MK Wellness

11/10/2022

Emotions and how easily we misunderstand them.

"We all experience emotions, and have always experienced them yet they’re messy, complex and at times difficult to pinpoint. All emotions are easy to misunderstand however, they provide valuable data. Unfortunately, due to the intricacy of our emotions, many of us misinterpret what we’re feeling, which may result in mismanagement."

Read more to learn about the complexity of emotions in our latest blog:

We all experience emotions, and have always experienced them yet they’re messy, complex and at times difficult to pinpoint. All emotions are easy to misunderstand however, they provide valuable data. Unfortunately, due to the intricacy of our emotions, many of us misinterpret what we’re feeling,...

06/10/2022

How to enhance your mental health.

We know that mental health is complex. We all have different experiences, challenges and struggles.

The best thing to do is take it day by day while focusing on small simple changes that can make a big difference in the long run.

Try these tips to restore or maintain your balance:

• Connect with other people that you can relate to: sometimes a simple conversation with someone who has similar struggles can help you feel less alone and more understood. It can also offer comfort and a new positive perspective.

• Move your body and eat healthy foods: any form of exercise helps release endorphins or that “feel good” feeling in your body. Research has shown that a minimum of 30 minutes of movement a day can increase one’s mood. When you nourish your body with healthy foods, you’re setting yourself up for fewer mood fluctuations, an overall happier outlook, and an improved ability to focus.

• Get closer to nature: Nature can generate many positive emotions, such as calmness, joy, creativity, and can assist with concentration. Nature connectedness is also associated with lower levels of poor mental health, particularly decreased levels of depression, and anxiety.

• Give to others: Evidence shows that helping others can also benefit our own mental health and wellbeing. For example, it can reduce stress as well as improve mood, self-esteem, and happiness.

• Be mindful: Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to the present moment without judgment or censorship, using techniques like meditation, breathing and yoga. It helps us become more aware of our thoughts and feelings so that, instead of being overwhelmed by them, we're better able to manage them.

• Talk to someone you love and trust: Speaking to someone you love, and trust can provide stress relief, and can lighten the load of a concern someone might be having. Talking about a problem can help to start breaking it into smaller parts, which can prevent you from feeling so overwhelmed.

• Get more sleep: Sufficient sleep, especially REM sleep, facilitates the brain's processing of emotional information. During sleep, the brain works to evaluate and remember thoughts and memories, and it appears that a lack of sleep is especially harmful to the consolidation of positive emotional content.

• Plan things to look forward to: Having small things to look forward to may make it easier to get through tough times. It doesn't need to be anything big or extravagant. Planning something like a day out with friends, watching a new movie your excited to see or trying a new activity can help give you that extra boost you need.

04/10/2022

October is Mental Health Awareness Month.

This month is about the upliftment and empowerment of those who suffer from mental illnesses. Furthermore, it is about understanding and learning about the most effective ways to help yourself and others when it comes to mental health.

Remember, you are not alone.

"After every storm comes a rainbow" - Unknown

29/09/2022

Happy World Heart Day!

World Heart Day is an opportunity for everyone to stop and consider how best to use heart for humanity, for nature, and for you. Beating cardiovascular disease (CVD) is something that matters to every beating heart.

Today we encourage you to start taking small steps to start improving your heart health such as moving your body, eating healthier, losing weight or quitting smoking.

For more information: https://world-heart-federation.org/

At WHF, we are formally recognized by the World Health Organization as their CVD partner. Our mission is simple, come discover what we are about.

27/09/2022

Growth is uncomfortable.

If you want to find growth and success in your life, then you need to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Creating discomfort forces us to grow and improve. It challenges us to figure out how to make it through the discomfort, and this can lead to increased productivity, creativity, and forces us to learn new things.

Signs that you are growing:

1. Making mistakes ignites you.
2. You start to recognise your need for rest.
3. You celebrate your own pace.
4. Comparison isn't your thing.
5. You cultivate healthy relationships.
6. You literally feel uncomfortable.

23/09/2022

Tips to raise your energy

If you find yourself feeling sluggish, having difficulty staying awake, or chugging multiple cups of coffee just to make it to lunchtime, you are not alone.

Most of us are familiar with feeling worn out at the end of each day - which really shouldn't be the case.

Fortunately, there are plenty of actions you can take to reduce fatigue and boost your energy levels.

Here are some energy boosters that you can try:
1. Eat a balanced diet: Eating a balanced diet can help ensure your vitamin and mineral needs are met.

2. Go for a short walk: While it may seem as if moving about when you feel exhausted is the quickest route to feeling more exhausted, however, the opposite is true. Experts say that increasing physical activity - particularly walking - increases energy.

3. Take a power nap: Research has shown that both information overload and pushing our brains too hard can zap our energy levels. Studies have found that a power nap not only reverse the effects of information overload, but may also assist with memory and retention.

4. Incorporate relaxing activities into your day: Whatever is relaxing for you will reduce tension, increase energy levels. Activities such as listening to music, reading a book, stretching, talking to a loved one, and taking some deep breaths can help alleviate stress and boost your energy levels.

5. Drink more water: Sometimes, even slight dehydration can leave you feeling tired and lethargic. The solution is simple: a tall, cool glass of water. This is particularly important to boost energy after a long stressful day.

6. Have a power snack: Power snacking is more than just eating between meals. Having a treat that combines protein, a little fat, and some fibre - like peanut butter on a whole-wheat cracker, or some yogurt with a handful of nuts - can offer that boost that you may need. The carbs offer a quick pick-me-up, the protein keeps your energy up, and the fat makes the energy last.

21/09/2022

The Attraction of Imperfection

The way we accept others often stems from the way we accept ourselves.

"When it comes to interpersonal attraction, research indicates we might be more inclined to accept the imperfect."

Read more about how people are actually drawn to others who are less than perfect here:

Nobody’s perfect—which is what draws us together.

20/09/2022

Healthy is an outfit that looks different on everybody.

We are all different and being healthy doesn't have a certain body shape, weight or size.

It is about feeling good in all aspects of your life: physically, emotionally, spiritually, socially and intellectually.

Instead of trying to look like someone else, focus on what areas you need to work on in order to feel your best.

16/09/2022

Are you invalidating your own feelings?

Do you try to dismiss or ignore your emotions? Although it may seem as though these unwanted feelings disappear, they remain dormant in our minds and creep up at a later stage. These unexpressed emotions can also become loaded, growing if repressed.

Emotions are what makes us feel human. They give colour and vibrancy in our lives. So rather than trying to reject or avoid your emotions, learn to accept them as a part of who you are.

Validating your feelings means acknowledging them and creating space for the physiological responses so that you have the capacity to control what you can: your reactions.

Here 6 things you may be saying to yourself which is in-turn results in you invalidating your own feelings:
1. "I shouldn't be upset. Other people have it so much worse".
2. "I should pretend like everything is ok".
3. "I'm too sensitive or emotional. I need to just get over this already".
4. "It's not that big of a deal".
5. "I could never succeed at X. I'm too dumb".
6. "I'm overreacting".

Today we challenge you to think about what you are saying to yourself. Instead of bringing yourself down, it's time to build yourself up with positive reinforcements.

"All your emotions are valid but not all of them require action." - Susan David

14/09/2022

Re-Authoring Your Story

Starting anything new can feel daunting and intimidating. Creeping self-doubt and a lack of trust in the process may be some of the thoughts racing through your mind as you begin a new habit. However, research has shown that smaller, more digestible tasks assist with the sustainability of habits. A healthy goal may include wanting to floss every night. Rather than approaching the task by tackling all your teeth, start with one tooth and go from there. This is less intimidating, and more likely to result in long-term habits.

Like flossing, journaling is a task that we know is healthy for us however, it is often avoided as it may seem daunting.

Read our latest blog to uncover the benefits of journaling and how to get started here: https://www.mkwellness.co.za/re-authoring-your-story/

12/09/2022

Surprising Findings About Hugging and Happiness

A new study has investigated the association between hugging, mood, and life satisfaction. The study has found that more hugging was associated with better mood.

Read more to discover the 4 main findings:

4. Singles benefit more from hugs than couples.

07/09/2022

Reminders!

It's ok if you:
• Feel better after a good cry.
• Don't feel happy all the time.
• Need to be alone to recharge.
• Have ebbs and flows in energy levels.
• Don't always ""think positive"".
• Need or want to rest.

You are only human. Allow yourself the space to regroup and refresh when you need to.