Many people have experienced increased stress over the past two years in many ways from the loss of a job, loss of a loved one, loss of community, financial loss & isolation to name just a few things. Loss, isolation, disappointment and life change increase stress, particularly when it is experienced outside of your regular community or in isolation.

Is stress the enemy? Is stress always a bad thing? Is it possible to reframe seasons of stress & change more positively so it has less impact on your sleep, your peace of mind & your ability to function?

When stress starts to impact you negatively (because not all stress is bad!) it's time to pay attention to your body as it is asking for help. Symptoms you experience are your body's way of asking for help and support. Paying attention to small symptoms sooner rather than later (when they are more overwhelming) is extremely beneficial and can help prevent a downward spiral.

Stress can be experienced in a multitude of ways including feelings of anxiety in the chest or stomach, heart palpitations, racing of thoughts, feelings of overwhelm, panic attacks, sleepless nights & more. When stress shows up in your body in these ways, disturbing it's natural rhythms and stealing your sense of harmony, it can be devastating and overwhelming. This sense of dis-ease you experience can be overcome and you can experience peace in the midst of great change and stress.

If you are experiencing stress and anxiety in seasons of change, disappointment, fear and uncertainty there are ways to support your body to adapt & THRIVE.

Learning to support your body in gentle and natural ways so that is an essential part of life - just as change is a part of life. Knowing what you can do to support your mental, emotional & physical health during times of change is vital for every human and is extremely empowering. Learning to take of your own health and the health of your loved ones can be fun as well.

Learn the skills now so that when you encounter change and stress that can incapacitate you have the tools you need to take care of yourself and work through those times.

Given that people experiences stress differently and are wired uniquely you might some of the tips work better for you and others do not. In addition, this is not an exhaustive list of suggestions. In fact, these are limited to lifestyle changes. To learn more about natural supplementation and supports for stress & life change keep your eyes posted for an upcoming Masterclass!

So, let's get started and discuss some great lifestyle tips for you and your family to help manage stress & anxiety:

• Get active: Exercise has been shown to reduce the body's stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline as well as increase your ability to cope with stress. It also increases your happy hormones (endorphins). But when choosing your activity it might be wise to keep it to something less intense such as yoga, walking, aerobics

• Cut the caffeine: Caffeine can elevate cortisol levels. Cortisol is your stress hormone and intaking caffeine can lead to elevated levels for long periods of time. Caffeine can also reduce your sleep quality and the length of time you get sleep. If you suffer from anxiety, palpitations and jittery feelings caffeine is best avoided. If you must drink coffee aim for organic decaf and early morning with a good meal. Or better still, aim for a good cup of organic green or jasmine tea!

• Put down your phone: How often do you check your phone in a day? 10x? 100? Most people check their phone 100-150x/day. Checking your phone can lead to an increase in adrenaline which triggers your body to pay attention and it can take 5-30 min for your nervous system to settle back to baseline. In addition, social media (which most of us check multiple times a day) can be extremely stress-inducing. Best bet? Turn off notifications, avoid websites that stress you out...and take a social media break. The world will keep spinning! :)

• Do some deep breathing: Deep breathing works wonders for calming your mind, decreasing your heart rate and cortisol levels and boosting your mood. Deep breathing signals your nervous system to chill out. Deep breathing exercises can be incorporated into a day very easily - as easily as checking your phone! So trade checking your phone for doing a couple of deep breathing exercises. You can watch read this post here to learn a few. Really! Check it out - there's even a video! :)

• Get creative: You know that when you are stressed you can't think, let alone be creative. Yet, creative people handle stress better. So, how do you get creative? Try a new activity such as painting, writing, jogging, yoga, drawing (really, the world is your oyster!) - the results don't have to look good but sometimes switching your focus can be beneficial for you as it gets your mind off of what was bothering you allowing your body to 'relax' as you focus on something entirely different. Plan to be creative. Make a habit of it. It will help you relax, improve your coping mechanism and it's just plain fun!

• Watch what you eat: Remember we talked about the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline? They are made by your adrenal glands which is impacted by the foods you eat - particularly sugary foods. Fluctuating blood sugars is hard on the adrenal glands and can impact the production of adrenaline and cortisol. Keeping a stable blood sugar is beneficial for stress management. Diet impacts your gut (which is your second brain), which impacts your brain, which will impact mood (and therefore you ability to manage stress & anxiety). Aim for a diet low in saturated fats, avoid processed foods and artificial sweeteners, avoid alcohol, increase your intake of colourful fruits & veggies, prioritize proteins such as chicken, lean beef, turkey, wild salmon/fish, nuts and lentils and eat whole grains such as oats, quinoa, millet, etc. Make sure you try to include probiotic rich foods such as miso, kefir, yogurt, natural sauerkraut.

• Get enough sleep: If you are stressed sleep is essential - and yet, maybe you are having trouble sleeping! A few great tips to improve your sleep can be found here. A bedtime routine is extremely beneficial for improving your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. However, if you wish to learn more about some great tips for sleep consider attending my upcoming online Masterclass where you will learn some great natural sleep aids.

• Pet therapy: Pets are shown to reduce loneliness, improve your mood, decrease pain, and help reduce your feelings of stress overall. If you don't have a pet go to a pet store or visit a friend with a pet (with their permission of course! :)

• Journaling: Get your thoughts on paper. This can be especially beneficial in times where you don't have a social network to tap into or you are on your way to bed and your mind is overwhelmed and busy. Going to bed with things on your mind can keep you awake (as you well know!) and writing them out can help calm your mind so that you can catch a few zzzz's.

• Prayer & Meditation: As a Christian, I know how much peace I have placing my anxieties and worries in God's hands. I can read and meditate on the Bible to encourage my heart (Matt 11:29-30) - "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." I also enjoy reading through the book of Psalms when I am anxious or overwhelmed. Although your anxieties may not disappear immediately there can be real peace knowing that God is with you, He is your strength and He wants you to bring your cares and worries to Him. Prayer & meditation, just like many other forms of care, take consistent practice to see long-term results. They can offer comfort and perspective which will help reduce your stress and increase your sense of peace and happiness.

I hope that these few tips will give you a few ideas where you can start to care for yourself and your family when experiencing stress and anxiety.

There are also some incredible natural supports which I would love to share with you in my upcoming Masterclass in April 2022. You will learn some wonderful natural health information with regards to herbs, supplements and homeopathic medicines that can be geared to calm your mind, body and emotions.

In Health,

Rachel

Additional Resources:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax

https://u.osu.edu/emotionalfitness/2017/04/19/study-caffeine-stress-and-brain-function/

https://www.uchealth.org/today/the-hidden-stress-of-cell-phones/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27995346/

https://www.othership.us/resources/breathwork-for-stress

https://reset.me/study/study-creativity-can-reduce-stress-and-become-a-habit/

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/stress-diet-can-foods-help

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7468813/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29882342/

https://blogs.berkshirecc.edu/stressandhealth2020/2020/04/05/pets-the-therapy-for-stress/