Your Health : Stress

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STRESS

It is important to remember however that a little stress in your life is good as it initiates productivity and motivates us to positive action. Stress is the manifestation of how we handle our life episodes. Some people are innately and genetically good at dealing with stress. The right food choices can radically assist the body in handling stress in a more constructive manner. The more you control your reactions to life situations: the more control you will exercise over your stress levels. When you are under pressure and surrounded with deadlines and completion dates, targets to attain and general performance to deliver, it is vital to your success to control and manage your life in a good way, making healthy food choices and topping up on extra supplements if required. Vitamin B Complex is a great stress buster. However, always check with your health therapist before taking any supplements.

Stress tends to deplete the body of vital nutrients and anyone under long-term pressure needs to be extra careful to incorporate plenty of these into the diet with the right foods, such as: fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and pulse vegetables. Relaxation, meditation and open-air exercise, combined with small dietary changes can alleviate many symptoms that may cause the body to feel agitated, nervous or irritable.

Steps for Dealing with Stress
Eat a nutrient dense whole food diet - wholegrain, pulses, seeds, nuts, oily fish, lean meat and masses of a good colour of fresh fruits and vegetables. Add ground flaxseed or wheat germ to your cereals for extra Vitamin B, as this will support nerve functioning. Vitamin C is really a great helper in times of stress as it will help strengthen the immune system so that your energy levels and vitality can be supported. Avoid alcohol and excessive caffeine as these are stimulants and may exacerbate your anxiety levels. Exercise, deep breathing and relaxation are all really helpful ways to de-stress. Book yourself a massage or take a siesta to slow down the mind and calm the nervous system. Yawning helps relieve stress and it is a really healthy action for the body as it indicates that the system has received the message that it is time to relax. When the eyes water it is a further positive sign that the para-sympathetic nervous system is chilling down.