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There’s no better feeling than starting the new year with a fresh set of healthy intentions! But don’t make your New Year resolutions just another promise to yoursellf that gets abandoned by March. Each and every year, millions of people start out with all the best intentions, and a few months later, they’re back to their old unhealthy habits. We’ve all been there and it’s very easy to get swept away with the stress of life that our healthy intentions tend to slip away, but this doesn’t have to happen. It’s possible to keep your healthy habits all year round, and we’ve got some tips to help you do this.

Get your mindset right

Before you do anything, you need to accept that healthy eating isn’t just a New Year resolution; it’s a lifestyle change. Stay away from viewing your healthy habits as a diet and rather think about your habits as your new way of life.

Choose changes that work with your lifestyle

Having healthy eating habits is important, but it’s important to choose a realistic habit that works with your lifestyle. If you often enjoy eating dinner out with friends, for example, it’s probably not a good idea to commit intermittent fasting at night. If you enjoy rice or a slice of toast in the mornings, rather try limiting your carb intake than cutting them out altogether. Ask yourself, “Can I see myself living like this forever?” If the answer is no, then choose something more maintable.

Identify your ‘why’

If you don’t understand the reasons behind your health and fitness goals, then you’re less likely to stick with them over the long-term. Think deeply about why you want to make these changes until you find something that’s really important to you that will help you stay disciplined no matter what. Just wanting to lose weight, for example, isn’t a strong why that will last. Ask yourself why you want to lose weight – to feel more confident in the workplace? To live a longer life so that you can spend more time with your children and grandchildren? 

Understand that motivation ebbs and flows

There’s nothing like the feeling of motivation to achieve your health and fitness goals at the start of a new year! While it’s important to use this motivation to get you going, accept that motivation ebbs and flows and know that it’s impossible to maintain the initial motivation. You will not be motivated every single day, and that’s okay! Just because you’re not motivated, however, doesn’t mean your healthy lifestyle goes out the window. It’s on these days that you need to learn to be disciplined. While motivation gets you started, discipline is what ultimately makes your healthy choices a lifestyle.

Eat healthy foods you love

Healthy eating doesn’t mean eating a salad at every meal or making sure you’re getting in every kind of vegetable possible. You don’t have to eat salads and like all vegetables to be healthy! It’s important to find healthy foods that excite you and that you enjoy. There are countless options out there that can be delicious, and it’s your resonsibility to go out and find them. If you don’t like tomatoes or avocados, for example, don’t force yourself to eat them, because if you eat foods you don’t like, you’re less likely to maintain your eating habits. If you eat foods you love, on the other hand, you’re more likely to continue to eat them. 

Know that consistency doesn’t mean perfection

To live a healthy lifestyle, you have to be consistent. But consistency doesn’t mean making perfect choices one hundred percent of the time. Consistency means making great choices most of the time! You won’t go the rest of your life without eating chocolate or a pizza, will you? Of course not! Accept that you won’t be perfect all the time, but know that you can be perfect ninety percent of the time. That’s what’s going to make your healthy lifestyle stick. Accepting imperfection and knowing that consistency and perfection are not the same thing is key to a maintanable healthy life!

Following healthy eating habits and staying disciplined year-round can help you make healthier choices, leading to improved health, better energy levels, disease prevention, achieving your weight goals and a more positive outlook on life. If this is what you want, there are ways to make your habits stick and you don’t have to fall off the bandwagon a few weeks into the year!

October is World Mental Health Month and we are shining a light on mental-health awareness as well as sharing advice from experts on what you can do to improve your mental health, starting with finding the right therapist for your needs. 

In a previous #MedshieldMovement article, we spoke to counselling therapist, Jacqui Morgan in Johannesburg, who explained that “Looking for a psychologist can feel daunting and scary and it is important to find a therapist that you feel comfortable with. To do so, you may need to visit more than one therapist to get a sense of who you connect with best.” Read more here: “How to Know When It’s Time to Seek Therapy”. 

Not all therapists are the same – nor may they be appropriately trained or experienced in the field you may need. Clinical Psychologist Janie Loubser, who is based in George, but who also offers therapy sessions over Zoom, explains what the difference is between a counselling therapist (like Jacqui) and a clinical psychologist (like herself). 

“A clinical psychologist is able to diagnose and treat mental health disorders,” explains Janie. “Other therapists are not necessarily able to diagnose and treat specific mental health disorders like depression. Having said that, there are counselling psychologists who are excellently trained and experienced in mental health disorders. It’s always a good idea to ask a potential therapist if they are qualified to treat your specific problem and how they will do it,” she explains.

Questions To Help You Decide If Your Therapist Is Right For You

Much like dating apps, you may need to swipe left or right a few times to find the right match. These questions will help you ascertain whether a therapist may be the right match for you. 

1. Ask what the therapist’s approach to working with clients is like. Are they very active (offering guidelines/techniques/goals) or more passive and non-directive (an approach that will help you find solutions to your own problems from within)? Does their approach fit your needs?

2. Do you respect the therapist? It’s important that you respect your therapist’s opinion and that you trust them. Therapy is often complicated and challenging and having a therapist you respect will allow for a good working relationship.

3. Is the therapist an expert in the field you need them to be?
Like most doctors, psychologists have areas of expertise. Some may be relationship counselling experts or experts in trauma counselling or perhaps working with depressive and suicidal patients, while others may be more attuned to diagnosing disorders like ADHD. Like Janie recommends above – always ask the therapist if they have experience in dealing with cases like your own.

Janie Loubser describes herself as a “future-focused therapist committed to helping you find direction so that you can feel secure and excited about your future”. Visit Janieloubser.co.za for more information. 

Looking for a therapist? Visit our Medshield provider network or speak to your GP for a recommendation. Not looking for a therapist, but want to improve your mental health with self-care practice at home? Read more here: “Expert Advice On Mental Health Self-Care At Home” – advice from Dr Tamsin Malengret and counselling therapist, Jacqui Morgan. 

October is World Mental Health Month and we are shining a light on mental-health awareness as well as sharing advice from experts on what you can do to improve your mental health. We speak to a clinical psychologist about the state of our mental-health post pandemic.

We speak to Janie Loubser, George-based clinical psychologist about the state of mental-health in South Africa today – post-Covid. 

Let’s Talk Trauma

“Trauma-informed work has become very important,” says Janie. “Covid and lockdown were traumatic and have opened up people’s previous unprocessed trauma,” she explains. When asked about what she’s seeing more of in her practice, Janie says “The intensity or severity of mental-health challenges has increased. I’m finding that people are experiencing more pain and suffering; that there is a spilling over of emotions.”  

“People are stuck. The world is changing so rapidly and we need to go through personal transformation as well. But we don’t know how,” says Janie. “We are in the messy in between – saying goodbye to life the way it was, yet not having clarity about the future. People are vulnerable. I see many people who have regrets and feel like failures. These questions run deep; it’s not a simple depression to resolve. I believe that people need safe communities with well-qualified leadership where there is support for the regrets and failures as well as guidance on the way forward,” she explains.

Is Mental-Health Worse Than Before?

With the rise in mental-health discussions in mainstream media as well as social media, it begs the question: are more and more people suffering from mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression or is it just more openly spoken about?

“I don’t believe that it’s just because it’s more spoken about,” says Janie. “I think our nervous systems were completely unprepared for how the pandemic was dealt with and we’re still struggling to adjust,” she says. 

“The mind-body connection should not be questioned anymore, but yet it is. We see it, especially in people’s challenges with work – one should not be expected to work without taking care of your body and your mind. That’s why so many people are quitting,” she says of the ‘Great Resignation’ trend. 

Suicidal Thoughts

“Do not underestimate even a small thought such as ‘I wouldn’t mind not living anymore’. With the economic crisis and emotional overwhelm, one never knows when someone gets pushed over the edge to kill themselves,” says Janie. Visit SADAG.org (South African Depression and Anxiety Group) for more information on suicide prevention as well as their ‘safety plan’ toolkit. 

“Any thoughts related to not wanting to live anymore are serious and need to be expressed to someone who is qualified to deal with the complex nature of suicide,” says Janie. 

Read more here: “Seven Everyday Signs Of Depression”. 

Janie Loubser describes herself as a “future-focused therapist committed to helping you find direction so that you can feel secure and excited about your future”. She has curated a series of workshops that are all about breaking free from that familiar feeling of being stuck in life, career, relationships, and inspiration. Visit Janieloubser.co.za for more information. 

Looking for a therapist? Visit our Medshield provider network or speak to your GP for a recommendation. Not looking for a therapist, but want to improve your mental health with self-care practice at home? Read more here: “Expert Advice On Mental Health Self-Care At Home” – advice from Dr Tamsin Malengret and counselling therapist, Jacqui Morgan. 

“I was diagnosed with Panic Attack Disorder a few years ago after my anxiety grew out of control and started impacting my everyday life. The good news is that it’s manageable and that there is help,” says Medshield Movement ambassador, Amy Hopkins 

“After a series of stressful episodes in my life and a heightened increase in my anxiety levels, I started having panic attacks. Episodes where I would feel like I’m having a heart attack or that I’m choking or can’t breathe, including a sense of paralysis.  There were moments when I had to sit down on the street and wouldn’t be able to enter a building. It became so debilitating. I always thought that I could manage my stress with fitness – and it did help – but at some point, it was not enough,” admits Amy Hopkins. 

“I knew that I was no longer coping and went to see my doctor, who wanted to prescribe medication to help get my levels back to “normal” so that I could function again. I was scared and resisted. I did, however, begin seeing a therapist. The funny thing about therapy is that you think to yourself: what on earth will I even say?  Ince you start talking, it all pools out of you like a bursting dam wall. I had a panic attack in that first session in front of my therapist. It was a tough day.”

“We eventually agreed to try a course of medication, continue therapy and I added yoga to my exercise routine. It was hard in the beginning, being so vulnerable, but I was left with no other option,” she says. 

Johannesburg-based counselling psychologist Jacqui Morgan says: “Although stress and anxiety may share many of the same physical and emotional symptoms, such as mood fluctuations, tension, uneasiness, digestive upsets, fatigue, disturbed sleep, headaches, they have different origins,” explains Jacqui Morgan. “Anxiety is often characterised by a feeling of apprehension, fear or dread that persists after a stressful situation has passed,” she explains.   

“Fast forward seven years and I hardly have panic attacks anymore. I can recognise when my body and brain start to go into an anxious state and I can talk myself out of it most of the time by doing to following: 

• Slowing down my breathing
• Focusing my thoughts
• Self-motivation that things will be okay
• Distractions like a puzzle or sudoku”

“It’s taken years, but I know that I have to do mental-health maintenance regularly to stay in good mental-health shape! This includes: prioritising sleep, regular exercise as well as yoga practise, journaling, avoiding excessive drinking, eating well, not having caffeine or stimulants after a certain time of day practising hobbies that elicit a sense of calm, like painting, reading, gardening and walking.”

Read more: Expert Advice On Mental Health Self-Care At Home. 

We know how important self-care is for our emotional and physical well-being. We know that it looks different to everyone and can be as simple as taking a long hot bath or practising yoga. Medshield recently consulted with medical doctor, Dr Tamsin Malengret and counselling therapist, Jacqui Morgan about how each practises self-care at home. All people can apply the advice shared for their mental-health improvement, self-care and stress management at home.

“Although stress is universal, our experience thereof is not and subsequently how people cope will differ,” says Dr Tamsin Malengret. “It is important to figure out what works for you and to then be disciplined enough to implement it,” she says.

“Personally,” says Dr Malengret, “I keep my mental health in check by making sure that it is a priority in my life. I know what I need to do to keep myself mentally well, so I incorporate these activities into my daily life and schedule: exercise – running, yoga, group exercise classes, getting outdoors, cooking, baking, meditation, socialising and reading. Fortunately for me, almost all of these activities can be done at home. The important thing is to be disciplined in doing them.”

Counselling therapist Jacqui Morgan recommends doing everything mindfully – including simple, everyday tasks like brushing teeth and bathing, but with increased awareness. Read: How To Practise Mindfulness For Mental Health for more advice from Jacqui on this excellent stress-management technique.

Jacqui further recommends the following at-home go-to methods for managing stress and anxiety that you can work into your everyday routine – or see them as doses of self-care!

1. “Stop multitasking – Do one thing at a time. Giving yourself permission to focus on one thing at a time increases your cognitive output on tasks while conserving mental energy. Whereas bouncing between screens and tasks leads to interrupted flow of thought and the coordination of motor planning and output becomes more effortful.”
2. “Get your heart rate up for at least 30 minutes, at the very least three days in the week. I’m not a fitness expert and may well be under prescribing exercise, but just doing this improves my overall mood and state of mind, plus it gives me a sense of agency and accomplishment, which improves my overall confidence.”
3. “Do the opposite. If you are feeling isolated, reach out to a friend. Social connection is important to our overall functioning. If you’re feeling angry, watch something that fills you with gratitude. If you’re afraid of failing at something, lean into it. Overcoming bite-sized challenges every day helps to build mastery, which boosts our sense of accomplishment and self-esteem.”
4. “Be purposeful about doing one pleasant thing for yourself every day. This could be as simple as enjoying your senses with a scented bath or sitting quietly with a cup of tea and being mindful of its soothing warmth. During your self-care time, notice any distracting thoughts you have, but don’t judge them or allow any negative thoughts to rob you of the permission you have given yourself to enjoy some time out.”

“Nurture the little you. There exists within all of us our ‘vulnerable child’ side. Check-in with that little you and provide protection – having healthy boundaries with others, protecting good sleep hygiene – and nurturance, like eating healthily, playing and moving your body.”

About Our Experts

Counselling therapist Jacqui Morgan graduated from the University of Johannesburg with a master’s degree in counselling psychology. She gained clinical experience working with survivors of brain injuries at Headway Clinic in Hyde Park. Since then, Neuropsychology has become an academic interest of hers. Jacqui’s approach is largely informed by a psychodynamic perspective and works at Morgan Practice in Johannesburg

Growing up, Dr Tamsin Malengret was always passionate about the community and helping people. She completed her medical degree at The University of the Witwatersrand before returning to Cape Town to practise. She has a passion for psychiatry and while working at Lentegeur Hospital has recently joined the University of Cape Town as Registrar in the Department of Psychiatry.

Medshield consulted counselling psychologist Jacqui Morgan about mindfulness: What exactly it is? and How it can work as a tool for stress management?

What Exactly Is Mindfulness?

“Mindfulness is being aware of your thoughts, emotions and physical sensations in the present moment without judgement and without trying to change it,” explains Jacqui. “Practising this will reduce suffering, increase control of your mind and add an openness to accept reality as it is,” she explains.

“The scientific rationale behind mindfulness has a lot to do with regulating the nervous system which in turn regulates your emotions. Having a regulated nervous system allows you to emerge from your ‘emotion brain’ and utilise your ‘thinking brain’, where it becomes possible to think about what you’re feeling – bringing a sense of containment and calm,” explains Jacqui.

Referencing meditation and mindfulness expert, James Baraz, Jacqui says: “Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on for when it will change – which it will; being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way – which it won’t.”

How to Practise Mindfulness

Jacqui recommends trying this quick mindfulness method from Marsha Linehan’s Dialectical Behavioural Therapy which we can all apply and try.

“When an uncomfortable emotion – or a thought that stirs up an unpleasant emotion – enters your mind, acknowledge it by describing it as it is: ‘naming and taming’ as it were. Resist evaluating it by labelling it as good or bad or whether you like it or not. For example, ‘A feeling has just washed over me that has made my body feel heavy in my seat’,” explains Jacqui.

“Picture yourself lying on your back watching the clouds drift across the blue sky. So too are thoughts and emotions drifting through your mind like clouds in the sky. Just because you have a thought doesn’t mean it’s true and just because you feel an urge doesn’t mean you have to act on it,” she says.

How to Become Present

“Taking hold of the mind has helped me and so many of my patients to do – and it starts with becoming present,” says Jacqui. Reflect on the experience of becoming more present as you ask yourself the questions below.  As you continue, read each question slower than you would usually.”

1. Can you feel your hair touching your head?
2. Can you feel the distance between your eyes?
3. Can you feel your chest rising and falling as you breathe?
4. Can you feel your arms touching your body?
5. Can you feel the space in your mouth?
6. Can you feel the position of your tongue in your mouth?

Jacqui’s approach is largely informed by a psychodynamic perspective/. She offers face-to-face and online psychotherapy to individual adults and couples. Email her at jacqui@morganpractice.co.za for more information and to set up an appointment.

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