7 Foods to Fight Stress

I've mentioned nutrition before, but I LOVE eating healthy, fresh ingredients in my meals! Nutrition is important to not only our stress levels, but also our overall health and ability to fight off disease. I am vowing to try to eat healthy during finals this semester so I don't get sick. A great way to do that is to incorporate these 7 foods into my diet! This list is by Linnea Jensen at Mind Body Green.

Dark Chocolate

If the bar is 70% cacao or higher, dark chocolate can alleviate stress and promote relaxation. It contains phenethylamine, which the chemical that explains why we feel SO GOOD when we eat chocolate. 

Spinach

I know, quite the letdown after the last food. But spinach is high in magnesium, which "improves your body's overall response to stress and stops blood pressure from spiking." I put it in my smoothies with a bunch of fruit so I can't taste it, or I cook it into scrambled eggs in the morning. Mmm.

Oatmeal

When you are stressed and crave carbs, choose a complex carbohydrate like oatmeal. These help your body produce seratonin, which can relax you and reduce anxiety. This is also great for those of us who have low blood sugar and need to eat things that won't mess up our levels. 

Walnuts

Eating 1 ounce of walnuts a day can prevent "blood pressure from rising and keeps your anxiety levels in check." For those of you with high blood pressure, this sounds like a dream come true!

Sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds contain folate, which makes you feel good and helps you "take control of your emotional responses."

Blueberries

When the body is stressed, it releases high amounts of the hormone cortisol. The antioxidants in blueberries counteracts this hormone and reduces the effects of stress on your body.

Salmon

My favorite. Salmon contains a ton of Omega-3's, which reverse stress symptoms by "boosting seratonin and lowering anxiety hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline."

Do you feel less stressed when you're eating well? How can you incorporate these super foods into your diet?

My First Podcast

Hello readers! I completed this podcast as a project for one of my classes this semester. I paired up with a girl who writes a blog about mental and emotional health. We talk about our top 5 tips for stress management and mental health, so please give it a listen at the soundcloud link below! Comment below with your thoughts or questions, I would love to answer them.

https://soundcloud.com/kasskass-3/kassidy-and-rachels-podcast

"I'm Always Tired"

Hello friends! Are you chronically fatigued, stressed, anxious? Do you have poor memory, concentration, or thyroid issues? Did you mysteriously gain weight out of nowhere recently? If so, you may be one of 80% of the population with adrenal fatigue. If you live a fast-paced lifestyle or you have a lot of obligations and responsibilities your adrenal glands can be severely depleted, resulting in more stress and adrenal fatigue. Watch this video for some helpful tips on healing your adrenal glands and getting rid of adrenal fatigue for good!

Comment below with your thoughts! 

5 Essential Oils for Stress Relief

I've been reading a lot about essential oils lately and I use them in some form or another every single day. Whether you think they're hippie, granola nonsense or not, they actually work! I read this post by The Paleo Mama discussing 5 essential oils you should be using to reduce stress and I wanted to share her tips with you. Click on the link to read more about buying and using essential oils. She uses doTerra oils, but you can buy similar blends from other suppliers! What I love about essential oils is that even as a college student, I can help heal my body with natural products like these. I would much rather put natural ingredients in my body than pay a lot of money for synthetic ingredients.

Photo from original post at The Paleo Mama

1. Lavender

Lavender has a calming, soothing effect on our bodies. When distilled through the air, it can create a peaceful environment. 

2. Frankincense

Frankincense is a healing oil. I use it every night in the blend I put on my face after cleansing. It has a comforting, relaxing aroma that can lift your mood and heighten your awareness. I'll write an entire post about Frankincense later!

3. Serenity Blend

This is a calming blend of Lavender, Roman Chamomile, Sandalwood, Sweet Marjoram, Vanilla, and Ylang Ylang. This blend calms, eases tension, and helps one fall asleep.

4. Balancing Blend

This blend makes you feel balanced, grounded, and helps with mood problems. It is composed of Spruce, Ho Wood, Frankincense, Blue Tansy, and Blue Chamomile. According to The Paleo Mama, 

"the oils in this blend are geared towards the central nervous system and is an excellent option to use when you are feeling stressed, confused, doubtful, anxious, or unsettled. This is an excellent oil to choose if you are dealing with unsettled emotions, temper problems, or mood swings."

5. Elevation Blend 

This blend is called doTerra's "joyful" blend because it helps with attention, depression, anxiety fatigue, hopelessness, and stress. It is made of Elemi, Lavandin, Lemon Myrtle, Melissa, Osmanthus, Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang, and Tangerine. 

How do you use essential oil blends to combat stress in your life? If you don't currently use them, what would you like to know more about essential oils?

7 Steps to Less Stress

Today I wanted to tell you about a lecture I heard from the Washburn University Counseling Services in my Wellness Concepts and Applications class. . These ladies and gentlemen are devoted to the mental and emotional well-being of Washburn students and they offer free counseling services to students and faculty. This particular message stuck out to me as a simple way to reduce stress in your life and I would love to share it with you! This 7-step program by WUCS is adapted from the book The Depression Cure: The 6-Step Program to Beat Depression without Drugs by Stephen S. Iladri, Ph.D.

Photo from http://paulbrooksblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/stressed.html

Step 1: Diet

According to the message, "a poor diet puts the body in a state of physical stress and weakens the immune system." Make sure you are making healthy food choices (including 5 servings of fruits and veggies each day) and eating normal portions on a normal schedule.

Step 2: Sunlight

Be outside in nature! Your body needs Vitamin D that you get from just spending time in the sun. Studies show that stress, depression, fatigue, immune system problems, and diseases are linked to vitamin D deficiency. This doesn't mean you should spend all your time sunbathing; it is recommended that we get 15-20 minutes of sunlight each day. Work on that gradual tan in the fresh air!

Step 3: Sleep

Sleep is healing. The best amount of sleep for adults is anywhere from 7-9 hours a night. I still feel sleep-deprived when I get around 7 hours, so my goal is to get a solid 9 hours of sleep every night! 

Step 4: Engaging Activities

Take time to develop your personal interests and hobbies. I really love reading, singing, painting my nails, and spending time with my family and friends. Maybe you love to build things or cook or watch TV or walk your dog. Invest in those hobbies if they bring you peace! 

Step 5: Social Support

Having someone in your life who you can really count on can greatly reduce the amount of stress you experience in a difficult time. When you don't have a support system, stressful situations can seem magnified. Make time to socialize outside of school or work at least 3 times a week-you'll find being with your friends relieves a lot of the tension you feel. 

Step 6: Physical Exercise

Not getting enough physical activity can put your body in a stressed state. I have to force myself to move around when I have a heavy week of homework because I know it is healthy for me. It is recommended that we get 2-3 total hours of physical activity each week. Pencil it into your calendar so you never have to worry about not having enough time. You might feel tired at first, but the amount of energy you'll get out of it will be so worth it.

Step 7: Strategic Activities

Strategic activities are the actions you purposefully take to get away from stress for a little bit. These differ for each person. For example, some people walk away from their stressful for 20 minutes to recharge, some find a quiet place to be alone, some make a to-do list (me me me), some meditate or pray, clean the house, or study something else. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it relieves your stress for the moment instead of adding onto it. 

What Steps do you need to work on in your life? How will changing that Step affect your stress level and productivity?