April is stress awareness month, and I think it's safe to say we can all benefit from calming the stress in our lives. While stress can be difficult to manage, it's absolutely critical to find strategies that work for you to keep it at minimum. Stress is one of the biggest reasons our society is facing so many chronic illnesses. Luckily, there are many holistic strategies you can implement to reduce your stress before it becomes harmful to your health. Below are some simple actions you can take to help manage your everyday stressors before they balloon into an all-out stress spiral.
Move Your Body
While exercise has obvious physical benefits, it also has amazing mental benefits. Exercise helps decrease tension, elevate mood, improve sleep, and boost self-esteem. Take a yoga class, go on run, or simply take the stairs instead of the elevator. Just five minutes of movement has been shown to have stress-reducing effects. Additionally, exercise has been show to increase emotional resilience, which is the way you handle stress.
While exercise has obvious physical benefits, it also has amazing mental benefits. Exercise helps decrease tension, elevate mood, improve sleep, and boost self-esteem. Take a yoga class, go on run, or simply take the stairs instead of the elevator. Just five minutes of movement has been shown to have stress-reducing effects. Additionally, exercise has been show to increase emotional resilience, which is the way you handle stress.
The Gut-Brain Connection
The connection between the gut and brain is one of the most powerful in the body. The two are in constant communication with one another, which means anything your brain is feeling affects the way your gut feels too, and vice versa. One of the best ways to lower stress is through a whole food, nutrient-dense diet. By feeding your gut foods full of antioxidants, fiber, healthy fats and proteins, you are also allowing your brain to feel less stress. Simultaneously, by taking deep breaths before you eat or expressing gratitude for your meal you activate the parasympathetic nervous system which calms your brain and in turn allows you to digest your food better. It's a two way street that makes a meaningful impact on your health.
The connection between the gut and brain is one of the most powerful in the body. The two are in constant communication with one another, which means anything your brain is feeling affects the way your gut feels too, and vice versa. One of the best ways to lower stress is through a whole food, nutrient-dense diet. By feeding your gut foods full of antioxidants, fiber, healthy fats and proteins, you are also allowing your brain to feel less stress. Simultaneously, by taking deep breaths before you eat or expressing gratitude for your meal you activate the parasympathetic nervous system which calms your brain and in turn allows you to digest your food better. It's a two way street that makes a meaningful impact on your health.
Mindfulness & Meditation
We do it every day, but we often forget about the power of deep breathing. By slowing your heart rate and dropping your blood pressure, deep breathing lowers stress. Additionally, regular meditation has an effect on the way you respond to stress. When you're stressed, your body releases the hormone, cortisol. Meditation lowers the levels of cortisol and inflammation in the body, thus reducing the stress. Other ways to practice mindfulness include journaling, expressing gratitude and practicing self-care.
We do it every day, but we often forget about the power of deep breathing. By slowing your heart rate and dropping your blood pressure, deep breathing lowers stress. Additionally, regular meditation has an effect on the way you respond to stress. When you're stressed, your body releases the hormone, cortisol. Meditation lowers the levels of cortisol and inflammation in the body, thus reducing the stress. Other ways to practice mindfulness include journaling, expressing gratitude and practicing self-care.
Stress Support Remedies
CALM
Supports a positive mood and a sense of tranquility using neurotransmitters
Adrenal MGRx
Supports adrenal function and reduces the effects of stress and fatigue
Supports adrenal function and reduces the effects of stress and fatigue
Anti-Stress Drops
A homeopathic remedy intended to address stress-related symptoms
A homeopathic remedy intended to address stress-related symptoms
Calm Powder
The ultimate anti-stress drink formulated with a relaxing magnesium supplement
The ultimate anti-stress drink formulated with a relaxing magnesium supplement
