10 Key Areas We Can’t Afford To Ignore In Mental Health

We all want to be healthy and happy. Here are some tips to help optimise your health to make you look feel at your best. Regular exercise is great for the mind and body, but it’s also good for the spirit.  We need to take a holistic approach in looking after ourselves to address all areas if we are to maintain our overall health in peak condition.

Get an adequate amount of sleep
During sleep the brain renews itself by cleaning the debris between cells and memory is increased. Getting adequate sleep is vital to our brains health.

Take more naps
Napping serves to improve our memory and to increase our creativity. Napping gives your body a break and allows the brain to become refreshed and your body rested.

Change your memories – it’s a choice!
Memory changes every time we remember an event. Positive thoughts can change the impact on our emotions during memory reloads. Bringing compassion to a thought that causes pain can be altered with thoughts on the love of others and your own self-worth. Recently neuroscience discovered that we can change our brain with our thought life. This is known as Plasticity of the Brain. (The brain’s ability to change itself).  Read more on the topic.

Exercise regularly
Sensible regular exercise can increase body and brain health while improving memory. In moderation regular exercise is vital for brain function. Research has found that there’s a link between regular exercise and increased brain function. After exercise the brain is open to learning new ideas.

Eat whole foods for better brain health
When we don’t eat the correct foods like refined sugars and processed unnatural ingredients our hormones and neurons will strongly react. When these strong reactions occur, the brain and metabolism become imbalanced. Fruits and vegetables have a very positive effect and help to clean the brain from debris.

Change your brain by focussing on healthy thoughts
For years scientists have believed that after a person grows up that their brain couldn’t be altered. However, DNA is overridden by our experiences, perceptions and choices. Neuroplasticity describes the changes in our brain structure that occur with how we use our brain, what we learn, think and focus on.

Nurture relationships and strengthen the immune system
Relationships can have a positive impact on our bodies and on our immune system. Just caring about someone can be good for your health.  We are social creatures and need that interaction with other human beings to network and have support from one another.

Walk in nature
Studies have shown that walking in nature can be beneficial to our health and to our brain as the equivalent of recharging our batteries.  Regular walking keeps the circulation going, exercises the heart and muscles and improves the brain by releasing the much needed brain chemical to keep us feeling great.  The Huffington Post released an article titled, ‘Hacking Into Your Happy Chemicals: Dopamine, Serotonin, Endorphins and Oxytocin.’

Make healthy choices with your free will
Conscious free will must be exercised as if training a muscle. Our ability to make good choices is strengthened by using it.
Our brains are significantly impacted by the exercise of the free will to make good and right decision.

Christians Read Your Bible Daily
To keep our spirit well nourished with the words in the bible we need to read it on a regular basis. Feeding our spirit and combined with a prayerful and obedient lifestyle to the word, keeps us in relationship with God. Attend a regular church service for fellowship with other Christians and to enjoy more spiritual food.

Sources:

Dr. Jon Lieff –
Original Article: 13 Small Choices that can change your life in great ways.

Where to Get Help

Talk to your doctor and see a mental health professional.

Visit CCAA to search for a Christian counsellor near you.

Visit ACA to search for a counsellor near you.

Free 24/7 Counselling Services

Lifeline on 13 11 14

Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800

MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978

Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467

Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36

Headspace on 1800 650 890

Studying at aifc

Equip yourself with a Christian counselling education and become skilled in extending God’s love and grace with empathy to the hurting out in the community.

For those who would like to enrol in aifc’s accredited Christian counselling courses we have two intakes per year for courses commencing around the following months:

1. At the beginning of each year in February.
2. Mid-Year courses commence in July.

Enrolment season opens 2-3 months prior our courses commencing.

Enquire now and fill out the form with your details to receive course information by email.

Enrol online here during our enrolment season.

Those living overseas can study aifc’s courses from their home country via our Distance Based Program.

The International  Student Program enables those with a student visa to Study On Campus in Sydney.

Note: A Master of Counselling course, accredited by the University of Divinity, will be commencing in 2018.

Contact aifc Monday to Friday from 9am – 5pm with your enquiries on 6242 5111 or toll free on 1300 721 397