Meditating Your Way To A Healthy Mind
Right now, most of us can benefit from committed healthy daily habits, including ways to help keep our minds calm, positive, and focused. While the idea of meditation can be quickly skipped by with an 'it's not for me' (guilty as charged over here), after some learning and testing of the waters, we wanted to share a little more on what meditation is all about, how it can it help with mental and physical health, and ways to start practicing.
Benefits of Meditation
Meditation is a way to focus your mind and redirect your thoughts while increasing awareness. Here are some key benefits:
1) Supports emotional health and reduces stress
2) Increase in positivity & self-awareness
3) Strengthens self discipline, memory & attention span
4) Healthier sleeping patterns
5) Decreases blood pressure and reduces the negative toll stress takes
6) Support the management of depression and anxiety
There are many different ways to meditate, but in this news we are focusing on the Mindfulness and Concentrative forms.
2) Increase in positivity & self-awareness
3) Strengthens self discipline, memory & attention span
4) Healthier sleeping patterns
5) Decreases blood pressure and reduces the negative toll stress takes
6) Support the management of depression and anxiety
There are many different ways to meditate, but in this news we are focusing on the Mindfulness and Concentrative forms.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness Meditation can teach/show us how our minds work. Self-awareness and internal knowledge can help overcome dissatisfaction, negativity, intolerance, and impatience. It includes acknowledging your reality, mindfully observing your thoughts and breath, and learning to appreciate the present moment.
Simple ways to Practice Mindfulness
Pay attention: slow down and notice things — touch, sound, sight, smell and taste.
Live in the moment: try to intentionally bring an open, accepting and discerning attention to everything you do.
Accept yourself: treat yourself the way you would treat a good friend.
Focus on your breathing: when you have negative thoughts, take a deep breath and close your eyes. Focus on your breath as it moves in and out of your body. Sitting and breathing for even just a minute can help.
Live in the moment: try to intentionally bring an open, accepting and discerning attention to everything you do.
Accept yourself: treat yourself the way you would treat a good friend.
Focus on your breathing: when you have negative thoughts, take a deep breath and close your eyes. Focus on your breath as it moves in and out of your body. Sitting and breathing for even just a minute can help.
Structured Mindfulness Exercises
Body scan meditation: lie on your back with your legs extended and arms at your sides, palms facing up. Focus your attention slowly and deliberately on each part of your body, in order, from toe to head or head to toe. Be aware of any sensations, emotions or thoughts associated with each part of your body.
Sitting meditation: sit comfortably with your back straight, feet flat on the floor and hands in your lap. Breathing through your nose, focus on your breath moving in and out of your body. If physical sensations or thoughts interrupt your meditation, note the experience and then return your focus to your breath.
Walking meditation: find a quiet place and length of about 20 Ft. Begin to walk slowly, focus on the experience of walking, being aware of the sensations of standing and the subtle movements that keep your balance. Continue walking back and forth, maintaining awareness of your sensations.
Sitting meditation: sit comfortably with your back straight, feet flat on the floor and hands in your lap. Breathing through your nose, focus on your breath moving in and out of your body. If physical sensations or thoughts interrupt your meditation, note the experience and then return your focus to your breath.
Walking meditation: find a quiet place and length of about 20 Ft. Begin to walk slowly, focus on the experience of walking, being aware of the sensations of standing and the subtle movements that keep your balance. Continue walking back and forth, maintaining awareness of your sensations.
Concentrative Meditation
Concentrative Meditation is designed to still the body and calm the mind in order for higher states of consciousness to be achieved. In this form of meditation, the mind is focused entirely on one thought, object, sound or entity. The intention is to maintain the single-pointed concentration for the duration of the meditation. Examples of focus may be repeating a single word or mantra, on an object like a candle, or visualization of a place. Its key benefits are that it builds patience and mental acuity.
An example on how you can start practicing Concentrative Meditation with a focus on the breath:
1. Sit or lie comfortably.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Make no effort to control the breath; simply breathe naturally.
4. Focus your attention on the breath and on how the body moves with each inhalation and exhalation. Notice the movement of your body as you breathe. Observe your chest, shoulders, rib cage, and belly. Simply focus your attention on your breath without controlling its pace or intensity. If your mind wanders, return your focus back to your breath.
5. Maintain this meditation practice for two to three minutes to start, and then try it for longer periods.
One of our fave learnings: a mind cleared of negative-thoughts, criticism (of ourselves & others) and imposing of limitations, is a stronger, more focused, motivated mind that will help us reach our goals and find a happy state.
An example on how you can start practicing Concentrative Meditation with a focus on the breath:
1. Sit or lie comfortably.
2. Close your eyes.
3. Make no effort to control the breath; simply breathe naturally.
4. Focus your attention on the breath and on how the body moves with each inhalation and exhalation. Notice the movement of your body as you breathe. Observe your chest, shoulders, rib cage, and belly. Simply focus your attention on your breath without controlling its pace or intensity. If your mind wanders, return your focus back to your breath.
5. Maintain this meditation practice for two to three minutes to start, and then try it for longer periods.
Foods That Help Calm The Mind
Try these foods to help calm your racing mind:
- Foods high in Vitamin C
- Fruits & veggies
- Salmon
- Pumpkin/squash seeds
- Fermented foods
- Turmeric
- Asparagus
- Walnuts
- Leafy greens
- Peppermint/chamomile tea
- Cacao
- Avocados
- Adaptogenic herbs
- Tart cherries
- Foods high in Vitamin C
- Fruits & veggies
- Salmon
- Pumpkin/squash seeds
- Fermented foods
- Turmeric
- Asparagus
- Walnuts
- Leafy greens
- Peppermint/chamomile tea
- Cacao
- Avocados
- Adaptogenic herbs
- Tart cherries
- We're all about helping you get your inflammation-fighting and healthy-mind supportive foods. Your daily greens habit is good for the mind and body.
Your Daily Blended Greens Smoothies
Easy Greens & Tropical
New to the world of daily green smoothie drinking or like to keep them easy, but still want immunity-boosting, complete nutrition goodness? Check out these refreshing easy green & tropical blends.
New to the world of daily green smoothie drinking or like to keep them easy, but still want immunity-boosting, complete nutrition goodness? Check out these refreshing easy green & tropical blends.
Deep Greens
We're not messing around here. The green goodness in these seriously nutrient-dense smoothies is for people who want to get down to the business of clearing toxins, packing in antioxidants, and giving their health system a reset.
We're not messing around here. The green goodness in these seriously nutrient-dense smoothies is for people who want to get down to the business of clearing toxins, packing in antioxidants, and giving their health system a reset.