first:

Breathing is something that many people take for granted. What is good breathing? When you are breathing correctly, your diaphragm muscles are used to their full advantage. You have a relaxed, natural flow of breath through your nose into your diaphragm. Your breath should be slow and deep, allowing the best oxygen intake. What can go wrong? When you are under stress or ill, the flow of oxygen may be impeded, leading to shallow breathing. This means that you only breathe into your upper chest, which limits your intake of oxygen and makes you breathe faster to compensate. Breathing through your mouth instead of your nose can also create a problem. When you breathe through your mouth there is less muscle resistance compared to nose breathing. Therefore your diaphragm muscles are not used properly and full breath extension is not achieved.

Correct breathing plays an important role in your health and well-being. Your breath affects your nervous system, which in turn affects your heart rate, blood pressure, blood flow to organs and muscles, and breathing rate. Hyperventilation Syndrome is a common problem caused by incorrect breathing. Some of the symptoms include breathlessness, palpitations, frequent yawning, anxiety and panic attacks, and sexual problems. If you suspect you might have breathing problems, have a look at the book Hyperventilation Syndrome in the bibliography. A specialised respiratory therapist can also help you with breathing problems.

(Yoga classes are an excellent way of combining good breathing and relaxation. If breathing is your focus, choose a gentle class. Tell your teacher about your concerns.)

The relaxation technique will have the effect of quieting your mind. If you find your mind wandering, donot be frustrated. Simply return your focus to your body and breathing and keep going. Being able to deeply relax open up new reservoirs of strength for you to deal with the challenges of daily life. Try this simple exercise:

1. Lie down on a firm surface with support under your head if you prefer. If you suffer from lower-back pain, place a pillow under your knees as well.
2. Close your eyes and breathe naturally. Move your attention to the top of your head. Relax as much as you can. Now frown and squeeze every muscle you can in your face. Relax your forehead, eyebrows, eyes, ears, nostrils, jaw and mouth and let them all go. Breathe gently.

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Here are some ways you can check your breathing and maintain health and vitality through good breathing habits:

1. Become aware of your breath.

2. Make sure you are breathing through your nose, not your mouth.

3. Check the stress levels in your life and try to make changes where needed.
Mental and physical stress is the number one cause of health problems. (more…)