5 Ways To Lower Stress Naturally

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Directory > Blogs > 5 Ways To Lower Stress Naturally

5 Ways To Lower Stress

Naturally
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Sugar

Stress

Sleep

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by JJ Virgin

Stress has become such the new normal for me that I dont know how to not
feel stressed, a friend recently confessed. Its almost like if I didnt have a
zillion things to worry about, my mind would start creating stressful
thoughts.
Shes not alone. Relationships, kids, and finances become major stressors for
just about everyone. So does maintaining steady employment. One study
found increased work demands and worrying about work during free time
could disturb sleep and impair awakening. Older folks (45 and up), females,
and people with higher body mass indexes (BMIs) were especially susceptible
to work-related stress that impaired sleep.
Not finding that work-life balance often means you sleep less, neglect exercise,
and down-regulate "me" time, all while grabbing a high-sugar impact muffin
with your morning java jolt to keep you going.
All that neglect poses a serious whammy to happiness, health, and hormones.
Adrenal hormones like cortisol stay ramped up, leading to a miserable "wired
and tired" feeling. One study found even one night of poor sleep can knock
your hormone insulin out of balance, triggering insulin resistance and
diabetes.
Chronic stress also makes you sick. A meta-analysis of 300 studies found
chronic stress could seriously crash your immune system. Studies also show
stress can make you fat and increase your risk for serious problems like
cardiovascular disease.
You can't eliminate stress, but you can learn to become more resilient to its

http://www.wellness.com/blog/13276461/5-ways-to-lower-stress-naturally/jj-virgin

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5 Ways To Lower Stress Naturally

15/04/2015 13:24

detrimental impact. These five strategies can help you downsize stress
naturally while up-regulating your quality of life.
1. Go low-sugar impact. You've had the day from hell, so you order an
apple pastry with your latte. Unfortunately, high-sugar impact foods only
worsen stress as metabolic havoc ensues. "Consuming refined sugar...
[and other] refined carbohydrates leads to a spike and then drop in blood
sugar levels, which can result in anxiety, nervousness and irritability,"
says Trudy Scott, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution. She notes a
study that shows chronic stress sometimes triggers comfort food binges.
Trade the processed, high-sugar impact foods for lean protein, healthy
fats, lots of cruciferous and leafy veggies, and slow-release high-fiber
starches to steady your blood sugar and insulin levels, leading to
consistent energy and mood levels.
2. Workout smartly. Studies show stress impairs your efforts to stay
physically active. The opposite is also true: Staying active reduces stress.
You've likely felt that post-workout stress-zapping endorphin rush. That's
because, according to Matthew Stults-Kolehmainen, Ph.D., a kinesiologist
at the Yale Stress Center, exercise can boost hormones like
norepinephrine that elevate mood and even improve stress-damaged
thinking. Burst training, also called high-intensity interval training
(HIIT), becomes my favorite efficient, effective exercise to beat stress,
and you can do it in just minutes a day. "When stress hits, our physiology

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is designed to fight or flee," says Dr. Jade Teta, co-author of The Metabolic
Effect Diet. "Short, intense exercise engages recovery aspects of
physiology and helps the body learn to reengage the parasympathetic
nervous system." I combine burst training with resistance training with
my 4 x 4 Workout, which you can do in just 15 minutes, three times a
week. Grab a free 4 x 4 here.

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3. Get 7 9 hours of quality, uninterrupted sleep. Ive written about

seven hormones that become out of whack with too little sleep. On a
practical level, sleep deprivation makes morning rush hour traffic

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miserable as you imagine your boss reprimanding you for being late while
devouring your third dark roast. Frustrating episodes throughout your
sleep-deprived day become monumental events that leave you even more

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stressed. A chicken-or-egg cycle ensues as stress cuts into your sleep.

Among other problems, studies show chronic stress and sleep loss
increase your risk for depression and other mood disorders. Make time
for seven to nine hours of high quality, uninterrupted sleep every night.

http://www.wellness.com/blog/13276461/5-ways-to-lower-stress-naturally/jj-virgin

5 Ways To Lower Stress

Naturally
By JJ Virgin

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5 Ways To Lower Stress Naturally

15/04/2015 13:24

You'll find you're more productive and capable of rolling with whatever
stress the following day throws at you.

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4. Create bliss time. Relaxation gets short shift as our work-more

mentality pervades. Schedule "me" time and prioritize it just like you
would an important client. One study shows a massage could lower your

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stress hormone cortisol while boosting your feel-good neurotransmitters

serotonin and dopamine. Another study among the elderly found

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acupuncture could reduce stress and boost lymphocyte production.

By Dr. Sara Gottfried, M.D.

Studies also show regularly practicing Transcendental Meditation (TM)

can be effective against chronic stress. What matters most is what works
for you, even if that means watching a silly movie or having a coffee date

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Clinically Proven Nut...
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with your beset friend. Find it and make it a daily habit.

5. Optimize gut health. Stress plays more of a role in gut health than you

Am I Gluten Intolerant?
By Gini Warner

might realize. One study showed stress-induced prolonged combattraining increases intestinal permeability (more commonly called leaky
gut). Chronic stress can also contribute to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
and numerous other gastrointestinal conditions. Repopulating healthy

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microorganisms with a probiotic supplement is among my gut-healing

protocol. One study found stress suppressed inflammasome, required to
maintain healthy gut flora. In this mice study, probiotics reversed that
detrimental effect.
As you can see, chronic stress creates a domino effect that can wreak serious
havoc on your life. You can't eliminate stress, but you can learn to reduce and

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Open Your App and Say

Ahhhh...
By Donald McGee

even become resilient to its impact. What one strategy do you find works
Is Your Doctor Offering
Virtual Visits Yet?

reduce stress levels? Share yours below or on my Facebook page.

By Joe Stewart

2015 JJ Virgin & Associates, Inc.

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With Your Weight Loss
By Dr. Sara Gottfried, M.D.

Americas Number One

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About the Author

April 09

JJ Virgin
Celebrity Nutrition & Fitness Expert JJ Virgin helps clients lose weight fast by

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breaking free from food intolerances and crushing their sugar cravings. She is
author of New York Times Bestsellers The Virgin Diet: Drop 7 Foods, Lose 7
Pounds, Just 7 Days, The Virgin Diet Cookbook: 150 Easy and Delicious
Recipes to Lose W...

http://www.wellness.com/blog/13276461/5-ways-to-lower-stress-naturally/jj-virgin

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By Janet Valenty

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5 Ways To Lower Stress Naturally

15/04/2015 13:24

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Website: http://www.jjvirgin.com/

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