Create your own guide on how to keep your stress levels low
One of the most important coaching tools that I would teach you if you were my client is how to keep your stress levels low. And to have your own “stress relief toolkit” to help you cope with that stress and stay healthy amidst the challenges of life.
Of course, you will need to identify if you are experiencing stress. Some of my clients are so stressed that they’ve been living that way their whole lives and think it’s their normal state of being. Many of them only realize that they are stressed when they come down with a cold, break out in a skin rash or they’re craving certain foods.
Honestly, it’s so very important to acknowledge if you are feeling stressed or find yourself talking about it a lot. Once you become aware of it, you can reduce it or cope with it better.
I guide my clients to aim for a 1% improvement in the way that they are responding to and experiencing stress. Also, take note that you may not be able to change the stressors in your life, but if you can manage the impact on your body, you’ll stay healthier while stress is present.
What are some of the effects of stress on your body?
If you can see how your body is affected by stress, it will be more motivating for you to learn how to keep your stress levels low.
Take a look at what stress does to your precious body:
- Nutrient absorption is affected due to decreased enzymatic production from the stomach, pancreas, and liver and decreased bile flow from the gall bladder
- Increases nutrient excretion such as urinary loss of calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, chromium, selenium, and micro-minerals
- Reduces gut flora populations by destroying healthy intestinal bacteria and can lead to immune problems, skin disorders, nutrient deficiencies, and digestive distress
- Increases salt retention which can lead to high blood pressure
- Decreases the thyroid hormone which can negatively affect your metabolism
- Lowers production/quantity of sex hormones which lead to loss of libido and low energy
But you’re not reading this just to talk about problems, you’re reading to find solutions! So read on…
How can you decrease the effects of stress on your body?
Remember, since you can’t always control the stress in your life, the goal is to reduce your experience of stress by even 1%.
Here’s how you can do that, starting NOW:
- Look at your calendar for the next 7 days. What’s one activity you’ve committed to that you can cancel?
- Take a good hard look at your to-do list. What’s one item you can delegate to someone else in the next 24 hours?
- Consider your schedule today. Where can you fit in 20 minutes for yourself —where you’re not taking care of anyone else or being “productive”—so you can just relax and play and do something mindless?
- Check your calendar for tomorrow. Where can you fit in a 10-minute walk or Frisbee toss in your backyard? The fresh air and movement will help you cope way better with stress.
- Before your next meal, try what I call the “5-5-7” breath. Inhale for a count of 5, hold your breath for a count of 5, then exhale for a count of 7. Repeat at least 3 times. This gives your body a chance to relax before your meal, which will increase your digestive capacity and help your body pull more nutrients from the food you’re eating.
What do I do now?
If you feel too stressed to relax, and you KNOW it’s affecting your health, your weight, and your energy levels, then click here to schedule a time to talk with me about how to reduce or cope better with the stress in your life.
I’ve helped tons of clients solve this problem, and chances are very good that I can help you, too.
With your health and happiness in mind,
Denise xo
