Holistic Bonfire

Suruchi Saini, MA, LPC, CCTP, TMHP, CYT

Holistic Living

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~ Self-Care, a must investment – Part II ~

Meditation Workshop
Meditation & Stress Management Workshop at Cardio Metabolic Institute, Somerset, NJ

As we discussed in the last post, self-care is incredibly important for mental, emotional, and physical health. Neglecting our well-being can negatively impact the well-being of those around us like our friends, our family members, and our colleagues. While some people might claim that practicing self-care is narcissistic but now we know that benefitting our own state benefits others.

If you’ve ever flown in an airplane, you’ve likely heard the pre-flight announcement that says, in so many words, “In case of an emergency, an air mask will fall down from the compartment above you. Please adjust your own mask first before attending to the needs of your children or seatmates.”

Your children may not be able to figure out their air masks, and if you attempt to help them before your own is in place, you might pass out before you get theirs on. If, however, you calmly secure your own mask first, you will then be conscious and able to assist your children with theirs.

If we are coming apart at the seams mentally and emotionally, we will not be best able to help those whom we love and care about. Showing ourselves love will allow us to show others love, and it will set a good example for our children, who learn a great deal from us and tend to copy our behaviors.

In general, adding self-care habits to your life should not cause you financial hardship, and the next ten suggestions for ways to incorporate self-help into your normal routine are mostly free, although some may require a small amount of money:

  1. When we exercise we release, Serotonin and Dopamine they play a big part in our overall happiness. Engage in a physical activity of your choice—Hatha Yoga, walking, running, swimming, bicycling, Zumba etc.—and put in a solid effort so that your heart rate is elevated and you maybe even start sweating.
  2. Take a class. Think of something that interests you that you don’t normally do, it’ll increase your brain plasticity —learning new language, painting, gardening, cooking, basket weaving, pet agility, etc.—and learn how to do it better.
  3. Help someone. Lend a hand to the woman crossing the street, go shopping for your elderly neighbor, or volunteer at a non-profit organization. By helping someone your Endorphin and Oxytocin levels will increase.
  4. Soak in the bath. Fill your tub with hot water, add in scented bubbles, and relax until your fingers and toes start to become prunes. Water hydrates our skin and is very relaxing.
  5. Pet a dog or a cat. Give love and caresses to a friendly animal, especially if it’s one from your local animal shelter.
  6. Cook for fun. Find a recipe you’ve been wanting to try, and put time and care into making it rather than simply throwing something together in a rush.
  7. Meet a friend. Invite one of your positive, funny pals over for wine and cheese, tea and crackers, or coffee and pastries.
  8. Watch a movie. Check out the latest feel-good flick on Netflix or Hulu, and get lost in an uplifting story for a couple of hours. For me true stories do the trick.
  9. Look at a beautiful photo. Let your eyes linger on a professional photograph or one you took that makes you smile. It helps the brain to relive the happy memories.
  10. Play a game. Go back to the chess board, deal a round of poker for you and your friends, try Solitaire on your computer, or join the kids for an evening of Monopoly.

The third and final post in The Importance of Self-Care series will provide you with ten more ways to add self-care habits to your life, including the easiest one of all, and one anyone can do virtually anywhere, any time.

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~ Self-Care, a must investment – Part I ~

Meditation & Stress Management Workshop at Cardio Metabolic Institute, Somerset, NJ
Meditation & Stress Management Workshop at Cardio Metabolic Institute, Somerset, NJ

When we have an aching tooth, we’ll usually visit the dentist and have it taken care of. If we feel flu symptoms coming on, we’ll typically go to the doctor and get antibiotics. So when we feel stressed, anxious, or depressed, why is it that we so often do nothing to help ourselves, or if we do, why do we usually wait until the burden is nearly too much to bear rather than taking preventative measures?

We often cite a lack of time or the feeling of selfishness as reasons for not tending to our emotional and mental needs, but self-care is neither narcissistic nor does it have to be a big time commitment. While juggling work with raising kids, for example, can make it hard to fit in personal time, it’s an essential ingredient to good overall health.

Self-care is an important factor in maintaining stable relationships, creating a balance between your rational mind and your emotional mind, and boosting your self-confidence and self-esteem, and it’s vital for your mental and physical well-being.

The benefits of practicing self-care are numerous and substantial, and there are plenty of things we can do on a daily basis to help ourselves before the metaphorical weight on our shoulders, our hearts, and our minds threatens to crush us.

In conjunction with my 12-week Mediation & Stress Management program at the Cardio Metabolic Institute in NJ, this post and the next two will provide you with habits you can incorporate into your day-to-day routine in an effort to minimize your negative energy and set you on the course to a happier and healthier life.

The first ten habits cost nothing, and are good investments of little time and effort for life:

  1. Take a timeout. Spend thirty minutes, by yourself, doing something you enjoy that’s in no way related to work, family, or social obligations. If you are a very busy person then you need to practice this for 40 minutes. Yes that’s what’s needed.
  2. Find a quiet place, either at home or in nature, sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes, and focus solely on your breath. If you feel distracted, redirect your mind by saying “Oh Well” as many times as you need to. With the time, the gap between “Oh Wells” will decrease just keep trying.
  3. Write in a journal. Take few minutes daily to write what ever come to your mind without stopping the pen. No need to articulate or correct yourself, just keep writing your thoughts/emotions/words. Also, jot down something you like about yourself, something you accomplished, and something for which you are grateful.
  4. Power nap. Lower the lid on your laptop, turn your cell phone to silent, and snooze for twenty to thirty minutes. People who take power naps, process information better; have better memory & focus, and are less stressed.
  5. Escape in the latest fantasy book, romance novel, or an autobiography of a person you admire, your local library recently added to its shelves. When we read something that we enjoy, various parts of the brain get activated which release the “happy chemicals”
  6. De-clutter your internal & external environment. Since external seems easier for most people, let’s start with your pocketbook/wallet; your kitchen; your car; your desk and then of course select a few items from your closet or your drawers that you haven’t used in a year or two and donate them to Goodwill. For internal cleansing Meditation is a good start, its totally worth it.
  7. Practice yoga in its completeness. Yoga has eight Limbs. However you may start with the third limb as it is more popular in the West, called Asnas, the physical/exercise part of Yoga. It is important that you do under a guidance of a Guru or a teacher. If you don’t know about sun salutation or downward facing dog, YouTube is a wonderful source for information.
  8. Give yourself credit. When you succeed at something, major or minor, pat yourself on the back and tell yourself you did a great job, start talking to your brain.
  9. Go for a stroll. Whether it’s around your block or through the woods, walk at a pace that’s relaxing and comfortable. Make sure your head is straight while walking and that you are wearing appropriate shoes. Walking posture needs to be accurate.
  10. Watch the sunrise/sunset. Life depends on the Sun. Wherever you are, try to observe the sunrise, it gives you energy to go on with the day. When Sun sets, it calms you down and prepares your body’s natural rhythm to go back to sleep.

Look for the next blog post, which will have ten more recommendations for how to practice self-care.

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Does Excess of Proteins Affect our Brains?

Focus

Coming from the culture where Yogic traditions are a way of life, I always practiced and believed that food not only makes us who we are but also heals our mind and body as needed. And in the past few years, Neuroscience is also actively exploring the effects of various food groups and the excess of them on our mind and body. Animal studies have start to surface already and so I thought let me share with you a little bit. Since most of the people seem obsessed with Proteins mainly due to commercial mental-hijacking, I decided to start with Proteins.

We know that Proteins are essential nutrient for the human body. They are used in every cell, and plays a key role in the production of enzymes, which are involved in nearly every bodily function.

There are myriad benefits to eating a diet that contains plenty of proteins, as long as it comes from healthy sources such as lentils (about 10 types), beans, Indian home-made yogurt (also one of the best source of Probiotics), Greek yogurt, and raw cheese, Seeds ( sunflower, sesame, chia, hemp, flax, pumpkin seeds), Nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios), Tofu, Edamame, and of course free-range eggs, wild fish, grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, to name a few.

What is Protein and Why Do We Need It?

Proteins are chains of amino acids that aid in building muscles, repairing tissues, improving blood circulation, enhancing one’s mood, increasing longevity, maintaining consistent blood sugar levels, strengthening bones, boosting neurological function, and more.

Eating too little proteins can result in fatigue, moodiness, a slow metabolism, joint pain, and problematic changes in blood sugar levels.

The Pitfalls of Eating Too Much Protein

As with everything, however, eating too much can cause problems. According to Dr. Mercola, a board-certified practitioner and a New York Times bestselling author, “On average, Americans consume anywhere from three to five times more proteins than they need for optimal health.”

Consuming too much proteins has been linked to brain shrinkage, the grey matter that we need to store memories, at least in mice. We are not far from it. The journal Molecular Neurodegeneration reported that mice who were fed diets high in proteins and low in carbohydrates had brains that were five percent lighter than mice who were given amounts of protein that were sufficient but not excessive.

Furthermore, parts of the brain that are essential to memory did not develop normally, and that can increase the chances of getting Alzheimer’s disease later in life.

While similar testing has not been performed on humans, research has shown that human diets that are low in fat and high in fruits & vegetables, are the best for lowering the risks of dementia. That does not mean that we don’t need healthy fats, we need healthy fats for our healthy brain and body. For those of us who are totally on no fat diet, you might appear thin but no fat diet can create long lasting misery. Think!

Continuing on Proteins, in addition to potentially negatively affecting the brain, three other problems of eating too much proteins are:

  1. Weight Gain: Excess protein cannot be stored in a beneficial way, so it’s typically converted to sugar and then stored as fat, resulting in weight gain.
  2. Increased Cancer Risk: Elevated blood sugar levels can fuel cancer cell growth by stimulating the production of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which has been linked to several types of cancer.
  3. Dehydration: Kidneys must work overtime to remove nitrogen waste that results from excess protein. This strains the organs and results in dehydration. It also leaches bones of important minerals, thereby leading to weaker bones. Straining the kidneys, according to Medline Plus, can cause ammonia and other toxins to build up in the bloodstream, which can lead to hepatic encephalopathy, another link to a decrease in brain function and weak nervous system.
  4. Anxiety and Depression: For many people, major physical illnesses cause episodes of anxiety and depression and in some cases traumas.
  5. Gluten: Heard of it? I am sure you have. If you have gluten intolerance or allergy, your brain & rest of the body will be inflamed, can lead to migraines and various Auto immune diseases. And if you are taking proteins in excess, you can multiply the effect.

 How Much Protein Should we Eat?

Everybody needs a different amount of protein each day depending on gender, age, weight, and activity level. However, according to the USDA, the general guideline is that men should eat about 56 grams of protein per day while women should consume about 46 grams per day. Again not to forget our activity level and age group.

The aim is be to eat the right amount of protein, from an array of both plant and animal sources. Too little or too much will likely cause health-related problems either now or down the road.

~ Our mind and bodies are not separate. What we eat and think, it becomes “us”. So eat well, think well and Be well ~

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Ready for self-care?

Suruchi Saini, MA, LPC, NCC, CCTPHappy Valentine’s day!!

I hope you are enjoying this day which reminds us about the importance of love and affection in our lives, whether that comes from a partner; friend; parent; child; or anybody close to us!!

Self-care is even more important today as mental & physical illnesses are on the rise. Whether people are diagnosed or not, they usually know when they are not doing well, and/or are unableMeditation and Stress Management Workshop With Suruchi Saini to achieve their personal/professional goals. Making commitment to self-care by investing 1-2 hrs/week will make you calm, happy and less guilty for not doing what you are probably preaching or expecting from others around you. Think!

Give yourself permission to do something life changing for yourself with sincerity. Take some time out of your life for yourself!

Today, I am taking this opportunity to share with you that by loving myself lead me to the path of self-care. As a result, I designed Meditation and Stress Management Workshop – a 12 week program consisting of activity based weekly workshops focusing on Mind, Body & Spirit spectrum!!

To make it convenient for all of us, the workshops will be held on Sunday afternoons!

Click here for more details about the workshops. Please share this information with family, friends, clients, or anybody who may benefit. To sign-up please reply to this email or call at 732-846-7000 x 152.

Feel free to mail me should you have any question.

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10 tips for parenting the right way!

Suruchi Saini, MA, LPC, NCC, CCTPMost of us will agree that raising children can be incredibly difficult, perhaps the most difficult task in life. We know that all children are different—from each other as well as from their parents, even if they share some of the genetic makeup of both sets of Grandparents, Mom, Dad, Sister, or Brother. There is no set way to raise children, no one parenting style that works for every parent and every child. There are, however, tips that professionals and parents alike deem reliable and valuable in most scenarios, with most children.

  1. Respect the child. Every child is an individual first and then our child. We need to respect that individuality. Of course we are related to them; we take care of them because we bring them in this world. Instead of giving commands to them to turn into somebody that we are familiar with, we simply need to embrace them as who they are. Please make sure that we guide them according to their needs, not ours.
  2. Set a Good Example. While the nature versus nurture debate will likely never be settled, it cannot be denied that the way we raise our children has a large effect on how the children turn out. Children learn from what they see, especially when they are very young, and they are great imitators. It is important for parents to model the traits we would like to see in our children.
  3. Reward Children for Being Good. It is all too easy to catch children misbehaving and then react accordingly—usually by scolding or punishing them. A more effective approach, however, is to take notice when children are doing something right or good and then praise them for that behavior. Positive reinforcement results in continued positive actions.
  4. Spend Time with Your Children. We are often busy with work, trying to get food on the table, cleaning the house, running errands, etc., but it is important for children to know their parents are willing to make time for them. Sometimes we need to re-organize their social/professional engagements, sleep schedules and personal time in order to be involved in our children’s lives.
  5. Create and Uphold Rules. Teaching a child at a young age how to behave appropriately will enable that child to know how to behave later in life. With young kids especially, we should know where they are, who they are with, and what they are doing.
  6. Be Consistent. Rules need to stay the same each day, and they should be routinely enforced. Children can become confused when rules depend on which parent is administering them and if they vary on a daily or weekly basis.
  7. Provide Presence Instead of Presents. Children benefit more from (positive) attention, praise, love, and doing activities than they do from receiving material items. If we are away often or for extended periods of time, we need to make a point to be more involved in our children’s lives rather than merely offer toys, games, and treats in their place.
  8. Allow Children to be Independent. While children need direction and parental guidance, they also need to learn from making mistakes and be comfortable in doing things without any assistance. We always need to provide support but also let the children take control of their own lives and take responsibility for their own actions. Once in a while ask them how to solve a certain problem. You’ll be surprised that they can come up with such a simple solutions that we adults can’t even think of. Try!
  9. Avoid Harsh Punishment. Nobody should never use physical violence to correct a child’s behavior, no matter how egregious the child’s actions may be. Considerable evidence shows a correlation between children who are hit, slapped, or spanked by their parents, have increased likelihood of fighting with other children and being aggressive later in life. According to Neuroscience studies, it damages them for life.
  10. Mold Your Parenting to Fit Your Child. Every child learns differently and develops at a different rate. Children will most benefit from parenting styles that are personalized to fit their unique requirements, especially as they age and their needs change.

 Let’s not forget to take care of ourselves as well. Also, we need to continue to grow along with our growing children. There have been ample studies to prove that the children of stressed out and anxious parents suffer with many emotional, behavioral and social problems, especially when children are in their teens and in their mid 40s-50s. Be the source of love; comfort; wisdom & safety for your children!