How to Practice Self Care

Self care is one of the most important things available for health and well-being Life gets busy and overwhelming, but it is necessary to make time for self care. Self care consists of focusing on what you need when you need it with the intention of health and well-being.

Self care means resting when it is needed, eating natural whole foods, moving the body, meditation, healthy relationships, fun and elimination of toxic behaviors or poor habits. The list includes anything that is focusing on your wellness.

When the body has been abused enough and self care is not a priority innate wisdom takes over. The body sends messages. Sometimes the messages are ignored or suppressed with prescription medications, over the counter drugs or other toxic vices. It is wise to listen in order to bring the body into a state of balance again.

Symptoms are a body's wise way of saying that yourself needs attention. Healing comes by going deeper and asking the sometimes difficult questions. Why is this symptom happening? What is my body saying? What lifestyle changes need to be made? What emotion is attached to this symptom? There are more questions that need to be asked rather than suppressing an issue further. The issue will come back again and again until healing the root cause. Once the root issue is healed balance will be present.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine the body associates particular emotions within certain organs. The liver-gallbladder holds anger, kidneys hold fear, heart is associated with joy, spleen harbours worry and over thinking. The lungs are connected with grief. So the next time a symptom is experienced you may consider a possible emotional connection.

Many women, mothers and care providers often get caught in the trap of over giving and not setting boundaries. The adrenals become fatigued or even worse exhausted and the whole body becomes out of balance. In this case saying no when necessary is self care. Saying no to something or someone else and saying yes to self care as needed is best for everyone involved. Taking the time that you need to rejuvenate, nurture and nourish yourself well in order to be a caregiver adds to the quality of life.

To practice self care it is best to listen to your own body. That can mean facing some unpleasant truths, but ultimately self care practiced correctly leads to health, happiness and well-being. It is not selfish to give yourself care as needed. Without taking time for your well-being and recognizing your worth there is nothing left to share with others.

Lisa R. Marshall is a natural wellness, nutrition and healing arts practitioner. 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7559684 

Steps to a Deep Breathing Life Solution

Breathtaking literally can be your best skill, or a "just-getting-by" method to your overall well-being. Which method would you choose? Think about your daily challenges and ask yourself how often are you short of breath, losing your voice, coughing, anxious, distracted, tired and generally lacking confidence?

Did you know that all of these trepidations are best resolved by deep breathing with your diaphragm and intercostal muscles? Your diaphragm is just below your rib cage area where it will expand as your inhale your breath, then relax as you exhale your air. It has the most flexible range of space expansion from holding a small reserve of air to gathering the maximum amount of air in your largest body cavity. With the help of attached intercostal muscles the diaphragm expands your lower rib cage outward to create more space for lung capacity.

Discover if you are using your diaphragm to your best advantage. The diaphragmatic breathing method offers you the best management tool to determine when, why, and how to access your breathing solution to exhale your breath slowly over a long time, hold some air in reserve, or to expel it suddenly in a moment.

Step 1: Feel where your diaphragm connects with your breathing.

• Lie on your back, relax, and breathe slowly.
• Place your hand gently on your stomach. See and feel your hand and stomach move up as you breathe in, then return as you exhale your breath.
• Hooray! You are breathing with the diaphragm.
• Avoid raising your shoulders or breathing only in the smaller upper chest cavity

Step 2: Expand the amount of air your diaphragm maintains.

• Inhale your air for a count of 3, hold it for a count of 2, and exhale for a count of 3
• Increase your intake for a count of 4, hold it for a count of 3, and exhale for a count of 5
• Repeat inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 7. Continue this pattern increasing your exhalation to 8, then 9, then 10; and so on, until 15 or more if you can.

Step 3: Manage your diaphragmatic breathing method when you need it most.

• Take your time over a few days or weeks to develop and practise increasing the amount of air you can exhale.
• Relax and practise diaphragmatic breathing to become your significant way to breathe naturally throughout the day whenever you relax, move, or speak.

In today's world your breathing method may have life saving potential. Use this as your default deep breathing method for emergencies to avoid anxiety, to be heard clearly, and to not run out of breath. Now you know, this is your secret deep breathing power source for your life!

If you found this article helpful, then please go to http://www.brendacsmith.com for more resources, exercises, coaching guides to take along with you. Speech and Drama Coach, Brenda C. Smith has written: "Breathe... Just Steps to Breathtaking Speeches," where you can find out how Carol used the diaphragmatic breathing in hospital to save her life, and more stories. Want to avoid mumbling and speak clearly, or need to retrain speech and your tongue because you have dentures? Take a look in "Speak With Confidence Even With Dentures," recommended by Dentists, Dental Hygienists, and Speech Therapists.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10302364