by Monique N. Gilbert, B.Sc.
Natural Health Advocate, Certified Personal Trainer/Fitness Counselor,
Recipe Developer, Freelance Writer and Author ofVirtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook
In today's fast paced society, we are all confronted with stress of one form or another. Life is in a perpetual state of change, which by itself, adds to the daily stresses that we must all face. Here are ten natural tips to aid in the management of your personal stress factors.
1. Stretch! Stretching causes the brain to focus its thoughts, forcing it, if only for a moment, to forget the reasons for being so stressed out. Hatha Yoga, for example, is a form of stretching that keeps the body supple while inducing a meditative-like state of mind.
2. Walk! If you have a spare 10-15 minutes a day, you can do more for your mind, body and spirit than you think. A brisk walk slows your racing thoughts, gets your blood circulating, and fills the lungs with fresh air. That is, if you don't live in a smog filled area. A scenery change has an amazing affect upon your outlook upon the day.
3. Drink water! Drinking plenty of water every day, replenishes your body's cooling and cleansing system. Your body needs water for eliminating toxins. Proper hydration allows you to feel stronger, and better able to handle the obstacles life throws your way.
4. Sleep, rest, and quiet down! Both our body and mind need "down time" to conduct cell repair and rejuvenation. A good sleep session combats stress and its effects upon us. Between 6-8 hours sleep gives your body plenty of replenishment and strength.
5. Communicate! Talk to someone with whom you feel comfortable. Initiate communication about what is bothering you. Letting someone know how you feel cleanses the soul. Discussions with someone you trust will clarify your feelings, and strengthen the bond with that person.
6. Eat less meat! Start to live a more vegetarian lifestyle. Eliminate animal-derived products from your diet. The growth hormones and antibiotics injected into farm animals can have an unhealthy effect. Reduce the amount of fat and sugar in your diet. You are what you eat. Provide your body and mind nutritionally dense fuel to function properly, like vegetables and grains. In addition, healthy eating promotes preventive medicine, while enabling your body and mind to better handle stress.
7. Vitamins! To obtain the right amount of vitamins for your body to function efficiently, you would have to eat all your waking hours. Instead, take a multivitamin and mineral supplement. Stress causes our body's systems to work overtime, resulting in the deficiency of vital nutrients. A multi-vitamin-mineral combo assures that this stress related depletion won't have an adverse effect upon your health.
8. Set priorities! Realize you can only do so much in a day. List the things that you need and/or want to do. The most important activities go on top of the list, and accomplish these first. If you did your best, it doesn't matter if everything didn't get done in one day. Your health comes first. Pace yourself, and take necessary breaks. Things that don't get done today, will go on top of tomorrow's priority list.
9. Don't worry so much! Worrying is unproductive and wastes' precious energy. If something bothers you, do something about it. Either take action to alleviate it, or learn to accept it. Life is too short to waste on negative activities. Take charge of your life, and live it to the fullest.
10. BE HAPPY! Happiness is the best conqueror of stress. Take time out to do the things that really make you happy. We only live in this body and with this mind once, enjoy! Happiness comes from within, and no one can do it for you. You have the power to change your thought process, and find your bliss. We are on this earth to learn, not suffer.
These are just but a few suggestions to help you with your stress, take what is appropriate for you. The solution to stress is as infinite as there are individuals. For some sipping on chamomile tea and taking a hot bath will do the trick, for others, a moonlit stroll along the beach. Find the path that best fits your needs as you journey though life. You can overcome stress before it overcomes you.
To help you relax, sip on this delicious and nutritious tea recipe from my book Virtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook.
Hot Green Tea and Soymilk
_______________________________________
1 cup water
2 teaspoons loose leaf green tea or 2 tea bags of green tea
1 cup soymilk
1 tablespoon honey _______________________________________
1. Bring water to a rapid boil, either on a stove top or in a microwave oven. Pour over green tea and let steep for 5 minutes.
2. Warm soymilk and honey in a microwave or on stove top.
3. Add warm soymilk and honey to green tea, and serve. Makes a soothing and nutritious drink.
Makes 2 cups (1-2 servings)
This recipe is from Monique N. Gilbert's bookVirtues of Soy: A Practical Health Guide and Cookbook
(Universal Publishers, 2001, p. 175)
Copyright © Monique N. Gilbert - All Rights Reserved.
Author Bio:
**************
Monique N. Gilbert has a Bachelor of Science degree, is a Certified Personal Trainer/Fitness Counselor, Natural Health Advocate, Recipe Developer, Freelance Writer and Author. She began a whole grain, vegetable-rich diet as a child. This introduced her to a healthier way of eating and became the foundation of her dietary choices as an adult. She became a full-fledged vegetarian on Earth Day 1990. Over the years she has increased her knowledge and understanding about health and fitness, and the important role diet plays in a person's strength, vitality and longevity. Monique feels it is her mission to educate and enlighten everyone about the benefits of healthy eating and living.
For more information, visit Monique's website at www.MoniqueNGilbert.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For information about eloping to Miami, and having a romantic and stress-free destination wedding ceremony (commitment ceremony or vow renewal) on the beach with an exotic tropical theme, visit the Tropical Miami Beach Weddings website at http://www.tropicalmiamibeachweddings.com