The importance of sleep on physical and mental health

What is sleep?

Sleep is a naturally recurring state that is an integral part of every human's life. It is a physiological process during which the body and mind rest, regenerate, and prepare for a new day. During sleep, our brain activity changes, our heart rate slows, and our breathing becomes more regular. Sleep is divided into several stages, including light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep, each of which plays a specific role in our overall well-being.

Essential factor for us

Sleep is essential for our physical and mental health. It allows our bodies to recover energy expended during the day, improve our memory, and strengthen our immune system. Good sleep is essential for maintaining a good mood and energy levels. Unfortunately, with our modern lifestyles, many people suffer from sleep problems, which can impact their overall health.

The importance of sleep in general

Effects on mental health

Sleep plays a crucial role in our mental health. Quality sleep helps regulate our emotions, manage stress, and build resilience to the challenges of daily life. When we don't get enough sleep, our ability to cope with stressful situations is reduced. This can lead to mood swings, anxiety, and even depressive episodes.

Studies have shown that people who sleep less than seven hours a night are more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression. Insufficient sleep can also affect our ability to make decisions and solve problems, as our brains need time to process and organize the information acquired during the day.

Effects on physical health

Sleep is equally important for our physical health. Adequate sleep contributes to tissue regeneration, muscle repair, and the regulation of various bodily functions. Getting enough sleep allows our bodies to recover after an active day, which is especially important for those who participate in sports.

Additionally, poor quality sleep can also impact our weight. Studies have shown that a lack of sleep can disrupt the hormones that regulate hunger, which can lead to weight gain. People who sleep poorly are more likely to experience food cravings, especially for foods high in sugar and fat.

How to adopt a healthy bedtime routine?

Adopting a healthy bedtime routine is essential for improving the quality of our sleep. Here are some practical tips to help you sleep better.

Some tips for better sleep

1. Establish a regular schedule : Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body clock and makes it easier to fall asleep.
   
   

2. Create a sleep-friendly environment : Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool. Use blackout curtains to block out light, and consider using earplugs if you are sensitive to noise.
   
   

3. Limit screen time : Avoid using electronic devices, such as phones, tablets, or computers, at least one hour before bed. The blue light emitted by these devices can disrupt the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
   
   

4. Practice relaxing rituals : Incorporate relaxing activities into your bedtime routine, such as reading, meditation, or deep breathing. These practices can help you relax and signal to your body that it's time to prepare for sleep.

5. Pay attention to your diet: Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bed. Opt for a light snack if you're hungry, but avoid overeating right before bed.

6. Regular exercise: Regular physical activity can promote better sleep. Try to incorporate at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise into your daily routine, but avoid strenuous exercise just before bedtime.

7. Journaling: If you have a lot of thoughts running through your head, try writing them down in a journal before bed. This can help clear your mind and prepare you for a more peaceful sleep.
   
   

   In conclusion, sleep is an essential part of our physical and mental well-being. By adopting a healthy bedtime routine and recognizing the importance of sleep, we can improve our quality of life and overall health. Investing in good sleep is one of the best decisions you can make for your health and happiness.

Better manage your stress , sleep well, stop the incessant flow of thoughts… Meditation allows you to see life through rose-colored glasses almost all the time. 3 tips to follow to find the path to well-being .

Inhale, exhale… Breathing is a natural movement that we do without even thinking about it. Our minds are too busy going over the last discussion we had with our children or the frightening length of our to-do list. Meditating allows us to no longer “suffer” our thoughts, to let them slip away like clouds in a blue sky, to reconnect with the here and now, with the simple and essential things in life, like breathing.

1- Block out a meditation slot in your diary

The best way to create a new life routine is to find a slot in your schedule and stick to it. In the morning, before starting the day for some, at the end of the day to close it for others. The right time? The one that suits you best.

You can also meditate in action, for example while walking , cleaning, shopping, etc. Because the goal of mindfulness meditation is not to stop thoughts or to think about nothing, but to connect one's full attention to the present moment.

At home, if you have trouble keeping your eyes closed, you can light a candle and concentrate on the dance of the flame. And when your thoughts diverge… come back to the flame. Without a candle, you “just” have to concentrate on the movements of your breathing by repeating to yourself “I breathe in and I know that I breathe in”, “I breathe out and I know that I breathe out.” Presented like this, the exercise seems simple, even very simple. But meditating requires training and regularity. It is therefore preferable to meditate for ten minutes three times a week, than for an hour every two weeks. Since thoughts often resist, the regularity of the practice allows you to learn to let them go without lingering, without giving them the slightest attention.

2- Get started with the right app

Books, YouTube channels, apps, free live on Instagram… There are many tools at your disposal to guide you at the start. It's up to you to find the voice that suits you best (it's impossible to let go with a voice that irritates us). Among the YouTube channels that you can try: Monsieur Mindfulness , Cédric Michel , Mike Méditation , Jonathan Lehmann , Catherine Paquet . If you prefer sounds to voices, you can find dedicated playlists on music platforms (Tibetan bowl, nature sounds, etc.). There are also apps that are easy to access for beginners ( Namatata , Petit Bambou , etc.), all means are good for getting familiar with meditation. As you practice, you will find what really suits you.

3- In lotus, sitting, lying down: meditate in the right position

Sitting cross-legged or on a chair with your feet on the floor, your back straight, the important thing is that you find a position in which you are comfortable without being slumped. The ideal is to have a dedicated corner with its mat and especially its cushion (called Zafu) which allows you to slightly raise your buttocks and therefore to cross your legs more easily in the lotus position (crossed legs, left foot on right thigh and right foot on left thigh). Mindfulness meditation can also be practiced in a lying position… but the risks of slipping into sleep are high. So favor this position in the evening.

Meditation is not that complicated. The hardest part is getting started!

You will quickly see the beneficial effects of meditation on your mood, on your way of apprehending events, and even on certain physical pains. Meditation is not simply relaxing. It is learning to observe what is happening, inside you, outside, in your life. By educating your brain not to be overwhelmed by thoughts, meditation allows you to better manage stress and gain serenity, even when you are no longer in the lotus position.

Don't think that this is a recent Yoga technique or that of a new Zen guru, cardiac coherence is a therapeutic discipline developed by cardiologists for their patients. Twenty years after its discovery, this technique is used to regulate the balance of the nervous system of stressed people. In addition to its effectiveness, this method is very simple. All you need to do is remember 3 numbers: 3, 6, and 5. And devote 15 minutes a day to it. Child's play to heal your mind and pamper your body.

A story of the heart above all

The concept of cardiac coherence comes from American medical research carried out by the HeartMath Institute in the fields of neuroscience and neurocardiology. A software program measures and reproduces the interval between heartbeats in the form of a curve. If this interval is never the same (this is completely normal), the curve can, however, vary greatly.

The researchers noticed that this curve is chaotic, with sudden accelerations and braking in anxious, preoccupied, angry subjects. On the contrary, when the subject is calm, thinking about a pleasant moment, the curve undulates smoothly with regular oscillations.
The researchers then established that this cardiac coherence curve is a precise indicator of the state of stress and that it also regulates breathing and blood pressure. Cardiologists then quickly understood why depression, mourning, a serious problem, has more serious repercussions than smoking on a heart patient.

The heart and its neurons

Another even more surprising discovery is that the heart is equipped with 40,000 neurons closely connected to the brain via the ANS, the autonomic nervous system. This ANS works with two circuits, like the two pedals of a car: one to accelerate (the sympathetic system) and the other to brake (the parasympathetic system). The heart produces its own hormones that act on the brain and are at the origin of emotional states. And the brain responds by modifying cardiac coherence. This explains why the heart races and beats hard when emotion is strong and can quickly slow down if calm returns. If this ANS can quickly vary the heart rate, conversely the heart can help control our emotions. And this is where controlling cardiac coherence is of great interest. Thanks to breathing and visualization of the heart, regulating cardiac coherence restores the balance between the two nervous systems, sympathetic (accelerator) and parasympathetic (brake).

Cardiac coherence to channel emotions

Initially used in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases to regulate the heart rate, cardiac coherence is increasingly practiced to manage stress and anxiety, control emotions and regain a state of serenity.

A physiological action

Indeed, when the heart is in cardiac coherence, beating at a regular rhythm in total harmony with breathing, a cascade of neuronal, hormonal and biochemical phenomena follows which restore calm. This mastery of cardiac coherence, with the help of slow breathing, activates the parasympathetic system which gradually reduces the production of cortisol, the stress hormone. It increases immune defenses, learning, memory and coordination. It also activates pleasure while reducing anxiety.

Scientifically proven benefits

This technique, initially intended for people with heart disease, is being developed for executives in many companies, because the results are convincing. The percentage of exhausted executives drops from 50% to 12%, of insomniacs from 34% to 6%, of anxious people from 33% to 5%. After a month of daily practice, blood pressure drops twice as much as with a salt-free diet. Specialists also announce a reduction in the level of the stress hormone by 25% and the level of DHEA, the famous hormone of youth, multiplied by 2! Well-being and serenity are there. As a bonus, specialists promise the regulation of sugar levels, abdominal circumference, better resistance to pain with an improvement in inflammatory and asthmatic conditions. But above all, do not think that this technique is complicated, it is quite the opposite. Demonstration.

365, nothing could be simpler!

Hold 365, that is, 3 times a day, 6 breaths per minute and for 5 minutes to get results. In total: 3 sessions of 5 minutes or 15 minutes per day.

The course of a session

Inhale with the stomach for 5 seconds and exhale through the mouth for the next 5.

The session includes 6 inhalations and exhalations per minute.

Repeat 5 times in a row, or 30 breaths in 5 minutes.

The program

A session morning, noon and evening. Every day. The important thing is regularity. Indeed, the benefits only last 3 to 6 hours. Hence the interest in repeating several times a day.

Where to practice?

Cardiac coherence can be practiced anywhere, at home, in the office, in transport. The easiest is the sitting position, back straight, feet flat on the floor.

Timer or app?

You can practice cardiac coherence alone by looking at your watch or by following a timer. The best thing is to let yourself be guided by an app like Respirelax or CardioZen.

How to progress?

Once the first sessions are done, visualize your heart during the exercise or place your hand on it. These gestures help you to better align your heartbeat with your breathing and thus solicit your parasympathetic system, the key to calm and serenity.
Very quickly, you feel a warm sensation in your chest. You can also think of happy moments, peaceful landscapes to strengthen the connection between your heart and your brain.

It is this very particular breathing frequency of 0.1 Hz that is the foundation of cardiac coherence. This is not your natural breathing. Slower, this frequency corresponds to that of your heart.

Thanks to the discovery of cardiac coherence, researchers have uncovered the secret of the "breathing-concentration" practices used for thousands of years in Yoga or Qi Gong and which have made the fakirs successful. Now it's up to you to practice cardiac coherence to breathe new life into your heart and your life!

Beauty and health have been linked for thousands of years, since beauty is part of health in all medicines: Ayurvedic, Chinese, Hippocratic, etc. This notion has long been put aside in the West by cosmetic brands, which aimed instead to advocate only external, made-up beauty . Today, this vision is evolving, particularly with naturopathy.

If only external beauty has long dominated, it is also because complementary medicines were frowned upon, even decried (this is still partly the case in France, unlike the majority of European countries). Among these, naturopathy found it difficult to find its place 20 years ago. But since the last decade, everything has changed, thanks to the arrival of millennials, social networks , the rise of awareness and of course the results obtained. Women have fully understood that beauty is global and involves diet ,sport , sleep , self-care . Also, naturopathy is experiencing a real revival and training courses to become naturopaths continue to multiply (even Pôle Emploi offers them), with candidates to support them.

The link between beauty and health has existed since ancient times.

For the Greek doctors of the time, who were consulted to obtain beauty recipes, beauty was health! When observing the patient, if he had bright colors, a fresh complexion, it was because he had good health inside him. Doctors also treated to restore natural, healthy beauty. True beauty originally was natural beauty. Without make-up, without makeup. For the Greeks, this would remain an ideal of beauty for a very long time.

Today, the skin is still a reflection of the state of health and the psychological state of the person. And multidisciplinary approaches have developed to resolve organic dysfunctions. This trend of integrating care, carried by the American current of integrative well-being, is found in naturopathy with proposals adapted to each person, based on natural products, specific rituals, health body movements ( breathing , sensory gymnastics, walking , etc.).

What is naturopathy?

According to the World Health Organization: "Naturopathy is a set of care methods aimed at strengthening the body's defenses by means considered natural and organic." These include a healthy and balanced diet, sufficient sleep and rest, physical activity that brings joy (and preferably outdoors for oxygenation and to fill up with "prana"), the use of plants, particularly adaptogens, tolerated essential oils , homeopathy, relaxation and body-mind harmonization practices, massages , health through water, etc. And of course, natural beauty.

In other words, naturopathy offers natural methods of revitalizing the body, to have an optimal microbiota (intestinal flora) and counter stress.

Beauty and naturopathy: the clean equation?

By clean, we will mainly mean the healthy, vitalizing, radiant side of health and beauty. Far from obsessions and dogmas, the goal is to be free, to eat, to take care of oneself in a simple and above all pleasant way.

The link between food and health has also been established since antiquity: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy medicine," said Hippocrates, a Greek physician from the 5th century BC. Naturopaths advise eating a living diet (but not raw), with - and this is important - a free and reconciled relationship with food. Its direct effect on the radiance and good health of the skin is quickly visible, as well as on its general tone.

In recent years, young clean and natural cosmetic brands have multiplied the advice on a healthy lifestyle "Healthy living" to their communities. Collaborations between brands and experts are everywhere on Instagram. For example, Anne-Sophie Nardy, the founder of the cosmetic brand On The Wild Side, co-wrote a book of recipes based on wild plants with Jennifer Hart-Smith, naturopath and pastry chef (at the origin of Tookies, the conscious pastry). She also made a series of videos with Angèle Ferreux-Maeght, the star naturopath of the Ginguette d'Angèle and regularly invites yoga teachers, facialists, etc. to come and express themselves in her live. Even naturopaths create their own cosmetic brands, in order to connect the interior and the exterior, like Ma Thérapie, founded by Céline Julien and Jalon Rituels founded by Victoire Eggermont.

Without a doubt, naturopathy, which has put food at the center of beauty, has inspired other new brands such as Oden with a range of vegetable oils or Freedge Beauty which manufactures ultra-fresh cosmetics like pressed juices. The list is only growing!

To conclude, the holistic vision of beauty, perceptible for 25 years in the USA, Asia and in some European countries is now booming in France. This clean beauty linked to naturopathy allows to have a global body-mind approach to oneself, softer and more respectful. It allows to connect to one's naturalness, to one's divine essence.

For several years now - and even more so since the health crisis, where the need for well-being and reconnection with oneself is so keenly felt - not a day, a post, an article has not praised yoga as a panacea.

So, is it a fad or universal benefits? Yoga, a practice reserved for bobos who listen to their chakras, or a life posture for a top physical and mental state? Have we failed in life if we are not a master yogi at 40?

A philosophy of life

Originally, in India, yoga is a true philosophy of life, benevolent and positive, which goes far beyondphysical exercise ; it is also a spiritual quest that allows the alignment of the body, the mind, and the surrounding world, for an overall harmony. Yoga in Sanskrit means "union between body and mind", and it combines breathing (prayanama), meditation and postures (asana).

Fabulous anti-stress , here are 5 unstoppable arguments to convince you to roll out your mat and make yourself a fan.

1 – A practice for all

Yoga is suitable for everyone. You just have to choose the version that best suits your case, from the gentlest to the most dynamic, from the most spiritual to the most muscular. Everyone has their own pace and level of flexibility, and everyone holds the posture for as long as they can. It is yoga that adapts to you. Even if you don't move much, at least you breathe, and you take care of yourself to recharge your batteries. In all cases, yoga provides serenity and a feeling of peace.

2 – Feel good about yourself

A yoga session soothes the mind and makes the body light. It is time for yourself, which allows you to know yourself better physically, intellectually, emotionally, and to regain confidence. It is like a bubble where you learn to calm your mind and control your breathing, which massages the different organs and oxygenates the body. Yoga contributes to general well-being, you feel balanced, de-stressed, in a good mood. You sleep better and can concentrate again.

3 – Feel aligned

Reconnecting with yourself, your body and others... at a time when we live at a frantic pace, we end up forgetting our bodies. Yoga allows you to reconnect with it, to become aware of each of its parts, and all the emotions and sensations linked to it, to be able to better channel and manage them. This practice reduces muscular and nervous tension, the pressure decreases, we relax. Stress and associated ailments, such as the usual back pain, disappear as if by magic. Here and now, we anchor ourselves in the present, we let go and this new balance opens you up to others.

4 – Soften up gently

Even those who are stiff as stakes gain flexibility session after session, millimeter by millimeter, at all levels of the body, from the wrists to the back to the hips. After stretching, we will seek for each posture the maximum amplitude that we can achieve. Ah! what joy to finally put our hands flat in front of our feet, when we could not even touch the ground with the tips of our fingers ☺ and to feel the incredible sensation that all our limbs are more elongated, more slender! We feel grown and invincible.

Being more flexible means improving your joints, being more mobile and comfortable in all the movements of the day.

5 – Build deep muscle

Yoga postures allow for surface and deep muscle work, but gently, without any trauma. All parts of the body are worked, the upper limbs, lower limbs, the trunk and the pelvis. Yoga tones the muscles, sheaths and sculpts the body, providing a smooth and harmonious appearance. It helps increase the level of muscular endurance depending on the type of yoga chosen . For example, Ashtanga yoga, the most acrobatic for those who have too much energy, quickly chains postures together while changing pace. While the gentlest, Vishranta yoga, is essentially made to relax and unwind .

A healthy mind resides in a healthy body

Yoga may be a current trend, but it is above all an age-old art of living, particularly suited to our times for its benefits on the entire body. It contributes to our quest for meaning and a return to the essential. This discipline of life strengthens us a little more each day because beyond the postures, yoga includes breathing, meditation,diet , attitude towards others, positive thinking… So everyone to your mats ☺

Namaste (I salute the divine within you)

Omnipresent in our lives, the smartphone has become in just a few years as indispensable as it is toxic. Living without a phone? Impossible! And yet, from the most radical cures to the simplest gestures, discover how to enjoy airplane mode!

But why on earth should we do without our precious phone? First of all, to take stock of our addiction! Our smartphone has taken a crazy place in our lives. A doubt about a date? A quick look on Wikipedia. A sudden desire to buy, quickly a quick click on Amazon! An appointment with the ophthalmologist? We no longer know how to go there without consulting the Google Maps or City Mapper apps. It makes you wonder how we did it before!

Today , 1 in 5 French people say they are addicted to their cell phones !

The downside? Minor anxieties, difficulty sleeping or falling back asleep (especially after checking emails in the middle of the night!), reduced attention span and concentration... In short, in a society where we are asked to be on all fronts, it is important to treat ourselves to a digital detox from time to time, to reset the counters to zero.

Here are several paths to follow with varying degrees of difficulty and the benefits to be expected. Don't forget to make a little post in your Instagram stories to say that you are seriously starting your "screen-free" cure to get back to sleep and get more energy.

Leave your phone at the entrance… until the next day.

Difficulty level: medium .

Indeed, this is a new habit to adopt. If you decide that from 10pm onwards, the phone is a no-go, you will be able to pick up every evening and put your brain on pause mode for real. Instead of looking at the latest posts from your Instagram “friends”, you will be able to read and avoid the blue light from the screen exciting you before going to sleep!

Benefit: a better night, provided you invest in an alarm clock. Indeed, you will also avoid sleeping near the waves of your phone and, in the event of waking up at night, you will not go for a spin on social networks.

Establish one or more “free” days

Difficulty level: difficult

Alone or with your family, you can decide not to check your phone for the entire weekend. To do this, you can take it step by step. Weekend 1 detox, do not look at social networks (even if it means deleting the apps). The following month, weekend 2 detox no phone for the entire weekend. If you are anxious about not being reached, notify one of your loved ones who will act as a relay in case of emergency. In the same idea as the "off" weekend, you can, once a week, decree a day without a phone. Yes, it seems absurd like that, but you can absolutely live without your smartphone grafted to your wrist. At work, this can be a day dedicated to a creative or writing task. If, once again, you're freaking out about missing a super important call, you can of course notify your colleagues by email (sorry, I "forgot" my cell phone, which can be reached by email) or check the list of calls and text messages at noon and 6 p.m. That's already a first step. Even easier, just hang up for a few hours, long enough to finish a file without being interrupted.

Benefit: best way to take a real break, to refocus on your needs, to recharge your batteries while staying at home. As for the day off during the week, it is perfect when you have a task to accomplish that deserves your attention for several hours.

Going out without your phone

Difficulty level: difficult

The hardest part of a digital detox? Not being tempted to look at your phone or tablet, even mechanically. The solution? Put your phone down and go out without it. Yes, yes, it is possible. You can do it in stages. Thirty minutes at the start, time to do some shopping. And several hours afterwards, for example during a full dinner at a friend's house or an outing in nature. When you get home, also occupy your mind with a manual or intellectual activity (cooking, DIY, meditation, reading, etc.) this will stop you from sending SOS to your phone!

Benefit: being 100% connected in the here and now and favoring authentic relationships. It is also the best way to recreate a bond, for example by asking for directions or information instead of having the smartphone reflex directly!

Choose time slots

Difficulty level: super easy

In short, it's about deciding to no longer look at your work emails on weekends and in the evening, to devote a maximum of one hour to social networks, to check your profile and messages on a dating site twice a week, etc. Also remember to deactivate unnecessary notifications and say STOP to ads. And above all, put most WhatsApp discussions on mute so as not to be disturbed.

Benefit: regain control over your smartphone. You are the master!

Prioritize human contact

Difficulty level: super easy

It's Clémence's birthday? But why not call her instead of sending her a bland text message? The same goes for some people in your contact list with whom you rarely talk. Maybe it's time to clean out your contact list? Because contact, real contact, eye-to-eye contact, also deserves your full attention. Don't be rude, don't reply to a message while chatting with someone. This faux pas has a 2.0 name: "phubbing" (contraction of phone and snubbing) or the art of snubbing someone with your smartphone in your hand.

Benefit: a little human warmth on the other end of the line is worth all the smileys in the world!

And if none of these solutions suit you, know that there are also detox cures that are as radical as they are expensive. The idea? Have your device confiscated while you go to the spa, and get it back at the end of your stay. Not bad either!

Holistic beauty is a term that is increasingly used in cosmetics. However, beauty, well-being and health have always been linked , as evidenced by Ayurvedic, Chinese, Hippocratic medicines, etc. This global approach to beauty, visible in cosmetics for 30 years in Anglo-Saxon and Asian countries, has only been disseminated in France for a decade. Amplified by the pandemic, holistic beauty integrates " self-care " and allows us to go beyond just cosmetic effects. What is its definition and how is it expressed? A quick overview.

Holistic beauty, what is it?

To better understand this term, it would be appropriate to first circumscribe that of beauty, which beyond aesthetic and subjective criteria, is what emanates from a person. Their inner radiance, the one that invariably attracts others: beauty through the prism of the aura, of the vibratory field that someone gives off. The reflection of their soul.

This consideration of inner, deep beauty is directly linked to the notion of holistic: holos in Greek, which means all, whole – which concerns holism, which considers phenomena as totalities. Holistic beauty could therefore be defined as a global beauty, which manifests the inner radiance of a person on the outside. Holistic beauty is also understood on the different levels of the subtle: it is the harmonization of one's physical, mental, emotional and spiritual state. It is the beauty that connects the body to the mind.

How to achieve holistic beauty?

First of all, by considering everything we have available to maintain our well-being, self-care and therefore our overall beauty-health: a healthy diet , sport, body-mind practices ( yoga , meditation , qi gong, cardiac coherence , etc.), massages and self-massages, natural/green/clean cosmetic products , quality sleep , a preventive and natural approach to health, stress management skills but also the importance of having positive thoughts, loving yourself, allowing yourself time to pause and relax, share and have fun with your loved ones, your social circle, etc. Thanks to recent scientific data, and in particular the work of Joël de Rosnay in 2011, epigenetics has demonstrated that our behavior, as well as our environment, affect the expression of our genes. A revolutionary development in biology, which affects all living things and proves that everyone can modify up to 85% of their DNA! Great, right? So, are you ready to put holistic beauty into practice?

A beauty in conscience

Holistic beauty also encompasses awareness, the meaning we wish to give to our beauty, to the care we give ourselves. It is choosing true beauty, our true identity. It is reconciling with our physique if this was not the case, with our outer shell: an inclusive beauty.

Holistic beauty is a true care of oneself and of the living. This global approach to beauty includes the ingredients, the packaging, the commitments, the causes advocated by the brands. As you will have understood, it is not because a cosmetic brand launches food supplements that it becomes holistic! It is rather through all the advice, rituals and considerations of the living advocated.

Conscious holistic beauty is responsible, committed and fun! Through facial, body, hair, makeup, perfumes, candles, household products, food supplements , fruit juices, superfoods ... it's a real galaxy!

How to find your way around brands?

Among the brands that claim holistic beauty, look at their causes, their commitments, their ethics. Beyond the philosophy put forward, what are the brand's actions? What does it defend? How does it help humans and living things? Does the speech seem sincere to you or just "marketed", embellished? Some historic brands support this holistic vision of beauty, such as Dr. Hauschka , Jurlique and also many young brands, such as Ma Thérapie , Yuni or Keys Soul Care . Others have positioned themselves based on data from neuroscience and aromacology. They focus on emotions and the sensations felt, to better connect our skin to our mind, such as Dermapositive and Les empreintes made in Léman .

Holistic beauty therefore results from a lifestyle that promotes inner balance, to better shine on the outside. It involves awareness and careful listening to one's body and psyche. By doing good to the body and soul, by integrating one's emotions, the results are visible on the skin, on the radiance of the complexion, the famous "glow" . Holistic beauty does not start with a cream - everyone now knows that a cosmetic taken in isolation does not do the job - but rather with a sensory universe, synergies, an approach to oneself and to life, promoting absolute fulfillment.

Today, feeling good goes hand in hand with a clean lifestyle, that is to say balanced, altruistic and committed. Beyond "living healthily", living clean means acting on yourself , physically, spiritually and emotionally. 5 practices to adopt for total fulfillment.

What is Clean Life?

After Healthy living which mainly targeted the body, Clean living encompasses the body and the mind . Living clean means living in accordance with your convictions applied to your consumption , but also to your lifestyle: simpler , slower , more respectful, more eco-friendly . A mix of Slow life and Lagöm (the lifestyle based on the concept of "neither too much nor too little" and the right balance) which includeswhat we eat , but also how we eat it and where we buy what we eat, for example. Living clean means having a reduced impact on the planet while optimizing your well-being and personal development by turning to values ​​of solidarity, recognition and altruism while putting optimism and zen in your daily life.

Practice the miracle morning

This technique, taken from the book of the same name, consists of getting up earlier in the morning to free up time for yourself, but really for yourself. Not to tidy the house or do the ironing, but to practice a fulfilling activity such as meditation , writing, reading or sport. Despite the hour of sleep "lost", we are less tired and happier. A concept that leaves skeptical all those who lack sleep , but which quickly gained hundreds of followers! Indeed, this morning habit calls for a global recovery of one's daily balance and implies going to bed earlier, and reducing the time spent in front of screens or on networks in favor of more satisfying activities.

Practicing Gratitude and Luck

Gratitude is being grateful to life for what we have, and cultivating contentment. This awareness of our luck eliminates feelings of envy, jealousy, and rumination. All you need to do is become aware of your own wealth every morning, the positive aspects of your life or your day. You then leave home full of optimism and change your outlook on the world. A way of seeing the "glass half full". Rather than trying to optimize a situation that is not perfect, you gather everything that is 100% cool in your life. You realize that life is full of little joys if you take the trouble to look at it more closely. Things as simple as "I am healthy", "how lucky I am to know this person" or "what a beautiful sunset I was able to see tonight". How lucky!

Practice ecology

Of course, living clean implies consistency with the ecological dimension of the word "clean", that is to say having the smallest possible impact on the planet and acting for it . No need to aim for perfection, but already list everything you do, everything you avoid doing. And we add challenges, actions, efforts, to feel good, better and better. Eating carefully chosen products , banning harmful products or destructive brands from your home, campaigning around you with simple initiatives, all these acts generate... Happiness! When we feel aligned with our own values, when we practice "clean", we naturally feel happier.

Practicing the Toltec Agreements

This phenomenal book published in 1997 by the Mexican shaman Miguel Ruiz offers a new approach to personal development: making agreements with oneself. This code of conduct soothes personal projections and the relationship to the world and to others. It develops 4 agreements to get rid of limiting cultural and educational conditioning.
1 -Let your speech be impeccable: do not lie and use speech in a virtuous manner: neither against yourself nor against others.
2 - Never take it personally: consider that what happens is not directed against you, but simply a reflection of what the people in front of you are experiencing.
3 - Don't make any assumptions: be anchored in the truth, ask what you don't know in order to learn it, and express your opinions so as not to mislead others.
4 - Always do your best: this is a compass to use in every aspect of your life. Keeping this as a goal in all circumstances helps to avoid guilt and adapt to our environment without pressure.

Practicing solidarity

Finally, the last way to feel "clean" in your life: help others and fight injustices. You can do it on your own by talking to people in difficulty when you meet them, smiling at them, giving them a coin. You can also always have a kit in your bag containing socks, a toothbrush, a packet of cookies and some change. You can rely on religious places and town halls which are often places where you can drop off donations. You can also organize a collection for the benefit of an association: you bring friends together at your home and ask them in advance to sort their waste at home, then you take charge of bringing them to the chosen association.

Ultimately, living clean means living well in your own shoes, telling yourself that you are doing more good than harm, what you can, and as best you can. Prioritizing the human over the material, action over possession, Being over Having.

Living clean in this society also means trying to preserve yourself and tip the balance in the right direction, by supporting good initiatives, (small or large) companies that uphold ecological values, and by choosing products that do the least possible harm to the planet .

When we get a massage , it is mainly the back, neck, or shoulders that we refer to to relieve tension, more rarely the stomach. And yet, it is in this region of the body that 90% of serotonin, the hormone of well-being and happiness, is produced. A good reason to focus on your navel.

Ancestral therapies have known it for a long time: the stomach is a crucial area for health , considered today as the second brain. And massage is an excellent way to treat it.

4 good reasons to succumb to a stomach massage

1. Abdominal massage improves blood and lymphatic circulation

It is in this region of the abdomen that essential organs such as the liver, spleen, kidneys, uterus and bladder are housed. To ensure their respective functions, these organs must be well irrigated by blood and lymph. Massage ensures a good flow to nourish and oxygenate all these organs.

2. Abdominal massage strengthens immunity

This area is home to many lymph nodes that are drained by the lymphatic circulation. Unfortunately, the latter cannot circulate well because, unlike the heart, it does not have a pump. And massage can help it eliminate pathogens and strengthen immunity.

3. Abdominal massage speeds up intestinal transit

Specific, slow and deep movements on the abdomen can naturally relieve constipation but they are not a substitute for treatment if necessary and achange in diet .

4. Distressed belly massage

In fact, the stomach contains nerve endings connected to the brain, via the vagus nerve. Massage reduces tension and releases endorphins to reduce the perception of pain and tension. This explains the "knotted stomach" during times of stress.

Which belly massage should you choose?

Many therapies, all different, provide massages that are done on the stomach.

• Nei Zang (translate internal energy of the organs) of Chinese medicine, derived from Qi Gong, which restores the harmony of energy circulation by evacuating harmful emotional energies.
• Shiatsu, a Japanese massage therapy technique that uses finger pressure to restore balance to the body and help it achieve better health.
• Tui Na (translated as push and grab) is a branch of Chinese medicine to reharmonize vital energy through more than thirty fundamental manipulations.
• For Chantal Lehmann , an expert in holistic care, "stomach care is by far the most important of all." For over 25 years, she has learned these different techniques including the Ayurvedic Sarasvatî massage - named after the goddess Shakti who embodies the feminine dimension - and the Hawaiian iomi iomi massage. Over the course of the sessions, and more particularly after an internship in Korea, she discovered that beyond a simple massage, stomach massage can act on the central nervous system, the neurovegetative system. Hence a digestive system that functions better, better sleep, and even in some cases, relief from back pain and migraines. This extensive experience has allowed her to develop her own HoliBelly stomach massage, a real patchwork of all these techniques that lasts 2 hours. The first session also includes an assessment, with pulse taking and advice, to better identify problems and improve lifestyle. Very gentle, the maneuvers chase away tension from the different organs to rebalance energies.

Food tips for the belly

For Chantal Lehmann, "it is essential to make the body as alkaline as possible to increase its immunity. You have to drink your food and eat your liquids, the stomach has no teeth, so let's not exhaust it unnecessarily!"

When we eat animal proteins, we skip the starchy foods and focus on green vegetables. This specialist estimates that 25% of the plate at most should be acidic and 75% alkaline. Also essential for Chantal Lehmann, a green clay cure by ingestion to detoxify the body. Dilute a heaped teaspoon in 250 ml of water, stir well and let sit all day. Stir and drink in one go in the evening before going to bed. To be done for 21 days. If you are taking medication, drink the clay at least 2 hours after taking it.

What if you massaged your belly yourself?

Nothing prevents you from practicing self-massage of the belly. In the morning on an empty stomach to stimulate intestinal transit, in the evening to relax. To do this, place your hands one on top of the other below the navel. Rotate from the bottom to the top in a clockwise direction, going up to the plexus. Repeat about thirty times. Then massage the solar plexus with your fingertips for 5 minutes before applying intense pressure. Finish by massaging the area around the navel with small circular movements, insisting on the nodules.

Breathing also massages the stomach

Breathing deeply is another way to mobilize the organs located in the stomach. Lying on your back, inhale by inflating your stomach to cause the diaphragm to descend, which compresses the organs. When you exhale, the diaphragm rises, the lungs empty their air, which flattens the stomach. Do this about ten times. Finish by holding your breath by pulling in your stomach. Repeat 10 times.

“Take care of yourself.” We often hear this phrase, but don’t we have a little trouble putting it (really) into practice? Here are some tips to reconnect with yourself.

In the mini-series La meilleure version de soi-même on Canal+, comedian Blanche Gardin democratizes Self-care without knowing it. In an ironic and sarcastic way (of course), the actress goes around naturopaths, shamans and other magnetizers to solve her stomach aches once and for all. We laugh a lot at her, but also at ourselves through her.
More seriously, the Self-care trend means "taking care of yourself" in a very global way: on a physical, mental and emotional level. Some stars, like the American actress Gwyneth Paltrow and her Goop site, or Estelle Lefébure with her Orahe method, highlight this new way of looking at life:eating better , breathing better , sleeping better . We have talked a lot about Self-care with the various lockdowns, and this trend will undoubtedly continue.

Is self-care really for me?

If you sometimes feel overwhelmed by your emotions, overwhelmed or even on the verge of burnout (professional, personal, maternal, romantic), yes it is high time to refocus on your needs. Your needs are the basis of everything. When they are satisfied, everything goes well. Otherwise, it is the door open to unhappiness, sadness, or even depression. The thing is that since we were little, we were told that others would be there to satisfy our needs (the story of Prince Charming ...) and not necessarily taught to listen to our own. Why? Because it is selfish to take care of yourself. Fortunately, the new theories of personal development say it: the better you are (in your head, in your shoes, in your body) the more you are available for others. So, we say yes and three times yes to self-care!

In practice, what is self-care?

Becoming a self-care enthusiast means making a pact with yourself. Yes, I promise to do everything in my power to take care of myself, make good decisions, and work day after day to improve myself. So, are you ready for the adventure? Self-care offers a holistic vision of well-being. Taking care of yourself as a whole means taking care of yourselfphysically , mentally , morally . Here are some ideas to follow, but the list is not exhaustive!

• First thing to do: remove (or limit) the parasites from your life. Cigarettes for smokers, alcohol for addicts, but also sugar, etc. What is valid forthe inside of your body is also valid for the outside . In short, say bye-bye to toxic relationships that pollute, friendships that weigh down and love affairs that bring no real affection. Clear the air around you.
• Don't hesitate to keep a logbook to take stock of your progress, your long-term goals or your current emotions.
• If necessary, start therapy to put some order into your life, understand the unconscious “pattern repetitions”, analyze the fears that paralyze and prevent you from moving forward.
• Give yourself a few minutes to breathe, to meditate, to navel-gaze. Is everything “okay” for you right now? If the answer is yes, keep going. If not, sit down and think about what you can change in your life to feel better.
• Schedule a family spa time! Manicure, pedicure, scrub, massage... taking care of yourself also involves body care. To renew your skin, we recommend brushing your body (dry skin) before getting in the shower. In your self-care routine, you can also try new cosmetic concepts: double makeup removal, night detox masks, oil serums, Gua Sha treatments. If you live with your daughter(s), organize a self-care session together! If you are the only girl in the house, don't forget to take care of yourself, and even introduce the boys (long bath with scented candle, self-massage of the body , face , scalp, etc.). They too must know how to allow themselves moments of rest.
• Unlock your body. Self-care also involves taking (back) control of your body. Athletes, continue your routine. Non-athletes, it's time to create one. No need to run the New York marathon. Simply integrate a few gentle exercise sessions into the week or weekend: stretching, yoga , brisk walking. Anything goes to get your body moving again. As long as you focus on regularity. It's better to do three fifteen-minute sessions per week, every week, rather than an hour and a half once a month.
• Are you more of an artistic team than a sports team? At this point, let your creativity express itself: drawing, scrapbooking, knitting, crocheting, puzzles. Anything goes to boost your artistic soul .
• Cook for yourself! From meal prep (organizing meals over several days) to healthy lunch boxes, take time to cook. Selecting the right foods, looking for the right recipes , creating flavor combinations, cooking is a simple and effective way to take care of yourself.

A word of advice: if you are alone, pay special attention to the presentation of your plate and your table. Take advantage of your meals to give yourself a moment of peace, without television or telephone, by eating mindfully.

• Find the perfect balance: analyze what is going well and what is not going well in your life, decide to act and change everything that can be changed. Self-care is the art of adjusting to constraints as best as possible. It is trying to do everything to feel better and be better.

Self-care is also the art of chilling

In our ministerial schedules, we ultimately have very little time for ourselves (when was your last spa trip?) and even less time to do nothing. Chill, for young people, is this "ability to be there, calm" without doing anything else. Give yourself some moments of pause to listen to your favorite playlist, read a book in one go, watch a TV series ... without doing anything else. When you have reached level 2 of Chill, you will be able to sit on the sofa without thinking about the machine running! The secret of self-care? Learn to slow down. So you can definitely run yourself a bath, hang out in bed, live in your pajamas for a weekend or go for a walk in nature and contemplate the beauty before your eyes. Being in self-care means finding what intrinsically makes you feel good and brings you peace.

Self-care also concerns one’s “home”

It is well known that when you are happy in your head, you are happy at home too… So (re)discover the art of Feng Shui and ensure the harmony of your home. Maybe it is time to do a big sort out to declutter and lighten your mind? It may also be the right time to bring some Hygge into your life. Hygge (pronounced heu-geu) is Danish well-being. It is very cold outside and Scandinavian interiors are ultra-warm, with soft and enveloping materials, to bring a feeling of comfort and security. You are peaceful in "your" interior, safe, in the full present moment. It is a state of mind. You must learn to savor simple pleasures: lighting a candle, wrapping yourself in a blanket, contemplating your tidy interior, savoring a hot chocolate. A cocooning moment that we also like to share with the people who are dear to you. Comfort, conviviality, softness, these are the rules of well-being. To read: The Book of Lagom by Anne Thoumieux and The Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking , First Editions.

Self-care is also the art of loving yourself

What is self-care for? To take care of yourself on all levels, but also and above all, to learn to love yourself in your entirety.
Self-care is putting yourself first in front of others, it is boosting your self-esteem, it is looking at yourself with kindness, with a lot of indulgence. The important thing is to think about it, then to start doing it and finally to stick to it. You can't switch from one state of mind to another overnight! Self-care is above all finding your own path, a way of taking care of yourself without copying others (and even less the self-care of Instagram stories). Self-care is like happiness, living hidden to live happily.

In times of crisis like the one we are currently experiencing - with its share of uncertainties - it is particularly important to take care of yourself. Self-care still has a bright future ahead of it.