Stress, it’s a fact of life, but it doesn’t have to be a way of life

Stress. It’s a fact of life, but it doesn’t have to be a way of life.

by Eileen Sheehan

Stress is something that we face and deal with on a daily basis, but never so much as during the holiday season. It can rear its ugly head in a myriad of ways. One of the biggest mistakes that a person can make is to downplay stress and the effect it can have on your emotional and physical well-being.

First, it’s important to understand and identify the stress.

There’s the stress of missing loved ones or of being alone. Or, the stress of gift giving and receiving. How about the stress of working the holiday festivities into your already busy schedule? The expectations that others place on you during the holiday season as far as making time to see them, do for them, buy for them, etc. can be exhausting.

Add this seasonal stress to daily living stress and you can get an idea of how serious this can really be.

As a certified hypnotherapist, one of the first things that was taught to me was the fact that something is only stressful if you allow it to be. It’s all about perception. This is very true when it comes to emotional stress, but what about physical stress? That’s a little different.

If you eat the wrong foods, don’t exercise or exercise too much, live in a polluted environment, drink polluted water, etc., staying calm and telling yourself that these things won’t put stress on your body simply won’t work. So, what to do?

Simple. Be informed and take action.

Certain foods not only cleanse your body of environmental pollutants, but they can help calm and relax your body. I will give you a few examples in this article, but a complete list can be found in my self-help book titled, “Human, Help Thyself; Natural Solutions for Stress of Body, Mind, and Spirit”.

Not only is it exciting to realize that there are natural things to do to ease the stress from your body and that you don’t need to run to the pharmacist for something chemically made, but its even more exciting to discover that most of these remedies can be found in your kitchen cupboards or done in the privacy of your own home!

Meditation is a natural stress reliever. There are many forms of meditation. The most popular is sitting quietly.

Sitting down with a caring person to “talk it out” can be extremely therapeutic.

Light -not heavy- exercise will help your emotional self to ease the stress away. Yoga, walking, or swimming are excellent for this.

Deep breathing has been scientifically proven to relieve stress. Breathe in to the count of 8 through your nose and then out to the count of 10 through your mouth. Do it three times. You’ll be surprised by the results. (This is great when you’re stuck in the holiday rush!)

Can’t sleep? Did you know that the old remedy of warm milk has some merit? It, along with turkey meat, contains tryptophan, which acts as a sedative. That’s why we tend to take a nap after Thanksgiving dinner. If you’re not a meat eater or are a vegan, fear not. A baked potato will help raise your “feel good” hormone (serotonin) level which will also help you to sleep.

Since your immune system can also be compromised by stress, something so simple as taking rosemary on a daily basis will help boost it. That’s right. Rosemary. The very same thing that you put into your spaghetti sauce! I make a tea of it with a bit of inulin in the form of the product “Sweet Perfection” as a sweetener, but there are capsules containing rosemary sold by herbal companies for those who aren’t a fan of the taste of rosemary tea. By the way, inulin is a fibrous sweetener that comes from the chicory plant. It not only helps to regulate our blood sugar and keep you regular, but it strengthens your heart!

Enter this holiday season informed and prepared for the stresses that will come your way. More ideas on how to handle and relieve stress can be found in Lena Sheehan’s book: Human, Help Thyself; Natural Solutions for Stress of Body, Mind, and Spirit.

Eileen Sheehan writes hot, steamy romances with a sexy male and strong female. The majority of her novels are paranormal, but some are straightforward love stories. Her screenplay, ‘When East Meets West’, was a finalist in the 2001 Independent International Film and Video Festival.

You can discover more about Eileen on the Mom’s Favorite Reads website here: https://moms-favorite-reads.com/moms-authors/eileen-sheehan/