
Think taking care of your health is boring, expensive and antisocial? Think again. These tips are free and outside the usual litany I think you’ve heard before. No, it’s not new age nonsense, either: all of these suggestions have been scientifically proven to enhance your mental and physical health. Here are my top four:
Green therapy and audible Prozac
Laugh your way to a healthy gut
Catch your breath
Yogic, or diaphragmatic breathing techniques guide the body from the stress-prone, sympathetic nervous system towards the parasympathetic system, which allows us to calm down, relax and restore our body systems. A few minutes of active diaphragmatic breathing is all that is required to feel the benefits. This can be done anytime, at the office or at home; sitting (think toilet cubicle), standing (by the water cooler) or lying on one’s back (maybe not at the office). Effects? A more centred, focussed mind, reduced anxiety and improved brain function.
Say a prayer
Too often we grab food on the go, and shovel it down without taking the time to sit and eat. Consequences often mean digestive symptoms like bloating or constipation and sub-optimally absorbed nutrients. The old habit of blessing the food (or a prayer) before enjoying is useful in creating time for the cephalic phase to kick-in before the food is served. For agnostics or atheists, the ‘blessing’ could be just taking a few moments to mindfully observe and smell the food before eating. Taking time for food also enhances a more mindful eating pattern, which is associated with better food choices, portion control and a healthier overall relationship both with food and one’s body.
Taru Towers is a registered Nutritional Therapist who practices in Highgate and Kentish Town. She can be reached via Thrive London
1 thought on “How to stay healthy – without spending a single penny”
Go along to the free laughing yoga session on the Heath on the first Sunday of every month. Meet at the bandstand at 11am. It’s great fun, good for your health (as in this article) and you get to meet other lovely locals! Just come in outdoor clothes – you don’t need sportswear – and people of all ages (toddlers to 80+) join in!