Happy FriYay
Welcome to the wabi-sabi letter, the digital newsletter that promotes healthy living, wellness, mental health awareness, fitness, positive habits, and all around happiness. Clear your head and cleanse your inbox with a tiny space for wellness as you set your intentions for the day. Badabing badaboom.
Daily Microbiome Optimizations
Niket Sonpal, MD, an internist and gastroenterologist in New York City and faculty member at Touro College of Medicine, offers his best advice on how to improve gut health midday for Well + Good:
Eat fiber-rich meals and snacks
Fiber is critical to gut health. "It's like weight lifting for the colon," says Dr. Sonpal. "It keeps it in shape and gives you good, clean bowel movements that happen without any issue."
Many of us, however, overestimate our fiber intake. So, he recommends spending a couple of days documenting the amount of fiber you eat daily, and then adding from there if necessary—the United States Department of Agriculture recommends women consume 25 grams per day and 38 grams for men. Ensuring that whatever snacks you eat between meals are fiber-rich—e.g., whole grains, seeds, fruits, and vegetables—can help you bridge the fiber gap throughout the day.
But wait, there’s more. Check out the full list of gut-health-checks that can be performed throughout the day in Well + Good here.
Manifesting Now Backed By Science (Sort Of)
Manifesting is having a moment. Studies suggest that self-affirmation (essentially tapping into your sense of self and directionally setting intentions) can actually have positive outcomes from a psychological standpoint. While this piece in MindBodyGreen is rooted in numerology—not quite scientific—we can get on board with the exercise to manifest *ahem* self-affirm what you’re looking to set your mind towards.
Here's what you'll do:
Write down your affirmation three times as soon as you wake up in the morning.
Write down your affirmation six times during the afternoon.
Write your affirmation nine times before you go to bed.
Keep in mind, this method (and any method of manifesting, for that matter) is much more likely to work if you take action, too.
Action Item: Take a cue from Oprah with these positive affirmations featured in Oprah Daily by great leaders.
Somatic Release Exercise for Your Friday
We’re simply sharing a somatic release exercised aimed at destressing coming at you for your hectic Friday. Try this quick somatic release exercise first published in Well + Good created by Stephanie Rae, a somatic healing practitioner and sex and intimacy coach based in Chicago.
1. Start by unclenching your jaw—your TMJ and tension headaches will thank you. "Our jaw is usually one of the first places we tense up," says Rae. "Unclench your teeth and relax. Breathe. Relax more. Breathe again."
2. Next, move down to your shoulders, dropping them down and back while moving your neck from side-to-side to release any tightness or stiffness.
3. After that, shake your hands out, opening and closing your fists and stretching your fingers. "Let all excess energy go!"
4. Then, move on to your eyes, rolling them from side to side and blinking occasionally. Rae says that when we focus or get "in the zone", we can get tunnel vision—literally. "Move your eyes around. Side to side and up and down," says Rae. "This helps prevent migraines and tension headaches."
5. Next, stick out your tongue, which will help un-clench your jaw even more while relaxing other muscles in your face.
6. For the final step, take three deep belly breaths, inhaling and exhaling fully. "This is the fastest way to reconnect with your body and self. Notice a clearer mind and less tension almost immediately," Rae says.
Emails, Slacks, deadlines—they'll all get done. Give your body and brain a break for just a minute.
Like us? Share the well(th) with your friends & family.
You're amazing. Enjoy the world today.
Love,
wabi-sabi team