All of us have stress.  We live in a high pressured world that seems to push us to the brink.  Daily life can throw us into a tailspin, putting our bodies into  chronic stress, resulting in depression or anxiety disorder, inflammation, or major health conditions.  There are many causes of anxiety, a stressful event, medications, caffeine or even alcohol. Pressures we put on ourselves.  Trying to find the perfect school for our kids, giving them every advantage in sports and in life. Helping them to become well-rounded individuals.    Just the thought of trying to compete in all these ways causes me stress. Or, how about trying to juggle life as a wife, mom, maybe even a  full-time job.  Research now shows that the longer we keep our body in a stressful state known as the fight or flight the higher at risk we are for diseases, cancers, and many more health conditions.  Our body has a built-in mechanism to help us deal with stress, which is good.  When we have a stressful event, our body kicks in the adrenaline which aids us in a quick response and action, known as fight or flight.  Constant stress(fight or flight) changes our body chemistry increasing cortisol levels and depleting our reserves of vitamins and mineral.  Some of the symptoms include stress, anxiety, depression, weight gain,  weight loss, fatigue, fear, restless, racing heart, irritable, dizziness, high blood pressure, chronic digestive issues, lack of focus, helpless just to name a few.

There are many natural remedies to cut down on stress and alleviate it naturally. Here are just a few.

15 Natural Remedies to deal with anxiety+depression

Exercise

1/15 Exercise releases endorphins in the brain which are a naturally happy pill. Any exercise, walking, running, or cycling. Yoga is great for incorporating exercise and #2 breathing.  Whatever your favorite activity is.  Make it fun, keeping your healthy mind and body.

2/15 Breathing or diaphragmatic  deep belly breathing-Taking 10 minutes to deep breathe grounds you.  Changes your breathing pattern, calming your spirit. All of us when we were born were belly breather.  As time goes by and the stressors of life take over we start to become a shallow breather.  Breathing from our chest instead of our belly. If you have an anxiety disorder this chest breathing will only make it worse.  Easiest to try this laying on the floor.  Place one hand on your belly and another hand on your chest.  Breath normally in through your mouth and out through your nose.  Allow your breath to grow deeper with every inhalation.  Deeper into your belly and less from your chest.  It takes practice.  The more efficient you become  the more oxygen you take in pushing our more carbon dioxide.  You will instantly feel calmer.

3/15 Massage Who doesn’t love a good massage? We all go when we are stressed out and our body no longer feels like our own  but the real goal for therapeutic benefit is to go regularly to help relax tense muscles, reduce pain and improve circulation. 

4/15 Sleep We are all sleep deprived. I remember in the early days of nursing my daughter I seemed to function on very little sleep.  The adrenaline had kicked in to get my body through the rough months of very little sleep.  But on a normal schedule, our body requires a time to rest and regenerate.  Studies show we need 8-9 hours of sleep per night to keep functioning at the highest level(I can’t remember the last time I slept 8-9 hours)…… Our body while in rest releases hormones that are essential to our health; Erythropoietin, Growth Hormones, and Testosterone.  These hormones help support immune function, circulation, energy, bones and keeps us leaner. Getting enough sleep reduces our cortisol by up to 50%.

5/15 Omega 3 fatty acids offer a big reduction in anxiety.  As anti-anxiety or depression medications are on the rise People are looking for alternatives.  Omegas are offered as a great alternative.  Omegas aid in protection against depression.  Supporting and improving healthy mood and brain function. Find foods high in Omegas. Salmon, or try a supplement. 

6/15 Green Leafy Vegetables lower the risk of depression.  Green leafy vegetables improve and reduce inflammation. Inflammation of the brain is connected to depression and anxiety. Besides that they are super powerhouse packed full of vitamins and minerals with so many other health benefits. 

7/15  Dark Chocolate Not only tastes good and makes us feel better but has been shown to lower blood pressure, improve circulation creating a sense of euphoria allowing our blood vessels to relax. 

8/15 Antioxidant-rich foods- phytonutrients are Helping our body respond to stress and fight off free radicals.  A boost in Vit-c. Helping combat stress, lower blood pressure and reducing cortisol levels.  Look for colorful fruits and veggies blueberries, raspberries, bright colored foods. 

9/15 Limit alcohol and caffeine These are both natural stimulants.  Causing rapid heartbeat, inflammation, and impairing circulation. 

10/15 Foods high in Magnesium Elevate depression, anxiety, PMS and fatigue.  Beans, nuts and green leafy vegetables.

11/15 Diet rich in healthy fats Coconut oil, avocados, help lower blood pressure.  These foods are high in monosaturated fats and B vitamins needed for healthy brain function.  

12/15 Chamomile Tea Sip on this tea daily and its been shown to have a significant drop in anxiety as well as promoting good sleep. 

13/15 Turmeric Curcuminoids Has a protective quality, enhances mood and lowers major anxiety and depression disorders. Can be purchased in a root form, powder(spice) or supplement. 

14/15 Proteins Tryptophan found in turkey. You know the old tale after Thanksgiving dinner everyone takes a nap. Well, there’s some truth to that.  Tryptophan is a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin which brings calm to your body.

15/15 Natural supplements & Aromatherapy  Supplements should only be taken after consulting with your physician.  St. John’s Wort Adaptogen herbs Organic Ashwagandha Root both are used to treat mood, reduce stress, inflammation, and anxiety. Aromatherapy oils can be diffused, rubbed on the chest, feet or used during a massage. Lavender, rose, vetiver, chamomile, frankincense just a few. Check out  www.mydoterra.com for high-quality oils. 

Take moments throughout your day to find what works for you.  Your body and mind will thank you.

I’d love to hear from you. What works for you????

Wendy Abundant Living Mommy