NutraChamps Blog

Tag: stress

How Breathwork Has Helped Me – How It Can Help You Too
I know, it sounds pretty new-age.

I swear it isn’t pseudo-science. I don’t blame you for thinking that. Even a few years ago, breathwork to me was downright embarrassing. Just breathe like everyone else! We all need to do it to survive, anyway.

Oddly enough, there has been an uprise in this “breathing” trend since COVID made its’ debut, seeing as it’s a virus that affects the respiratory system. I’m not here to convince you that breathwork is for you or that you need to do it to save your life. I’m here to tell you a story about how I came about breathwork, how I incorporate it into my practice and in my yoga classes, and some of the science behind breathing intentionally. Take from it what you’d like!

Breathwork is simply the practice of directing the breath (also known as Pranayama), and it teaches you to breathe consciously, with awareness and intent. The physiological effects of this Yogic breathing have been shown to help immensely in many areas of health, including reducing cardiovascular disease, respiratory disorders, balancing out diabetic symptoms, and reducing the ratings of pain intensity and unpleasantness. Although I was aware of these benefits, I wanted to focus on something different.

Having suffered from bouts of depression and anxiety, I know that my breath becomes shallow and rapid in times of panic, anger, unease, and fear.

I decided to look into natural methods of activating the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) to decrease my anxiety. The parasympathetic nervous system—the system that produces a calm and relaxed state—is underactive. By stimulating the PNS, we can restore the balance. With that balance restored, we naturally slow down our pace of life. Breath is not meant to replace medication for those that need it. It is meant to ease symptoms in a natural way.

What many don’t realize is that this needs to become a daily, consistent practice.

Breathing mindfully is something you need to practice when things are going well so that when things start to pile up and you feel stress coming on, your brain has already created those neural circuit connections.

So, I decided to make intentional breathing a part of my daily meditation practice. Every morning, I set aside 15 minutes to do my intentional deep abdominal breathing from the diaphragm. Diaphragmatic breathing (aka low breathing), is when you breathe into your stomach as you suck air through your nose. Your stomach will compress first on your exhale, following the breath up. Your chest and shoulder blades will not move much – only your stomach. This type of breathing has been shown to increase blood flow to and from the heart, maximizing Heartrate Variability (HRV) and preserving autonomic function, all of which lead to longevity in the general population!

It’s beneficial for us to slow down our breath, and this seems to be slowing down our rate of mortality.

Other breathing techniques you can try include:

The One-minute Breath
- Breathe into the diaphragm for 20 seconds.
- Hold for 20 seconds
- Exhale for 20 seconds
4-4-6-2 Breath
- Breathe into the diaphragm through the back of the throat for 4 seconds
- Hold for 4 seconds
- Breathe out slowly through the back of the throat for 6 seconds
- Hold the empty breath for 2 or more seconds
- Change the inhale, hold, or exhale if you’d like!
Lion’s Breath
- Inhale deeply through your nose and open your eyes wide.
- At the same time, open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue, bringing the tip down toward your chin.
- Contract the muscles at the front of your throat as you exhale out through your mouth by making a long “ha” sound.
- Do this breath 2 to 3 times.
Conclusion

These are not your only options for breathing – these are simply some of the more popular ones. There are hundreds of other methods you can try.

Believe it or not, breathing can be tough. Challenge yourself to try one of these methods and see if any of them stick. If they do not, question why this may be tough for you, and try, try, try again! Remember, starting with something short like 2 minutes, is a great start. No need to jump into long seated meditations.
July 29, 2021
How exercise built up my mental muscle
I’ve been working from home for 400 days.

That’s 9,590 hours 575,422 minutes 34,525,369 seconds.

Okay, no one needed to know that. Yes, I’ve been counting. This past month, I’ve really been feeling it. I noticed because I’ve moved out and am living alone with more restrictions than usual. We’re currently under a third lockdown. COVID-19 has shown no signs of letting up, and this has started to show on my body and mental health. I’ve been feeling stressed, sleeping poorly, more irritable, and getting easily distracted.

I needed to do something to work toward lowering my stress and to help stabilize my mood. I decided to do 2 things: enforce a routine + start moving consistently.

I wake up early (between 6 am and 7 am), I meditate before I get can be distracted by coffee, then I incorporate some kind of movement. My exercise choices have been running, yoga, and light or bodyweight resistance training, as these bring me the most joy. And yes, I absolutely need to enjoy what I’m doing, otherwise, I will not stick to it!

How did this make me feel any different?

As many of you know, exercise has been shown to benefit us in many ways: weight reduction, increased endurance, more mental alertness, better mood, stress relief, improved sleep, and more!

I simply wanted to work on decreasing anxiety and depression and had heard that rhythmic, aerobic exercises, using large muscle groups (jogging, swimming, cycling, walking) at a moderate or low intensity could help in both these areas. Exercise also increases body temperature, blood circulation in the brain and has an impact on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), and physiological reactivity to stress. These are all factors in mood regulation, and I certainly noticed this after the recommended minimum dose of 30-minute workouts, 3 times a week. It’s no wonder that a bit of exercise every week can seriously build up your mental muscle if you stick to it!

And I know I’m not alone in feeling this way!

Nearly 40 million people in the United States (18%) experience an anxiety disorder in any given year. That was before 2020 happened, where we collectively experienced an awful pandemic, environmental disasters, disturbing social injustice (not worse, but finally filmed), and so much more.

In fact, a study done during the pandemic in 2020 revealed that those who were already exercising frequently before the pandemic hit maintained their exercise routine during the pandemic and this helped them maintain a steady mood. Even those who were not working out much before but decided to use their free time during the pandemic to move more often found that their mood improved, given the awful circumstances surrounding them. It also revealed that mood was negatively impacted if active individuals decreased their exercise frequency during the pandemic. 😷

I’m an Obliger according to Gretchen Rubin’s book “The Four Tendencies“, meaning I rely on outside accountability in order to commit to something (in this case, I mean exercise). These outer motivations come from friends, apps, or organized classes that I pay for in advance. This is important to note because I know I need these outside factors to keep me moving, otherwise, I will find any excuse to not exercise. No exercise = a noticeable increase in anxiety and depression almost immediately.

Here are some things I’ve put in place to make sure I meditate and move on a regular basis:
1. I have an accountability buddy: Pre-Covid, I would meet up with this buddy once a week to discuss our goals, but now we call each other once a week for an hour just to make sure we’re on track and to catch up on life.
2. I’ve joined a run group: I think this has been so beneficial for me, especially during this pandemic. We all follow each other on social media and can see how each other’s runs are going, even when we can’t run together. Knowing that my run group meets up twice a week helps me to plan out my schedule so that I know when I’m running instead of only going when I feel like going.
3. I pay for classes online: There are many gyms, studios, and trainers offering affordable or Pay What You Can (PWYC) classes online. The yoga classes I purchased offered Live Zoom classes as well as pre-recorded classes so you can do as many classes or as little as you want. I have grown to enjoy doing workouts in the comfort of my own space.
4. I downloaded an app: I hate to admit it, but my competitive personality makes me want to see what everyone else is doing. I don’t know if it’s FOMO or if I just need that extra bit of motivation, but once I got a watch and sync it up to my Strava app, my routine was 100% solidified and I haven’t missed a run since!
BONUS: With Summer here, you’ll see more classes popping up all over the place, both indoors and outdoors. Take advantage of joining a free or paid group so you can meet new people or stay social while also getting a good workout in!

I have never been so dedicated to a workout routine, and although COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the entire world, it has certainly put a lot of things into perspective for me. I now know what it is like to stick to a routine and reap incredible mental benefits. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a cure for anxiety, depression, or other mental disorders. I still encounter anxiety often, but now I have a healthy tool to pull out of my toolbox to help combat feelings of helplessness or sadness.

I plan on continuing this beyond this 3rd lockdown (yes, Ontario ended its 3rd lockdown mid-June 2021!) and seeing how this sticks once our society goes back to what we once considered “normal”.

Have you noticed a change in your mental health since COVID-19 forced us into lockdown(s)? How are you feeling now, and what have you done to ensure you stay in good health mentally and physically? Let me know in the comments below!
June 21, 2021
The Effects of Taking Cold Showers for 30 Days
Cold showers are amazing. There’s proof!

Cold showers are intended to help in many ways, and we can see that in all of the well-researched papers and videos that are out there. Many influencers have even taken it into their own hands and challenged themselves to take cold showers for up to 30 days, like Matt D’Avella who tried it out in March of 2019. Wim Hof, also known as The Iceman, swears by cold exposure, having climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts, has run a half marathon above the Arctic Circle barefoot, and stood in a container while covered with ice cubes for over 112 minutes (Why?! I have no clue!).

Maybe it’s his Dutch genes, or maybe there is actually something to these cold showers that I can only learn from participating in the wackiness. I’m not at all encouraging this type of behavior, but if the benefits really outweigh the temporary (albeit grueling) discomfort, I was willing to give it a try. So that is when I set off for my 30-days of cold showers!

Some rules I set for myself:
1. The shower needs to last at least 5 minutes
2. Do not turn on hot water. If you must, start with luke-warm water and then turn it to cold right after.
3. Do it in the morning and get it over with.
These self-imposed rules helped a lot. Having strict guidelines helped me stick to the daily cold showers. A minimum of 30 seconds of cold exposure after a hot shower is enough to experience some of the benefits, so I figured 5 minutes of exposure would be enough but also challenge me a little bit more. If I started the shower with hot water, the likelihood of me switching to cold was slim to none, so I hopped straight into ice cold. Honestly, it takes too much mental energy to go from hot water to cold, so I saved myself that hassle. Lastly, I wanted to do it in the morning to see if a cold shower could really replace my morning coffee. Realistically, nothing would replace the taste of coffee in the morning, but I figured I’d try nonetheless.

Here are some of the main benefits of cold showers and whether or not I noticed them in the 30 days I experimented!

1. Cold showers can increase mental alertness naturally:

Coldwater does certainly alert your nervous system that it’s time to wake up! I took the shower before starting work or any workouts so that I could get myself pumped up. On days when I was feeling lethargic or hot around 2 or 3 in the afternoon, I’d hop in a cold shower for, dare I say, FUN!? I actually managed to switch to decaf while taking these cold showers. That is huge for me since I didn’t realize how reliant I was on caffeine. I still drink decaf coffee in the morning because I love the taste and the ritual.

2. It helps to reduce stress:

Obviously, exposure to too much cold can be an issue, especially if you aren’t used to it. When you take a short cold shower, how can you tell you’re less stressed? A study done by Dr. Rhonda Patrick helps paint a better picture. By taking a cold shower, you are increasing the release of the hormone norepinephrine (one that calms you down) to the blood. This will have a positive influence on focus, attention, and mood. This was one of the main reasons I wanted to try this out; would my anxiety go down by taking cold showers daily? I realized it absolutely did. In the end, whatever happens, today, I’ve already endured a horrible cold shower. I can handle whatever comes my way!

3. It can strengthen your willpower:

Speaking of handling stress; I found I felt more excited to start my day. Knowing I had to shower in cold water every morning may have been tough, but there was something weirdly empowering about the act of the cold shower. Gaining control of my breath, not screaming, trying to remain calm; I found my mental capacity for handling pain and discomfort was positively altered within a week. Facing my “fear” every morning made me realize that this “fear” is self-inflicted and I have control of the outcome. I can be upset about it, or I can just get it over with knowing nothing negative is going to happen! Or better yet, in the words of Victor Frankl: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

4. It may lead to fewer sick days:

For real. I didn’t think this was true, but there is research done to prove it. It’s not that participants who took cold showers did not get sick as often, but their symptoms were less severe or they felt more energetic. Because of this, they were better able to push through the sickness and function anyway. So how does cold exposure affect our immune system? Cold temperatures make you shiver, which is an autonomous response to keep your body temperature up. This takes work — whether you feel it or not! It involves a neuroendocrine effect and triggers our fight-or-flight response. This causes hormones like cortisol – the stress hormone – to increase, shortly before we shift to a relaxation response. Cold temperatures activate the brown — or good — fat in the body. This affects your body’s thermoregulation; which works to keep the body warm by burning calories.

On another note, my recovery from exercise was much shorter after a cold shower than after a relaxing warm one. The cold water accelerates vasoconstrictions in the entire body, squeezing out all of that lactic acid build-up. I was up early and ready for training the next day with minimal muscle inflammation.

To be completely honest, if I hadn’t done this in the summer, this would have been way more painful. Living in Canada, I chose not to try this out in the winter. But, now that winter is here, I’m thinking of giving it another go. Keep in mind, you can switch back and forth between hot and cold with similar benefits. It’s like going in and out of a sauna. Let us know if you ended up trying cold showers, even if it was 30 seconds of cold at the end of a relaxing hot shower. All you need is 30-90 seconds!
February 9, 2021
Yoga That Will Help With Anxiety
Therapeutic Yoga can be whatever you’d like it to be. The reason it was given this name, is because it is exactly that: THERAPY.

Across varying populations concerning a multitude of different ailments and conditions, Yoga has been shown to prevent, reduce, or alleviate structural, physiological, emotional, and spiritual pain, suffering, and limitations*. In fact, a study in 2005 showed that anxiety disorder is the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults aged 18 and older*!

We’ve reached the end of 2020, and the beginning of a completely new year, but we cannot forget or ignore the fact that 2020 was quite a challenging year for most if not all of us. According to the American Psychiatric Association, a poll released in October 2020 showed that 62% of Americans feel more anxious than they did at this time last year! Although we can’t change what has happened in the world, we can change how we react to it. Our first reaction may be fear, anxiety, or stress, but can we find a way to prevent or proactively work on this? Absolutely!

What Does Yoga Do?

Yoga is a 3000-year-old tradition and is not regarded in the Western world as a holistic approach to health. In fact, it’s classified as a form of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by the National Institutes of Health. Without getting too into the history and root of Yoga, as I do in this blog post, let’s take a look at the effect yoga has on our bodies to alleviate Anxiety.
- Slow and deep breaths stimulate the vagus nerve, a vital part of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). This counteracts the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which activates our fight/flight/freeze response. When your PNS is dominant, your heartbeat slows, which drops your blood pressure. The more consistent your practice, the more sustainable this is throughout the day, leading to less heart disease and a more calm body and mind.
- Your hormones will thank you! Yoga helps to drop cortisol levels, a hormone released when we experience physical or emotional stress. Too much of this hormone can suppress your immune system, and recent studies show that there is a very real connection between brain and gut health.
- Meditative exercises increase the degree of alpha brain waves, the electrical activity in the brain associated with quiet thoughts, restfulness, calmness, and alertness. In fact, after a yoga practice, you may even notice your attention and hand-eye coordination have improved. With regular practice, this alertness and calmness can become permanent!
Here are a few yoga poses to help melt away your anxiety

Square breathing

No mat needed for this one! Find a lying, seated, or standing position and simply breath for equal counts. For example: Inhale for 4 seconds, Hold for 4 seconds, Exhale for 4 seconds, Hold for 4 seconds. You can even download an app to do this throughout your day: Box Breathing App, Breathe 2 Relax, Universal Breathing are just a few examples. Try this for at least 2 minutes at a time to calm your nervous system.

Source: https://www.matherhospital.org/wellness-at-mather/home-care-for-back-and-neck-spasms/attachment/yoga-pose-cat-cow-illustration/

Cat/Cow

This pose is my go-to in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Don’t be afraid to move side to side as well. Your spine is likely in a fixed position for most of the day if you work a desk job. Getting your spine moving in different directions helps to lubricate your vertebra to keep your lower, mid, and upper spine strong and mobile. If you aren’t using it, you risk losing it! Nerves that run to the organs and throughout your body come from your spine. It’s important to refresh them with movement so new blood and energy can channel through them to the recipients at the other end of the nerve! Breaks throughout the day to practice Cat/Cow can help if you are experiencing bouts of anxiety or stress.

Source: https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/How-Do-Bird-Dog-Exercise-Your-Back-40441615

Bird/Dog

Yes, lots of animal poses! This pose helps you with coordination, core stability, and practices your patience. Starting in a tabletop position, try to keep the spine stable as you lift your arm up next to your ear. Follow that by lifting the opposite leg behind you. Has your spine arched? If so, keep the foot on the ground. The amount of thought you need to put into this is enough to help you forget about whatever anxiety you have on your mind. If you are suffering from generalized anxiety, challenge yourself throughout the day with different versions of this pose, for example: hold onto an object in one hand, or try to lift both the arm and leg from the same side. You might get a laugh out of falling over a few times!

Bridge pose

This strengthening pose technically counts as an inversion, so you’ll get the same benefits of a handstand without having to do one! Inversions are great for building concentration, circulation, and balancing out our fight-or-flight response. Lying on your back, Bend your knees and set your feet on the floor, heels close to the sitting bones. Press your feet and arms actively into the floor as you firm your butt and lift it off the ground. Again, focus on keeping your spine in a neutral position. Avoid arching the back! Hold for 30 seconds to a minute or get in 15-20 repetitions to get your heart pumping.

Source: https://imgk.timesnownews.com/story/legs-up-the-wall-pose.gif?tr=w-600,h-450,fo-auto

Legs-Up-The-Wall pose

As long as you’ve got access to a wall or a chair, this pose is always available to you! Lying on the ground, I like to put a pillow or block under my sacrum (the bone on the part of your lower back that connects to your butt), and then swing my legs up the wall as if you are the letter “L”. It may not look like much, but a lot is happening here. Lymph and other fluids that can lead to swollen ankles, tired knees, and congested pelvic organs flow into the lower belly, refreshing the legs and the reproductive area. Best of all, no warm-up or cool-down is required! This one is great while meditating or trying to wind down after work.

In conclusion, it looks like there is hope for Yoga in the remainder of 2020 and the foreseeable future, but it has yet to be thoroughly studied in colored populations, as most of the legitimate studies I’ve found include small sample sizes of majority-white participants. It would be far better to see these studies conducted in colored communities, low-wage regions. It’s those places where yoga is not affordable, and different countries, like this study that was conducted on women living in Iran. In the end, we are all one community, and it’s empowering to know that we can share this *free* medicine with our neighbors next door or across the globe.

Resources:
January 14, 2021
Have you had your Daily Dose of Mushrooms?

No, not magic mushrooms!

I first came across medicinal mushrooms about 5 years ago. I had no clue what they were, but they claimed to solve a lot of my health issues. All of this was solved without the symptoms and contraindications of other over-the-counter medicines.

For the last 6 years, I was working as a Personal Trainer. I was the epitome of good health! Or at least, that’s what my clients thought. Being the face of health and wellness always made me quite self-conscious. I constantly thought about my appearance, physically and mentally. The job required me to be “on.” This meant I had to be positive, encouraging, energetic, strong, and able to demonstrate any exercise as necessary. Wouldn’t you want all this and more from a trainer?

I was run-down, as I can imagine many trainers are after years of putting their clients first. Eventually, it began to negatively affect my sessions with clients. I was tired, had trouble focusing, I was sick all the time, I made poor food and workout choices due to lack of sleep, and I was unable to perform my job at 100%. I needed to change something. It turns out that the catalyst to all of this change came from medicinal mushrooms.

Mushrooms were the change I needed

I know that is a pretty bold statement. How could mushrooms be the answer to all my problems? Different types of functional mushrooms can be used to help support the immune system in varying ways. They’re even being looked at as a natural compound for future cancer treatment. Some examples of mushrooms used for vitality and immune support are Chaga, Maitake, Turkey Tail, and Shiitake.

What can mushrooms do?

All sorts of different mushrooms have all sorts of different effects. It is definitely worth it to take your time researching to find exactly what you need.

One of the most common mushrooms out there is shiitake. Shiitake mushrooms have tons of benefits and can be taken as a supplement or eaten – and they’re super delicious.

“Several compounds in shiitake help lower cholesterol and may reduce your risk of heart disease.” – Healthline

For focus, creativity, and productivity, Lion’s Mane is the choice for you.

“The primary benefits of a lion’s mane mushrooms are their ability to stimulate brain function, boost the immune system, and help to regulate blood sugar levels, among many others.” – Organic Facts

If you want a workout booster but have already had too much caffeine for the day, reach for Cordyceps. This mushroom will enhance your stamina and endurance.

“Taking cordyceps mushrooms can be particularly helpful for those with active lifestyles who want to push their exercise routine to a new level. Having more energy and delayed fatigue will allow you to reach those activity goals!” – Further Food

If you want the opposite of all that and you just want to relax, go for Reishi. This mushroom works well for occasional stress and a night of restful sleep.

What if I don’t like mushrooms?

Companies are making medicinal mushrooms as tasty and easily ingestible as possible. This means that you can find it in basically any form. They can come in powder form that can be mixed into soups, smoothies, or teas. You can add it to some milk and cacao and make your own mushroom hot chocolate. Furthermore, It can be made sweet or savory, and they all have a different flavor. Many people even harvest these mushrooms and eat them grilled or on top of a salad. They even come in capsules, like this one, if the thought of eating them grosses you out. The possibilities are endless!

None of this is to say that there are no side effects to consuming these mushrooms. These mushrooms are not to be taken instead of your prescribed medicine. Always speak to a medical professional before starting a new supplement regimen. Do your research and find a company you trust. They should be testing each and every batch of their product for heavy metals, allergens, bad bacteria, yeasts, molds, mycotoxins, and pesticides before they arrive in your hands.

November 17, 2020
How Breathwork Has Helped Me – And It Can Help You Too
I know, it sounds pretty new-age.

Perhaps even like a pseudo-science. I don’t blame you for thinking that. Even a few years ago, breathwork to me was downright embarrassing. Just breathe like everyone else! We all need to do it to survive, anyway. Oddly enough, there has been an uprise in this “breathing” trend since COVID made its’ debut, seeing as its a virus that affects the respiratory system. I’m not here to convince you that breathwork is for you or that you need to do it to save your life. I’m here to tell you a story about how I came about breathwork, how I incorporate it into my practice and in my yoga classes, and some of the science behind breathing intentionally. Take from it what you’d like!

Breathwork is simply the practice of directing the breath (also known as Pranayama), and it teaches you to breathe consciously, with awareness and intent. The physiological effects of this Yogic breathing have been shown to help immensely in many areas of health, including reducing cardiovascular disease, respiratory disorders, balancing out diabetic symptoms, and reducing the ratings of pain intensity and unpleasantness. Although I was aware of these benefits, I wanted to focus on something different.

Having suffered from bouts of depression and anxiety, I know that my breath becomes shallow and rapid in times of panic, anger, unease, and fear. I decided to look into natural methods of activating the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) to decrease my anxiety. The parasympathetic nervous system—the system that produces a calm and relaxed state—is underactive. By stimulating the PNS, we can restore the balance. With that balance restored, we naturally slow down our pace of life. Breath is not meant to replace medication for those that need it. It is meant to ease symptoms in a natural way. What many don’t realize is that this needs to become a daily practice. Breathing mindfully is something you need to practice when things are going well so that when things start to pile up and you feel stress coming on, your brain has already created those neural circuit connections. So, I decided to make intentional breathing a part of my daily meditation practice. Every morning, I set aside 15 minutes to do my intentional deep abdominal breathing from the diaphragm. Diaphragmatic breathing (aka low breathing), is when you breathe into your stomach as you suck air through your nose. Your stomach will compress first on your exhale, following the breath up. Your chest and shoulder blades will not move much – only your stomach. This type of breathing has been shown to increase blood flow to and from the heart, maximizing HRV and preserving autonomic function, all of which lead to longevity in the general population! So, it’s beneficial for us to slow down our breath, and this seems to be slowing down our rate of mortality.

Other breathing techniques you can try include:

The One-minute Breath
- Breathe into the diaphragm for 20 seconds.
- Hold for 20 seconds
- Exhale for 20 seconds
4-4-6-2 Breath
- Breathe into the diaphragm through the back of the throat for 4 seconds
- Hold for 4 seconds
- Breathe out slowly through the back of the throat for 6 seconds
- Hold the empty breath for 2 or more seconds
- Change the inhale, hold, or exhale if you’d like!
Lion’s Breath
- Inhale deeply through your nose and open your eyes wide.
- At the same time, open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue, bringing the tip down toward your chin.
- Contract the muscles at the front of your throat as you exhale out through your mouth by making a long “ha” sound.
- Do this breath 2 to 3 times.
These are not your only options for breath, but they are some of the more popular ones. There are hundreds of other methods you can try. Believe it or not, breathing can be tough. Challenge yourself to try one of these methods and see if any of them stick. If they do not, question why this may be tough for you, and try, try, try again! Remember, starting with something short like 2 minutes, is a great start. No need to jump into long seated meditations from nothing.
September 30, 2020
5 Secrets to De-Stressing Your Life
So, you want to get rid of all that stress from your life?

When you’re stressed out, you feel thrown off balance and you can’t perform at your best. Well here’s the good news – you don’t have to start meditating every week, eating kale, or chanting. All you have to do is let your body relax.

Here are 5 secrets from the pros that you can use to easily reduce stress and anxiety:
1. Take a Deep Breath
It’s really that simple. Deep breathing is the simplest and fastest way to help activate the relaxation response, easing stress and anxiety within minutes.
1. Look at the Bright Side
When we focus on the negative things in life, it’s easy to get bogged down and stressed out. Thinking positively is simply focusing our attention on what is going right and what we do want. It’s as simple as that.
1. Focus on the Now
Humans are notorious for allowing the 1% bad moments overshadow the rest of their day, and this causes unnecessary stress. Don’t overthink the negatives, you’ll find that focusing on the now allows you to stay calmer and at ease.
1. Treat Yourself
Being stressed out can make you feel neglected, helpless, and exhausted. Go ahead and take a warm bath, book a massage, have coffee with a friend, or play your favorite song on repeat. Do whatever you need to do to feel like you are taken care of.
1. Nourish & Rebalance with Herbs & Vitamins
When time and money is short, we often skimp on our health and don’t get the essential nutrients that our bodies need to stay in balance and stress-free. NutraChamps new herbal blend is a super stress-buster and contains everything your mind needs to stay in balance and stress-free.

Taking care of yourself through these easy tips is sure to take the load off your mind. Whether it’s being more mindful or simply taking a highly effective stress relief supplement, the solution is in your hands.
September 1, 2017
5 Ways to Naturally Promote Relaxation
Stress is epidemic in the 21st century. With long work hours, a mile-long to-do list, and a hundred different obligations occupying our mind at once, it’s no wonder we’re stressed out! Thankfully, there are plenty of things we can do to help ourselves relax. Before you blow off your next meeting to book a flight to the Bahamas, consult this list of stress-busting tips.
1. Take a Deep Breath
Deep breathing is the simplest and fastest way to promote relaxation. Deep breathing helps activate the relaxation response, quelling anxiety and tension within minutes.

Many people find it helpful to use breath counting during a deep breathing session. Breathing in for three seconds and out for six is a common pattern. You can practice deep breathing in a seated position with your eyes closed, much like a meditation, or you can simply become mindful of your breath as you go about your day. Use whatever method works best for you!
1. Step Away from Sugar
It’s no secret that sugar isn’t doing us any favors. But did you know that it can affect stress levels, too?

Sweets, soda, and sugary snacks all spike your blood sugar, which often results in a mood and energy roller coaster. That afternoon cookie might perk you up momentarily, but it’s likely to leave you grumpy, tired, foggy-brained, and stressed once your blood sugar levels plummet about 20 minutes after snacking.

To help soothe stress, work towards eliminating foods with added sugars. Instead, reach for whole foods like fruit, hummus, or a handful of nuts and seeds. These foods are all rich in fiber, which helps you step off the blood sugar roller coaster by slowing the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream.
1. Move Your Body
Exercise is one of the most effective antidotes to stress. Whether you’re swimming a few laps, cycling to work, or just chasing the dog around the yard, getting your blood pumping 4-5 days per week is a great way to let go of stress.

What is it about a workout that helps boost relaxation afterward?

For one, exercise helps boost your brain’s production of endorphins. These are the feel-good neurotransmitters responsible for the “runner’s high,” or sense of euphoria after a hard workout.

Exercise also works because it’s a form of moving meditation. When you’re focusing 100% of your attention on your body’s movements, you aren’t stressing about to-do lists.

If you don’t yet have an exercise program, talk to your doctor first. Start with baby steps. Even a few short walks throughout the day can make a difference!
1. Rebalance with Adaptogens
Adaptogens are a class of plants that help regulate how the body adapts to stress. These plants can help bolster our immune system, regulate our hormonal pathways, and – most importantly – blunt the action of cortisol, our stress hormone.

One of the best-known adaptogens is Korean ginseng (also known as Asian ginseng, or panax ginseng). Ginseng has been used for over 5000 years throughout Asia, and was once regarded as an “all-healing” medicine. Modern science has now confirmed ginseng’s impressive resume: Immune dysfunction, blood sugar dysregulation, anxiety, stress, and hormone imbalances are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the long list of conditions thought to be helped by ginseng.

Ginseng isn’t the only option in the world of adaptogens. Other stress-busting herbs in this category include rhodiola and ashwagandha. Rhodiola has been studied for it’s mood-boosting effects, and can help manage symptoms of brain fog or fatigue.

Ashwagandha has been recommended for sleep issues, and tends to be the less “energetic” of the adaptogens. If you’re prone to anxiety or insomnia, ashwagandha might be the adaptogen for you.

Adaptogens take some time to show their effects, often up to a month of regular use. For this reason, many healthcare practitioners recommend supplementing with adaptogens daily for several months at a time for maximum benefit.
1. Cut Back on Caffeine
That second cup of coffee might sound like a good idea, but it could easily be spiking your stress levels. This is especially true if you’re among the 50% of the population with a “slow metabolizing” caffeine gene. For a slow metabolizer, more than a single cuppa joe per day can ramp up stress levels and negatively affect your sleep. If you’ve noticed coffee after 3pm triggers insomnia, then you’re probably a slow metabolizer.

Looking for a calmer caffeine fix? Switch to green tea instead. Green tea is much lower in caffeine than coffee or black tea, and is also rich in L-theanine, a compound which helps promote relaxation.
January 30, 2017