Weddings are hectic enough. Nobody wants to feel under the weather on the big day. Brides want to feel beautiful, confident and most of all healthy during this special time! In this piece, I will explain five simple yet powerful things you can do stay healthy before your upcoming wedding.
1) Learn to meditate daily. Before breakfast and dinner, take 10 to 15 minutes in a quiet place, seated comfortably, with your eyes mostly closed, and have your middle finger touching your thumb lightly. Then focus on your deep, rhythmic breathing and let your mind wander amidst your to-do lists, concerns, and aspirations. Those thoughts should pass like clouds in the sky.
Why meditation? Like all top athletes will tell you, we need to accept failure yet visualize success in order to be "in the zone." Being in that zone is about being present in the present; it is about being conscious about your own consciousness.
Make sure you meditate like this at least an hour prior to actual big events like the rehearsal dinner, the ceremony, and the reception.
2) Be prepared. If you are prepared for the big day, you will not feel as much stress, so your sleep and immune system will be preserved. Being prepared will mean that you can embrace whatever happens and be fantastic, gracious, and fun.
To be prepared, you must call multiple references for caterers, photographers, videographers, entertainers, officiant, and wedding planners. The best references are from friends you trust and actual weddings you have been to.
Have you ever tried to dream with a purpose? You can utilize your sleep time to consider (one per night) the guest list, venue reservations, travel, rehearsal, the ceremony, and even seating arrangements. The last thoughts you have before you drift into unconsciousness will set the agenda for your subconscious, and if you take TA-65 before sleep (see below), the solutions will be even clearer.
3) Get good quality sleep. Never use sleeping pills or alcohol to sleep. They are addictive, build tolerance, and cause withdrawal symptoms if you don't maintain them. Even worse, they disrupt the sleep cycles that are needed to cleanse the mind and soul.
To ensure that you are sleepy at night, take time for 30 to 60 minutes aerobic exercise during the day and never use caffeine after 3 p.m.
If you still have trouble getting to sleep for the week before the wedding, consider 25 to 75 mg of over-the-counter diphenhydramine (Benadryl) two hours before an earlier bedtime.
4) Avoid "emotional eating." Remember, the camera really does add 10 pounds! Since every gal knows that the mood-stabilizing powers of a pint of Ben & Jerry's do not last, get in the habit of eating five small meals daily of fruits, vegetables and protein. No binges of highly glycemic foods (such as breads, pastas, rice, and sweets) that release the fat-storing hormone insulin, and cause inflammation.
5) Take TA-65, a telomerase activator. Studies have shown that sleep, meditation, and exercise all improve health because they activate telomerase, an enzyme that heals your stem cells and immune system. This has been shown by published research and by my patients who report fewer and weaker colds while taking it.
If your lifestyle, resources, or lack of discipline keep you from maximizing your telomerase activity, then you should consider taking a daily nutraceutical capsule called TA-65, which costs about $219 a month.
In most of my patients, this single-molecule extract from an ancient Chinese herb will tighten skin, improve sleep and energy, and create improved focus and mood stabilization. For more information, go to my website at rechargebiomedical.com and subscribe to my blog.