Blog Loving - Bella Mumma

This very cool blog shares tips on wellness, helath and beauty. Always such fresh ideas. Here are Nikkis ideas for beating the winter blues. A x

NEED A LITTLE PEP IN YOUR STEP THIS MORNING? 
Research shows, more than ever, that there are easy ways to boost our mood...
1. Don't dwell. 
Rumination—whether rehashing things from the past or worrying about the future—worsens and lengthens periods of depression and can make everyday bad moods more intense. Break the bad mood cycle by doing something constructive: Go for a run, get a manicure, play with your dog—and really get into whatever you're doing.
2. Act the part. 
Anything we do to promote our social relationships is a great way to achieve happiness. Oh, and when you see those friends? Be nice. "If you want to be happy, practice compassion," preaches the Dalai Lama—and a UC Riverside study found that favors as small as doing your roommates dishes can enhance your mood.
3. Get healthy.
Exercise that is rhythmic, repetitive, noncompetitive, and involves diaphragmatic breathing {from your belly} yields the biggest mental payoff. Yoga has the additional benefit of increasing levels of GABA {a neurotransmitter associated with happy, calm feelings} and lowering levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress. And it turns out that one of the best oral antidepressants doesn't require a prescription: eat monosaturated fats {like avocado, olive oil, and nuts} and oily, cold-water fish {like salmon} three times a week {or take a fish-oil supplement, otherwise known as Omega-3 Fatty Acids}. Almost everyone in our society is deficient in fish oil, which has powerful effects on brain function and mood.
4. Buy flowers and play music. 
Studies show that flowers make us less anxious, less depressed, more compassionate at home, and more enthusiastic at work - while music can affect the pleasure centre of the brain.
5. Be optimistic. 
Scientists who study positive psychology believe that a little delusion—ie. actually doing a little magical thinking—can actually go a long way toward making us happier, healthier, and far more successful. Studies have also shown that optimism can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, improve immune function, and maybe even lengthen your life.

Annabell Kutucu

I have always adored Annabell Kutucu hence the reason I am head over heels for this newly transformed apartment in Vienna...