April is National Stress Awareness Month

Stress and poor mental health are one of the biggest public health challenges that we’re facing. Sadly, even though that is the case, we are still not taking its impact seriously enough. We continue to separate mental health from physical health and vice versa. The reality is they cannot be separate – there is no health without mental health and stress can lead to numerous health problems. From physical problems, like heart disease, insomnia, digestive issues, immune system challenges, etc to more serious mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Visit stress.org for more information

Stress Awareness Month has been held every April since 1992 to raise awareness of the causes and cures for our modern-day stress epidemic.

We have an opportunity for an open conversation on the impact of stress. Dedicated time to removing the guilt, shame, and stigma around mental health. To talk about stress, and its effects and open up about our mental and emotional state with friends, families, colleagues, and professionals.

What can you do for Stress Awareness Month?

• Talk about Stress and it’s effects – lets work together to reduce the stigma that is associated with stress by talking about the topic openly and freely with friends, family and colleagues.
• Share your coping mechanisms – if something has worked for you why not share it? It might benefit someone you care about and in the meantime, it might help you take your focus off your own challenges.
• Be nice to those who are stressed and anxious – we are all undoubtedly going to experience stress and anxiety in our lifetime so treat others going through it with compassion and empathy.
• Look after yourself – we all need to think more about self–care. Take time out of your day to relax or do something that you enjoy. Don’t forget to exercise and eat well, even when you feel too stressed.

The most crucial thing you can do when you are stressed or anxious is to make sure you are continuing to look after yourself. Make time to relax when you need to and learn to say no to requests that are too much for you.

• 

• 

• 

• 

If you are in immediate distress or are thinking about hurting yourself, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Be well.

Adapted from The Stress Management Society, click here for more.

April is National Stress Awareness Month

Life can be stressful—you may feel stressed about performance at school, traumatic events (such as a pandemic, a natural disaster, or an act of violence), or a life change. Everyone feels stress from time to time.

Stress is the physical or mental response to an external cause, such as having a lot of homework or having an illness. A stressor may be a one-time or short-term occurrence, or it can happen repeatedly over a long time. It’s normal, and can even be healthy, when a stressful event has a beginning – and then, an end.

Anxiety on the other hand is your body’s reaction to stress and can occur even if there is no current threat.

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

If that anxiety doesn’t go away and begins to interfere with your life, it could affect your health. You could experience problems with sleeping, or with your immune, digestive, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems. You also may be at higher risk for developing a mental illness such as an anxiety disorder or depression.

Anxiety can affect your health is many ways.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

im-so-stressed-outDownload

Coping With Stress and Anxiety

Learning what causes or triggers your stress and what coping techniques work for you can help reduce your anxiety and improve your daily life. It may take trial and error to discover what works best for you. Here are some self care activities you can try when you start to feel overwhelmed:

• Keep a journal.
• Download an app that provides relaxation exercises (such as deep breathing or visualization) or tips for practicing mindfulness, which is a psychological process of actively paying attention to the present moment.
• Exercise, and make sure you are eating healthy, regular meals.
• Stick to a sleep routine, and make sure you are getting enough sleep.
• Avoid drinking excess caffeine such as soft drinks or coffee.
• Identify and challenge your negative and unhelpful thoughts.
• Reach out to your friends or family members who help you cope in a positive way.

Recognize When You Need More Help

If you are struggling to cope, or the symptoms of your stress or anxiety won’t go away, it may be time to talk to a professional. Psychotherapy (also called talk therapy) and medication are the two main treatments for anxiety, and many people benefit from a combination of the two.

If you are in immediate distress or are thinking about hurting yourself, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Be well.

Adapted from the National Institute of Mental Health

April is National Stress Awareness Month

When you’re feeling particularly stressed, the last thing you probably want to do is be active, but it’s one of the best remedies for tackling your stress!

Taking part in physical activity helps to increase the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, endorphins which contribute to relieving your stress levels. As well as busting stress, physical activity adds to increasing your overall sense of wellbeing and has multiple health benefits.

6 Stress busting activities to help increase your wellbeing

Yoga

By combining a series of slow movements and held poses with concentrated deep breathing, Yoga is a mind-body exercise known for strengthening the body’s relaxation response and assists in finding your central balance both mentally and physically.

Pilates

Named after its creator Joseph Pilates, Pilates consists of a series of controlled movements devised to strengthen tone and also increase endurance and flexibility. It is an anaerobic exercise rather than aerobic, meaning short duration high intensity activities: great for relieving stress.

Tai Chi

With its roots in martial arts and sharing qualities with Yoga, Tai Chi is known for calming the mind as well as conditioning the body with its flowing, slow-paced body movements. Hand in hand with focused breathing techniques, once learnt this exercise can be practiced anywhere – great for everyday stress busting.

Walking

This one is probably the easiest for most of us to do. It requires no special equipment, no instructor and you can do it just by walking out your door! Research has shown that walking promotes the release of brain chemicals called endorphins that stimulate relaxation and improve our mood. Walking does not even have to be done at a fast pace to have stress-relieving benefits. A stroll at a comfortable pace promotes relaxation, studies indicate.

Martial Arts

Many activities come under the broad umbrella of martial arts including karate, tae kwon do and judo. Whilst actively helping you release tension and energy these exercises contribute to your understanding of self-discipline and self-defence techniques both in a mental and physical way.

Team Sports

Why not organize a pick-up game of football or a tennis match with your friends or family? Not only are you socializing AND exercising, you’re gaining a double dose of endorphin release from participating as part of a team. Adding a sense of competition is also great from motivating and pushing yourself a little harder!

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When you feel the pressure is getting to you and your stress levels are rising, take some time out of your schedule to do some stress busting exercises. Get those muscles moving, those heart rates lifting and those endorphins flowing and just feel the tension start to melt away!

If you are in immediate distress or are thinking about hurting yourself, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Be well.

Adapted from the the Stress Management Society

Fight the effects of stress with Adaptogens

Article reprinted from: Mother Earth Living

Stress
We all have it, we all complain about it, but we also all downplay the affect it has on our health and well-being. Small amounts of stress are motivating and propel us in a forward motion allowing us to be inspired and passionate. Large amounts of stress, such as family emergencies or financial burdens, are also a part of life and can’t always be avoided. Our body has an incredible ability to change how it functions under stress in order to protect us and then it quickly recovers from the event allowing us to rest and come back to a normal state of functioning. When stress goes on too long, and the body does not have a chance to recover, we begin to feel illness and dis-ease.

Adaptogens are an elite class of herbs that are superstars at helping the body to handle stress, recover from stress, and improve our stamina, focus, and vitality. These herbs are our “stress relief” herbs because of their ability to always bring the body back to a state of balance. If something

in the body is functioning in a hyper or hypo state, adaptogens bring these functions back in alignment.

For an herb to be classified as an adaptogen it needs to meet a few requirements:

1. The herb must be non-toxic to the recipient.
2. An adaptogen produces a non-specific response in the body- an increase in the power of resistance against multiple stressors including physical, chemical, or biological agents.
3. An adaptogen has a normalizing influence on physiology, irrespective of the direction of change from physiological norms caused by the stressor.

Many herbs meet some of these requirements, and have adaptogenic properties, but only a few are truly considered adaptogenic herbs. Here are a few adaptogens that I regularly use in practice:

• Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is a mild adaptogen that enhances stamina and speeds recovery; excellent for athletes. It also enhances immune function and rebuilds white blood counts which is helpful for individuals recovering from serious immune depletions. This also a great herb for the “wired and tired” individual normally referred to as Type A personality.
• Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) is an herb I use with people who suffer depression and depletions of the immune system. Rhodiola supports various endocrine glands and is useful for men and women who experience conditions related to glandular function deficiencies.
• Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus) has a protective energy that helps prevent illness. This herb is useful for people who get sick often and it also prevents immunosupression caused by chemotherapy. Astragalus enhances the inner strength of individuals receiving cancer therapies allowing them to respond better and to recover more quickly. Astragalus is also very useful for sweating conditions such as night sweats during menopause.
• Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is believed to give its users the stamina and strength of a stallion enhancing vigor and sexual prowess. Sign me up! Along with it’s use as an aphrodisiac it has endocrine system benefits specifically with the thyroid and adrenal glands. This herb is also useful for anxiety, fatigue, cloudy thinking and insomnia due to stress.
• Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) this herb is most useful for those with adrenal fatigue and insufficiency. I add this to formulas for people who wake up tired, feel exhausted throughout the day, and have elevated cortisol levels. This herb is also useful for inflammatory bowel conditions and ulcers. It is also a great synergistic herb, which means that it just makes other herbs work better when placed together in a formula. There is some concern about using this herb with those suffering from hypertension because of its ability to raise blood pressure.
• Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis) Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) considers schisandra berries the “five flavors fruit” because each of the flavors are present in the berry (sweet, sour, bitter, pungent, and salty). Because it has all of the flavors it has benefits for the five yin organs: liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, and spleen.

There are many more adaptogenic herbs, I have just chosen to highlight the ones I regularly use in practice. Most individuals today are suffering from some type of stress-related condition so it is no surprise that adaptogenic herbs most always make it into one of their recommended herbal formulas. Choosing an adaptogen that is just right for your unique needs is important, although you will experience positive benefits from choosing any one of them.

Please ask if you have questions or want to know is an adaptogen is right for you.

ARTICLE WRITTEN BY: KRIS VAUGHAN

References:
Winston, D., Maimes, S. “Adaptogens:Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief” Healing Arts Press 2007

Hershoff ND, A., Rotelli ND, A. “Herbal Remedies” 2001

Nov3 – National Stress Awareness Day

National Stress Awareness Day, on every first Wednesday in November — November 2 this year — is 24 hours of reinforcing the fact that you’re not doing yourself a favor by stressing about situations you can’t control. In fact, according to science, chronic stress leads to impaired cognitive and physiological functions. 

Stress
We all have it, we all complain about it, but we also all downplay the affect it has on our health and well-being. Small amounts of stress are motivating and propel us in a forward motion allowing us to be inspired and passionate. Large amounts of stress, such as family emergencies or financial burdens, are also a part of life and can’t always be avoided. Our body has an incredible ability to change how it functions under stress in order to protect us and then it quickly recovers from the event allowing us to rest and come back to a normal state of functioning.

When stress goes on too long, and the body does not have a chance to recover, we begin to feel illness and dis-ease.

How can we help our bodies with it’s response to stress?

Adaptogens are an elite class of herbs that are superstars at helping the body to handle stress, recover from stress, and improve our stamina, focus, and vitality. These herbs are our “stress relief” herbs because of their ability to always bring the body back to a state of balance. If something in the body is functioning in a hyper or hypo state, adaptogens bring these functions back in alignment.

One of the most powerful adaptogens is the Ayruvedic herb, Ashwaganda.

Ashwaganda acts:

• As a rejuvenative tonic to support the body’s natural immune system
• To support general well-being after challenge
• To support healthy cognition, learning and memory
• As a nervous system relaxant that calms the mind and soothes the nerves*

Please ask if you have questions or want to know is an adaptogen is right for you.

October 16 – World Spine day!

Changing your Perspective on Summer Stressors

From the American Institute of Stress

According to Denver psychologist Sandra Thebaud, summer places a lot of pressure on people to be active and to have fun. Kids are home from school, vacations are underway, family visits are taking place, and all of this is in addition to routine chores and responsibilities.

And you still have your regular obligations to take care of on top of it all. 
It can feel overwhelmingly stressful! But, according to Dr. Thebaud, it doesn’t have to, it just requires a change in perspective.

Perception plays a bigger part in stress management than most of us realize. Have you ever noticed how something can be stressful to one person but not to another? For example, one person may find moving (or planning family holidays, changing jobs, getting on a plane, looking at a tarantula, etc.) stressful, while another may not.

Our brains perceive situations, make interpretations about it, add meaning to it based on our previous experience and beliefs and the end result is our reaction.

Our reaction can be stressful, or not, depending on how we perceive the situation. 
And, remember, stress can be positive too. If your reaction to a situation helps you to become focused, attentive, motivated, and ready to try harder and do your best, than you’ve experienced the positive side of stress. 

Click here to visit stress.org for more information

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Essential Oils for Combating Stress and Anxiety

Smell is the most underutilized sense we have yet one of the most powerful. It taps directly into the part of the brain responsible for emotion and memory!

Scents have a direct route into our brain and can effect our emotions

It is our most primal sense. Smells can protect us: it stops us from drinking sour milk, alerts us to natural gas, and can even detect a fire 30 miles away. It can also relax us; have you even walked into a place and felt immediately calmer or happier? A kitchen with baked good fresh from the oven, a walk through the forest, and sitting outside on a sunny day near a flower bed come to mind.

Aromatherapy can be a very helpful technique to elicit a relaxation response. Due to the complex chemical constituents, essential oils can play a role in transforming unpleasant emotions, inducing relaxation and potentially reducing the damaging effects of stress and anxiety on the mind and body.

Research into aromatherapy has also shown positive relaxation effects on stressful settings like waiting rooms or anxiety-provoking appointments; during challenging situations like child birth or surgical interventions; it can even be measured with slower breath rates, slower heart rates and more heart rate variability. *

Here are few ways essential oils can help:

• Calm emotional state by decreasing sympathetic nervous system activity
• Promote sleep
• Ease tension
• Enhance energy levels
• Encourage health coping skills
• Allow us to feel grounded in the present moment
• Promote positive thinking
• Enhance memory and focus

Some essential oils that may help with stress and anxiety**:

Citrus scents like: Lime, Bergamot, and Tangerine can uplift, rejuvenate and relax at the same time

Woodsy scents like: Cypress, Hinoki, Black Spruce, and Copaiba can give a sense of grounding and centering

Flowery scents like: Lavendar, Ylang-ylang ease tension and can promote general well-being

Resin like Frankencense has anti-inflammatory properties that can help settle feelings and emotions

Photo by Valeria Ushakova on Pexels.com

Making sure you are eating a diet full of colors from fruits and vegetables, moving your body every day, getting adequate rest (mindfulness and sleep) are your foundations for health and wellness, and essential oils may be another tool in incorporate from your self-care toolbox.

Breathe slowly and deeply, inhaling those scents that you respond well to through your nose, exhaling through your mouth and releasing any tension held within the body.

*References

• Lv XN, Liu ZJ, Zhang HJ, Tzeng CM. Aromatherapy and the central nerve system (CNS): therapeutic mechanism and its associated genes. Curr Drug Targets. 2013 Jul;14(8):872-9.
• Watanabe E, Kuchta K, Kimura M, Rauwald HW, Kamei T, Imanishi J. Effects of bergamot ( Citrus bergamia (Risso) Wright & Arn.) essential oil aromatherapy on mood states, parasympathetic nervous system activity, and salivary cortisol levels in 41 healthy females. Forsch Komplementmed. 2015;22(1):43-9.
• Han X, Gibson J, Eggett DL, Parker TL. Bergamot (Citrus bergamia) Essential Oil Inhalation Improves Positive Feelings in the Waiting Room of a Mental Health Treatment Center: A Pilot Study. Phytother Res. 2017 May;31(5):812-816. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5806. Epub 2017 Mar 24.
• Hwang JH. [The effects of the inhalation method using essential oils on blood pressure and stress responses of clients with essential hypertension]. Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi. 2006 Dec;36(7):1123-34.
• Hongratanaworakit, Tapanee & Buchbauer, Gerhard. (2007). Autonomic and emotional responses after transdermal absorption of sweet orange oil in humans: Placebo controlled trial. International Journal of Essential Oil Therapeutics. 1. 29-34.
• Gong M, Dong H, Tang Y, Huang W, Lu F. Effects of aromatherapy on anxiety: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Affect Disord. 2020 Sep 1;274:1028-1040.

**As always, talk to your health care provider before starting any program that may effect your health and wellness

Adapted from Science of Essentials, click here for more.

April is National Stress Awareness Month

Stress and poor mental health are one of the biggest public health challenges that we’re facing. Sadly, even though that is the case, we are still not taking its impact seriously enough. We continue to separate mental health from physical health and vice versa. The reality is they cannot be separate – there is no health without mental health and stress can lead to numerous health problems. From physical problems, like heart disease, insomnia, digestive issues, immune system challenges, etc to more serious mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Visit stress.org for more information

Stress Awareness Month has been held every April since 1992 to raise awareness of the causes and cures for our modern-day stress epidemic.

We have an opportunity for an open conversation on the impact of stress. Dedicated time to removing the guilt, shame, and stigma around mental health. To talk about stress, and its effects and open up about our mental and emotional state with friends, families, colleagues, and professionals.

What can you do for Stress Awareness Month?

• Talk about Stress and it’s effects – lets work together to reduce the stigma that is associated with stress by talking about the topic openly and freely with friends, family and colleagues.
• Share your coping mechanisms – if something has worked for you why not share it? It might benefit someone you care about and in the meantime, it might help you take your focus off your own challenges.
• Be nice to those who are stressed and anxious – we are all undoubtedly going to experience stress and anxiety in our lifetime so treat others going through it with compassion and empathy.
• Look after yourself – we all need to think more about self–care. Take time out of your day to relax or do something that you enjoy. Don’t forget to exercise and eat well, even when you feel too stressed.

The most crucial thing you can do when you are stressed or anxious is to make sure you are continuing to look after yourself. Make time to relax when you need to and learn to say no to requests that are too much for you.

• 

• 

• 

• 

If you are in immediate distress or are thinking about hurting yourself, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Be well.

Adapted from The Stress Management Society, click here for more.

April is National Stress Awareness Month

Life can be stressful—you may feel stressed about performance at school, traumatic events (such as a pandemic, a natural disaster, or an act of violence), or a life change. Everyone feels stress from time to time.

Stress is the physical or mental response to an external cause, such as having a lot of homework or having an illness. A stressor may be a one-time or short-term occurrence, or it can happen repeatedly over a long time. It’s normal, and can even be healthy, when a stressful event has a beginning – and then, an end.

Anxiety on the other hand is your body’s reaction to stress and can occur even if there is no current threat.

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

If that anxiety doesn’t go away and begins to interfere with your life, it could affect your health. You could experience problems with sleeping, or with your immune, digestive, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems. You also may be at higher risk for developing a mental illness such as an anxiety disorder or depression.

Anxiety can affect your health is many ways.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

im-so-stressed-outDownload

Coping With Stress and Anxiety

Learning what causes or triggers your stress and what coping techniques work for you can help reduce your anxiety and improve your daily life. It may take trial and error to discover what works best for you. Here are some self care activities you can try when you start to feel overwhelmed:

• Keep a journal.
• Download an app that provides relaxation exercises (such as deep breathing or visualization) or tips for practicing mindfulness, which is a psychological process of actively paying attention to the present moment.
• Exercise, and make sure you are eating healthy, regular meals.
• Stick to a sleep routine, and make sure you are getting enough sleep.
• Avoid drinking excess caffeine such as soft drinks or coffee.
• Identify and challenge your negative and unhelpful thoughts.
• Reach out to your friends or family members who help you cope in a positive way.

Recognize When You Need More Help

If you are struggling to cope, or the symptoms of your stress or anxiety won’t go away, it may be time to talk to a professional. Psychotherapy (also called talk therapy) and medication are the two main treatments for anxiety, and many people benefit from a combination of the two.

If you are in immediate distress or are thinking about hurting yourself, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Be well.

Adapted from the National Institute of Mental Health