Are you feeling like me? A bit out of sorts. September brings a new phase both in nature and in life and it takes a bit of adjustment. For me it’s about getting back to work after my first 2 week holiday abroad in a long while.
Being away from home and the travelling that comes with it doesn’t only have an effect on our sleep pattern because of time zones, it also has an an effect on our gut, our microbiome, our emotions and it plays havoc with our thoughts as well.
Research has shown that 62% of people have “gut lag”, a disruption to their appetite and bowel movements across time zones. However, it’s not restricted to big changes in time, changes in bowel habits ranging from diarrhoea to constipation are common when we change eating times and what we are eating and drinking.
Also, the gut microbes do not like changes in atmospheric pressure leading to reduced oxygen in the mitochondria – the powerhouses in our cells – which causes them to stop making lots of energy leading to that feeling of exhaustion during and after air travel.
So how do we get ourselves into productive and creative mode and move into autumn with a positive attitude?
First from a nutrition perspective it’s a good idea to start with healthy food that gives us energy and helps us focus.
And yes I sound like a stuck record – that means getting back to basics.
- Eating protein with every meal
- Avoiding those sweet treats
- Reducing processed foods
- Eating fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir
- Drinking plenty of water
- Only eating small amounts of healthy carbs, brown rice, quality wholegrain bread
Then there’s exercise
- Daily movement like walking us a good way to start
- A few resistance exercises, just 5 minutes a day is great
- Any movement is better than none.
And looking after your mind
- 5 minutes of quiet, just set the timer on your phone and sit quietly with your eyes shut
- Time in nature, notice things around you, the birds, the trees, the clouds in the sky
- Listen to music and take time to appreciate it
- Take out a book and read
- Just set a goal of 5 minutes a day for a little quiet.
Decide what you will start with. Just one thing.
Be sure to establish it as a new habit before starting on the next.
Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day. Just get back up, brush yourself off and start again.
If you’d like some help with getting back on track then please do get in touch, this is what my Healthy Habits Club is all about, supporting people to introduce and maintain the habits mentioned in my Blog.
If you want to know more use this link and scroll down
If you know you need help and you’re ready to join use this one!
