Healthy bodies and healthy minds give us the best head start when we face challenges.
There are many ways you can keep on top of your health when you have diabetes. Keeping physically active is a well-known one, but what about being able to relax, eating the right sorts of food, and getting enough sleep?
Feeling healthy can also help you think more clearly, so it all goes hand in hand with how we think and feel about ourselves. Let's take a look at how all of these things can keep you feeling healthy and strong.
RELAX MAX
Breathing exercises are a quick and easy way to relax. It may be surprising to learn that our breathing can change the way we feel. When we feel stressed and worried, usually we breathe more quickly and this makes our heart beat faster.
BREATHING: SIMPLE AS ABC
A really good way to start to feel relaxed is to use your diaphragm (the big muscle at the bottom of your belly) properly when you breathe in and out. This is because it is our body's most efficient muscle in helping us breathe, and can trigger a state of relaxation. A lot of people practice breathing like this to make them calm.
TRY THIS when you feel anxious about something like a maths test or doctors appointment and see how it helps.
Keep your shoulders and chest still (they shouldn't contract and expand when you breathe from the diaphragm). Put one hand on your belly and focus on breathing in and out using your diaphragm, which you will notice will move out when you breathe in, and then it will move in when you breathe out! Try to let go of any tension in your tummy and the muscles in that area of your body. You can also try sitting with your palms facing upwards to let your body know that you are relaxed.
