Stress is a natural, evolutionary body response. You instinctively react to stress with a \u2018fight or flight\u2019 response. It may be an acute stressful event e.g. exams or an ongoing stress e.g. raising children.<\/p>\n
Stress can manifest itself in many different ways and be an underlying factor behind many health conditions. Symptoms of acute stress include: fatigue, poor memory\/concentration, mood changes, insomnia and digestive disturbances. Long-term stress may lead to hormonal and thyroid imbalances, obesity, and a weakened immune system. It is important to deal with stress as it arises, as it can be both a cause and a consequence of poor health.\u00a0 Not only will you feel better, but also it will benefit your future health.<\/p>\n
Although exposure to stress may be unavoidable, there are ways to effectively manage stress and reduce its damaging effects.\u00a0\u00a0 Some key nutrients that may be beneficial to you in times of stress include:<\/p>\n
\u2605 Magnesium:\u00a0 Stress depletes magnesium, and a low level of magnesium in the body may actually make the effects of stress worse! Magnesium is important to support a healthy nervous system<\/p>\n
\u2605 B vitamins: Help to improve energy levels and support neurotransmitters, which are stress moderating brain chemicals to keep you in a good mood<\/p>\n
\u2605 Essential fatty acids: Are an essential building block for the brain and nervous system, helping to support healthy mood<\/p>\n
\u2605 Herbal medicine: Calming herbs provide relief from stress symptoms, while adaptogens nourish and support the bodies\u2019 ability to deal with stress<\/p>\n
Other stress busting diet and lifestyle strategies include:<\/p>\n
\u2605 Limiting caffeine and alcohol
\n\u2605 Avoiding refined carbohydrates and sugary foods
\n\u2605 Enjoy a small amount of dark chocolate.
\n\u2605 Regular exercise and physical activity
\n\u2605 Schedule in some \u2018me time\u2019 doing an activity that you enjoy
\n\u2605 Try meditation or progressive relaxation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Stress is a natural, evolutionary body response. You instinctively react to stress with a \u2018fight or flight\u2019 response. It may be an acute stressful event e.g. exams or an ongoing stress e.g. raising children. Stress can manifest itself in many different ways and be an underlying factor behind many health conditions. Symptoms of acute stress […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3742,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,14],"tags":[54,55],"class_list":["post-2405","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-wellbeing","category-personaldevelopment","tag-healthy-living","tag-stress"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n