Healthy Habits to Help Reduce Stress

Disclosure: I have participated in a paid partnership with New Roots Herbal. Opinions in this post are my own.

We live in a fast-paced, high-stress environment, and while we cannot control many of the stressors that life throws our way, there is a lot that we can do to help manage the way we experience stress in our bodies and the way we react to it. 

No matter how busy life can get it's important to ensure that we are supporting our nervous system and reducing stress as much as we can.

The Effects of stress

When we live in a constant high alert-state, our cortisol levels remain unnaturally high and can lead to several health problems, including:

·      Impaired healing and cell regeneration

·      Low sex drive

·      Thyroid and Adrenal issues

·      Loss of muscle and bone

·      Imbalance in other important hormones such as DHEA, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

·      Disrupted digestion, mental function and metabolism

·      Weakened ability to fight infection

·      Poor immune system

·      Insomnia

 Luckily, there are things that we can do naturally that effectively support our nervous system, improve sleep and reduce stress. We can do this through food, herbs/supplements and lifestyle practices.

Movement

Movement is key for many in reducing stress and anxiety. Studies show that it is very effective at improving alertness, concentration, and enhancing overall cognitive function. This can be especially helpful when stress has depleted your energy or ability to concentrate. Exercising increases endorphins and also improve the ability to sleep, which in turn reduces stress. Exercise has also been shown to decrease tension, improve mood, reduces stress and improve self-esteem. This could be an intense spin class, a Pilates or yoga class, even just a brisk walk. Whatever works for you and gets you moving your body.

Nourishment

Healthy fats: Healthy fats like EPA and DHA are essential for normal brain function and mood regulation. Omega 3s and other healthy fats help improve neurotransmitter activity by assisting brain cells in communicating with each other enhancing brain cell plasticity and reducing inflammation that can damage brain cells.

Include more: nuts, seeds, avocado, fatty fish like salmon, hemp hearts and coconut

 Whole foods + Blood Sugar: Sugar and refined carbohydrates can give you blood sugar highs and lows throughout the day. Increasing anxiety, nervousness and fatigue. These foods can cause mood swings and alter your energy levels. Making it more difficult to get your stress + anxiety symptoms under control.

You can balance your blood sugar by:

·      Eating a source of protein

·      Avoid added sugar by eliminating sweet drinks and checking labels

·      Adding cinnamon and apple cider vinegar daily can reduce blood sugar

·      Eating whole foods like vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes.

Herbs + Supplements

Herbs + Supplements can also be included to help support the body – providing key nutrients that promote relaxation and can help relieve mild symptoms of stress and exhaustion, and aid in longer, better sleep! Here are some of my favourite supplements that I’ve been taking lately that reduce stress and promote a decent night’s sleep.

 

Chill Pills by New Roots

a natural herbal and vitamin synergistic “feel good” formula that brightens your mood and—most importantly—relieves stress. It also reduces nervous irritability and induces relaxation so you can calm down and concentrate. New Roots Herbal Chill Pills is non-addictive.

 Some Featured Ingredients:

·      Adaptogens (herbs that help your body adapt to stress) such as Ashwagandha, Holy Bail and Rhodiola.

·      Nervines (herbs that provide acute relief to nervous tension.) such as Passionflower and Oat Straw.

·      L-Theanine (that is also found in green tea) which helps to temporarily promote relaxation.

D-Stress by New Roots

Sourced from one of my favourite herbs, lavender (Lavendula angustifolia), each D-Stress softgel contains 80 mg of steam-distilled organic lavender oil. Its unique mosaic of naturally occurring phytochemicals have been shown to relieve symptoms of mental stress and restlessness. Lavender has also been used for centuries to promote relaxation, calm the mind, and induce restful sleep

Sleep8 by New Roots

Sleep is critical; deep sleep is essential for tissue repair, committing information to long-term memory, and overall great health. Sleep is a necessity, not a luxury.

To help rebalance your body’s natural circadian rhythm and help you get to sleep naturally,

New Roots has combined the most effective natural sleep aids.

The Ingredients:

Passionflower: supports production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to induce relaxation.

Chamomile: helps to provide a sense of calm for the nervous system

Hops: Studies show hops can be very effective in reducing stress

Melatonin: supports circadian rhythms that regulate sleep cycles.

Skullcap: extract supports the nervous system.

Catnip: Although catnip drives cats crazy, it helps humans relax.

Magnesium (bisglycinate): supports the myelin sheaths that insulate nerve fibres and support nervous system function.

Qiye Shen’an Pian: is known as a calming herb 

Check out New Roots Stress Line up

When it comes to reducing stress, everyone is different. For you, this might look like taking a social media break, getting active, meditation, drinking more water, eating more whole foods, being in nature or introducing some new supplement into your life.

Whatever the case, I recommend being easy on yourself, it can be more effective to slowly start to incorporate healthy habits into your routine instead of all at once. This way you can see what works and what doesn’t, so you can reduce stress and feel your best.

References:

https://newrootsherbal.com/en/products