2022 Dec Articles Archives

Surviving the festive season

With all its sparkle and excitement, the festive season can also be stressful for many people. If you’re anxious about upcoming events, consider establishing interpersonal boundaries for your self-preservation.

What are boundaries?

These are the lines we draw around ourselves to protect us from life’s demands. They clearly communicate our values, the extent of our responsibilities, and how we choose to use our personal resources and time. They help us manage our relationships and demonstrate respect for ourselves and others.

Why is it hard to set healthy boundaries?

Fear of rejection, abandonment, confrontation, guilt, or simply not knowing how.

What do unhealthy boundaries look like?

Neglecting our own needs, not saying ‘No,’ letting others make decisions for us, and over-sharing.

Common boundary breaches over the festive season are when others are:

Asking questions about your personal life that makes you uncomfortable.
Expecting you to spend money that you can ill-afford
Dragging you into judgemental and gossip-filled conversations
Expecting you to spend time with people whose values, politics, or views are very different to your own
Expecting you to attend every event

How to maintain your boundaries at this time:

Don’t engage with people or conversations that drain your energy or are triggering
Say no to events that could be harmful to your sobriety or wellbeing
Keep space in your diary to recover or decompress between commitments
Give yourself permission to leave gatherings before you are depleted
Take some time to decide, before you say yes

Examples of good boundary communication:

I’d love to come to dinner, but can only stay for a few hours.
I’m happy to host this year with a “bring and share” format.
Thank you so much for the invite. It sounds lovely, but I can’t make it at this time.
I’m uncomfortable talking about politics, my weight, or my relationship status. Does anyone else have something they’d rather not discuss?
I’m just going for a walk. I’ll be back in a bit.
I’m going to drive separately in case I want to leave before you do.

Let everyone know where you stand by communicating your boundaries in a firm, but non-aggressive and respectful manner.

Do you know that a professional counsellor can help you with skills to be more assertive and set healthy interpersonal boundaries? Reach out to LifeAssist and start building healthy boundaries.

zara2022-11-30T17:14:30+00:00

Gut health and why it matters.

The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, was correct nearly 2000 years ago when he wrote “All disease begins in the gut.”

What’s the deal?

Your gut is home to millions of bacteria and other microbes—both good and bad. The key is to balance the ratio of good to bad bacteria to ensure good health. A healthy gut helps keep chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer at bay, reduces inflammation, and keeps brains sharp, and weight healthy. A healthy gut can even reduce depression, stress, fatigue, insomnia, and brain fog.

How to improve gut health?

What you eat and drink directly influences the makeup of bacteria in your gut. Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains for prebiotics (food for bacteria) is essential. Also, eat fermented food which contains probiotics (good bacteria). These include sauerkraut (fermented cabbage and salt), unsweetened yoghurt, kefir (a form of plain drinking yoghurt), and kombucha (fermented tea).

If you don’t normally include these foods in your diet, adding them all at once might cause some unwanted gas and bloating. Start with small portions, and increase the amount weekly. It’s also important to reduce your intake of processed foods, added sugars, salt, artificial sweeteners, red meat, and alcohol to keep your gut happy and your risk of chronic diseases low.

Create spaces between eating: Constantly eating and overeating gives our guts no time to rest and repair. Avoid eating late at night which is when our livers and gut lining restore. People suffering from Diabetes Type I and Type II, hypoglycemia, anaemia, stomach ulcers, and hiatus hernia, need to eat at regular intervals during the day.

Rest and digest: Gulping food down in a rush causes indigestion, acid reflux, gas, constipation or diarrhoea. A short walk in nature or breathing slowly into the belly for a few minutes before eating, prepares the digestive system for food.

Avoid bad posture or tight clothing which constricts the digestive tract and hampers digestion. Sit upright in an elongated position to eat.

The bottom line: Watch what you eat and how you eat to keep your gut (and you) happy and healthy.

Call LifeAssist to connect with a professional dietician to help you with a personalised eating plan to keep your gut healthy.

DOWNLOAD SOME HEALTHY GUT RECIPES

zara2022-12-14T09:50:29+00:00

How to party safely

‘Tis the season to be jolly, but with it comes the prospect of binge drinking, which might be harmful to one’s health. Make sure you and your loved ones are safe at all times with these tips:

Keep tabs. Always let someone know where you are. Downloadable smartphone tracker apps help keep you and your loved ones traceable.
Don’t drink and drive. Organise a lift with a non-drinker, take an uber, or stay with the party hosts. Most car insurances offer discounted rates on services that will take you and your car home safely.
Respect others. Avoid promoting drinking games that cause people to drink more alcohol than they realise.
Look out for friends. If a friend is drunk, encourage them to switch to non-alcoholic drinks and keep an eye on them.

Want to drink less?

Many of us drink alcohol at a party because we’re thirsty. Quench your thirst with water before/during the party to limit your capacity.
Pace yourself. Have non-alcoholic drinks in between. Take small sips, and slow down.
Smaller glasses. Try using smaller glasses and make drinks last longer.
Avoid top-ups. Always finish your drink before getting a new one to track your alcohol consumption.
Eating slows your drinking pace. Alcohol is absorbed slower on a full stomach.
Play pool, dance, engage in stimulating conversation or chew gum. Many people gulp their first drink to avoid initial party awkwardness. You’ll drink less if you have something to do, or keep your mouth occupied.

Want to avoid drinking altogether?

Prepare a script. It’s easier to decline a drink and avoid possible awkwardness if you’ve prepared a response e.g. “I’m going to stick with Sprite tonight, thanks” or “I’m up early tomorrow.”
Be creative. It’s tempting to drink alcoholic drinks because they may look more interesting than your boring bottle of sparkling water. Bring non-alcoholic drinks that excite you and get creative by adding fruit or other mixers.
Sit with feelings. Instead of diving for a drink, practice accepting feelings of social anxiety, boredom, or frustration. The more you can tolerate being in the moment, no matter what, the less likely you’ll drink away the feelings you don’t like.
Keep to your departure time. We often have the best intentions at the start of a party but later on, boundaries often fly out the window. Planning your departure in advance can protect you from regrets. But if you’re having a ball and feeling strong, keep partying!

Are you worried about your own, or a family member’s alcohol usage? Reach out to speak to a professional counsellor for guidance.

zara2022-11-30T16:42:16+00:00