How about kicking your inner Grinch to the curb this holiday season? As much as you want to be in the holiday spirit, chances are good that sometime, before the new year, your stress levels will make you wonder if you\u2019re turning into Scrooge. Research routinely shows that for more than half of us, all this holiday cheer causes as much stress as dentist visits and speeding tickets.<\/p>\n
Women tend to feel the brunt of it. You buy most of the gifts, organize holiday parties and make sure the house feels festive. About now, you feel short of time, short of money and pressured to give perfect gifts. This can lead to a range of symptoms including sadness, sleep problems and lack of energy.<\/p>\n
While the stressors never seem to change, there are new ways to manage them.<\/p>\n
When New Year\u2019s Day rolls around, \u201creduce my stress levels\u201d is second only to \u201close some weight\u201d for New Year\u2019s resolutions. This is encouraging, not only because stress is associated with a higher risk for many diseases, but also because of the many very effective, very easy-to-follow strategies that can help control stress and improve mental wellness.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a link between stress and disease, partly because we\u2019re eating more and exercising less. That\u2019s the exact opposite of what we should do when we\u2019re under stress. But, there are even scarier observations. It also appears that these higher stress levels also cause a direct change in the body\u2019s metabolic machinery \u2013 brain cells shrink, immune cells shut off, and both mood and energy levels plummet. That\u2019s why you may be feeling moody, fatigued, bloated<\/a>, confused, irritable and sick. That\u2019s not exactly my definition of holiday cheer.<\/p>\n To avoid the \u201cbah humbugs\u201d start with a safe dietary supplement strategy. I look for ingredients that are well researched, shown to be safe and effective. Some of my top favorites for this time of year include:<\/p>\n Other strategies for restoring the holidays to a wonderful time of year include practicing gratitude. Being thankful can lower your stress hormones by ~25%. And give back. Altruistic behavior releases endorphins.<\/p>\n Happy holidays!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Holiday Stress Busters and Strategies <\/strong><\/h3>\n
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