Mental Diet.png — Is it Time for a Mental Diet?

By Corry Matthews, M.S.

It is time for a mental diet? From time to time we all go on a diet, and its purpose; to remove bad foods from our diet. We remove foods that cause inflammation, weight gain, low energy and brain fog. There are times when our brain gets clogged, run down and infected by all the negativity around us and we just need to take a moment, re-center and go on a mental diet.

Here are three tips to clear out the junk and reset, allowing you to focus, which will ultimately lead you to better health and wellness. These 3 simple tips work anywhere – work, your car, your house, even in a room filled with others.

1. Fill your brain with images that bring joy/happiness. Palos Verdes Pulse magazine is filled with art from local artists - be it actual art or photography of the amazing scenery found around Palos Verdes. Scroll and find a few that resonate with you. You can also open up your phone and look through all your personal photos that you’ve taken of friends, family and of you in happy places. Remember how it felt in that moment and let it wash away the stress of whatever you are focusing on that’s made those feelings of anger, doubt or frustration arise.

2. Breathe. Breathing exercises provide numerous benefits for the body by bringing oxygen to wake up the brain, relax tired muscles and engage the heart and lungs. Just a few breaths can do the trick. Dr. Stacia Kelly says, “Practice by sitting up straight in your chair. When breathing in, pull your navel to your spine, and fill your lungs upward, thus In and Up. When breathing out, reverse it, breathing out and down. This is a reverse breathing pattern that is traditionally taught in Qi Gong and Tai Chi. It requires a unique focus to keep the breath cycle going”. Start with 3 breaths, using a count of 3 seconds in and 3 seconds out. If you have more time, continue doing this for up to 5 minutes.

3. Music – Did you know that the right kind of music can actually lower your blood pressure? Why do you think fitness professionals spend so much time picking the right music for our classes? It’s because we know the power it has over movement, relaxation and our mind. I recommend having several playlists that you can choose from. One that is relaxing and calm and another that pumps you up. Sometimes when you are feeling in a funk you just need the “get up and go” music to shift your mind, give you a mental push and get the ball rolling again.

Looking for the fastest way to change your mental game – use all three of these techniques together. Together these tips will help remove the negativity and frustration surrounding you and allow you to get your mind back on it’s a-Game!