July 8, 2024 • 16 mins
Pt. 2 of the Top 10 non-basic practices for health, healing, and your overall well-being. Learn how grounding, matcha, dancing, selfcare, and more can help you on your journey of getting better.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
I'm Savannah Harding and this is Getting Better.
(00:15):
Hi I'm Savannah and welcome back to the top 10 practices for health and healing.
We're just going to pick it right up where we left off with number six.
So if you haven't listened to one through five I would suggest you go back just to get
a little background on why we're talking about this today.
(00:36):
We are wrapping it up continuing with number six which is reducing my coffee intake and
replacing it with matcha.
This falls under nutrition for the big five.
If you follow me on social media you know that I love my matcha.
I've also loved coffee for the majority of my life.
(00:58):
Unfortunately coffee's caffeine has a negative impact on my anxiety as it increases heart
rate and I found myself feeling more stressed and could sense the drop after a caffeine spike
wore off which didn't help with my fatigue.
I still drink coffee but I ask for decaf espresso which still has caffeine in it but I have
(01:18):
truly become addicted to matcha and its benefits.
Matcha is green tea that is grown in the shade which gives it five times more of the amount
of L-theanine than regular green tea.
L-theanine is an amino acid that promotes relaxation without drowsiness.
(01:39):
It provides steady energy without the crash that you normally get from coffee.
L-theanine supports your cognitive function, your immune system, and overall mood.
And matcha is high in antioxidants including catechins which may help prevent cell damage
and lower your risk of certain diseases.
These compounds for catechins, chlorophyll, and L-theanine also help benefit your skin
(02:05):
and I know it tastes like grass.
But it's the same way that coffee can taste like dirt.
You figure out the quality matcha that you like.
You find ingredients that fit your taste.
You try different milks or recipes and give it a shot.
I'll have all the basic tools and my favorite brands listed on the site as well.
(02:25):
But when prepping and recovering from surgery I really try to limit or sometimes eliminate
my caffeine intake completely just to keep my cortisol on the lower levels.
But on a regular schedule I have my matcha almost daily.
In fact I'm wearing my matcha colored sweatsuit as I'm recording this.
(02:46):
It was gifted to me to bring me joy during surgery so I'm breaking it in now.
Onto number seven which is your gut health.
Like I mentioned before I struggled with my own gut health and besides belly breathing
what really helped me reset and recover my gut health was pre and probiotics.
(03:07):
Proteics are foods or supplements that contain live microorganisms that help maintain and
improve the good bacteria in your body.
Prebiotics are foods that act as food for that good bacteria.
So that's why you have the prebiotics that then feed the probiotics.
Foods that contain probiotics are yogurt and sauerkraut and prebiotics are in whole grains,
(03:34):
bananas, greens, onions and garlic, soybeans and artichokes.
So you don't necessarily need a supplement for pre and probiotics but I found it the
most helpful when I didn't have the energy or capability to get up and make or eat prepared
meals.
Another way you can tend to your gut health is by chewing your food more.
(03:58):
Digestion starts with the first bite that you take because your saliva has digestive
enzymes in them that will start breaking down your food before you even swallow it.
Some say you chew 20 times every bite before you swallow.
And I know that makes you sit there like well I'm going to be 80 years old by the time I
finish my steak.
But if you really slow down and chew your food you let that saliva work so you're helping
(04:23):
take that extra work off your stomach.
So hum it out.
Take that first bite until you can't chew it any longer and let your body do the rest.
And if you partner this with pre and probiotics no one can stop you.
You're going to be so healthy but your stomach will thank you.
There is a lot of research and science about gut health and different foods you can eat
(04:48):
and supplements you can take to bolster your health.
In fact that's what got me juicing because I didn't want to eat cabbage and greens straight
up but if you're having stomach issues or gut issues there is a lot out there for you
to look up.
But I would highly recommend investing in pre and probiotics.
We've got three more practices to go over here.
Next up is dancing.
(05:10):
Good old dancing.
Dancing is what really helped me come back to myself.
I used to dance all the time.
Not professionally.
Lower those expectations.
But in my room with headphones bumping.
But when you're in a lot of pain and in the dark and sitting in a depression and despair
(05:31):
you don't really want to get up and dance and move around and feel silly and have fun
because you're in your little pit of sadness.
But the special ingredient to this practice is music.
The elixir of a great life.
Sometimes you need to throw on a sad playlist and sit in the drama and tragedy of it all.
(05:51):
But then move on to more upbeat music and move your body.
Just pick one song and dance once a day.
I don't have the size for this one but I just have the proof that I am happier and
feel healthier moving my body and dancing.
You get your blood circulating.
That lymph blowing.
(06:11):
You're in dolphins pumping and your life living.
Does dancing have to look incredible?
No.
But will you feel incredible?
Uh yeah.
If not just a little bit better.
And if you put on a song when you're in those alpha waves right after waking up, what a
way to prime your day.
So that's number eight.
(06:32):
Just dance baby.
Now, I promised I wasn't going to go as deep into the science for the remaining practices
but this one needs some explanation.
And if you haven't heard about it before it might sound a little woo-woo to you.
But hear me out.
Number nine is grounding.
Grounding also called earthing is the practice of standing barefoot on the ground.
(06:57):
Any type of earth will do.
Clinical studies show that just 30 to 40 minutes of daily grounding reduces stress, reduces
inflammation and pain, improves your blood flow, improves your sleep and energy, improves
your response to trauma and injury, and heals wounds.
(07:17):
Crazy.
Pop off Earth.
The science behind this has to do with electrons.
Now if you can remember from your science classes, protons are positive charged, neutrons
aren't neutrally charged, electrons are negatively charged.
Now the earth has an abundant amount of electrons.
(07:39):
Therefore the earth is negatively charged.
Now electron transfers are the basis of all antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity
in your body.
So when we connect to the earth, our body is flooded with electrons which reduces inflammation
(08:00):
and oxidative stress while reinforcing our body's own defense mechanisms.
Connections are hypothesizing that this may be one of the reasons that our immune systems
have seemed to decline with time and it's not surprising to think that with the invention
of insoles and us not being outside grounding all the time that we are kind of losing that
(08:27):
immunity that the earth provides.
Also this just connects us with nature.
It's kind of hard to be stressing about your emails when your feet are in the sand or your
feeling the grass, even if you're like scared of ants and whatnot, that's getting your mind
off of the work you have to do.
But truly just grounding as crazy like I said as it may sound.
(08:48):
The science is there and you spend 30 minutes outside with your feet touching the ground
and tell me you're in a worse mood than you were before.
You just give it a try.
It truly helps connect you back with the earth and with yourself.
And it's free.
What more could you want?
And this brings us to our last non-basic practice for health and healing that falls under connection.
(09:11):
And this is going to be connection with yourself and with others.
So again kind of coupling two and one here.
But the connection with yourself is in the form of self-care.
Whether that's a skincare routine, whether you're picking out clothes that make you feel
confident and comfortable in yourself, whether you're doing your hair or taking care of
(09:33):
your hygiene, whatever it is, some people may think that self-care is superficial.
You're putting investment in what you look like.
It's not that though.
It's not superficial.
It's not selfish.
It's self-preservation.
You're really investing time in yourself and how you feel.
(09:54):
And I think that's a form of compassion and self-love that we should not take lightly.
So find a routine that is you putting in time loving on yourself, tending to yourself.
For me, sometimes that looks like putting on a fake tan.
And that makes me feel so much better or picking out clothes that are fun and bright and make
(10:14):
me feel just like it's boosting my mood.
People sometimes call that dopamine dressing these days of just picking out a fun outfit.
Whatever it is, it's you caring for yourself and connecting to you even on days that you've
feel unbothered to even brush your teeth.
I really just want to encourage you to put in that effort just at a sake for putting
(10:36):
an effort for yourself because no one else will do it for you.
And it truly helps connect you with your self-compassion.
This can also look like lighting a candle or putting on maybe a nicer outfit to go get
the mail just to make you feel like you did something that day.
It doesn't have to be a 10 steps care routine or a whole everything shower.
(11:00):
You know, it can just be small little moments that you make for yourself.
And lastly with connection is connecting to people.
I work in neuropsychology and there are five things for helping with quality of life and
long lasting life.
Like that's nutrition, no alcohol, no smoking, movement and connection with others.
(11:24):
They say if you don't use it, you'll lose it.
And so when we're not socialing with others, it happens a lot when we go older, whether
or not we can drive and go out or we're sick.
So we're in the hospital.
You have just different issues when you're older and different obstacles to overcome.
But when you're not socializing, you're not listening or problem solving and you're not
(11:46):
talking through your own feelings.
And so I know a lot of my listeners are not older.
Let's just say.
And so no, it's not as important to be worried about socializing that far in our future,
but it's just as important now.
There are studies showing that the longevity of your life is correlated to the quality
(12:09):
of your friendships.
Not to put stress on you if you're trying to make friends and not, but it's to encourage
you to be intentional with making connections with other people.
Be the one to say hi first.
You know, remain secure in yourself and what you like to do and who you are and want to
be and find people that line up with your values and interact with them.
(12:33):
Approach them.
Not only is it good for our health, it's just great for our lives.
Human connection is so important and I don't think it should be taken lightly.
And I know for me, I would not be where I am now without my social support.
People held hope for me.
They prayed for me.
(12:53):
They told me that it will get better when I couldn't even think of a tomorrow.
The Archbishop of Canterbury once said that sometimes you feel the love of your community.
Sometimes you feel the love of God.
You're lucky if you feel both.
I will call myself a Christian even though that description to me means a little bit
(13:17):
different than it did even two years ago.
But when I was waking up every morning praying for a miracle before I opened my eyes that
they would be healed and them not being healed almost every day, as foolish as some of you
may think that is.
You know, it really just made it hard for me to think that the person that I call God
(13:40):
and believe in wasn't making a miracle for me.
Even though that's all I wanted all I prayed for, what I was desperate for.
And you know, that was about like a year of my life doing that every day and it just created
a different mindset of my relationship with what I consider my God.
And it's so different now and I can go into that if you're interested.
(14:03):
And there on I'm open about that but truly my people were my lifeline and my hope.
And I am trying not to cry when I say that I don't think they realize how much they truly
got me through those dark times.
So connect with people, hold hope for other people and be the first to say hi.
(14:25):
Connect with them and connect with yourself.
So those are the 10 non-basic practices and a bunch of other random tips and tricks for
health and healing and your overall well-being.
Thank you for listening and I really hope that you've learned something today and that
(14:46):
you feel inspired and encouraged or at least curious to try to implement at least one of
these habits in your life.
And if you do, let me know how it goes or if you're struggling to implement one.
You can always reach out and I can give advice or just empathy in a conversation about it.
Health and getting better and working on your healing takes time.
(15:11):
Focus on small manageable steps each day and remember that motivation follows action, not
the other way around.
So once you can do those little action items, you'll find that motivation and keep going.
Even if that means writing out a list and one of the items is write out a list, you
check it off and I promise you it will start to build into more and more action.
(15:35):
I really appreciate you being here and I want to just say you're doing great to take the
time to invest in your health.
Your health matters.
Your life matters.
You matter.
So I just want to encourage you to keep doing those small steps for yourself.
I have a surgery coming up in a week and have no idea how that's going to go.
(15:58):
So the podcast might be bi-weekly for a bit, but I'm committed to this journey with you.
So thank you for listening.
If you have any questions, comments, or want to write a review, feel free to go up into
the description on the podcast or take a peek at gettingbetterpod.com.
I'm always available for your questions and comments there.
(16:20):
If you do me a solid rate the episode, give it what you think because I'm just here to
try to make it better.
The website is gettingbetterpod.com and our social media is, I don't know why I said
our, it's just, but the social media is getting better pod.
Again, my name is Savannah Harding and here's to getting better.
(16:42):
Cue the music.
I'm Savannah Harding and this is Getting Better.
(00:15):
Hi I'm Savannah and welcome back to the top 10 practices for health and healing.
We're just going to pick it right up where we left off with number six.
So if you haven't listened to one through five I would suggest you go back just to get
a little background on why we're talking about this today.
(00:36):
We are wrapping it up continuing with number six which is reducing my coffee intake and
replacing it with matcha.
This falls under nutrition for the big five.
If you follow me on social media you know that I love my matcha.
I've also loved coffee for the majority of my life.
(00:58):
Unfortunately coffee's caffeine has a negative impact on my anxiety as it increases heart
rate and I found myself feeling more stressed and could sense the drop after a caffeine spike
wore off which didn't help with my fatigue.
I still drink coffee but I ask for decaf espresso which still has caffeine in it but I have
(01:18):
truly become addicted to matcha and its benefits.
Matcha is green tea that is grown in the shade which gives it five times more of the amount
of L-theanine than regular green tea.
L-theanine is an amino acid that promotes relaxation without drowsiness.
(01:39):
It provides steady energy without the crash that you normally get from coffee.
L-theanine supports your cognitive function, your immune system, and overall mood.
And matcha is high in antioxidants including catechins which may help prevent cell damage
and lower your risk of certain diseases.
These compounds for catechins, chlorophyll, and L-theanine also help benefit your skin
(02:05):
and I know it tastes like grass.
But it's the same way that coffee can taste like dirt.
You figure out the quality matcha that you like.
You find ingredients that fit your taste.
You try different milks or recipes and give it a shot.
I'll have all the basic tools and my favorite brands listed on the site as well.
(02:25):
But when prepping and recovering from surgery I really try to limit or sometimes eliminate
my caffeine intake completely just to keep my cortisol on the lower levels.
But on a regular schedule I have my matcha almost daily.
In fact I'm wearing my matcha colored sweatsuit as I'm recording this.
(02:46):
It was gifted to me to bring me joy during surgery so I'm breaking it in now.
Onto number seven which is your gut health.
Like I mentioned before I struggled with my own gut health and besides belly breathing
what really helped me reset and recover my gut health was pre and probiotics.
(03:07):
Proteics are foods or supplements that contain live microorganisms that help maintain and
improve the good bacteria in your body.
Prebiotics are foods that act as food for that good bacteria.
So that's why you have the prebiotics that then feed the probiotics.
Foods that contain probiotics are yogurt and sauerkraut and prebiotics are in whole grains,
(03:34):
bananas, greens, onions and garlic, soybeans and artichokes.
So you don't necessarily need a supplement for pre and probiotics but I found it the
most helpful when I didn't have the energy or capability to get up and make or eat prepared
meals.
Another way you can tend to your gut health is by chewing your food more.
(03:58):
Digestion starts with the first bite that you take because your saliva has digestive
enzymes in them that will start breaking down your food before you even swallow it.
Some say you chew 20 times every bite before you swallow.
And I know that makes you sit there like well I'm going to be 80 years old by the time I
finish my steak.
But if you really slow down and chew your food you let that saliva work so you're helping
(04:23):
take that extra work off your stomach.
So hum it out.
Take that first bite until you can't chew it any longer and let your body do the rest.
And if you partner this with pre and probiotics no one can stop you.
You're going to be so healthy but your stomach will thank you.
There is a lot of research and science about gut health and different foods you can eat
(04:48):
and supplements you can take to bolster your health.
In fact that's what got me juicing because I didn't want to eat cabbage and greens straight
up but if you're having stomach issues or gut issues there is a lot out there for you
to look up.
But I would highly recommend investing in pre and probiotics.
We've got three more practices to go over here.
Next up is dancing.
(05:10):
Good old dancing.
Dancing is what really helped me come back to myself.
I used to dance all the time.
Not professionally.
Lower those expectations.
But in my room with headphones bumping.
But when you're in a lot of pain and in the dark and sitting in a depression and despair
(05:31):
you don't really want to get up and dance and move around and feel silly and have fun
because you're in your little pit of sadness.
But the special ingredient to this practice is music.
The elixir of a great life.
Sometimes you need to throw on a sad playlist and sit in the drama and tragedy of it all.
(05:51):
But then move on to more upbeat music and move your body.
Just pick one song and dance once a day.
I don't have the size for this one but I just have the proof that I am happier and
feel healthier moving my body and dancing.
You get your blood circulating.
That lymph blowing.
(06:11):
You're in dolphins pumping and your life living.
Does dancing have to look incredible?
No.
But will you feel incredible?
Uh yeah.
If not just a little bit better.
And if you put on a song when you're in those alpha waves right after waking up, what a
way to prime your day.
So that's number eight.
(06:32):
Just dance baby.
Now, I promised I wasn't going to go as deep into the science for the remaining practices
but this one needs some explanation.
And if you haven't heard about it before it might sound a little woo-woo to you.
But hear me out.
Number nine is grounding.
Grounding also called earthing is the practice of standing barefoot on the ground.
(06:57):
Any type of earth will do.
Clinical studies show that just 30 to 40 minutes of daily grounding reduces stress, reduces
inflammation and pain, improves your blood flow, improves your sleep and energy, improves
your response to trauma and injury, and heals wounds.
(07:17):
Crazy.
Pop off Earth.
The science behind this has to do with electrons.
Now if you can remember from your science classes, protons are positive charged, neutrons
aren't neutrally charged, electrons are negatively charged.
Now the earth has an abundant amount of electrons.
(07:39):
Therefore the earth is negatively charged.
Now electron transfers are the basis of all antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity
in your body.
So when we connect to the earth, our body is flooded with electrons which reduces inflammation
(08:00):
and oxidative stress while reinforcing our body's own defense mechanisms.
Connections are hypothesizing that this may be one of the reasons that our immune systems
have seemed to decline with time and it's not surprising to think that with the invention
of insoles and us not being outside grounding all the time that we are kind of losing that
(08:27):
immunity that the earth provides.
Also this just connects us with nature.
It's kind of hard to be stressing about your emails when your feet are in the sand or your
feeling the grass, even if you're like scared of ants and whatnot, that's getting your mind
off of the work you have to do.
But truly just grounding as crazy like I said as it may sound.
(08:48):
The science is there and you spend 30 minutes outside with your feet touching the ground
and tell me you're in a worse mood than you were before.
You just give it a try.
It truly helps connect you back with the earth and with yourself.
And it's free.
What more could you want?
And this brings us to our last non-basic practice for health and healing that falls under connection.
(09:11):
And this is going to be connection with yourself and with others.
So again kind of coupling two and one here.
But the connection with yourself is in the form of self-care.
Whether that's a skincare routine, whether you're picking out clothes that make you feel
confident and comfortable in yourself, whether you're doing your hair or taking care of
(09:33):
your hygiene, whatever it is, some people may think that self-care is superficial.
You're putting investment in what you look like.
It's not that though.
It's not superficial.
It's not selfish.
It's self-preservation.
You're really investing time in yourself and how you feel.
(09:54):
And I think that's a form of compassion and self-love that we should not take lightly.
So find a routine that is you putting in time loving on yourself, tending to yourself.
For me, sometimes that looks like putting on a fake tan.
And that makes me feel so much better or picking out clothes that are fun and bright and make
(10:14):
me feel just like it's boosting my mood.
People sometimes call that dopamine dressing these days of just picking out a fun outfit.
Whatever it is, it's you caring for yourself and connecting to you even on days that you've
feel unbothered to even brush your teeth.
I really just want to encourage you to put in that effort just at a sake for putting
(10:36):
an effort for yourself because no one else will do it for you.
And it truly helps connect you with your self-compassion.
This can also look like lighting a candle or putting on maybe a nicer outfit to go get
the mail just to make you feel like you did something that day.
It doesn't have to be a 10 steps care routine or a whole everything shower.
(11:00):
You know, it can just be small little moments that you make for yourself.
And lastly with connection is connecting to people.
I work in neuropsychology and there are five things for helping with quality of life and
long lasting life.
Like that's nutrition, no alcohol, no smoking, movement and connection with others.
(11:24):
They say if you don't use it, you'll lose it.
And so when we're not socialing with others, it happens a lot when we go older, whether
or not we can drive and go out or we're sick.
So we're in the hospital.
You have just different issues when you're older and different obstacles to overcome.
But when you're not socializing, you're not listening or problem solving and you're not
(11:46):
talking through your own feelings.
And so I know a lot of my listeners are not older.
Let's just say.
And so no, it's not as important to be worried about socializing that far in our future,
but it's just as important now.
There are studies showing that the longevity of your life is correlated to the quality
(12:09):
of your friendships.
Not to put stress on you if you're trying to make friends and not, but it's to encourage
you to be intentional with making connections with other people.
Be the one to say hi first.
You know, remain secure in yourself and what you like to do and who you are and want to
be and find people that line up with your values and interact with them.
(12:33):
Approach them.
Not only is it good for our health, it's just great for our lives.
Human connection is so important and I don't think it should be taken lightly.
And I know for me, I would not be where I am now without my social support.
People held hope for me.
They prayed for me.
(12:53):
They told me that it will get better when I couldn't even think of a tomorrow.
The Archbishop of Canterbury once said that sometimes you feel the love of your community.
Sometimes you feel the love of God.
You're lucky if you feel both.
I will call myself a Christian even though that description to me means a little bit
(13:17):
different than it did even two years ago.
But when I was waking up every morning praying for a miracle before I opened my eyes that
they would be healed and them not being healed almost every day, as foolish as some of you
may think that is.
You know, it really just made it hard for me to think that the person that I call God
(13:40):
and believe in wasn't making a miracle for me.
Even though that's all I wanted all I prayed for, what I was desperate for.
And you know, that was about like a year of my life doing that every day and it just created
a different mindset of my relationship with what I consider my God.
And it's so different now and I can go into that if you're interested.
(14:03):
And there on I'm open about that but truly my people were my lifeline and my hope.
And I am trying not to cry when I say that I don't think they realize how much they truly
got me through those dark times.
So connect with people, hold hope for other people and be the first to say hi.
(14:25):
Connect with them and connect with yourself.
So those are the 10 non-basic practices and a bunch of other random tips and tricks for
health and healing and your overall well-being.
Thank you for listening and I really hope that you've learned something today and that
(14:46):
you feel inspired and encouraged or at least curious to try to implement at least one of
these habits in your life.
And if you do, let me know how it goes or if you're struggling to implement one.
You can always reach out and I can give advice or just empathy in a conversation about it.
Health and getting better and working on your healing takes time.
(15:11):
Focus on small manageable steps each day and remember that motivation follows action, not
the other way around.
So once you can do those little action items, you'll find that motivation and keep going.
Even if that means writing out a list and one of the items is write out a list, you
check it off and I promise you it will start to build into more and more action.
(15:35):
I really appreciate you being here and I want to just say you're doing great to take the
time to invest in your health.
Your health matters.
Your life matters.
You matter.
So I just want to encourage you to keep doing those small steps for yourself.
I have a surgery coming up in a week and have no idea how that's going to go.
(15:58):
So the podcast might be bi-weekly for a bit, but I'm committed to this journey with you.
So thank you for listening.
If you have any questions, comments, or want to write a review, feel free to go up into
the description on the podcast or take a peek at gettingbetterpod.com.
I'm always available for your questions and comments there.
(16:20):
If you do me a solid rate the episode, give it what you think because I'm just here to
try to make it better.
The website is gettingbetterpod.com and our social media is, I don't know why I said
our, it's just, but the social media is getting better pod.
Again, my name is Savannah Harding and here's to getting better.
(16:42):
Cue the music.
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