Clients at Habitat Health in Lakeland, FL, love working out. They say it helps them decrease stress. There are often stressful times when exercising isn’t possible. Some have asked for alternative remedies, such as herbs, mental focus routines, or other possibilities that don’t require putting on gym clothes and working up a sweat.
Stop the stress before it becomes a problem.
Early man faced many threats, such as a wild animal or an enemy. Those stressors required man to either run or fight. The stress triggered hormones that changed the body, allowing man to do those two things more successfully. Today different types of stressors not requiring running or fighting exist. The body’s response is still the same, even though the stressed person’s response isn’t. That causes the changes to be unresolved and creates serious health issues. Learning techniques to prevent the fight or flight response, such as breath focus, mindful meditation, or guided imagery can do that.
Have a cup of tea to relax your nerves.
All types of tea from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant, traditional black, white, or green tea, help relax the body and provide relief. They all contain L-theanine, but green tea has the most. L-theanine reduces stress hormones and increases hormones that calm the brain. Several herbal teas are beneficial for reducing stress. Lemon balm, from the mint family, has a lemony smell when crushed. Like other members of the mint family, it’s easy to grow but quite invasive once it starts. Chamomile, motherwort, valerian, and passionflower are a few others.
Eat food that helps reduce stress.
Eating sweet potatoes, swiss chard, or organ meats helps reduce stress. Swiss chard contains magnesium. Magnesium has a calming effect and a deficiency can cause panic attacks and anxiety. You can absorb magnesium through the skin, so taking a bath in Epsom’s salts—magnesium sulfate—can be so relaxing. Sweet potatoes contain potassium, vitamin C, and other nutrients that reduce the stress response. It’s the vitamins B12, B6, folate, and riboflavin in organ meats like liver that help lower stress levels.
- An anti-inflammatory diet that’s high in B vitamins and devoid of foods that contain added sugar can help nerve functioning and keep stress levels lower. Food containing garlic can also reduce stress.
- Increase food with omega-3 fatty acids, like fatty fish or flax seed. Prison studies showed that when food with omega-3 fatty acids increased and omega-6 reduced, incidences of violence diminished.
- Eat food that’s good for your gut microbiome. It plays a role in mental health and stress. Probiotic foods include kimchi, yogurt, and sauerkraut. Add prebiotic foods with soluble fiber to feed the beneficial bacteria.
- Two stress-relieving foods many people love include dark chocolate and pumpkin seeds. The dark chocolate must be at least 90% cacao. Both contain magnesium.
For more information, contact us today at Habitat Health & Fitness