balanced living – Stylishly Zen

Prioritizing Health: 3 Simple Steps to a Balanced Life

Published on June 25, 2024June 25, 2024 by soreiyaLeave a comment

Hi Everyone!

To say that life has been quite hectic over the past few years is an understatement. Taking care of myself has at times fallen by the wayside at times when I have been distracted and focused on other things. Lately though, I am realizing just how unhealthy this is, and I no longer want to be that person. My health, both physical and mental need to be prioritized as I am tired of not showing up as my best self. While I am not able to do a complete life over hall at the moment, I am going to work towards building on good habits. Here are the first three that I am starting with:

Drink more water. While this one may seem obvious, my water intake over the past few years (especially the past six months) has declined substantially. I stupidly can’t seem to find the time to drink water – this is a ridiculous predicament and one that needs to be changed ASAP. The reality is that I am just not prioritizing it. I am now committing to drinking the three litres a day that I have been drinking for many years prior to this recent dry spell. Staying hydrated is important for may reasons including regulating your body temperature, delivering nutrients to your cells and keeping your organs functioning properly and it helps to prevent infections. If you feel that you are not drinking enough water, grab a glass and commit to increasing your daily intake with me.
Move. As the weather has gotten warmer, I have been walking a lot more. While these walks give me a sense of peace and gets me outdoors it is no replacement for a good stress relieving cardio session that I need when I am overwhelmed and stressed out. So while I still intend to continue walking I am also going back to the gym. It doesn’t need to be daily, but a few times a week will do wonders for both my physical and mental health.
Sleep. I am exhausted! While I used to be a relatively early sleeper, lately I have been caught up with other things and have been going to sleep quite late. This in turn has made it difficult to wake up in the mornings. Also, having gone thru a very stressful period in my life that only recently ended a few months ago, I was waking up in the middle of the night unable to shut off my active brain. This resulted in me getting an average of 3-4 hours of sleep a night. I am not the type of person that can function well with such little rest. Now I am recommitting to a more regular sleep schedule and prioritizing my rest. Aside from helping me to look and feel better, I am hopeful that getting more rest will also help to support better emotional regulation.

Well there you have it – the first three steps that I am taking to get back to being a more balanced and healthy individual. I intend to layer on more but I need to get back to basics first. Have you been feeling out of sorts lately? What steps are you taking to get back to feeling like yourself? Let me know if you have any tips in the comments.

Thank you for stopping my Stylishly Zen today, I hope that you have a beautiful day! XXS

The Mineral That You May Be Missing In Your Diet

Published on July 9, 2018July 8, 2018 by soreiyaLeave a comment

Lately it feels like everyone is perpetually stressed out. Between multiple obligations, the pressure to be our best selves, poor nutrition and conflicting world views, it’s no wonder that we are more short tempered, bloated and completely exhausted.

One of the first things to fall by the wayside during stressful and challenging times is good nutrition. Whether you are pressed for time or turn to comfort food to ease the pressure the you may be feeling (full disclosure – I am guilty of this on nearly a weekly basis), good nutrition is often viewed as negotiable. The truth is though that good nutrition is what will help you to successfully meet the challenges that you are dealing without sacrificing your health. Even if that just means making an effort to get in a few necessary vitamins and minerals that help to support good health.

One of my favourite minerals is Magnesium. Often referred to as the “anti stress” mineral, Magnesium levels are often low in most people. Medications such as diuretics and antibiotics, stress, poor nutrition due to the standard Western diet including increased intake of caffeine, sugar, alcohol and processed foods, chronic gut problems and soil depletion are all factors that deplete magnesium.

Increasing magnesium in the diet has been shown to help tame headaches, promote regular digestion (especially when you are not eating enough fibre or moving enough) ease menstrual cramps and it helps you to wind down so that you can get some much needed rest. Magnesium has also been shown to help with a myriad of health issues and diseases including (but not limited to) adrenal fatigue, anxiety, inflammation, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraines, insulin resistance and sleep issues.

Good sources of magnesium are dark green vegetables, nuts, seeds legumes and whole grains in particular wheat, brown rice and millet. Soil depletion though will affect how much magnesium you are actually getting through your diet so it may be worthwhile to consider supplementation if you feel that you need more magnesium.

The RDA’s for magnesium are 400mg for men and 310mg for women. Glycinate (for relaxation) and citrate (for constipation) are the two most absorbable forms of magnesium supplementation. Another way to increase magnesium in the body is to add epsom salts to your bath.

Overall magnesium is an important yet often underrated mineral that you may want to consider increasing in your diet to help to lower your stress level and improve your overall health.

Please Note: This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. It is not intended to serve as a substitute for a consultation or medical treatment from a qualified healthcare practitioner.

I hope that you have a fabulous day! XXS❤️

Inspiring Interior

Published on September 12, 2017September 12, 2017 by soreiya3 Comments

Normally, when I hear the words “Italian villa” I think of a rustic and charming home, but today’s Inspiring Interior challenges that vision in the best way possible. Located in the Tuscan country between Florence and Arezzo, this villa is breathtaking in its simplicity. Designed by Rachele Biancalani Studio with Matteo Bonechi technician, this villa defies traditional ideas of what a villa is supposed to look like and delivers a simple and sophisticated home. Exposed beams and large arched windows perfectly compliment the warm natural tones of the home along with the clean white accents. I love it! Here are some of my favourite pics of this spectacular home:

All images are from My House Idea