5 TIPS FOR CONTROLLING HOLIDAY STRESS

The holidays are a wonderful time of year...friends and family come together to celebrate and give thanks...

...but the holidays can also be extremely stressful for many people...and stress can really rob you of health and happiness during this festive time!

When it comes to the effects of stress on the body, there is no difference between emotional stress, nutritional stress, physical stress, or any other type of stress…In fact, regardless of the type of stress, the body will produce the same type of stress response.

SO...here are five of the TOP things you can do to reduce cortisol chaos to stay healthy now and into the New Year:

Stress Less

This may seem almost impossible to most people…especially women who tend to feel more stressed during the holidays. It can be difficult juggling busy work schedules with shopping, putting up the Christmas tree, and preparing a ‘peaceful’ seating arrangement for Christmas dinner.

However, based on past Christmas seasons, you already know what to expect…stressing out over things you can't control actually leads to more stress response system dysfunction and worsening cortisol levels...So, it’s important to keep your eye on the big picture, and truly, the most important thing…your health!

Here are some ways to keep your stress in check

1. Don't overextend yourself. There's only one of you, so prioritize and ask for help when you need it.

2. Try meditating...even if it's only for 5 minutes a day. Research has shown meditation can drastically reduce the negative effects of stress very quickly. For those of you who don't have the time or the patience, try the miraculous supplement, Theanine. Theanine is an amino acid extracted from the leaves of green tea that does the same thing to brain wave activity as meditating withing 30 to 45 minutes of taking it. Learn more about Theanine HERE.

3. Remove yourself from stressful situations if possible. Walk outside, take a drive..do whatever you need to do to take a break, take a deep breath, and gain a calm perspective.

4. Ask yourself this question..."Is this stress worth sacrificing my health?"