IN THIS ISSUE
Get your dosage of well-being and immunity-boosting tips with the Mindandflex Newsletter this week!
Browse through our curated articles to get the ultimate tips for making the most out of your life- emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Here's a quick review of this week's issue:
👉 No need to invest in advanced gadgets and insanely expensive spa treatments when you can get all the benefits from a FREE cold showers
👉 Cross Crawl to train your mind and improve your coordination and nervous system by learning the step-by-step technique
👉 Boost your immunity with our list of 26 immune-boosting recipes curated by the one and only Minimalist Baker
👉 Change your game by changing your mind with Dr. Alia Crum's Tedx Talk
👉 Use Don Miguel Ruiz’s Toltec Wisdom for the Times to take advantage of imposed isolation by finding your creative genius
👉 Get rid of chronic pain with Yoga and Meditation
Subscribe Now, and don't miss your chance to become a better 'You.'
HEALTH & WELLNESS
How to Get the Unquantifiable Benefits of Cold Showers | by May Pang | Better Humans | Medium
Don’t fall for the myth that optimization of yourself requires cutting edge gadgets, complicated supplements, or expensive specialists. In a world where people confuse self-care for expensive spa treatments, cold showers are free, simple, sustainable, and can be done from anywhere.
Try it. The warm fuzzies are real!
🧠↔️⚖️ Improve Your Nervous System & Strengthen the Connection Between Left & Right Brain Hemisphere! | by Sebastian Urbanik | Mindandflex
Cross Crawl Baby! This marching is an excellent way to reprogram the nervous system, spinal muscles and various systems to work optimally together.
In addition to firing neural pathways in the right and left brain hemispheres simultaneously, a cross crawl movement stabilises the pelvis while mobilising the shoulders, reinforcing the the skills we need for walking.
According to Dr. Carla Hannaford, by doing the cross-crawl, we stimulate the corpus callosum, link the two hemispheres, and get them connected. It's one of the fastest and most straightforward techniques to stimulate our brain development and stabilise our nervous system. Whenever we do it, we're reintegrating our brain and nervous system. It's like a small reboot for your body-mind.
It is essentially an exaggerated walk which facilitates the crossover of energy between the left and right hemispheres of the brain and re-organising your mind-body connections.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF CROSS CRAWL?
- Balance emotions
- Body Awareness
- Clearer thinking
- Coordination
- Improved circulation
- Digestion
- Enhances whole-brain thinking – your left and right hemispheres work together
- Dyslexia
- Increases strength
- Better lymph flow
- Learning ability
- Develops proprioception – your spatial and kinesthetic awareness
- Help slow learners
- Memory
- Vision sharpness
- Improves well-being
Watch our short video describing the technique step-by-step!
26 Immune Boosting Recipes (Plant-Based) | Minimalist Baker
During these times of increased focus on immune health, we’re hoping to do our part by sharing immune-boosting recipes. We’ve compiled our favourite beverages, dips, sides, and mains to help you feel healthy & nourished.
These recipes were selected keeping these immune-supportive guidelines in mind:
👉 Veggies & fruits rich in vitamin C– such as bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, oranges, and pineapple.
👉 Herbs & spices– such as basil, dill, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, and cloves. Fermented foods– rich in probiotics.
👉 Mushrooms– rich in B vitamins, zinc, & selenium, and known for their immune-enhancing properties.
👉 Minimal added sugar as sugar suppresses the immune system.
Let's explore 26 Immune Boosting Recipes!
MINDSET
Change your mindset, change the game | Dr. Alia Crum | TEDx
Why do diets make you feel so hungry? Why do some people only lose weight when they stop counting calories? How come you can exercise just as much as your peers, but not see the same results? Stanford professor and mindset researcher Dr. Alia Crum has been focused on answering these questions for the past decade.
Let's investigate just how much of an impact our thoughts and feelings have on the effectiveness of diets, exercise, trips to the doctor, and more.
EMOTIONAL WELLBEING
Toltec Wisdom for the Times | by Don Miguel Ruiz | Miguel Ruiz
Even with today’s rules and restrictions, imagination will take you anywhere. Take advantage of imposed isolation by finding your creative genius. Don’t wait for better days; use the canvas that exists now. Be an example. See what is needed, and be generous. Be wise, because wisdom is in diminishing supply. Be patient, because the world is losing its cool. Be happy, because happiness is your birth right. Be kind, be loving…just because.
SCIENCE
What Is Forest Bathing? | by Scott Stuart | Achs.edu
Researchers, primarily in Japan and South Korea, have conducted studies on the health benefits of spending time amongst the trees. Recent research shows that trees having healing constituents because they release antimicrobial essential oils, called phytoncides. These plant components protect trees from microbes and have many health benefits. The oils boost mood and immune system function; reduce blood pressure, heart rate, stress, anxiety, and confusion; improve sleep and creativity; and may even help fight cancer and depression.
MEDITATION
Yoga and meditation reduce chronic pain | by American Osteopathic Association| Science Daily
"The bottom line is that patients are seeking new ways to cope with chronic pain and effective non-pharmaceutical treatments are available," says Dr. Marske. "Our findings show meditation and yoga can be a viable option for people seeking relief from chronic pain." Find out more.