[Creative]
Our health and happiness is dependent on many factors, and it is impossible to say both can be derived from any one source. However, it is true to say that the foods we consume play a huge role in both of these concepts.
Studies have shown that foods that are high in vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats are not only great for the health of the body, but also for boosting our happiness, and tackling anxiety and depression.
The way in which foods can improve the mood is connected to how the nutrients within the food impact the brain. There is much research to suggest that an ample presence of zinc, vitamin D, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, magnesium and calcium is essential for maintaining a balanced mindset.
Let’s take a closer look at how these vitamins and minerals help with health and happiness, and discover which foods you can most easily find them in!
If your zinc levels are low then you are putting yourself at a heightened risk of a wide range of adverse health conditions. This essential mineral is present in practically every cell in the body. It is especially useful for helping to preserve the health of the gut. You will likely to be able to determine that your zinc levels are low if you are missing your appetite and experiencing feelings of sadness. You may also become anaemic*.
Foods that contain beneficial amounts of zinc include cashew nuts, walnuts, tofu, tempeh, pinto beans, kidney beans, and lentils.
Getting out and soaking up some sun is arguably the best way to keep your vitamin D stores high, but your diet has an influence also. This vitamin is important for the health of the immune system and for regulating moods. Vitamin D also interacts with calcium in the body to enhance bone health. Consuming foods that are high in this vitamin is especially important during the winter months when you are less likely to be exposed to an adequate amount of sunlight.
Mushrooms, tofu, fortified plant milks and fortified cereals are good choices when you are looking to increase your vitamin D consumption.
Vitamin B12 is essential for the existence of healthy red blood cells. When you are not giving your body enough of this key vitamin then you may become more susceptible to feelings depression*.
If you follow a plant-based diet then you are more at risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency. This is because it is naturally found in beneficial amounts in animal products. However, it is possible to take B12 supplements, and also to seek foods that have been fortified with it.
This vitamin is required when it comes to producing neurotransmitters – the handy little messengers that connect the brain with the rest of the body. If an adequate amount of B6 is not present in the body then you may begin to feel depressed or even confused!
If you want to up your intake of vitamin B6 then you can opt for chickpeas, watermelon, peanut butter, avocados, hemp seeds and spirulina.
Magnesium has hundreds of responsibilities within the body. A deficiency in this vitamin can cause a whole host of problems – not least of all a low mood! If you aren’t eating enough magnesium rich foods then you may be more prone to feelings of stress and irritability. This is largely because magnesium plays a key role in serotonin production.
There is an abundance of magnesium rich foods to choose from, such as spinach, almonds, bananas, sweet potatoes, beans and legumes.
Calcium is most well known for keeping the bones strong. It is also useful for combatting the symptoms of depression, and a deficiency of calcium can lead to a low mood.
There are several delicious foods that are high in calcium and easy to include in your diet. Try kale, broccoli, artichokes, oranges, figs and sesame seeds to easily increase your calcium intake.
Eating well is an amazing way to live well and is a perfect way to demonstrate self-love and kindness to yourself. Increasing your intake of some or all of the aforementioned foods is an easy way to improve your health and to support your own happiness. Click here to discover how exercise can also help!
[Physical]
Eating well is an essential part of living a healthy life, and doing so is not only great for your body but your mind also! Just like your body, your brain needs certain vitamins, minerals and more in order to function as efficiently as it can!
Today we are going to take a look at the role nutrition plays in happiness and mental health, as well as how exercise is also an important factor in both of these things!
The role that nutrition plays in mental health has long been under-appreciated. However, there is increasing evidence to support the connection between a healthy diet and better mental balance.
Studies have shown that eating a diet high in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients can help to prevent the onset of certain mental health conditions*. This includes things such as schizophrenia, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease. This is largely due to the abundance of antioxidants present in these foods, which help to combat the damage caused by free radicals.
Evidence shows that those who regularly consume either fresh fruit or fresh vegetables every day are less at risk of struggling with their mental health than those who don’t*. This is due to a combination of things, and can be attributed both to the increased amount of nutrients being consumed, as well as the act of consciously including these foods in the diet.
Healthy eating is a self-care act in itself, and taking the time each day to nourish your mind in this way is a great way to demonstrate kindness and love to yourself.
The nutrients that we consume through our food directly impact our hormones, which have a huge influence our mood. When our hormones are out of balance we can experience a wide range of feelings, such as sadness, anxiety, or feelings of being overwhelmed. Our appetite will also likely be affected.
There are certain foods that are known to be great for balancing the hormones. For example, cruciferous vegetables are thought to be useful for tackling excess oestrogen in the body, whereas foods that are high in B vitamins can help to tackle feelings of depression that may have occurred due to a hormonal imbalance.
In order to eat for optimum health – both physical and mental – it is key that we consume a combination of complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. The importance of hydration should not be overlooked either!
When we talk about ‘the good stuff’ in relation to your diet, we are talking about natural whole foods, whole grain produce, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables – essentially anything that has been grown and not manufactured!
One of the reasons that many healthy foods are great for your mind are that they contain beneficial levels of thiamin. Thiamin, also known as vitamin B1, is known to boost the mood, especially in those who are already experiencing depression.
Research has shown that over the last 60 years the amount of people actually hitting their five a day quota has dropped by more than 30%. As the amount of good stuff being consumed is in decline, unhealthy eating habits will therefore be on the rise!
When we talk about ‘the bad stuff’ in relation to your diet, we are talking about processed and packaged foods, junk foods, foods that are high in sugar, high in calories and high in saturated fat!
When you eat a diet rich in whole foods and other healthy goodies, then you are giving your body the fuel that it needs to exercise well. As we discussed in our article on Wednesday, feel-good chemicals are released in the brain when we exercise. These feel-good chemicals, known as endorphins, help to balance our mind and enhance our happiness.
So, the best thing that you can do to nourish your mind and fuel your body for optimum health and happiness is to eat well, exercise often and remember to be kind you yourself!
The concept of self-care is one that encompasses a wide range of ideas and actions. When we talk about self-care, we are talking about ways in which we can nourish our minds, feed our souls, and simply care for ourselves in a loving and kind way.
Exercise is an essential component of self-care as it helps to keep both the mind and the body healthy. When we exercise regularly, and with consistency, we become stronger, we become more focused and several different aspects of our health will begin to improve also.
When the body is engaging in any kind of physical activity, from walking to extreme sports, then endorphins will be released around the body. Endorphins are neurotransmitters and they play a key role in keeping the central nervous system functioning as it should. Endorphins interact with receptors in the brain in order to boost your mood.
Endorphins are fantastic for stress reduction, and reduced stress levels will help to create the right frame of mind for embracing self-care. They also help to naturally reduce anxiety and to boost focus.
Many experts are in agreement that between 30 minutes and one hour of vigorous exercise three times a week is an ample amount to feel the benefits – both physically and mentally. This amount of exercise is adequate for getting your heart pumping and thereby improving your cardiovascular capacity over time.
Additionally, scheduling your workouts three times a week will ensure that you are taking time for yourself. This time spent exercising can also be time in which you process the events of the day and pay attention to your thoughts and feelings. Having this time for yourself is a simple act of self-care, and one that can help to keep you feeling happy and balanced.
That’s not to say that if you can’t commit to at least this amount of exercise that you shouldn’t do any at all! Starting slow and discovering what your body is capable of is the first step to establishing both an exercise and a self-care routine.
If conventional exercise isn’t your thing, then there are countless other great ways that you can engage in physical activity. These alternative physical activities can still be defined as acts of self-care. This is because they are things that you are consciously engaging in because you understand the benefits to yourself of doing so. This simple concept of doing something for yourself is the very basis of self-care.
You may try hiking, team sports, hula-hooping, surfing, dancing and more!
You may already know which types of exercise you enjoy the most, and if so then making these exercises are more regular part of your weekly schedule is a great start. However, it will also be helpful to try new things, and to be open to types of exercise and other activities that you haven’t tried before.
A combination of cardio and strength exercises is the best way to ensure that you are enhancing your health and fitness in an all-round way. Cardio is fantastic for your heart health and stamina, whereas strength exercises will help to maintain and boost your muscle mass.
You can also benefit from engaging in periods of meditation, either before or after your workout!. Doing so is a great way to prepare yourself for your workout, and also to unwind and relax again afterwards. Click here to discover the many benefits of meditation!
At PAMA London it is our passion to provide comfortable, functional activewear that can be worn for any activity. You can click here to check out our current range of bras, leggings, shorts and tops – all of which are made from sustainable eco-friendly materials!
[Creative]
Happiness is something that we all want to invite into our lives in abundance whenever possible! However, we often go about doing so in different ways. With each individual step on our journey to happiness, we may discover new and exciting things that help us to reach this goal. We meet new people, embrace new pursuits, and learn more about ourselves and what we are capable of. Some of these things may have a permanent influence on how happy we are, whereas some may turn out to not be as positive.
One indisputable way to create a mindset that enables happiness to thrive is by regularly engaging in exercise.
Some of the most obvious benefits of regular exercise are weight loss, weight maintenance and muscle building. However, there are also many advantages to be enjoyed by both the body and mind in other ways. When you exercise frequently, you will notice that your stress levels are lower, that you are less prone to anxiety and that your mood is better and more consistent. And, all of these things help to create genuine happiness!
Let’s take a look at why this is!
When you are engaging in some kind of moderate intensity physical activity, you will stimulate dopamine production in your brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is necessary for feelings of happiness and pleasure.
Research* has suggested that our dopamine stores naturally become depleted as we grow older. Therefore, finding ways to continuously encourage the brain to make more dopamine as we age is essential if we are to continue being happy!
Getting our stress levels down is something that we can all surely benefit from. The negative effects of leading a stressful life are serious! Stress can make us ill, make us sad, make us irritable – all of which can lead us to treat those we interact with in a different way than we would like to. To put it simply, stress damages our mood and it keeps us from becoming the happiest that we can be!
When you exercise you are actually instigating small amounts of stress to occur within the body as your heart rate rises. This increase in your heart rate causes a change in the levels of hormones that are present, and can therefore have a knock-on effect on your mood.
When you regularly subject your body to small bursts of stress, it becomes much better able to cope with the larger stresses that are encountered in your day to day.
It has been suggested that aerobic exercise is the best way to enjoy the stress-busting benefits of working out, and you can try swimming, running or cycling to get started!
It is difficult to dedicate much time at all to being happy when your mind is cluttered with thoughts, feelings, worries and anxieties! If you have a busy schedule, or have pressures placed upon you for any reason, then happiness can often take a back seat to getting everything done.
Exercise has the potential to help you clear your mind of all of these stresses, and encourage you to focus more on what is actually important.
When it comes to how much exercise we should be engaging in, there is good news for those who are short on time! One study* suggests that even engaging in a short 20 minute burst of exercise can enhance your mood for the following 12 hours. If this is true, then starting your day with something as simple as a 20 minute run could have a huge impact on how positive the rest of your day is.
At PAMA London we know first hand how fantastic exercise is for health and happiness. With our extensive range of activewear we wish to encourage everyone to get into fitness in a comfortable, stylish and sustainable way. Click here now to check out what’s on sale!
The first part of namaste comes from "namaha," a Sanskrit verb that originally meant "to bend." Bending is a sign of submission to authority or showing some respect to some superior entity." Over time, "namaha" went from meaning "to bend" to meaning "salutations" or "greetings." The "te" in namaste means "to you," Deshpande says. So all together, namaste literally means "greetings to you." In the Vedas, namaste mostly occurs as a salutation to a divinity.
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