Nine Simple Ways to Relieve Stress
Nurture Your Mind and Body

9 Simple Ways to Relieve Stress

Step 1 - Assess your body. Where does it hurt? Is it your heart, your back, your neck? Each one of us carries stress in different parts of our body. Notice where your stress is, and ask yourself, “Did anything out of the ordinary happen to me recently?”

• Did my back spasm happen just before the important interview • Did my migraine headache start the day of the entrance exam • Did the holidays bring on my upset stomach Step 2 – Relieve stress by exercise. Movement stirs up the juices, gives you energy, exercises your heart and lungs and makes you look younger and healthier.

• Go to a gym or work out at home. If you’d rather exercise at home, buy an inexpensive, mini trampoline (and use it). Exercise can relieve stress more than any other activity.

• Take a yoga class, water aerobics or tennis lessons at a local school or recreation center, a class that suits your abilities and interests. Stretching can relieve stress.

• When you go shopping, park your car in the far corner of the parking lot and walk a few extra steps to the entrance. Use stairs instead of an escalator whenever you can. Walking relieves stress.

Step 3 – Relax. Practice the ancient art of meditation. Anything that gets your mind off cares and worries is meditation. Meditation can relieve stress.

• Painting (a wall or a picture) can be your meditation • Sewing a baby blanket can be your meditation • Taking a walk, running or swimming can be your meditation • Getting lost in an engrossing novel can be your meditation

Step 4 - Breathe! Sounds strange, but most people take very shallow breaths. In fact, sometimes you actually stop breathing for awhile. Think of sitting in a theater watching a scary movie. You hold your breath, don’t you? And when you’re in a hurry you take really short breaths, am I right?

All eastern religions such as Buddhism or Hinduism teach the importance of breath. They believe that breath is healing. After all, it does send energy giving oxygen through your body. Dr. Andrew Weil suggests the following exercise.

Sit quietly, breathe in then exhale. When you exhale this time, push out more air than you usually do. That will force you to take more air on the next breath. Become more aware of your breath. Breathing deeply will rejuvenate, regenerate your body give you more energy and relieve stress.

Step 5 - Get enough rest. For instance, take an afternoon nap. What? You want me to nap? I never nap, I can’t nap, only lazy people nap. I have too much to do. Dr. Deepak Chopra believes that many of our diseases and illnesses could be eliminated or reversed with more sleep. What’s the worse that can happen? You will feel rejuvenated and rested! I know naps work for our family at The Natural Healing Way.

• Give yourself the gift of a good night’s sleep. If you have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep, be sure your bedroom is dark. Science has shown that complete darkness tells your brain to make melatonin, a natural sleep inducing chemical.

• Wind down at least thirty minutes before you want to go to sleep. Do something that helps you to relax.

• Stay away from caffeine and eat some foods that contain triptophan, a natural relaxant. Try a banana, a piece of turkey or chicken. And Grandma was right. A cup of warm milk will do wonders to relieve stress.

• Review the day’s events and focus on the good things that happened, the good things you accomplished and the good you can do tomorrow.

Step 6 - Feed your body well. Learn to pay attention to how you feel after you eat certain foods. Do you feel sleepy, bloated, nauseous, gassy, hyper? Or do you have more energy than before you ate? Here are some facts to help you.

• Sugar and caffeine give you bursts of energy, then slam you down • Sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup and aspartame are hazardous to your health • Trans fat clogs your arteries • Salt can raise your blood pressure • Olive oil is a good fat • Bananas supply potassium and are not fattening • Dark red fruits such as apples, berries and grapes are extremely healthy for your immune system • Raw vegetables have cancer fighting properties • Potatoes are rich in calcium • Eat a bagel instead of an energy bar

Step 7- Spend time with family and/or close friends. • Cultivate friendships with supportive people who don’t judge you, who let you talk while they quietly listen. • Find a spiritual family that suits you. Studies show that church-goers live longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Step 8 - Insure proper nutrition with healthy, natural supplements. Much of the food we eat today is processed. This means many nutrients are lost by the time the apple or grape gets to our table. It’s important to be sure you’re getting enough vitamins and minerals to keep your body and mind healthy.

• Take a quality multi-vitamin • Use a flaxseed oil or fish oil supplement for Omega 3 fatty acids

Take antioxidants to fend off the effects of stress. Antioxidants protect your body against heart disease, various types of cancer, alleviate pain from arthritis or sports injuries and lower your cholesterol and blood pressure.

Antioxidants give you energy and elevate your mood. When your body feels good, life is better!

Treat your body to the power of Muscadine Plus, the most powerful, most natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory tested by science.

Step 9 – Don’t forget the simple joys of life: laughter, fresh fruits and vegetables, good conversation, a rewarding hobby, sexual intimacy, music, nature and being in the company of children. If you choose, let your heart and mind embrace a spiritual practice.

Stress can be a killer. At the very least, it saps your energy and clouds the joy in your life. Become aware of your feelings, of your body, of your lifestyle to reduce stress as much as possible. Once you become aware, you can take charge of your health and wellness by making small changes. Try these nine ways to relieve stress. The steps are easy. The benefits are priceless.

Practice Meditation Daily to Relieve Stress Yoga for Relaxation and Strength