Our current society equates happiness with having more and so, moderation often gets ignored. Constantly looking at the world, comparing yourself to others and trying to achieve more can make you overlook how simple life actually is. The secret to a fulfilled, happy, and healthy life is very simple yet incredibly effective – living in moderation. The whole idea of moderation is to live a life of balance and avoid any extremities. By doing so, you start appreciating things you already possess. In the end, what matters most is your inner sense of happiness. While money is important for a sense of security and comfort, it does not directly relate to joy and happiness.
In this fast-paced lifestyle, stress seems to be unavoidable. The underlying reason for stress is going above moderation and urging for more. You are always propelled to stretch your ability. Long working hours for greater productivity, harder workouts for an ultra-slim body and earning more for greater luxury. People tend to have high expectations in life which increase over time. Expensive jewelry, costly outfits, luxurious cars, latest Smartphones, the list is endless. In an attempt to fulfill desires, you often get trapped in a vicious cycle - the penchant for acquiring more. There is nothing wrong with having luxury though. The problem arises when the urge to have more becomes an addiction and you start associating wealthy pleasures with happiness.
In the end, not getting what you expect can gradually lead to frustration, feeling dejected, low self-esteem, and anxiety which can further take the ugly turn of stress, depression, and fatigue. So how do you lead a life of wholeness and content? It’s by mastering the technique of living in moderation. Practicing moderation helps to realize that life is not as sophisticated as it looks.
Moderation can be practiced by making certain alterations in life. These great tips can be helpful for living in moderation. Most importantly, they can remarkably help you thrive in extreme situations.
The first step to living in moderation is to have a well-balanced, nutritious diet. In an attempt to lose weight quickly, people often get attracted to fad diets. However, such diets have extreme restrictions which deprive your body of essential nutrients. When your body does not receive its daily recommended nutrients, you can end up feeling fatigued. Nutritious diet plays a significant role in healing your adrenals. Therefore, people with adrenal fatigue should take care to avoid diets that call for extreme food restrictions.
Make sure not to stay away from indulging in your favorite foods. Enjoying that slice of pizza or chocolate cake would help to keep you satisfied and prevent any cravings. Just be mindful to have them in smaller portions. AFS sufferers should always be mindful to have frequent meals to prevent reactive hypoglycemia. Hydration must be attended to in order to avoid dehydration.
Fitness is now related to being skinny like a supermodel and no longer limited to staying healthy alone. To get that slim waistline and more toned body, people tend to exercise for longer periods. While working out helps you stay fit, an excess of it can be harmful. Too much exercise doesn’t give your muscles the rest it needs before your next session and this can damage your tendons and muscles. Consider setting realistic goals and working on them with patience for a healthy body. Start with gentle Adrenal Restorative exercise and progress to Adrenal Yoga Exercise for best results.
More workload can make you stressed and leave you no time for your personal life. Do not put all your energy and time only in one portion of your life. Remember that you work to live and not live to work. Balancing between work and personal time is essential to lead a life of wholeness. Your job is a part of your life but there are other aspects of life which also require focus. Consider spending time doing other activities such as going out with your family or pursuing your hobby. Take frequent breaks and power naps if possible, especially in the afternoon when energy slumps are most commonly observed in AFS sufferers.
Though drinking alcohol is injurious to health, avoiding it in a social gathering can be difficult. Because liver congestion is a common occurrence in AFS, alcohol should be refrained.
While certain levels of stress can help boost your performance, an excess of it can drop your performance level. Therefore, make sure to keep your stress level in check and recognize when stress is affecting your health and productivity. Excess stress can be detrimental to your health and lead to various health problems including fatigue, migraine, increase in blood pressure and cardiovascular problems.
While relaxing helps alleviate stress and fatigue, too much rest can make you feel lethargic. Relaxation is to be practiced in moderation. By relaxing, you are actually preparing your body to handle more work and increase level of productivity. Recent studies reveal that people with busy lifestyles lead a happy life. Relaxing more and doing little work can soon make you feel bored. Adrenal breathing exercise is very helpful in this regard.
Overthinking can stress your nerves and disturb the peace of mind. Things can be bad at times, colleagues can be unfair in the workplace or you might not get the promotion you deserve. Clearing your mind of unpleasant experiences and taking things in the positive light is a helpful way to stop recurring thoughts and instill mental tranquility.
Technology connects us together and keeps us informed about the latest update around the world. It is important not to allow technology interfere with your personal life as it can affect your interpersonal relationship, reduce productivity and make your life sedentary. While checking messages on your Smartphone keeps you informed, it is beyond moderation when you can’t stop yourself from frequently using your phone. Long-term exposure to cell phone radiation has been linked to several health problems including cancer as well.
Moderation extends to personal relationships as well. In fact, the technique, when applied in every aspect of life can bring peace. For instance, having high expectations from your life partner can cause strained relationship. Understanding and accepting people as they are would increase the chances of making your relationship stronger. When there is something that you do not like about your partner, such as smoking, consider giving adequate time for getting rid of the habit.
Working more, over thinking, strenuous exercise, excess alcohol consumption, strained relationships and fad diets can trigger stress. Living in moderation can be remarkably helpful in minimizing stress as well as help fight against various stress-related health issues. The NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response System functions as your body’s natural defensive shield against stress. It is a delicate network of various organs and six circuits that work in close coordination. When your body detects stress, the NEM stress response signals your adrenal glands for secreting cortisol, an anti-stress hormone. However, with repeated stress, your adrenals can get overburdened, reducing cortisol secretion. This decreases the ability of your body to deal with stress leaving you fatigued. Frequently experiencing fatigue along with symptoms of insomnia, difficulty in waking up, low concentration level, brain fog, anxiety, low energy level, craving for salty and fatty foods can be due to Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS).
The world is filled with stimulation. Higher stimulation does not relate to higher happiness. Research reveals that the senses are tuned to respond to the input from new experiences. However, the ability of stimuli to give pleasure reduces as the senses tend to quickly acclimate to stimuli. With more stimulation, the intensity of pleasure reduces. What initially seems to be very exciting becomes normal when done repeatedly. For sustained health, happiness, and success, it is important to understand the delicate balance between extreme pleasure and boredom which can be achieved by living in moderation.
In this world of constant stimulation where materialistic pleasure is given more importance, there is a continuous zeal for acquiring more. In the process of spending more energy in gaining possessions, people often tend to ignore the things they are blessed with. Whether it is food, work, fun, wealth or personal bonding when in moderation, they give lasting happiness. Living in moderation is the key to a successful, healthy and joyful life. It helps to realize that happiness is not about having more but to appreciate and enjoy things we already have in life. You will be surprised to see that practicing moderation can help minimize stress, bring in mental peace and work as an effective natural tool in adrenal fatigue recovery.
© Copyright 2018 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.
Living in moderation paves way for a healthy and joyful life. Practicing moderation allows you to appreciate things you already have. You maintain a good balance in life and do not allow yourself to overindulge. This also helps to minimize stress and promote healthier well-being.
