Wanted: Natural stress busters
MANILA, Philippines - Experiencing some stress is a normal part of life but suffering from excessive stress interferes with productivity and affects overall wellness. Because of the various health concerns connected to stress, it’s important to find ways to keep it under control. These simple but effective stress busters are designed to give you a much-needed lift — naturally!
• Bring balance to your life. Steady mind-body practices like meditation, yoga, and tai chi promote correct breathing, slow down heart rate, and relax certain muscles. If done regularly, these activities can help offset the effects of the body’s overly activated stress response like increases in blood pressure and breathing rate. Can’t join a class? Try doing self-meditation for five minutes every day, in the morning or just before sleeping at night.
• Get crafty and creative. Develop an interest or a hobby outside of what you’re normally busy with. Painting, cooking or gardening may prove to be relaxing and therapeutic pursuits to help redirect your focus off your thoughts and worries, and channel it into a form of creative expression.
• Let your hair down! Physically active individuals have been reported to feel less anxious and less likely to feel depressed. This is due to the fact that exercise can increase production levels of endorphins, the “feel-good” neurotransmitters in the brain. So load up your music player and dance, run, box or walk off that stress! Not only do these activities help you maintain your figure, they also give you a natural high and feeling of rejuvenation afterwards.
• Use products that promote relaxation and rejuvenation. Choose personal care products containing natural ingredients that help enhance not only your looks but your mood as well, like Palmolive Naturals Aroma-Vitality. Both its shampoo and conditioner formulas contain essential oils of rose petals and bamboo extracts and put the sway back to one’s hair, plus a lift for the spirit. These products can be used in the morning for an energy boost, or at night for a soothing experience after a hard day’s work.
• Sleep tight. Studies show that an estimated 60 percent of people who are stressed have indicated that they lack appropriate sleep. Getting those zzzs is really important as it helps the brain commit new information to memory, keep the weight gain at bay (sleep deprivation affects how the body stores carbohydrates), maintain the immune function (it may even aid in fighting cancer), and prevent irritability, the inability to concentrate, and moodiness.
• Eat right. A spike in blood sugar during the day can cause anxiety and stress, so be sure to eat small frequent meals and regulate your intake of simple carbohydrates like sugar. Constantly stimulating yourself with caffeine will eventually drain your system. You can also try green or black tea as healthy options. Don’t forget to grab some fruits and veggies for a vitamin C boost, which can prevent damage to cells caused by free radicals released due to stress.
