Showing posts with label motivation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motivation. Show all posts

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Como Mantener tu Salud Mental

En los últimos años la mucha gente se ha dado cuenta de la importancia de una dieta apropiada y acompañada de ejercicio físico. En los pasados 20 años sin duda ha habido un cambio en cuanto al estado de salud de muchas sociedades, que ha determinado una mejor calidad de vida. Sin embargo, esto no ha traído salud mental que es tan importante como la salud física.

Hoy en día, la mayoría de la gente hace de 4 a 6 horas de ejercicio por día, y se asegura de que todo lo que ingiere, no tiene azucares o preservantes, pero no prestan atención a su salud mental. Es decir, mucha gente no toma las vacaciones necesarias, ni siquiera en los fines de semana largos. La gente trabaja 60 horas por semana, llevándose a las casas los problemas del trabajo y trabajando los fines de semana también. Todo esto con esperanzas de mejorar la calidad de vida material. Pero, ¿de que sirve todo el esfuerzo cuando el cerebro esta abundado y sientes explotar en la oficina?

Al final, la salud física puede sufrir no importa que bien comas y hagas ejercicio. Probablemente tengas alta presión, estrés y tensión lo cual pondrá en alto riesgo tu salud.

Para ayudarte a evitar llegar a alguna de las anteriores situaciones, aquí te presento algunos consejos para mejorar tu condición mental.

Si disfrutas la adrenalina, te recomiendo que pruebes deportes como kite surfing, bunge jumping, y demás. Si disfrutas andar en motocicleta es muy bueno andar en contra del viento como terapia para relajarse y disfrutar un buen viaje.

Buscar actividades que te desconecten de la rutina diaria (la cual a veces puede ser estresante) es la clave principal. Por ejemplo, si disfrutas leer, un buen libro de ciencia ficción como "Harry Potter", "Lord of the Rings" u otros pueden ser perfectos para ti. Si disfrutas en cambio mirar películas, entonces comienza con hacerte socio de una tienda de DVDs y veras que bien te hará.

Actividades como paseos fuera de la ciudad, visitar viñedos, campos, parques y demás son esenciales a la hora de relajarse. Si disfrutas las montañas, todavía puedes ir a visitar la nieve, esquiar y aflojar tu mente. Las vacaciones, por más pequeñas que sean te llenaran el alma con memorias alegres y positivas.

Si disfrutas andar en bicicleta, o en patines esas son actividades que te destaparan y ayudaran a sentirte mejor. Siempre es divertido hacerlo con amigos que estén dispuestos a un poco de aventura. Organizar un grupo grande de gente que quiera hacerlo es una buena idea, que los puede llevar a conocer lugares que nunca creías que ibas a encontrar. Ríos abandonados, pasajes que están cerrados para la gente, bosques y demás lugares increíbles para conocer.

En fin, hay un sin fin de actividades para llevar a cabo si buscas caminos diferentes para mejorar tu salud mental y relajarte naturalmente. No olvides que la salud mental es tan importante como la física y que para tener una hay que tener la otra!

Friday, August 6, 2010

Armchair Olympian

I am not a die-hard sports enthusiast, but confess I enjoyed watching the winter Olympics held in Turino Italy. It was nice to watch something positive and motivational for a change and to delight in some truly amazing and generous acts. I find the wide variety of sports showcased fascinating, proving there is a lot one can do in cold climates of winter!

Consider the spectrum of sports. There are the many varieties of skiing. The downhill event has skiers reaching speeds of 140 kilometres per hour (87 mph), you get speeding tickets for going that fast in a car! Imagine what it takes to be a ski jumper as you attempt to imitate flight and defy gravity the longest once you are airborne. Picture the freestyle skiers who twist and turn in the air so fast I don't know how the commentators can describe their incredible aerial feats. The cross-country skiers have tremendous endurance, and some stop to shoot rifles while trying to manage their beating hearts and gasping lungs.

We were witness to a newer Olympic event that debuted in Nagano in 1998, snowboarding. I think the snowboarders had the most fun creating their lexicon when they speak of a McTwist, Fakie, Duckfoot, an Ollie or a Nollie! Didn't it just used to be Narly ... or was that suffer speak and I've just dated myself?

There are those flashy speed skaters in their skin-tight outfits who fly around an oval ice surface at up to 60 kph (37 mph) battling G forces in the turns. The figure skaters entertained us with their dance routines and inspiring jumps. They also showed tremendous grit when Zhang Dan a Chinese pairs figure skater had a spectacular fall which made anyone watching cringe. To our disbelief, this 20 year old got up, completed the routine, and won the silver medal. Awesome.

We can't forget the curlers. A sport many find strange, but appreciate the accuracy involved in curling your rock down a 44 meter (49 yard) ice surface and trying to hit a bulls eye with two sweepers helping control speed and direction of a heavy stone, while you opponent is attempting to block you or knock you on every throw. Lots of yelling and physics accompany this sport! Imagine four Newfoundlanders winning the gold - talk about a party when they get home!

There is the luge where, depending on the event, one or two people lie on their backs on a sled going down a tight twisty run ... feet first. You might think that is scary enough until you see those in the skeleton event, maybe appropriately named. These athletes go down a steep ice track, on a sled, that has no brakes, headfirst. Hmmm ... where do they find people to do this?

Then there is ice hockey. Grown men and women strap on boots with blades on the bottom, use curved sticks to shoot a hard rubber disk in the opponents net. This happens as they skate at up to 50 km per hour (30 mph) and shoot the puck at over 150 kph (95 mph) while maneuvering around on ice. A shame both the NHL laden U.S.A and Canadian teams didn't even make it to the semi-finals. Perhaps too much talent, not enough "team".

Over the 17-day period, 2,500 athletes from 85 nations competed for 84 medals in seven sports. We shared the pride of those on the podium as they smiled or cried as their national anthem played before the world. Two single acts at this twentieth Olympic Games stand out in my mind and will for many years.

I applaud gold medalist Joey Cheek, the USA speed skater for donating his $25,000 bonus to Right to Play, an organization of former Olympic, Paralympic and professional athletes worldwide who support using sport for development, health and peace. Good for you Joey, you are an inspiration to many.

Perhaps the defining moment of the Games was when Sara Renner, a Canadian broke her ski pole in a cross-country team sprint event. A Norwegian coach gave her a pole to finish the race. She and teammate Beckie Scott went on to win the silver medal. To me this unselfish act defines sportsmanship and is hard evidence the true Olympic spirit lives on. See you in Vancouver in 2010.