Exercise To Reduce Health Stress

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 02:41:48 +0000

“A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world.” – Paul Dudley White

Exercise is paramount to optimum health. Exercising not only burns off excess calories, but it also rushes extra oxygen throughout your body and brain to help in cell function, which keeps your heart, circulatory system, lungs, and muscles in shape.

Exercise releases stress and helps you maintain a healthy metabolism. It warms you up in the winter and makes you look good all year round!

So exercise not only prevents stress, but also helps eliminate it. If you exercise at least 3 times per week, it’ll help you combat stress.

Strive to be active whenever you can: take the stairs instead of elevators, go for a walk with your friends, and play with your kids. The goal is to keep moving and enjoy a healthy lifestyle!

Eating to Combat Stress

admin — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 02:52:29 +0000

“Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food. But to eat when you are sick, is to feed your sickness.” – Hippocrates

Eating to Combat Stress

The most important rule in healthy eating is to focus on natural, unprocessed foods as close to nature as you can get. Increase your fresh, raw fruits and vegetables and decrease your meat. Eat organically whenever possible. Include fish like tuna and salmon in your diet. Add probiotic dairy foods to aid in digestion as well as help provide an environment where your body can better absorb your nutrients.
Avoid eating when you’re feeling stressed! The fight or flight response to stress causes your blood to flow to your arms and legs for quick action and shuts down your digestive system. This prevents you from absorbing the nutrients from your food and slows down your metabolism. That’s not so good!

Here are some specific foods that help combat stress and its undesired effects:

B-Vitamin foods. The B vitamins are particularly important in fighting stress, depression, and panic attacks. They’re also water soluble, so reserves of them don’t remain in your body. You need to replenish them as often as possible – several times a day./p

These foods have lots of B vitamins to help you fight stress:

Turkey.

Turkey contains L-tryptophan, an amino acid which triggers the release of serotonin. Serotonin makes you feel relaxed. This is one reason why we so often feel the need for a nap after Thanksgiving dinner!

Sweet potatoes. This high-fiber, high-vitamin, carbohydrate-rich food is one of the best for fighting stress.

Anti-oxidant rich fruits and vegetables. Since stress inhibits our immune system, these foods counteract that effect by building it back up again.

Carrots and acorn squash have beta-carotene, a powerful anti-oxidant.

Citrus fruits have lots of Vitamin C to help our immune system and return our blood pressure and cortisol levels back to normal after a stressful situation.

Apricots and spinach. These foods are high in magnesium, which fights stress and is also a muscle relaxant.

Avocadoes. These contain a lot of potassium, which helps lower blood pressure.

Salmon. High in the good fatty acid Omega-3, salmon fights stress effects by leveling off the amounts of adrenalin and cortisol produced by stress, which also helps your heart.

Personal Success Coaching » combat stress

Exercise To Reduce Health Stress

Eating to Combat Stress

Eating to Combat Stress