Secret of Mental Health

It is a good sign when someone can laugh from the heart. This is not possible for everyone. That is why there is an advantage in knowing the background to emotional health.

Intro

Today's psychology clearly tells us that even when faced with setbacks and challenges, we all have the opportunity to maintain an optimistic attitude.

Many believe that their feelings and emotions are determined by their circumstances. That can be up to a point. But it is important to know that we can also have a say ourselves!

Our thoughts are controlled by ourselves, or rather they can be controlled by us if certain conditions are right. However, our emotions are not influenced by our thoughts alone.

The decisions we make every day based on our lifestyle have a very big influence on our emotional state.

Let's take a look at some of the factors that can help each of us gain the upper hand in a very important area of ​​mental health.

1. Role of nutrition

Using animal experiments, researchers have found that eating an unhealthy diet can seriously affect the brain's emotional circuits. This means the following factors:

Nutrient deficiency, excessive salt consumption, high-fat diet.

Tip:

Make sure you eat a low-salt diet that uses nutritious, wholesome plant products (preferably fruits, whole grain products, vegetables, nuts and seeds and that restricts or even completely excludes the use of animal products and fat additives. (Vegans live longer! See also BLOG-Link)

Make sure you eat a low-salt diet that uses nutritious, wholesome plant products (preferably fruits, whole grain products, vegetables, nuts and seeds and that restricts or even completely excludes the use of animal products and fat additives. (Vegans live longer! Why? See BLOG)

2. Avoidance of Addictive Substances

Those who drink alcohol more often tend to outbursts of anger, anger and the use of violence. Sure, because our control system - the frontal lobe (see LINK) - is numbed by it. Anyone who does this quickly tends, among other things. violence witnessed by millions of abused family members. These are short-term effects of alcohol.

Long-term consequences are even more serious. The brain cells are so severely impaired in their important control mechanism by other drugs that this can have major consequences for a person's everyday life and their environment. Even sugar has become an addictive substance for making. It's a shame for the quality of life that is lost as a result.

3. Exercise Makes it Possible

The positive influence of exercise is sensational. Exercise is highly responsible for our blood circulation, which, along with good blood quality, is one of the most important health factors.

Regular physical exercise outdoors should never be neglected!

Research shows that exercising well can lower stress levels and significantly improve emotional health. Depression and anxiety are less common. Strengthening the powerful hormone oxytocin alone is responsible for positive emotions and general health.

Many people are surprised at the positive impact exercise has on our body and psyche. Wonderful way to improve your quality of life! LINK

4. Relaxation with good music

The limbic brain region system is strongly influenced by music. This back part of the brain can be influenced both positively and negatively by means of music.

Direct measurements of the limbic structures have shown that harmonic piano music can evoke pleasant emotions, while dissonant, unpleasant music can evoke negative emotions.

When choosing music, it is important to consciously choose pleasant, non-aggressive music. It should be music that helps you develop and maintain emotional control and balance.

5. Watch out for media consumption!

"We become what we look at!"

Not only bad music, but also what we watch through the media (TV, Internet, etc.) has a great influence on our brain and thus our emotions. What we deal with on a regular basis is what will influence us the most.

Those interested in optimized emotional health will seriously and wisely consider what they are going to look at.

If you have difficulties with self-control and partial restraint, the thought that you were able to spend your vacation in a distant country some time ago without television, Internet and other media may help! It used to be possible, so it will still work today!

Let's keep in mind: Life works quite well even without entertainment media.

It has become quite normal for Terri and me to only use the television for valuable videos. Social media can also be very addicting. (LINK)

Sure, the media representatives want to ally with us. It takes a lot of social self-competence to keep its use within reasonable limits.

6. Quality Time with Family

In the course of my many years of teaching work, it has become clear to me that the quality of the family is of decisive importance for our social development. Those who rely on healthy and strong family ties will also be prepared to invest in them.

This means that family time does not primarily take place in front of the television, but with interactions that indicate a high-quality time.

This fills the child's love tank every time.

Joint activities with the family should have priority, do something together that is fun and promotes togetherness, mutual acceptance and appreciation, all of which contribute to a high-quality family. Mutual trust is promoted. This also creates the ability to make contact with a creator god, which offers great advantages.

Shared experiences in the wonderful nature make a deep impression on the children. If you need mountains - here in Eastern Switzerland are beautiful, not too high (up to 2500m) and easily accessible with route maps. You can find pictures on www.bergpension.ch.

7. Develop a Relationship with God

For young people who have experienced a positive father / mother figure, it is easy to get in touch with our Creator. If someone is interested in this vertical relationship, if they want to try it out, so to speak, then invest some time, for example, with reading the Bible, they will have interesting experiences.

It is fascinating that our Creator God actually wants to get in touch with us humans. He wants to communicate, assure us of his love and support us in our everyday challenges. Millions of people have already had this experience. A great offer.

If you don't want that, you won't be forced, because God is a God of love and not of fear and compulsion. David writes at Psalm 34: 9: “Try it and see for yourself how good the Lord is! Happy is he who seeks refuge with him! "

Matthew writes in 11: 28-29: “Come to me __ and learn from me __ and you will find peace for your souls.”

That's an offer! It is voluntary and available to everyone.

If you want to try this offer, I recommend reading the Gospel of Mark in the Bible. The more and deeper someone immerses himself in this peace of mind, the better one's own emotions can be controlled. Thanks be to God!

Part 3 - How to Prevent Stress - 7 Steps

Stressors are numerous, they come from inside and out and are often not recognized. Some stressors can be prevented by a healthy lifestyle. It would be worth it to exercise a bit more self-awareness in this area. That´s our subject for today.

7 Steps to Better Quality of Life

Stress prevention is an important habit of people who enjoy a high quality of life. At times we reduce stress in some areas, but somehow before long, we fall right back into it. Almost automatically and unnoticeably, activities and responsibilities pile up until we find ourselves back in the stress mill. It is therefore a great strategy to practice systematic stress prevention !

Stress prevention is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. As you look around at others, you may notice that those who practice the following points in their lifestyles do not generally suffer with too much stress.

1. Rest and Relaxation

Consciously take time for breaks. We often underestimate the vital need for regular breaks. It´s not enough to just make an exception now and then like taking time for lunch instead of working through your lunch break. If we don’t give ourselves regular breaks, we will soon be suffering under achievement stress.

Implementing methods of relaxation is not only helpful when one is already stressed. We should learn to integrate techniques of relaxation into our everyday lives.

Instead of going out to eat with friends, stay in your office and do some systematic relaxation. Or you could even do it at other times, for example, every hour you could take a few minutes to rest and stretch and enjoy some relaxing music. If you don’t want to do it in public at the office, you could disappear into the restroom for a few minutes and relax there. After all, it IS the RESTROOM. More on this topic in the following BLOG.

Not every working space can be so comfortably furnished. We must learn to identify limits and not try to change things that cannot be changed!

2. Enough Good Sleep

It is said that 6-8 hours of sleep gives a person the highest life expectancy. More or less than that on a regular basis and over a prolonged period of time is a great stress on the body. When one’s quality of sleep is constantly poor, it can cause obesity and loss of muscle mass.

Melatonin and Free Radicals

The hormone melatonin is produced in the brain while we are sleeping. It is one of the antioxidants in the body and works like a magnet for the health-damaging molecules known as free radicals. These attack the genetic substance (genome) in the cell and can produce carcinogenic mutations. Melatonin is made from serotonin, the sunshine feel-good hormone, which means if you spend enough time in the sun, you’ll sleep better, healthier and more deeply. More on this topic in the following BLOG.

3. Healthy Nutrition

This is a subject that is often discussed but less often practiced. When appetite and reason disagree, appetite often wins. Most people know that natural products are healthy and refined products with innumerable ingredients can, sooner or later, bring about challenges to our health. Whole grain products, organic fruits and vegetables are beneficial, while meat and other animal products on today’s market can, unfortunately, be detrimental.

Be careful of dangerous substances: caffeine, theobromine (cacao), nicotine and alcohol, which influence the brain so negatively that with them successful stress management is nearly impossible. (See BLOG)

We also know that our bodies need a lot of water every day. Our brain functions best at 85% water, but many heads have to survive on much less! For this reason, we are recommended to drink enough pure, clean water to produce clear urine twice daily.  For more on that subject, see BLOG.

“You are what you eat.”

4. Exercise is the Answer

We all know that physical exercise is good for us, but very few are really clear on how absolutely vital it isfor our health. Exercise is a great stress preventer and not only that, but those who exercise a lot, live longer. Many people excuse themselves with, “I just don’t have time for that!” or „I’m too old!“ or „I’m too lazy,“ or "I’m alone." Don’t let these arguments stop you from exercising. Where there is a will, there is a way.

Lack of exercise can cause sickness and emotional disturbances, insomnia, constipation, cardiovascular disease, rheumatism, metabolic challenges and lack of oxygen, not to mention diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer and last, but not least, susceptibility to stress.

Benefits of Exercise

Exercise regulates blood pressure and protects and strengthens the heart and blood vessels. Better circulation means oxygen levels are higher, which facilitates clearer thought processes, sounder sleep and quicker recovery from sickness. Lower cholesterol levels are another perk appreciated by many. For more on that subject, see BLOG.

Hiking in the Alps of eastern Switzerland is a real treat! Surrounded by peaceful beauty, you will find strength and motivation to set new priorities and strive for important goals in life!

5. Test Goals and Decisions

Every decision we make influences our lives. Every person makes hundreds of decisions daily! Our decisions are about lifestyle, work, friends, environment, future and relationships. Smoking, drinking, taking drugs, having sex without the proper protection, exercising daily, drinking enough water, staying mentally fit and improving our knowledge are also all matters requiring decisions.

Every decision you make has an influence on your life & health.

The sum of all our decisions determines our quality of life.

For this reason, all our decisions, great or small, should be made thoughtfully, intelligently and consciously. Just as Paul Watzlawick said: "One cannot not communicate,“ we can also say, "We cannot not decide!“

Keep the Direction

If the meaning of life is to realize one’s values, we are challenged to think about what they actually are. For many people, enjoyment is the highest value in life. Gratification of desire is their daily goal. I’m not sure how valuable that is. On the other hand, there are many values worth working and fighting for, like our spouses, children, friends, work, people in need, love and truth.

Example: A Christian’s goal is to live forever when this earthly life is over.

This is a goal that requires thought. Namely, the question must be answered, "How do I get to heaven?" If you ask five people that question, you will surely receive seven answers. Very risky! How shall we know which is right? It seems the goal is too serious to flip a coin and let chance make the decision. In my humble opinion, the answer is found in the Bible, but unfortunately, most believers follow tradition, in the mindset of “It’s what my parents believed.” That is also very risky! Many opinions are either  partially or completely unbiblical! We have to study for ourselves and not depend on the opinions of others. It saddens me to think of all the people who have decided to take a wrong path because they haven’t discovered the Bible as the only infallible source of truth.  

A person who knows where he or she wants to go in life has the great advantage that he or she can align all decisions and priorities accordingly. Those who are driven by the moment (extrinsically motivated) will sooner or later fall prey to the system.

6. Set Priorities

Depending on the goals we choose, we can and must set priorities in order to reach them. Priorities can affect our choices in relationships, free time and employment.

Suggestions for Healthy Priorities:

Relationships are important, but they can also cause stress. When stressful situations arise in the family, it is important to find good solutions to improve the quality of our relationships. If there’s trouble on the job, it may also be possible to solve. However, if no solution can be found (some people just don’t want to change), a change of job may be the best option.

Lifestyle: As we saw above, lifestyle is a huge factor in our happiness. Prioritizing physical, emotional and mental health is paramount. Good nutrition, getting enough exercise in the out-of-doors, sunlight and rest are all factors that can help make this priority a reality.

The Meaning of Life: People who have found the meaning of life know where they are going. They have direction. A life without goals can be chaotic and even pointless. Those who recognize love for others and love for God as meaningful are generally highly motivated and positive toward life´s questions and challenges. They tend to improve themselves on all levels and progress in wisdom and maturity.

7. Making Knowledge Practical

After reading all these steps, we know quite a bit, don’t we? In our society, so much knowledge is at our fingertips, there should actually not be any unsolved problems. We have the solutions: we have the technology. The step we really need to take is that of putting our knowledge into practice and making it a reality in our lives. Knowledge without action is worthless.

From couch potato to exercise coach! Anyone who manages that paradigm shift deserves a medal, but much better than a medal are all the benefits to be reaped from such positive action!

To achieve that, you need quiet, clear moments to put your decisions and priorities into action. You need to make a plan and possibly set some sub-goals. Some people make notes and set dates for themselves, others tell their loved ones of their decisions and goals, or may invite a friend or spouse to help or join them in their activities. This may include doing sports or taking a class together.

Achtung: We all have a tendency to take the path of least resistance. Many are not motivated to take action because of the effort involved. However, if nothing changes, nothing changes. We need to find something we can change. On the other hand, we should not overdo it; too many sudden changes at once can be overwhelming.

The best way is not to OVER- or UNDER- challenge ourselves, but to give ourselves a reasonable challenge. That is my heart’s desire for you!

NEWSTART Plus® - the Best Remedy - 1

*"There are thousands of diseases, but there's only one health!" Since that is true, wouldn’t it make perfect sense to invest in your health? Spending time out in nature is a great way for families to regenerate, both physically and emotionally. Very healthy!

NEWSTART Plus®

These 12 components are unbeatable. They are the keys that can even heal diseases that have not yet been diagnosed. If you integrate these 12 tips into your lifestyle, they will help you to enjoy all-round better health. What a deal!

Our health, happiness and wellbeing are not a product of chance, and are much less a product of our genetics than we might think. They are, rather, the result of various controllable factors and principles. The good news here is: You can actually influence your own health significantly!

It is extremely interesting that a certain branch of biology called epigenetics, which studies the mutations in gene function, has discovered that lifestyle, healthy or unhealthy, has an influence on the genes of an individual which is felt into the third and fourth generations.

NEWSTART Plus® is a modern, internationally known, scientifically proven, holistically based health concept. NEWSTART Plus® is an acronym, in which each of the 12 letters stands for a principle that has a decisive influence on our health, happiness and quality of life.

The most powerful results are achieved when all 12 principles are implemented together.

All the elements together give NEWSTART Plus® its holistic balance. It is an invitation for each of us to make a new start and discover a more positive life. You won’t want to miss it!

NEWSTART Plus® is a patented trademark.

Nutrition is a very important but also controversial subject.  What we eat influences each of our approximately 70 trillion cells, every day. That means our food has a strong influence, in either direction, for health or for sickness.

Food – healthy and yummy

Most people do it three times a day: eating is one of the nicest things in life.

We know a balanced diet is important. You are what you eat. We need a regular supply of energy, building materials, nutrients, vitamins, trace minerals, fiber and phytochemicals.

Today we also know that people who regularly eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts in moderation are healthier than those who don’t. They have less cancer, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders. Other advantages include better mental health, lower risk for developing depression, increased vitality and a higher quality of life. Achtrung: Attention: Too much of a good thing is really too much. You can get too much protein and too many vitamins if you take them artificially, but if you eat them in their natural forms as plant-based foods such as beans and potatoes, no problem.

It is a joy to watch our lifestyle guests at Sonnmatt Lifestyle Center go through12 days of practicing NEWSTART Plus®. The food is so delicious that they invariably think they must have gained weight. However, in spite of their fears, besides feeling much healthier and happier than when they arrived, as well as having lower blood sugar, lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels, they almost always LOSE weight! Isn’t that fascinating?

Exercise has a holistic impact on body, soul and spirit. The positive effects of exercise are always an amazing surprise for our lifestyle guests at Sonnmatt.

Life is Motion

Where there’s life, there’s motion. How active are you? There is hardly another factor that is as conducive to health as physical exercise. It tones the muscles, gets the circulation moving, is good for the brain, helps the metabolism, strengthens the immune system, raises self-confidence, facilitates social relationships and even improves self-discipline and appearance.

Exercise is an antidote for heart disease, diabetes, breast and colon cancer, constipation, osteoporosis, dementia, psychological disturbances and many other afflictions.

It’s good to remember that regularity is more important than intensity. Exercise invigorates the body and cheers the soul.

There is a great difference between people who grow up in the flatlands and those who grow up in the mountains: Mountain people are used to walking up and down mountain slopes. That’s normal for them. Hiking in the mountains is a joy for them, but the same hike can be torture for city folks. Exercising going up and down inclines is more challenging, but very good for your health! Take a lesson from mountain dwellers.

Link zu vertiefter Information :  LLG-Bewegung

Water is a fascinating elixir that can be used in many ways. Those who drink 2-3 liters of water a day to the point of urine running clear at least once a day may experience better results in school or on the job.

Water Heals

Water is basic for all life. We are made mostly of water. Every cell in our bodies needs water in order to function properly. A deficiency can result in headaches, fatigue and a loss of the ability to concentrate.

Drinking enough water can protect us from heart attack and stroke; it also improves metabolism as well as lung, kidney and digestive function and even beautifies the skin.

The external use of water is a cheap and simple natural remedy. Hot and cold baths or showers, fomentations or ice massage, correctly applied, can relieve pain, inhibit inflammation and accelerate the healing process. Contrast (or even just cold!) showers are a good immune booster and stress reducer.

I always tell my students, “if you drink two liters of water every day instead of Coke, you can raise your GPA by half a grade." Our brains consist of 80-85% water and depend on us to provide a fresh supply of water regularly!

5 Basic Needs of the Cell

Our more than 70 trillion cells get everything they need for survival through our circulatory system via blood. Blood is life, and perfect health requires perfect circulation. High quality blood (and good circulation) produces health; poor quality blood (or bad circulation) opens the door for sickness. The following five points are of vital importance:

1. OXYGEN – Without oxygen, we would die in a matter of minutes. The metabolic processes in the cells function through a kind of “internal breathing”. This is where the energy is produced that the body needs. All life is dependent on a permanent source of energy: the maintenance of cell structures, all the biological processes, reproduction, everything.

2. WATER – A regular supply of water is necessary for the maintenance of almost all life and every metabolic process. About 70% of the fat free body mass of men and women is water. That makes it the main ingredient in our organism. It is the ideal solvent and means of transport. A dynamic balance between water absorption and excretion must be maintained.

3. NUTRIENTS – Carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals are the basic building blocks of our nutrition. Without these, nothing would work in our bodies. They are responsible to get the necessary energy to the cells so they can do their jobs. That’s why it’s important to give our bodies a balanced assortment of all the necessary raw materials.

4. WASTE ELIMINATION – Living cells produce an abundance of waste daily. Some of the proteins that are made in the production line of the cellular protein factory have to be disposed of immediately, either because they are imperfect or because they have already fulfilled their mission in the regulation of metabolic processes and would only be in the way. Constant quality control is the name of the game. There would soon be a mountain of trash clogging the system if there were no sophisticated system for elimination.

5. FREEDOM from TOXINS - Free radicals are often the toxic initiators of many health issues. They enter the body in the form of polluted air, fluids and junk food. They attack our cells and render them dysfunctional. The more cells of an organ that become damaged, the worse the organ will function. When an organ begins to malfunction, symptoms of disease begin to be manifested. The cell damage caused by free radicals can also lead to mutations in the cells. Cancer is produced in this way. Antioxidants (found in whole plant foods) can protect the cells from free radicals. (More on that in NATURE’S POWERHOUSE)

Every cell is a miracle, highly complex in function. It has been compared to the complexity of New York City at rush hour. Only the cell works better than NYC – if it is taken care of. That’s where NEWSTART Plus® comes in.

If you’re interested in having this or other subjects presented in your area, don’t hesitate to contact me at >  ernst.zwiker@yahoo.com.

Practice makes perfect. Start ‘em young! Jenny and her three children are enjoying a little hydrotherapy outside. This is a tepid bath. Contrast baths are an amazing remedy for many ailments. They boost immune response, improve circulation and thereby help supply the cells with their basic needs.  

So, now we’ve had a brief look at the first three components of NEWSTART Plus, <NEW> . You wouldn’t believe the amount of power for healing there is in this simple, transparent system. Sometimes it seems almost impossible when we see modern day miracles happen right before our eyes at Sonnmatt by using this simple, pill-free strategy.

PART TWO <START> will soon follow, and the psychosocial components will be presented afterwards in PART THREE <PLUS>. I hope you’ll join us there too!

Tip:  Choose ONE of these three points to work on for the improvement of your health.

* Quote by Karl Ludwig Boerne

Improving EQ through Lifestyle

For many, eating is taboo. Nobody is allowed to interfere. The results are all the more devastating: obesity, illnesses, diabetes II. Sure, the food has to taste good, in any case. Nowadays, good and healthy food can be served in our latitudes. The hard question is: what is really healthy eating?

Here are some blog links on the subject to introduce you, dear reader, to this important topic.

EQ0 (Definition)  -  EQ0 (Areas Of Live)  -  EQ1 (Marriage and Family)  -  EQ2 (Job)

As a reminder: The five areas of social life:

1. MARRIAGE u FAMILY (mutual understanding based on self-image)

2. PROFESSION (dealing with colleagues, subordinates, with the boss, motivation)

3. HEALTH (healthy lifestyle promotes the frontal lobe)

4. ENVIRONMENT (privacy, public and society can see added value)

5. SPIRITUALITY (understanding and dealing with belief in a postmodern context)

3. Health

How do you like the following: General health is the result of the application of human laws of nature. If we knew our needs better and if we knew how best to meet them, then health would be a corollary. There are certainly exceptions. (Genetics)

Imagine that we humans would obey the laws of nature and cultivate our relationship with nature, learn from it and recover. What would happen to us - But no, we want to be independent, create our own laws, live our own lives autonomously, no matter what the cost. Is health still possible like this?

WHO defines: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not just the absence of illness or ailment."

Although we live in a sophisticated, medically high-quality health system, it strikes me again and again that there are interest groups who are nevertheless not interested in our health. I think among other things to the pharmaceutical industry, which can have a significant influence on our state of health via medicine.

Interaction: physical, mental, social

Viewed individually, a person can, for example, be physically fully functional, but have psychological problems or live socially isolated. How strongly these three aspects of health interact, however, we feel very quickly in ourselves or in our fellow human beings. Our body reacts to stress, fears, and conflicts. Our mental freshness diminishes as soon as we become physically ill. Our social contacts can also suffer.

When we are young, we usually do not consider the consequences of our lifestyle. Only in old age is the bill presented for it. Health is particularly important at retirement age. Then you still have time to do it. A healthy lifestyle pays off right from the start.

Only the positive interaction of all factors means health.

The assessment of these factors can, however, be very subjective and it is not uncommon for one's own well-being to be an indicator of one's "perceived" health.

About every 20th patient who see a doctor suffers from hypochondriac disorders, which is also a disease. These patients feel sick, fear illness, and are so fixated on their bodies that they experience physical symptoms that a doctor cannot diagnose.

The other way around, a person can feel very good and healthy until he receives a diagnosis from the doctor, such as Cancer. Many physical illnesses are not recorded by the patient themselves, or are never recorded at all, because the body's self-healing powers work and illnesses can be dealt with by the body itself before they become noticeable to the person concerned. Thanks to a good lifestyle and / or a strong psyche.

What affects our health?

Almost all of our living conditions have a direct or indirect effect on our health: air, soil and water quality, nutrition, exercise, sleep, rest, relaxation, stress, self-image, social contacts, love, sexuality, work, security, recognition, life goals and hobbies . There are other aspects that have a positive or negative effect on our health.

Love and intimacy in particular can have the greatest positive effects on health. However, this does not always have to be associated with such an acrobatic exercise!

Control the impact yourself

A healthy lifestyle contributes significantly to maintaining health. Anyone who constantly exploits their own body through a lack of exercise, unhealthy diet and addictive behavior destroys their own health.

Unemployment, strokes of fate or environmental influences can usually not be avoided. But it pays to expand your own control and develop joy in good health.

Mental / Spiritual Health

PESSIMISM is very bad for our health. It weakens the immune system. Our health at 60 is heavily dependent on how strong optimists / pessimists we were when we were 25. (says Martin E.P. Seligman, psychologist). The inner attitude seems to be fundamentally important. The joy of the pessimist that he gossips about the bad experience because he was right is probably not a forward-looking attitude. (See blog Toxic Thoughts).

OPTIMISM only wants to see or expect the good. If this is based on a realistic background, then sooner or later this will also have a positive effect on the environment. It is interesting that what you see and expect coming often also happens. Here are a few positive effects:

• better health thanks to better chemical brain processes (see blog ToxG-Env)

• longer life expectancy thanks to mental well-being

• better perception thanks to stronger mental abilities

• deeper relationships thanks to pleasant personality

• Setbacks and rainfall are temporary and provide learning material

• the mental resistance (resilience) is greater

Some people seem to be born optimists. Nothing can tarnish your feelings of happiness. Let's do it after them!

How do you become an optimist?

1. It helps to move more in optimistic company. Optimism is contagious. Instead of always talking about negative things from others, you can also mention positive things.

2. Become aware of your negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. It's a training thing, but it's worth it. Pull someone into your trust. Then it's even faster.

3. If someone asks you, "How are you?" Then you say: "Very good, thank you." This even if you are not doing so well, because now you have the opportunity and the impetus to quickly make use of your gratitude and indulge your happiness in valuable relationships.

4. Learn to make the best of uncomfortable situations. You are stuck in a traffic jam. Do not allow frustrating emotions and expressions, but find reasons for positive thinking.

Much more could of course be written about mental health.

Physical health

Many people have found that exercising in some form makes them feel positive. This means fitness. Fitness is an umbrella term for healthy nutrition, exercise, training of strength, endurance and coordination.

The risk of developing diseases of civilization such as heart attack, obesity, lung cancer, colon cancer and diabetes II can be reduced through targeted fitness training. In addition, the ability to concentrate and learn is increased. People who actively keep fit are considered healthier and, statistically speaking, have a higher quality of life and life expectancy. This also increases your EQ, especially in the areas of 'self-motivation' and 'emotional self-regulation'. More information on this in the blogs EQ0 (Definition)  and EQ0 (AreasOfLife).

So don't miss this. Use your self-motivation, set an achievable goal, find a like-minded person, and begin your fitness program. You will not regret it.

Movement, let's say at least 5000 steps a day, has an enormously positive influence on health. Jogging 2-3 times a week as interval training will keep you young and strong.

Social health

Like me, like me, like you!

As I am to myself, so am I to others too. Ok, sometimes you can play a role, play a salesman, sell yourself better than you are. But the source of motivation for dealing with other people comes from within.

Those who hate themselves also hate others. Those who have accepted themselves find it easy to treat their fellow human beings in a positive way. In the blog about SELF-HATE and SELF-LOVE there is more detailed information.

Tit for Tat !

Many people reduce their social contacts to the level of REACTION. If YOU are good with me, then so am I with you! The blog CONDITONAL LOVE talks about it. This makes us dependent on other people's goodwill. We no longer live our own lives.

How about UNCONDITIONAL LOVE ? This component changes a lot, yes it opens our social potential, enables miracles in relationships such as marriages, family and professional life.

Let us remember: WE shape our social world ourselves. We can choose healthy relationships. That is probably not always easy, but possible. With a strengthened frontal lobe, we also make healthy decisions thanks to a healthy lifestyle.

Final thought: Eating healthy alone does not create holistic health. My attitude towards life, towards myself and towards other people has greater influence. Anyone who does something for physical, mental and social health will also benefit from it. And with him also his environment. BRAVO.

Transforming Toxic Thoughts - How Does It Work?

Our brain - probably the most sensational thing we have to offer! How does it work ?

Hope you have been able to check out the previous blogs on the subject. If not, here you are:

TOX1 (Introduction)   TOX2   (Stress)   TOX3 (Brain)

One often hears the explanation that this predisposition already exists in my family. The good news: we are not a puppet of biology! Even when we are full of toxic memories and live in such an environment, our brain can actually be changed. An incredible feat that has been dubbed 'neuroplasticity'.

They say we can change our toxic thoughts in 4 days and replace them with new ones in 3 weeks!

Thoughts can be measured, they need space, they change, grow, enlarge or shrink, and they adapt. The result is that you are represented by your thoughts! Toxic thoughts make us toxic too. Good thoughts have positive effects.

Positive and negative thoughts go through the same processes in the brain. Only the chemical substances change their structure accordingly.

Anyone who has learned to see the good and to choose it will be able to benefit from it well into old age.

If we want to detoxify our thought life, then we have to send a toxic thought through a set sequence again.

What does this order look like?

1. The brain collects electrical impulses

These impulses are collected through our five senses in order to find out their meaning. At the beginning of a thought it is possible to decide between good and bad impulses. Do I accept the thought or do I reject it!

First, a thought reaches the thalamus (transmitter control center), where most of the cerebral nerves meet. It connects the brain to the body and the body to the brain.

The thought goes from the thalamus to the cerebral cortex (outer part), where it is connected with already existing thoughts. This activates our inner attitude towards thoughts. This will influence our decision. If the memory is positive, then pleasant feelings are produced.

This process is recognized by the thalamus and then passed on to the hypothalamus, the chemical plant. If it is a negative thought, then the appropriate chemicals are now being prepared. The hypothalamus is considered to be the 'brain' of the endocrine system. He controls, among other things. our thirst, hunger, body temperature and our reaction to feelings. On a worry-laden attitude, stress hormones are sent to the main gland (pituitary gland), which warns the trillion cells in our body of a threat. The body adjusts to protection. This inhibits important further developing thoughts. But once we have made the habit of not worrying, the hypothalamus will produce feelings of peace.

Whatever you say about the functionality of our brain, it is always a simplification. It is extremely complex and always full of surprises.

What can we do at this stage?

We can choose to reject or allow the current thoughts and incoming information. In the latter case, they will sink into our mind and subconscious and form the basis of who we are as a person.

The amygdala (our joy and fear center) and the hippocampus (responsible for memory and motivation) help us make good decisions. The amygdala is the driver that wants to protect us from threats. The thalamus will warn you if necessary. In the end she gives the OK or NOK.

The amygdala also has connections to the frontal lobe, which controls our reasoning and decisions, and our analyzing and planning. This gives our developed reason the chance to have a say.

At this moment there is an opportunity to say:

"I choose NOT to think about this thing anymore."

This sends the thoughts away, or they simply disappear.

Perhaps we tend to think that there are many ways to be happy. There are certainly some that are faster and shorter, but more intense!

But if we don't stop thinking about it - be it positive or negative thoughts - then all information flows to the seahorse, the hippocampus. This calculates the incoming thoughts: Are they of short or long-term importance? The latter are then often processed during sleep. Such information then reaches the long-term memory, where it is stored as matter.

2. Reflecting on thoughts

Thanks to neuroscience, we now know that we don't have to allow any thought to control us!

The information remains in the hippocampus for about 24-48 hours and is continuously processed there. The basal forebrain is also included. Change now means that the thought is either retained, reinforced, or parts or the whole thought are adapted. It is NOT possible for parts to sink back into the subconscious without having been changed. This shows our potential, but also our responsibility.

The stronger we think, the more change we can bring about.

When we say: 'I can't do that!' then that supports our inability.

When we say: "I can do that!" then the whole body aligns itself with it.

We can do a lot more than we think. Where there is a will, there is a way. Amazing, isn't it?

Neuroplasticity means that through our thinking, important neurotransmitters (chemical messenger substances that transmit electrical impulses) - especially serotonin - cause changes deep inside the cell and thus also the genes (epigenetics says hello).

Research shows that mental training in terms of imagination, visualization, deep thinking and reflection, triggers the same physical change in the brain as if one had actually carried out these imagined processes in practice.

The resulting thoughts are consolidated, stabilized and accessible at any time. Nothing stands in the way of a high level of competence. This can apply in both the positive and negative directions with corresponding consequences.

Repetition and training are necessary in order for protein synthesis to consolidate, stabilize and participate in us.

There are actually people who like to exercise. Put something in your head and achieve it! How are you doing?

3. Write down thoughts

As you have probably already experienced yourself, the process of writing down consolidates memory and clarity and helps you think about it further. The visualization of thoughts and feelings promotes these processes.

The basal ganglia - nerve associations that correlate with the cerebral cortex, the hippocampus, and the frontal lobe - have the important task of transforming thoughts and emotions into immediate action in thinking and LEARNING. So they help us write down the information we just understood.

The way we write them down is important.

Everyone is encouraged to create a thought journal with creative expression. Creative can mean: drawing free of straight lines, pictures or diagrams, allowing colors and structures to flow in. Create a MINDMAP, so to speak, where associative thoughts can be linked.

Creating a mind map is fun and helps to achieve transparency. This will make it easier to find out where the dog is buried.

The left hemisphere is specialized in getting from the detail to the long shot, whereas the right hemisphere leads to the detail via the overall picture. Interesting.

4. Rethink thoughts

Thoughts can be transformed more easily the more consciously they are perceived.

Every time we ponder a thought and we control it with our minds, we can influence it as well. So it is in our power of free will whether we want to create new circuits and initiate a detoxification process.

What we think and feel about ourselves, what about our partner, our parents, friends and neighbors can all be examined and redefined.

We usually cannot control our circumstances, but we can determine how we react to them.

5. Implement thoughts

This last step quickly shows whether the previous steps were carried out correctly. This is because the practical steps are carried out according to the thought. Application steps. With these steps we have built a secure foundation for change, health and quality of life.

This overcoming step helps to recognize whether something is true or not. It shows whether theory and practice match. In doing so, it promotes integrity and makes us strong.

This lady is apparently looking forward to learning something new, practicing it and putting it into practice. Let's get infected!

he epigenetics shows, our perception shapes our biology. Our thoughts are powerful, they shape us. As Solomon said, as we think, so are we (Proverbs 23: 7).

3 activities that promote the healing process

Time of silence:

Studies show that people who pray and read the Bible every day are more likely to have positive thoughts. Spending time in nature also encourages good thoughts.

Nutrition:

Nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and B vitamins lift our mood. They stabilize the blood sugar level and improve the functioning of neurotransmitters and nerves. Since the brain consists of up to 85% water, it consumes accordingly, which invites us to 'refill'. (at least 1.5 liters of water / day)

Move:

Physical exercise releases beta-endorphins, which create a sense of well-being in us and dispel tension and stress. It trains the will and promotes blood circulation with all the resulting benefits.

In summary

t can be said that the amygdala gives input and informs the mind (frontal lobe) about the emotions (roughly in a ratio of 9: 1, ie 9 times more often than it receives information from the frontal lobe). The thalamus and hypothalamus provide input regarding motivation. The memory networks provide information about memories that have already been stored. The central switching point mixes and combines everything. The heart also gets involved and supports the decision-making processes.

Theological Aspects

If the Bible says:

• We are to put all our worries on Jesus (1 Pet 5: 7)

• We are to control every thought (2 Cor. 10: 5)

• We are to renew our senses (Rom 12: 2)

• We should always be happy (Phil 4: 4)

• We are to use the weapons of God, because with them all fortresses of the opponent can be overcome (2 Cor 10: 4-5)

• We should look to HIM so that HIM influences our thoughts (2 Cor 3:18)

then it looks like that our Creator knows exactly how important all this is and that, as soon as we follow it, we live in a 'different', better world. Isn't that sensational!

And what I particularly like is that HE does not leave us alone in our endeavors, but supports us in a highly active manner, the more we get involved with HIM.

He would like to be our 'fixed star' who shows us the direction in every situation in life.

Faith, as defined in Hebrews 11:1, takes on a new depth when one knows that just thinking deeply about an action can equal the actual action. The same parts of the brain are addressed.

It is entirely the idea of the Christian faith that through this we learn to become masters of circumstances and so that our quality of life is high. If we already have the offer that our Creator wants to help us in everyday life and wants to see us happy and also provides everything we need, then__

__We can literally tear down toxic thought structures by deciding to make ourselves fully aware of the thought, to change it through repentance and forgiveness (protein synthesis) and to replace it with correct information according to Phil 4:8 or similar principles!

There are no harmless thoughts. Therefore we must be good stewards of our thoughts and emotions!

This is followed by two blogs where we will deal with the 10 typically toxic topics that challenge us every day.

PS. Reference book: Bible and "Who turned my brain off" by Dr. Caroline Leaf