10 tips to stay mentally healthy

Enjoying mental health means having a sense of wellbeing, being able to function during everyday life and feeling confident to rise to a challenge when the opportunity arises. Just like your physical health, there are actions you can take to increase your mental health. Boost your wellbeing and stay mentally healthy by following a few simple steps.

1. Connect with others. Develop and maintain strong relationships with people around you who will support and enrich your life. The quality of our personal relationships has a great effect on our wellbeing. Putting time and effort into building strong relationships can bring great rewards.
   
   
2. Take time to enjoy. Set aside time for activities, hobbies and projects you enjoy. Let yourself be spontaneous and creative when the urge takes you. Do a crossword; take a walk in your local park; read a book; sew a quilt; draw pictures with your kids; play with your pets – whatever takes your fancy.
   
   
3. Participate and share interests. Join a club or group of people who share your interests. Being part of a group of people with a common interest provides a sense of belonging and is good for your mental health. Join a sports club; a band; an evening walking group; a dance class; a theatre or choir group; a book or car club.
   
   
4. Contribute to your community. Volunteer your time for a cause or issue that you care about. Help out a neighbour, work in a community garden or do something nice for a friend. There are many great ways to contribute that can help you feel good about yourself and your place in the world. An effort to improve the lives of others is sure to improve your life too.
   
   
5. Take care of yourself. Be active and eat well – these help maintain a healthy body. Physical and mental health are closely linked; it’s easier to feel good about life if your body feels good. You don’t have to go to the gym to exercise – gardening, vacuuming, dancing and bushwalking all count. Combine physical activity with a balanced diet to nourish your body and mind and keep you feeling good, inside and out.
   
   
6. Challenge yourself. Learn a new skill or take on a challenge to meet a goal. You could take on something different at work; commit to a fitness goal or learn to cook a new recipe. Learning improves your mental fitness, while striving to meet your own goals builds skills and confidence and gives you a sense of progress and achievement.
   
   
7. Deal with stress. Be aware of what triggers your stress and how you react. You may be able to avoid some of the triggers and learn to prepare for or manage others. Stress is a part of life and affects people in different ways. It only becomes a problem when it makes you feel uncomfortable or distressed. A balanced lifestyle can help you manage stress better. If you have trouble winding down, you may find that relaxation breathing, yoga or meditation can help.
   
   
8. Rest and refresh. Get plenty of sleep. Go to bed at a regular time each day and practice good habits to get better sleep. Sleep restores both your mind and body. However, feelings of fatigue can still set in if you feel constantly rushed and overwhelmed when you are awake. Allow yourself some unfocussed time each day to refresh; for example, let your mind wander, daydream or simply watch the clouds go by for a while. It’s OK to add do nothing’ to your to-do list!
   
   
9. Notice the here and now. Take a moment to notice each of your senses each day. Simply ‘be’ in the moment – feel the sun and wind on your face and notice the air you are breathing. It’s easy to be caught up thinking about the past or planning for the future instead of experiencing the present. Practising mindfulness, by focusing your attention on being in the moment, is a good way to do this. Making a conscious effort to be aware of your inner and outer world is important for your mental health.
   
   
10. Ask for help. This can be as simple as asking a friend to babysit while you have some time out or speaking to your doctor (GP) about where to find a counsellor or community mental health service. The perfect, worry-free life does not exist. Everyone’s life journey has bumpy bits and the people around you can help. If you don’t get the help you need first off, keep asking until you do.

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Top 30 Health Tips

A garlic a day: Garlic is the mother of all cures. Researchers in Liverpool have found that 5ml of garlic extract lower levels of a disease-causing chemical by up to 48 per cent.

 Eat wholegrain foods: Make sure you have whole-grain bread, rice or pasta at least four times a week and you will reduce the chance of having cancer by 40 per cent.


 Take care of your skin: Always wear sun-screen lotion during summers. It is advisable to use winter care creams to overcome the harsh and cold winds. The best cure is to smile through and your skin will shine with an extra dash. It's no big secret!

 Try Tea: Tea is always good. Being a heavy tea-drinker can never have negative effects. The protective effects of tea increase with the amount drunk, and people who are regular tea drinkers are the least likely to die of a heart attack.

 Stop smoking: Do not smoke your health away. Nicotine patches, gums or inhalers might work for some individuals, or other methods, from hypnosis to acupuncture. More you are to smoke, more likely your are to develop cancer or heart disease.

 Walk for Health: There is nothing better than walking. Walking a mile everyday, or taking reasonable exercise three times a week, promises to reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as strengthens bones and keeps them strong.

 Never sleep over a backache: It is never advisable to sleep over a backache. Research shows that people who take to their beds with backache take the longest time to recover. Those who avoid bed-rest and continue normal activities as much as possible have less pain.

 Water spells health: Water flushes out the toxins. A good amount of liquid intake helps the entire system and of course is best for curing skin ailments. The average man needs 2.9 litres, or about 12 cups of water, a day and woman needs about 2.2 litres.

 Stop bad breath: You can prevent that unfriendly odour. It is caused by oral bacteria. A tongue scraper may help, but dental care may be needed. Mouth rinses are effective, as are flossing and brushing teeth twice a day.

 Slow down on the junk: Research shows that eating too many high-fat-food contributes to high blood-cholesterol levels, which can cause hardening of the arteries, coronary heart disease and stroke.

 Cut back on salt: Health Organisation recommend no more than five grams a day. Too much salt can lead to stroke and heart problems.

 Drink wine: Research suggests that the equivalent of a couple of glasses of wine a day may be good for health. It can also help you keep a good mental frame.

 Spouse can matter: A man in poor health in his 50s is six times more likely to be affected if married to a woman who is also in poor health.

 Eat right for better teeth: Your pearly whites can gleam. Eat apples, oranges, celery, carrots and high fiber green.

 Crash diets don't work: The so called new-age diets do not add to health prospects. There is no easy way to lose weight so the best way is to do it over a period of time.

 Coffee is good: Researchers have found that two to four cups of coffee daily can lower the risk of colon cancer by 25 per cent.

 Being overweight is dangerous: Loose the extra kilos. Over weight people cut 20 weeks of their life for
every excess kilogram, according to new research.Keeping a personal weight machine at home really helps. Buy one now!

 Supplement with selenium: Research has shown that people who took a daily supplement of selenium had a 37 per cent reduction in cancers.

 Lower your cholesterol: Work on reducing your cholesterol. This can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke even when your level is not high. Exercise to reduce weight.

 Asprin is a wonder drug: Asprin can actually do wonders. It helps to reduce the risk of conditions such as heart disease and cancers, including of the colon, oesophagus, stomach, rectum, prostrate. cent.

 Change your job: If the workplace is what bothers you. Simply quit! Consider becoming a salesperson. Salespeople are least likely to have a work-related illness.

 Socialising is good: Meeting friends and relatives is recommended. Weekly socialising improves the memory, concentration and problem solving skills.

 Learn to relax: Unwind, take up a hobby and start socialising. This fights stress and depression.

 Fruits and vegetables help: Have at least five portions of vegetables and fruit a day, especially tomatoes, red grapes.

 Sing to stay healthy: Singing is good for the mind and body. it is relaxing, improves breathing and muscle tone.

 Vitamins are vital: A multivit a day keeps the tablet away, but be sure it contains at least 200 meg of folic acid.

 Sleep well: There is nothing like a good sleep. Sleep primes the immune system. Most people need between seven and nine hours of sleep a night.

 Or just hum...: Humming helps. Daily humming is a good way to increase ventilation in the sinuses.

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Health Benefits of Almonds

Almonds have been consumed by many cultures for thousands of years and were highly popular in the diets of ancient Egyptian cultures. They have continued to be popular and have become a popular snack food as well as becoming incorporated into milks and flours. On top of being delicious regardless of how you eat them, they bring tons of amazing health benefits for you when you include them at your table.

Reduces Cardiovascular Disease
People who consume nuts on a regular basis can lower their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol that clogs their arteries and is the main cause for heart disease. They do these with their high levels of:

• Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3’s are a heart healthy form of unsaturated fat that help you heart and help to prevent heart attacks. While many people turn to fish for their Omega-3’s almonds and other nuts are one of the best sources of Omega-3 that are plant based.
• Unsaturated fats: Unsaturated fats are the “good” fats that have been found to help your body to lower high cholesterol levels.
• Fiber: High levels of fiber help your body to stay full longer, which reduces that chances of obesity induced cardiovascular diseases. Fiber also helps you lower your cholesterol levels and is thought to help your body to prevent diabetes.
• Vitamin E: High levels of LDL (the bad fats) will lead to plaque build-up in your arteries, which effectively narrows them and causes internal problems. This development can lead to heart attacks, chest pain, and coronary heart disease.
• L-arginine: This acid helps to make your artery walls more flexible, reducing the likelihood that your body will form blood clots that will block your blood flow.

Encourages Brain Development
Almonds have been studied for their connection in the development and health of our brains, aiding in memory boosting as well as overall brain function. Its high protein levels will not only provide your body with a boost of energy, it will also help to repair your brain cells while magnesium helps to strengthen your nerves. Both B6 and vitamin E promote overall brain health while slowing down the aging of your cells, helping to preserve your memory for longer as you age.
One of the most important functions for brain health is its high level of antioxidants, which fight free radicals in your body, thus giving your body a greater chance of avoiding brain and other cancers. L-carnitine and riboflavin in almonds will also encourage brain activity and prevent Alzheimer’s disease, while possibly boosting intelligence levels in children when they are young.

Regulates Cholesterol
Numerous studies have reported that consuming half a cup of almonds a day will reduce your overall cholesterol levels by up to ten percent. The combination of monounsaturated fats with some polyunsaturated fats in almonds have been shown to be the perfect combination of fats to encourage cardiovascular health. However, the benefits of eating almonds will be greatly reduced or outright negated if people simply add them to their diets instead of substituting them for something less healthy in their current diet. It is also recommended to consume dry roasted or natural almonds without added salts and oils to ensure proper body balance.

Increases Bone Health
Calcium is an important factor for bone health, however; it is important to ensure that you are consuming calcium in ways that will allow for high levels of absorption into the bones. Dairy has low rates of magnesium, which is vital for bones to be able to absorb calcium, while fruits, vegetables, and nuts have high levels of magnesium and calcium. It has been found that when humans consume foods with equal amounts of these important elements their bodies will absorb them at a much higher rate than when you drink milk. Almonds have high levels of both of magnesium and calcium to allow for the highest levels of absorption.
In addition, while many people automatically think of calcium when they think about their bone health vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. The Journal of Bone and Mineral Metabolism examined the impact that Vitamin E had on bone density and overall strength and found that increasing vitamin E levels in rats increased their bone density by up to eighty percent.

Controls Blood Pressure
Daily consumption of nuts such as almonds have be shown to lower the risk of hypertension, although it cannot prevent the disease altogether. Its high content of potassium and unsaturated fatty acids play a role in promoting a health body and the low content of sodium in raw almonds makes the benefits even greater. The biggest powerhouse that almonds have over blood pressure are their high magnesium content, a mineral that many people do not consume enough of and is strongly associated with blood pressure concerns regardless of your weight.

Prevents Overeating
Healthy fats and fiber will aid you greatly if you are trying to prevent overeating, as they will help you to stay full for much longer and curbs overeating of unhealthy foods. Studies have shown that almonds have a positive boost on your body’s metabolism and the Nurses’ Health Studies research showed a clear correlation between daily consumption of almonds and healthier body weights. This study was supported in the International Journal of Obesity, which found that those who ate almonds daily had a higher rate of weight loss, waist size, fat mass and systolic blood pressure.

Final Word
It is clear that incorporating almonds into your daily diet can have significant health benefits for many. Incorporating them into your diet is easy as alternatives become more available for those who have allergies to lactose. For those who are seeking to include more almonds in their diet, you should ensure that they are as un-processed as possible. Many different nuts will go through processing that drastically lowers the almonds nutritional and health value. Look for almonds that have not been subjected to intense heat, sugar, hydrogenated oils or sodium to ensure that you are receiving all of its benefits.

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