Wow, tensions are high these days- So much chaos and short tempers.    Friends fighting with friends!  People are isolated, fearful, scared, fed up.  We call this stress, and everyone experiences it.  In times of stress, your body releases hormones that increase your heart rate and breathing and prepares your muscles to react – Think Fight or Flight.

Short-term stress can be beneficial by helping you cope with potentially serious situations.  But when that short-term stress turns into long-term and your body can not turn off those stress hormones- things go downhill and you start to experience anxiety, heart issues, insomnia, depression, headaches, and the list goes on and on.  And long-term exposure to stress can lead to many more serious diseases- I know as I am dealing with some of those outcomes right now- and I didn’t even think I was stressed!

So, let’s take a look at how we can better deal with daily stress and potentially prevent the consequences of long-term stress- because believe me- they are not fun, and some can kill you.

1.  Get some exercise– being fit helps the body deal more effectively with elevated stress!
2.  Keep up your self-care– get a massage, commune with nature, read a book!
3.  Make time for a hobby or something you enjoy doing!
4.  Get your Sleep– your body needs that to recover.  A good (non-restless) 7-8 hours is a must!
5. And finally, the most important tip in my opinion- Have great nutrition!  Stress takes a greater toll on bodies that are fed junk! 
   •  Eat regularly.
   •  Incorporate healthy fats– Omega3s are brain food and deficiencies often result in more anxiety and depression. 
   • EAT YOUR VEGGIES– you need all of the vitamins and minerals from the rainbow of fruits and veggies.  opt for these when reaching for those nutrient void processed foods in the box. And as an added plus- they add FIBER to keep everything moving along!

So, to Recap…
How you deal with stress is your choice. When you turn to cigarettes, sweets, the news, toxic social media, coffee, and/or alcohol to “manage” stress, your stress increases.   Instead, learn to control your stress by adopting a healthy lifestyle which includes eating well, exercising, sleeping adequately, and enjoying your free time. Looking for more stress-reducing ideas – head on over to my FB group – The Wellness Cafe and join in the fun!