Now more than ever, finding ways to reduce stress is one of the most important things you can do to support your health. The goal isn't to remove all stress from your life, it's about finding tools for stress management that you can easily use in your everyday.
Keep your blood sugar balanced
Many people struggle with mood disorders like anxiety and depression, not knowing that unstable blood sugar may be at the root cause. The blood sugar roller coaster that comes with eating a diet high in quick releasing carbohydrates not only impacts our appetite, but it also contributes to low mood and anxiety. The symptoms of low blood sugar (think dizziness, fatigue, nausea), are also similar to what you may experience with anxiety, or during a panic attack.
Along with eating a diet high in sugar, blood sugar highs and lows can also be caused by stress, irregular meal times and if you’re not eating enough protein.
Ways to balance your blood sugar to reduce anxiety:
- Eat a source of healthy fat and protein with each meal
- Aim for a decent amount of protein with your breakfast
- Eat regular meals (every 3-4 hours)
Try box breathing
The autonomic nervous system is made up of two arms - the sympathetic (‘fight or flight’) and the parasympathetic (‘rest and digest’). Both are very necessary, but we need to be able to flexibly swing between the two. If our stress response fires too much or too often, we can find ourselves in a state of chronic stress which contributes to hormonal imbalances, nutrient deficiencies and only worsens stress and anxiety.
Diaphragmatic breathing, or belly breathing, is the quickest way to switch into a parasympathetic state. Practicing this often can regulate your nervous system to help you effectively manage stress. Box breathing is an easy practice that encourages us to take longer, deeper breaths.
How to box breathe:
- breathe in while slowly counting to four
- hold your breath for four counts
- exhale slowly while counting to four
- hold your breath again for four counts
Moderate your coffee intake
We know that caffeine causes a rise in stress hormones, like cortisol, so it’s no surprise that it contributes to increased stress and anxiety. Even one cup could be doing more harm than good! But since some of us can’t seem to cut it off entirely (🙋♀️🙋♀️) - we're going to tell you how to set some boundaries around it to reduce your coffee-anxiety!
- Take it with L-theanine - an amino acid that enhances the production of our neurotransmitters, like serotonin and dopamine. It also helps us produce GABA, our calming neurotransmitter (you can buy L-theanine here)
- Never have coffee on an empty stomach! This only enhances the release of cortisol.
- Stick to one daily, before 10am.
Try magnesium
An absolute hero for anxiety, magnesium is one of the best natural treatments for reducing stress. It plays a role in many functions within the body and it supports the HPA-axis, responsible for regulating our stress response.
Studies show that the fear and panic associated with anxiety may be caused by a magnesium deficiency, which is super common since it's a mineral that's easily depleted by stress and difficult to obtain through our diet. Trying a high quality magnesium supplement in the right form for you is a good place to start (magnesium glycinate is easily absorbed and most commonly used for stress!).
Take your herbs!
Stress seems pretty unavoidable these days, and if you’re already susceptible to feeling anxious and overwhelmed - herbs can be your best allies! Herbs that support the nervous system are like a buffer that reduce the impact of the stressors in our life. We all know the impact of stress and how it affects the body as a whole - so making use of herbs that support the nervous system will do more than just help you combat stress!
Supercalm was created as a tool to navigate stress and anxiety while supporting your nervous system in the long term. The herbs in this tincture provide fast-acting relief in any stress-inducing situation, while supporting your resilience to help you overcome your everyday worries. Shop Supercalm here 🤎