5 Tips for Feeling Your Best This Summer

Summertime sun and warm lazy days are just around the corner, and now more than ever we need an excuse to try and feel our best – mentally and physically! With so much attention tuned to everything going on around us, we can forget to schedule in that essential ‘me time’. Even when we do, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to what might actually help us feel better long-term.

The body and mind are part of the same intricate machine – if we’re too preoccupied with the inevitable stresses of life and just one area of wellbeing suffers, the whole machine suffers too. It’s true – psychology shows that our thoughts affect our feelings, which then affect our behaviors, and vice versa. So if we’re disregarding our own wellbeing, this will ultimately affect ourselves as well as our external relationships.

At the Hemp Company Dublin we’ve compiled 5 tried and tested tips (and the products that can help) to get you ready for summer in the healthiest way possible. But more importantly, we want to suggest some simple, positive changes to help make sure you’re looking after yourself – Not just for the summer (although it’s a great excuse), but for the longer term too!

Check In On Yourself –

How are you feeling? Yes, I mean YOU.

This question encapsulates everything that ‘checking in’ with yourself means – it’s the practice of paying attention to the self in the present moment, of being mindful. So what’s the big deal with going extended periods of time without performing a bit of a self-assessment? Actually more than you’d think:

• Mindfulness has been shown to have a quantifiable beneficial effect on our brain’s grey matter
• Mindfulness can help us confront depression and anxiety
• Mindfulness can help ensure that we are more present, engaged, and thoughtful in our lives.

With all of these potential benefits, you might be wondering how best to practice mindfulness. If you’re going to be checking in with yourself, what kinds of things should you keep in mind?

Be Present – Simply sit comfortably, close your eyes and start just paying attention to your breath – this can be a way for us to block out the past and the future and turn our attention to the present.

Check in with your body – Sometimes we can be so wrapped up in our emotions that it’s easy to forget the vessel that makes us tick. How does your body feel? Are you in any pain? Just like in yoga, it can be a good exercise to start from the top of your head and work your way down. Moreover, it’s an excellent way to keep your attention focused on the present.

Be Non-Judgemental and Purposeful – Mindfulness is all about actively giving yourself the chance to just exist. That means existing without thinking about all the ways you could be existing better. Being purposefully in the present moment can help to remind us to be non-judgemental as it allows our minds to remain focused.

At the Hemp Company Dublin, we believe that finding the right supplement can be a great start on the path to improved mindfulness and wellness overall. By incorporating a top quality supplement into your daily routine, and sticking to it, you’re giving yourself a little invitation to check in while you get some much-appreciated nutrients.

The supplement we use daily, without fail, is our excellent CBG/CBD Oil. CBG is a cannabinoid like CBD, meaning it originates from the beneficial hemp plant – but CBG is known as the mother from which all other cannabinoids synthesize. When the acidic form of CBG, called CBG-A, is heated, it breaks down into the cannabinoids we know and love – CBD and THC – as well as CBC (cannabichromene) and CBG in its consumable form.

CBG does not cause any psychoactive effects for the user, and like CBD, there is much ongoing research into the potentials of this precursor cannabinoid. Like CBD and all cannabinoids, CBG interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system via the same CB1 and CB2 receptors. Its unique features have made it a sought-after supplement to help support a healthy lifestyle in the wake of CBD’s own popularity – and together they can provide a cannabinoid-packed dose of wellness.

Further research on all cannabinoids is being done globally and we will continue to bring them to our customers as the details emerge.

Exercise, Even A Little, Every Day –

Sometimes a bit of routine exercise goes a long way to helping your mood – but you certainly don’t have to take our word for it. Physical activity has a huge potential to enhance our wellbeing, even if it’s just going for a quick, brisk walk, cleaning the house or jumping on the exercise bike – here’s how:

• Exercise increases our mental alertness, our energy levels and therefore our overall mood – and our self esteem!
• Exercise can help us tackle stress in a natural way by helping us synthesize those stress hormones, adrenaline and noradrenaline, that make us feel anxious, raise our blood pressure, and increase the heart rate.
• Exercise can help combat mental decline in the short term and long term.

So why not combine routine with a bit of exercise and try a 10 minute Youtube workout at the same time for 5 days to see what a difference it can make?

For an added boost of motivation, try Hemp Company’s Hemp Protein Powder in a smoothie before you get physical! What can a protein shake specifically contribute to your wellness? The secret/not so secret ingredient is hemp, and although there are all kinds of good reasons to incorporate hemp into your diet, there’s some good evidence to link hemp to helping you stay active and fit:

• Hemp protein powder adds both protein and fiber to your diet – when you have enough healthy fibre, you feel fuller for a longer period of time (and who doesn’t want less cravings?)
• It’s easy to digest – Over 90% of the protein in hemp seed is digestible, which means your body can use almost every bit of amino acids that they contain for bodily repair and maintenance (which can be important for building muscle).
• Hemp contains the ideal ratio of fatty acids omega-6 to omega-3, and this may improve heart health in the long term.

Why Hemp, you ask? Hemp is absolutely packed with energy boosting, super healthy nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. It is a highly nutritious plant based protein source containing all the amino acids, sizable amounts of vitamin E, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc. And, as it has an impressive 90% protein digestibility ranking, hemp can act as a realistic replacement for other protein sources in the diet. It is also a pretty sustainable option to high intensity farming.

Touted as a superfood with good reason, hemp provides us with fatty acids including the perfect ratio of Omega 3 & 6 which the body cannot produce on its own but are essential for long term health. Besides this, hemp is an incredible source of fibre, something imperative to the overall health of the gut – but also something that can help reduce our appetites, help with weight management, and help to balance blood sugar levels.

Check out Hemp Company Dublin’s range of Hemp Food Products today!

Eat Healthy Foods –

It’s true what they say, a healthy tummy equals a happy, healthy you – and there’s plenty of scientific evidence to support this. Eating a diet rich in vegetables and nutrients has been shown to increase levels of wellbeing, and can even help reduce feelings of depression; good gut health is now known to have a positive impact on the brain. This is all well and good, but how can we make sure we’re eating the healthiest foods?

Well, you have to ensure you’re getting your 5-7 servings of fruit and veg a day. Did you know that Hemp-based foods are packed with Omega 3 and 6, protein, and magnesium – not to mention in its natural state it’s actually a vegetable touting all kinds of benefits? Oh, and it’s delicious, versatile, and comes in many shapes and sizes.

While the Hemp Company Dublin has an array of Hemp Food Products to choose from, if you’re looking to add a purely green, organic burst of hemp to your day, we would highly suggest Kama Hemp Juice Powder. The only organic hemp juice grown and produced in Europe, Kama Hemp is grown in Co. Monaghan, Ireland, and is harvested and juiced at the height of its growing season – meaning that every bit of its green energy and great health benefits are captured in this amazing juice powder. It’s the only food available with naturally occurring CBD Cannabidiol and can be an important nutritional source of your daily CBD.

Totally organic and IOA certified, Kama Hemp Juice is the perfect way to get your greens as well as taking advantage of the benefits of hemp and CBD. Indeed, Kama Hemp Juice Powder is a functional food – with one small teaspoon full per day you are adding macro and micronutrients that have potentially beneficial effects on health when consumed as part of a varied diet on a regular basis. Functional foods promote optimal health and help reduce the risk of disease. So why not add a bit more functionality to your diet?

Stay Hydrated –

Your body needs water (preferably good quality filtered water) for various crucial functions. Water helps transport necessary nutrients and oxygen around your body, it helps to rid your system of waste products, it helps your digestive system function properly, and even helps regulate your temperature. And, for those of us who feel it necessary to consider such things, water helps your skin not just look better, but be healthier overall.

More than this, however, is the fact that not getting enough good quality water can lead to dehydration, where you lose more water than you take in. Several different factors can lead to dehydration, including illness, drinking too much alcohol or excessively sweating (from, say, exercising). When we become dehydrated, it’s important to replenish the body with the water that it needs, of course. But did you know that it’s also important to consider the other things your body loses when it becomes dehydrated – namely important salts and sugars?

While many people reach for energy or sports drinks to replenish these important nutrients, or to get a quick perk of energy, these can contain far more sugar and/or caffeine than the body actually needs. The Hemp Company firmly attests to the benefits of pure, filtered water. But when you’re out and about and need a good alternative, it’s important to choose a hydrator that is as healthy as possible. Parachute’s CBD Infused Sparkling Tea is just that – a healthier choice. With natural ingredients, zero caffeine and broad spectrum hemp distillate, this sparkling tea is the perfect way to add a bit of flavorful wellness to staying hydrated.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep –

Getting a good nights’ sleep is something that many of us struggle with so much that it’s taken to be a fact of life that we most likely won’t get enough of it, and even then the quality can be less than great. Sleep is as vital as hydration and getting enough nutrients, it’s a key process in helping the body repair itself after the long day and helping our minds process information and memories.

All the sleep we’re going without can lead to troubling health consequences for our bodies and brains:

• Poor sleep can increase your risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes
• Poor sleep can lead to lack of concentration, irritability, and fatigue
• Poor sleep can affect your mood and can lead to/exacerbate depression

These are quite serious consequences of not getting enough quality sleep, but even improving your sleep a little bit can lead to positive consequences in the short term and long term. A good night’s sleep can boost your immune system and decrease your risk of serious illnesses like obesity and heart disease. But just as importantly, sleep can improve your mental wellbeing and has been linked to decreased amounts of depression and anxiety.

If you’re having trouble sleeping, and let’s face it, you probably are, why not try incorporating MediHemp’s Organic Hemp Capsules into your evening? The benefits of having a strong before-bed routine are well documented and can help you wind down both mentally and physically, and adding a natural supplement before bed can improve your overall wellness as you get some much needed rest.

As we learn more all the time about what makes us tick we hope this has been an interesting look at how the systems of our bodies are all connected and the importance of looking after all of YOU!