Wellness Mama Queen

As those in the Northern Hemisphere are emerging from the dark, icy thaw and are turning their faces toward the warmth and light of Spring, those in the Southern Hemisphere are preparing for winter. Whether you love it or hate it, there’s something about hunkering down for winter that teaches the importance of self-care. You stay home more, gravitate toward more substantial meals, and bundle up against the elements. But these lessons can be enjoyed during all seasons. They provide a refuge from the convenient, fast-paced culture so many face on a regular basis. If only you could discover lifestyle habits that can help you   manage your stress   and relish the present. The answer, in a word, is the Danish concept that has recently spread beyond Scandinavia: hygge. What is Hygge? Pronounced “HOO-guh,” the word doesn’t have an exact English translation. Hygge is a mindset—a series of lifestyle choices, practicing deliberate moments of cozy comfort to improve your overall contentm...

A whiff of something enticing hits you and you immediately wonder what it is. You have to identify the smell. Before you know it, the scent has started a tango between   your brain and your stomach. When you finally walk by a burger joint, pastry shop, or a place serving one of your favourites, it’s hard to turn off the craving. This scene happens to everyone, even if your tummy is full. That’s because everybody has strong connections to different foods. It’s part of everyday life in a world full of potential food addictions. Yes, they’re real, and food addictions are hard to break. But how, exactly, do you know when you’re addicted to a food or beverage? The answers are below. You’ll find out how your tastiest choices consistently register in your memory and what causes food addiction. With that brings the usual internal battles like how to pace or limit yourself in the face of your delicious addictions. You’ll find tips for accomplishing that tough task, too. What   is ...

Think back to the last time you experienced silence. Was it in the woods? Maybe it was on a flight with your noise-cancelling headphones on. Regardless of the setting, one fact is almost certain: it wasn’t truly silent. Whether it’s the hum of a refrigerator, the chirping of birds, or the faintest ruffling of leaves, there’s always some sound to break the silence. Noise is virtually impossible to escape. It’s just a fact of life. Sound is so constant that most people don’t think too much about it. Some noises are more pleasant than others, but beyond that it’s all just, well, noise. But sound isn’t just a question of pleasant and unpleasant—it’s also a question of healthy and unhealthy. Now before you run off to make your life as quiet as possible, let’s get one thing straight: not all noise is bad. Understanding the links between sound and health will help you keep the negative noise in your life to a minimum, while enjoying all   the benefits of music   and other positive so...

In today’s hyper-connected, fast-paced environment, the challenge more than ever is to have the discipline to slow down. Modern-day technology also inundates your life with distractions that draw your focus outward. It’s possible to mask chronic stress and other unhealthy psychological states, but society has begun to recognize the need for a counter movement. Taking a “brain break”—relearning how to slow down and go inward—has become increasingly popular. That may be due, in part, to recognized meditation benefits for the brain. Meditating is a great way to ease the frantic state of mind many find themselves in. Once thought to be an enigmatic practice, meditation has gained traction in recent years. One study shows regular meditation by adults tripled from 2012–2017. The growing literature on the benefits of meditation is expansive and promising. The practice of cultivating   mindfulness   through meditation can be achieved in many ways. Put simply, it’s being aware of where...