This article appeared first in its full length in Middle Pause Magazine on Medium

Did you know that in holistic medicine, each vitamin, mineral, and hormone is associated with a specific lifestyle choice?

Since Louise L. Hay wrote her books on the connection between the beliefs we have and the illnesses we develop, the world of alternative healing started to take into consideration that maybe there are more natural ways to heal ourselves through choosing specific lifestyle activities.

Let’s take a closer look at some of these:

1. LAUGHING

In the 1960s, an American doctor succeeded in treating his patient, a man with severe adrenal disease and burnout, through monitoring his body while he was watching comedy movies all day long.

The doctor prescribed this because he thought that joy and laughter were the perfect equivalent to Vitamin C.

The sick man recovered in about 2 months. We see the same result in a woman with breast cancer who appeared in the movie “The Secret”, who helped herself recover by laughing at funny shows every single day for a few months.

What can you do today to bring in more humor and laughter?

2. CULTIVATING PLEASURE

Did you know that the natural source for creating the Progesterone hormone in the female body comes from having lots of pleasure?

Not necessarily sexual pleasure, although this is required too, but any kind of pleasurable feeling experienced as you go through your day may enhance the hormonal balance.

Especially in women at menopause, intentionally cultivating moments of pleasure here and there throughout the day may actually help women restore themselves holistically. Much better than having to experience the side effects of chemical hormones.

3. SUN BATHING

I’m sure that everyone heard about this link between bathing in natural sunlight (even on cloudy days), the production of Vitamin D, and the benefits of it on our bones and health in general.

So many people spend so much time indoors, at home or in the office, in the car, etc., and forget that being outside and letting the sun rays touch their face is one of the most healing things to do, as well as pleasurable. With protective sunscreen, of course.

4. EARTHING (NATURE CONNECTION)

If you never heard of this term, it literally means connecting your electrical nervous system to the magnetic center of the Earth through walking barefoot in nature, swimming in natural waters (rivers, lakes, ocean), or touching a living plant or flower.

When we stay connected to this energy for more than 15 minutes daily (meaning that we touch the plant, stay in the water or walk barefoot for this period of time) we are restoring the Vagus Nerve axis in the body (the central meridian) and the brain hemispheres to health.

In my opinion, this is one of the most important missing links in highly sensitive people who experience disconnection, especially in neurodivergents with autism or ADHD. Through plugging daily into the magnetic earth energy, we can help restore the inner connection between spirit and body and between our brain hemispheres.

Inflammation decreases when we connect to this energy. Several incurable illnesses can be treated, like multiple sclerosis or cancer, by practicing earthing as much as you can.

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5. EATING CHOCOLATE

Can you imagine a more delicious habit than eating chocolate to heal yourself?

This precious substance called cocoa is full of amazing minerals like phosphorus, copper, boron, manganese, iron and magnesium.

By eating the best raw dark chocolate you can afford with the least amount of sugar in it, you’re helping your brain, heart, and body receive a generous amount of vital nutrients.

6. EATING PROTEIN

For the brain to function properly, we need several neurotransmitters that enhance positive mental states.

One of these is Dopamine, which helps us feel strong, confident and have zest for life. In holistic medicine, Dopamine is connected to protein intake.

The denser the protein, the higher the dopamine content. The more depressed we are, the more dopamine we need. The less mojo we have, the more protein we need.

If someone is having health problems related to their adrenals, lungs, spleen, or pancreas, adding more protein to their diet can be highly beneficial for their natural restoration (based on the Chinese Medicine diet).

The more depleted a person is, the more protein they may need to rebalance their bodies.

Another benefit of eating protein (especially animal) is elevating your iron levels naturally. Medium rare steaks are the best source for iron and tasty too!

7. RECEIVING LOVE

In holistic medicine, receiving love is equal to the capacity to “receive the sweetness of life.” The lack of it or an incapacity to feel it is associated with diabetes.

Since the real sweetness in life is obviously not sugar, when it comes to receiving it in a way that helps the body stabilize Glucose and Insulin, LOVE in all its forms is the healthiest alternative possible.

How many kinds of love can we circulate in and out of the heart or through the spleen and pancreas, to help them stay healthy? Love that is received, love that is offered, being in love, loving anything in life, just love.

By keeping the heart open to receive love and offer it further, we maintain a healthy level of sweetness in our bodies and brains.

Here are a few simple ways to fill up your heart with unconditional love:

• spend time with your pet or around little children.

• if you are a spiritual person, call God’s unconditional love to witness yourself, as a very dear and wise friend would do.

• Find an environment, an activity, or a hobby where you feel loved while being immersed in it. And plan to spend lots of time in this state. Being in nature, watching a sunset, moving my body, practicing self-care, etc., makes me feel deeply loved.

• Who or what is the sweetest thing, person or activity for you? (except for foods) And how can you spend more time connected to it? For me, flowers, children, cute animals, and doves are extremely sweet, and when I witness them, my heart fills up with natural forms of sweetness

8. BEING CREATIVE

Maybe you already know how important creativity is for balancing the two hemispheres of the brain. Normally, creativity is a right-brain trait, but by engaging in any form of artistry, the left (logical) brain is silenced, and the mind can finally take a break from constantly thinking.

Creativity is indeed a very powerful form of meditation, especially for intuitive, sensitive and neurodivergent people.

Not only does the brain become more balanced, but the reproductive organs and thyroid also receive major benefits.

The more creative a person is, the more healthy Beta Endorphin is created in the brain, the more balanced the reproductive hormones (Estrogen, Progesterone and Testosterone) are, as well as thyroid hormones.

What types of creativity do you enjoy? And do you notice changes in your moods or even health when you start and stop being creative?

9. PRACTICING REPETITIVE MOVEMENTS

Did you know that by practicing any form of repetitive movement your brain gets a natural increase in Serotonin? This is the neurotransmitter responsible for our happiness and it plays a key role in fighting depression and promoting a restful sleep.

Here are several natural ways to cultivate Serotonin:

• swimming

• walking

• painting, drawing, coloring, creating mandalas

• ironing, cleaning

• sewing, knitting

• chopping vegetables

• practicing Tai Chi

The only requirement for this kind of repetitive activity is to move SLOWLY. Doing these things at a faster pace will not create the same result. The practice must feel like a meditation in motion.

10. RECEIVING TOUCH

Many scientific studies have already proven that a lack of physical affection and parental touch during childhood can lead to developmental setbacks that persist well into adulthood.

This is why receiving any form of touch is extremely healing.

Not only that, but the hormone Oxytocin — vital for women to feel loved and safe — is developed through all forms of touch.

Massage, self-touch, making love, and being hugged by someone are all simple ways to enhance this hormone naturally and help the brain feel truly nourished and less needy, especially in intimate relationships.

After many years of mentoring women, I found that the lack of Oxytocin is why some of us feel so desperate without a man. By balancing this hormone with daily touching routines, women can feel more grounded and solid in their inner connection, being able to say NO when their needs are not respected by a man.

Photo source - Pinterest

I hope this list serves you well!

And if you need more help, don’t forget to download my Free Guides for sensitive people.

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This article also appeared in Middle Pause Magazine on Medium

I don’t know if you are like me or not, but I am always on a quest to find what truly fulfills me and keep me satisfied in life. I am not talking about food, not even about deep connection with others. What I am looking for is a stronger INNER connection that is unshakeable and so fulfilling for my heart, that I no longer need to look outside for validation, love or unsolicited support.

So here are some questions and prompts I’ve been playing with, in writing as well as in art or movement. I tend to do this because sometimes my mind has no out of the box answers, no fresh visions to share, and so, I have to explore these prompts through other mediums, where words are not needed.

Let’s start:

What is truly nourishing you? Something that when you do it, it leaves you fully satisfied, and all your senses are well fed, they are alive but serene, full of savoring the moment?

When did you notice this happening during the last week or day? What were you doing? And how often did you do it? Was it ENOUGH to make you feel truly satisfied and nourished?

What drains you, what takes your energy, what angers you or saddens you? Are there any moments when you feel rushed or pushed? Notice when these states appear - if you were in a certain environment, doing something specific, or maybe you were around certain people. Make a list of all these things and notice the correlations between events and emotions.

Looking back at your last week (or even month, year or just yesterday), and reading this draining list of things you just wrote, what could you do to bring a bit of positive change so that you will experience less of these negative states in the future? If this requires a big step to take, break it into small manageable ones. What is the next EASY step you could take from now on to change your life for the better and never experience these draining states again?

What is your NOT TO DO list? This should contain all the things that you noticed they are draining or abusing your energy field, things that need to go, because your lifestyle must change in order to feel truly nourished. What is one little thing that you could to let go of this week? And what is one big thing (it could be a relationship or a habit, job or home) that you could take small steps toward, to leave behind you because it doesn’t support you anymore?

How can you bring more of the positive habits, hobbies and pleasures into your life now? You can take small steps, or big ones, or you may need to first release any guilt around enjoying yourself. No matter what, keep moving forward by allowing more ease, more joy, more pleasure and relaxation, comfort, nurturing and self love daily, as best as you can. Make a list of these activities and give yourself the grace to let them nourish you.

A very strong pillar for inner connection and self love is practicing meditative or contemplative activities. This doesn’t have to be meditation per se, but anything that takes your mind away, and lets your body enjoy the moment. The awareness and presence will build a sensory bridge between your two brain hemispheres (logic and intuition), as well as between head and heart, grounding your inside. What kind of activities could be on this list for you? And how can you insert them easily in your daily lifestyle? They can be done randomly, for no more than 5 minutes a day, here and there, but they will always give you immense mental health rewards.

How can you bring more creativity into your life? If you didn’t know, creativity has an amazing positive effect on the brain and the body. Studies show that people who find a creative hobby are less depressed, less anxious and more serene, mainly because of the serotonin neurotransmitter that is produced while we are creating something. What are your most preferred creative activities you could try on? Is it cooking, is it painting, is it writing, sewing, decorating, what is it?

How would you like to FEEL when you are truly nourished and connected inside? Can you bring this feeling in the present moment on a daily basis to feed your heart? If you don’t know how to do that, simply think of an old memory where you previously experienced this feeling and then indulge for a minute or so in it, using all of your senses to captivate it fully. This is a very embodied way to experiment your future most nourished self, in the now.

What books, poems, artists, movies, vlogs, nature areas, foods, experiences, etc, would resonate deeply with this desired feeling? Can you choose some of these that truly make your heart sing with gratitude, and bring them into your life now? Start small and pay attention to what is also NOT resonating with your desired feeling and vibe. Make sure you detox your life areas of everything that doesn’t fit with your sense of nourishment anymore.

If the unconditional love of God would be witnessing you in this process of detoxing and discovering the most nourishing path to your heart, what would it say to you? Let is speak and take notes. Whenever you feel in doubt, you feel guilt, etc, always come back to these notes or reconnect yourself with this loving vibration.

Every evening, or at least, every week, take a look at what worked for you and what didn’t, what nourished you and what drained you. Notice also what made you feel proud, loved and supported and what was the key lesson you learned from your experiences. Reflect and decide how you would like your life to look like and feel from now on, and then plan your next small (and easiest) step forward.

Plan your life around your needs, aim for adding BEAUTY in it and to anchor and regulate your nervous system in the healthiest and most pleasurable ways possible. If you have already chosen a word for this year (I recently sent to all my subscribers a post where I described how to do that on a sensory level), imagine it as your guiding compass and readjust your course according to it. You may notice that when you start journaling often for self nourishment, sometimes the word may change, and that’s ok. Just let the energy of your desired feeling guide you.

Also, check my RESOURCES page for the book recommendations list I created to help you navigate difficult times, while healing and growing.

And if you didn’t subscribe to my newsletter yet, when you do that you will receive two beautiful free guides in pdf format. “How to manifest your desired feeling at a sensory level” and “How to access your intuition”.

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Photo source - Pinterest

I hope these prompts will serve you well and thank you so much for reading.

Writing these posts takes time and even though I love doing it, it requires a lot of energy to put thoughts on paper and choose images that speak to me. What keeps me going though is knowing how much it means to so many of you to read these essays.

If you enjoyed this post or the previous ones, I would love you to help me get them out into the world. If you have any friends who you think might enjoy them, please do feel free to share these with them. It would mean a lot to me. Thank you again for your support.

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If you are a highly sensitive person, you need to live with intentionality and in service of your delicate nervous system.

Here is my take on how to regulate your nervous system in healthy pleasurable ways, especially if you are a sensitive person, so that your mental health feels supported, the soothing sensation really lasts, there are no side effects and you feel a stronger inner connection after each activity, because you are truly nourished.

Practice these rituals as often as you can, if possible on a daily basis:

1. Laughter - watch comedies, listen to comic shows or stand up comedians; laughter heals your heart naturally, restores your lymph and adrenals and helps you boost your mood without antidepressants or hormones regulators.

2. Humming - here's a simple way to do it; this helps your Vagus Nerve (the main nervous system channel between your head and lower body) to regulate naturally.

3. Spending time in nature - there is nothing more soothing for the nervous system than being in nature, listening to the songs of birds, the sound of the wind, being touched by sun rays on your face and witnessing the beauty all around you

   (A beautiful nature moment captured on my daily walks last autumn)

4. Walking barefoot or touching living plants - if you have any inflammations in the body, depression, anxiety, pain, insomnia, then this ritual will help you immensely; by walking barefoot or touching a living plant (it can be a branch of a bush, a flower, or a very thin tree branch with little buds on it) you are connecting your nervous system to the magnetic energy of the center of the Earth; by doing this, your energy atoms are reorganized and charged in a way that brings healing to your body and mind

5. Eating protein and healthy carbs - to regulate your nervous system naturally, you need to create a strong foundation by supporting your body first, through the basic needs like healthy foods full of minerals and vitamins as well as good sleep; eating protein (animal protein or eggs and dairy) combined with whole carbs like whole rice, rye bread, potatoes with skin, instead of white ones, will balance your mood naturally and help you sleep well.

   

6. Doing something meditative - experiment with different activities that could bring you a sense of contemplation and mindfulness; it doesn’t have to be meditation (which I never liked); it can be anything that puts you in a flow state like making art, doing yoga or Tai Chi, walking slowly, practicing movement with awareness, cooking and eating mindfully, contemplating nature’s beauty, etc

7. Keeping a journal of simple joys - this will help you not only notice more joy in your daily life, but also welcoming it and celebrate it, anchoring it in your nervous system; Deb Dana, a physician expert in calming down the nervous system calls these little moments of joy “Glimmers”; you can read more about the healing effect of glimmers here or in her books.

8. Healing with pets - playing with your pet, caressing it or hugging it, heals your heart; there is so much unconditional love in their little hearts, they ask of nothing, yet they offer us so much; also, whenever you touch them, you ground yourself through their body, to the center of the Earth; pets help us heal the heart Chakra at a very deep level, building trust and safety.

9. Listening to classical music - there are so many studies that show how listening to classical music can improve people’s health, both mentally and physically; even cows listen to it to produce more milk, plants listen to it to grow faster and stronger, so why wouldn’t you listen to it too? It harmonizes your brain and nervous system naturally and it is used in unconventional therapies to heal trauma; you can read more about all these concepts in “The Mozart Effect” book.

10. Surrounding yourself with beauty - bring beauty to everything in your environment, even clothes, makeup, food, anything that you come in direct contact with; being exposed to beautiful landscapes paintings is proved to help patients heal faster in hospitals; adding more beauty to your table setting is calming down your digestive system, hence your brain and emotions are soothed; watching beautiful movies, visiting a museum full of ancient beautiful sculptures or art, sipping your tea in a stunning hotel lobby, wearing a gorgeous perfume, using elegant words to express yourself, these are all simple ways that enhance your life, making it more beauty-full on a daily basis, anchoring your nervous system into pleasure and safety.

    

11. Rest - if you are a sensitive person, your nervous system needs lots of rest, which means to literally do nothing and just wait for your body and mind to soothe after an intense interaction with the world; our sensitive minds and bodies were not built for these noisy sounds, vibrant images, soul crashing news, constant doing, a fast pace lifestyle, eating lots of sugar, watching TV daily or commuting for 2 hours in a car to go to work; 100 years ago, none of these things existed; this is why sensitive people, who are also artists, writers, deep thinkers and guides, need more rest than ever in order to process everything and recharge their overstimulated brain and nervous system.

12. Spending time alone - if you are an introvert and a sensitive soul, then this ritual is a must; your nervous system needs enough space to absorb, digest, reflect and decide on what are the next steps, on a daily basis; when you ignore this need, you may feel overwhelmed, depressed, highly emotional and ungrounded; it is best to plan daily solitude moments so that you can restore your sanity.

13. Using organic products - one way that I learned of many years ago to help regulate my nervous system is to always choose the cleanest products and foods possible; if the foods you are eating are not grown in a healthy soil, they lack minerals, and you will need to take extra supplements; if you use makeup products that are not organic, then no matter how much you take care of it, you will absorb toxic ingredients through the major organ of the body (the skin); if you use detergents that are not natural, by sleeping on sheets or dressing yourself in clothes that are carrying toxic elements, you are lowering your immunity; by simply choosing natural, organic or bio products as much as you can afford, you are helping your body and brain to function at the highest level; the neuropathways through which your nervous system is communicating information from your body and heart to the brain, can stay clean and clear only if you do not numb them with toxic overload; be conscious about the health of the products you use, especially if you are a sensitive person.

14. An evening spa at home - to relax and regulate your nervous system, treat yourself with a soothing spa night from time to time: take a bath full of natural aromas (essential oils), coconut milk, rose petals, pink Himalayan salt and healing quartz crystals; put some soft music on, light a natural candle and bring beautiful flowers nearby, an organic body cream of your choice and give yourself the pleasure of being lazy, doing nothing and just enjoying yourself; we all need moments like this, to nourish ourselves.

    Also, check my RESOURCES page for the book recommendations list I created to help you heal and grow and regulate your nervous system naturally.

    And if you didn’t subscribe to my newsletter yet, when you do that you will receive two beautiful free guides in pdf format. “How to manifest your desired feeling at a sensory level” and “How to access your intuition”.

    Subscribe now

    Thank you so much for reading.

    If you enjoyed this post or the previous ones, I would love you to help me get them out into the world. If you have any friends who you think might enjoy them, please do feel free to share these with them. It would mean a lot to me. Thank you again for your support.

    Subscribe now