3 Healthy Lifestyle Tips from Dr. Romie

We recently enjoyed an incredible, 2-day "Mindset Matters" Workshop led by Minfulness expert, Dr. Romila "Dr. Romie" Mushtaq! Our InSPArational Speaker, Dr. Romie's workshop included a lecture discussing steps to help you conquer stress, revitalizing sunrise beach yoga and ended with a relaxing session of meditation. Because Dr. Romie shared such impactful information that can help anyone looking to improve their mind-body connection and their overall health, we're sharing 3 of our favorite tips from the weekend workshop:



1. Self compassion through self-care is not selfish! Think about all the roles you play: mom/dad, sister/brother, caretaker, student, therapist, house manager, etc. You have to take time and care for yourself to take care of others.

"When you give from a place of empty, you only hurt your mind and body." - Dr. Romila

2. When you choose to forgive those around you, you choose to move on despite what may or may not have transpired. People that choose to hold onto past hurt for 12 months of longer are more likely to have a heart attack/stroke than someone with diabetes!

"We forgive ourselves when we forgive others." - Dr. Romila

3. Practice 2o minutes of gratitude meditation could literally change your life. Take time out to be thankful for your life and everything in it. Within just 8 weeks, 20 minute meditation sessions can reshape how your brain responds to anxiety/stress and even help improve your memory!

Remember to breath and stay grateful! Learn more about our next InSPArational Speaker, Andie Mitchell, NY Times bestselling author of It Was Me All Along.

Focus

These days, mornings are definitely a challenge.  Hala, soon to be 3, is a little “slow-moving”, to put it nicely.  Whether it is changing her mind about what she wants to wear, resisting brushing her teeth, wanting breakfast before getting dressed or simply just not wanting to do anything just yet… she finds a way to stall.  Her knew favorite word (which she can clearly say, but we’re still working on learning the meaning of) is “focus”.  Whether it’s a toy that’s out of place, a question she recalls from the previous night (“What’d you have for dinner last night, Mama?”), or something her little sister is doing – her world is full of distractions. 

Life can be full of distractions, can’t it?  It is so easy to be pulled into conversation, “play” with the newest technology revelation, entertain that mind game in our heads encouraging procrastination, or wallow in feelings caused by a previous situation for far longer than anticipated.  Much of our time can be wasted on these unnecessary side turns. 

Just think, what if each and every moment of your day was filled with purpose?  Don’t get me wrong… “down time” or “play time” can certainly be purposeful, so this wouldn’t be a life without relaxation or fun! How accomplished would you feel?  How content?  The only moments we are guaranteed are the ones we are living right now.  So how can we strive, then, to focus on each moment with purpose?

1. Start each day with a mental review of your life vision and what you hope to accomplish for the day.  A glass full of optimism wouldn’t hurt either.


2. Practice mindfulness exercises so that you can start each task with a clear and open mind.  Be present in the moment.  Don’t spend your time worrying on what lies ahead, or gravel in the past.  The past is gone, now is here.


3. Establish a schedule that works with your daily energy flow.  Assign “brain tasks” when you feel alert and focused, and plan your physical activity to give oxygen to the brain and stimulate its activity.


4. Anticipate the need for change.  Four years ago my focus was directed mainly on my career, creating a retirement fund, things of that nature… Now, I find myself researching preschools and contributing to 529 plans.  Identifying the need to change focus is different than losing focus – they should not be confused.

Take a moment to reflect on the past 5 years and look forward to the next 5… what’s different for you?  What can you do today to help you focus on where you want to be five years from now? 

 

Quote from Disney’s “Princess and the Frog”… a bit of advice from Tiana’s father:

Tiana:

Charlotte's faity tale book said,

if you make a wish on evening star

it shoulda come true.

 

Tiana’s Daddy:

Hmmh, won't you wish on that star, sweetheart?

- Yes, you wish and you dream with all your little heart.

But you remember dear Anawet,

that old star can only take you part of a way.

You got to help him with some hard work of your own.

And then...

Yeah you can do anything

you said you mind to.

Just promise your Daddy one thing?

That you'll  never, ever lose sign

what is really important.

[caption id="attachment_7210" align="alignright" width="420" caption="from The Princess and The Frog"][/caption]

Stop, Sit, Eat

 

 

Have you ever eaten an entire meal yet felt as if you didn’t even eat? Your mouth wanted more, your stomach wanted more…wait a minute, DID you actually scarf down a meal or not?

 

Perhaps you were eating while driving. Perhaps you were standing at the kitchen counter.  Perhaps you were eating out of the refrigerator.  Perhaps you were watching TV. Perhaps you were at your work desk.  Perhaps you were….

 

Perhaps that’s why you didn’t feel satisfied!  Eating a meal that leaves you full and content does not only mean eating healthy and nutritious food. Equally as important is the act of eating mindfully.

 

What is mindful eating?

 

Mindful eating means being fully present in the moment—seeing, smelling, feeling and tasting the food you are eating. In addition, it involves appreciating the way your food looks and feels—the colors and textures, as well as taking note of your body’s reaction to the foods such as your hunger levels and mood.

 

Key components of mindful eating:

1)    Sitting down at a table to eat

2)    Eating without distractions i.e. TV, computer, newspaper

3)    Eating in a neutral environment—a location that does not conjure up negative emotions or stress

 

Eating mindfully allows you to feel fuller while eating less. One contributing factor to this is the natural tendency to spend more time eating at each meal. Thus your stomach has adequate time to send the necessary signals to your brain alerting it that it is no longer hungry.  You will also find that your body is better able to digest the food consumed.  

 

Strategies to slow down eating:

1)    Use your non-dominant hand

2)    Drink water in between bites

3)    Observe, smell, and feel your food

4)    Think about the love that went into preparing the food

 

Life seems to be getting more and more hectic every day.  Fewer families are sitting down together at the dinner table to eat a home-cooked meal.  Don’t let that be your family.  Set aside 15-30 min. to sit down and enjoy your meal.  If you are by yourself, sit outside or by the window and simply enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds of nature.  You may think that there isn’t enough time in the day to set aside for dinnertime, but surely you have 15-30 minutes. Treat yourself and your family as well as you would if you had a guest over for dinner.