#smnshealth

[smnshealth]

Food is beautiful.

[smnshealth]

In case nobody's told you yet today, you're doing amazing!

even if you don't think you are, remember that the smallest things can be difficult. and it's not your fault. be proud of the things you do.

[smnshealth]

How I motivate myself to take walks outside:

[smnshealth]

Only Yesterday is a film for all of us struggling with finding direction in your life.

Only Yesterday is a Studio Ghibli film that deals with adulthood vs childhood, careers, and lifestyle.

I rarely see this movie get talked about, which is such a shame because it deals with such powerful themes of reflecting on your childhood as an adult and considering what you want your life to be like. Are you happy? Would your younger self be happy with where you are now, and does it matter to you?

This movie is heartwarming, it calls out to you when you're lost, in a slump, or just struggling through things.

[smnshealth]

SHUT IN

recently i've been watching markiplier's playthrough of SHUT IN, and all i have to say about it is that its a fantastic game that explores psychological horror. mark's gameplay and commentary is so heartwarming and it feels like there's a supportive friend right there with you as you're going through the (i'll admit) scary story.

warnings: it deals with darker themes of depression among other things, and some lines have the potential to be triggering. please be careful.

[smnshealth]

Period pains and nutrition

In 2021, after 5 years of having my period, I experienced the worst period pains I had ever felt. I know some of you who have uteruses have those too. Well..

1. If you're super concerned, go see a doctor!!

Period pains can be a result of serious conditions that can be very harmful. If you're truly worried, please get a diagnosis.

2. Take care of your nutrition and your habits throughout your cycle.

When I experienced pains at the level of fainting, losing appetite, and being bedridden, I started taking better care of my nutrition because I just wanted the pains gone. GONE! There are some things you can change and start doing to take some of these pains away. I'll admit I didn't feel too much of a change, but it may just be my body and the fact that I wasn't too strict with maintaining better nutrition. It did gradually get better though, even though it was still difficult.

3. Don't feel bad for taking time off just to cope with the pain.

You shouldn't be expected to just endure the pain. If you can, take breaks and allow yourself time to deal with the physical pain instead of putting yourself through other things at the same time.

Don't do anything you're not comfortable with, but always put your health first. Things will get better.

[smnshealth]

Totoro, emotions, and parenting

Recently, I watched this video by Cinema Therapy which pointed out something about My Neighbour Totoro that I never realised before, but I can now appreciate. The parenting in this movie is fantastic, and it really teaches the audience how they can cope with emotions.

If you haven't seen it before, I really recommend this movie! It's a cute slice of life movie, and it personally makes me feel really warm and comfortable.

[smnshealth]

Struggling with paying attention?

One issue might be your diet.

I have a brother diagnosed with ADHD, and he, like myself, withstood the IB Diploma Programme with pretty good results. For most of his life, he struggled with taking standardised tests for multiple reasons.

1, he struggles to sit down and study.

2, he has dyslexia, which makes reading far more frustrating.

3, he wasn't medicated.

4, he didn't know study techniques that worked for him.

and 5, he didn't know what he could change about his lifestyle so he could pay more attention.

So when did this all change?

In 2020, he tried something new. My mum suggested he cut back on carbs and sugars, guessing that this contributed to his struggle to concentrate on studying or even while taking the test. He was already under medication at this point, but still complained that he couldn't sit down to study for more than 30 mins.

After taking her advice and changing his diet over a monthly period of time, he came back after a test and was excited about how well he studied and performed. It's an interesting result for sure.

Maybe this could work for you! Always remember that things are best in moderation.

[smnshealth]

remember goldilocks

not too much, not to little, just perfect! health is all about balance and maintenance. it's not easy, but it'll be what makes you feel the best.

[smnshealth]

It honestly gets better

If I asked myself a year ago where I'd be mentally, in terms of my relationship with exercise and my body, I would've laughed and said that I hated exercise. I also would've admitted that I didn't like it because I kept losing motivation too quickly, and I just lost myself along the way.

You don't need to make yourself like exercise, but it is really important that you take part in it. Don't be afraid to experiment with what works best for you. I begrudgingly accepted that exercise needed to be part of my routine, and I found myself associating it with other people rather than myself. It's hard to exercise for yourself when you don't even like yourself. So, I channelled that into other people! I reminded myself that I had responsibilities and that I shouldn't make things harder for future me. Find what works for you!

[smnshealth]

Let's talk about fad diets.

[smnshealth]

Frequent + Small, or Infrequent + Large meals?

As a part of figuring out what works best for you, reconsider your meals. We were likely told that we should have three meals a day, once in the morning, noon, then evening. What if I tell you that isn't necessarily true?

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not encouraging you to eat more or less, just to reconsider the time in between meals. I personally grew up with two large meals a day, and I always hated it because I would end up processing it way too quickly and snacking within the next two hours.

It took me a while to finally realise that I should eat smaller meals, but more frequently. Who likes feeling like they're bloated with food, anyway?

Who knows, maybe it might work better for you! :)

[smnshealth]

hey. hey you!

i hope you find that thing that gives you the spark and motivation to go about doing things again. continue actively trying– you're already doing fantastic and taking initiative is the most important part of your own journey.

[smnshealth]

some days, you'll feel like you can't do anything right.

and it's okay. you need rest to grow!

[smnshealth]

Pictured:

- Tangyuan/Ronde with ginger broth

- Papaya drizzled with lime, and mango

- Steamed banana drizzled with palm sugar

- Passionfruit with orange juice

Easy to prepare, delicious, and nutritious!

[smnshealth]

getting outside

there are so many good things outside! or maybe there aren't, depending on how you feel about going out. consider this though: being outside is an escape from being suffocated in your bubble. it can make you feel free, with the sunshine hitting you or the smallest sights making you feel refreshed. 10/10 recommend it.

when you feel suffocated in your own bubble, like everything is helpless, take some time for yourself. go outside. enjoy nature, beautiful scenery, anything. go people watching! its great. just remember to be safe.