Always
Exhausted? Do You Have Trouble Concentrating or Abnormal Weight Gain?
Stress
could lead to serious health complications. Women
are stressed more now than ever and this increased stress may be
harming their health. Most women hit the ground running early in the
morning and don't let up until late at night, trying to balance work,
family, and home life.
WHAT
ARE THE CHALLENGES?
A
survey of women has shown that they tend to experience physical
symptoms of stress more than men.i Stress in women is thought to
contribute to a number of conditions including Irritable Bowel
Syndrome,ii frequent colds,iii insomnia, poor mental performance, and
even weight gain.
WHAT
CAN You DO?
The
first thing to do is recognize the early signs of stress. When you
have identified your triggers then you can take action to calm
yourself.
The
first thing to do is recognize the early signs of stress. When you
have identified your triggers then you can take action to calm
yourself.
Try
the following:
- Recognize the signs: Loss of appetite, increased appetite, headaches, crying, sleeplessness, and oversleeping are all signs that you may be too stressed.
- Relax: Deep breathing, exercise, and meditation are all helpful.
- Control what you can: Focus on what you can get done and then let the rest of it go. You will never be able to accomplish everything you want to.
- Exercise: The stress response is also known as the "fight or flight" response, meaning that when you feel stress, your body is ready for action. Exercising has been shown to help with stress and anxiety.
- Supplementation: there are many nutrients that can help with stress reduction.
- L-Theanine is an amino acid which is known to help reduce stress. It works on the brain to help people feel relaxed but not drowsy.
- Ashwagandha is an herb that has been studied to help reduce stress in humans.
- Beta Sitosterol is a natural plant sterol and that has helped reduce the increase in cortisol in normally seen in stressed athletes.
- L-Tyrosine is an amino acid used by the body to create the neurotransmitter norepinephrine and has helped to prevent a decline in cognitive function in response to physical stress.
In
simple terms here are the top nutrients every woman could use:
- A Multivitamin is a great place to start to support overall well-being and can help fill in the gaps in your diet. A good multivitamin for women will have iron (if you are still menstruating), folic acid if you are planning to get pregnant, and a good mixture of antioxidants.
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids (EPA/DHA) are almost non-existent in our diets. Omega 3s calm inflammation and that is part of the reason why they are so helpful to women. EPA/DHA has been shown in studies to be important for memory, heart, mood, and even for healthy-looking skin. Most doctors recommend around 1,000 to 2,000 milligrams of EPA/ DHA a day.
- B Vitamins: Everyday life (with its stress, toxins) puts great demands on our bodies for extra B vitamins. The B vitamins act as coenzymes and are indispensable for metabolism. It is hard to name a system in the body where B vitamins are not needed. They are part of the immune system, the creation of red blood cells, reproductive system, brain, and energy production.
These
essential nutrients can make a change in your long-term health, but
they are also important to help you feel better now. Click here for
more information on these nutrients.
One
of the hardest things for many women to do is to think of themselves
first, but taking care of yourself and reducing your stress is a
great way to be present and available to the people around you.
Eating
on the run, too many processed and prepared foods, and not enough
fresh foods adds up to more calories and less nutrients (exactly the
opposite of what women need).
Fatigue
and lack of energy is one of the more common complaints a doctor
hears from women. If you find that you don't have the energy you used
to have, there is a lot you can do right now to get back on track to
a more energetic you.
It
is no surprise that women are tired; they are busier than ever. Many
are juggling work, children, family and endless responsibilities —
it is a recipe for fatigue. All of this hustle means that women are
not taking care of themselves; not eating right, not getting enough
nutrients, nor are they getting enough exercise or sleep.
Our
busy lives leave us with low energy, irritability, stress, worn down
immune systems, and may even lead more serious conditions like
depression.
Not
getting the right nutrients can actually increase your risk for many
long term diseases, but not having enough nutrients also means that
you probably don't feel at your best right now.
Wellness
Thursday Tip:
Stress
Relieving Tips For the Mind
1.
Cultivate gratitude. Things
will go wrong throughout our workday, or at least not according to
plan. This is inevitable. We can take the sting out of these
negative events by focusing on what’s great in our life. Each
evening, write down three things you are grateful for. They can be
as simple as seeing a gorgeous sunrise or being complimented on your
new pair of shoes.
2.
Meditate regularly. A
consistent mediaiton
practice — even if
it’s only five minutes a day — may help lower blood pressure ,
and can help us control the thoughts that can trigger stress. The
next time you get stressed because your boss just added another task
to your already overflowing to
do list, stop and
take a breath. Shake out your body, sit back down and meditate for
five minutes.
- Learn to say “no”. Being overbooked, overworked, and overcommitted will lead to stress. We often feel obligated to say “yes” to everything for fear we won’t be liked. But the greatest act of stress relief is exercising your right to say no. You can be polite but firm: Explain to others that you are overcommitted and that you must say no. And yes, you can even tell your boss “no”; just explain that one more project will mean the quality of your work will drop. Negotiate priorities.
Wishing
you health and wellness from the inside out,
Lisa
LQ
WELLNESS
Professional
Wellness Coach
973-383-0955
lisaquinnwc@embarqmail.com
Make
sure to follow me on Twitter @lq_wellness
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me on Facebook
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me on Pinterest
“Stress
is not what happens to us. It's our response TO what happens. And
RESPONSE is something we can choose.”
~
Maureen Killoran ~
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