Here’s how Exercise could Really Benefit your Mental Health

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If you want to try and improve or just support your mental health, then you are not alone. Many people in the world want to try and help their mental health to be the best it can be and why shouldn't we? Life is too short to feel sad, depressed and lethargic. Change won't just come with wishful thinking though, you need to take active steps to try and turn things around. If you want some help, then take a look below.

Anxiety

Exercise is a natural treatment for anxiety. It is ideal for relieving stress and believe it or not, it can also boost your mental energy. It releases a lot of endorphins, which are those feel-good hormones that we all love to experience. Anything that you can do to try and get moving will help you, but it does help to pay attention instead of zoning out. So, if you're running try and take note of the sensations you feel when your feet hit the ground, or even the rhythm of your breathing as you take a brisk walk. If you can do this, then you will soon find that you can take better note of your physical conditioning and that it is also possible for you to improve the thoughts that are running through your head. If you are keen on the idea of a cardio program, then you can take supplements to support that. Learn more now.

Stress

When you are under stress, have you ever taken note of how your body feels? You may feel as though your muscles are tense in your shoulders, your face and your neck. You may also find that you experience neck pain and headaches too. You could also experience a rapid pulse or cramps. The worry of being stressed can also cause more stress to your body, which is the last thing that you need.

Exercising is a very good way for you to try and break this cycle. It helps to release endorphins into your brain, and it also helps you to relax your muscles. This helps you to relieve tension in your body. The body and the mind are closely linked and if you can get to the point where your body feels great then your mind will too. Activities like yoga or pilates are gentle and you can start easily but they will make the world of difference to how you feel and also, in time, to your health, strength and flexibility.

Retreat at The Greenhouse Christian Centre, Poole

In early December last year, I stayed at The Greenhouse Christian Centre in Poole for four nights and I had the most amazing time. Some of that was because I met profoundly with Jesus and the Holy Spirit did a lot of healing work in me, but much of that was possible because I was staying in a wonderful and anointed retreat centre with a hospitality-focused team. It's therefore my joy to share with you a review of my time at The Greenhouse Christian Centre. 

Location

The Greenhouse Christian Centre is actually located between Westbourne and Branksome but has a Poole address. It is just under two miles to Bournemouth town centre and nearly five to Poole. You can easily get a train into Bournemouth mainline station and catch a bus, or if you get off the train at Branksome it is about a 10/15 minute walk, depending on how leisurely you want to walk. 

I found the location really convenient as someone who travelled by public transport, as the quaint town of Westbourne is about a ten-minute walk and there you can find coffee shops, restaurants, take-aways and shops. Or you can get to the woodland chines and access the gorgeous Bournemouth beaches by walking for about 20 minutes. 

It would be easy to find my using a sat nav if you are driving and there is plenty of parking available.

 

Beauty Recommendations for Looking after Yourself in 2022

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Finally, in my late forties, I seem to be looking after myself better. I've always enjoyed wearing make-up and doing my hair but I have been absolutely hopeless at looking after my skin or having any kind of beauty regime. Thankfully, God seems to have blessed me with good skin and I've got away with it, but no longer, I realise I'm ageing and need a change. So let me share with you some of the products I've been using in recent times and I'm loving.

Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Revealing Liquid Peel - £16 for 100ml

This is a fairly new product to me, I've been using it for just a few months but even in that short time, I am really finding it effective. I had thought that my face was looking a bit dull but this has cheered it up no end and I have that lovely glow again. The product has a gentle exfoliator in it and you apply it to dry skin and as you massage it in you can feel these little balls forming and they are supposed to collect up your dry skin cells and any dirt/ grime that is there. You then rinse it off your face and it really is very satisfying to use. 

You just need one or two small pumps for each use, so I think the 100ml bottle will last me quite some time and provide good value. When I was younger I probably would have opted for a supermarket fash wash in a much bigger size for under a fiver but as I get older I realise that you do get what you pay for. I also really like the values of Body Shop (#ad) and I'm happy to buy from a sustainable brand with good green credentials, using natural products. 

4 bucket list ideas for 2022

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Another year has rolled around.

And while the previous two have been distinctly more… unique than those that came before them, the uncertainty for many has only renewed our desire to push ourselves that little bit further and expect more out of life.

So it’s no surprise that as New Year rolls around we’re more motivated than ever to cross a few items off our bucket lists and level up our ambitions when it comes to those annual resolutions. With that in mind, these are just four of the most common bucket list entries – how many are on yours?  

1. Renovate your home

Maybe your home is full of odd jobs that you’ve been putting off since the day you moved in. Or perhaps the DIY renovations you began in lockdown have fallen by the wayside, and still need that final push to finish them off.

Take it one room – or even one task – at a time. Draw up a list of priorities and work through them as and when you’re ready. Resolutions don’t have to be done all at once – turn it into a long-term and sustainable project, I'm certainly going to. The bathroom is the first on the hit-list as I need to clean up the grout, or maybe even dig it all out and re-grout it as it can make such a difference to how fresh the room looks. 

Review: Spa Day at Ashford International Hotel, Kent

Back in November a friend and I spent the day at the spa at the Ashford International Hotel (it was a weekday, term-time visit). It wasn't somewhere either of us had been to before but with a 4-star rating, I was hopeful for a good experience. In truth, my expectations weren't too high as I know I'm pretty fussy and the day had only cost me  £87 for two of us to have the spa day with lunch and 50 minutes of treatments. So at, £43.50 each it was a real bargain, having bought it on Red Letter Days with one of their excellent discounts (definitely sign up for their mailing list, where you often get offered 10 - 25% off their deals).

Booking and Before the Day

The voucher was easy enough to buy from Red Letter Days and I had to call Q Hotels central reservations to make the booking, which was fine but I found it a bit odd that they didn't email or send a confirmation. They just gave me a booking number and apparently, this is all they do.

Once I'd booked I had a few questions to ask about the robes, lunch and treatments but the customer service was pretty awful. It took me around two weeks to actually get to speak to someone at the hotel spa. When I did, Liberty was very pleasant and helpful, but I didn't like having to chase for answers when my questions were so simple.

Arrival at the Hotel

The hotel was easy to find and there was plenty of parking available. There is a direct entrance by the spa and I'd arranged to meet my friend in the hotel lounge, so I just wandered through. The lounge and public areas are really nice, very well set-out to allow for private space and we had a very enjoyable coffee before going through to the spa. Although it was a pricey coffee at £3.85 for a regular cappuccino, so lucky it was good.