Stress

Stress is one of the most dangerous mental states we experience in modern society.

A long time ago, humans felt stress for a short period of time when they were, for example, chased by a tiger, the fight-or-flight response. But, people of today are in a constant state of stress. We stress over time, money, jobs, children, old parents, bills, cars, news, politics and even our health.

Stress releases the hormones adrenaline and cortisol and it doesn’t matter if the stress is life threatening or just in your mind, the body will react with the same chemical solution.

Chronic stress can cause insomnia, depression, headache, stomachache, diabetes 2, heart attack, high blood pressure, overweight, fertility problems and impotence.

Whatever it takes! You have to reconstruct your life and cut out stress. 

What in your life makes you stressed? What can you do to eliminate the stress from your life? Manage one thing at a time so you don't get overwhelmed.

Watch the video with Dr. Robert Sapolsky here.

Read more about stress here.

Happy Dashain!

Right now we are celebrating the biggest Hindu festival Dashain here in Nepal. Dashain is equivalent to our Christmas celebrations in importance to gathering the family and have a few days off work.

 Yesterday I celebrated Dashain with my dear friends Ellen and Sudan and Sudan's family.

Read more about Dashain here.

Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds contain healthy fats, magnesium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc and different antioxidants. 

They may reduce the risk of some form of cancers, lower blood sugar, improve sleep and sperm quality, among many other things.

They are easy to add to your diet and are a great snack on the go.

Read more about pumpkin seeds here and if you prefer a video click here.

Advice from a Tree

We all need advice from older, wiser individuals and why not from trees. It's up to us to follow advice coming our way, but I'd say these are pretty thinkworthy.

You will find this sign at the Park Village Resort, Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu. Click here for more information.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is one of those little miracles for your health, that is available in most kitchens.

It aids with the digestion, to loose weight and to manage the blood sugar, so start a new routine today by drinking a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before each meal.

To learn more about the health benefits from Dr. Sten Ekberg, click here.

Mudra for Digestion

Yogic mudras are positions that can help with different ailments. Most mudras are performed by the hands. It can be ritual or activate different body parts and today's mudra will stimulate the digestion.

Watch Prashantj yoga's video here, to get a full explanation on how to perform it correctly.

Read more about mudras here.

Wim Hof

Wim Hof is a true character with a mission to spread his findings in order to increase the general public health with his own methods and I like his genuine personality.

Click here to watch an interview with Wim when he talks about his methods, but also about the tragedy that happened in his personal life.

Wim Hof has an app that makes it easy to practice his breathing technique and other things. Click here for Android and here for Apple.

Natural Soap

The skin is our biggest, external organ. It protects us and keeps the whole body together, in one piece.

We are constantly bombarded with temperature shifts, bacteria and poisons of all sorts, so it is very important that we treat it with love and respect.

One way of doing that is to use natural soap.

Read more about the skin barrier here.

Guava

We have a big guava tree in our garden and today my landlord gave me some ripe fruits.

Guava boosts the immune system, it may help with managing blood sugar levels, heart health, constipation and better eyesight. It is an anti-stress agent and may reduce the risk of some cancers and relieve painful menstruations.

Read more about the benefits of guava here.

Watch a video about guava here.

Baking Soda

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is one of the most versatile chemical compounds you can find, and to an affordable cost.

You can use it for baking, cleaning your home and your teeth, make deodorant and clean your vegetables from pesticides. It can be used to alleviate heartburn, improve exercise performance, sooth burns and much more.

So, make sure to keep a packet of baking soda at home. You never know when you will need it.

I use baking soda to clean my veggies.

Read more about baking soda here.

Watch a short video about baking soda here.

Walk Barefoot

I walk barefoot as much as possible and every day someone is commenting on why I don't have any shoes. Here in Nepal it's a sign of not having enough money to buy shoes when you walk barefoot, but they can clearly see that I can afford a pair, so it's a big mystery for the people I met, why I actively choose not to wear any.

I explain to each person who I met, who are genuinely curious to know why I walk barefoot, that I want to connect with Mother Earth and I even encourage them to try it sometimes. 

A couple of weeks ago a met a young man who's grandfather had the same philosophy regarding walking barefoot, so it's an ancient knowledge that has been lost over the years.

If you think about it. How good is it to walk on plastic soles all day, disconnecting with the earth we are born to live on?

You don't have to be as extreme as I am, walking without shoes everywhere. Just take them off sometimes and feel the different textures under your feet. Get grounded and absorb the positive energies Mother Earth is so generously sending out for anyone ready to accept them.

"Pain you choose, will only make you stronger", as a wise woman once said.

Walking on gravel will make you think. How do I balance my way through the less painful path? So walking barefoot will also activate your brain,

When you are barefoot you can give a cute street dog a relaxing foot massage.

Click here to find out how you can crochet barefoot sandals.

Yin Yoga

You don't practice yoga to show it off on Instagram. You don't do yoga in between a stressful day at work and a stressful evening with the family.

Yoga is a lifestyle you should introduce in your life with care and much thought. Of course you could say that doing some yoga is better than doing no yoga and of course that's the case, but yoga is not just about doing positions on a yoga mat. 

Yoga is a lifestyle covering so much more than exercise. It also involves breathing, sleep, relaxation, meditation, diet, thoughts and what you say to other people. It's about self-respect and loving yourself. 

I've found yin yoga that is a form of yoga that is meditative, with relatively easy positions, that you hold for several minutes. The slow pace gives you time to really go in to and feel each position. 

I can really recommend Aprille Walker at YogaRangerStudios

Click here to get to Aprille's Youtube channel.

Click here to try out my favorite yoga practice with Aprille.

Read more about Yin yoga here.