How to Achieve Spiritual Health and Balance in Your Life

Life can certainly seem off-balance and out of control at times. In fact, sometimes it seems like harmony is forever out of reach. It seems that we are always juggling too many things, and trying to keep them all in order is an impossible task. There are some things you can incorporate into your life, however, that can help you achieve spiritual health and balance. Here are some suggestions to consider to bring balance back into your life.

* Control - Identify what you can control, and what you can't. Once you recognize that you don't have to be solely in charge of keeping every ball in the air in your daily juggling act, you can let some of them go and focus on the ones that you can control. Diet, exercise, and learning new things are all activities and lifestyle choices you can influence and control.

Fresh vegetables are important components of a healthy diet. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* Diet - Instead of obsessing over weight loss and what the latest superfood is, take an honest look at your diet and make some healthy adjustments. Start small, incorporating real, whole, fresh foods and work toward a balanced diet. It's amazing how much more balanced your life can feel when your diet is.

* Exercise - Any exercise is good as long as it is regular, but if you really want to enhance your spiritual health and achieve balance, engage in exercise that promotes that. Martial arts, Yoga, Pilates, Qigong, and other meditative, stretching exercises benefit the mind, body and spirit.

* A higher power - Engage in prayer and/or meditation on a daily basis. It helps shift your focus off of your problems and onto the spiritual world. It puts things in perspective.

* Herbal tea - Drinking herbal teas can help you toward your healthful goals. Perhaps you need a relaxing blend, or maybe a stimulating one. Tea drinking is actually part of the religious ceremonies in some countries. It connects you to nature and promotes a peaceful spirit.

* Gratitude - Try to cultivate a sense of gratitude in your life. When you are grateful for what you have, it makes what you don't have much less of a concern.

* Sleep - Getting adequate sleep is important for mental, physical, and emotional health. It is a key component of achieving balance in your life.

* Mantras - Internalize a wise saying, verse of scripture, philosophical phrase, or whatever inspires you. Write it down and put it on your bathroom mirror, coffee maker, by your computer monitor, or wherever you will see it every day.

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* Nature - Get out into nature. Many of us suffer from an inadequate "dose" of the outdoors, making our lives an imbalanced experience of indoor-only living. Connection with nature helps the spirit, too, and enhances spiritual health. When you can, incorporate elements of nature into your indoor living space too - such as potted plants, flowers, and more. (See Thursday's post for some ideas for incorporating nature into your indoor decor.)


And for more on balanced, holistic living, visit www.newholisticliving.com. 

Video: 20-Minute Detox Yoga Routine

As we discussed on Tuesday, exercise is imperative in your detoxification efforts. Exercise should be done daily as well - not just during a cleanse! This will keep your body healthy, strong, and rid it of toxins on a regular basis. Yoga is a great way to detoxify your body - it detoxifies your lungs, your muscles, relieves stress, calms digestion, and even removes toxins through your skin if you do it hard enough to sweat!

This 20-minute yoga workout is designed to encourage detoxification and improve digestion, as you flow through a relaxing series of poses that will stretch, strengthen, and relax your entire body.

(Note: Remember to consult your healthcare provider or personal trainer before beginning any new workout routine, especially if you are at a low fitness level.)

Detox Yoga | 20 Minute Yoga Flow for Detox and Digestion
Join Adriene for this sweaty cleansing Yoga For Detox practice! This detox yoga sequence is designed to make you sweat as you build strength and twist it out...


 For lots more fun yoga workouts and more, visit our Fun Ways to Exercise page!

7 Exercises to Detoxify Your Body

A thorough detoxification program must include exercise.  Exercise that causes you to sweat aids detoxification as sweat helps remove poisons from your body.  Exercise also promotes healthy circulation and overall fitness.  No matter what method you are using for bodily cleansing, exercise can augment it.

Here are some good exercises for cleansing and detoxification:

1. Walking

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a basic, gentle form of exercise that is good for those doing a cleanse for the first time, or just undergoing an overall change toward a healthier diet.  Walking works most of the major muscle groups, and increases heart rate and circulation. It also increases your breathing, leading to increased detoxification through the lungs. Plus it's an easy and fun exercise to do with friends - so you can socialize while getting healthy together!

2. Stretching

Stretching is very good for muscle health.  It helps prevent the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles.  Do you know that sore feeling your muscles can get the day after a workout?  That is from lactic acid accumulation.  Stretching, simply put, gently opens up the muscle fibers and allows toxins to move out.

3. Yoga and Pilates

More than just stretching, yoga involves specific stretches and exercises that promote relaxation and balance.  Pilates consists of many movements that help relax and rejuvenate muscles while toning as well.  Yoga and Pilates can both help reduce stress, which is important in body cleansing, because constant stress can cause toxins to accumulate in the body.

4. Martial Arts

Like yoga, martial arts include the movement of body energy as part of the exercise program.  From slow, smooth, stretching types of martial arts like tai chi to more active arts like taekwondo, martial arts include meditation, discipline, balance, and technique with the benefits of exercise.

5. Swimming

Swimming is easy on the joints, and is a wonderful way to get a full-body workout without jarring joints or feet.  See if you can swim in fresh water, or in a pool that uses ozone rather than chlorine to clean the water, so that your body is exposed to less harmful chemicals. Remember that your skin is porous, and can absorb toxins easily, so swimming in chlorinated water can actually cause more harm than good.

English: Biking (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

6. Bicycling

Going for a bike ride exercises more than just the legs; the core muscles in the trunk also benefit from strengthening.  If you are outdoors (rather than on a stationary bike), breathing fresh air helps cleanse the body and relieve stress.  Like swimming, bicycling is easier on the joints than walking or jogging. And it can be done with friends or family as well.

7. Bouncing on a trampoline   

Who would think something so fun could aid cleansing and build healthy body tissues?  The secret is in the force - when you come down onto the trampoline, the gravitational force that your body experiences increases.  The higher you bounce, the more force when you come down.  The body responds to this increased gravitational force by building stronger tissues and cells.  All organs and muscles can benefit from being strengthened.

To conclude, exercise is an important part of cleansing your body of impurities.  These are just a few different ideas of exercises that can be used to help with detoxification. For more fun and beneficial ways to exercise, plus free weekly workouts, visit our exercise blog at: http://nhlnewfunwaystoexercise.blogspot.com/

7 Cool Weather Activities to Elevate Your Endorphins & Reduce Toxins

If you have exercised at all in the past, you know how good you feel afterwards. The reason for the rush of energy and improved outlook after working out is because the body produces chemicals called endorphins. These chemicals cause what is often called a “runner’s high” where pain and discomfort disappear and a sense of euphoria is common. Vigorous exercise also helps rid your body of toxins, both through your lungs and sweat glands. So not only do you feel better, you actually are healthier!

You don’t have to work out in a gym to get these benefits of exercise. In fact, most strenuous activity will produce these results. Here are seven cool weather activities that will help elevate your endorphins and cleanse your body of toxins this fall.

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1. Running is an activity most people can do. It’s great for burning calories and for cardiovascular health in addition to giving you an endorphin boost and ridding your body of toxins through sweating and heavy breathing. If you’re new to running, start out slow and add just a few minutes to each day until you reach you’re desired speed and distance. Don’t forget to wear a good pair of running shoes to ensure your feet are safe from injury and comfortable.

2. Hiking and backpacking are great activities for cooler weather. Check your local area for ready-made hiking paths or backpacking trails. If you don’t want to go alone, call your local park and recreation office to see if they have any resources for group guided hikes. The fresh air of the outdoors will help cleanse your lungs and invigorate you.

3. Bicycling has long been an enjoyable year-round activity. The benefit of bicycling during the cooler weather is that there is less risk of heat related illnesses. In popular tourist areas, you may find less traffic during the cooler season too.

Horseback riding. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

4. Horseback riding is another activity that people enjoy year-round. Scout your area for riding stables that offer guided trail rides. Guided tours, especially those that provide the horse too, will charge for their services but the exhilaration you will feel afterwards will be well worth it.

5. Tennis can be played any time of the year, but playing in the cooler weather will make it more pleasant. Sure, you will still break a sweat, but the cooler temperatures and possible breeze will refresh you as you play.

6. Backyard football is not only for young boys. Adults can enjoy a good game of touch football and the endorphins produced will have you feeling great all day. Gather family and friends to enjoy a game in the yard or a nearby park. You’ll be glad you did.

7. Raking and removing leaves is something many people do out of necessity. But it’s also a great way to pile on the endorphins and relieve toxic stress. Instead of using your lawn mower to vacuum the leaves, grab your trusty rake. Not only will you clear your lawn of leaves but you’ll also clear your head.

Fresh air, crisp temperatures and an hour of vigorous activity is all it takes to elevate your endorphins and help cleanse your body of toxins. Not only will you feel great throughout the day, you will have less stress, clearer skin, more mental clarity and get a better nights rest.

Managing High Blood Pressure - Naturally

High blood pressure is a problem for many people. As discussed in Monday's post, it can lead to a variety of other dangerous health concerns like stroke and heart disease. Luckily, blood pressure is one of those things that it's relatively easy to control by natural means, without resorting to potentially dangerous drugs. To keep yourself on the right side of health, today I'll share a few tips to help you lower your blood pressure naturally. (Please Note: This blog is for educational purposes only, and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult an experienced health care provider if you have high blood pressure or another medical condition.)

Aneroid sphygmomanometer with stethoscope, used for auscultatory blood pressure measurement. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

High blood pressure can be a problem for both young and old alike. When blood vessels are narrowed by cholesterol plaques, it increases the pressure on the walls of the vessels to push blood through. This can lead to a dislodging of the plaque. That can cause strokes.

Unhealthy eating habits can also raise blood pressure. Eating foods high in sodium and other preservatives can put a lot of pressure on the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.

Here are some ways to go about lowering blood pressure naturally. Medicine is a useful resource but making lifestyle changes will last for a lifetime - without subjecting your body to the side effects of chemicals or surgery.

Lowering Blood Pressure Naturally

* Exercise – Exercise has a lot of useful benefits - especially when it comes to blood pressure. It relieves stress and increases oxygenation. Increased cardiovascular health can lower your blood pressure. Avoid exercising right before bedtime, though, or you may have a problem getting to sleep.

A glass of red wine. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* Drink alcohol in moderation – If you don’t already drink, don’t start. But, if you like a glass of wine, try red wine. It is helpful for heart health, and can even help to lower blood pressure. For women, one drink a day has been shown to be helpful, and men should limit their intake to 2 (4-oz.) glasses per day.

* Reduce caffeine intake – There is caffeine in coffee, tea and soft drinks. Caffeine can increase blood pressure by narrowing the vessels. If you already have issues with high blood pressure, adding caffeine can raise it even higher. Those with high blood pressure should avoid caffeine altogether if possible, or limit it to no more than 1 cup of coffee per day at maximum.

* Learn to relax – Stress can be a contributing factor to blood pressure issues. Learn to reduce your stress levels. Try listening to soft music or deep breathing and meditation techniques. A good warm bath can also help drain away stress from your day. Finding ways to cope with stress can help you control not only blood pressure but also other health concerns.

* Cut the salt – Sodium can raise blood pressure if you are sensitive to salt. Don’t just look for salt in the shaker but also in your other food items in the pantry. Processed foods contain a lot of salt as preservatives. This includes frozen "healthy" frozen meals. The average person should consume no more than 2-3 teaspoons of salt per day.  Also balancing sodium with potassium can help (see next point).

* Eat potassium – Sodium and potassium are two elements that work together in the body. The levels are balanced to keep your electrolytes in check. Eating more potassium can counteract too much sodium. Try bananas, cantaloupe, potatoes, beans and raisins. Keeping potassium in balance with your sodium can help mitigate its effects on your body, so eating a potassium/sodium mixture such as Salt Balance in place of regular table salt can be helpful.

If you are having problems with high blood pressure, these simple tips are easy lifestyle changes that you can make to lower blood pressure naturally - you won't spend an arm and a leg on any of these tips, and they are all safe and work naturally with your body to help it regain a healthy balance.

For more healthy tips on lowering blood pressure naturally, be sure to check out Friday's book reviews!

How to Manage Anxiety and Phobias Naturally

Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time. However, when your anxiety or phobia limits you from experiencing life, it’s time to take serious action. Drugs or medications are often prescribed. Yet before you take this step consider managing your anxiety or phobia without medication. Many medications have unwanted side effects, and are essentially very toxic to the brain and body. Natural anxiety-relieving tactics can help you manage your issues without these potential dangers. (Note: If you are experiencing severe depression or suicidal thoughts, you should seek professional help immediately.)

10 Ways to Manage Anxiety and Phobia without Drugs

Image via Wikipedia1) Yoga. Yoga teaches many lessons. You learn to control your breathing. You learn to focus. You learn to relax and connect to your body (which can really tell you a lot if you listen to it). You also learn how strong and capable you are. Combined, this is a powerful tool to manage anxiety. Using what you learn in yoga, you can quickly refocus your thoughts, relax and send fear away. There are yoga classes available everywhere these days, and lots of DVDs as well if you prefer to practice at home.

2) Meditation. Meditation helps you look inward for answers and strength. Like yoga, meditation also teaches focus and controlled breathing. With insight and control you can virtually eliminate anxiety and phobias from ruling your life.

3) Exercise. Exercise boosts endorphins - aka feel-good hormones. These hormones make you feel as if you can accomplish anything. They’re very strong and very positive, and the feeling of well-being in your body will lift your mood mentally as well. (For some suggestions for fun ways to exercise, visit our exercise blog at http://nhlnewfunwaystoexercise.blogspot.com/. )

4) Fresh air. Fresh air and sunshine help clear the cobwebs from your mind. Also, sunshine helps your body produce vitamin D. Vitamin D has been shown to help manage depression and optimize many functions. It simply helps you feel more positive and in control of your life.

5) Cut back on stimulants including sugar and caffeine. Stimulants can actually worsen anxiety and fear. Cut them out of your diet. You’ll be healthier and you’ll feel calmer.

Image via Wikipedia6) Avoid alcohol and drugs. Alcohol and drugs interfere with your body’s chemistry. They can mess up your hormones, alter your brain chemistry and ultimately change your mood and personality - and not in a good way.

7) Positive affirmations. When you’re experiencing anxiety or fear, use affirmations to change your thoughts. Affirmations are positive statements. They help you refocus. For example, a stressful thought like, “I’ll never get this done in time,” can be changed with a positive affirmation. “I am in control and capable of accomplishing this task in a timely manner.” It may sound simplistic or even cheesy, but it can sometimes help a lot.

8) Visualizations. When you’re in a stressful situation consider using a visualization to help you relax. For example, you might imagine yourself sitting on a grassy hill watching a beautiful waterfall. Choose a visualization that helps you feel relaxed and calm. Go there when you need to.

9) Friends. Friends can be a great help when you’re feeling anxious or fearful. A simple phone call or text can help you relax. Friends are also good for laughter which is one of the BEST tools to combat anxiety - and it's free!  :-)

10) Get help. Finally, if these natural methods are not working for you consider getting therapy. Talk therapy, massage and other professional methods of assistance can help you find balance in your life, naturally.

It is possible and even preferable to treat anxiety and phobias naturally. Medications have the potential for dangerous and unwanted side effects, and can wreak havoc on your mind and your bodily systems. By using some of the methods above, you will learn that you can control your thoughts and live a less fearful and more balanced life. (For more info on balanced living, visit http://www.newholisticliving.com.)