by Hope Zvara | Oct 27, 2022 | Lifestyle, Mental Health
When you are struggling with an eating disorder, it feels like there is no way out. You may feel like you are in control when you are restricting your food intake or bingeing and purging, but the truth is that eating disorders have a tight grip on you. The good news is that there is hope. You can restore your health and reclaim your life with the proper support. This blog post will discuss five tips for restoring eating disorders.
7 Tips on Restoring After an Eating Disorder
1) Seek professional help:
This is the most crucial step in restoring your health. Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses that require specialized treatment. Work with a team of professionals who can provide you with the comprehensive care you need. This may include a registered dietitian, therapist, and physician.
Many specialized programs treat eating disorders. These programs can provide you with the structure and support that you need to recover, for instance:
- Partially inpatient programs,
- Intensive outpatient programs,
- Residential treatment programs.
2) Address the underlying causes:
Eating disorders often develop to cope with difficult emotions or situations. Therefore, it is important to address the underlying causes of your eating disorder to recover fully. This may involve working through trauma, resolving conflict, or addressing other issues in your life.
It is important to develop healthy coping skills. This will help you to deal with difficult emotions and situations healthily.
3) Make nutrition a priority:
Eating disorders often involve disordered eating patterns. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Therefore, it is essential to make nutrition a priority in your recovery. Work with a registered dietitian to develop a nutritious meal plan that meets your needs. Be sure to include foods from all groups and pay attention to portion sizes.
Nutrition is an important part of restoring your health. However, do not try to lose weight while recovering from an eating disorder. Instead, focus on rebuilding your health and let weight loss happen naturally. If your appetite is gone and you need to restore your appetite to gain weight due to an eating disorder, you could consider Delta 9 Gummies.
4) Exercise in a healthy way:
For many people with eating disorders, exercise becomes a compulsion. It is important to find a balance with exercise. Too much exercise can be just as harmful as too little. Work with a professional to develop an exercise plan for you.
Exercise should be something that you enjoy. It should not be used as a way to punish yourself. Instead, find activities you enjoy and make them part of your routine. You can consider exercises: walking, biking, swimming, yoga, and weightlifting.
5) Find a support system:
Recovery from an eating disorder is a journey. You will need support along the way. Find people who will understand and support you. This may include family and friends, or you may find support from others walking the same path. Many online communities offer support. Do not be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Recovery is possible with the proper support in place.
6) Challenge negative thoughts:
One of the hallmarks of eating disorders is negative thinking. Negative thoughts can fuel disordered eating behaviors. Therefore, it is important to challenge these negative thoughts to restore your health. Work with a therapist to help you identify and challenge distorted thinking patterns.
Practice self-compassion. Be gentle with yourself as you recover. Eating disorders are hard to overcome, but it is possible to find healing and hope.
7) Be patient:
Restoring your health takes time. There will be ups and downs along the way. Be patient with yourself and accept that recovery is a gradual process. Trust in the fact that you have the strength to overcome this illness. Take things one day at a time and celebrate each small victory. Remember that you are on a journey to a better, healthier you.
In conclusion, eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that require specialized treatment. Work with a team of professionals to address the underlying causes of your eating disorder and make nutrition a priority. Also, exercise healthily and find a support system to help you along the way. Finally, be patient with yourself and trust that recovery is possible.
by hope | Aug 27, 2022 | Lifestyle, Mental Health
You’re under a lot of pressure at work, and your home life is a mess. You can’t seem to catch a break. When you finally get some time to yourself, all you want to do is relax, but instead, you find yourself feeling more stressed than ever. What’s going on? Stress is taking its toll on your body and mind, and it’s not good for you. This blog post will discuss the 5 negative effects of stress on your body.
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1. Stress can cause physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches, and muscle aches.
When you’re under stress, your body is in a state of fight-or-flight. This means that your body is preparing itself for a physical threat by releasing hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones can cause physical symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, and muscle aches.
2. Stress can make it difficult to concentrate.
If you’re constantly worrying about what’s going on in your life, it can be hard to focus on anything else. This is because stress causes your brain to release a hormone called norepinephrine, which makes it harder for you to think clearly.
The next time you find yourself having trouble concentrating, take a few deep breaths and try to relax. It might take some practice, but eventually, you’ll be able to focus better when you’re under stress.
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3. Stress can make you more susceptible to illness.
When you’re stressed, your body’s immune system is not as effective at fighting off infection. This means that you’re more likely to get sick when you’re under stress. If you already have an illness, stress can make it worse.
If you find yourself getting sick often, it might be time to look at your stress levels and see if there’s anything you can do to reduce them.
4. Hair loss can be caused by stress.
When you’re under a lot of stress, your body goes into survival mode and starts to conserve its energy. One of the ways it does this is by cutting back on non-essential functions like hair growth. This can lead to temporary hair loss.
If you’re noticing more hair in your brush than usual, it might be due to stress. Try to take some time for yourself and relax. You might want to invest in some hair loss products.
5. Bad mood
Stress can have a negative impact on your mood, making you feel more irritable, anxious, and depressed. It might be due to stress if you’re having difficulty enjoying the things you used to love.
Try to take some time each day to do something that makes you happy. It doesn’t have to be anything big, just something that brings a smile to your face. Also, make sure to talk to someone if you’re feeling down or overwhelmed by stress.
Stress can have a negative impact on your physical and mental health. If you’re noticing any of the above symptoms, it might be time to look at your stress levels and see if there’s anything you can do to reduce them.
by hope | Jun 30, 2022 | Inspirational, Mental Health
What is your relationship with yourself?
It may seem like an odd question as most people focus on their relationships with their loved ones or friends. Yet, believe it or not, according to expert therapists, our relationship with ourselves is disintegrating at an alarming rate. Self-esteem issues are more and more frequent, with approximately 85% of people worldwide struggling with low self-confidence. In other words, the relationship you have with yourself is likely to be wrong, according to statistics.
Why don’t we love ourselves more? According to Baumeister, our concept of self is our understanding of our personal attributes. The better we understand ourselves, the more likely our self-confidence and sense of self-worth will remain intact.
Unfortunately, self-confidence develops in young age, during childhood and adolescence. Therefore, your interactions with your parents and social circle at that age will impact your perception of yourself and, in turn, your self-confidence. Children who receive recognition for their mistakes and achievements are likely to develop into confident adults with healthy self-esteem. On the other hand, if parents expect their child to achieve an impossible level of perfection and are fast to criticize any mistakes, the child is prone to feel inadequate, not good enough, and not worthy of self-love.
If you’ve grown up in a situation where you have received unfair criticism, you probably find it tough to make peace with some of your personal attributes. But it is never too late for a wake-up call. Learning to love yourself starts today.
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Recover from criticism about your physical appearance
Have you grown up being the chubby kid or the one with the uneven smile? Being at the receiving end of hurtful jokes, even from friends and family, can make it hard to make peace with your appearance. So, finding an objective interlocutor to discuss your worries is essential. I was that kid that others joked about, and it hurt. In middle school, I tried to laugh it off like it was no big deal, but in truth, it was, and it impacted me for years afterward.
Indeed, if you have experienced people making fun of you for some of your physical features, it can be tough to see the real you behind the painful comments. For example, someone who might have been on the heavy side during their school years may still see the image of their old overweight self in the mirror, even though they have long lost all the excess weight. So, the first step in healing your self-esteem is to find someone who will be honest with you and help you. Reaching out to a specialist, such as asking a dentist about your smile, is the surest way to hear an objective answer. More importantly, a specialist can also help you understand your options if you wish to improve features you are uncomfortable with. For example, a dentist could recommend using composite bonding to cover chipped teeth. Or perhaps finding help with getting fit and losing weight from Thetribestm.com is the best option for you. Think about what will help most and make a move in that direction. Making peace with your appearance doesn’t necessarily mean accepting traits you are unhappy about. Things can be changed, and transformations have proven instrumental in re-learning self-love.
by hope | Jan 27, 2022 | Lifestyle, Mental Health
We all need time and space to relax in life. If we spend too much time working hard and pushing our limits, our mental health can start to suffer, and that’s not something you ever want to experience. We’re going to talk today about some of the best relaxation methods you can start to use if you’re going to aid your mental health going forward. So read on to find out all about the best options.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
If you haven’t heard of progressive muscle relaxation before, it’s an approach to relaxation that involves the tensing of the muscles in coordination with breathing. You tense certain muscle groups as you breathe in and then relax them as you breathe out. And you do this over and over as you focus on your muscles and your breathing and nothing else. It can help you relax.
Learn Meditation Techniques
Meditation is a great way to clear your mind of any worries and concerns and focus on breathing or nothing at all. It’s a great benefit to your mental health and something you should take the time to explore and learn more about if you never have before. There are also lots of different types of meditation, so there’s sure to be one out there that appeals to you in some way.
Visualization
Some people find it very relaxing to use a technique known as visualization. As the name suggests, this is when you take the time to visualize something positive, something happy, or something that you’re working towards. Seeing it and believing it can be uplifting and helpful when you’re in a stressful situation and want some momentary escape.
Find the Right Relaxing Herbs
There are lots of herbs and plants out there that are known to relax us in a variety of different ways. Lavender is one perfect example, and you can find all kinds of lavender products, from bath to sleep products, that are known to help us relax. On the other end of the spectrum, and depending on their legality in your location, there are cannabis products such as cannabis seeds, CBD, and plenty others that people use to help them relax. Like anything, make sure you do your research before you buy any CBD product as the quality can vary vastly.
Try Yoga
When you’re practicing yoga, you’re getting a physical workout, but many people do it for the mental health benefits it brings. Yoga is 1% asana and 99% everything else- LIFE! If you haven’t yet given yoga a go, that’s something that you should probably seek to change. It can be one of the best ways to help you relax and focus on nothing at all. And don’t stress, there are dozens of styles, methods, teachers, and approaches, if you try one and it’s not your cup of tea, then go out and try another.
Now you know all about some of the best and most effective ways of relaxing and taking care of your mental health. All you need to do is start making the most of them. Try them out and see which of them work best for you. After all, each of us is different and different options work for us. Trial and error help a lot here.
Learn more about Hope
Want to learn more about Hope Zvara and how she helps others move their mind and their body…
Check out Hope’s feature on the 2x Emmy Nominated Show STARTUP on PBS, Amazon Prime, World Network, and Create Network
https://www.pbs.org/video/mother-trucker-yoga-hartford-wi-ivcibi/
by hope | Oct 28, 2021 | Mental Health
Mental health refers to your overall wellbeing. It also includes the way that you perceive yourself, your relationships and even how you deal with difficulties. At the end of the day, anyone can experience mental health or even emotional problems, and most people will, but if you feel as though you could do with a real pick-me-up, then this is the guide for you.
Make A Social Connection
Phone calls and social media have their place in our lives, but not many things can beat the mood-boosting power that comes with having face-to-face time with other people.
Stay Active
Staying active is incredibly good for the brain and it is also good for the body as well. Regular exercise can have a huge impact on your mental health as well as your emotional health too. As if that wasn’t enough, it can also help you to improve your memory and your sleeping routine. If you find it hard to stay active because you have no interest in working out, then it is more than possible for you to try and get into sports instead. Sporting activities are great if you want to get moving and they are fun too. If you don’t really like sports then try and watch the occasional match on television, and look up rugby scores. This can help you to bond with a particular team, and it is a great conversation starter with friends.
Talk it Out
Talk to a friendly face if you can. Social interactions are really one of the best ways for you to calm down your nervous system and they can also help you to relieve stress too. If you talk it out with someone then you get things off your chest and you may even find that it helps you to deal with situations better in the future.
Appeal to your Senses
Does listening to a great song help you to feel calm? Maybe squeezing a stress ball helps you to feel somewhat centered. Either way, you need to do whatever helps you to take things down a notch. Everyone responds to sensory input differently, so you need to try and find out what works for you if you can. If you can do this, then you will soon find that things work in your favor.
Make Leisure your Priority
Leisure time is necessary for your mental health as well as your emotional health. It’s so important that you take the time to relax and then contemplate all of the positive things that are going on in your day. Make the effort to notice the small things if you can, because you can then reflect on them later if you feel as though your mood is in need of a boost.
Eat a Good Diet
Another thing that you need to do is try and eat a good diet. You have to make sure that you are doing what you can to support your immune system and also eat brain foods too. If you can do this, then you will soon find that you can rocket your mental health.
by hope | Aug 26, 2021 | Lifestyle, Mental Health
Meditation is so beneficial for your mental and spiritual health, but many people find it daunting. The idea of sitting quietly and focusing on your breath without any outside distractions can seem quite alien to us because we live in a world that is filled with constant stimulation.
Meditation is a skill that you have to learn, and holding your focus without being distracted can be difficult, which is why many people give up after a few sessions.
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However, there are a few simple ways that you can improve your focus while meditating.
Choose A Focus For Your Meditation
The first thing to consider is what you want your focus to be.
There are lots of different meditation styles, each focusing your attention on something different. You can meditate on the breath, sounds, or even an object like a candle flame. Having a specific aspect of your life to focus on during meditation also gives you more direction. For example, focusing on gratitude is a great way to channel your meditation and see tangible results at the end.
Try CBD Oil
Research has shown that CBD oil can help you stay calm and focused throughout the day. If you suffer from anxiety or hyperactivity, CBD oil could be a good solution for your problems. People often find meditation hard because they cannot quiet their minds, and their anxieties get in the way. But if you use some CBD oil before your session, it can relax your mind and body and help you stay focused a lot better.
Start With Short Sessions
Meditation can be challenging because you are not used to being still and quiet for long periods of time. But when done correctly meditations are a simple way to improve focus and relieve stress.
But as meditation enthusiasts will no doubt tell you, the benefits outweigh the difficulties by far. One of the best things that beginners can do is start with short sessions and slowly build up. Start with five or ten minutes per session before gradually increasing the time.
Another option is to meditate at the same time every day so that it becomes a habit. Once you’re used to meditating, you will often find your mind wandering less and less, making meditation much easier.
Use Guided Meditation Videos
One of the best ways to learn meditation is using guided meditation videos because they do all the hard work.
Many people think that meditation has to be done in silence, but this isn’t true. You can use a guide, and this helps with your focus and also helps your mind relax. If you’re struggling with finding peace to meditate, then guided meditation videos can be a great option for you. You can find loads of great free ones on Youtube, and there are some great apps like Headspace that can help too. And don’t forget on HopeZvara.com we have customized meditations available and ready to download just for you.
Follow these simple steps, and you will see an improvement in your focus when meditating. It might not happen overnight, but if you stick with it, you’ll soon find that the length of time you spend focused during meditation increases, which leads to the benefits.
