How To Reduce Stress naturally?
Our modern lifestyles demand to pack more into our lives than ever before. Working long hours, taking care of the loved ones and socialising often leaves us with no time to look after ourselves. Add stress, processed food, coffee, soft drinks or smoking to this mix and we can find ourselves dealing with chronic diseases somewhere down the track. What can we do in an easy way to balance this ?
Stress Reducing Diet
When we’re stressed out, the foods that we’re turning to are most likely going to be traditional ‘comfort’ foods – like big meals, take-aways, fatty & sweet foods, and alcohol. Let’s face it – we’ve all found some comfort in a tasty meal and a bottle of beer or glass of wine when we’ve been stressed out or upset about something. However, this isn’t a good permanent solution.
When we’re turning to unhealthy foods we can feel better temporarily, but in the long run, we will feel worse. When our body isn’t getting the right nutrition, we can begin to feel less energetic, more lethargic, and in some cases less able to concentrate. All of this can lead to even more stress.
Foods that Fight Stress
If you’ve been feeling more stressed out than usual lately, it’s important to know which foods are best to choose and which to avoid when it comes to combating stress and helping you to deal with feelings of stress and anxiety. An easy way to fight stress is to have a healthy, balanced diet which includes a moderate amount of each of the different food groups. Filling up on foods such as whole grains, leafy vegetables, and lean proteins as the basic staples of the diet is the best way to ensure that your body gets the optimum amounts of nutrients to overcome both physical and mental health challenges.
Eat to De-stress
When it comes to choosing the best foods to eat, some have a range of great properties which help the body to calm down, relax and combat stress .
Choosing these types of stress-busting foods can help to calm your mind and give your body a break to be able to balance itself , rather than providing a temporary fix. One of the first areas that stress can effect quickly is our digestion and gut system which requires extra care.Some of the best stress-fighting foods include:
Natural Vitamin C – Consuming foods high in vitamin C can reduce stress and boost the immune system. Intake of this vitamin can help lower the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, and blood pressure during high-anxiety situations. A great source of natural Vitamin C is Kakadu plum which is a native Australian fruit. Kakadu plum has the highest recorded natural amount of vitamin C of any food in the world. In fact 100 grams of the fruit provide well over 3,000% of our daily needs. The same serving of oranges contains only 59.1% of the DV. This amazing fruit is a bush tucker and available as a powder.
Fermented Food – Eating fermented foods such as miso, kefir, sour cream and yogurt can help to keep your gut healthy, which actually in turn will help to improve your mental health and reduce stress levels. The beneficial bacteria which are found in fermented foods such as yogurt actually have a direct effect on your brain chemistry and transmit positive mood and behaviour regulating signals to your brain via the vagus nerve.
Blueberries–If you’re feeling stressed out and reaching for the snacks, swapping chocolate or chips for one of the best superfoods is a great way to help you deal with your stress levels and achieve a higher level of calm. Blueberries have some of the highest levels of antioxidants, especially anthocyanin, which means that this berry has been linked to a wide range of health benefits including sharper cognition, better focus, and a clearer mind – all of which can help you to better deal with stress.
Walnuts – If you’re looking for a healthy snacking option which will help you to stay better in control of your stress levels, walnuts are a great choice. There is no denying the sweet, pleasant avor of walnuts and they can be a tasty snack for in-between meals or as part of a desert. A versatile nut, walnuts are great for salads, or add them to a sweet treat such as coffee and walnut cake.
Green Leafy Veggies – leafy, green vegetables should be a pivotal part of anyone’s diet. Along with helping to combat stress, leafy greens are full of nutrients and antioxidants which help to fight off disease and leave your body feeling healthier and more energized. Dark leafy greens, for example spinach, are especially good for you since they are rich in folate, which helps your body to produce more mood-regulating neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which is a ‘feel-good’ chemical.
Oatmeal – Can be a filling comfort food, but also has a lar
ge number of healthy properties to actually make you feel better from the inside out. A complex carbohydrate, eating oatmeal causes your brain to produce higher levels of the feel-good chemical serotonin, helping you to feel calmer and less stressed. Studies have shown that kids who choose oatmeal for breakfast tend to be much sharper throughout the morning in school compared to kids who had alternative morning meal.
Nourishing Herbal Infusions – For some of us changing the lifestyle is NOT a short-term option. If that’s the case with you, then what else can you do to help yourself when you need it most ?
What If, there was something that we all could do to create a space for our body to take a break, energise and rejuvenate naturally ?
There is something amazing that you can do to help yourself. Its called Nourishing Herbal Infusion. Herbal infusions are caffeine free and can be used hot or cold. They use a high herb to water ratio, steeped longer, consumed all day long as a sipping beverage and they don't taste even like medicine ! These potent drinks are formulated using an elite group of herbs that traditionally used to help body nourish and rejuvenate.
What’s a herbal infusion ?
We are all familiar with herbal teas. They are made using herbs and hot water and steeping for a shortperiod of time (usually 5 to 10 mins)
Herbal infusions on the other hand are made using a higher herb to water ratio, steeped longer, and consumed all day long by carrying the infusion with you(served like water)
The purpose of herbal infusion is feeding your body with a high dose of holistic and organic vitamins and minerals on a regular basis. We at Herbal Tea & Tonics offer personalised Nourishing infusions than can help create a space for our body to take a break, energise, restore and rejuvenate naturally.
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