10 Minimalist Lifestyle Tips to De-Stress and Save Money

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Kayla Montgomery, Content Marketing Specialist at http://siegemedia.com, shared with Healthy Lombard that there are many pros to becoming a minimalist. You could consistently keep things clean without much effort, cut your budget, and manage your stress. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by things that clutter your workspace, life, and just about everything else, you’re able to focus on things and relationships that serve you. 

Even though minimalism sounds rather simple, there are roadblocks that may trip you along the way. Keep reading to see Mint’s favorite tips for achieving stress-free minimalism habits.

1.  Shop Quality

Rather than investing in fast fashion, find things that’ll serve for your years to come. You could find a bargain deal on a t-shirt, but it may not last you more than a year. Invest in things that’ll last you a lifetime, and that you’ll never get bored of. 

2.  Digitize Everything

If you’re a big book reader, consider getting a Kindle over purchasing books every week. Not only could you be saving some trees, but you’re also able to have all your favorite reads in one place. 

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Racism has devastating effects on children’s health, pediatricians warn

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William Wan a national reporter covering health, science, and news for The Washington Post wrote that the nation’s largest group of pediatricians warned this week that racism can have devastating long-term effects on children’s health.

A policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics is the first it has issued to its members on the dangers of racism. Doctors involved in the report said the current political and cultural atmosphere makes the work more urgent.

“If you look at what’s in the news today, in social media, on Twitter, there are so many kids are exposed to,” said Jackie Douge, a pediatrician with the Howard County Health Department who co-wrote the statement. “As much as you want to keep it in the background, it’s not in the background. It’s having direct health effects on kids.”

Their report comes at a time when racism is dominating headlines, driven by racist tweets from President Trump, which have inspired chants at his rallies, and also by the rise of white nationalism.

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How racism harms children

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, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing, writes that Racism hurts children, in real and fundamental ways. It hurts not just their health, but their chances for a good, successful life.
 That’s the bottom line message of a new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). It is a call to action for all of us. If we care about the health and future of all of our children, it says, we need to take real steps to end racism — and to help and support those who are affected by it.Racism informs our actions when we structure opportunities for and assign value to people based on our interpretation of how they look. Biologically we are truly just one race, sharing 99.9% of our genes no matter what the color of our skin or what part of the world we come from. But historically we have found ways to not just identify differences, but to oppress people because of them. Racism grew out of and helped rationalize colonization and slavery. Despite our biological sameness, people continue to look for differences — and claim superiority. While we have made historical progress, the beliefs and oppression that underpin racism persist; it is, as the AAP statement calls it, a “socially transmitted disease.”

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Benefits of Keeping a Fish Aquarium At Home

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Alison Page has been an avid fish keeper for over 35 years and has owned many different species of freshwater tropical fish including bettas. Recently, Alison shared an article she wrote that asks, “Did you know that keeping fish is good for your mental and physical health?”

Well, according to findings in a recent study, the benefits of an aquarium include reducing blood pressure and heart rates, as well as improving mood. So, it’s little wonder that, according to the National Pet Owners Survey, fishes are the third most popular pet in U.S. households after dogs and cats.

So, should you get a fish, and are fish good pets?

In this article, Alison explains how a fish hobby can help to keep you and your family healthy, as well as to improve your mental health.

What Are The Health Benefits of a Home Fish Aquarium?

It’s truly amazing just how many benefits can be enjoyed by keeping a home aquarium, so, if you’ve never considered fishkeeping as a hobby, here’s why you should!

1. Reduced Blood Pressure

Research has found that the presence of a home aquarium can help to reduce blood pressure, especially in seniors. Indeed, when compared, the presence of a fish tank that contains living fish produces a greater reduction in blood pressure than fishless tanks or those containing artificial creatures, such as synthetic jellyfish.

Interestingly, the more species that the aquarium contains, the more relaxing the experience for observers, resulting in significant drops in blood pressure and heart rates.

In one experiment, a live video feed was linked to local hospital waiting rooms and wards, where it was shown that hypertension patients experienced clinically meaningful reductions in their blood pressure. Read more

Self-Care Tips From Successful Women

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Stacey Walden a Content Specialist, shared that there’s never been a more vital time for us to prioritize our well-being and during a time when everyone is indoors 24/7, self-care is under the spotlight. From physical fitness to meditation, clean beauty to mindfulness, there’s no “right” way to practice self-care. And with some extra time on our hands we have the opportunity to work on ourselves and find a self-care routine that works for us! 

 

If you don’t know where to begin in terms of self-care, you’re not alone. There are many channels that you can prioritize plus physical, mental, and emotional well-being looks different for everyone. Small lifestyle choices add up to affect how we feel and can reshape our outlook on life. That being said, there are a few big pillars to the foundation of self-care that can help be your guiding light. Let’s explore them below. 

Be kind to yourself

The first pillar is simple. It’s right in the name. “Self-care.” That means through the acts you choose to add to your routine actively show yourself respect and kindness. If you haven’t felt like your usual self during this quarantine, you might fall into the trap of being frustrated with yourself. Instead, take the opportunity to be kind and more patient with yourself during this tough time.  Read more

Mindfulness At Work

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Suja Johnkutty, MD a conscientious mom, and neurologist whose one simple goal is to provide honest, practical, simple action steps to experience better relaxation. She also blogs at BetterRelaxation.com, a site all about providing straightforward advice on mindfulness and relaxation techniques. Recently, Suja put forth the question, “Have you ever found yourself at work functioning on autopilot?”

It’s happened to her. She shared that she would wake up and head to the office like an automaton until one day she realized that without mindfulness at work, she was less productive, just doing things for the sake of it and feeling absolutely unfulfilled even though this was her passion. So she put together a comprehensive training of mindfulness at work.

What Is Mindfulness Training?

Mindfulness is living in the moment or having a conscious awareness of what you’re doing right now. Often, we drive to work and get through the workday, without being fully aware of the moment, without consciously realizing where we are and how we’re going about it.

Mindfulness is not something that happens automatically. It requires a continuous, conscious effort to choose to live in the moment. Being busy is somehow worn as a badge of honor. And in all that ‘busyness,’ we’re constantly chasing the next deadline, the future client, the better fish, and the next promotion. In all that “busyness” we forget to savor the moment. Mindfulness at work can help you bring each moment, each task, every activity through a more appreciative lens. Read more

Wellness + WFH: Strategies from Professional Zen-Artists

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Stacy Walden, a Content Marketing Specialist at   http://siegemedia.com   shared that as millions of Americans are now working from home amid the COVID-19 pandemic many are experiencing challenges they never thought they would. From setting unfamiliar boundaries with family members to using less than comfortable home offices or workspaces, many are feeling the blues when it comes to their new work from the home set-up.

In a Thrive Global survey, 80% of respondents reported feeling helpless and that things were out of their control as well as over 85% of the respondents said they wanted more help adapting to working from home. While we are working from home we are also working through a crisis so it’s important that employees and employers be easier on themselves when reflecting on their productivity and job performance. Luckily we are all in this together and we can lean on the advice of others to help get us through.

Working at Home v. Working Through a Crisis

According to Thrive Global, on average employees reported feeling that 45% of their workdays have been lost due to distraction and time spent worrying about the outbreak. While being productive is still indispensable, it is important to acknowledge that you’re not going to be productive every second of the day. And that’s okay.

While many companies are striving to create more comfortable work environments for their employees by promoting flexibility in hours and the ability to take home office devices, there is so much more that can be done. Employees have the power to refresh and zen-out their work from home space. By definition, zen is the practice through which we can realize the joy of being and can apply this methodology to our time working from home. By differentiating between in-office and at-home etiquette you can help take ownership of your relationship with working from home. Read more

The Joy Of Running, by Amateur & Pro Runners Alike

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(freelance writer and editor) shared that running is one of the best things you can get into. She has been running on and off for years, and while she still struggles to discipline herself to put her shoes on and head out the door, she can 100% say that every single time she has come back from a run, she feels great and am glad she went.
Running for her really helps her clear her head and feel good about herself. But at least in Australia, it surprises her how few fellow runners she sees at the oval, even on weekends with perfect running weather.

In this piece, Katie has collected stories & comments from fellow runners and hope that it can inspire at least 1 more person to consider getting into running. Earlier, I had put out this query:

To summarize, these are the main reasons people enjoy running in the stories:

  • For mental health (running releases feel-good hormones like norepinephrine, serotonin, etc) and meditation
  • Unplug from work ordinary life
  • Let your mind wander
  • Get away from negative emotions like worry, stress, and anxiety
  • A sense of accomplishment, progress, and purpose
  • Feeling more positive
  • Runners high (yes, it’s a real thing)
  • Take in the fresh air, smells, and sights

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How to Create a Space and Lifestyle for Better Sleep”

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Rocio from Porch.com shared that social distancing is stressful and some of us are experiencing some hard time falling asleep or enjoying a good night’s sleep.   He suggests that if you tend to toss and turn at night, your sleeping troubles could be due to stress, your health, or it may be the way your bedroom is currently structured. Whether you suffer from insomnia or experience occasional trouble getting a good night’s rest, there are some things you can do to enjoy a deeper, more restful sleep. One of the best things you can do for your health and well-being is to get adequate sleep each night. Read on to learn more about the importance of getting a good night’s sleep and how you can take proactive steps at home for a restful slumber.

The Importance and Benefits of Getting a Good Night’s Sleep

Lack of deep sleep can have a major negative impact on your health. When you don’t get a good night’s sleep, you’ll feel sluggish and moody the next day. Some side effects of missing out on sleep include fatigue, an inability to focus, and overeating. Some studies have shown that lack of sleep can actually contribute to obesity since it increases your levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that makes you feel hungry during the day. If you get enough hours of sleep each night, you’ll be more focused and alert. Lack of sleep can cause serious safety issues, such as car accidents or injuries at work. REM sleep provides plenty of benefits that can improve your health, including:

  •    1. Improved learning and better brain function
  •    2. Steady mood (no mood swings)
  •    3. More energy – both physical and mental
  •    4. Healthy heart and lung function
  •    5. A stronger immune system

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Why You Should Consider Forest Bathing

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College of DuPage Nursing Student Victoria Wilk feel that you probably don’t think about going into the forest when you think about bathing, but there are some reasons why you should start thinking about trees when you think about bathing. The Japanese began a practice called forest bathing. The best way to think about it is like sunbathing but in a forest instead of on a beach.

In an article by Karin Evans (2018), she reports that spending time in a forest, or at least in an area that has several trees such as a park if you live in an urban area, has a number of benefits. Forest bathing can strengthen your immune system, improve cardiovascular and metabolic health. It can also reduce stress, depression, anxiety, and anger. Spending time forest bathing may also help with sleep problems because of the reduction in anxious feelings.

How does forest bathing help? The oxygen levels in forests are higher than in urban areas since trees produce oxygen. Phytoncides, oils that are part of flora’s defense mechanisms against insects, fungi, and bacteria, are also present and benefit people’s health. Evergreens produce the most phytoncides, so they are the best forests to bathe in. Read more