10 Ways Positive Thinkers And Negative Thinks React Differently To The World

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7 Illustrations Telling How Go-Getters And Laid-Back People Lead Different Lives

Half an hour after the dinner…

They will have a date at 13:00…

An assignment will be due tomorrow…

What they do before work every morning…

Their emotions before a task being completely finished…

Their daily schedules look like these…

Different philosophies for their lives…

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4 Eating Rituals That Can Make You Mentally Healthier

We toast at weddings. The bride and groom cut the wedding cake and then feed it to each other before the guest can partake. If I were to say today’s menu consist of, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie–what holiday immediately comes to mind?

These are all examples of customary American food rituals we observe during special occasions or events. Food or eating rituals are a historical part of our society and can often be traced back for hundreds of years. But did you know that eating rituals can affect your physical and mental health? That’s right, it’s not just what you eat that can affect your physical and mental well being, but also how you prepare and or consume your food.

Rituals are simply a prescribed manner in which things are done. Recently, a series of investigations by psychologists have revealed intriguing new results demonstrating that rituals can have a causal impact on people’s thoughts, feelings, behaviors and overall mental health.

How to improve mental health using eating rituals

Eating rituals refer to any compulsory behaviors around food; including food prep, consumption or any situation where prescribed behaviors involving food or eating are involved. Healthy food rituals are intended to establish good habits and healthy attitudes towards eating and not used as a means for control nor should they become overly compulsory and obsessive– which is common with eating disorders.

Here are a few suggestions on how to improve mental health using positive and simple eating rituals.

1. Eating with gratitude

A lot of religions have a practice of giving thanks or providing a “blessing” for food before it is consumed. This practice assists in establishing and engraining an “attitude of gratitude” into your heart and mind. Gratitude has been proven to combat depression, increases inner peace and provides an overall sense of well being and quality of life.

Eating with gratitude can take many forms. It can take the form of a prayer or expressing thanks for daily provisions. It can take the form of expressing appreciation to the preparer and servers of the food. It can also be as simple as taking a moment to pause and reflecting on those without adequate food and clean water, and being grateful for what you do have. The point is to allow gratitude to seep into your heart and you will reap countless benefits.

2. Keeping a food journal

This does not have to be something that is done daily or for every meal, but periodically tracking what you eat allows you to be aware and accountable of your food consumption. It also provides you the opportunity to connect and asses the types and amounts of foods you eat with your mood. It can provide valuable insight into when you may be more stressed than you are consciously aware of, allowing you to take practical steps to reduce stress and restore emotional balance.

Food journaling is also a powerful tool in tracking the types of foods you are eating. Are you getting enough whole foods, calcium and fiber? Are you consuming too many artificial sweeteners or caffeine? The types of food you eat does weigh heavily on how you function mentally and tracking your food is a quick and easy way to pinpoint changes you need to make.

3. Eating slowly and chewing food twice as long as normal

This is one of the best ways to be fully present during your meals and snacks. We combine eating with so many activities and we rarely take the time to just simply sit down and eat a meal. Eating slowly and chewing your food a set number of times or just longer than usual allows for overall better digestion of food, helps with portion control and it allows you to truly savor the flavor of your food. Allowing yourself time to mentally detach from all activities except enjoying the food and concentrating on the physical act of eating helps relieve stress and allows the brain a small mental break.

4. Eating in silence

Besides being extremely peaceful and calming; eating in total silence is another way to experience the act of being completely present. All of your senses are more in tune. As your tongue rolls the food around, you engage your sense of taste and the feel of the textures in your mouth. The olfactory senses are connected to the mouth and therefore the sense of smell is actively engaged. Eating silently is a great way to give yourself a mental break and it’s great for the reduction of stress. You actually get to hear yourself chew your food, allowing you to focus on eating slowly and more deliberately.

Actively learning how to improve mental health and well being by understanding and deliberately engaging in one or two eating rituals best suited for you will provide you with numerous benefits. This will assist you in becoming more aware of your eating habits and become an active participant in improving and maintaining your psychological and emotional well being.

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12 Squat Exercises For Ladies Who Want Bubble Butts

If you already have or really want a bubble butt, take these things into account: researchers at the Harvard Medical School have discovered that the type of fat found in women’s butts, hips and thighs–subcutaneous fat–might actually protect against serious health problems like diabetes and heart disease; evolutionary theorists believe that there is a link between emotional intelligence and how much junk is in the trunk; and evolutionary psychologists have discovered that men prefer women with fuller rear-ends.

So how do you emphasize what genetics already gave you or build up your butt? With squat exercises!

1. Basic Squat Exercise

• Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, body facing forward, abdominal muscles flexed.
• Inhale and bend at the knees as if you’re sitting in a chair and hold your arms out in front of your body, keeping your back straight.
• When your knees are at or slightly past an imaginary parallel line with your toes, stand back up, exhaling.

2. Body-Weight Jump Squat

• Similar to the basic squat position, but instead hold your arms up, placing your hands on the back of your head and elbows parallel with your body.
• Bend slightly at the knees, then jump up as high as you can.
• Upon landing, assume the basic squat position and immediately jump up again.

3. Single-Leg Chair Squat

• Sit down on a chair with your toes, knees and core facing straight ahead, feet shoulder-width apart and flat on the floor.
• Pick up one foot, then slowly stand up using the other foot.
• Extend your rear-end so your hips are behind your back, helping you maintain your balance. Slowly sit back down.

4. Pistol Squat

• Stand on one leg and squat all the way down to the floor.
• Keep your body leaning forward with arms and the other leg extended straight out.

5. Squat Pulses

• Do a basic squat.but while in the squatting position, bounce slightly up and down.
• Then while in the squatting position, bounce slightly up and down.

6. Ninja-Tuck Jump

• Squat on the floor, feet flat, facing forward, arms bent at your side.
• Jump up into a standing position, then land in a squatting position.

7. Surfer-Squat

• Stand with feet farther than shoulder-width apart, similar to if you were balancing on a surfboard.
• Jump and spin around, facing the opposite direction.

8. Butt-to-Heels Squat

• Stand with your feet close together and slowly squat down until your heels rise slightly off the ground and your butt is touching them.
• Keep your core tight and body facing straight ahead.

9. Sumo Squat

• Put your arms straight out in front of you and bend into a squatting position with your toes pointing outward.
• Stop when your thighs are parallel to the ground, almost like a plie.

10. Squat Jacks

• Execute a basic squat.
• Then jump up as if you were doing a jumping jack, but don’t stand straight up, stay squatting.

11. Barbell Squat

• Perform a basic squat, keeping feet far apart.
• Hold a barbell across your upper back and shoulders while squatting.

12. Goblet Squat

Begin in the basic squat, with a dumbbell held upright in front of you. You should be gripping the dumbbell in both palms, as though you are holding a large goblet.

• Execute a basic squat with the dumbbell held upright in front of you.
• Grip the dumbbell in both hands as if you were holding a large goblet.

Try these various squats and see just how your body changes to produce that healthier bubble butt.

Image courtesy of Fitness Republic

Featured photo credit: BuffMotherMichelleBurger via flickr.com

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