Many people are aware of the need for ongoing self-improvement. But often the emphasis is placed on external factors: physical fitness, acquiring skills to make yourself a stronger leader, or executive acumen.
However, none of that will get you where you truly want to go without support from a strong inner core.
What is Inner Strength?
People tend to get confused between mental strength and inner strength. is the strength of the soul. Inner strength is the core strength of a person, while mental strength is the strength of the mind.
Inner strength means having strong willpower with self-discipline. It is expressed through positivity and courage and how one withstands difficulties and obstacles.
Importance of Inner Strength
Inner strength is an essential skill, necessary for carrying out tasks, chores and decisions, and for the achievement of goals. It protects and assists day-to-day functions and is responsible for much of our movement.
A strong inner self gives us patience and courage essential for doing our duties. It gives us self-confidence, determination, tolerance and enthusiasm for leading a healthy and quality life.
It helps in controlling unnecessary and harmful impulses and habits. If you tend to be lazy, developing inner strength will help you overcome laziness.
It makes it easier to form goals and follow them through giving you the courage and strength to endure difficulties and hardships.
How to develop a strong inner self?
Developing this ability requires that you train your willpower and self-discipline. This is a gradual process and is highly beneficial.
Disconnect & Meditate
The only way to calm your inner chaos is with 100% focus. Distractions and disruptions can chip away at your core. Set aside one day a month to completely unplug everything. Take time to rejuvenate, connect with nature and just sit with your thoughts.
Give Importance to Your Body
You can use your body to strengthen your soul so be proactive about your health. It’s tough to feel strong inside if you are unhealthy outside. Make a strong effort to be fit and healthy. Eat right, exercise and feel good about yourself.
Here are a few simple exercises you can do:
- Drink your water.
- Climb up the stairs instead of taking the lift.
- Park your car a little far from your destination and walk.
Be Open to New Experiences
New experiences build resilience and creativity – two crucial aspects of inner strength. Get involved in new activities and give yourself the freedom to experiment and learn from diversity. Do something that you’ve never done before but wish to experiment; something that’s exciting, inspiring, and insightful.
There is a well-established relationship between good health and good nutrition. The impact of nutrition sporting performance itself has become a subject of study. Whether you are a competing athlete, a hobby sports player or a religious exerciser, the foundation to improve your performance is a nutritionally rich diet.
You are more likely to feel tired and perform poorly when you do not get enough calories, carbohydrates, proteins, fluids, iron, vitamins, and other minerals. Eating a nutrition-rich diet can help provide the energy you need to finish a race, or just enjoy a casual sport or activity.
Good Diet for Athletes
When we talk about the nutrient requirements for athletes, the quality of nutrients consumed is equally important as the quantity of nutrients. In that case, fats, proteins and carbohydrates and all the other micronutrients need to be high quality.
Besides, the basic training diet should be sufficient to meet the demands of training and exercise and enhance adaptation and recovery between training sessions. This diet has to be tailored considering an athlete’s body weight and composition, training duration and the type of sport they play.
Diet Requirement of Athletes
Carbs
Athletes who exercise vigorously may need to increase their carbohydrates intake to meet their energy requirements. Carbohydrates act as a key energy source during exercise and fuel exercising muscle tissue and other body systems.
If carbohydrate in the diet is restricted, a person’s ability to exercise is compromised. This can also result in a loss of protein (muscle) tissue, since the body may start to break down muscle tissue to meet its energy needs.
Proteins
Protein plays a key role in post-exercise recovery and repair and therefore is an important part of a training diet. Protein needs are generally met by following a high-carbohydrate diet because many foods are a combination of carbohydrates and protein.
Fluids
Water is another most important, yet undervalued, nutrient for all including athletes. The body can lose several litres of sweat in an hour of vigorous exercise. Water and other fluids help to keep the body hydrated and at the right temperature.
Ensure consuming a good amount of water and other fluids throughout the day, whether or not you will be exercising.
Vitamins and Minerals
Athletes should ensure to consume the essential vitamins and minerals they need to support their general health and sports performance. The body requirement of vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients is usually achieved by consuming a varied, balanced diet. Some may choose to take supplements to meet the requirements.
If you are considering nutritional supplements to improve your athletic performance, talk to 8 Fitness Tip’s professional nutritionists today!
Meal Timing
Besides the right nutrition, the timing of meals and snacks also plays an important role in an athlete’s performance. The timing and content of meals can help support training needs, reduce fatigue, and help optimize body composition. These may vary depending on the type of athlete.
Nutrition According to the Sport Type
Athletes have different nutritional requirements depending on which sport they are in. They may need to consult a sports nutritionist, or a registered dietitian, to ensure they consume the right diet and maintain ideal body weight for optimal performance and recovery. Plan a timing strategy that suits your body, sport, and schedule.
Plan a diet that is right for your needs. Talk to our professional nutritionists at 8 Fitness Tips.
What is Detoxification
Full body detox or cleanse typically implies getting rid of toxins from the body to improve overall health and well-being while also promoting weight loss. Our body has its way of cleansing itself with the help of our detox organs including the liver, kidneys, lungs, gut, and skin.
When the body gets overloaded by toxins these organs get knocked out of balance. And that’s when it needs a little help in detoxing.
Why Detox?
Few symptoms tell when our body needs help in detoxification. Persistent fatigue, constipation or irregular bowel movements, inability to lose weight despite clean eating and regular exercise etc are some of the signs that indicate toxins in the body.
When you experience one or more of these symptoms regularly, it’s time to reclaim your good health by making some positive lifestyle changes and proactive health choices.
Benefits of Detoxing or Cleansing
There are a lot of health benefits associated with the body cleansing or detoxification process which is designed to eliminate toxins from your body. Here are a few of them:
- Weight loss
- Clear & Healthy Skin Health
- Improved Digestion
- High Energy Level
How to Detox?
Here is how you can optimize your body’s natural detoxification system.
- Drink more water – Water helps in digestion and nutrient absorption and detoxifies your body by removing waste products.
- Limit the intake of processed foods – By consuming less junk food, you can keep your body’s
detoxification system healthy.
- Regular exercise – Exercise can help your body’s systems — including its detoxification system
— function properly and protect against disease.
- Meditate – Meditation helps you detox your mind and enhance your ability to focus.
- Ensure adequate sleep – Sleep reorganizes and recharges the brain and body while removing toxic waste byproducts.
Summary
Your body’s body’s natural detoxification system (liver, kidneys, lungs, gut, and skin) can be enhanced and improved by following a few simple steps and bringing some positive change in the lifestyle.
It is normal to feel tired, exhausted and low on energy when you have been sick and down with any viral infection. This tiredness is a part of the healing process which can linger for weeks or months.
This lack of energy that you experience while recovering from any viral infection is known as post-viral fatigue. It can make you sleep more, feel unsteady on your feet, make standing for long periods difficult and also affect your ability to concentrate on work.
Post-viral fatigue mostly continues for some time after the infection has cleared. However, it is important to recover from this fatigue in the due course of time. Because, if not addressed in time, it can make you susceptible to other viruses and infections.
Symptoms of Post-viral Fatigue
While lack of energy is one of the significant indicators of post-viral fatigue, one might also experience other symptoms including:
- Poor concentration
- Headache or pain in muscles and joints
- Muscle stiffness or weakness
- Sore throat and swollen glands
- Breathlessness and heart palpitation
- Weak immunity
- Sleep disruption and depression
Addressing Post-viral Fatigue
So what should you do if you’re suffering from post-viral fatigue?
While there are no precise treatments, there are many things you can do to ease your symptoms and aid your recovery.
Nutritional Support
It is important to provide some extra nutritional support to enhance mitochondrial function. Some herbs and supplements can help restore energy. They can help in overcoming the effect of the virus on the immune system, liver function and digestive tract.
Good Rest
Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important activities you can do for your health. When you sleep, the growth hormone is produced which repairs the tissue, regulates immune function and detoxes the brain and organ. Besides, sleep produces serotonin, the hormone that is responsible for regulating mood.
Moderate Activity
Moderate levels of activity like walking and stretching will increase circulation and improve lymph flow. The body takes time to recover and regain strength and stability. To engage in some moderate exercise, but don’t overdo it.
Sun Therapy
Soaking in the sun helps get the body Vitamin D. Since low levels of Vitamin D have been associated with a low performing immune system, it is important to take your dose of Vitamin D to recover faster.
The Bottomline
The recovery time from post-viral fatigue varies from person to person. Some people are back to normal within a few days to a week, while others experience the symptoms for long. However, getting an early diagnosis may improve recovery.
As your body gradually recovers from the illness, remember to keep a balance of diet, rest and exercise.
Self-care i.e. taking care of yourself is important for better physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being. It promotes positive health outcomes and a better ability to manage stress.
Although self-care alone cannot cure or treat any disease or illness, it can help prepare your body to deal with it in a better way and prevent future lifestyle challenges. Besides, practising self-care may help patients manage symptoms and improve emotional well-being.
Examples of self-care include:
- Maintaining a regular sleeping routine
- Eating a healthy diet
- Spending time in nature
- Doing a hobby you enjoy
Self-Care Practices for Different Areas of Your Life
Self-care is not just confined to eating healthy food and working out. There are various aspects of self-care. Let’s understand the different areas where you can practice self-care.
Physical Self-Care
Your diet, eating habits, sleeping pattern, physical activity are all part of physical self-care practices. Eating a balanced nutritious diet, indulging in some physical activity and giving your body the rest it requires for better physical health are all part of self-care techniques.
Social Self-Care
Humans beings are social animals who need to maintain their social well-being. Make sure to create enough time in your schedule to have an optimal social life. Put your time and energy into building your relationships with others. Nurture your relationship with your family. Take out some time and get face-to-face friends. These are all part of self-care practices.
Mental Self-Care
Having a healthy mind is as important as having a healthy body. Get involved in things that keep your mind sharp, like solving puzzles, learning about a subject of your choice. Read books, watch movies and do things that help you stay mentally healthy. Practice self-compassion and acceptance and make time for activities that stimulate you mentally.
Spiritual Self-Care
Develop a deeper sense of understanding and connection with the world around you. Spiritual self-care can involve meditation, attending a religious service, or praying.
Emotional Self-Care
Indulge in activities where you can acknowledge and express your feelings regularly. Talk to a partner or close friend about how you feel or get involved in something that helps you process your emotions.
It is important to understand that the same self-care plan does not work for everyone. Self-care practice has to be customized according to an individual’s choice and lifestyle. Find out which aspects of your life need attention and create a change plan accordingly.
Start small, choose one practice each week to weave self-care into your daily routine. Note the positive changes and add in more practices when you feel ready.
A very common saying goes like “precaution is better than cure.” And the same goes true for your body’s defence mechanism. The function of the immune system is to defend your body against various illnesses and diseases. So a strong immunity is a precaution you take to keep your body free from diseases.
The immune system is a complex system that is made up of cells in your skin, blood, bone marrow, tissues, and organs. These all work together to protect your body against potentially harmful pathogens like bacteria and viruses and limit the damage from noninfectious agents. Here every component has to perform according to the defence plan.
While there is no magic pill that makes these components function efficiently, it is important to plan your nutritional diet and lifestyle to have a strong defence mechanism.
Here’s how you can work on improving your immunity with the right diet and lifestyle.
There is no alternative to a healthy diet
The nutrients you get from food are essential to keeping your immune system functioning properly. Zinc, folate, iron, selenium, copper, and vitamins A, C, E, B6, and B12 are the nutrients your immune system needs to do its job.
Good sleep is important to prepare your body to fight against diseases
Insufficient sleep can make the body vulnerable to diseases. Besides, sleep also affects the body’s metabolism making you prone to illness. When we sleep, the body repairs itself thereby strengthening the immune system.
Also read: Importance of sleep in fitness & healthy living
Exercising lowers the risk of many chronic diseases and improves immunity
Regular moderate exercising improves immunity and lowers the risk of lifestyle-related challenges. 8 Fitness Tips experts recommend 30 to 45 minutes of regular workout session followed by a good nutritious diet.
Keep yourself stress-free by practising a stress-relieving lifestyle
Besides the physical factors like nutrition, rest and exercise, your immune system also has to do with your mental wellbeing. Anxiety, stress and unhealthy habits and affects how your body reacts to these harmful pathogens like bacteria and viruses.
Improving immunity with nutrition experts
All the above-mentioned tips will help you boost your immune system and fight against viruses. However, to ensure that you get the optimum amount of nutrients from your diet, talk to our nutrition experts to boost your immune system.