Lonely Planet - 101 Ways to Live Well

101
WAYS TO
LIVE WELL

Mindfulness, yoga and nutrition tips for busy people

Busy? Stressed? Downright frazzled?

The wellness tips in this book provide tangible solutions to the stresses and strains of everyday life. That means ditching the generic, one-size-fits-all approach and embracing the targeted, lets-get-this-sorted attitude, with tips from experts covering everything from craving-crushing snacks and yoga twists to stimulate digestion and mindfulness exercises to help you sleep better.

Of course, we dont all have the luxury of enough free time to become a yogi master or meditation expert. This book promises to help you declutter your brain in the most efficient way possible. So whether its on your daily commute, in your lunch-hour break or in the checkout queue, use these techniques to become a calmer, more productive and happier you whatever life throws your way.

HOME

The Sun Salutation is a morning yoga practice to get the blood flowing and stretch all the major muscles, awakening the whole body. Yoga teacher Amanda Fell (amandafellyoga.com) explains how.

Stand tall with feet together and palms touching each other in front of the chest.

Inhale, raise the arms and gently bend backwards, stretching the arms above the head.

Exhale and slowly bend forwards so your head meets your knees and your hands reach your feet (or as far as they can go).

Inhaling deeply, take a long backwards step with the right leg. Keep your hands and feet firmly on the ground, with the left foot positioned between the hands. Look up to the sky.

While exhaling, take the left foot to meet the right one. Keeping your arms straight, raise the hips and position the head in between the arms.

Hold your breath and lower the entire body to the floor until your feet, knees, hands, chest and forehead touch the ground.

Inhale, and lift the torso to bend it backwards, and look towards the sky.

Exhale and push the hips towards the ceiling, keeping the arms straight.

Inhale and step the right leg between your hands.

Exhale and bring your left leg to join the right. Repeat step 3.

Inhale and repeat step 2.

Exhale and return to the starting position. Repeat the sequence eight times, alternating between legs.

HOME

Smoothies are a quick, easy way to create a breakfast-to-go that contains the perfect balance of protein, healthy fats and micronutrients, alongside the fruit fibre that juicing removes.

Steal nutritionist Rhiannon Lamberts (rhitrition.com) smoothie recipe. Fill your blender or smoothie-maker with avocado, 4/5 cup (200mL) unsweetened almond milk, a handful of spinach, a handful of frozen berries, a small cube of fresh ginger (depending on how much you like its zing) and 1 tsp (5mL) barley grass powder. Whizz to a smooth consistency, adding a little water if you prefer a thinner texture. Pour into a tall glass and top with a few goji berries.

HOME

Music has been shown to elicit specific psychological responses, depending upon the type of song played. This means that the right playlist can retune your mindset entirely.

Improve your motivation or positive attitude by listening to music that evinces a positive emotional response in you. Try to schedule a time every day during which you play a selection of songs, channelling your focus on the music rather than any external stimuli. Notice if there are certain tunes that make you feel happy or more positive or focused. Take note of these, add them to a playlist on your computer or phone, then play them regularly to improve your mood and confidence.

HOME

Maca root is a South American plant naturally high in amino acids, minerals and phytonutrients that has traditionally been used for its hormone-balancing and stamina-enhancing properties.

Thanks to its sweet, caramel-like taste, maca powder can easily be incorporated into breakfast to energise your body for the day ahead. Throw 1 small frozen banana, 1 handful of baby spinach, 2 tsp (10mL) nut butter, 2 tsp (10mL) maca and a big glug of almond milk into a blender and blitz until smooth for a pick-me-up breakfast milkshake.

HOME

The scent of jasmine oil has been proven to have an arousing effect on the body, increasing breathing rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels in the blood.

To feel more alert and uplifted, mix jasmine essential oil with a carrier oil (almond works well) and use your fingertips to rub a little of the mixture on to your temples, down your nose and on to your dcolletage or chest area. The natural heat of the body will help disperse the scent into the air. Alternatively, if youre not into massage oils, choose an indoor candle scented with jasmine and light it for 20 minutes to allow the smell to permeate throughout the room.