by Miriam Meir
How much time do we spend on our phones?
This question leads us to health habit #1
1) Restrict Phone Usage
We are all phone addicts
The average American spends about 2.5 hours on social media every day. That's 37 days per year, over a month of every year- gone- sacrificed on the alter of facebook, instagram, youtube, tik tok, porn etc...
This is why as a society we are lonely, anxious, and depressed. We are disconnected from the world, from our families. We are not present in our own lives.
So what can we do? put the phone down- don't carry the phone in the palm of your hand- let it go. Set aside a specific amount of time per day for scrolling and that's it.
When we get rid of our phone addictions- we experience more joy, better relationships, and improved health. A new study released last week showed that when participants avoided their phones for just 72 hours, their dopamine and serotonin systems were entirely reset!
Mental Health in the United States is deteriorating fairly rapidly.
Rates of anxiety and depression among U.S. adults, especially in the younger age bracket, are continuing to rise every year, the latest federal data shows.
Why? Studies have found that internet use, specifically social media use, is fueling feelings of depression, loneliness, and anxiety among our youth and adults of all ages.
We need to be more present in our lives. We need to connect more to the people around us. Our phones remove us from reality. Let's take our lives back!
2) Morning Bread- Eating Proper Bread in the Morning
All Diseases start in the Gut. Keeping your gut healthy is crucial for overall well-being. The Talmud States "83 Ailments cured by eating Proper Bread with Salt in the morning and a Jug of water".
This one sentence is so very revealing. It simplifies everything. We learn that what we eat determines our health and that Bread is a very important food. Period.
Eating morning bread (Pat Shacharit) is a key component to curing disease. Proper bread was a staple for thousands of years for a reason. Proper bread has the ability to provide up to 70% of our daily nutrient intake. Real bread made the ancient way stabilizes the gut, and builds healthy micorbiota.
The healthier the food we consume, the better nourished all the cells in our body will be, including our brain cells.
Dysbiosis and inflammation of the gut have been linked to causing several mental illnesses including anxiety and depression.
Our gut dispatches most of the nutrients we need to the cells of our body. This includes vitamins, trace elements, fatty acids, amino acids, and glucose from the food we consume. These nutrients determine not only our physical health but also our emotional health. The brain relies on these nutrients to function. The gut produces neurotransmitters and hormones, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which can influence mood, appetite, and stress levels. For that reason the gut is called the "second brain".
Rebuild your Gut and you will reboot your mental health.
I eat Einkorn or Kamut Bread for breakfast every single day. With a little salad drizzled with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Two slices a day is all it takes for me to stabilize my gut. It also gives me great energy throughout the day. Some foods deplete my energy, not the bread. I am very consistent with Morning Bread. I've lost all my excess weight and am very happy with my current weight. You dont have to eat first thing when you get up, best to wait 45 minutes minimum before eating. You can start off the day with a cup of warm water and then a cup of Cistus & Green Tea together. These teas also give me an energy boost and keep my immune system strong.
For the best bread check out the Einkorn Sourdough Bread from Joseph's Organic Bakery
3) Sunlight!
Just being out in the sun boost our mental health. It's free and its incredibly important.
Exposure to sunlight stimulates the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that contributes to feelings of happiness and well-being. Plus sunlight is linked with increased energy. Why? Infrared light from the sun fuels the mitochondria, the powerhouse of each and every cell in the body, increasing our energy output.
This is the secret to the suns great health benefits.
Dr. Roger Seheult, the Vitamin D expert, explains that there is a part of the brain that receives light in the brain, its called the. If it doesnt get stimulated it causes depression. to set our circadian rythym and to prevent depression/SAD (Seasonal affective disorder), either expose yourself to sunlight in the morning or buy a SAD lamp (for use in countries with very little sunlight).
To boost energy and health Infrared light is critical. Infrared light is available all day, as long as the sun is shining and it can penetrate deeply into the skin (about 8 cm), whereas U.V. light cannot penetrate deeply.
Get sunlight ideally in the morning for a minimum of 15 minutes.
