Know doubt you know that stress is a huge health disrupter.
In this ridiculously fast paced, immediate world we live so many of us are living day to day with stress in our lives. Either at a constant low level that often goes unnoticed, or at a very high level which surprise surprise is very obvious.
Every day we can either feed stress or we let go of it…
The problem is if we continue to feed it, it continues to feed our waistlines. (If you’d like some help on how to take stress out of your food choices, grab my Mindful Eating Guide, It’s yours free, compliments from me to you.)
The more we move away from stress and step into a mindset where our emotions do not control us, the more power we have over our lives and yes our weight.
Our cortisol levels lessen and inflammation decreases when we unwind.
There are things you can do to help let go of your stress…
Start thinking about people in your life, experiences or past stories (as we all have our story), and think of how you can let go of fear or stress around these areas that cause discomfort.
I encourage you too to let go of what is not fueling your body on a daily basis, whether it be food, friends or something else.
You can do the following to help your stress levels and relax:
- Write down your fears and stressors in a journal or on a piece of paper. Getting it out of you head and on to paper is the first step you need to take.
- Share this experience with a close friend or share it with me! They can give you other perspectives to consider.
- Be conscious of where you are in your body, your breath, your mind and in this world. When you take long slow deep breaths you move your internal self from a stressed state – the sympathetic pathway to a more relaxed state – the parasympathetic pathway. Everything works better when you are in this state
- Move your body. Make a conscious effort to move every day. Start yoga, walking or do more intense exercises like running, biking, swimming, dancing – whatever gets you going. Moving your body supports healthy serotonin levels, which is our happy hormone and the key to feeling good on a daily basis.
- Get your vitamin D from the sun or eat it! There have been studies showing the effectiveness of vitamin D and decreasing inflammation. Make sure you get 20 minutes in the sun per day no matter what time of the year. If you cannot get in the sun, then look at a quality vitamin D supplement.
- Find something that works for you and give yourself some time to unwind.
- Be kind and gentle to you.
Be Healthy, Happy & Amazing!
Caroline xx