Finding Your Mental Calmness in the Storm

Mental calmness in the storm is a decision that is made within the inner self. It indicates a conscious mind, self-awareness, and a high degree of emotional intelligence. There are many ways to keep you mentally fit during hard times. These ways can develop into habits that will stay a lifetime with you and be taught to your loved ones. Below are some habits that can nourish and nurture your body, mind, and spirit and be the first step to your mental calmness support.

Eating nutritiously and mindfully while keeping track of how and when to eat to support your mental calmness is listed as follows:  

• Local and seasonal organic whole foods
• Fermented foods contain good gut bacteria (probiotic + prebiotic)
• Each meal contains main food groups: carbohydrates (roots, shoots, flowers, seeds, and fruits), proteins, and healthy fats and includes a rainbow of colored food daily
• Use herbs and spices as per your taste. These can boost your digestion and metabolism
• Drink the proper amount of clean water based on your height and weight before meals in half an hour. It will keep you well hydrated and facilitate your biochemical cell functions.
 
• Choose the fibrous foods. Fiber increases the bulk in food waste to get your bowel moving. It is important to have at least one bowel movement a day.
 
• Unsaturated oils such as olive or flaxseed oils contain essential fatty acids that are the building blocks of our cell membranes. These volatile oils can lose their nutritional value if exposed to light, heat, and air. So, it is better to use these oils as dressing on cold foods at mealtime.
• Avoid inflammatory foods such as Ultra-processed foods, GMOs, trans or hydrogenated fats, meats, or dairy from animals raised on antibiotics and hormones. And, if you cannot eliminate coffee at all, then have it in the morning only.
• Keep your body in a rest and digest state to benefit from nutrition, so while eating avoid any distraction such as watching a video or talking. Your brain will only focus on one thing at a time and will release hormones accordingly.
• Chew thoroughly and sip water enough to move and moisten the food,
 
• Do not snack between meals since your digestive system needs to rest. So 4 hours between meals is ideal.
• Avoid eating after 7 pm because it is ideal to sleep after 3 hours from your last meal of the day
• Keep the 80/20 % rule meaning 80% of your daily food has to be good nutrition and the 20% are unhealthy foods that satisfy your cravings.

A tip: Drink 500 ml of warm water with half a lemon juice (alkalizing drink) upon waking up and wait one hour for that water to cleanse your body.

• Sleep supports mental health, 7 to 8 hours a day is ideal. During your sleep, the growth hormone is released. It will remove toxins, repair, and regenerate body tissues. The room has to be dark so that another hormone, melatonin, is released for a good night's sleep.
• Exercise is a factor in supporting mental calmness. Walking at least 30 minutes a day is good exercise. It promotes blood circulation and ensures a good supply of nutrients and oxygen for the body.
 
• Grounding is a good practice nowadays. Low electromagnetic frequencies that emit from technology devices have a negative effect on you. It causes free radicals in the body and leads to oxidative stress. A feeling of being wired and itchy are two examples of low emf effects. Some ways to ground can be by walking barefoot on rocks or buying a grounding mat.
• Different Mental Calmness First Aid Supplements and techniques: 
• Techniques can be deep breathing, havening, and self-talk with a focus on thoughts. As a tip, faking a smile while feeling down will trick your brain to think that you are happy. It will stimulate releasing serotonin and you will feel calm instantly.
 
• Aromatherapy
• Calming herbs examples: Ashwagandha, lemon balm, hops, passionflower, catnip, chamomile, kava kava, valerian root, holy basil, and St. John´s Wort
• Supplements: Gaba, B-complex, Antioxidants, anti-inflammatory vitamins and minerals such as Vit A, C, E, & D, EFA, Magnesium, 5-HTP, and Melatonin

To conclude, mental calmness can be reached and within our hands when we are fully aware of our triggers and how to control them. It, also, relies on developing habits that will result in long-lasting mind prosperity and body wellness longevity.