STRESS: the effects of stress on your body and overall wellness
Stress hormones were meant to be your body’s natural defense …your fight or flight coach so to speak. This was never meant to be your constant state of being. When we make choices in our lives that continually put us in a state of Stress we will start to see some pretty negative results. Some almost instant but others build over time and those are the hardest ones to reverse.
Do any of these sound familiar to you?
Headaches
Heartburn
Rapid heartbeats or breathing
Increased depression
Insomnia
Weekend immune system
High blood sugar
High blood pressure
Stomach aches
Low sex drive
Tense muscles that are more easily injured
Missed periods or hormone disrupters
Weight gain or yo-yo living.
First Steps to mitigating stress:
- Find your triggers: what is causing these stresses in your life. Make a list…on actual paper.
a. Work
b. Family
c. New diagnosis
d. Current events
e. Death
f. Unhappy marriage
g. Financial burdens
Stress can be beneficial at times…it can help you cope with a current situation. It becomes dangerous though, when it stays there or worse, gets added to.
- Recognize the signs: Are you suffering from any of the things listed: headaches, heartburn, insomnia etc. Some of these may have become chronic for you and those are the ones that need attention now.
- Make your own list of things you’d like to change: better sleep, less headaches, weight loss.
7 Steps to Build Your Stress Buster Blueprint:
Stress management can become your blueprint for a much better life.
Less stress living = better quality living!
1. Limit exposure to your stressors: Once identified, make a conscious decision to avoid those triggers…even if it means changing a relationship or no longer eating a certain food etc.
2. Sleep More: Aim for 7-8 hours a sleep a night and don’t be afraid to help your body get there: tea, Eos, melatonin but be careful of sleep aids/drugs
3. Regular Exercise: doesn’t have to be hitting the gym every day or lifting 300lbs, but even a walk or a dance around your kitchen will make an impact.
4. Minimize your Caffeine and Alcohol: Drink less of that and up your water intake. If you do feel the need to drink caffeine or alcohol drink double that amount in water around it.
5. Unplug: Force yourself to have mandated tech-free time. Plug in the phone and walk away. Leave it sitting. There are people who only put their phones down to wash their hands or when they sleep, in which case it is still right next to them.
6. Learn deep breathing and meditation techniques that work for you. There are apps, iTunes and other recorded resources for this if that is helpful for you.
7. Have more Fun! This is a huge stress buster so DO IT..even if you have to schedule it. However, never underestimate the value of spontaneous fun. Jump in puddles or dance in the rain (you never outgrow that). Grab a friend and find a new trail to get lost on. Go to the beach in the Fall and Winter.
How can essential oils be utilized to enhance this stress-busting experience?
- Essential oils (EOs) can break through the blood-brain barrier and affect things like mood, feelings and emotions.
- EOs affect all the body systems and can in turn help facilitate the healing process you will need to go through as you repair the damage done to your body due to stress.
- Just as stress lowers your immune system, EOs will strengthen it. They are a weapon or a tool you can add to your arsenal.
- EO’s can help elevate your mood and help you go deeper into your meditation and deep breathing.
- EO’s can help with pain management, giving you the relief you need to find the courage to change.
For more info on essential oils and what makes our unique, send me a message or go to the home page under "Learn".
To watch the video on this topic please click the link below:
