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Category: Stress Management

  • Empathy – A Business Case

    Empathy, one of the characteristics or we might say building blocks of emotional intelligence, is an essential aspect of effective leadership. Amid the hurried lives we live today and the demands from employers, family members, government and  ourselves for many and varied reasons, often means we are rushing here and there and consequently might say things in conversation that we don't mean or miss things that someone is either trying to say or has said that are important. The bottom line, empathy ends up taking a back seat.

    Empathy is not sympathy it is the ability to experience the moment in response to a customer, colleague or employee in a manner that “connects” directly to that person, sharing briefly the emotions that the person might be feeling without taking them on yourself. It has an impact on those involved in that moment as well as longer lasting through a relationship of trust, as well as the organisation bottom line. Customer experiences make the difference between them becoming loyal customers or choosing to go elsewhere. In most cases there are plenty of “elsewhere” companies ready to serve customers who have had a poor or even bad experience with your service offering. In the current labour market, it is not just the external customer who might choose to go elsewhere, but your employees, your internal customer also. Now with the possibility to work from home in many job roles, it has removed the need to be based in a particular geographic location, making the employment market a job seekers market, rather than employer market making hiring the right person so much more difficult.

    The 2020 NTT Global Customer Experience Benchmarking Report stated that, “Companies who focus on a customer/employee centricity see a 92% increase in customer loyalty with an 84% uplift in revenue and a 79% margin in costs saved. 

    The rising importance of employee service (EX) according to the survey, “94% of CEOs agree that making EX improvements that empower employees and drive efficiencies will improve CX and directly affect net profit. Furthermore, the study explains, “Organizations that strongly identify as being an employer of choice are almost twice as likely as those that do not achieve promoter-level CX performance. Those that have improved their EX capabilities and significantly increased their levels of employee satisfaction in the last year also show a 30% increase in their share of customer value or wallet (including customer retention).”

    Empathy is the linchpin to delivering excellence in customer service as well as for those delivering service to customers. Equipping leaders through the development of emotional intelligence and the skills of showing empathy to team members is no longer questionable in terms of importance to business performance, or even optional, but essential. 

    The key competencies within empathy according to Daniel Goleman (Working with Emotional Intelligence) are:

    • Sense others' feelings and perspectives 
    • Take an active interest in others' concerns
    • Sense others' development needs and support their development
    • Anticipate, recognise and meet customers' needs 
    • Read emotional undercurrents and power relationships
    • Cultivate and build opportunities through different kinds of people

    The aspect of sensing others’ feelings and perspectives of empathy includes several points that are particularly relevant to leaders and those working in customer service:

    The ability to sense and understand feelings, concerns and perspectives of others through intuition. The feeling aspect is the challenge for the development of AI tools to effectively support employees who provide customer service, truly giving them time to listen and respond empathetically. This likely involves examining interactions, work processes and flows as well as considering overall employee wellbeing. 

    Judith Orloff once said, “Empathy is the medicine the world needs.” This statement sums up the reason why we need this important skill in business to foster the growing need for businesses to encourage empathy centricity in their organisation and work culture both internally and externally. 

     

    Tips for Developing Empathy

    Developing empathy to work with others and communicate effectively takes time and effort, but with willingness and the ability to self-reflect this is a skill everyone can develop and benefit from. Below are some suggestions in how to develop empathy for interacting and understanding others.

    Practice self-disclosure – Self disclosure involves sharing feelings, opinions and thoughts about yourself with others. It demonstrates openness and honesty and leads to a greater sense of ease when communicating, building trust and rapport. Being able to self-disclose develops the ability to show empathy towards others.

    Practice being an empathetic listener – Listening, is about being present in the moment while paying close attention to the other person’s emotions, body movement, gestures, tone of voice and language. It is about showing empathy and understanding rather than evaluating or judging. When listening empathetically you listen not only with your head, but your heart as well. You are oriented towards the person giving them full attention, avoiding any temptation to check an email, answer a text or interrupt in order to speed them up or because you have decided you know what they are going to say. The risk of frustrating the customer when processes require service givers to complete a customer conversation within a set period of time can be detrimental to the overall goal of providing excellent customer service. For example, in a call centre where call length is a key performance indicator (KPI), as is number of calls processed by each agent, ignoring the difficulty of some of those calls by negatively hurrying both service giver and customer, impacting behaviour, tone of voice and response.

    Practice emotional scanning – Tune into the emotional state of others and your team as a whole to sense the prevailing emotional climate at any moment in time. This is achieved through noticing body language, tone of voice, the topic and content of what people are talking about as well as asking, how an individual or group are feeling at any point in time and then responding appropriately.

    Match and mirror – Being able to match means that you closely observe the behaviour of the person to whom you are talking and then adapt your behaviour to better match theirs. For example, if they are speaking slowly, you slow down to match that. This adaptation is called "mirroring". Do not copy or mimic them exactly, the goal is to narrow any gap to be less different and help them feel at ease. Invariably the response is sub-conscious in that they simply feel comfortable with you and as a result the conversation will be more open and trusting.

    Ask open questions – Avoid jumping immediately into offering a solution, some advice or what they "should do" by proposing your own perspective and opinion on the subject. Instead ask open questions to understand the situation and how they feel about it, noticing what they say and how they say what they are saying. The use of open questions and listening to the answers, invariably helps the other person to find the solution for themselves, which is more powerful than any personal advice.

    Keep a journal – spend a few minutes each day writing down how you reacted in one or two different situations. Assess whether empathy was needed and if so did you respond appropriately. How did the other person react? If you feel that you got it right, try to understand and identify what you did in that moment. If on the contrary, you feel you got it wrong, be open and honest with yourself and identify why you responded incorrectly. Think about whether there is something you can do to correct the situation when you next see the person and if there is, do it.

    Empathy is a skill that can be learned. The ability to show empathy with internal customers and to external customers is a foundation stone to building loyalty by reducing churn, increasing job satisfaction and in turn increasing organisation profitability and overall reputation.

     

    References

    Working with Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman (1999)

    The Language of Emotional Intelligence, Jeanne Segal, Ph.D, Jaelline Jaffee, Ph.D

    Leadership in Easy Steps, Jon Poole

    https://services.global.ntt/en-us/insights/2020-global-cx-benchmarking-report#

     

     

  • Fears and Phobias – 7 Tips to Overcome them

    The NHS defines a phobia “as an overwhelming and debilitating fear of an object, place, situation, feeling or animal. Phobias are more pronounced than fears.” On the other hand, the Merriam Webster dictionary defines fear as “an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger.” From these two definitions we can see some parallel and cross over in understanding that both phobias and fears are slightly different, but never-the-less linked with the underlying factor of fear. In my own words, phobia is something that is overwhelming and debilitating deeply affecting our lives in some way, whilst fear is something that can cause us to behave differently to our so-called normal behaviour.

    When considering animals in the wild, such as a herd of zebra. Zebras will be grazing quite peacefully when all of a sudden, they intuitively know that there is some kind of threat or danger lurking close by. The natural response is to go into alert mode, which drives the fight or flight reaction. There is no worry, circulating thoughts, deliberation or similar, they simply look around for the threat and take the necessary action to either run (flight) or stay and fight for survival. Once the perceived threat has gone, the herd go back to grazing peacefully, as if nothing had happened a few minutes earlier. The threat of being eaten is an accepted part of being a zebra. Perhaps not a pleasant part if you are the chosen one!

    In our human world, we tend to intensify our fears through an unhealthy rumination of negative thoughts that often distort the real picture, leading to poor decision-making, lack of sleep and other bodily symptoms that often cannot be identified medically. This does not mean to say that fear does not exist and that we do not feel it, infact the opposite. It is real, and our mind and body do feel it. With a phobia the degree of fear is intensified to the point where it becomes and is debilitating.

    In the face of danger, what stops us from making that decision and just doing it anyway? To leap over the perceived barrier and to take that first step, only to find when we have done it that we are fine and the world around us is fine. There is no right answer to this question, as each one of us is different. We each have our own myriad of reasons that we explain to ourselves and those around us, rationalising the reasons why we are not taking steps to overcoming the fear. With a phobia there is no rationalisation, as the level of fear at whatever is causing the phobia or extreme fear has gone beyond that possibility until such time as the object, situation or feeling has been removed or we have been removed from it.

    However, that object, situation or feeling will always be a trigger unless a professional is recruited to help re-wire our brain to think differently about whatever it is that might be causing the phobia or overwhelming fear.

    What happens when we live in extreme fear of something, for example the fear of flying, not being able to feed your family, or the fear of going out and leaving your house for work, shopping or other reason?

    The fight or flight response becomes elevated causing a vortex of overthinking negative thoughts. Neurological sciences agree that as we think something and re-think something repeatedly, our neurological pathways become channelled and locked and we can, in some ways become what we contemplate.

    Our heart rate quickens, driving the release of perspiration in response to the sympathetic nervous system kicking into full alert. A mix of hormones, especially adrenaline and cortisol are released into the bloodstream and the heart sends messages to the brain via the Vagus nerve supported by an increase in neurotransmitters. All this before the largest part of the brain, the neocortex has had a chance to identify the nature of the emergency, whether life-threatening, shocking or something in between.

    The second phase, for want of a better description that occurs within milliseconds, is the receipt of information through the senses to the neocortex. As a result, an understanding forms about the situation and the fight or flight impetus is either modified or countermanded. With a phobia countermanding very seldom occurs as you can’t “see” and the neocortex becomes incapable of rationally judging the level of danger. It is the same fear that becomes abject fear resulting in control of bodily movements and behaviour.

    Once the trigger to the fear and in some cases, the phobia, has been removed, consciousness begins to take control of fight and flight reactions bringing about the slow return to normal through reversal of the extreme arousal process. This might result in expressing excess energy and emotion amassed seconds earlier through nervous laughter, tears, or even shouting, supported by relevant body language. All these responses are the body’s outlet for the release of pent-up emotions, ultimately resetting the amygdala’s warning light and as zebras do, returning to “grazing.”

    Unlike animals, what might not be reset is the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), stress system. Actions of this system, especially the release and reabsorption of cortisol take considerably longer to reset, particularly when the threat is perceived to be overwhelming and/or chronic in the case of a phobia. Instead of the feeling of fear being overridden, modified or followed through, it becomes suppressed inside the body, leading to phantom pain and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

    If you believe that disease has an emotional foundation, which I do, fear is one of the cardinal emotions and when suppressed as with other cardinal emotions; guilt, anger and shame, it starts to lay the foundation for dis-ease. If an individual is already suffering from some form of disease or health condition, it will further compound the body’s stress reaction and need to re-balance through mobilisation of the immune system. In other words, draining resources to fight a condition that is emotionally draining vitality from the system.

    In the last couple of years with many incidences to be fearful of – Covid-19 and the messages used during lockdowns – “stay home – protect the NHS- save lives”, “stay alert-control the virus-save lives”, now rising energy costs and the fear of how to stay warm and pay the bills, rising petrol costs and the implications that this has on all aspects of modern-day living, continued threats of more dangerous Covid variants etc and the 24/7 news, social media messaging that is ever-present and hammering away at all these topics and many more not mentioned that keeps the fight and flight response switched on. This only serves to keep the HPA axis in heightened response while draining and weakening the immune system which in turn drains vitality and leads to sickness and the possible realisation of the fears that is driving it all.

    How do you stop the fear cycle?

    Love is the opposite of fear, which is the most important law of the universe. First love of oneself and second love of others. Love is all there is. The King James version of the Bible tells us: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath no torment”. While I would never describe myself as religious and with no dis-respect to those that are, these words make a great deal of sense to me.

    Is it now time to come together and focus on building communities through neighbourly support and help? To focus on the abundance that surrounds each one of us, even though some days it might not feel that way, celebrate lives within our communities and care for those that feel vulnerable and fearful and those who are suffering extreme fear or even phobia to go out and about in the world in which we live. To fully embrace the community spirit and to give and share joy to overcome the fear?

    Leadership, also plays an important role in building community, trust and openness to inspire and lead others, to build performing teams that exude joy, the sharing of wins and successes and the openness to challenge and discuss when not succeeding in a constructive, positive and decisive manner. In my opinion the foundation to effective and inspirational leadership is above all else to listen to one another with respect, presence and deep interest while nurturing and growing talent.

    Put your oxygen mask on first by doing some simple things that each one of us can do for ourselves which when we are all doing them make the pool of support, unconditional love, community spirit and joy ever-grow in size until it embraces all:

    1. Make time to be kind to yourself and those around you.
    2. Go inward to hear how your mind and body feel.
    3. Release pent-up emotions through forgiveness of those that might have hurt you.
    4. Share positivity, joy and humour.
    5. Give gratitude for the small things that bring joy, fun and appreciation each day.
    6. Be present to nature’s abundance and calming influence and as with every river, flow with ease allowing the undulating current to navigate the route smoothly, rather than trying to dam the natural flow or wade upstream against the current.
    7. Keep head and heart in balance and don’t be afraid to follow your heart as it is this that connects you to your soul path – your love and passion for life.

    “Love makes the world look beautiful. When there is love, there is beauty’. Haemin Sunim

    References

    The Spiritual Anatomy of Emotion, Michael A. Jawer, Marc S. Micozzi, MD, Ph.D
    Feelings Buried Alive Never Die, Karol K. Truman
    The Power of the Herd, Linda Kohanov

    Written by Rachel Shackleton – Green Key Personal Development

  • Being Grateful for 2020

    I was listening to a concert last night on Radio 2 with Rick Astley and the BBC concert orchestra. Rick led a rocking concert that was further enhanced by the wonderful orchestra.  Why do I refer to this concert?  In 2018 I wrote a blog around singer/songwriter Rick Astley and the release of his back then, new album entitled “A Beautiful Life”.

    At that time, Rick said something very pertinent in answer to the question “Why a Beautiful Life?  In his answer he explained that in fact he has had a beautiful life, with the exception of a few curveballs.  Most importantly, he continued with words to the effect that it is all about how you look at life and how you regard things that are thrown at you and things that happen to you, and I might add things you do to yourself.

    This comment has led me once again to think about life and the beauty of each day.  This year has been an extremely challenging year for most people irrelevant of position, age or gender.  Perhaps if you are Bill Gates your year has been rather exciting with the promise of producing a vaccine that is claiming to save the world from Covid19. That aside, with the difficulties of this year, it is easy to focus on how bad this year has been and to miss the small things that each and every one of us has access to. 

    WHAT DO WE HAVE TO BE GRATEFUL FOR IN 2020?

    What do we have to be grateful for in 2020?NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE LIVE

    Living in the Vale of the White Horse I have magnificent rolling countryside all around that is there for me to enjoy.  The power of nature calms the sympathetic nervous system, decreasing the feelings of anxiety, low mood and frustration. Taking advantage of this gift is a daily occurrence for me and each time, irrelevant of weather, never ceases to be a beautiful experience.  Living in England, most of us have access to a park, waterway or open space to enjoy.

    HEALTH

    Sadly this may not be true for everyone. However, I am personally grateful for my energy, health and overall wellbeing.  2020 has and still is challenging everyone’s health through lack of social contact, breathing in our own toxins expelled from the body through the requirement to wear a face mask in public.  Living in an environment of fear which constantly keeps the immune system on alert, giving it no rest.  The importance of being compassionate and kind to oneself and others is critical and will continue to be critical to supporting good health, likely well into the new year.

    WONDERFUL, SUPPORTIVE CLIENTS

    When things are tough, there is no better time to celebrate clients who are there for you and support you despite the constant changing circumstances.  This makes being in business worthwhile and to each and every one of my clients I am extremely grateful and thank you for your continued support.

    UNDERSTANDING TEAM MEMBERS

    The stress and pressure on team members to make the move to work from home, and make a good job of it, overcoming external barriers, such as noise, fluctuating internet connection whilst balancing work and family demands and stabilising a boss who is trying hard to work with government decisions that impact the business climate as well as provide security. For your understanding, I am very grateful.

    GOOD FRIENDS

    Those who check in from time to time to touch base and take the temperature of how I am adapting to the new working requirements, lending an ear to vent thoughts and frustrations as and when needed. To each and everyone of you, I send heart felt thanks.

    This year has been a year that has opened up many doors that perhaps we did not want to go through, such as how we interact and care for others in our communities, especially those we do not know.  How truthful we are and how truthful are those around us, especially those in leadership positions?  Are we protecting our comfort zones, lifestyles and image in sacrifice for having the courage to speak the truth, supposedly fooling all those we lead, or have we withdrawn to a safe place to see out the battle?

    This year Covid has forced us to choose how we resonate and look at “setbacks”, one that is common to our global population.  Are you a person who has reacted emotionally in some way and festered on the consequences, or have you taken the opportunity to understand the message, learn, grow and develop, thus moving yourself forward from under the Covid cloud? In the first place, your choice has probably been based on a combination of how you perceive this situation, your intuition and the facts.

    One of the most important aspects of working through perceived negative situations is the emotional aspect of the situation.  Currently “it” just happens to represent the impact of Covid on each one of us personally, combined with the impact of government decisions, whether you agree with them or you do not. Emotions experienced might be anger, frustration, bitterness, disbelief, shame and guilt amongst others.

    Harbouring emotions is both unproductive and damaging mentally and ultimately physically.  To be an effective leader we need to be able to rise above any situation and look at the cause of why something happened, rectify it with those involved through helping them understand why this particular approach was not constructive, giving necessary guidance on a more constructive way to approach the situation, agreeing on a way forward.  Always avoiding the desire or need to blame someone or something, allowing those involved to take responsibility for their actions, change behaviour, and therefore grow and develop from the experience.

    As Rick Astely so carefully and clearly put it – “Life is beautiful”.  It’s all about how you see it?  Leadership, whilst it can be challenging, is beautiful for all concerned, those being led and those doing the leading.  It all depends firstly on how we see each situation and each person, secondly how we react to it and thirdly how grateful we are for all the little things that when added up are considerable, attracting more of the same.

     

    Wishing you all a healthy, happy and beautiful 2021.

     

    To find out more about how Green Key can help you and your leadership journey, contact Rachel directly.

  • Brain Health – Natural Agility

    Mental health issues have been escalating dramatically over the last two years, mostly due to the pandemic and to restrictive measures put in place during this time. Data in the Samaritans report, June 2021 is based on over 4 million contacts and highlights the growth trend in mental health issues:

    “Young people have struggled with family tensions, a lack of peer contact and negativity about their future prospects, as the pandemic has affected both their social and economic opportunities, and some people who self-harm have struggled to resist hurting themselves without their usual coping mechanisms.”

    “Middle aged men have found themselves feeling they need to be strong in the face of immense financial and workplace changes, creating a situation that feels both out of their control and one they must cope with alone.”

    “Healthcare workers have struggled with feelings of anxiety, trauma and mental fatigue from their work during the pandemic, alongside the impact of being surrounded by serious illness and death at unprecedented levels, while often struggling for support and resources.”

    Every day almost 600 people in the UK are diagnosed with cognitive impairment and/or dementia. (Alzheimersresearch.co.uk). Mental ill-health covers a vast range of named conditions including attention deficit disorder (ADHD), autism, eating disorders, anxiety and generalized depression which in some cases leads to self-harm and/or suicide, as well as Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Turning to the government or even an employer to ask them “What are they doing about this?” is a reasonable question, but it is also a question that can be reflected backwards to each one of us. What responsibility are we taking for maintaining our personal mental wellbeing and even broader, our health and wellbeing as a whole?

    In the UK alone we drink 1.5 billion caffeinated drinks a week, including tea, coffee and colas. We eat six million kilos of sugar and two million kilos of chocolate as well as 120 million alcoholic drinks every week and smoke 1.5 billion cigarettes. The reasons for doing this are many – satisfying cravings, handling stress, boosting low energy, insomnia, lack of time, personal enjoyment and so on. As far as pharmaceutical drugs go that are prescribed by the doctor to help with sleep disorders, anxiety and depression, a staggering 532 million tranquillizers, 463 million sleeping pills and 823 million antidepressants every year! With the escalation in poor mental health since the start of the pandemic, it is likely that the consumption of pharmaceutical products is increasing exponentially. 

     

    Typical Symptoms of Mental Ill-Health

    Each mental ill-health condition has its own symptoms, but some of the most common signs in adults include:

      Rather than turning to a doctor when the symptoms have become intensified and you are feeling desperate for help so that you can return to “normal” life, what are some of the things each one of us can do to manage and take responsibility for our mental health and overall wellbeing? 

      • Memory loss
      • Poor focus and attention
      • Slow processing of information due to confused thinking
      • Regular headaches
      • Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress
      • Excessive worrying or fear
      • Feeling excessively sad or low
      • Extreme mood changes
      • Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger
      • Avoiding friends and social activities
      • Difficulties understanding or relating to other people
      • Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired with low energy
      • Changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite
      • Overuse of substances like alcohol or drugs
      • Multiple physical ailments without obvious causes (such as headaches, stomach aches, vague and ongoing “aches and pains”)

      Sustaining Optimum Mental Health

      As with all serious illness, it doesn’t simply arrive one day, it has been coming for a while, and your body has been giving you the messages necessary to get you to change something, a long time before it becomes a full-blown illness.  

      Optimum brain health and preventing cognitive decline is made up of a combination of things, each of which requires consideration and inclusion into your daily and weekly routine:

      • Maintaining an overall healthy digestive system and gut health. The gut has a direct link to the brain via the gut-brain axis, therefore an unhealthy gut will affect brain health overall.
      • Managing stress levels so that the fight and flight response of the nervous system are switched on only when you are under threat of some kind.
      • Keeping blood glucose balanced avoiding excessive highs and lows
      • Feeding the brain with the right foods including essential fats and amino acids that make up the brain’s messengers as well as the correct balance of vitamins and minerals.
      • Keeping the brain active.
      • Adequate quality, uninterrupted sleep of between 6-8 hours nightly.
      • Keeping hydrated.
      • Plenty of fresh air daily – minimum 30 minutes per day, twice per day.

      I will not be covering each of these points in this blog, but you can find more information about optimising brain and mental health in our course “Brain Health Mental Agility.” 

      Foods Essential for Good Mental Health

      Dr Dale Bredesen in his book “The End of Alzheimer’s Programme” refers to essential foods as the “Brain Food Pyramid” and essentially is the reverse of what the “recommended food pyramid” has been. Cognition enhancing foods and practices, such as fasting, healthy fats and non-starchy vegetables are at the base of the pyramid going upwards to protein and fruit with indulgences such as chocolate, alcohol and the odd dessert at the top. As the brain has potential to consume 40% of all carbohydrate in your diet to generate necessary energy needed to do things and for an agile brain, it is necessary to ensure an adequate supply of complex carbohydrates found in whole grains and non-starchy vegetables

      When there is inadequate glucose in the body or extreme highs and lows caused by a “sugar or caffeine fix”, it will directly affect mental and brain health leading to fatigue, insomnia, irritability, poor concentration, forgetfulness, depression, digestive disturbances and several other symptoms.  In order for the body and brain to receive enough glucose and to avoid the need for energy boosts, eating slow releasing carbohydrates, such as whole grains, beans and lentils is beneficial to a consistent energy flow, whereas refined carbohydrates overload the system with a fast release of sugar, triggering a rapid increase in blood sugar of which any excess is stored in the liver and muscles until the stores are full and then it is converted to fat.

      The brain also has a massive demand for essential fats. Cutting out fat from your diet is the equivalent of dehydrating the brain! Alzheimer’s, fatigue, ADHD, depression and memory problems have all been linked to a deficiency of essential fats – Omega 3’s and 6’s. Termed essential fats because the body cannot manufacture them and therefore have to be supplied through what we eat. Rich sources of essential fats include oily fish, such as herring, mackerel and sardine, eggs, flax seed, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, olive oil, green leafy vegetables and avocados.

      Good brain and mental health is reliant on the effective functioning of neurotransmitters in the brain which are made from amino acids – protein.  Essential amino acids, those that cannot be made by the body can be obtained from grains and pulses, fish, meat, nuts, seeds, eggs and some vegetables such as peas, beans, broccoli and spinach. Eating a balanced diet will almost certainly provide enough protein for most health needs.

      Brain health is also reliant upon B vitamins, especially B12. These vitamins if deficient will negatively affect how you think and feel. A regular intake on a daily basis through diet essentially and only if under stress or recovering from illness, through supplements or herbs, is vital to supply the brain with the energy and food it needs. Food sources of B vitamins include green leafy vegetables, wheat germ, meat, yeast extract, cheese and avocados. In addition to B vitamins, Vitamin C and zinc are also very important to maintain a healthy brain. When under stress, suffering some kind of infection, or with premenstrual syndrome, demand for zinc to support physical and mental health increases. The contraceptive pill and drinking alcohol regularly also depletes levels of zinc in the body.   

      Good brain health is dependent on a healthy body, especially healthy gut and that means a diet of fresh, organic food if possible as well as foods free from additives. In other words, foods that you prepare yourself from base ingredients.

      Useful Herbs

      There are several well-known herbs that can be used to support diet and lifestyle choices to maintain healthy brain function and good mental health, including:

      Gingko biloba, this prehistoric tree has been around a long time!  Main actions include

      • Increasing blood circulation
      • Gingko and gingko extracts are used for its anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant properties, cerebral glucose utilization, neurotransmitter regulation, and vasomotor effects.

      Bacopa monnieri, better known as Brahmi. This herb has been used in Ayurvedic medicine to enhance cognitive function for centuries. Main actions include:

      • Enhancing nerve impulse transmission by repairing damaged neurons, and stimulating neuronal synthesis in the brain.
      • Increasing antioxidant activity in the hippocampus, frontal cortex and striatum, decreasing loss of cholinergic activity. The cholinergic system of the brain is involved in the regulation of attention and higher-order cognitive processing. Down-regulation of the cholinergic system has been observed in aging as well as in Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

      Enhancing cholinergic neurotransmission = improvement of cognitive properties: memory stability and attention sharpness.

      Centella asiatica, more commonly known as Gotu kola is also traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat memory loss and can be found listed in the Ancient Indian Ayurvedic herbal text “Caraka Susmita” for dementia treatment.  Main actions include:

      • Neuro-protective effects against oxidative damage
      • Rejuvenates nerve brain cells increasing longevity and memory
      • Protects cholinergic neurons from toxic side effects of aluminium (well known for its negative affect on brain health). On this topic in order to limit the build-up of aluminium toxicity in the brain, avoid cooking with aluminium foil and cookware – the “convenient” non-stick cookware.

       Note: It is best to take herbal remedies under the supervision of a specialist practitioner to ensure there are no contraindications when taking pharmaceutical medication or when pregnant.

       

      Hydration

      Of course, simply taking herbs is not the complete solution. Good quality and adequate sleep, fresh air on a daily basis and hydration in combination with a diet mentioned are also very important. As the brain is made up of approximately 85% water to keep it functioning women need to drink 2 to 2.5 litres (8-11 cups daily and men 2.5-3.7 litres (10-15 cups) though individual needs may vary depending on activity levels. When your brain depletes 1% of water, you’re likely to have a 5% decrease in cognitive/brain function. Without adequate hydration the brain becomes sluggish, you might experience brain fog or suffer headaches, both of which are often the first sign of poor hydration in the body. Before reaching for that Panadol, try drinking a glass of water first.

       

      Tips for reaching your water quota each day:

      • Use a litre bottle to help keep track of how much you are drinking. Make a note the number of refills you are doing during the day.
      • If you don’t like plain water, add some lemon or some herbs such as mint or cucumber to flavour the water. Avoid sugar based squashes.
      • Avoid sugary foods that are high in sodium as this causes dehydration.
      • Eating watery fruits, kiwi, watermelon and other varieties of melon as well as cucumber and tomatoes can be another way to keep hydrated.
      • Drink herbal teas.

      As Alzheimer’s is now the third leading cause of death in the USA and continues to rise and the UK is not far behind, it is not someone else’s responsibility to manage your mental health and prevent cognitive decline. Maintaining good mental and physical health is complex, includes more than what is written in this blog, but not difficult once you understand what is required. As President Truman once said, “The buck stops here.” Getting the right help from a professional practitioner before symptoms before acute, to support steps to preventing cognitive decline and re-balancing mental and physical health will provide the joy, energy, health and wellbeing each and everyone of us deserves.

      Brain Health Mental agility course subscription options

       

       

      References:

       The End to Alzheimer’s Programme, Dr Dale Bredesen.

       https://neurogrow.com/water-your-brain/f

       https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/dementia-information/quick-guide-dementia/

       https://media.samaritans.org/documents/Samaritans_Covid_1YearOn_Report_2021_BJCM8rI.pdf

       https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Warning-Signs-and-Symptoms

    • Challenge or stress – it’s a fine line!

      The dictionary defines stress as “a pressure or tension exerted on another object; a demand on physical or mental energy; or forcibly exerted influence usually causing distress or strain.”    In short stress is any factor, positive or negative that requires a response or change.  In medical research it is widely recognized that chronic ongoing stress can lead to illness, aggravate existing disease conditions and accelerate aging.

      There is a need to be in constant interchange with our surroundings and it is this interchange that creates stress.  If looking at reality this is simply a fact of life.  There is no way to avoid stresses in life.  Every organism, including man must be able to adapt to changing environmental and social conditions in order to survive.  However, over time the continual need to adapt to change can disrupt the metabolic balance of the human organism.

      Common stressors for people today include most aspects of life – family, financial, emotional and environmental, nutritional factors, as well as personal and work-related stresses and relationships.    According to research nearly half a million people in the UK have work-related stress that is making them ill, leading to the need to take sick leave.  It is estimated that 12 million working days are lost each year in the UK due to stress-related illness and in some cases even injury. (HSE.gov.co.uk)

      Stress in the work place can be a result of different factors, in general there is a mismatch between the requirements of the job, the employee’s capabilities, the resources available and the needs of the worker.

      The concept of job stress is often confused with challenge.  Clearly these concepts are not the same.  Challenge, if at the appropriate level, energizes us psychologically and physically.  It motivates us to learn new skills and master our jobs. When a challenge is met, we feel relaxed and satisfied, proud and perhaps even excited about what we have achieved Thus, challenge is an important ingredient for healthy and productive work. The importance of challenge in our work lives keeps us learning, growing and developing.

      A challenge becomes stressful when there is either rejection that the goal cannot be achieved because it looks and feels overwhelming or when job demands cannot be met, due to employee capability and or lack of necessary resources.  Very quickly the situation can change from focused and motivated to achieve, to exhaustion from trying and the sense of ability to accomplish has  turned into feelings of stress.

      We know that what is stressful for one person is not necessarily stressful for another because of individual characteristics, including coping mechanisms, previous experience, level of maturity and possibly personality. The questions therefore are how can we as managers and leaders:

      • challenge team members, use this challenge to motivate, but not stress them to a point of no return?
      • identify when the line between challenge and stress has been crossed?

      Victor Vroom’s Expectancy Theory helps to answer these questions.  His theory is ensuring that there is a sound relationship for the employee between effort and performance.  These feelings of motivation and satisfaction are further increased if the individual and or team can see the relationship between good performance or outcomes and reward, especially if it is a reward that is valued.  Feedback cannot be underestimated when challenging team members, as well as working with Vroom’s model.  Both gaining feedback and giving feedback, help us as managers and leaders to understand whether the challenge is about to become stress.

    • Conflict Management

      What is Conflict Management?

      I was looking at the term  “conflict management” the other day and realized that it is often used interchangeably with “conflict resolution”.  The difference, however is that the concept of conflict management is based on a premise that not all disputes end in resolution.  Additionally, conflict management is the practice of identifying and handling conflict in a sensible, fair and efficient manner.  Therefore, in summary “conflict management” is any collection of actions, responses, processes, and/or systems that help manage, improve, or prevent the deterioration of relationship dynamics.

      A part of effective leadership is conflict management.  When parties involved cannot resolve the dispute, leaders use strategies to manage the dispute and acknowledge the differences.  Conflict management brings awareness to the parties in a dispute of their options.  It allows examination of their own assessments, to communicate their feelings and to choose options that avoid defensive or aggressive reactions.

      Words to the Wise

      We often think that other people see the world in the same way as we do, and overestimate the degree to which they understand our approach and actions.  As leaders of ourselves and of others, it is important that rather than making assumptions, we ask for clarification.

      Be willing to take the first step in opening up the conversation.  The fear of rejection may lead to closed body language and lack of eye contact, which may be perceived by the other person inaccurately.  Go out of your way to make eye contact, and open up the conversation constructively.

      Skills for Managing Conflict

      Various skills are utilized in managing conflict:

      1. Open Communication (questioning openly, active listening, reflecting, feedback and focus)
      2. Establish Ground Rules to ensure the discussion is constructive and productive
      3. Confront Current Issues – not the people and not the past
      4. Use Listening Skills – for both logic (content) and feelings (emotions).  Listen to understand – paraphrase, repeat, summarize to check understanding.
      5. Keep Emotions in Check and be aware of the emotions of the other party.
      6. Use humour to relieve tension (when appropriate)

       

      Linda Tropp, Ph.D Director of Psychology of peace and violence concentration at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA

    • Dancing on the Same Spot?

      “There is more to life than just increasing its speed.”  Gandhi

      Have you ever felt so overwhelmed with your workload and issues in your personal life, that you don’t know where to start?  Consequently, you find yourself dancing on the same spot, further increasing your heartbeat, cortisol and stress levels?

      That’s exactly where I have been recently, procrastinating and putting off my actions instead of beginning the process of  “Eating into the Elephant”.   I cleaned out the kitchen cupboard, wrote a couple of birthday cards, cleaned the download box in my computer, invited my neighbour round for coffee and generally filled my day with low value tasks and tasks that were not even included on my list of things to be done!   By the end of the day totally exhausted and even more stressed because I realized that I had just wasted a whole day procrastinating!

      How do you get off that same spot before you wear a hole in the carpet or run out of time?   Focus on reducing the feeling of being overwhelmed.   Eating the elephant whole is not possible, so do it in bite size pieces keeping in mind the overall goal of eating the whole elephant.  The following three steps helped me:

      1.  Create a “To Do” list – I took everything that I have to do out of my head and put it to paper.  Seeing the tasks rather than just thinking about them had a calming effect.  All of a sudden things became more manageable as I could see what was important, evaluate approximate time needed and understand the urgency of each one.

      Picking out the one that is most likely to take the largest junk of time, even though it was not the task with the closest deadline, created further calm – giving space for thinking as well as writing, creating and doing.  (If a deadline had been really close, I would have started with that task instead.)

      2.  Using the most productive part of my day for the most brain-oriented task was also helpful.  We all have biorhythms which when we understand our own biorhythmic pattern can use this to our advantage to do the most intense, difficult or demanding item on the list when our biorhythm is at its most energy dense and when having less energy, for example after lunch, using that time to clean out under the kitchen sink (if you really must!), update client files, enter data etc.  This means the lower energy time can still be put to good use, but does not take so much effort or brainpower from an already low energy time in the day.  Overall result – higher productivity, and less anxiety!

      3.  Applying Pareto Law of 80/20 helped eat into several tasks at the same time, whilst also ensuring I was working on the most important tasks on the list.  Twenty percent of my activities, achieved eighty percent of the results, as it would likely yours

      Enjoy your dance, put in the rhythm and steps that stop you from dancing on the same spot and procrastinating. Work smarter, not harder.

    • Depression, physical activity and performance – is there a link?

      What would happen to a dog if you kept it inside, gave it water and fed it processed foods while providing a nice bed in front of the television or other electronic device, only letting it out for a few minutes several times a day to do the obvious?

      The answer I believe, is predictable – The dog would soon become miserable, overweight and perhaps even aggressive. In the western world, this is exactly what we do to ourselves – feed ourselves on instant, very often highly processed foods, sit in front of the TV or other device to entertain ourselves and only go outside on the occasion that requires we go from A to B or need to do some shopping (which we can now order in!), or another chore. Why do we wonder that chronic ill health is escalating, as is mental ill-health – anxiety, depression, low mood, and lack of energy amongst the list of symptoms and conditions.

      How can we unravel this state of affairs?

      The answer to that question is complex, and as we are all individual, the approach will be unique to each person. However, let’s make a start by looking at something as simple as movement and exercise and the difference it can make to mood, anxiety and depression. As a naturopathic practitioner, I recommend to clients on a regular basis to get outside into mother nature and to bring some form of exercise into their routine that will get them moving. The type of activity advised carefully depending on the situation of the client, symptoms and overall wellbeing. It can be anything from walking, swimming, and dance, to yoga, stretching, Pilates and Tai Chi. Many of which can be practiced in the great outdoors.

      From my own experience, I know that physical activity makes a difference to how I feel, how the day unfolds, as well as the tone and flexibility of my body, even if when I’m on my way to the gym and really don’t feel like going, that when I’ve finished my session that I feel so much more energetic and positive.

      I was very proud the other day when challenged to touch my toes that I was able to touch the floor with relative ease when my teenage godson, 40 years my junior, could barely get passed his knees!  Not sure whether his performance has encouraged him to work on flexibility as well as building muscle strength or whether his mood was affected when he realised the current state of his body is well below optimal when in his teenage years. It showed that we can’t take for granted that a younger body is naturally subtle; it takes movement and practice to achieve this.

      A recent research article published in Jama in 2022, “Association Between Physical Activity and Risk of Depression. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.” published using the research of numerous scientists, indicates that whilst it is difficult to draw this association, 15 prospective studies showed a greater risk of depression in those that have lower exposure to exercise. Adults doing the equivalent of 2.5 hours a week of brisk walking had a lower risk of depression compared with those adults who reported no physical activity. That means that on five days of the week, 30 minutes of exercise and brisk movement can dramatically impact mood and lower the risk of depression.

      The sample size for each study was 3000+ participants over a period of 3 years or more and was based on leisure-time physical activity, either alone or combined with other activity domains such as housework and getting to and from work. Approximately 64% of participants were women and included six studies in the USA, six from Europe, one from Australia and Japan and one study that included India, Ghana, Mexico and Russia. The conclusion of the meta-analysis found an association between physical activity and incident depression and assuming lack of exercise as the causality, 1 in 9 cases of depression might have been prevented if everyone was active in line with public health recommendations. Public health recommendations suggest that 30 minutes of physical activity on all or most days of the week, even if undertaken in brief repeated episodes, is beneficial for health.

      In 2019 depression was the leading cause of mental ill health-related diseases and a major cause of disability worldwide, affecting approximately 280 million people and accounting for more than 47 million disability-adjusted life years in 2019. These figures are pre-Covid and, therefore, reasonable to assume that this figure has increased due to fear, isolation and loneliness as a result of lockdown. In fact, a World Health Organisation (WHO) study published in April 2022 states that “global prevalence of mental health disorders increased by a massive 25% across the board”. Young people and women being the worst hit.

      What is the cost to your organisation not only in loss of revenue but also in levels of service, morale and medical aid costs if the individual is provided company medical aid?

      • Depression makes it difficult for employees to focus and engage with their day-to-day tasks. As a result, it lowers their productivity and contributes to the cost of presenteeism
      • The effects of depression can also be so severe that employees find it difficult to go to work at all. 
      • Despite nearly 1 in 5 employees reporting a current mental health diagnosis, less than 1 in 10 are currently seeking support for their mental health. Just under a third of employees have previously received support for their mental health and 61% of employees have never received support for their mental health. (Champion Health

      “Workplace depression is responsible for 109 million lost working days in the UK every year, at a cost of £9 billion to organisations,” according to Champion Health UK.

      Mental ill health including depression are complex, multi layered conditions that require attention on all layers, including addressing the emotional foundation through an approach such as counselling, addressing lifestyle changes that are contributing to mental ill health, diet and nutrition as well as movement and exercise that is in the form of leisure exercise and not simply about things that have to be done around the house, getting to and from work, and other daily chores.

      How easy is it for you as an organisation and employer to encourage support for those struggling with mental ill health to speak out and admit they are struggling and need help? To achieve recommendation of exercising 30 minutes a day, is it possible for employees take some form of exercise as part of the working day, irrelevant of their location which is considered an essential aspect of the working day and part of the company culture? Below are some suggestions that might easily be added into a typical working day:

      • Hold meetings while walking, preferably outside
      • Allocate a couple of time slots each day for exercise and movement, for example 30 minutes of Tai Chi, Yoga or Qi gong in an outside area to encourage employees to take a break from computers, from equipment and enjoy exposure to “mother nature” and not only move, but also focus on breathing techniques which is a fabulous way to reduce anxiety and stress. If you don’t have the luxury of an outdoor area, these activities can also be done inside. Doing exercise together in a group adds the additional dimension of fun and support.
      • Provide showering facilities for those who use bicycle or run or walk to work or for those that want to do these or similar activities at some point during the working day, but who hold back because there are no facilities when they can freshen up.
      • Dedicate an area for movement and exercise that might include table tennis tables and other options for those that wish to be a little more competitive when exercising.
      • If you have a multi-floor office, stop the possibility to access an escalator from the different floors, instead encouraging all to use the stairs.
      • Organise 30-minute dance classes or simply a room with music to stimulate the joy of dancing and free movement
      • Sponsor a time slot at the local swimming pool for your employees a couple times a week.
      • Have a “bring your dog to work day” once a month, to encourage walking at break times
      • Create a “mood” room that allows for free flow movement and creative dance.
      • Create a 10-minute system, whereby for 10 minutes in every 90 minutes everyone stops to stretch away from their desk.

      These suggestions are by no means exhaustive. What you can do to support your employees to remain mentally and physically well will depend on the type of business, the available space and the desire of top management to breed and live such a culture that embraces mental and physical health. Research has shown the direct link between exercise and mental ill health, therefore proactively building a policy into your organisation to minimise mental ill health, can only be a “winner” for employees, employers and all the organisation stakeholders when presenteeism decreases, absence and sickness (mental and physical) decreases and productivity and performance improves.

      While there is more to consider when treating mental ill-health, being proactive and minimising the risk of it developing in the first place is common sense. Putting practices in place to “breed” a healthy workplace, starting from the top and rolling it down is definitely easier and more cost-effective receiving a good return on investment through stable productivity, minimal illness and presenteeism, good staff morale and overall performance that results in bottom line success.=

      References:  

      https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Peter-Reaburn/publication/269598423_The_mental_health_benefits_of_regular_physical_activity_and_its_role_in_preventing_future_depressive_illness/links/5539aa010cf226723aba31ea/The-mental-health-benefits-of-regular-physical-activity-and-its-role-in-preventing-future-depressive-illness.pdf

      Association Between Physical Activity and Risk of Depression A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Matthew Pearce, PhD; Leandro Garcia, PhD; Ali Abbas, PhD, et al https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2790780

      https://www.ioshmagazine.com/2022/04/11/pandemic-responsible-25-increase-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide-who-study-finds

      https://championhealth.co.uk/insights/depression-statistics/#:~:text=52%25%20of%20employees%20are%20experiencing,currently%20seeking%20mental%20health%20support

    • Do you Become Ill the Moment Your Holiday Starts? 7 Tips to Avoiding Holiday Overwhelm, Stress and Anxiety

      Working hard, trying to keep up with life and so looking forward to that well-earned holiday. The destination is planned and booked, flights and hotel await, all that is left is to count the days before leaving. “Oh and of course” do everything before you go so that you don’t have a mountain of work to catch up on, on return.

      “Isn’t it amazing how much stuff we get done the day before vacation?”— Zig Ziglar

      This scenario probably resonates with you – the hamster wheel of life of organising and preparing for a well-deserved break. While rushing around, take a few moments to understand what your body is doing to keep the momentum up in order to finish everything in time. In this kind of circumstance, we likely get up earlier, start work earlier, miss out on our regular gym, swimming, running, or yoga sessions, rush meals, cut as many corners as possible in our personal lives, including meals and regular meal times with the view it doesn’t matter because it can all be sorted when on holiday!

      What does the “all sorted” refer to? Switch the adrenal system off – in other words allow the body to regulate the sympathetic and para sympathetic nervous system and therefore switch off the flight and flight mode to more rest and digest, that is of course once we have packed, cleaned the house, taken out the rubbish, driven to the airport, gone through security and finally come to the realisation that the holiday that has been on the horizon is finally here in the present moment. The washing cycle that you have been in for the last few weeks has finally finished spinning and come to the end of the cycle. Phew, you heave a sigh of relief and congratulate yourself for getting to this point.

      When under prolonged duress or stress, the body perceives this overdrive as potential danger and initiates the fight and flight response.  On receiving the alarm from the amygdala, (part of the brain) that triggers the release of stress hormones including cortisol to prepare you for the fight or flight mode; dilation of the pupils, blood supply is channelled away from less important bodily functions into the muscles. Your heart rate quickens in response to the sympathetic nervous system kicking into full alert. Glands release a mix of hormones into the bloodstream, especially adrenaline and cortisol.  The heart sends messages to the brain via the Vagus nerve supported by an increase in neurotransmitters. All this before the neocortex has had a chance to identify the nature of the emergency, whether life-threatening, joyful or something in between.

      The second phase that occurs within seconds, for want of a better description, is the receipt of information through the senses to the neocortex. As a result, an understanding forms about the situation and the fight or flight impetus is either modified or countermanded. During this time, more complex feelings may take the place of urgency, such as worry and concern at how are you possibly going to complete everything in time.

      As consciousness begins to take control the fight or flight reactions will slowly be returned to normal through reversal of the extreme arousal process. This often leads to expressing excess energy amassed seconds earlier through laughter, tears, or a raised voice at someone who is not performing correctly, a driver that is going too slowly, or at you yourself for making a stupid mistake. Normally we would express these pent-up emotions through some form of activity – sport, walking, gardening or talking to friends and family, thus resetting the amygdala’s warning light, but because there is so much to do before going on holiday, the normal way of expression has been parked.

      When the fight and flight system is in full force, the body utilises energy to sustain us through the difficult period, thus draining necessary energy away from the hormone system, the immune system, the brain as well as the digestive system. Ever got a runny tummy just as you are going on holiday, a horrible cold or even flu-like bug a day or so into the holiday? Perhaps now it all begins to make sense. Whenever we over-draw on one system, we drain another to compensate. In the short term there is little to no impact, it is over prolonged periods that things don’t go well and start to run down other systems as well as overall health.

      In periods of prolonged duress and stress, what might not be reset is the hypothalamus-adrenal-pituitary (HPA) stress system. Actions of this system, especially the release and reabsorption of cortisol take considerably longer to reset, particularly when the threat is perceived to be overwhelming and/or chronic.  In this case, instead of the feelings of stress, overwhelm and urgency being overridden, modified or followed through, they become suppressed inside the body as we override the system to get everything done, leading to a crash in our health with a horrible cold, lack of libido, flu, or upset stomach just after or a few days into your well earned holiday.

      This is all very well, I can hear you saying, but in order to go on holiday I need to be sure everything is in order for those covering and for when I get back. In other words, you are convincing yourself that this is the price you pay for having a holiday!  In that case perhaps it’s better not to have a holiday? Below are some suggestions on how to manage the workload and be able to go on holiday without pre-holiday overwhelm, stress and anxiety leading to that temporary crash affecting your holiday down-time taking away from the enjoyment:

      1. Plan your workload (in as much as you can) to take on extra tasks over the full month before your break so that there is not a last-minute overload.
      2. Write everything down that has to be done before your holiday. Cross items off the list as you go. This is motivating and helps your brain to rationalise about what is still to be done, thus avoiding feelings of overwhelm.
      3. Re-schedule meetings that can be re-scheduled or delegate to a colleague.
      4. Get up one hour earlier to take your “me” time and to do your exercise, in this way you manage the additional workload in a less stressed manner.
      5. Avoid eating foods that put additional stress on the brain, especially wheat and gluten containing foods, sugary foods and foods laden with preservatives and additives as these slow the brain and in some people may lead to brain fogginess, burden the digestive system, providing little or no nutritious content to provide the energy you need.
      6. Keep yourself hydrated – drink at least 1.5 litres of water daily. This will help keep your brain alert and your body active.
      7. As you close the suitcase and load it into the car, realise that what has not been done, will have to wait. If it is important, call someone who can take care of it for you.  Do not fret and worry about what you should have done but didn’t do. This is no longer within your control.

      Finally, the best thing you can do for your body and mind is to completely switch off from all work-related issues and enjoy yourself. Remember, you have earned and deserve this “me” time.

      “A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking.”—Earl Wilson.

    • 5 Lifestyle Tips that Support Mental & Cognitive Wellbeing

      Avatar was released in December 2009 and it took the world by storm taking the top place for film viewing since Titanic which stood at $2.218 billion while Avatar to this day stands at $2.2433 billion. It took me a long time to actually decide to watch this movie, having done so I watched it for the second time the next evening. For me this movie is about the untouched human capacity that is dormant due to “chosen” lifestyle, particularly in the western world. The Na’vi who live on Pandora show us the powers we have when living in a world of unconditional love, gratitude and connection with all life – creatures, plants, trees and the environment and not in a world that is separated and disconnected from our environment and from everything within it. It gives a clear picture and deep understanding that humanity is part of the ecosystem and that our physical, mental and cognition depend on this and that we owe ourselves and planet to be healthy. 

      Cognitive wellbeing, as physical and emotional wellbeing is about balance and living in harmony with one another, the earth’s natural biorhythms and Mother Nature. Cognitive wellbeing and mental health cannot simply be addressed through diet, lifestyle, counselling or any other therapy. (No disrespect here, therapies have a place). It is about restoring whole inner balance with oneself and outer harmony with one’s world. 

      No bodily system functions in isolation of other systems. We function as a whole, therefore the whole needs to be addressed. Gut and brain health have a direct connection via the gut-brain axis, and therefore the health of the digestive system is partly if not wholly responsible for cognitive function. There is a reason why the gut is known as the “second brain”. If digestion is not functioning correctly, whether thats seen as constipation or suffering IBS symptoms (irritable bowel syndrome) resulting in urgency and loose stools. Perhaps gastric reflux, bloating or excess gas are causing uncomfortable feelings. These are all symptoms that indicate the digestive system is not functioning optimally and will ultimately affect mental health and cognitive function. 

      Ensuring the digestive system is functioning well requires a varied nutrient-rich diet, with or without meat, depending on personal preference. Chewing food mindfully and eating in peace and not on the hoof, at the computer or in front of the TV. The essence of effective digestion starts with saliva in the mouth when seeing and smelling food which triggers the release of stomach acid ready to accept and start the process of breaking food down to extract what nutrients the body requires from what needs to be eliminated. Healthy digestion also requires water. Most people do not drink enough water which hampers the digestive function and consequently cognitive function due to dehydration.

      There are many different diets out there, and because we are all unique we cannot assume that a diet, such as Keto, FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols), or some other diet that might work well for one person will automatically be good for another. However, the one diet that is considered as being supportive of mental health and cognitive function is the Mediterranean diet. This diet is rich in fresh foods, simply cooked, lots of green leafy vegetables, healthy, unsaturated fats from avocados, olives, oily fish, nuts and seeds which are not only essential to brain health, but supports cardiovascular health, as well as aiding in blood sugar regulation. In short eating fresh foods, as natural as possible, avoiding or at least limiting processed foods and ensuring plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit, oily fish and good fats will support good cognitive function into old age.  

      Exercise in general supports good well-being. We are spoilt for choice when it comes to exercise. The most important thing is to keep moving whether just walking, or a specific exercise like swimming, climbing, yoga, Qigong, running, football, dancing etc. No one size fits all. All round fitness protects flexibility, bone and muscle, resilience, cardiovascular and brain health, as well as physical and emotional and mental balance. However, as humans we tend to limit ourselves to one or two kinds of exercise or to a single form which we enjoy doing. Don’t get me wrong it is beneficial, however pursuing a variety of different types of exercise on a regular basis, the more balanced and all round your level of fitness will be. 

      All exercise, especially when we enjoy it stimulates the release of endorphins. The word “endorphin” comes from the word “endogenous” meaning within the body, and morphine which is an opiate pain reliever. Endorphins are created in the pituitary gland and hypothalamus and are a type of neurotransmitter that attaches to opioid receptors, commonly known as reward centers, signaling to the nervous system to calm everything down and provide feelings of inner balance, resulting in a positive state of mind. 

      A couple of things to be mindful of when exercising. If you feel tired and run down, choose exercise that is considerate of your inner and physical state rather than doing a HIIT class or pumping heavy weights that puts further mental and physical strain on the body, depleting resources and instead of releasing endorphins, cortisol is released as a stress response triggering the fight or flight system further depleting energy resources. Choose gentler types of exercise that build flexibility and balance at the end of the day, but still give benefit if you have no other choice but to exercise in the evening or at night.

      Cognitive health, just like health of the physical body is about training and using these muscles regularly, otherwise “if we don't use it we lose it.” If development stagnates through lack of mental stimulation brain cells die and what’s more new neurons will not grow to replace them as it is only mental stimulation that creates new neurons. Activities such as learning a language, doing puzzles and having stimulating conversations that challenge thinking will all support positive cognitive health.

      Bruce Perry, Psychiatrist and Neuroscientist said, “When people start to lose a sense of meaning and get disconnected that’s where disease comes from, that’s where breakdown in our health – mental, physical and social health occurs.” Meditation and mindfulness connect us to the earth and to the true self through slowing down breathing, calming the nervous system and providing mental clarity in relation to situations, decisions and people in our lives.

      Social connections are also important for good cognitive function and mental health through feelings of self-worth, belonging and unconditional love. Humans are social, herd animals. Naturally we want to be with others, perhaps not 24 hours a day, but at some point in the day. Interacting enables us to talk through difficulties, problems and life in general. It is an outlet for knowing we are recognised, respected, loved and valued. 

      The changing nature of how we shop has had an impact on social wellbeing and connection with others. In my lifetime we have gone from shopping locally with the butcher, baker and hardware store to shopping in large supermarkets and mega-marts, or online for the convenience that these options provide. This has also affected local communities in that the elderly and lonely miss out on the chat with Bob the butcher or meeting another customer and having a chat while waiting to be served. These places were not just somewhere that you bought your groceries, meat and bread, they also served as community hubs where people met and would have a quick chat when going about their household errands. In other words, these independent businesses were part of the community.

      5 lifestyle tips that proactively support cognitive and mental well-being 

      1. Do Something that Brings Joy

      Life, especially in the western world is very much focused on the next step up the ladder – that bigger house, car or a better job in combination with working to pay the bills. Because of all the “noise” that surrounds this type of lifestyle we often lose perspective and sight of what brings joy. Of course, this will likely vary from person to person, but it is not about what it is, but rather that you make time to do it regularly.

      My joy is nature whether that is walking or horse riding, both bring me joy, calms my nerves, connects me to Mother Nature and puts everything into perspective while at the same time clearing any unwanted worry or concern. 

      1. Build Social Relationships

      The English-speaking world has drifted further and further away from what it means to be human. Community life is seldom seen unless you live in a small village where everyone knows everyone and there is an unspoken word to look out for each other, especially the vulnerable, the elderly and children. In cities you can live next door to, above or below another person and you never speak to each other. I am yet to understand why we don't take the opportunity to say a cheery “Good morning” or similar when meeting in the lift, at the shop door or other incidental location. What does all this mean? It means that each one of us has to be conscious about building a circle of people who can be relied on and who share a similar outlook regarding the importance of social contact to build self-worth, emotional and mental wellbeing, whether thats a chat in the lift, street or over the garden fence or inviting each other round for a cup of tea or meeting locally for a chat over a coffee 

      1. Know your Boundaries and when to Say “No”

      This is perhaps one of the more difficult points to observe to preserve physical, mental and cognitive well-being. Knowing one’s boundaries and observing them even when you are asked to do something that deep down you don’t want to do, but go ahead and do it, is neither healthy nor rewarding, often resulting in feelings of resentment or anger at yourself for once again not saying “No”.

      There will always be times when you choose to agree to carry out a particular request even though it is at your own personal cost. This is not what I am referring to. What I am saying is the habitual selflessness that is a deep and generous part of so many, but underneath these habitual actions take a heavy toll, especially on cognitive function consuming and highjacking our thinking processes through repetitive conversations with yourself. End result a massive drain on mental energy and a deepening divide between you and the other person. No one wins.

      This could mean putting in boundaries at work to demands that overburden you such as working late, at the weekend or during your holiday. Or perhaps it is a colleague who constantly gives you the “monkey” knowing that you will not say “No” despite them eating away at your personal confidence. Alternately it could be in your personal life, perhaps accepting an invitation to an event, when you have no interest in going. Babysitting for your neighbors who regularly forget to organize a sitter and ask you at the last minute, or carrying more than your fair share within your family to support and care for elderly parents, or siblings.

      How do you change this pattern of behaviour to find the inner confidence to honour yourself and your authenticity?   Ask yourself “What is behind my inability to say “No”? Write your answers down on a piece of paper until you have exhausted them and then take a look at the list to drill down to identify the real reason. Once you know they reason, put some actions in place to build confidence to say “No” as a choice, and release yourself of the guilty feelings from saying “No”.

      1. Intermittent Fasting or Time-Related Eating

      There is now much research around eating within certain time windows, often called intermittent fasting. This means that you fit your eating in any one day into a certain number of hours, for example 8 or 12 hours giving the body a break from eating for the 16 or 12 hours remaining. Intermittent fasting is not a diet, it's a pattern of eating. It doesn’t change what you eat, it changes when you eat. The beauty of eating in this way is that you begin to understand what hunger actually is; and just because your stomach is empty, it does not mean that you're hungry. 

      Johns Hopkins medicine neuroscientist Mark Mattson, Ph.D., has studied intermittent fasting for 25 years. He says that “Our bodies have evolved to be able to go without food for many hours, or even several days or longer. In prehistoric times, before humans learned to farm, they were hunter-gatherers who evolved to survive — and thrive — for long periods without eating. It took a lot of time and energy to hunt game and gather nuts and berries. These physical activities and the intermittent fasting helped them maintain a healthy weight.”

      Research shows that the intermittent fasting periods do more than burn fat. Numerous studies show that there are powerful benefits for body and brain. It is claimed to cause weight loss, improve metabolic health, improve blood sugar control & perhaps even extend lifespan. Mattson explains, “When changes occur with this metabolic switch, it positively affects both body and brain.”

      The New England Journal of Medicine revealed data about a range of health benefits associated with the practice of intermittent fasting, as follows:  

      • Good for your brain, mental health and cognition -Thinking and memory.
      • Heart health – Improved blood pressure and resting heart rates as well as other heart-related measurements.
      • Changes the function of cells, genes & hormones – when you do not eat for a while your body initiates important cellular repair processes & changes hormone levels to make stored body fat more accessible. 
      • Helps lose weight and belly fat – enhances hormone function to facilitate weight loss. Short-term fasting increases metabolic rate by 3.6-14%, helping burn even more calories. 

      According to Hippocrates, “Our food is our medicine and our medicine is our food”. Therefore, to eat when you are sick is to feed your sickness. Fast forward to today, modern science agrees that having a full stomach all the time is not ideal for long-term health. Evolutionary adaptation has made our bodies very efficient at storing energy reserves, and drawing upon them when food supplies are scarce. 

      A note of caution: Individuals with certain health conditions should seek medical advice before doing intermittent fasting.

      1. Keep Your Brain and Mental Capacity Active 

      Exercising the brain as you would any other muscle in your body is key to the brain being active into old age. As with physical exercise, this means regularly challenging your brain with activities such as Sudoku, crossword puzzles, learning a language, adding figures without a calculator. My siblings and I used to call my father “the ready reckoner” because he would always take the receipt after filling up the car with petrol and then do the calculation in his head of how effective his car was running according to the mileage! He also did the daily crossword, invited stimulating conversation with friends and neighbours. He showed no signs of mental ill-health or cognitive decline in his old age.

      Genetic predisposition of any health condition, does not mean that you will develop the condition. Age-related decline mentally and physically is a part of ageing, but that does not mean that we cannot be physically and mentally healthy into our late 80’s and 90’s if we take care of ourselves through living a meaningful life, challenging ourselves and brain function on a regular basis, eating a nutrient rich diet, movement, hydration and good quality sleep all of which feed healthy cognition, mental, emotional and physical health.