Self care ideas

Stretch: Everyday stretching is important especially as you age, even if you’re less active. It can help increase your blood flow to your muscles, flexibility, can improve your posture, reduce stress and body aches. Stretching for just a few minutes a day can be beneficial and allow you to keep your normal range of motion throughout your life.

See more at Daily stretching

Hydrate –drink lots of water: as our body is composed of about 60% water. Some of the many benefits of drinking water are: it helps your body flush out waste, can reduce pain in your joints by keeping the cartilage soft and hydrated and can prevent headaches which can be caused by dehydration.

Eat well –balanced diet plays an integral role in our path to wellness. A balanced diet should contain a mix of vegetables, protein, carbohydrates and foods rich in Omega-3s. Proportion is key to getting the ‘balance’ right. The Nutrition Foundation of NZ recommend that we eat a variety of foods that include different vegetables and fruits.

See more at Healthy Eating

Get enough sleep – sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep can help protect both your mental and physical health. During sleep your body is working to support healthy brain function (forming new pathways to help you learn and remember information) and physical health (healing and repairing).

Exercise -e.g. walk, run, bike, yoga, pilates, gym. Regular exercise can reduce your risk of major illnesses such as heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Research also shows that physical activity can boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing your risk of stress, depression and dementia.

Roll on roller or massage ball: Therapeutic foam rolling affects both fascia and muscle tissues. Rolling an area increases circulation and frees up any fascia that is bound up. It loosens connective tissue and helps release tension or trigger points. We can then stretch and strengthen more effectively and return our tissues to a state of balance and greater ease.

See more at Foam rolling exercises

Punctuate your day with a mini-meditation: one minute of awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and sensations; one minute of focused attention on breathing; and one minute of awareness of the body as a whole can really help your peace of mind.

Have a try with this calming meditation

Regular maintenance massage: in order to stay healthy and stress free we need to take care of our emotional and psychological wellness. Massage activates the parasympathetic nervous system that allows us to relax. The power of touch during massage can increase serotonin and dopamine production (those feel good hormones) to reduce anxiety, depression. You always feel good after a massage. The benefits of a regular massage are wide ranging.

DIY Foot Massage: Although it’s worth finding a professional to show you how it’s done, you can also give yourself or a friend a foot massage at home. Try these steps:

Wash your feet (and dry them well)
Apply lotion or oil to your hands, covering the fingers and palms.
Rub your feet all over, making sure to go between the toes too.
Hold the top of each foot with both hands, and use small circular motions with your thumbs on each toe, working down to the base of your foot and right up to the ankle
Now do the same to the base of your foot. You can afford to use a bit more pressure here! Working from the top of the toes, move to down towards the heel.
You may also wish to loosen the joints by twisting and rotating the feet and toes.
Now firmly but gently press the pad of the foot. This is where you’ll find reflexology points. You can use a map to target certain areas.
Repeat the above steps on the other foot.