10 Jan Who’s Your Best Friend?
You probably started thinking of a friend from college, or your spouse, or a childhood friend.
Shouldn’t your best friend be you?
Think for a moment about how you talk to yourself. Unfortunately most of us have negative self talk. Oh I can’t believe I said that. I’m so fat. What a klutz. If your friend spoke to you like that, would she still be a friend?
A negative attitude can affect your health. Your body “listens” to the self talk. For example, when you start worrying, or feeling bad, your body will likely release cortisol. Cortisol can drive weight gain, and affects almost every cell in the body. Prolonged cortisol is associated with ill health, like anxiety, sleep disorders, hormonal imbalances, fertility problems, and others.
So how do you stop the negative self-talk? Fake it until your make it. That is, pretend to be happy with yourself, even if you don’t feel that way. Tell yourself good things about yourself. I did a good job. I’m glad I was kind. I deserve some rest. I need to have fun. The amazing thing is that your positive attitude starts to turn into a positive life.
So maybe 2018 can be the year where you are your best friend. You can have a happy attitude and a healthy lifestyle. Tell yourself this is the year I’m healthy. And I have fun doing so. Really. Health can be fun. Here’s how to have a happy path to wellness.
Eat delicious food. I love the old New Orleans cookbooks that were written before low fat became dogma. Anything cooked with the “trinity” of onions, celery, and garlic in grass-fed organic butter will taste good. Fat tastes good and you don’t need to fear healthy fats.
Get a buddy. A happy social life is important where I live, and, it’s important for health. So get a workout buddy. Or an eating-healthy buddy. Sharing your experiences, encouraging each other, and building a friendship will support you on your path to wellness.
Manage your stress . Do not let stress get you down. Adjust your priorities and adjust your attitude. Focus on the positive. Breathe. Talk out your concerns with your workout buddy. I have plenty of tips for stress management here.
Go to bed early. I can’t stress how important good, restorative sleep is to your well-being. Sleep deprived people are short tempered, unfocused, forgetful, inaccurate, likely to get sick, and likely to gain weight. Want to be happy? Go to bed early.
Spend time in nature. In Japan, they have a word for it called “forest bathing”. It was actually promoted as a way to improve the health of the Japanese. You feel restored by a walk in the woods or sitting by a body of water. You calm down by listening to birds or watching squirrels chase up a tree. I live near a park so I walk there, of course for exercise, but also to be under the centuries-old live oaks and to enjoy being close to nature.
Dance. Can you dance and not enjoy it? Go dance to live music. Dance like no one’s watching, because they probably aren’t. Music is theorized to have healing properties. So put on some music, whether you dance to it or not.
Smell something good. Not a bottle of cheap cologne. They are made with synthetic chemicals and your body doesn’t need that. Try some essential oils. They are very healing. Lavender is very calming. Put a few drops in a hot bath. Peppermint is energizing and just plain smells good. Citrus smells great too. Or put some fresh flowers in your home or office. Delight your nose and your eyes.
I’m sure you can think of more ways to add fun to your life and be your own best friend. The important thing is that taking care of yourself is not selfish or hedonistic, it’s what you do, just like you would take care of any other person or object in your life.
Do you need help finding a happy wellness path? I can help you. I am a National Board Certified Functional Medicine Health Coach. Contact me and let’s have some fun.
Let us know how you find a positive attitude or treat yourself like your best friend in the comments.
Dr.Axe on Mood’s Role in Health
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