Spring Cleaning -- A Happier, Healthier You & Revisiting New Year's Resolutions

Re-posted from Michelle's Weebly blog

Many of us do not practice the fine art of self care. We are too busy with work, school, kids, taking care of family members and our homes, bills, and everything else in life...so we make excuses as to why we don't have time for ourselves. But, what everyone must learn at some point is that we have to take care of ourselves and our own needs first, so that we will then be able to take care of everyone and everything else in our lives much more easily and with less stress. Since it is the time of year when there are many transformations and new beginnings with daylight savings time "springing ahead," the earliest signs of the spring time starting, and all of its holidays, like Lent and Easter for Christians, Passover for the Jewish community, and others with several different religions and ways of life, too, we celebrate the return of the growing season and the sun and do our household spring cleaning to prepare. So, what better time to do a similar type of spring cleaning within ourselves and to celebrate and focus on all the great things in our lives and the wonderful things to come, as we transform and grow with each new phase of our lives? One of the ways we can be good to ourselves every day, aside from getting enough sleep and exercise, drinking plenty of water, and eating right, is to learn healthy ways to cope with stress, through physical activity, meditation, talking/counseling, and doing other activities that we enjoy, whether that means taking bubble baths or spending more time with household pets, being outdoors or whatever other hobbies you have that make you feel happy, healthy, and balanced. It is important to have some time for yourself every, single day, even if that means only five or ten minutes. This blog has more resources to help you to start your spring cleaning on yourself than any other blog I have posted. There are ways to emotionally and physically detox and refocus your life so you can feel healthier, replenished, and stronger. If you scroll down, you will likely find something that will be helpful to you or someone you know. One of the first steps to take for yourself is making sure you find healthy ways to deal with the stressors of daily life. For some, this means getting a weekly massage or Reiki or Accupuncture treatment. For others, this means weekly yoga or exercise classes. Some people also prefer to spend their small amounts of free time meditating and/or praying to help cope with stress. Here are several links to information about stress relief, meditation, and relaxation for you to explore if you would like:

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm http://www.stress-and-relaxation.com/stress-relief.html http://www.bing.com/health/article/mayo-MASR00007/Relaxation-techniques-Try-these-steps-to-reduce-stress?q=relaxation+techniques&qpvt=relaxation+techniques http://www.eftuniverse.com/ http://www.freemeditation.com/ http://www.harmonywayhealing.com/FREE-Meditations-For-You-.html http://www.nmha.org/ http://www.nami.org/ March is National Nutrition Month (as well as Women's History Month). For more information about healthy dietary choices for improved nutrition and overall health, check out this website, which has many great tips, nutrition facts, recipes, links, and fun activities for everyone in your family: http://www.eatright.org/nnm/ Do you drink soda? Did you know that most of it is laden with corn syrup (unless you buy Kosher soda), which causes cavities and a spike in blood sugar that eventually leads to diabetes or even obesity, along with other artificial additives that can cause unpleasant reactions in the body and contribute to caffeine addiction issues? Even diet soda can cause bloating and can raise blood sugar levels unintentionally. Many kids who exhibit ADHD symptoms seem to get worse after consuming soda, too. Here is a website with more information about soda and its effects on the body, as well as how to replace this sugary beverage with healthier choices that will be much more "sweet" for your overall health and well-being: http://www.kickthecan.info/ The obesity epidemic in this country is at an all time high, especially in children. Here are some helpful websites with statistics and information about what you can do to help prevent obesity or to lose weight in a healthy way (with your doctor's help) or to maintain a healthy weight and get more exercise: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/obesityinchildren.html http://www.stop-childhood-obesity.com/childhood-obesity-statistics.html http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/fitness-beginners-guide http://www.webmd.com/parenting/raising-fit-kids/move/kids-exercise-tips Do you smoke or chew tobacco? If you do, you don't need me to tell you about what nicotine products can do to the body. Like caffeine, nicotine is a stimulant, which means if you decide to quit, you may have symptoms of withdrawl. It helps to have a support system, ways to replace the habit with a healthier activity, and coping mechanisms to deal with any stress that may arise during the process of quitting. Here are a few resources if you are trying to quit that may help you: http://www.bebetter.net/tobaccocessationprogram.htm http://nicotine-anonymous.org/ http://killthecan.org/ Here is information about alcoholism and support with it or for those who are trying to stop drinking, either coping with this issue directly or with friends or family members who struggle with it: http://www.bing.com/health/article/mayo-MADS00340/Alcoholism?q=alcoholism+symptoms&qpvt=alcoholism+symptoms#symptoms http://alcoholism.about.com/od/about/a/symptoms.htm http://www.aa.org/?Media=NoFlash Dealing with any kind of drug dependency or addiction or know someone who is? Here are a few supportive and informative resources for that: http://www.bing.com/health/article/mayo-MADS00183/Drug-addiction?q=drug+addiction&qpvt=drug+addiction http://helpguide.org/mental/drug_substance_abuse_addiction_signs_effects_treatment.htm http://www.na.org/ I hope these resources help or are at least a start on your path to spring cleaning within yourself and feeling much better. If you would like even more informational links, please feel free to check out our other blogs listed to the right, or to check out our other webpage, which is chock-full of helpful links to local, national, and global resources at www.harmonywayhealing.com. You can also feel free to comment or leave questions below or to contact us through either website or via email or phone for additional information or advice and help. Happy spring and please feel free to comment below on your progress to get even more support from like-minded people as you walk a healthier, happier path.