Well, it is 2021! The holidays are over, the Christmas decorations are coming down, friends and family have departed for their homes and it is time to return to go back to our regular daily routines. But even though the holidays are over that doesn’t mean the cold and gloomy winter days are.

On those cold, cloudy winter days it is tempting to let the weather dictate your mood… but it doesn’t have to.

It’s easy to take a break during the holidays and not stick to your normal routine of diet and exercise. I mean, come on! It’s a holiday! We have to take SOME breaks, right? But once it is all over and the new year has begun…it is really hard to get back into the swing of it again. And…let’s admit it, we feel rather sluggish and lazy, and the cold and gloomy days of winter make us feel less than excited to start again.

But there comes a time to get off the couch, leave the Christmas leftovers behind and get back into the old groove in a new year. Don’t let your break go on for too long or it will get harder to get out of and your body will feel worse…and that is when we face the temptation to give up before we are even two months in. Here are a few important ways to get yourself out of the slumps and re-energize your mind. Start out slowly at first if you have to…but keep on going!

Drink, Drink, Drink

I know drinking a lot of water is harder to remember during the winter months, than it is when we are really active, hot and sweaty…but it is just as important to avoid getting dehydrated during winter as it is in summer. It helps avoid low energy levels, fatigue, headaches and improve your mood.

Drinking plenty of water is essential to good health, and I believe should be one of the top items on the list for the new year…and all year long. water helps improve the digestive system by helping to keep things moving and clear out waste, clean the blood, and aid the detox process. It can also improve the appearance of your skin, giving you a healthy glow, and help your eyes look brighter and your hair shinier!

Exercise

Not only does this help get rid of those unwanted holiday pounds, but getting back into a workout routine also boosts your happiness and energy levels. Experts discovered that low-intensity workouts, such as a leisurely stroll, caused a drop in fatigue levels and a 20% energy boost! Some good news after the holiday slump!

Exercise could also be an answer for helping you face going back to work! One study found that employees who worked out on work days felt less stressed, happier and were more productive than on days when they skipped a workout.

Joyful Smells

Odors can have a rather big effect on our mood. Some smells can make us feel yuck and give us a headache, thus putting us in a foul mood, or they can relax us, clear our brain and make us feel happy. This makes aromatherapy a great way to help improve your mood and boost your brain focus.  Smell is the strongest of the sensations and is best able to influence brain activity. Olfactory bulbs are part of the limbic system and directly connect to the regions of the brain that process emotion and learning. This is one reason why a certain smell will trigger a memory or remind us of someone or something.

It is always important that you are inhaling CLEAN smells, and not a bunch of toxins (even though they may smell wonderful). So maybe switch out those candles for a diffuser with essential oils, such as: Peppermint, Rosemary, Lemon, or Lavender. Find your happy scent and enjoy!

Retrain Your Eating Habits

What you feed your body will either fuel and energize it, or weigh it down, making it sluggish and depressed….not to mention, sick. It’s time to put away those leftover desserts, baked goods and Christmas candy, and pull out the greens! Getting back into a diet of clean fruits and vegetables and whole, organic foods rich in vitamins and nutrients (such as omega-3 fish and foods), can help FUEL your body, feed your energy and get your body and brain out of the holiday fog and gloom…even on those grey gloomy days!

When we think of getting into shape we all probably automatically think of working out, building muscle, losing weight and getting toned. But I believe we tend to forget to get, or keep, our brains into shape.

1. Diet

What you put into your second brain effects your first brain. When you consume foods that make your body feel sluggish and dull it stands to reason that it would also make your brain sluggish and dull. We like our brains to be sharp and active, full of energy just as much as our bodies are.

So it’s time to dump out all those highly processed foods, full of preservatives and GMOs, high in fake sugar and dyes, and start filling up on good whole foods and lots of fruits and vegetables. Just to get you started, here are some favorite brain boosting foods:

Avocado – Don’t give them a bad rap because of their high fat content! It’s GOOD fat, guys! Rich in Vitamins B, C and K and folate, avocados can help prevent blood clots and can improve your brain function and memory.

Blueberries – High in antioxidants, they are a major brain boosting food AND they taste AMAZING! Packed full of Vitamin C, Vitamin K and fiber, blueberries are good at protecting your brain from stress.

Broccoli – Along with any leafy greens, broccoli is a great brain booster. It is high in Vitamin K to help sharpen your memory…and loads of Vitamin C and fiber!

Dark Chocolate – Hands off the Hershey’s Kisses! Not ALL chocolate is the same. The darker the better! Actual dark chocolate, minimally processed is full of antioxidants and flavonols to improve brain function and help the blood flow to the brain.

Salmon – Salmon is high in Omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce brain fog and improve memory and focus. BUT…avoid farmed fish, which can be very high in toxins and mercury. Go for wild caught Alaskan salmon (which tastes wonderful, by the way ).

2. Exercise

An increased heart rate increases blood flow to the brain, sending in more oxygen and nutrients. This boosts your mood and reduces stress by releasing those “happy hormones and chemicals”, dopamine and endorphins…while sweeping out the stress chemicals.

Exercising gives you more energy during the day and helps you sleep better at night, which we KNOW improves brain function and improves memory.

If you are not sure where to start, or have not worked out in a while, here are some ideas. And remember, start out small and build your way up. It’s not worth hurting yourself!

Running/Walking  – Running is not everyone’s favorite thing (it’s not mine, for sure), and it can be hard on the back and legs if you do it wrong. But, if you do it right, it is still a good way to increase your heart rate and build up your endurance. Walking is also a good, and slower, way to do it.

Biking – It’s easier on the joints than running, and it is also a good way to build up endurance and increase your heart rate.

Dancing – Who says you can’t have fun while you are working out??

Swimming – You can get some good exercise AND cool down during the summer! A double win!!

Stair climbing – This one is easy to do. You can find stairs anywhere! It’s pretty easy on your joints, but it can still get your heart rate up (especially if you do it several times). TIP: Whenever you can, opt for stairs, instead of an elevator or escalator.

3. Be Intentional with Your Thoughts

They have a lot of power. What you put into your mind, believe it or not, effects your brain’s health. If you take everything in, think on every dark, sad, depressing thought, all the fears, negativity, lies, what ifs and unknowns in life, it starts to bog you down and control your brain.

I have talked about the importance of our emotions in health, and really being mindful of our thoughts and emotions. You can check out that article HERE.

The main point is this:

What affects the brain affects the entire body. Be vigilant to protect it and keep it going strong. Especially as we get older and things in this world are intent on tearing it down.  Remind yourself of truth… start quoting scripture to yourself. Have a few memory verses to say when all the negative thoughts start to pour in. So…stop LISTENING to yourself and start TALKING to yourself.

Bonus: Essential Oils

Aromatherapy is also a good way to boost your brain health. Here are some favorites!

Lemon/Orange – Citrus oils are great for uplifting your spirits and body and promoting clarity and boosting your mood and focus.

Peppermint – This is also an uplifting oil that can help boost your memory and concentration.

Vetiver – Can help soothe anxiety and nervousness, and also improve sleep.

Jasmine – It is an uplifting smell and can help ease stress and anxiety.

Lavender – This is a good oil for easing stress, relaxation and helping to promote sleep.

Did you know that our happiness is a choice we make every day? And that it affects our health physically as much as emotionally? I want to look at just a few ways our thoughts affect our bodies… and our lives.

A Negative Mind Hurts Our Body

Our minds are powerful things and they can play many tricks on us (no, not Jedi mind tricks ). We know that the brain controls the body, so it makes sense that the thoughts that occupy our brain have a great effect on our health. But maybe we don’t think enough on what damage negative thoughts have on our health. There are so many ways that we can damage our health with our thoughts, but I am just going to skim the surface for now.

Have you ever fought with someone and you got so angry and emotional you couldn’t think about anything else? These negative thoughts can really drag you down and keep your brain active so as not to let your body get the sleep it needs. OR… how about the one about STRESS?? We all have dealt with stress over something. Stress about everything you have to do today, stress over things that are to come, stress over work, stress over relationships. And it is so easy to let it consume us and paralyze us so that we don’t do our jobs well, or even not at all.

We begin to tell ourselves all the things that could go wrong or get scared with the long lists and stressful situations and dwell on them so much we don’t enjoy ourselves and our lives. We are “worried sick.” We no longer have any motivation or desire to do anything. Then we beat up on ourselves.

We are not happy. We find no happiness in doing anything in life. We just give up.

A Negative Mind Hurts Our Happiness

But there is more to this than just being happy, at least, what we think happy means. So let’s take a look at what the word “happy” means. Is it just a fickle emotion? Or is there more to it?

Happiness, in the truest definition, actually means… contentment. And that is more than just a feeling. It is a choice we make. A choice to not dwell on all the bad things around us, things we cannot control, and to look for all the good things that God has given us. Look for the “blessing in the thorns”.

A Negative Mind Hurts Those Around Us

No one likes to be around a “Negative Nancy” all the time. When we are constantly hanging around with someone who is gloomy or complaining about their difficult situations all the time, we not only get very annoyed, but all of that negativity and gloom gets passed on to us and then we start feeling the same way. Thus begins another game of dominoes!

You know that what you are constantly processing and thinking about is eventually going to come out. We can’t keep it inside forever. No one is that good.

So maybe this week, when you are talking to your friends or family, just try and curb your complaining a little. Because it is really not as bad as you think. Then try practicing gratitude. Because there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for.  We just have to be willing to open our eyes to see it. And little by little your joy and happiness will begin to grow and you will become a blessing to those around you as well. Be intentional.

A Negative Mind Limits Us

I wonder how many things we have missed out on simply because we let this thought creep in and take over: “I don’t believe I can do that.” So we don’t even try. Words have POWER. Even when they are not spoken out loud.

It’s Not About Surviving

You know, sitting back and just living with all these negative thoughts, just trying to make it through another day, is surviving. Ever heard or said this before? “How are you doing today?” “Oh, I’m surviving.”

And while surviving is not a bad thing (in fact I hope we all do it) it’s not enough to simply “survive”. We should be trying to “live”. These are two different words, but they go hand in hand. Too often I see people (myself included) just surviving. Making it from day to day, not really enjoying all the blessings and opportunities that they have been given, because they are so wrapped up in all the negative things that are going on in their lives. It drags them down. And believing they have to live with it and can’t change it, they focus so much on it and miss the joys of actually LIVING and CHOOSING the thoughts that occupy their minds.

How many times have we missed the beauty, blessings and wonderful opportunities staring us in the face because we were so wrapped up with being consumed by negative thoughts? Even in the darkest of times and the worst of situations, God is still good. We still have a choice.

I want to start living my life to the fullest and being more intentional with my thoughts. Being more positive, not only for my body’s sake, but for the sake of those around me. What will you choose?  

Each day and its events are gifts. New adventures to live and lessons to learn. Fun times to spend with family and friends, or maybe you are working today or going to school. Whatever the day holds for you, you want to be able to have energy to do what you need or want to do, and you want to be able to enjoy it as much as possible. But let’s admit it, there are those days when the alarm goes off in the morning and you just wish you could stay in bed. You can’t seem to get yourself going. You, half asleep, prepare for the day and slowly make it through the list of things to do (or most of them).

We all have many days like that. But how can we avoid them? Well, we can’t always avoid them. But here is the good news: We can help to lessen those days.

Here are some tips that can help you get your brain motivated and make you feel ready and alert for each new adventure.

1. Exercise

Keeping physically active is so important to your body’s health. Your brain included. Exercise increases the heart rate and gets more oxygen pumped to the brain. It also helps to release hormones that aid in the growth of brain cells. It helps us be more awake and alert and eager to get our day accomplished. So take just a few minutes a day to get that heart pumping. Do a few jumping jacks, take a short brisk walk around the block, and get ready for the day!

2. Food

While we know that eating food for fuel is a must, keeping our energy up, eating the right food is essential. The food we eat (and don’t eat) affect every part of our body, and God created foods to help each part. You probably grew up hearing certain foods referred to as “brain food”.

• Green leafy vegetables
• Salmon
• Blueberries
• Avocados
• Walnuts

These brain foods, rich in antioxidants and good fats, vitamins and minerals can help improve overall brain function and memory and help your body to fight diseases.

3. Rest and Sleep

A well rested brain keeps the body functioning efficiently. We all know that when we are well rested we perform our duties much better and we are better equipped to tackle the day’s “To Do List”. Sleep has also been known to enhance memory and help improve performance of challenging skills. You are also better equipped to fight sickness. So let your brain relax at the end of the day. Clear your mind of stress and events from the day and get plenty of sleep.

4. Prayer and Bible Reading

What better way to get a healthy brain than to go to its Creator! Take all your stress and the things that clutter and slow her brain down and talk to God about them. Ask Him for help in clearing your mind and trusting Him with everything you worry about. He wants you to have a healthy brain, too.