Wealden Times | WT234 | November 2021 | Christmas Gift supplement inside

Nourish to
Flourish
Nutrition & Lifestyle
Coach Charlotte Lau
looks into ‘connection’
and how to nurture
your relationships
As human beings we are hardwired to feel connected.
We thrive in an environment where we have the
opportunity to work and play together, rely on and
support each other and feel joy and security when surrounded
by close friends and family. We are profoundly social creatures
and often when we lack social connection it can actually
manifest as low mood, depression, sleep disturbances and
even obesity. Unfortunately, with multiple lockdowns behind
us, this has been amplified. We have all experienced, in
some way or other, less physical contact, smaller gatherings,
restricted outings and perhaps more time spent trying to seek
connection through our smartphones. Human connection
is as important as the food we eat or how often we move
our body, and time spent nurturing these vital relationships
with our friends, family and partners can have such a
positive effect on our mood, outlook and physical health.
Wellbeing
Give it a go...
Live like the Blue Zones
Have you ever heard of the Blues Zones? They are
5 places around the world (Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia,
Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece, and Loma
Linda, California) where people have the highest life
expectancy or with the highest proportions of people
twho reach 100. Research pinpointed 9 commonalities
that lead to happier, healthier and longer lives. Moving
naturally and eating more plant based were perhaps
among the most obvious, but community also featured.
The world’s longest living people chose social circles
that supported healthy behaviours and prioritised their
relationships with their children and elders, where often
generations lived all together, supporting each other. Take
a leaf from their book and nurture family relationships;
sit at the table and enjoy meals together, encourage
family games and make time to simply listen and
engage. Really listen to your children or your partner;
learn about their day and offer support if needed.
istockphoto.com/Wavebreakmedia
Learn to... nurture your tribe
Good connections are critical to our wellbeing. Feeling
isolated can actually activate our stress response which
impacts our immune system and triggers a process called
inflammation. Long term inflammation can lead to
conditions such as type 2 diabetes or autoimmune issues.
So how can we feel less isolated in modern life? Improve
the quality of your connections and make daily connection
a priority. Phone a friend, join a club; your local park run, a
community group or a book club at your local library, arrange
coffee and chats, cook together or sign up for a walking challenge
with your dog. Don’t forget the importance of physical touch
(being Covid-safe, of course!). Hug more, hug longer, hold
hands or book a massage. Foster and work at these meaningful
connections as it is critical to your health and wellness and
stay close to people who make you feel like sunshine.
Charlotte runs Plume Nutrition, where she offers support and advice
for weight management, controlling cravings, sleeplessness, stress
and increasing energy levels. Find out more at plumenutrition.com
Step away from... fake connections
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram
and Twitter bring many positives like reconnecting
with old friends, social interactions, a support network
and staying up to date with current affairs. However,
depending on the use, they can also impact us
negatively. Many of us turn to Facebook to seek and
feel connected, yet studies have shown that passive
use of social media, just watching or scrolling without
actively posting, is actually associated with greater social
comparison, lower self-esteem and greater depression.
Try using social media as an addition to your existing
relationships, be purposeful with your engagement.
Think carefully about who you follow and surround
yourself online with positive role models, family and
real friends and unfollow those that undermine your
self esteem. Think of it as a condiment, rather than
the main meal. Nurture face-to-face relationships,
swap likes for hugs and comments for conversations.
105 priceless-magazines.com