There are several ways in which you can target stress and bust it out of existence:
1. Medicines, if prescribed by your physician, can address the physical symptoms of stress—increased heart rate, palpitation, high blood pressure—as well as your psychological state of mind—being depressed, feeling low or experiencing a sense of panic.
2. Relaxation, recreation, deep breathing exercises and meditation will bring some measure of calm to the mind and body.
Diet
If stress doesn’t kill you, binge eating when stressed definitely will. Eating isn’t so much a problem as eating wrong. A packet of chips, a tub of ice cream, a giant piece of cake, innumerable cups of tea/coffee or an entire bottle of wine…these may feel comforting to eat/drink but are sure to let your health down. If you are serious about tackling stress, here’s what you should not keep within easy reach: caffeine, alcohol and foods containing refined sugar and saturated fats. The other extreme of not eating at all is just as bad for it deprives your body of essential nutrients, just when it needs them the most. So eat regularly and drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated and energised.
Exercise
Get moving, never mind how you do it—yoga, stretching, walking, running, swimming or martial arts. Any physical activity is a super stress-buster. Why? Because…
1. It gets blood flowing to your brain, creating a similar effect as antidepressants.
2. It banishes bad mood by triggering the release of endorphins, or feel-good hormones, that produce a sense of well being.
3. It promotes sound sleep, a panacea for those stressed individuals who suffer from insomnia.
4. It keeps you in good physical shape; the better you look the better and more confident you feel about yourself.
Be Positive
And no, we aren’t talking blood group here. Positive thinking is about demonstrating your skills to their best advantage while staying calm and focused. A fundamental prerequisite for this is to feel good about yourself. And to do that, you can use these affirmations:
1. I can do this.
2. I am calm, centred and strong.
3. As I master this experience, I am getting stronger.
4. I am doing my best, and my best is very good.
Dr. Namita Jain has been a recipient of an array of international and national awards & accolades including ‘The Department of International women’s excellence award’ and the ‘Savvy excellence award’, amongst others. She is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Council of Exercise, the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America, the Pilates UK Institute, and the Reebok and Yoga institute.Dr. Jain has conducted many inspiring health and wellness presentations at the Young Presidents Organisation (YPO), Indian Merchants Chamber (IMC) and The Press Club of Mumbai. She was the nutrition partner for the Miss India 2012 pageant and a celebrity nutritionist on the Food Food TV channel. She has also created a guideline for healthcare and food safety for under- privileged school children in Gujarat. Presently, Dr. Jain consults at Bombay Hospital as a wellness specialist. She is also a consultant to the Food Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI). She is an author of 12 health and fitness books and a leading columnist for newspapers and magazines.
Comments are closed.