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Why Creating a Healthy Routine is Good for You

Routines are the mind, and body’s natural clockwork – after getting used to a certain internal flow, a habit will fit into place like a jigsaw puzzle and can get stuck there. 

However, sometimes, these routines can be bad and ultimately unhealthy for you. Here are what a healthy routine can do for you: 

Healthiness is key to a long and prosperous life. 

Mentally 

A healthy routine doesn’t just have to be physical exercise. 

For your mental health, a healthy routine can do wonders for your mind. Spend a few hours a day listening to music, reading, writing, or going on a walk. This can lead to you spending your time being more mentally free.  

Clearing your mind from negative thoughts and clutter can improve your focus and lead you to a happier lifestyle. Your mood can improve but your focus and memory can also improve when involved in mental gymnastics. 

Being more mentally free allows you to be happier, and have a greater outlook on life.  

Physically 

Usually, when someone mentions a healthy routine, you think of physical exercise and diet, and that is what’s going to be covered in this section.  

If you are self-conscious, then physical exercise can make you feel better about yourself by improving your body, and diet. These are not only healthier choices but helps build confidence and courage in yourself to be proud of yourself.  

You can also just simply partake in a diet that will help you feel better and healthier and will have noticeable changes. You will end up feeling sick less, but it can also make your mornings a lot less groggy. 

Making it a routine to get up early would improve your sleeping pattern, and allow you to have more hours to yourself – about eight hours is healthy. This means you can have breakfast, which is stapled as one of the most important meals of the day. 

Read Now: How to Get Better Sleep 

Economically 

Your personal finance can be affected by your routine due to always buying the same thing at the shop, or for dinner every day. It can also be that you buy a takeaway frequently which can cause a decline in health and your finance as takeaways have a huge impact on you and your economy. 

By spending less money, you are also inhabiting a healthier diet – and improving physically, and mentally. As well as saving a lot more money in the long run. 

This can then be used as a sort of reward system. Let’s say you have a takeaway once a fortnight for reducing your intake. This gives you a reason for wanting to complete the challenge and results in saving money.  

Read Now: 7 Ways to Ease Financial Stress and Manage your Money 

Key to a Healthy Routine 

The key to a healthy routine is to stick to your ideals and beliefs, as delving from it can cause you to go back to your old routine. It’s about commitment, and focus. You need to want it to get it.  

It is recommended to start small and work your way up. For example, getting up earlier and having breakfast. This small step will show you what it is like to change and then can alter further changes in your routine to be healthier.   

Then someday you can tackle the more difficult changes! 

Push yourself and you will thank yourself later! 

Conclusion 

In conclusion, a healthy routine is one of the most important things for a healthier and happier life and by following your heart and not letting yourself trip on your attempts to gain a better routine, you will succeed.  

You will thank yourself in the long run. 

You are number one, and you should look out for yourself. Don’t think about how other people think, go out there and succeed. 

Hopefully, this has helped you find out why a healthy routine is good. For more information, contact us at Ceed here today. 

The Valuable Mental Health Benefits of Cold Water Swimming

Cold water swimming, especially in wild locations, comes with a variety of physical and mental health benefits. 

The colder the water, the better it is for you, whether that be in the sea, a lake or a river. Cold open-water swimming has been linked to:  

  • Pain relief 
  • Improved circulation 
  • Reduced inflammation 
  • Better concentration 
  • A significant positive effect on chronic low-mood and stress
Cold water swimming is good for your mental and physical health!

Inducing the Stress Response 

These health benefits come from inducing the body’s natural stress response. Through cold water swimming your body learns to self-regulate and overcome the stress induced by the water. 

The human stress response is an instinctive survival mechanism that reacts to your environment. So, any sudden change in your metabolic rate, like a change in temperature, will trigger a stress response. 

During this process your brain floods the body with stress hormones, which create a state of shock. This then triggers the parasympathetic nervous system which works to regulate your metabolism. Once regulated any physiological sensations and emotions fall back into equilibrium and you will feel calm again. 

By regularly inducing a stress response in your body through cold water swimming, you train yourself to be more efficient at regulating stress. So for those with anxious thoughts or panic attacks, cold-water swimming can help to train your body to overcome anxiety. 

Start cold open-water swimming today!

Immersing your face in cold water is key, as this stimulates the vagus nerve. This helps to slow your heart rate, relax the body, and activate metabolism. 

By submerging your face under water you trigger the mammalian dive response, which is where the somatic nerves of the facial muscles react to water and causes your heart rate to slow and muscle tissue to store more oxygen. 

Cold water swimming can also have a positive impact on your physical wellbeing. When the body is exposed to cold the blood vessels constrict, restricting blood flow and as a result reduce inflammation. So, if you have aches and pains that never seem to go away, cold-water swimming could be the answer.   

Read Now: How to Get Out of a Funk 

Mindfulness 

Mindfulness is the practise of being fully engaged in the present moment, aware of where we are and what we’re doing and not focusing on any distractions. To be mindful is to be fully present in the given moment.   

Cold water swimming and being in nature provide the perfect conditions to keep you present. It’ll be hard to focus on anything but the physical sensations you experience. 

When you’re in the water, it’s important to focus on your breathing and your movement through the water. You’ll disengage from any worry or stress in your life and find yourself completely present. 

Swimming in cold water takes courage, just the act of going and having the discipline to stay in the water can improve your sense of self-worth. It’s not an easy feat to be a cold-water swimmer. 

Read Now: 4 Effective Ways to Clear Your Mind of Stress 

How to Start Cold Water Swimming 

To begin your cold-water swimming journey its best to start small. It can be daunting to go out into nature and plunge into the cold. Instead try starting with something less intimidating. 

You can simply reduce the temperature of your morning showers, taking it one day at a time until you’re not using heat at all.  

As you ease yourself into cold water immersion be mindful of your breath and don’t allow yourself to tense up. Take deep breaths and relax. Essentially, you’re training yourself to be comfortable in the discomfort that comes with the cold.  

Another great option to try before taking the plunge is spending time outside in the cold. If you wear light layers this can trigger the same stress response cycle in the body without the intensity of cold-water swimming.  

When you feel ready to swim in the wild you can find your local swim group online. 

Read Now: 4 Mindful Ways to Help You Live in the Moment 

Be Safe When Cold Water Swimming 

If you’re wanting to give cold open-water swimming a try, it’s important to do so safely. When swimming remember to:  

  • Tell someone where you’re going and what your plan is. 
  • Swim with other people who are familiar with the area you’re swimming in. 
  • Be aware of your surroundings, keep in mind entry and exit points of the water. 
  • Enter the water gradually and allow your body to acclimatise. 
  • Ensure you’re visible in the water, either with a bright float or swim cap.  

For further advice on lifestyle changes to better your mental health, contact our experts at Ceed today.  

How to Maintain a Healthy Diet

Starting a healthy diet can be tough. The abundance of choice when it comes to what we eat and drink can be overwhelming when you’re trying to find the healthiest option at an affordable price. 

Maintaining a healthy diet can be even more of a challenge. Not only do you need to consider the food and drink you consume daily, but you need to exercise regularly to keep fit and in shape. 

But you can overcome these obstacles! By understanding what makes up a healthy diet and how to maintain it, you can transform your current diet into a balanced diet that thrives in the long term. 

What is a healthy diet? 

One reason we eat is to provide energy for our body. A healthy diet balances the energy we consume with the energy we use. 

The amount of energy you consume will have an impact on your weight: 

  • If you consume more energy than you use, the unused energy will be stored as fat = this will cause weight gain 
  • If you consume less energy than you use, all your energy is used up = this will cause weight loss 

The amount of energy in a particular food or drink is measured in calories (kcal). Therefore, eating the right amount of calories to balance your active lifestyle will help maintain a healthy weight, which is important to your overall health. 

What kinds of food should you be eating? 

The body also requires a wide range of nutrients from a variety of food to remain healthy. 

To build a balanced diet, The Eatwell Guide by Public Health England recommends eating food from these five main food groups: 

  • Starchy carbohydrates – e.g. potatoes, bread, rice and pasta 
  • Fruit and vegetables – e.g. carrots, avocados, tomatoes 
  • Proteins – e.g. beans, pulses, fish, eggs and meat 
  • Dairy products or alternatives – e.g. milk/soya milk, cheese, yoghurt 
  • Oil and spreads – e.g. vegetable oil 

You don’t need to fulfil all five food groups in every single meal. Instead, you can space the food groups out over a day or even a week. 

The healthy eating model that appears in the Eatwell Guide is a practical way to make healthy choices about your diet. 

How often (and in what proportions) should you be eating? 

Moderation is essential to a healthy diet; you should only consume as many calories as your body requires. 

On average, men need 2500kcal a day while women need 2000kcal a day to sustain a healthy body weight, but this varies with each individual. Other factors that can impact your daily caloric intake are age, body size and how active your lifestyle is. 

Most of our food should be part of the two biggest food groups: starchy carbohydrates and fruit and vegetables

The 5 A Day campaign, outlined in a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), recommends eating at least 5 portions of different fruit and veg a day so your body receives a range of nutrients. In 2017/18, only 54.8% of adults (aged 16 and over) had 5 or more portions of fruit and veg a day

The smaller food groups, like proteins and dairy products or alternatives, should be consumed in moderate amounts. 

Oils and spreads, preferably unsaturated, should only be eaten in small amounts as it is high in calories. 

While foods that are high in saturated fat, salt and added sugars are not required for a balanced diet, eating them in small amounts occasionally will help if you are craving your comfort foods. 

Healthy eating focuses on retaining a balanced diet that works for you. If something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to alter your diet so you are happy with the food you’re eating. 

Here are a few ways to help you maintain a healthy diet: 

Think about the food you eat: 

  • Plan and prepare your meals: By cooking your meals, you will be aware of what goes into your food, which will help figure out whether you’re eating food from all five food groups. 
  • Replace unhealthy food with healthy alternatives: Slowly substituting the food you currently eat with healthier options will make a significant difference to your diet. 

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Take into account when you eat: 

  • Remember to have a well-balanced breakfast: A healthy breakfast replenishes energy and nutrients in your body. By regulating your blood glucose levels, breakfast helps control your appetite for the rest of the day. 
  • Eat healthy snacks between meals: Having a healthy snack, like mixed nuts or dark chocolate, when you’re hungry can help keep your appetite in check until your next meal. 
  • Avoid eating dinner right before you sleep: The timing of your last meal has an impact on how many calories you consume. According to a study, higher caloric intake was associated with eating a later last meal and eating closer to sleep

Consider your overall dieting approach: 

  • Set modest and achievable goals around your healthy diet: Manage realistic expectations of what your diet will entail so you remain motivated and become less discouraged to quit. 

When it comes to maintaining a healthy diet, a few small changes are easier than one big change. Take your time with this process, and don’t be hard on yourself when you occasionally break your diet. 

The most effective diet is one you can stick to in the long run. As a healthy diet is unique to each individual, spending time finding a sustainable way that works for you and that you enjoy, will make it easier to keep up your diet in the future. 

Ready to start working towards a healthy diet? Speak to a life coach at Ceed, who will assist you in your health and fitness goals. 

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