Nourish - Natural Ways to Reduce Stress, Anxiety and Fear Whilst Also Supporting Your Immune System – Part Two
Welcome to part two of natural ways to reduce stress, anxiety and fear whilst also supporting your immune system. If you missed Part One, check it out here.
Lifestyle Tips for Reducing Stress, Anxiety and Fear
Choose to stay positive
With our cultural fascination for bad news, I highly advise that we all be cautious of the media hysteria. This does not mean to be ignorant. Stay informed if that helps you cope, but make sure to take responsibility for what you read and watch and make sure that the news sources are not hysteria and fear-based. Make sure you’re getting this information from a reputable source.
Stress is incredibly detrimental to our immune systems, therefore focusing on fear-mongering news will do nothing but deplete your immune system, heighten anxiety and damage your health.
Instead, choose to stay positive. You get to decide each day whether you choose to emit positivity or negativity. Be mindful of what thoughts you are carrying around with you and how you express these, whether it’s in person or even online.
It may sound overly simplistic but focusing on what you are grateful for, even if it’s the tiniest thing, can bring a huge shift in your attention and energy.
Love, joy, gratitude, compassion and happiness boost your immune system, reduce stress and enhance your health. You cannot work in negativity and expect to stay well, and so instead of drowning yourself in a sea of negative feelings, worries and complaints, take a step back and focus on what you’re grateful for.
Numerous studies have been undertaken on the effects of a daily gratitude practise on the mind, body and spirit, which you’ll be pleased to hear, gave very positive results.
You can spend 5 minutes each morning or evening writing down 5 things you’re grateful for in your life or that day. Or perhaps during a stressful moment, take a step back and reflect on some things you’re grateful for right now.
Focus on your Breathing
A lot of people don’t realise the importance of their breath and how different emotions can affect it, and ultimately how we feel as a result.
Emotional stresses in life can be difficult to cope with, and if you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or anxious, breathing can be an amazing tool to help you cope.
Try the 4 – 7 – 8 breathing technique.
Simply breathe in through the nose for a count of four, hold that inhale for seven and then exhale gently for a count of eight.
Breathing techniques such as this one are designed to bring the body into a state of deep relaxation, and the process of holding the breath for a period of time allows the body to replenish its oxygen.
Repeat this technique 10 times and do this whenever you feel anxious or stressed.
Practice Mindfulness / Meditation
Meditation has wonderfully positive effects on the brain and can help to dramatically reduce stress, anxiety, blood pressure and heart rate, as well as promote productivity, improve focus and encourage deeper relaxation and restful sleep.
I strongly recommend you take an eyeball over my previous two blogs on mediation and try to add this practice into your daily routine.
Top Tips for Starting a Meditation Practice Part 1
Top Tips for Starting a Meditation Practice Part 2
Support your Local and Independent Teachers
Now is a tough time for smaller businesses and teachers, but we can still support them during this time.
If you’re stuck at home now and craving some movement or relaxation, don’t forget the many yoga/pilates/fitness teachers who are out there. Many are offering online virtual class that you can join. This will not only give you some relaxation and physical movement which we all know is good for us, but it will also give you a sense of community as you practice with others, on top of helping out your local teachers.
Focus on your Sleep
Sleep is incredibly important. It’s when your body restores, repairs, and rejuvenates, and it’s crucial in balancing our hormones and keeping our moods stable.
Poor sleeping habits can lower immunity, enhance anxiety and cause all kinds of chaos hormonally.
With fear and anxiety being at the forefront for many people, I encourage you to partake in aforementioned tips, focusing on what you’re grateful for, breathing consciously, exercising, whether outside or inside and talking with friends and family about how you feel.
You can also opt for some herbs that help to reduce anxiety and encourage a healthy nights sleep, such as Melissa dream, Valerian and magnesium.
Also, check out my blog on Top Tips for Naturally Improving Your Sleep here for more info on how to set up a sleep-inducing routine and ways to prepare you for deep, restful, and restorative sleep.
And that’s it!
I do hope these natural ways to reduce stress, anxiety and fear whilst also supporting your immune system will come in use and help you in this bizarre time.
Stay healthy 🙂
Emily Nöth
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*Please note that while we are knowledgeable about our products and nutrition, this blog should never be a substitute for medical advice and attention.
Please remember that you should always obtain the all-clear from your doctor before starting any new supplement plan or diet if you’re on any medication
