Practice Natural Habits
This topic could be new to many of us, what do natural habits really mean? We understand the terminology of habit is an action or activity that we perform without too much thinking and it's built into our muscle memory. Myth and research say in order to form a new habit, you will need to practice daily for a minimum of 21 days, with +/- depending on the individual.
We often refer to habits as exercising regularly, eating healthy food, wake up and sleep with the same routines, read 60 mins a day, and now washing hands for 20 secs for sanitizing. What are the natural habits?
Natural habits can be quite broad, we like to narrow down into regular practice or technique used to remediate our body's abnormalities by using natural ways with no harmful chemicals or methods which may contradict with Mother Nature.
When we fall sick we should definitely go and see a doctor and take the recommendations to cure. Natural therapies could be used after diagnosis and if used correctly and consistently it may help to prevent the build-up of bad chemicals in our bodies. Bad chemicals and toxins could come from all sorts of conditions such as work-related stress, the food we eat, air quality, smoking, lack of sleep, and so on. It may trigger long term impact on certain areas of our body causing pains, inflammations, memory loss, or even cancers.
Common medicine is symptom focus, treats special targets on our body so that we can heal, natural ingredients and therapies also helps to heal our mind spiritually, our mind controls your body, if our mind is in a healthy state, our body will trend towards the same direction.
The use of nature as a form of therapy has gained the interest of scientists, researchers, and nature enthusiasts. Reconnecting with nature has been shown to be beneficial for easing some of the symptoms of depression. The very act of being in nature promotes mindfulness and gratitude. The inherent ‘peace and quiet’ of natural environments can help to clear our mind of unnecessary worries and reduce feelings of anger and tension.
Instead of going too deep in the philosophies of natural therapies, we like to share some practical habits which you could use at home to support your everyday well being.
Natural Habit 1 - Go out to the great outdoors
It provides access to the roots of the earth and how we can survive as humans for so many hundreds and thousands of years. Exposing ourselves to nature has proven to be a key factor in maintaining good physical, social, and mental health. It also helps to reduce anxiety and ease stress. Natural light also improves sleep quality.
- Take a hike into the woods and immerse yourself into the forest, don't block your ears with headphones and music. Walk calmly and pay attention to the sound of nature.
- Sit in a local park or green garden and observe wildlife moving in the wind or passing by.
- Take your shoes off and walk on fresh green grass, feel the ground and earth.
- Sit on the sand by the beach, feel the wind blowing from the ocean, the smell of salty water, the sound of the breaking waves, and the view of playing children and wildlife moving around freely.
Natural Habit 2 - Meditation & Mindfulness
There are many methods of meditation, but all aim to quieten your mind and put you in a state of calm, stillness, and rest. Evidence varies as to if meditation will mitigate mental health problems, many people have changed their lives as a result of building this daily habit into their lives, it's a very powerful way of relaxing and managing feelings of stress and anxiety.
Meditation can also involve mindfulness which involves focusing your attention on what's happening in the present moment. It aims to help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings, so you can react to them calmly. Many people find mindfulness useful for reducing negative thoughts and feelings of stress. One of the best apps we have used constantly is HeadSpace, worth trying if you are a beginner in meditation and mindfulness.
- Set up a dedicated time of day to meditate, either immediately after you wake up or before bedtime.
- Start off with 10 mins duration and increase to 15-20mins once you get the hang of the technique.
- Use assisted guides and a coach to support you, the soft voices will lead you into the direction of calmness.
- Find a quiet place and make sure you sit comfortably in a relaxing posture, not too laid back that you may fall asleep.
- Try not to be too tense and deliberate to force yourself into the situation, start from the mind, let your thoughts flow freely, and feel your body's breathing with slow deep breaths.
If you are a complete beginner you may find it strange or a waste of time, we felt the same way. After consistent practice and believing results will come, you will feel the real benefits of this habit, it could be life-changing.
Natural Habit 3 - Yoga
Yoga is approximately 4000 years old and is a scientific methodology aimed at uniting the mind, body, and spirit. This bonding occurs through yoga is said to bring about not only physical benefits but also mental benefits.
It's a very safe form of exercise for most people, especially in treating back conditions/pains, speeding time to recover from injuries or prevention of injuries. It also helps to increase flexibility, weight loss, better blood circulation, and stress relief to enhance your mood.
Yoga focuses on 3 main components, body position/posture, breathing, and meditation/state of mind. And you can develop this habit easily from the comfort of your homes.
- If you are a beginner to Yoga, there are tones of free lessons on Youtube or 1-1 teachers in your local community who can help you to get started. Select a few to try and feel the chemistry with the teacher and start with the easiest, take your time to get familiar with the moves and state of mind before rushing to the upper levels.
- Prepare yourself with a Yoga mat, towel, water bottle in a quiet darkened room (better with burning scented candles, or essential oil diffusers) with soft background music. Make use of a TV/iPad/Phone to watch the guided videos if you are new. Find a partner in the family to do it together to get more motivation.
- Each session should be 45-60mins, try to squeeze in at least 2 sessions in a week to start off with.
There are around 8 types of Yogas moves you can try for different levels, as a beginner we suggest to start with Vinyasa Yoga - this is taught at most studios and gyms. Vinyasa means linking breath with movements, the postures are usually done in a flowing sequence and the fluid movements can be memorized and done as a moving meditation, almost like a dance.
Other types of Yoga for reference include Ashtanga, Iyengar, Bikram, Jivamukti, Power, Sivananda, and Yin. Try them all once you have reached a certain level, as they have different benefits and effects on your body.
These are some of the natural therapies that you can practice every day to support your well being and healing, taking care of your body is important and relaxing your mind is also a priority. You may not feel the benefits immediately, you need to build a habit and muscle memory in your daily lives to take advantage of the therapies. The returns from forming these habits will be long-lasting and we do believe it will change your lives.