Everyday
Practical Tips From Stephanie Mansour:
Deep breathing and rolling the shoul- ders forward and back a few times can relieve muscle tension.
Eating something crunchy like an apple or carrots can lessen feelings of stress.
Meditating for even one minute can help reduce excessive cortisol in the body. Doing small increments daily rather than over long intervals net better and bigger benefi ts.
If your mind is racing 24/7 and breathing techniques don’t work, change your environment. Get up and go to an- other room in the house. Go outside. If tight on space and can't go outside, turn your body to look in a diff erent direc- tion. Stay in the same spot on the couch and just look at something else.
Don’t put your body under more stress with demanding, cortisol-fuel- ing workouts; opt for yoga, meditation and Pilates.
When you get your heart rate up (in as quickly as fi ve minutes of doing cardio), you feel happier.
Maintain a healthy sleep schedule and go to bed earlier.
From Sarah Kate Benjamin:
Reconnect to the earth in whatever way you can; go for a walk, cook a meal, smell fl owers or just sit outside.
From LaStacia Ross:
As an energy exercise, try what I call T e Fountain of Light: See and feel white light coming up from the earth and into your feet. Feel it move all the way up through your body, out of your head and back down to your feet to start again, like a fountain. Repeat this many times, feeling the vibrant, white light energy fl owing through you.
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Plant Power for Combatting Stress Sarah Kate Benjamin’s Personal Favorites:
Passionfl ower (Passifl ora incarnata) soothes restless minds from anxiety and insomnia, and eases menstrual cramps or muscle spasms.
Skullcap (Scutellaria laterifl ora) helps to strengthen the brain and revitalize the central nervous system, and helps to calm the mind and relieve nervous stress and headaches. It is even more benefi cial when combined with lavender or chamomile.
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) helps to soothe emotional and muscle tension; relieve stress-related gut symptoms like gas, cramp- ing, irritable bowel syndrome and ulcers; calm heat-related emotional and physical issues such as eczema, anger and frustration; and generally promote a sense of calm. Wonderful in baths, teas and as an herbal garnish.
In addition to Benjamin’s recommendations,
other stress-fi ghting herbs to consider are Ginkgo, panax and Siberian ginseng, fo-ti, rhodiola, reishi mushroom, goji berries, licorice root, lavender, rose, lemon balm, tulsi (holy basil), ashwagandha and mimosa bark.
exercise and make it a routine. We live in a very materialistic society, and I believe this also leads to stress, unhappiness and a sense of being entitled and never being satisfi ed. Just let go.” He also stresses the importance
of support. “An emergency room is an incredibly hectic, frightening and sometimes violent place. I rely on my col- leagues, and we support each other. For me, the most important thing is to realize that I’m not in it alone.” Krisanda also fi nds balance by taking a few minutes in a quiet place to collect his thoughts and enjoy a peaceful moment. Basic, whole foods can help to main-
tain homeostasis. “Make sure that food is fueling you,” says Mansour. “Cooked vegetables and broths are very soothing. Instead of a juice cleanse or an extreme diet, focus on nourishing, calming foods like soups, lean proteins to stabilize blood sugar levels and healthy fats to support brain function. Reducing alcohol can help improve liver function.” Sarah Kate Benjamin, a holistic chef
and herbalist in Sebastopol, California, fi nds her own healing rhythms by eating with the seasons and using medicinal plants
in inspired, everyday dishes. Co-author of T e Kosmic Kitchen Cookbook: Everyday Herbalism and Recipes for Radical Wellness, she sees herbs as life-giving examples of re- silience. “Herbs have been here long before us and have experienced their own form of stressors. Working with nervous system- supportive herbs in my food, beverages or even as tinctures really help me fi nd bal- ance when I’m overwhelmed.” Some of her allies are oat tops, lemon
balm, skullcap, chamomile and passion- fl ower. For Benjamin, everyday choices play a huge role in healing. “Making small lifestyle shiſt s in your work or home life can really help you move into a more relaxed state. I like to think of it as a sort of mantra: ‘Help the herbs help you,’” she says. In a world that is fi xated on external validation, little things mat- ter. “If I give myself permission to do the things that really nourish me, I’ll be the best version of myself. Perhaps most importantly, I will like me, and that matters tremendously.”
Marlaina Donato is an author and recording artist. Connect at
AutumnEmbersMusic.com.
alisonmarros /
Unsplash.com
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