Many people live in the future. Why? Most people have a future that doesn’t mirror their present so they’d rather be in the future. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because Law of Attraction states, “…that which you give your attention to will manifest in your life.” However, staying in the future means your present is passing you by. The following are some ways to help you live in the now and live a happy life without stress.
1. Don’t think about it.
Your goal is to stop thinking all the time. Go write down things that pop in your mind, this could be exams that are coming up or that visit to grandpa in a few weeks. Then cross off the ones that you are happy about. The first kiss with your lover can be a great memory that you might want to remind yourself of sometimes. Now you’ve a list of bad things you think about all the time. Because you want to stop thinking about them simply make a pact with yourself to do something stupid each time your head wanders off to one of the subjects on your list. This can be shaking your head really hard or even do 3 push-ups. Warning: Be reasonable and always try to forget if it comes up again.
2. Do Yoga and exercises.
Doing daily exercising will get you in great shape and stops your head from wandering off. Don’t say to yourself I can’t exercise until I finished this, because that’s exactly what you want to get rid of.
3. Avoid daily routine
We like to plan our days so that we don’t hit any surprises. But there’s nothing wrong with some variation or on-the-fly decisions. Donate a dollar to the collector in front of your grocery story. Smile randomly when you see a new store opening up or a beautiful tree. They’re resources you can use for a very long time. You can visit the store to buy new things, and the tree will always be there for your viewing pleasure – and oxygen.
4. The past and future is a reflection of the present.
The most important thing is to do good in the present. Great memories will bloom and future health and wealth can be created. With that in mind it’s only natural to be your best in the present. Really enjoy what you’re doing. Writing or watching television; find the good things in your current activity. It’s the only thing you should worry about.
5. If you don’t like the present, change it.
You can’t change the past but you can change the future. And that’s most important. If you’re not happy with something in your life currently then change it. Want to be a architect? Go study architecture. Feeling lonely? Make a MySpace profile and meet new people. The only thing that is important is that your happy about the present. Only then your future is as bright as can be.
Practice living in the now and know that by accessing the power of now, you can enjoy even more success than ever before.
Whether you hold a full-time job or work as a freelancer, work from office or work from home, stress is a real issue that every working professional has to deal with sooner or later. As the work culture gets increasingly complicated and employees are expected to work more for less; it’s now more important than ever to find your own recluse.
Relax, if you’ve been feeling stressed out lately from all the workload, just follow these simple tips for a quick fix.
Tips to reduce work stress
1. Listen to music: If your workplace permits listening to music during working hours, plug-in the headphones and tune in for some light, acoustic music. Not only does relaxing music ease your brain by taking away stress, but it can also give you some much-needed motivation to complete the tasks in hand. Classical symphonies, relaxing OSTs and acoustic sound all work wonders.
2. Take a break: With the constant pressure coming from the weight of the world around us, it’s quite easy to feel bogged down and depressed. This is why one must break away from work life once in a while even if it sounds implausible. A break can give you a fresh perspective on things and how to get things done, which is essential for career growth and success. Don’t be afraid; just take a break and go someplace where you always wanted to go before.
3. Smile and laugh a lot: Now before you brand us crazy for asking you to laugh for no reason, just hear us out. Science has found that our mental health and brain function is interconnected to facial expressions. When people feel stressed out, a lot of stress is held in their facial muscles, so smiles and laughs can relieve some of that held tension and make you feel relaxed.
4. Exercise: No, we’re not going ask you to abandon work to visit the gym for a 40-minute lifting session. All you have to do is some simple stretches in between work to feel refreshed and relaxed. You can even go for a 10 min walk, do some pushups, or dance around when no one’s looking to bring back peace of mind.
5. Call in social support: Working, especially from home, can get very lonely at times due to lack of co-workers. In that case, it’s always good to call a friend to share your feelings and concerns. Involving friends and family within regular work schedules can relieve stress, improve trust, and benefit relationships in more ways than one.
Donâ’t think too much; just try out these simple tips the next time you get stressed to feel the difference.
Exercising is a great way to improve health, feel better and alleviate stress. For some, the very thought of exercising can feel overwhelming and the prospect of engaging in aerobic activity can add to current stress.
The fact is if you engage in exercise, you will feel much more relaxed at the end of it. Working up a sweat can be therapeutic on many levels. Envisioning the source of your stress and then doing something physical to that source, for example shadow-boxing, can be an excellent release. Getting your heart rate up for an extended period enables your brain to release your ‘feel good’ endorphins.
Low Impact Exercise Options
Yoga and Pilates are excellent stress relief forms of exercise; particularly if you suffer from joint and muscle pain. Many people have difficulty with high impact exercise. Most people who go to a yoga class for the first time are shocked at how sore they feel the next day. There seems to be this idea that yoga simply consists of light stretching.
These ancient poses engage numerous muscle groups. Taking slow, deep breaths while holding the yoga poses, helps to facilitate a cleansing process within our body, enabling accumulated toxins to release.
Pilates is excellent for toning and sculpting the muscles. These workouts are considered to be moderate intensity. Not only will you become fitter over time, you will possibly shed some weight too. The pace is fairly slow but the importance is doing the exercises correctly and breathing properly in the process. As you notice your body responding in a positive manner, you will be more inclined to keep these workouts up.
Daily Walks
Making time to get outside everyday can make a huge difference in your ability to cope with stress. Reconnecting with fresh air, sunshine and vitamin D, and the vegetation surrounding you is important. Unfortunately, many of us spend no time outdoors anymore. This is a sad human condition. The majority of our ancestors spent their lives farming or growing a garden, tending to livestock and chopping wood. The need to be outside in nature is something that is in our veins. Taking time to smell the flowers and chat with your neighbors are positive ways to alleviate stress.
Walking and any exercise helps to get your circulation flowing. Exercise often clears your mind and leaves you feeling invigorated. Not only will your mood be improved, you will most likely have more patience with your spouse and kids.
When you feel good about yourself and your choices, you will naturally be less stressed. When you feel like you are being proactive in living a healthy lifestyle, you will be proud of yourself and how you have incorporated new positive methods for handling stress.
Massage feels so good and there is no doubt about that. Most of us have experienced being massaged at some point in our lives. Of course many love to have it done on a regular basis. Beyond the physical ‘feel-good’ sensation, most are aware also of the mind relaxation and stress alleviation that occurs at the same time.
Those who have experienced a body massage would definitely agree that a scientific study is not needed in order to prove the fact that massage provides relief from the symptoms of stress.
Massage Results in Reduced Stress and Anxiety
A study published in the National Institutes of Health revealed that TM or touch massage helped healthy volunteers achieve decreased activity in their sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is a vital part of the body’s autonomic nervous system.
When there is increased activity in the sympathetic nervous system it will bring about a cascade of physiological reactions associated with the “fight or flight” response of a person. This can be helpful in dangerous situations, but if stress becomes chronic the person’s sympathetic nervous system will become less able to return to its necessary resting state. In turn, the body will maintain a rapid heartbeat and any other reactions that usually occur as part of the body’s response to a stressful situation.
By utilizing touch massage study participants were able to achieve autonomic balance as it helped them decrease the activity in their sympathetic nervous system. In short, relief from anxiety and stress was achieved.
Improved Breathing and Lowered Blood Pressure
A Swedish study led by Lenita Lindgren from the Umeå University confirmed the effectiveness of touch massage in reducing stress among healthy participants. The same type of massage was also found effective in lowering the levels of anxiety among participants who had just been through a major surgery. In addition, the two groups of study participants also showed signs of lowered blood pressure along with improved breathing.
Slow and Mild Strokes onto the Skin
The effectiveness of massage in providing stress relief is attributed to something which has already been known since time immemorial – the power of human touch. In fact, Lindgren’s study showed that using a masseur’s gloves when massaging did not provide as much benefit to the person being massaged compared to massaging with the use of bare hands. Perhaps the use of bare hands is the most significant part of the entire therapy. When coupled with just the right stroke and mild pressure the results can be more than what a person expects from a mere touch massage.
Apart from proving the value of the use of bare hands, Lindgren’s study made great effort to determine which speed and pressure provided the greatest relief. The study results gave recommendations such as exerting only 2.5 newtons of force and that the movement as well as speed of the massage should only be within 105 centimeters per second. To the layperson, this be summarized as being that gently and slowly will give the best benefits for stress relief.
No Placebos Involved
Another excellent feature of Lindgren’s study is the use of the same group of participants as also being her control group. Instead of using placebo pills which could only measure the participants’ expectations rather than their actual feelings, she asked the study participants to merely rest during the control period.
While resting, their blood pressure, insulin, glucose levels and feelings were charted. The assessments before the massage therapy, during the therapy, while they were merely resting and after the touch massage were all recorded and evaluated.
Massage Stimulated the “Feel-Good” Region of the Brain
The positive effects that take place in the brain after or while undergoing a massage were seen by Lindgren and her research team on an MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging system. Brain scans of the study participants showed that touch massage increases activity in the region of the brain referred to as the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex. This is the region of the brain that is associated with feelings of enjoyment, happiness and other “feel-good” sensations.
Massage Therapy Reduced Stress Levels among Chemotherapy Patients
The journal titled Psychooncology published a study which also confirmed the effectiveness of massage in providing relief to stressed individuals. In this study, the participants were patients who are undergoing intensive chemotherapy. After a massage therapy session, patients measured reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Massage therapy was also able to lower patients’ levels of prolactin in the body. While the production of prolactin is at its peak during childbirth as it is essential for milk production, prolactin levels may also raise when an individual is subjected to stress.
With lowered levels of cortisol and prolactin the result could be significant improvement in a person’s physical, mental and psychological well-being. The huge bonus is that all these benefits accrued from a non-invasive massage therapy.
The Effects of Massage Therapy Are Immediate
Another great thing about a massage is that its effects are all but immediate. Unlike taking a pill when you still have to wait for a few minutes to an hour for its effects to take place, the benefits that you get from massage can be felt right there and then.
This claim has been proven in a pilot study which was published in an issue of The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. The study had young adults in a psychiatric inpatient unit as its participants. One of their findings showed that massage therapy brought immediate reduction in the patients’ level of anxiety, aggression and stress.
Adrenal fatigue is a condition which is becoming increasingly prevalent, but at the same time is under-diagnosed. Relatively few people are aware that this condition is responsible for many of the fatigue-related symptoms they deal with on a daily basis. Prolonged or chronic stress is the major cause of adrenal fatigue.
An individual suffering from adrenal fatigue may find that even after sleeping for several hours the symptoms of fatigue can still be felt. It can seem that no amount of sleep or relaxation can overcome the kind of fatigue that a person who has adrenal fatigue experiences. One tell-tale sign of having adrenal fatigue can be a reliance on coffee and other stimulants to be able to get through the day and accomplish regular daily tasks.
Unfortunately, the consequence of adrenal fatigue does not just stop at feeling constantly fatigued and worn-out. The effects of chronic and prolonged stress can be very damaging to the body. In learning how to restore proper adrenal function you may be able to greatly increase your enjoyment of living.
Prolonged Stress Exhausts Your Adrenals
The adrenal glands play a critical role in human health, well-being and survival. Ideally, in times of stress the adrenals release hormones in amounts proportional to the perceived threat or need. These hormones trigger further hormone releases that temporarily enable super-powers in the person, enabling them to think and act faster and stronger than normally.
For health to be maintained it is necessary for these hormones to be dissipated by physical activity, followed by a critical rest period to enable the system, especially the adrenal glands, to fully recover. Unfortunately, in our modern lives this set of circumstances rarely occurs in our daily lives.
More often, the triggers that set off the ‘fight or flight’ response are emotion-based responses which lack a corresponding physical release. Worse still, there is usually no respite period before the next episode. Simply put, this is chronic stress.
Chronic stress causes prolonged production of adrenaline and cortisol which leads to exhaustion of the adrenals and depletion of these hormones. The adrenal glands cannot keep on producing stress hormones indefinitely. Eventually their output diminishes and constant fatigue sets in.
Stress Damage is System-wide
Each organ and every system in the body will suffer from the profound effects of malfunctioning adrenal glands. Once your adrenal glands are compromised, your body’s ability to metabolize fats, carbohydrate and protein will also be compromised. This occurrence also causes the depletion of specific nutrients that are much needed by the body for its optimal functioning.
Your body’s electrolyte balances, cardiovascular system, your heart and sex drive are also largely affected. These changes occur in degrees over time and may not be noticed in isolation. Eventually the adrenal depletion reaches a stage where it is impossible to remain unaware of a problem, usually a feeling of constant fatigue and being run-down. It is also usually noticed at this time that the person is more susceptible to infection and injury than they ever remembered previously being.
Exposing yourself to prolonged or chronic stress forces the body to continually produce stress hormones thereby constantly keeping it in panic mode. This becomes the accepted ‘norm’ and may go largely unnoticed. When the body is always in survival mode it is unable to effectively perform other important functions such as digesting food, fighting infections, regulating hormones, improving blood flow, etc.
In this state, the heart is constantly pumping harder and beating faster. The arteries will also be constricting most of the time while the body’s metabolism is using lean muscle as fuel for energy each time the body is subjected to stress.
Need for Repair
If you are suffering from adrenal fatigue it is first necessary to reduce or eliminate the stress causing it, or learn to deal with it more effectively to reduce the response to stressors. Then changes need to made to both diet and lifestyle, particularly rest patterns, to enable the adrenals to repair themselves. Unfortunately, as the damage did not occur overnight, neither will be the recovery, which can take up to two years.
A study published in the National Institutes of Health suggests that stress does not directly cause hypertension but it can have a significant impact on its development. Although hypertension or high blood pressure can be caused by many factors, there is no doubt that the effects of stress on a person’s blood pressure have become an increasingly important subject of research and study.
Psychological Stress and Blood Pressure
Studies conducted on students reveal that their heart rate and blood pressure are higher during exam days. The autonomic assessment is done using a computerized analysis of a person’s cardiovascular variability through an electrocardiogram. It includes analyzing the students’ responses to the psychological questionnaires given to them, along with the laboratory analysis of their saliva.
The levels of cytokines released and hormone cortisol being produced by the body are also measured through their saliva samples. The amount of proteins produced by the immune system when the body is in a stressful situation is also measured and included in the autonomic assessment.
The results reveal that the students’ heart rate and blood pressure are higher during their exam days than during vacation days. This convincingly shows that psychological stress is a large factor of both heart and respiratory health.
Persistent Stress Can Be Dangerous
Stress can make a person’s blood pressure temporarily soar above the normal levels. When the nervous system is stimulated the production of vasoconstricting hormones will rise thereby resulting in increased blood pressure. Causes of stress and the degree of reaction to it will vary from person to person.
As with all stress-related responses the temporary increase of blood pressure is not usually a problem. However, health issues occur when stress hormones are not dissipated and remain in the system due to chronic stress, causing the patient’s resting pulse rate and blood pressure to be persistently and dangerously elevated.
How One’s Attitude towards Stress Can Lead to Hypertension
Even if stress itself is not the direct cause of a person’s high blood pressure, the associated attitudes and behaviors of a person relating to that stress can contribute to the development of hypertension. For example, a common coping mechanism for many people is the habit of eating comfort foods in order to cope with stress.
These comfort foods are not nutritious but are usually high in sugar, sodium and additives that further increase the risk of hypertension and other health risks. Stress not only leads to emotional eating. It also changes a person’s food preferences. This is why stressed individuals have increased tendencies to choose sugar laden food and drinks paired with processed foods that are high in sodium content.
When Stress Leads to Persistent Food Cravings
The corticotrophin-releasing hormone produced by the brain’s hypothalamus during stress is known to suppress appetite temporarily. In times of stress this hormone will signal the adrenal glands to produce more epinephrine which revs up the body’s fight or flight response, which includes putting craving for food on hold.
If stress becomes persistent the adrenal glands will start producing a different hormone called cortisol that increases an individual’s appetite. Normally, cortisol levels go down once a stressful event is gone. However, if stress becomes chronic the body’s fight or flight response will also refuse to turn off resulting in persistent food cravings.
The human body is made up of different parts that must work together in order to provide us with the energy and the thinking mind we need in our daily lives. When stress is applied to one of the parts, the entire body is also affected.
Any stress which can be dealt with, or even which mildly over-reaches the usual capacity of the affected part is usually beneficial and induces growth. However, demanding or persistent stress can be overwhelming and damaging. This is why different people may perceive stress as something that is a very annoying or even destructive part of everyday life, while others see it as something that urges them to achieve more.
The damaging effects of either extreme acute stress or chronic stress can manifest in many different ways. One of the more obvious and visible signs can be the effects on our skin. Stress can be a real beauty saboteur.
Stress deprives the skin of nourishment
Stress can make it very difficult for a person to get a good night’s sleep. Many of those who are battling with chronic stress have disturbed or incomplete sleep patterns. Most people know that sleep is essential for the body to repair and heal itself.
It is during sleep that the process of removing dead cells in the blood and in the brain largely occurs. This removal of dead cells is crucial for the process of replacing these old cells with new ones. With sufficient sleep each night, the body is capable of shuttling out 60 per cent more toxins than when sleep-deprived.
If stress repeatedly robs you of sufficient sleep at night, your skin health will very likely suffer. The resulting signs can be both sensory and visual.
Stress increases oil production
Stress causes an increase in the production of the hormone cortisol. Research indicates that even those who are not prone to acne may find themselves suffering from stress-related acne, due to oily skin caused by this excessive production of cortisol. This will then increase the incidence of acne and other related skin problems.
Stress dehydrates the skin
Stress triggers the production of hormones that will lead to the redirecting of blood away from the skin. This deprivation of blood subsequently means deprivation of oxygen and other nutrients needed by the skin. This will lead over time to a loss of that healthy glow and an increase in the appearance of wrinkles.
Ongoing stress will therefore have a drying effect on the skin. This fluid deficiency adversely impacts the barrier function of the skin. The dehydration of skin can further inhibit its ability to repair itself. This will then make the person’s skin prone to dullness, acne, hyperpigmentation and inflammation.
According to dermatologist Howard Murad, stress leads to the thinning of the cell layers found on the surface of the skin. This thinning of cell layers can then develop into microscopic holes that allow water to leak from the cells. This occurrence reduces the ability of the skin to protect itself from the damaging effects of ultraviolet rays. This will result in skin that lacks luster with fine lines becoming more apparent.
Psychodermatology
How one’s emotions affect the skin is now being studied in a field of study called psychodermatology. Experts believe that a person’s mind and skin are connected in more ways than one. This further supports the understanding that our state of mind has on the health and appearance of our skin.
Whereas topical applications of skin creams and other products attempt to be a cure, prevention begins with reducing the stress that causes the physical symptoms to appear. To improve the condition and appearance of your skin and to delay some of the effects often attributed to aging, take steps to eliminate stressors or learn how to better deal with them.
If your skin is displaying signs related to stress, you can be certain that many more problems exist ‘beneath the surface’. Your skin is warning you to take action.
The human gut is very vulnerable to stress. Studies have shown that both chronic and acute stress can induce changes in gut motility, mucosal permeability, visceral sensitivity and gastric secretion. There is also enough evidence to prove that the gut microbiota is capable of responding directly to host signals triggered by stress.
The Human Gut is a Mini-Brain
The intestinal mucosa is known by experts to be permeated with myenteric plexus which is made up of several neuron cell bodies and nerve fibers that can be influenced by the brain’s signaling system. the number of nerve cells found in the intestines and the stomach are greater than what the entire spinal cord has. This is why some experts refer to the digestive system as the “mini-brain”.
There is a “highway of nerves” that run from the brain that is located inside the head directly to the “mini-brain” which is the digestive system resulting in the rapid flow of messages between them. 95 per cent of serotonin which is a hormone that regulates the mood can be found in the body’s digestive system while 5 percent or less of it is found inside the brain.
What this means is that the gut is also an integral part of the body’s nervous system. In turn, this means that emotions, via the brain and released hormones, can affect in one way or another the functioning of the gut.
Gut Health is Vulnerable to Stress
This is why when a person is under stress he may find himself experiencing feelings of butterflies in the stomach. There are also individuals who experience nausea or even need to vomit whenever they’re nervous or find themselves in a highly-stressful situation. This brain-gut connection also explains that “gut-feeling” many people experience from time to time.
Harvard researchers also say that not only stress but also other negative emotions such as sadness, anxiety and anger that can also cause the emergence of full-blown stomach problems. In other words, psychological factors combine with our physiology to bring about bowel distress.
This is because psychosocial factors can directly affect the physiology of the gut causing the onset of several symptoms. So, when an individual experiences stress, which is a psychological factor, the contractions of the gastrointestinal tract are also affected. Sufficiently repeated stress can result in inflammation while also increasing the risk of infection.
Effects of Stress on the Digestive System
Researchers have further documented seemingly unrelated digestive conditions that are aggravated by stress.
Heartburn – findings from a study published in the Psychosomatic Medicine revealed that people who have just gone through a major stressful life-changing event were found to experience worsening of their symptoms within a period of four months.
Crohn’s Disease – A group of Canadian researchers conducted a study on 552 people who are suffering from Crohn’s disease. Findings revealed that the risk of their symptoms flaring increased whenever they are experiencing some amount of stress.
Indigestion – Cleveland Clinic reports that the symptoms of indigestion worsen when people are under excess stress but these symptoms can be alleviated through relaxation techniques.
An aware person can take heart from knowing that by actively working to reduce the effects of stress on their emotional state, they can also lessen or even eliminate some of their distressing abdominal conditions.
You may think of stress as something that is normal and therefore there is no need to worry about it. After all, stress has become a part of our daily lives and everybody experiences it. So, why worry? Although there is some truth in this statement it is important to recognize that chronic stress can wreak havoc with our health, both mentally and physically.
How Stress Affects Your Appetite
One area of our health that is impacted by stress is our weight. Many people who have become overweight claim that their work is making them fat. This is due to a combination of factors which usually culminates in non-mindful eating, both quality and quantity. Being exposed continually to stressful tasks and situations means that they find themselves turning to foods for comfort and distraction. Unfortunately, this habit is only doing them much more harm than good.
Short term, isolated events causing stress can actually suppress appetite. This is why someone who in a hurry to finish a certain task can forget about eating. The stress of having to beat a deadline makes them forget to eat their lunch and only when they are able to finish the task do they realize they are hungry.
Effects of Cortisol
Due to the stress invoked, their hypothalamus produces corticotropin-releasing hormones that have the ability to suppress the appetite, as part of the natural ‘fight or flight’ response. When the threat passes and adrenalin levels subside, cortisol becomes the most prominent hormone. Part of its job is triggering hunger to replenish the fuel that the brain assumes has been used in dealing with the threat. Normally, once a stressful event is over, the levels of cortisol in the body will also decrease.
When stress is persistent and regular it becomes chronic stress. With chronic stress the mind and body are in constant survival mode. Cortisol levels will therefore remain elevated for a prolonged period resulting in continued bouts of food cravings.
If a person is exposed to chronic stress the adrenal glands may become overworked and even depleted. The brain reacts to the ensuing fatigue symptoms as if it were dealing with a low blood sugar episode and triggers a hunger response, automatically preparing for the worst by storing more calories and fats.
Stress Causes Poor Food Choices
Under this regime of unnatural stress, not only is the judgement of food quantity affected, poor decisions are usually made regarding food type and quality. This happens because under the influence of a ‘fight or flight’ response, the mind seeks easily assimilated simple sugar foods.
These would be ideal if the threat was an actual physical threat requiring intense physical activity. For most of us today, however, the stressor is usually emotional rather than physical. This means the ingested food is stored as fat rather than being expended for energy requirements.
Stress and Comfort Foods
Additionally, these same foods trigger the release of chemicals that provide a pleasure response, temporarily dulling the pain caused by the stress. These are the so-called ‘comfort foods’. Unfortunately, because of the feel-good response to these foods, they are continually sought after and can become addictive.
This explains why people who constantly deal with stress can find themselves eating more foods than they need to and find it so hard to ignore their cravings for comfort foods.
Vitamin C has been one of the most sought after and widely-known nutritional supplements for many years. Its absolute necessity for preventing conditions such as scurvy and its proven efficacy in overcoming infection, colds and flu are well documented. It even became controversial when some experts revealed study results claiming that vitamin C in sufficient dosage can prevent heart diseases and cancer. However, the benefits of vitamin C don’t end there.
Researchers have added another reason why people should consider taking vitamin C supplements. This vitamin is being touted as a very effective supplement for alleviating the symptoms of stress and perhaps should be included as part of your stress management plan.
Vitamin C is an Effective Stress Buster
Studies show that those people who had been regularly taking vitamin C supplements and have been eating vitamin C rich foods were found to exhibit far less of the physical and mental signs of stress than those who had low levels of Vitamin C.
One study conducted by German researchers showed that those individuals who were regularly given 1,000 mg of vitamin C had lower levels of measured stress hormones even after being subjected to highly-stressful events such as public-speaking and mathematical calculations.
However, those people who were not given Vitamin C supplementation, experienced increased blood pressure after undergoing the same events.
From these findings, it has been suggested that taking vitamin C supplements are beneficial against the debilitating effects of stress.
Vitamin C Improves the Immune System
Another study showed that Vitamin C can help prevent the overproduction of stress hormones in the body. Excessive production of stress hormones in the body contributes to suppression of the immune system. Therefore, a regular intake of vitamin C can lead to improved immune system functionality, as well as reduced susceptibility to many illnesses which are brought about or made worse by too much stress.
This theory was proven when researchers studied marathon runners. Those who regularly took vitamin C were found to be less vulnerable to the common cold and other respiratory illnesses compared to those marathon athletes who ignored this supplement.
Sources of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is very sensitive to air, temperature and water. Steaming, boiling or blanching a vegetable may result in the loss of vitamin C by as much as 25%. Loss may also occur when a vitamin C-rich food undergoes thawing and freezing.
When a vegetable or fruit is cooked for 10-20 minutes, only half of its vitamin C content remains.
Eating fruits and vegetables while they are still raw and fresh is the best way to maximize your vitamin C intake. The following are some of the fruits and vegetables that contain high levels of vitamin C:
” Bell peppers, hot and green chili peppers
” Mustard greens, kale, cauliflower, broccoli
” Papaya, kiwi, orange, strawberries, tangerines.
Vitamin C is best obtained through eating fresh fruits and vegetables. However, taking vitamin C supplements may also be helpful especially to people who are living in places where fresh fruits and vegetables are scarce or seasonal.
There is no one single magic bullet to prevent or relieve stress. Sufferers need to review all aspects of their life including diet. Using vitamin C in conjunction with other natural stress reduction techniques will help build resilience in mind and body to better cope with your stress.