Let’s face it—life can get really stressful. No matter who you are or where you’re from, you probably spend a portion of your time and energy trying to battle stress, exhaustion, and burnout. Especially in the past year, the world has really turned upside down, and when you get thrown off your rhythm, it’s easy to forget to practice self-care.
Whether you don’t have any kind of wellness routine, or you’re looking to change your existing practices, we’ve got a great place for you to look: everywhere! Cultures around the world all have their own genius self-care practices, from relaxation to beauty to exercise and beyond. We’re compiling a list of easy wellness tips for you to try at home so you can focus on taking care of your body and mind.
1. China & Japan: Use a Rice Water Treatment
Women in Japan and China have known the benefits of rice water for centuries. Heian women in ancient Japan, as well as modern women in the Chinese village of Huangluo have been famous for floor-length hair. Their secret to healthy, strong hair? Bathing it in rice water. As the practice has become increasingly popular throughout the world in the past few years, it’s obvious why this practice really works. Rice contains tons of vitamins and minerals, including antioxidants, vitamin E, B vitamins, amino acids, and more. While studies vary in results and more research could stand to be done on the topic, massive amounts of anecdotal evidence say it really works. Not only does it help strengthen hair, but it can help heal damaged skin and dermatitis.
Plus, rice water is incredibly easy to make—you can find out how here—and is made of super affordable and accessible ingredients. If you’ve been looking to add something new to your skincare or haircare, why not give rice water a try?
2. India: Supplement With Turmeric
Modern, western scientists hail turmeric as a powerful nutritional supplement—but the people of India have known that for thousands of years. Turmeric’s key active ingredient is curcumin, an antioxidant with strong anti-inflammatory effects. There’s a lot of complicated dietary science behind why turmeric is so helpful to the body, but the short version is that adding turmeric and curcumin into your diet can prevent oxidative damage, a mechanism heavily involved in aging and sickness. Some studies even show that curcumin can improve brain function and memory, and help prevent brain conditions like Alzheimer’s and depression. But the biggest news is this: turmeric can help prevent and partially treat cancer.
You don’t need to be sick to try adding turmeric and curcumin into your diet. It’s completely natural, but be sure to always consult a healthcare professional before making big changes to your diet or supplement routine.
3. Tibet: Practice Sound healing
Research shows that Tibetan singing bowls have been used for at least 6000 years by Indigenous cultures in the Himalayas, and as Buddhist and other spiritualist practices have spread from East to West, the practice of sound healing has become accessible almost everywhere in the world. Tibetan singing bowls are metal bowls that function sort of like a bell in that they vibrate and produce ringing tones when played. Sound healing is a form of meditation, and many theories propose a wide variety of benefits including stress and pain relief, improving sleep and relaxation, and stimulating various body processes like the immune system. There is very little concrete evidence to support these claims as there are virtually no scientific studies on the topic, but at the very least, we know meditation can be a powerful tool for mind and body health.
Using a Tibetan singing bowl and practicing sound meditation is a relatively low-risk activity, but people who are prone to headaches or seizures should take extra care when considering trying this meditation out.
4. Panama: Drink Natural Cocoa
Yes, you read that right: cocoa! But it might not be the kind of cocoa you’re used to. Many indigenous tribes in South America have access to high-quality, natural cocoa, and have been using it for hundreds of years, but one group that has been the focus of research has been the Kuna tribe in Panama. A Harvard study found that members of the Kuna tribe have excellent cardiovascular health and that health can be attributed to the fact that the Kuna people drink more than five cups of natural cocoa every day. Researcher Norman Hollenberg said, “Increasing evidence points to heavy intake of certain types of cocoa as an easy, inexpensive way to increase blood to the brain and, thus, to play a role in reducing the risk of [dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and stroke].”
This does not mean you should go buy a tin of hot chocolate powder from your grocery store. If you’re looking for a new drink to try, look into some natural cocoa powder and see if it helps you improve your mind and body health. And once again, be sure to always consult a healthcare professional before making big changes to your diet or supplement routine.
If you’ve been in a self-care rut, try looking beyond your own cultural walls. No matter what is causing you stress, or if you’ve got a lot of anxiety or just a little, practicing personal wellness every day might be the key to creating harmony in your own mind and in your relationships with others. Don’t think these methods are the right ones for you? Don’t worry—there are limitless possibilities. Keep looking (try this list!) and you just might find a secret from somewhere you never would have thought to look.