Mind full, or Mindful?
Stress, Mindfulness and Movement
Many of us race through the week in anticipation of the weekend. But studies show that taking just a few minutes out of your day to meditate or perform breathing exercises can help reduce the effects of the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for your stress response (fight/flight) and tells your adrenal glands to secrete steroid hormones like cortisol. Short term elevations in cortisol are life saving, causing elevations in blood pressure, cardiac output, and blood sugar to ensure you can survive the physical exertion of the stressor (like running for your life). It also inhibits less vital functions such Stress, Mindfulness and Movement digestive and reproductive organs. Long term, this will actually lead to physical and psychiatric problems such as metabolic adaptation (reduced daily calorie burn), depression, chronic fatigue, immune system suppression, digestive issues, memory loss, and fat retention. The addition of being sedentary while this is taking place significantly increases the cortisol risk factor.
Here are some ways you can beat stress at work:
Take deep belly breathes before and after each meeting
Taking a few walking breaks when able, even if to the water cooler and back
Consider a standing desk at work or an under desk elliptical or peddler
Try helpful walking meditation apps such as Headspace on lunch break
Stop work when you break for lunch - single task, listen to a book tape or relaxing music to aid digestion
Take brain breaks - consider an “ultradian rhythm” exercise. Studies show that your right and left brain hemispheres run on a rest cycle that alternates sides every 90-120 minutes. Remember your right brain thrives on creativity, and your left brain thrives on analytics.
Ultradian Rhythm Exercise:
Important note: This exercise is based on the contra-lateral association w/hemispheric dominance (right brain controls left, left brain controls right):
Close off the left nostril placing your finger along the side of your nose
Breathe into the right nostril.
Close off the right nostril, breathe into the left nostril.
Repeat this several times.
One nostril will be more “open” or free flowing & the other will be more clogged or congested.
The more free flowing side denotes greater dominance o=the opposite hemisphere of the brain. So if your left nostril is more open, your right hemisphere is more active and vice versa at the time of the exercise.
Follow ultradian rhythm by seeking rest, or a “brain break” during work when you start to become Right side dominant.
What's on the menu?
USDA’s SNAP-Ed Connection offers meal and snack ideas that are full of nourishing, hydrating, and delicious foods perfect during the month of Ramadan. And since Banana Day is Friday April 15th this year, what perfect time to highlight their Berries with Banana Cream recipe: Make your own “banana cream” with yogurt, banana, and fruit juice, then top fresh sliced strawberries for a delicious dessert or snack. Add honey and cinnamon for extra flavor. Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup yogurt, low-fat plain
1/2 banana (ripe)
1/2 fluid ounce fruit juice (orange works well)
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 teaspoon honey
1/16 teaspoon cinnamon (dash)
Directions:
Wash hands with soap and water.
Combine yogurt, banana, and juice and mash with a fork until most chunks are gone.
Wash and slice berries.
Top the berries with the banana yogurt mixture.
Top with honey and cinnamon.
For nutrition information, please visit Berries with Banana Cream at What's Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl.
Ramadan
April is the start of Ramadan! It is a month of fasting, extra worship and charity, a special time for family, friends, and communities to gather to break fast together; a time of slowing down and reflecting on one’s life. This year Ramadan begins on April 2nd and ends on May 2nd. The fast includes refraining from food and drink during daylight hours. Be sure to look into accommodations as fasting employees may request an adjustment to their schedules during Ramadan. They can attend lunch meetings but will not eat, they may want to host a fast-breaking dinner for co-workers, and they may use vacation time for the last ten days of Ramadan Ramadan. At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate one of their major holidays called Eid al-Fitr or the “Festival of the Breaking of the Fast.” In 2022 the holiday will be on May 3rd.
