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• Yoga as a lifelong fix

  18 January 2021 15:24 Comments Off on Yoga as a lifelong fix

  Yoga as a lifelong fix

  More and more people know how to find their way to a yoga class, workshop or training or yoga holiday. But their lives also remain hectic, consisting of deadlines, a busy family, social contacts and always in a hurry. Taking a yoga class once a week is the quick fix for many to compensate for their further overcrowded life. But yoga is much more than that and by taking a class once a week will not, in the long run, give you the quiet, balanced, and happy life you are looking for.

  In the old yoga philosophies we speak of elements that reinforce each other and are therefore necessary together for your change, transformation.

  First, it is about moving, taking action with dedication, so that your inner fire burns again and you train and purify your body and mind. This is just as important as your ability to self-reflect and also your belief that, for example, yoga will take you further in your life to lead a balanced and happy life.

  Tip to work on this every day:

  1. 25 times forcefully inhale through the nose, move the arms sideways upward and forcefully exhale through the nose and lower the arms sideways.
  2. Jump on the spot as high as you can 25 times.
  3. Run on the spot for 1 minute as fast as you can.

  In addition, self-study is important and this means, among other things, the realization that negative thoughts are of no use and that feelings are not thoughts. Love, anger, desire are moods. Recognize the feeling and realize that it will pass. You have thoughts but are not. If you do not give it energy and attention then it will not grow and you can actively change your patterns in emotions.

  Tip to work on this every day:
  Focus on practicing satisfaction, gratitude, and compassion. Sit comfortably, on the floor or on a chair, with your eyes closed and your back straight and relaxed. 25 times in your mind, inhale up the spine and breathe out down the spine. Feel that a space is created where you can keep your attention. Then at any point, stop at your heart and take one of the qualities of contentment, gratitude, and compassion. Feel it in your heart and keep your attention in your heart. Stay here in silence for 3 minutes and then feel for a moment. This is how you cultivate these positive sensations.

  Finally, it is also an awareness of yourself and everything around you, this ensures a correct attitude towards everything that lives. Only then will you practice yoga in its entirety and you will gain insight into how you can live your life in such a way that it always offers you peace, balance and satisfaction, also outside your yoga mat. If you practice yoga in such a way, your life outside of your yoga class will eventually become less rushed and busy. You experience a pleasant feeling and know that this will take you further in life. Then you can make good choices more easily, you will find other things more important and you discover that yoga is a lifelong path that you walk instead of a quick fix to be and stay in balance.

  For example, practice this affirmation as a tip:
  “I do what it takes with intelligence and honesty and know what works for me. I do what I can and I am always learning. I accept my limits, situations and mistakes. “A very nice mantra to start with every day.

  Kind regards, Namasté,
  Manon Simonis

• Working shifts is more harmful to your health than you think

  15:23 Comments Off on Working shifts is more harmful to your health than you think

  Working shifts is more harmful to your health than you think

  More than 4.7 million people work irregular hours according to CBS. For example in healthcare, security, transport and industry. Irregular working hours are, according to CBS, working hours that are before and after office hours. So between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. We increasingly live in a 24-hour society and due to the many working from home because of COVID-19, the work rhythm shifts from to another pattern. When you work irregular hours, it has an impact on your health. This is not immediately visible or noticeable, but it can cause complaints in the longer term. That’s because everything we do has to do with the biological rhythm of our body. We can try to control that, but we can’t change the laws of nature. Those laws apply not only to the weather, but also to our body and brain. The biological rhythm makes us tired in the evening and want to sleep and wake up in the morning. It also regulates our digestion and other bodily functions such as hormones, body temperature and, for example, the heart rhythm. Running irregular schedules will always have an effect on health and not in a beneficial way. Whatever you do to try to prevent it from damaging your body and mind, you cannot prevent it. What you can do is try to limit the damage as much as possible. And that is possible if you stick to a number of rules. If you do nothing, you will eventually experience the negative consequences of irregular shifts.

  A personal experience: I checked the clock every hour during the early shift and then got up at 5:30 am. During the afternoon shift I was home at 11:30 pm, but before I slept it was 2:00 am. During the night shift I slept well in the first few years, but at one point I was fully awake at 1 p.m. Physical work was not a problem, but the moments when I had a rest I really tried to relax. Around me I saw colleagues drop out more and more. One with physical complaints, the other with mental complaints. More and more was expected of you and you were happy to go that extra mile. Until the moment you were completely exhausted. Fatigue, loss of appetite, poor sleep, weight gain and other physical problems are the first signs. Do not keep these complaints for yourself, but get help in time.

  Food is also changing more and more. The offer in the supermarkets is increasing, and there are many diets that are good according to the internet. Draw a big line through the word diet. Adjusting your diet to your daily efforts will yield greater and long-lasting returns. In addition, it is much easier to maintain.

  Rest in our body
  Our body comes to rest in the evening, it prepares in principle to go to sleep. As a result, the food is digested less well. Moreover, you see much more often that people on shifts suffer from their stomach and / or intestines. Such as bloating, nausea, heartburn, diarrhea. People who work shifts often eat too many sweets and fatty snacks during the evening and night shift. They drink liters of coffee and / or energy drinks to stay awake. This is an extra burden for your health and the digestive system. If you eat too much and too often at night, you will become sleepy and less alert.

  Fixed times
  Our body has a biological clock. An example of this is the menstrual cycle. If we live, eat, sleep and exercise in a fixed rhythm, this has the best effect on our body. In shifts this is a lot more difficult than continuous shifts.
  (Changing shifts: a new schedule per month with the shifts mixed together.
  Continuous shifts: a fixed schedule.)

  During the morning shift it is often difficult to have breakfast immediately. Still, it is good to try this. If this does not work, eat a little something before you start work (preferably at home). A wholemeal cracker with 30+ cheese or smoked meat. As a result, there is already some fuel in the tank of your body. When you have the opportunity to have breakfast at work, you should try to have breakfast at a fixed time. If this is not possible, the advice is to have breakfast at home. Make your breakfast as healthy as possible A tasty and healthier lifestyle also provides more energy. A spelled sandwich with low-fat margarine, topped with chicken fillet or a bowl of low-fat cottage cheese with a handful of unsalted and unroasted nuts. In any case, make sure that the meals are at the same times. That is also the reason why your employer gives a break at a fixed time.

  The solution is actually the easiest for the afternoon shift. The breakfast is no different from a morning service breakfast where you can take a little more time. You can have dinner for lunch. A tasty rice dish, a pasta meal or just Dutch food. At work you can eat a tasty salad with lots of fresh raw vegetables during the long break. For example: tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, red beets, spinach, bell pepper, celery, kohlrabi, fennel, pieces of apple, carrot, radish and possibly supplemented with some chickpeas, lentils, avocado and a piece of meat, fish or meat substitute. A tasty fresh homemade soup is also good. Preferably unbound, so without cream or cornflour.

  With the night shift you have the dip around 4 a.m. You can recognize it by nodding balls, the moment you get colder or maybe you start to sweat spontaneously. Your body is tired and would prefer to go to sleep.

  If you are a late sleeper you can start with dinner. That is the food that you eat with your partner or family. If you wake up early, eat something that is easily digestible. For example, a spelled cracker with savory toppings or a little fruit. Have a small snack around 11 p.m. How about a fruit muffin or a bowl of low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese? You eat a protein-rich meal around the short break (1 a.m.). The proteins keep you nice and awake and the proteins can work on the recovery of the muscle tissue in your body. This also gives a satiated feeling and reduces the chance that you will ‘snitch’.
  Around 4 a.m., the time of the dip, you eat a carbohydrate-rich meal. This creates more energy in your body with which you will manage until the end of your shift. On the way home or just before the end of the shift, you eat a small snack of about 100 kcal.

  Relaxation
  Done working? Then take care of relaxation. Now in the corona period you can exercise limited, but if you have the opportunity, do it. Walk the dog or go around the block. Fresh air works wonders. A good book or shower / bath also relaxes your body.

  Coffee, tea and energy drinks
  Avoid coffee as much as possible. Coffee contains caffeine. The more caffeine you drink, the more often your body asks for it. In addition, it also causes stress and a fearful feeling. This also applies to tea containing theine. Green tea, black tea, and white tea contain theine. DO NOT drink the cans of energy drinks. These are very bad for your health. Every can you drink is one too many. You will also notice that you have to drink more and more of this to get the desired effect. Drinking water is of course a requirement. Avoid alcohol!

  Snacks
  If you eat healthy snacks, that’s fine. But eat them regularly, don’t skip them. If you skip them, your body does not get enough nutrients, resulting in energy loss.

  Unhealthy choices
  It should go without saying that you leave out the less good choices. These are, for example: sweets, cookies and also ordering food on the afternoon and night shift. Eat freshly prepared foods as much as possible.

  Around the clock
  Take your time. Do not skip meals. Avoid the (added) sugars as much as possible. Eat a varied diet. What you often read and also really works well is: Do not follow a diet and exercise and relax enough.

  Tips for snacks on the night shift:

  • Yogurt with fresh fruit.
  • Boiled egg
  • A piece of cheese (30+)
  • Game cracker with lean fillings
  • Cup of homemade soup
  • Homemade granola bar
  • Small salad

  What are your experiences with irregular shifts? Do you have other solutions or tips? Share it with us via info@ods-vitaal.nl

  Take a look at my Facebook, where I put daily tips, tricks and recipes that give you a helping hand. André Mostard is a sports nutrition coach and has been active in the sports world for more than 30 years. André regularly writes a piece for ODS with good practical tips to feel good! Sports nutrition coach André Mostard

• Becoming calmer through proper breathing

  15:17 Comments Off on Becoming calmer through proper breathing

  Becoming calmer through proper breathing

  Have you ever been advised to take a deeper breath to calm yourself? It’s common advice, but focusing on deeper inhalation can make your anxiety worse. You can better focus your attention on the length and end of the exhalation.

  Try the breathing exercise below when you are calm and calm. Then you train yourself and it becomes part of your natural breathing.

  The preparation
  Telling yourself that you already know this and that it is very simple will undermine the power of the exercise. You promote a beneficial and lasting effect by fully believing in it and investing time and attention in it.

  Why lying down?
  Reclining exercises in particular are great for a calming effect because you don’t have to keep the body upright. Lying down regulates smooth inhalation and allows free exhalation. By lying on the stomach with folded arms and the head straight, the ribs are slightly raised. This allows for deeper abdominal breathing and you make more use of the lung capacity because the space increases and thus a greater oxygen supply is provided.

  The exercise

  1. Lie relaxed and comfortable on your stomach on the floor, mat, bed, or sofa
  2. Fold your arms and put your forehead on your forearms, relax your body and legs. Take a moment to observe your ground and feel supported by the ground.
  3. Inhale through the nose to medium capacity, expanding the abdominal and side ribs so that it feels the back rise and expand.
  4. Exhale through the nose without extra effort and let the breath flow out and let the body sink down with it. Then feel how you take a moment and perceive the end of your exhalation and experience a natural short moment of rest. A moment of nothing, an emptiness, before the new inhalation presents itself. Do not force this moment to observe the moment of silence between the exhalation and the in breath.
  5. Slowly and calmly repeat this inhale and exhale at least 25 times.
  6. Then feel for a moment. Notice the sensations you experience in your body. Take a moment of rest.

  Good luck!

  Manon is a breathing and yoga therapist, company trainer & coach. She has a lot of experience in working with groups to be more aware and attentive in life. She built up more than 20 years of experience in authentic breath and yoga tools and made many study trips to India and Thailand. Manon transfers her knowledge to her participants in a practical and accessible way.

• Carbohydrates, what should I do with it?

  15:15 Leave a Comment

  Carbohydrates, what should I do with it?

  In the past 3 weeks I have been asked about ten times whether avoiding carbohydrates helps with weight loss. Many people are fighting the Corona kilos! They often eliminate carbohydrates from the diet without knowing whether or not carbohydrates are useful in your body. If you study the new diets, you will notice that carbohydrates are limited. What does your body need to function and what effect do I achieve with that? There is only one thing to remember. If you eat more than your body needs, your body will store a fat surplus. If you eat less than you need, your body will burn those fat stores. But… if you need 1500 kcal for normal functioning then it makes no sense to eat only 500 kcal. This stresses your body.

  100% Power. You always want that, don’t you?
  When you burn carbohydrates (or sugars), your body has a lot of energy. You have 100% power and no dip moment. But when you burn fat, you lose power in the form of energy. So you tend to think you are tired more quickly and you may come home and fall asleep on the couch.

  Insulin, carbohydrates and proteins
  Our body needs carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Fat and protein make you feel full, which means you won’t get hungry as quickly. If you are less hungry, you eat less and there is a chance that you will also lose weight with a low-carbohydrate diet.
  So is it smart to avoid the carbohydrates? When you eat carbohydrates, your body makes insulin. That insulin ensures that your body can store the excess calories as fat. “YES!” I hear most people think. We stop eating carbohydrates and the problem is solved. Unfortunately. Proteins do exactly the same. They also stimulate the production of insulin and also ensure that unnecessary calories are stored in fat.

  Combustion requires fuel
  If you eat low-carbohydrates, it will not work equally well for everyone. There are people who lose weight. But is that muscle mass or fat mass? At ODS they can measure this and map it out nicely for you. If you work in the factory and you take more than 10,000 steps a day, you can say that you have a very active job. If you then start to reduce or omit your carbohydrates, you will have a problem. Carbohydrates are the fuel for the powerhouse that is in your body. If you want to lose weight, you also need muscles. Muscles are fed with a combination of proteins and… carbohydrates.
  If you are still unsure whether you need carbohydrates, consider fiber. Sufficient fiber ensures a nice blood sugar level and the removal of waste products. Fiber is found in legumes, whole grains and fruit. And it also contains carbohydrates. So if you eat too few carbohydrates, you will miss out on some essential dietary fiber.

  No bread because that is a fattener.
  Have you ever heard of the term fast bread or slow bread? Read all about it in the blog on my website. There I will tell you more about bread in relation to carbohydrates. When you eat carbohydrates without fiber, you are talking about fast sugars. Fast sugars often make you want even more sugars. Too many sugars make you fatter and cause your blood sugar to spike. As a result, a quick dip. If you have that dip, you have no energy and you are tired. That is stupid. You would think, the more sugars, the more energy. That is not true. Sweets, cookies and sugary drinks (including fruit juices) make you like sweet things more and more and that I want to eat them. The result: too many carbohydrates and extra fat storage. In other words: the fast sugar effect.

  So…
  If you want to limit carbohydrates in your diet, do this with conscious choices. First remove all the white from your diet. White bread, white pasta, sweet toppings, etc. Replace with varieties containing wholemeal and spelled. This will take you a big step in the right direction!

  Take a look at my Facebook, where I put daily tips, tricks and recipes that give you a helping hand. André Mostard is a sports nutrition coach and has been active in the sports world for more than 30 years. André regularly writes a piece for ODS with good practical tips to feel good! Sports nutrition coach André Mostard

• It’s now time to let go

  29 September 2020 15:26 Leave a Comment

  It has been in the air for a while but we have been allowed to push it forward. The cooler days. After an intense period it is nice that we were able to enjoy the beautiful late summer sun a little more. This summer we can retain energy for a while by ensuring that we continue the same rhythm of the summer months. Being outside, moving and getting up early helps us get through the day feeling refreshed and energized. The challenge is to move with nature and really listen. At the end of the summer, nature slowly withdraws. We can also respond to this natural energy that arises around us and within ourselves.
  More peace and quiet by literally staying indoors in a pleasant warm homely atmosphere when the days are getting shorter. Embrace the energy that slows down in the early fall. The peace practically takes shape when you clean up, in your house, your body and your mind. The discoloration and loosening of the leaves also makes us think about what we no longer want to carry.

  What is it time for you to let go?
  Take a moment during the day where you know you will not be disturbed for about 10 minutes. Choose a nice place in your own environment and sit comfortably in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and allow yourself to let that which needs attention arise. What can be released? Trust that the system allows you to give attention to what needs attention at that moment. You can start by silently repeating a beautiful affirmation within yourself: “I trust that what I no longer need, or what I no longer need to hold on to, may go.” is completely okay. Every time in acceptance with a loving look inside. Speak out in silence: What is it time for you to let go? And repeat it for yourself so that it can form and the deeper faith in it can grow. You don’t have to fill it in, take the time to perceive what comes to mind and look at it like an observer. Keep coming back to the question. When you get a clear insight, smile at it and breathe in and out 10 times deeply. Then you close by taking a moment to feel which action is needed first to come to this letting go and finally thank yourself for this insight and that you may feel lighter and more in contact with yourself. Then stretch out and make a few movements that you find comfortable, so that you can continue your day recharged and refreshed.

  Kind regards, Namasté,
  Manon Simonis
  Founder & Director | Senior yoga teacher & therapist
  As a yoga teacher, owner of Yogaplace in Limburg, developer of body & mind processes for companies, I have been working very pleasantly with ODS for years. Director Kirsten Offermanns has a strong and clear vision about the future of ODS. As a body & mind coach, my expertise is closely linked to this and I will also provide a monthly blog through my knowledge and development of programs.