Chickadee Says: 5 Healthy Ways to Beat Stress

Thursday, March 14, 2013

5 Healthy Ways to Beat Stress


Hello Darlings!

I know it has been a terribly long time since I’ve posted, but my life has been a perfect storm of travel, change, apartment hunting, and huge projects at work. Blogging kept creeping lower on my to-do list, and it felt like there were fewer and fewer hours in each day. I became a bit frazzled and quite stressed. I knew I needed to calm myself down and keep myself grounded, so out came my trusty list of stress-beating solutions.





One. A Magnesium Supplement. Many of us, especially in the Western world, are deficient in magnesium, a mineral that has a calming effect on the nervous system. Stabilizing magnesium levels in your body not only helps with stress, but also is beneficial for your overall health. Popping a teaspoon of a supplement like Natural Calm into boiling water to drink like tea can work wonders.

Two. Lavender. Lavender is an extremely calming scent that can be used to soothe the body, mind, and even promote restful sleep. Available in both a solid form, sachets of the flowers are commonly placed under pillows to help combat insomnia, and a liquid form, like widely available lavender essential oils. I buy lavender flowers in bulk to use in cooking both for myself and in my darling Tinkerbelle’s treats.

Three. Bach’s Rescue Remedy. This is my go-to when I am overwhelmed by stress. Just a spray or two my tongue has an immediate calming effect and can thwart symptoms of an impending panic attack. The remedy is a combination of five of the Bach Flower Remedies specifically combined to deal with crises. Also, there is a Bach Rescue Remedy for Pets, perfect for storms and car trips.

Four. Dark Chocolate. Yep, I said chocolate. There have been studies that state that eating a small amount of dark chocolate daily can reduce stress hormones cortisol and catecholamine in the body. Plus it is delicious; you can’t really go wrong with a bit of chocolate!

Five. Exercise. It is widely known that exercise produces endorphins, those happy neuro-transmitters that improve your mood. I prefer to practice yoga because it is a meditation in motion, so you get the added benefit of calming breathing on top of endorphin production. Plus, who needs another excuse to rock some Lulu Lemon yoga pants?

I really can’t end a post on stress without encouraging you to hug something fluffy. Tinkerbelle is the best stress-beater of all. Being around such a happy little critter that I love, and who loves me, just melts stress away!

Tinkerbelle At Six Weeks Old- Fluffy As Can Be

What do you do to combat stressful situations? 
Let me know in the comments below!

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