Do you want to feel better faster after an event that leaves you reeling? How do you get relief from sudden anxiety? I struggle with this on a regular basis and have necessarily sought out ways to relieve this and feel better faster than if I “pop a pill” or “drink a glass of wine”. There are so many immediate and short-range techniques to help us in our daily struggles. Here are 10 ways to feel better that are healthy, available, and effective.
Ways to ‘Feel Better’ Easily
Since I began my journey to heal from trauma, I’ve kept my eyes and ears open to new information. With this list, it is my hope that you will find something you can use to help you. Remember, it’s all about #Balance! This is my current list of favorite items you may have readily available or can purchase at a low cost that fits most budgets.
1. Get plenty of sunshine and fresh air
Work in the yard or go for walks every morning at the same time to get that fresh air to start your day right. I live in the Western side of Oregon where it rains A-LOT. Have you heard the term “Oregon sunshine”? Translated from Oregonian to English, it means “rain”. So, it’s very easy to procrastinate going outside as I get older which makes it even more important that I walk to feel better.
2. Eat more raw vegetables
This won’t be a problem for vegetable lovers, but if you’re not – start experimenting by eating one raw vegetable per day. I find that if I eat one raw vegetable per day, it makes a huge improvement in how my days go.
Switch out the potato chips for lightly salted celery sticks (my grandson and I had some last weekend which we both enjoyed). I was talking to my grandson this past weekend and reminiscing about the fresh cut fresh vegetables that we had on our table each evening when I was young. This includes radishes, green onions, and yup, celery sticks.
My Great Aunt Madge and Uncle Jack still used the little salt dishes placed above the dinner plate to dip their fresh vegys into before eating.
3. Get Rid of the American Table Salt
Replace it with Himalayan and Sea salt. I like to mix mine together – I buy them at Winco in bulk – very inexpensive.
Salt is an essential nutrient that our bodies cannot do without. Additionally, sea salts contain a good deal of beneficial minerals whereas standard table salt is chemically altered to become a substance that your body no longer readily recognizes as salt.
4. Avoid Processed Food
When you shop – stick to the outside isles – almost everything else is processed carbs and gluten. I don’t even buy canned food anymore. Frozen vegetables are inexpensive and loaded with fresh, live, vitamins. Frozen foods are sometimes better than the fresh because with food being shipped from South America and other places, we don’t know what we’re getting. But, the good news is, most packing plants that freeze food do it when the food is fresh. So, it’s perfectly ok to use frozen vegetables for your healthy diet. Of course, it’s always best to grow your own or visit a farmer’s market for local, fresh food. But, when that’s not possible – head for the frozen food section for the next best thing!
5. Eliminate Gluten from your Diet
If you follow step 5, up to 90% of the gluten will naturally be eliminated from your diet. But I know it’s hard, especially the snack food that we enjoy while we watch movies. That’s what really gets to me. Gluten, better known as wheat, when digested, soaks up all the good nutrients in your body and leaves you weak and tired. Grains are fillers and absorbents of vitamins. They are not good for the human body and they do not make you feel better, moreover, they make you sick.
6. Stop Eating Dairy Products
The human body does not need cow milk after the age of two or three. However, butter (by itself) is actually on the Paleo diet for scientific reasons that I will refer to Dr. Axe to explain. Dr. Axe, Grass fed butter nutrition.
I didn’t grow up with poor eating habits and outside of potato chips, carb snacks were not really consumed much in our family. We ate good, fresh, largely home-grown food that included vegetables, fruits, and wild meat so the Paleo diet came rather easily for me.
7. Burn Incense or Essential Oils
You can also use a pleasant room spray with lavender. My favorite is Glade Lavender/Peach. You’d be so surprised how relaxing a spray in the bedroom is just before bedtime. I open windows regularly to let my rooms air out – nothing better than fresh air, but also it serves to clear out toxins from animal odors and room sprays. I don’t recommend using the sprays when something else is available but it’s better than nothing in a pinch to help you feel better.
What I strongly recommend is cleansing your space by burning sage sticks. Did you know that in addition to the traditional spiritual cleansing that has long been associated with sage, science has proven that it clears the air around us of bacteria?
Below is the sage product I last ordered from Amazon. I found these sticks to be of high quality in that they are tightly wound and do not easily fall apart. The sage is fresh smelling and ready to use. Three sticks last me about 3 months with daily use.
8. Plug in the Himalayan Salt Lamps
Use your Himalayan salt lamps 24/7 and get one for work if you work out of the home. The benefits of salt lamps is that the negative salt ions released by the lamp heat is known to energize blood flow, help you sleep, increase levels of serotonin in your brain, and reduce allergy or asthma symptoms. This is the pretty heart-shaped Himalayan salt lamp I have in my home.
9. Enjoy the Fragrance of a Diffuser
Run a diffuser with your favorite scent in your home and at work. I use Amber, Vanilla, and Jasmine. It’s a combination I’ve been attracted to my entire adult life and it makes me feel good. You will find your own combinations or you can use mine in the meantime. When I walk in the room its fragrance makes me feel warm and pleasant.
I recently learned that if I add Ylang-ylang to the Amber, Vanilla, and Jasmine, I will have the equivalent of the Ciara by Revlon – a fragrance I used to wear many years ago. This is the difusser I have in my home. I run it 24/7 and love to watch the soft, soothing colors fade in and out.
10. Take Your Vitamins!
While food as a supplement is my first choice, I still take supplements. I take a wide range of supplements but start first with bone broth. You can make your own so easily but this is my favorite product that combines several different bone broths from organic sources.
Get your system in place and stick to it. Don’t worry if you don’t stick to it 100% – I doubt seriously if most people do, but the more we incorporate these nice tactics into our lives, the better our quality of life is.
Other Posts You Will Enjoy:
Tina Turner – Nam Myoho Renge Kyo Buddhist Mantra
