Big social events such as weddings, birthday milestones or the lead up to Christmas can be an exciting time in our lives, but for a lot of people it is also the most stressful period! Our immune system takes a hit because stress lowers our natural immunity so we end up sick at the most inconvenient time! But for most of us we ‘don’t have time to be sick’ so we just push through, dragging ourselves out of bed every day. However, if we continue to rush through life in perpetual ‘fright or flight’ mode we will eventually crash and burn!
Ever heard of AFS – Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome or ‘Executive burnout’? This is when our Adrenal glands can no longer produce essential hormones and many body functions become compromised.
Reaching for another strong cup of coffee to keep you awake during the day then drinking a few glasses of wine to help you sleep at night is just a short term solution. Prescription medication usually aids in curing one ailment, but may rob your body of a major vitamin or mineral, and with time lead to another health issue.
When you reach for whole foods and natural herbs as medicine, you don’t have to worry about side effects. They wind up bringing your body other benefits, too, that may not have even been a health goal!
Try to implement some of these remedies, gradually, and watch as both your physical and mental health rejuvenate:
1.) Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages (tea, coffee, cola, energy drinks) and replace with plenty of filtered alkaline water or relaxing herbal teas such as Lemon Balm or Chamomile.
2.) Eliminate sugar and chemical artificial sweeteners from your diet (replace with stevia leaf).
3.) Eat as naturally and minimally as possible. A Banana for example is Nature’s original ‘fast food’ that comes in its own biodegradable packaging.
4.) Before bed, have an Epsom salt bath with added relaxing essential oils such as Chamomile or Lavender.
5.) Get more Magnesium into your diet – Magnesium is Natures great muscle relaxant! Magnesium is found in green leafy vegetables, but you may need to supplement with a bioavailable form such as Magnesium Citrate or Diglycinate powder.
6.) Move your body for at least half an hour per day, whether that involves a few yoga inspired muscle stretches away from your desk, or a quick stroll around the block and just clear your head.
7.) Aim to get outside every day and immerse yourself in nature – just looking at greenery is relaxing and lowers your blood pressure. It’s amazing how good it feels just to take a few deep breaths of fresh air, feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your face!
8.) Put down your mobile phone, Ipad, Kindle (insert electronic device of choice here!) at least one hour before bed. I know you hate this rule but it is crucial to getting a good night’s sleep. Your body needs sleep in order to rest and repair, and looking at artificial light lowers your brain’s natural production of the sleep hormone Melatonin.
9.) Consume healthy fats such as Hemp seeds, Olive and Coconut oil, Avocado, cold water Fish and Nuts such as Almonds and Walnuts. This will nourish all your organs and help calm inflammation anywhere in the body.
10.) Take a 10-15 minute break every afternoon to rest and reset – listen to a guided meditation or take a quick power nap.
