By Morris Bates
Kate Morris-Bates, 45, from the Cheshire, North Wales border is a clinic owner and practical wellness expert, a practicing Acupuncturist and Bodywork Therapist specialising in pain management. https://katemorrisbates.com. Kate fuses Eastern and Western philosophies to health, wellbeing and beauty to create premium indivitreatments, from the inside-out.
Kate wasn’t always a therapist, for over 20 years she was a corporate hard hitter, a high flying woman in a stressful environment, a Top 100 Exec leader earning six-
figures in a huge national company, leading 600+ people and being responsible for hundreds of millions of pounds. It was one of the biggest jobs of its kind in the UK. Kate retrained to become a wellness expert and is now on a mission to empower others to be body proud and not let our hormones, health issues, aches and pains, the lines and wrinkles that come with the ageing process define us, yet choose to honour our bodies.
Here, she shares with entrepreneurtribune.com her 5 ways to lead a stress free life. Set A Morning Ritual
Instead of instantly reaching for your phone or laptop to check social media or your emails, set out a bit of time for yourself. Take a relaxing shower, listen to some music, meditate, or just take time to enjoy a healthy breakfast. The “morning miracle” is one example of a routine which combines stretching, drinking a glass of water and meditating for 15 minutes before you start your day. This will help to separate your time between sleep and work and also set you up for a productive day.
Yoga And Meditation
Just 5 minutes of Yoga and meditation during a break will quieten your mind, stretch your body and release toxins. Focussing on your breath will help you feel centred and reconnected with yourself. This is especially important during uncertain times. Yoga Journal’s Medical Editor Timothy McCall warns against overly ambitious yoga when you’re in a state of fear and anxiety. “When you’re fearful, Restorative Yoga is not going to work,” he says. “You first need to burn off anxiety with more energetic practices and then you can get to the restorative.” If you feel riled up, he suggests doing a strong practice for 20-30 minutes, then transitioning to more calming practices.
Eat A Nourishing Lunch
It is way too easy to grab a fat-laden, empty calorie and sugary snack to keep you going through the day. Or indulge in all-day grazing when working from home. As the coronavirus continues to spread across the UK, interest in nutrition and diet in relation to immunity has increased, as has confusion and misconceptions, says the British Nutrition Foundation. Having a healthy diet is important in supporting our immune function and many nutrients influence the body’s ability to fight infection. Taking time to make a nutritious lunch, full of fresh foods high in vitamins will help you feel nourished and healthy in mind and body.
Exercise
However hard we try, getting 10,000 steps in around the house is a tall order in these times of lockdown. But this is a perfect opportunity to get involved and embrace the online world of home-workouts – for fun with the kids like the omnipresent Jo Wicks and for the more advanced. YouTube has lots of great (and free) exercise videos and tutorials that you can do in the comfort of your lounge or garden. Or, alternatively put on your favourite tunes and have yourself your own Zumba class to get your mood-boosting endorphins.
Set A Sleep Schedule
Human beings thrive on routine, especially a set sleep schedule. Good sleep hygiene is essential for a fit and healthy body, clear and calm and balanced emotions. Try to stick to the same time going to bed and waking up to keep your energy levels steady. It might be tempting to have lie-ins, take afternoon naps or even stay up late watching movies, but you will be much more productive, good humoured and able to cope with the challenges of isolating at home. Check our Clinic Director and Wellbeing Concierge, Kate’s sleep hygiene blog for more useful hints and tips.