6 Ways to Improve Oxygen in the Body
Our lives have changed so much in the last year. From being completely free to fighting a virus that we never imagined would cripple the world. All I can tell you is to trust in your own body and take the steps necessary to maintain your health and your immunity. Vaccine or no vaccine you still need your body to be at it’s best working condition. So here are a few tips to help you stay motivated on keeping a healthy body and mind and stay focused on optimising oxygen in your body.
“Drink your Water” – Water is the best way to hydrate the body and flush out those nasty toxins. If drinking water is hard for you to do, then try and find a fun way or keep a reminder on the phone to encourage you water consumption. You can mix fruit and berries into your water. Even herbs like mint, basil, thyme bring flavour to your water. You can even keep a couple of bottles of water around the house to make it convenient for you to sip through the day! Get creative and make sure you drink that water!
“Iron Rich Foods” – Iron is an essential element that is needed in our bodies. Mostly because it contains Haemoglobin in red bloods cells that carry oxygen to our lungs, organs, muscles and our entire bodies. It also contains Myoglobin, in muscle cells that receive, stores, transports and releases oxygen. We also need iron for respiration, energy metabolism, immune function, synthesis of collagen and neurotransmitters, production of certain hormones. But the most important, for the purpose of this blog, it boosts circulation in the body. You can find iron in a lot of foods. Beets, berries, cayenne pepper, garlic, pomegranate, walnuts, grapes, turmeric, citrus fruit, dates, dark chocolate, wheatgrass etc. are all known to boost blood flow, relax blood vessels, lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation apart from being a great source of anti-oxidants and nutrients. If you’re a non-vegetarian, fish higher in fat, lean meat and poultry are options. But remember to always choose clean, free-range and GMO free products.
“Eat your Fruits & Veggies” – Whether you’re a meat eater or not, always try and add colour to the plate. Get your hands on as many fruit and veggies, you can and you’ll automatically feel a change in your well-being. I know I said eat Iron rich foods but sometimes we need a balance to support other systems in our bodies. So find that balance, check in with yourself and do what works best for you.
“Move your Body” – Movement is such an integral part of our health. Any form of exercise works, whether it’s the gym, yoga, skating, dancing, karate, football etc. As long as you are loving what you’re doing you will reap the benefits. Walking too is great and walking in nature even better! Research finds, exercising boosts mood and our immune system, relieves anxiety and stress, increases your life span, strengthens the heart, increases mobility and most importantly wards off viruses and oxygenates our bodies. So get off the couch, find your form of movement and if you get bored, don’t be afraid to find something new!
“Pranayama & Breath Work” – Breathing can be so invigorating. There’s something about pausing for a moment and inhaling into the depths of your body and mind. It immediately calms and centres you. There’s so many breathing techniques out there and yoga seems to be the core of it all. Find a partner or a group of friends and make it more energetic. You don’t even need to stick to one form. You can do different Pranayama everyday. Once you start to feel in control your breath, you will only be adding more benefit to your health. You’ll feel energised through your day, feel present and more in control, feel your emotions calming, feel your lungs strengthening, have better digestion and will definitely feel more positive. Breath work gives you the benefits of exercising in a calmer form. So incorporate breathing and exercise on certain days or just focus on breathing and meditation on some.
“Don’t Forget to Kick Back & Relax” – Whether you exercise, work a lot or just feel drained, you need time to wind down. Some of us even more than the rest. Find an activity that lets you loosen up and make sure you find time to do it. This is your “me” time. Get lost in a book, make your favourite tea, play your favourite music, dance, paint, bond with nature. Get creative and do you. Even if you’re doing an activity with people make sure you’re gaining the maximum benefit of relaxing your body, mind and soul. Learn to say no, learn to take time off, turn that phone off, reset and rewind. We are ever changing beings which means we probably will get bored and tired of doing old things. Which is absolutely okay. Take a step back and find what gives you new energy to power through your days. Don’t be afraid to take a chance on things. What’s the most that can happen? You’ll learn a valuable lesson? Then hell yes go for it!
I’m going to end by saying be kind, be understanding, be considerate and be responsible. Make informed choices and take care of yourself and the people around you. Stay safe always!
Love & Healing Vibrations,
Aphra
