Vitamin Packs

How Hiking Improved My Mental Health

I wasn’t the most “normal” child, if I could put it that way. While other kids ran around in a make-believe world of magic, I was making my own pretend world where life had a strict balance of fun and caution. Sure, we could go chase the pretend bad guys, but we should probably make sure our medic kit is up to date just in case we catch a life-threatening infection. My journey through anxiety and fear started at a young age and it took me many years to learn how to master my subconscious thought process. I am one of those people who knows every plane-crash statistic, side effects of major pharmaceuticals, and early warning signs of colon cancer (most of us health professionals are a little odd). As a teenager and young adult, I was extremely insecure of my weaknesses and inability to “just live a little”. Time and a few difficult experiences forced me to face fear head on; I learned to embrace my faults and make peace with myself. I have accepted the fact that my brain may be wired a little differently, but I wasn’t going to let it stop me from living life or stop me from looking for ways to improve myself.
If you have ever dealt with fear or anxiety, you know how hard it is to push yourself out of your comfort zone and how heartbreaking it is to want to achieve something, but ultimately aren’t willing to risk it. This is something I know all to well. As a kid, my parents forced my brother and I to hike a few times each week on a small trail by our home for exercise. I always enjoyed being outdoors as a kid – hiking, camping, skiing, and swimming when I could. Even though I spent a lot of time outside, I didn’t appreciate the outdoors until I turned twenty.
There is something powerful about accomplishing the challenge of a trail and feeling small up against tall trees or on top of a majestic mountain. The beautiful thing about hiking is that the trail will accept you in any condition; sad, angry, disappointed, anxious, happy, or thoughtful. Maybe you need to hit the trail to clear your mind so you can gain perspective on a situation or maybe you need a place to go shed some tears. The trail is always accepting and always willing to listen. By the time I finish a hike, no matter how I begun, I always leave feeling like a new person. As I gained hiking experience, I started to push myself towards harder conquests. By constantly looking for the next battle, always a little harder than the last, I am learning to feel comfortable pushing my limits, which carries over to my daily life. My once “hiking mountain” has now become my “training mountain.” I went from relaxing, short trails to purchasing my first ice axe and looking forward to technical climbs in higher elevation. And I feel darn good about that.
There is also a physical response behind hiking. Strenuous exercise leads to an endorphin release that sends the mind on a healthy “high”. The exercise-induced endorphin rush is great enough as it is, but even better when experienced out in nature. Harvard Health states, “Researchers at the University of Essex in England are advancing the notion that exercising in the presence of nature has added benefit, particularly for mental health. Their investigations into ‘green exercise,’ as they are calling it, dovetails with research showing benefits from living in proximity to green, open spaces. In 2010 the English scientists reported results from a meta-analysis of their own studies that showed just five minutes of green exercise resulted in improvements in self-esteem and mood.”1In addition, spending time outdoors can improve vitamin D levels, improve concentration, and possibly increase healing time. Don’t take my word for it, close the laptop and hit the trail.
If you are looking for the highest quality vitamin and mineral supplements personalized for you, please go to www.VitaminPacks.com and take their on-line questionnaire providing individualized vitamin and mineral recommendations. Vitamin Packs is the only science-based supplement provider on the web today! Take advantage of their knowledge and use it to your health’s benefit!

Flora2000

Give Pocket Friendly Gifts For Mom

Trust us when we say this, a Mother’s Day gift need not have to be
expensive. She’s your mother, not someone you have to impress. The
only thing she’s looking forward to is, you remembering her with love
on her special day. But also doesn’t mean that you totally forget to
gift her something memorable on Mother’s Day. We’ve listed down a
couple of things, that you can consider when you plan her Mother’s
Day surprise, all under $39.99.


Floral Arrangements

blog1Mother’s love surprises, more so if they involve roses. A rose flower
arrangement won’t cost you more than $30, #29.99 to be specific.
They’re elegant, they smell great and they make the perfect Mother’s
Day gift.


Cozy Feet

Regardless of how hard you find to accept it, mum is getting old and her feet ache sometimes.
microwavable-slippers-aYou can make life a little easier for her, buying her a pair of soft microwavable bunny slippers. So the next time her feet ache, all she has to do is pop them into the microwave, and viola, warm slippers for aching feet are ready! Buy them at a local departmental store near you for less than $25.


Dairy Memories

When was the last time your mum penned down her thoughts or maintained her diary.
diary
Let her begin to feel younger again. Gift her a diary in which she can pen down her daily experiences and let it be her top secret. You can buy one in less than $20 dollars at any book store.


Sweet Tooth Surprises

blog2If there’s something else apart from roses that mum’s love, it’s chocolates. Chocolates make the perfect stress busters and they don’t just taste great, they smell great too! So what’s stopping you from buying mum some happiness? Buy it here and now!


Photoframes

As cliched as it may sound, Mother’s never get tired of repeatedly looking at pictures of their kids. Pick the best memories of you and mum and have them framed as a collage. She’ll love them!
photoframe


Check out other gifts over at Flora2000.com today!