Those who relax live longer.
It's easy to absorb this fact by observing the very elderly among us who are functioning well.
Watch them as they shop for groceries or stroll down a lane.
Do you notice that the two traits most of them exhibit are calmness and happiness? Usually, they have a smile on their faces.
Often they will beam their peacefulness toward you.
Just being around them is inspiring.
Those who live in anxious states don't fare as well, or remain with us as long.
In order to become someone who will have a long life - a long, able-bodied, functioning life, that is - it's helpful to learn a few simple relaxation tips.
The first is breathing.
Yes, that's right - the thing your body does automatically, plus a little more.
In order to relax, oxygenation is mandatory, and taking deep breaths signals the nervous system centers in the "second brain" in your abdomen to relax.
Take your first deep breath by opening your diaphragm and allowing the air to go all the way down to the bottom of your lungs.
Hold it for a moment, then let it go, constricting your abdomen and slowly forcing the air out.
Do two more times, slowly, and preferably, do this outside.
By now your attention will have been drawn inside, away from your problems, and the rush of oxygen will be relaxing you.
Another simple way to unwind is simply to stop and lie down for awhile.
Watch TV if you must, read, or just rest.
People who take naps live longer, and taking one after lunch, even if only for ten minutes, is a great habit to start and one to keep for life.
Avoid caffeine and sugar, especially if you are already leading a stressful life.
They always interfere with clear thinking, and keep you from sleeping as well as your body requires.
Sugar is so powerful it acts like a drug on the system.
Far more damage is done besides rotting the teeth.
Sugar, especially when eaten with other dangerous food items - animal products, like meat, poultry, fish and eggs and dairy - is a prescription for cancer, for heart problems, and for stroke.
In order to relax, which is your aim, your body requires restorative energy.
Most Americans' bodies are in a constant struggle to digest the fats, toxins, and overload due to overeating, and/or due to eating animal products.
The body is meant to handle many things, but not interminable digestion.
The intestines require so much energy, so many resources, and so much time to digest these harmful foods that it draws upon what the other organs require in order to do their job.
Especially if you eat after 5:00 p.
m.
, your body must work so hard, and then, when you retire for the night, the undigested food just stays in the gut, further straining the system, and creating an even more unhealthy situation.
If you must eat after five or six - depending upon when you go to sleep, allowing yourself at least five hours to digest an animal product meal, and three for a vegan meal - make it a supper of fruit.
Your body can digest fruit much more easily and quickly than it can any other food.
Actually, fruit is the obvious natural food for us primates, anyway.
Stretch your legs.
Yes, walking is great for you.
And stretch your limbs and your trunk before you begin.
Act like a cat and just pull your body upward, your arms outward and bend from the waist a few times.
It feels great! Finally, think pretty thoughts! Create a more flexible mindset and allow only positives into your brain.
Start a healthy habit of happy thoughts, read uplifting things before bedtime and at arising, like Bible verses, and avoid violent or destructive images on TV late in the day, (or preferably, all the time!).
If you still need more in order to relax or to fall asleep or stay asleep, try the health food store.
Try GABA, which is a naturally-occurring amino acid, and which does not cause either dizziness or a hangover, nor does it become habit-forming.
Your health food store supplement expert can direct you to other natural ways to unwind.
Always try nutritive and supplemental ways first, although some few may benefit from psychological assistance, grief counseling, or another form of mental health therapy.
Finallly, as Oprah suggests, keep an attitude of gratitude.
Start a little gratitude journal and before bedtime, list ten things that you are grateful for that you have received that day - even if it's mainly sunshine and fresh air, able-bodiedness, and what most might take for granted.
Remember, you are considered very wealthy by most of the world's people who have ever lived.
Learn to appreciate your life.
That's the main happiness factor! http://www.
Veganize.
com http://www.
GoVeg.
com
It's easy to absorb this fact by observing the very elderly among us who are functioning well.
Watch them as they shop for groceries or stroll down a lane.
Do you notice that the two traits most of them exhibit are calmness and happiness? Usually, they have a smile on their faces.
Often they will beam their peacefulness toward you.
Just being around them is inspiring.
Those who live in anxious states don't fare as well, or remain with us as long.
In order to become someone who will have a long life - a long, able-bodied, functioning life, that is - it's helpful to learn a few simple relaxation tips.
The first is breathing.
Yes, that's right - the thing your body does automatically, plus a little more.
In order to relax, oxygenation is mandatory, and taking deep breaths signals the nervous system centers in the "second brain" in your abdomen to relax.
Take your first deep breath by opening your diaphragm and allowing the air to go all the way down to the bottom of your lungs.
Hold it for a moment, then let it go, constricting your abdomen and slowly forcing the air out.
Do two more times, slowly, and preferably, do this outside.
By now your attention will have been drawn inside, away from your problems, and the rush of oxygen will be relaxing you.
Another simple way to unwind is simply to stop and lie down for awhile.
Watch TV if you must, read, or just rest.
People who take naps live longer, and taking one after lunch, even if only for ten minutes, is a great habit to start and one to keep for life.
Avoid caffeine and sugar, especially if you are already leading a stressful life.
They always interfere with clear thinking, and keep you from sleeping as well as your body requires.
Sugar is so powerful it acts like a drug on the system.
Far more damage is done besides rotting the teeth.
Sugar, especially when eaten with other dangerous food items - animal products, like meat, poultry, fish and eggs and dairy - is a prescription for cancer, for heart problems, and for stroke.
In order to relax, which is your aim, your body requires restorative energy.
Most Americans' bodies are in a constant struggle to digest the fats, toxins, and overload due to overeating, and/or due to eating animal products.
The body is meant to handle many things, but not interminable digestion.
The intestines require so much energy, so many resources, and so much time to digest these harmful foods that it draws upon what the other organs require in order to do their job.
Especially if you eat after 5:00 p.
m.
, your body must work so hard, and then, when you retire for the night, the undigested food just stays in the gut, further straining the system, and creating an even more unhealthy situation.
If you must eat after five or six - depending upon when you go to sleep, allowing yourself at least five hours to digest an animal product meal, and three for a vegan meal - make it a supper of fruit.
Your body can digest fruit much more easily and quickly than it can any other food.
Actually, fruit is the obvious natural food for us primates, anyway.
Stretch your legs.
Yes, walking is great for you.
And stretch your limbs and your trunk before you begin.
Act like a cat and just pull your body upward, your arms outward and bend from the waist a few times.
It feels great! Finally, think pretty thoughts! Create a more flexible mindset and allow only positives into your brain.
Start a healthy habit of happy thoughts, read uplifting things before bedtime and at arising, like Bible verses, and avoid violent or destructive images on TV late in the day, (or preferably, all the time!).
If you still need more in order to relax or to fall asleep or stay asleep, try the health food store.
Try GABA, which is a naturally-occurring amino acid, and which does not cause either dizziness or a hangover, nor does it become habit-forming.
Your health food store supplement expert can direct you to other natural ways to unwind.
Always try nutritive and supplemental ways first, although some few may benefit from psychological assistance, grief counseling, or another form of mental health therapy.
Finallly, as Oprah suggests, keep an attitude of gratitude.
Start a little gratitude journal and before bedtime, list ten things that you are grateful for that you have received that day - even if it's mainly sunshine and fresh air, able-bodiedness, and what most might take for granted.
Remember, you are considered very wealthy by most of the world's people who have ever lived.
Learn to appreciate your life.
That's the main happiness factor! http://www.
Veganize.
com http://www.
GoVeg.
com