Helping your teen’s mental and emotional health is no easy task. Adolescence is a difficult and extremely delicate period of everyone’s life. Each of us has experienced these turbulent years and might have kids going through their teenage years. However, as adults we often tend to downplay what our kids are going through during this time of their lives, often labeling it as “just a phase”. However, often, it is much more than that. International studies tell us that an estimated 10-20% of teens worldwide struggle with mental health issues. 

Luckily, there is a lot you can do to help your teenagers thrive through the important years and life experiences ahead. Especially in this delicate and unprecedented post-pandemic world. Start with the tips below. 

Yoga for mental and emotional health

Practicing mindful exercises can truly help your teen’s mental well-being. They have a lot of physical benefits too! However, everyone is unique and not everyone is the sporty type. So, it is all about choosing the right mindful activity. Of course, yoga is the first discipline that comes to mind. But there are many other options, including Tai Chi, Pilates, or even Nordic Walking. Aside from calming and centering the mind, these activities can also help your kids hone their flexibility, coordination, balance, and range of movement. 

Meditation

Meditation is beneficial for everyone, no matter your age or the experiences you are going through. Studies have shown that as little as 10 minutes a day of meditation can reshape some important pathways in the brain, thus changing how we relate to the world around us. If your children are struggling with body image or have difficulties finding a community of friends to rely on, meditation can help. 

Reading

Reading is an all-time favorite activity for kids. Today, there is no need to spend a lot of money at the bookstore or to remember to give back library books. eReaders are affordable, easy to use, and give access to your kids to all the books they might wish to buy. And, if you find that they are mainly interested in YA fantasy and thriller books, don’t try to change it – children are reading less and less, and any book can help them hone their imagination, social skills, and writing abilities.

Spending Time in Nature

Spending time in nature is essential for all teenagers – even if it is not always one of their priorities. In fact, it is easy for young adults to resort to gaming, playing video games, or surfing the Internet. Nonetheless, if you wish to look after their mental and emotional health, you should encourage them to take a walk in a park, woodland, or beach. Of course, not alone – some options include joining a Scouting organization or taking a camping trip together.

Breathing Exercises

Breathing exercises are no different from any other type of exercise: to see benefits from it, you need to practice. However, just learning how to use the breath to calm the mind and improve focus can yield immediate results. If your teen has started to practice yoga, the chances are that they are already familiar with the importance of focusing on and controlling inhales and exhales. Encourage them to use documentaries and tutorials to make this skill part of their life toolbox. 

Mindful Eating

Eating disorders are increasingly common and can affect people in any age group. However, they are far more common among young adults and teenagers. During this time of life, the body is changing and some of these changes happen outside of our control. 

Because of all this, it is essential for your little one to establish a healthy and balanced relationship with food. Mindful eating can teach them how to listen to their bodies and what foods can help them nourish their body. If there have been some food disorders and addictions, mindful eating can help them restore a healthy balance.  

Of course, you should always consult an expert nutritionist before creating a diet plan for your teenager – but you could start by helping them understand that plant-based, whole foods act as sustainable fuel for the body. 

Practicing Sports

Practicing sports is vital for any young adult. Firstly, moving the body increases the heart rate, thus improving circulation, digestion, and metabolism. Additionally, as the heart rate increases, the body releases endorphins – a chemical also called the “happy hormone”. 

Another important benefit of encouraging your teenagers to take part in sports is that these activities teach them to respect others, work in a team, and build friendships. Remember: winning and losing are both parts of the game!

Gardening

No matter how old your little ones are, getting started on a gardening project with your kids is always a great idea! Gardening has many benefits for the body and mind. Firstly, gardening allows teenagers to spend time outdoors and in nature. 

This can help them regulate their mood, increase energy and focus level, and fight depression, stress, and anxiety. However, being outdoors and getting their hands dirty with soil is also essential to build a strong immune system, strengthen bone structure, and receive necessary vitamins – such as Vitamin D (or the sunshine vitamin).

Volunteering

Volunteering is not always something that teenagers like to do, but it can be extremely important in their formation and growth. If you are encouraging them to donate some of their time to a cause, make sure they research the different associations and causes by themselves. 

For example, some might fight for animal rights, join feminist or anti-racism movements, help our environmental and ethical projects such as Fridays For Future and Sea Shepherd, or prepare meals for those who can’t afford it. Whatever their passion is, make sure to help them make an impact. After all, they are going to be the ones living on Earth in the future – it is only right that they help shape the place they want to live in!

Coloring

Coloring is not just an activity for kids! By spending time coloring teens and adult coloring books, your children can hone their patience, motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and mindfulness. Studies have even found that activities such as coloring can relieve stress, reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and regulate mood. If you are interested in this activity, all you have to do is pick your favorite coloring kit at https://www.pennydellpuzzles.com/coloring/. 

Make sure you are investing in an age-appropriate coloring book and you have all the colors and pencils needed for an uninterrupted experience. Happy coloring!

Having a bad day, after months and months of feeling good, can make you feel like you’ve taken a turn for the worst. This is especially true if you’re recovering from something like a physical injury or a mental illness. One bad day can feel like a relapse, and like all your progress has been for nothing. 

So, maybe you had a big setback today? Or, maybe you woke up and were just feeling terrible? Or maybe there’s been a string of little annoyances that have turned your day upside down! In truth, it doesn’t matter what’s caused your bad day – it only matters how you respond to it.

Go for a Walk

Being outside, surrounded by nature and breathing in fresh air, is incredibly good for you. Making sure you’re getting enough oxygen, and you’re not just breathing in stuffy air that’s potentially polluted, can be a great physical sensation, if nothing else. 

Of course, simply going for a walk and spending 5 or 10 minutes outside and looking at the sky isn’t going to fix the underlying problem. No one would expect it to! But it is a good way to get started in fixing a bad day, especially if you’ve been cooped up at a desk or a workstation for the last 8 hours. Make a change to your usual daily routine, and embrace how good this little difference can be. 

Talk to a Professional

Sometimes you need reminding about how far you’ve come, and how well you’re doing, by someone who really knows what they’re talking about. And there’s all kinds of healthcare professionals you can talk to when a bad day hits, so it doesn’t matter what you’re dealing with or where you’re coming from. 

Long story short, you can be sure there’s someone out there who understands you, and knows what to do next. For example, if you’re in the middle of an addiction recovery, using resources surrounding Mental Health Issues Caused By Alcohol Recovery is exactly the right thing to do right now. Don’t suffer in silence, and let the people who can help know you need help. It might be scary, but it’ll work! 

Do Something to Make Yourself Happy

What makes you happy? Maybe watching a funny film? Maybe talking to a loved one? What about petting your dog? Or even picking up your crochet needles and having a go at making a shawl? No matter what you turn to to relax and unwind, take part in it now to help make those bad day blues float away. 

When you’re reinforcing a sense of happiness, and positivity, at the end of a bad day, that’s all you’re going to remember. You’ve done something fun and nice before hitting the hay, and that’s both going to help you sleep, and wake up feeling refreshed in the morning. 

This simple 24 hours isn’t the end of your upward turn, and the ways above can help remind yourself of that.

Do you feel blocked from expressing your true gifts and living your purpose? Perhaps like me, you crave the opportunity to leverage your gifts and create shared impact. The good news is that you can. We hold gifts in us that are waiting for us to express them. In this latest podcast episode, Jewel Veitch shares insights on how to take a heart-centered approach to living and monetizing the highest expression of your purpose. 

Or listen on your favorite Podcast Player!

About Jewel Veitch

Jewel Veitch is a seasoned Career & Business Coach, an International Best Selling Author, and a Purpose and Empowerment Speaker.  She has facilitated in the field of personal and professional development for over two decades through formal coaching and training in public, private and entrepreneurial sectors. As a seasoned career practitioner and intuitive business mentor, she has supported thousands of women to discover their true gifts and realize their dream of building legacy doing what they love, while fulfilling their highest purpose and potential. Her thriving Inner Core Coaching practice serves purposeful women around the world to harness their resources and make a greater difference for future generations.

Connect with Jewel and download a complimentary digital copy of her best-selling book, True Gifts.

We all experience moments of smelly breath. However, for others it can be a chronic problem. The medical term for this type of bad breath is ‘halitosis’. A build-up of bacteria in the mouth can be a common cause, however there can be many reasons for this build-up of bacteria. Below are just some of the common causes of bad breath and what you can do about them.

Smoking

After smoking a cigarette, your breath is likely to smell of cigarette smoke – which for some people can be unpleasant. However, this is not the only way in which smoking can make your breath smell. Smoking dries out the mouth, causing bacteria to build up. It’s also a leading cause of gum disease, creating further odor.

If you’ve been told your breath smells and you smoke, an obvious solution is to give up smoking. Unfortunately, vaping isn’t great for your breath either, however it does eliminate the smell of smoke making it a better alternative. Don’t rely on chewing gum or menthol cigarettes to try and cover up the smell. 

Coffee

If you’ve ever experienced someone else’s ‘coffee breath’, you’ll know it’s not pretty. This odor is caused by drinking lots of coffee. This not only makes your breath smell of coffee, but dries it out, causing bacteria to thrive, which then adds to the odor. 

While you can chew a mint to get rid of coffee breath, there are other solutions. Following up your coffee with a glass of water could help to hydrate your mouth and wash away coffee residue. Certain foods like apples, oranges and yoghurt also have odor neutralizing properties. 

Alcohol

People who drink a lot of alcohol can often end up with bad breath. Not only do many alcoholic drinks carry a pungent smell, but they also dry out the mouth, allowing bacteria to build up. Alcoholic drinks can also cause acid reflux, causing stomach acids to end up in the throat, further causing a pong.

If you’re a heavy drinker, the best solution is to drink less alcohol. After a heavy night drinking, always brush your teeth thoroughly and try to drink lots of water to help prevent your mouth from drying out.  

Dry mouth

Some people naturally suffer from a dry mouth – also known as xerostomia – which is caused by salivary glands failing to produce enough saliva. This can make your mouth more susceptible to build-ups of bacteria (your saliva helps to clean your mouth) which can then lead to bad breath.

If you think that you may suffer from this condition, it could be worth seeing a doctor. There are various forms of medication that can be prescribed including saliva stimulants such as Salagen and Evoxacm, as well as mouth rinses and moisturizers. 

It’s worth noting that dry mouth may not always be a medical condition, but an effect of something else. As mentioned already, smoking, alcohol and coffee can all lead to dry mouth. There are also other possible causes including taking certain medication, not drinking enough water, sleeping with your mouth open (especially in a heavily air conditioned room), eating too many salty foods or regularly suffering from anxiety.

Poor oral hygiene

Poor oral hygiene can also lead to bad breath. If you’re not brushing your teeth thoroughly and regularly, you can expect bacteria and plaque to build up, which is likely to give your breath a foul odor. 

We should all be brushing out teeth twice per day for two minutes at a time. Try to brush each tooth individually in a circular motion (electric toothbrushes automatically do this) in order to have the best impact. Rinsing your mouth out with non-alcoholic mouthwash can further help to kill bacteria and keep breath smelling fresh. It’s also worth flossing to get rid of plaque between teeth. 

Tooth decay

If you have tooth decay, this could also be contributing to bad breath. Tooth decay occurs when bacteria produces acids which begin to erode the enamel on our teeth. These cavities allow bacteria to get into the teeth where they cannot be as easily cleaned away, causing smelly build-ups of bacteria within the mouth.

If you’re experiencing tooth decay, it’s worth seeing a dentist who may be able to offer treatment. This could include fluoride treatment, a filling or another form of treatment. Getting rid of the bacteria causing the decay will help to preserve your teeth and make your breath smell fresher.

Gum disease

On top of tooth decay, it’s worth looking out for gum disease. This is when plaque starts to irritate gums, often leading to bleeding and inflammation. In serious cases, the gums and jaw can become infected, leading to periodontitis, which can cause chronic bad breath and receding gums. 

To help treat periodontitis, it’s worth seeing a specialist called a periodontist. There may be treatments that can be carried out to reduce infection of the gums. 

Diabetes

Undiagnosed diabetics can sometimes experience a problem called ‘acetone breath’. This is when breath starts to take on the fruity scent of nail polish remover. This is a result of too many ketones being released into the blood to make up for the body’s inability to convert blood sugar into energy (as a result of an insulin deficiency). 

This is typically a symptom of type-1 diabetes and may be accompanied by other symptoms such as dry mouth, frequent urination, tiredness and dizziness. It’s worth seeing a doctor to get an official diagnosis for diabetes. Type-1 diabetes can be treated by taking insulin. 

Kidney and liver disease

In rare cases, bad breath can be the result of kidney or liver disease. In such cases, breath may smell like ammonia or sulfur. This is due to the kidney or liver failing to filter out toxins properly causing them to enter the bloodstream and saliva. 

Liver and kidney disease will usually be accompanied by other symptoms such as tiredness, weight loss, swollen ankles or skin tone changes. You should see a doctor immediately if you experience these symptoms and haven’t already been diagnosed.

Food addiction affects many of us and can wreak havoc on our mental and physical well-being. When managed, food transforms from a source of pain to a source of beneficial power.  Today, I am joined by my guest, Rosie Moore, an entrepreneur with ID Life, and together we explore our relationship with food and come up with ways to improve our balance in health through it.

Listen on your favorite podcast player!