10 Tips for When Your Brain Has Melted. ~ Kate Bartolotta & Bryonie Wise
All useful stuff
Maybe it’s the heat. Maybe it’s Mercury Retrograde. Or both.
Whatever the cause, we all have those times where our brains just feel melted. You know, those days where you don’t really want to eat anything besides watermelon and you realize half-way through the day that you’ve accidentally worn your bikini bottom instead of underwear (not that I would do that, of course).
So then what? Sit in front of a fan with your juice and watch funny Youtube videos (not that I would do that, of course)? As part of our series on how to stay calm and nourished during a crazy time, Bryonie and I have come up with 10 things you can do when your brain is feeling like Jello.
Kate says:
1. Just add pineapple.
I love pineapple for many reasons, but when I’m feeling a little brain-melted, I love doing a pineapple-based juice. The small burst of sugar helps me refuel, and balance with greens and a few other superfood ingredients, it’s cooling and nourishing. This batch was pineapple, romaine, mint, powdered maca and chia seeds. Maca is another great thing to help boost energy and mental clarity.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar Bath.
Apple cider vinegar has been a holistic health darling for awhile now. If you haven’t tried it in your bath, give it a shot! You will be amazed at how you feel afterward, and I promise you won’t smell like a salad.
3. Slow your roll.
If you’ve ever been in the South in the summer, you notice they have a unique pace. Southern heat is it’s own beast. It’s that dripping down your neck, stick to your seat, cold bottle of beer pressed against your cheek “it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity” heat that makes people a little crazy if they struggle against it. They tend to talk slower, move slower, dance slower…everything takes a new pace when the temperature rises. We can learn from that. Take it down a notch. Be gentle with yourself. Slow down.
4. Water, water and then more water.
If you’ve gotten to the point that you feel thirsty, you are probably already dehydrated. While hyponatremia is a possibility from over-hydrating, in times of high temperatures it’s better to err on the side of adding water. You are sweating it out and breathing it out all day. If you don’t like feeling like a melted slug on the sidewalk, grab a little extra.
5. Think cool thoughts—and be water.
When we are overheated physically and mentally (and still in the midst of Mercury Retrograde) it isn’t a good time to delve into everything that bugs you about the person you’re talking with. Don’t pick fights or make problems where there aren’t any—it’s time to go with the flow. It’s time to be water:
Bryonie says:
I’m at a loss for words as I sit here with sweat running down my back and a cat asleep on my desk. I feel quiet and scattered and hot. And melty. (Is melty a word?)
So, here’s what I’m going to do about it:
1. Freeze fruit.
The best, most wonderful way to have a chilled juice or smoothie is from frozen fruits. When I buy fresh, local berries or cherries, and I know that I’m not going to be able to eat them right away, I rinse them, put them on a wax paper lined cookie tray and pop them into the freezer. Voila! Frozen berries that you can keep in the freezer in a container, ready to use for hot and steamy days.
2. Water, water and more water. (I know, I know…Kate said that already.)
But to make me drink my water, I like to add magical ingredients, like a variety of mint leaves, lemon slices and sometimes, I add frozen berries. My mason jar of water is both healthful and a beautiful accessory.
3. Find a local swimming hole…or go the movies.
So now it sounds like I’m repeating Kate a lot, but that’s because she’s smart and my brain isn’t working properly.
Nothing resets me quite like a dip in some cool water, be it a lake, ocean, creek or pool (and even a kid’s turtle shaped pool). Right now, seven out of 10 beaches in the city are closed due to unsafe water; luckily, we have family in the suburbs that have a beautiful pool, so we were able to spend some time there yesterday.
Don’t have access to a swimming hole outside of your home? Fill your bath with some cool water, pour yourself some juice, slap some cucumber slices on your eyes and immerse your feet for ten minutes to bring your body temperature down.
Our cure tonight to beat the heat and brain melt is to sit in a cool theatre and watch a movie—Tuesdays in most cities are cheap days (and maybe, instead of a rainy day fund, save up for a hot n’ sweaty day fund).
4. Breathe.
It sounds too simple to work but believe me, it’s a life saver. Sometimes when I feel out of control, I can actually feel the heat rise in my body; my heart beats faster and it’s like I’m bursting at the seams. The heat tends to make most of us irritable, and with Mercury lurking in the shadows and the full moon approaching, patience might be hard to find.
Sit and breathe.
Slowly.
Follow your breath from the top of your head to the tips of your toes as you match the length of each inhale and exhale.
And that’s it.
5. Make this fresh and lively juice and take a load off.
I made this juice the other night while I nursed my wounded foot: avocado, pineapple and water. I sat with my dog on the balcony, while he chewed his bone and just listened to the hum of life around me.
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