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Better nutrition. Better health. Better wellbeing.
Hello! Today it is the World AIDS Day. Since 1988, the 1st of December is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic. However, I am not going to talk about AIDS today; I am going to focus on nutrition instead. From obesity to orthorexia to anorexia In 1997, the World Health Organization formally recognized obesity as a global epidemic. The same year, the term ‘orthorexia nervosa’ was also introduced. It was the American physician Steven Bratman who coined the term from the Greek words ορθο- (ortho, “right” or “correct”) and όρεξις (orexis, “appetite”). He described orthorexia as an unhealthy fixation with what the individual considers to be healthy…
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Ikigai & Komorebi: Finding purpose & beautiful moments
I’ve always been fascinated by Japan and anything Japanese. Yet, I am still to visit the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’, as Japan is often called in the West. Pronounced ‘Nihon’ or ‘Nippon’ in Japanese, the name of the country actually means ‘the origin of the sun’. Fairly recently, I’ve come across two Japanese words; since they do not have an equivalent in the English language, I have introduced them both to my vocabulary: komorebi and ikigai. Komorebi Komorebi is a noun, which translates to ‘sunlight filtered through the trees’. Such a beautiful and poetic word, isn’t it? Last week, I wrote about some of the activities that I…
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Beyond traveling: Collecting beautiful moments of pleasure
When I launched this blog a few months ago, I mentioned some of the things/activities I enjoy and that bring me pleasure. As a way to introduce myself, I wrote the following: ‘I love traveling the world, collecting beautiful moments and living life to the full. I am also a music lover (most genres, but especially jazz, country and indie), a film enthusiast and an avid reader (crime novels being my favorite).’ You can read the full post here. Last week I wrote about the benefits of having pleasurable activities in our daily lives. I believe this is one of the 10 key areas of our daily lives…
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10 tips for better mental health & wellbeing (part 2)
In case you haven’t read my post ’10 tips for better mental health & wellbeing (part 1)’ (published on 10 October), it may be better if you read it first. 2. 3. Tips for better mental health & wellbeing The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognizes World Mental Health Day on 10 October every year. The objective is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilize efforts in support of mental health. As a Psychiatrist, I have taken this opportunity and started talking about mental health and wellbeing. This is not only in the context of mental (psychiatric) illness, but in a wider context applicable to…
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10 tips for better mental health & wellbeing (part 1)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognises World Mental Health Day on 10 October every year. The objective is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilize efforts in support of mental health. As a Psychiatrist, I would like to take this opportunity and talk about mental health and wellbeing not only in the context of mental (psychiatric) illness, but in a wider context applicable to most, if not all, of us. I have to admit here that the title of this post is perhaps a bit misleading and rather simplistic. Rather than provide 10 tips, as the title suggests, I am going to look into the…
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Counting sheep: 7 tips for better sleep
Sleep disturbance is one of the symptoms of jet lag, the infamous physiological condition that occurs after long-haul flights, usually when traveling east. Jet lag is caused by the de-synchronization of our body clock (or our circadian rhythm, to use the medical term). Symptoms may also include reduced concentration, irritability, headaches, problems with digestion, and fatigue. However, it is not always jet lag to blame when our sleep gets disrupted. In fact, a lot of people may find it difficult to fall asleep, have frequent awakenings and difficulty to get back to sleep, wake up early, have a restless sleep, or even sleep too much. There are many potential reasons…
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10 tips to beat those post-holiday blues
The summer has now officially come to an end, and for most of us the holidays are over. Every time I return home (and back to work) from holidays (no matter how short or long), my mood and energy levels take a dip. Here are 10 tips that help me lift up my mood, beat those post-holiday blues, and get back on track as soon as possible: Tip 1: Routines and structure As a Psychiatrist, I cannot overemphasize the importance of having routines and a structure to one’s life. For this reason, I always encourage people to have routines and a structure to their days and weeks. Routines and…