May Has Been Mental Health Awareness Month. Are You Supporting Your Mental Health To Mitigate Stress?
Positive Mental Health Requires Pillars For Support
A pillar provides essential support. The pillars our bodies require are the foundational support of sleep, nutrition, and exercise. These are paramount for wellness and positive health, physically and mentally. Our bodies and our minds are not separate.
Being in a good mental state can help keep you healthy and help prevent serious health conditions. Studies find that positive psychological well-being can reduce the risks of heart attacks, strokes, and even cancer. On the other hand, poor mental health can lead to poor physical health or harmful behaviors. Physical and mental health go hand in hand.
Anxiety: Anxiety is an example of a mental health problem. Everyone knows someone with anxiety and we've all experienced it at some point in our lives, to a certain degree. Anxiety is caused by too much stress over a long period, accumulated stress that has never been mitigated, or from a traumatic period in your life. Anxiety can lead to depression and depression can lead to anxiety.
Stress, It's Everywhere! It's Been Everywhere! It's Not Ever Going Away!
Some will say that we live in the most stressful of all times, however, I'm not so sure of that. I will say things may sometimes seem that way, but all generations have had stress. Consider the generations whose lives were filled with fear of the dictating foreigners that now ruled them, the generation that left their home countries and boarded a ship to take the long journey across the sea to find a new home with the promise of freedom where they could live in peace, think of the stress of the ones living in war-torn countries, or the generation that lived through the great depression not knowing if you could buy a loaf of bread for your family, and individuals having to live through genocide! The list can go on and on. It is well known these are just a small example of the stresses that have been faced by many.
Could it be that it seems as though life is more stressful because of our coping mechanisms are not up to par due to poor diets, lack of exercise and not getting the proper sleep? I'm thinking it could be a good bet. A widely used definition of stressful situations is a situation in which the demands of that situation threaten to exceed the resources of the individual. Who do you know that doesn't eat well, doesn't get much exercise or stays up late until all hours of the night on their device? None of that supports your body in standing against the demands of a stressful situation. Of course genetics can play a role, however, the foods you eat, the foods you avoid, the sleep and exercise you get can influence how your genes respond.
Stress is no small thing. It needs to be dealt with. Although our bodies are designed to take on some stress via the flight or fight part of our central nervous called the sympathetic nervous system, it is chronic stress that can get us into trouble!
It is well known that chronic stress has negative effects on your cardiovascular system, immune system, digestive system, endocrine system, and memory. It can wreak havoc on your health! It can cause mental health problems, again, such as anxiety.
So How Do You Deal With Stress? How Do You Mitigate Those Anxious Feelings? How Do You Support Your Mental Health?
Take a time-out. Practice yoga, listen to music, dance, meditate, get a massage, learn relaxation techniques, and take some time out to do something that you enjoy. Stepping back from the problem helps clear your head.
Eat well-balanced meals. Eat balanced, nutrient-dense meals. Keep healthful, energy-boosting snacks on hand, ditch, or cut down on the sugar and simple carbs.
Limit alcohol and caffeine, these can aggravate anxiety and trigger panic attacks.
Get enough sleep. When you are stressed, your body needs additional sleep and rest. Opt for earlier evenings, turn off the TV and other devices, keep it dark / no lights
Exercise daily this helps you feel good and releases feel-good hormones. Your body craves some exercise, do what you can. Go for a walk if possible. Get
Take deep breaths. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly. Mindful breathing oxygenates your body.
Count to 10 slowly. Repeat, and count to 20 if necessary.
Do your best. No one is perfect. Don't aim for perfection, which isn't possible, be proud of any positive choice you make toward your pursuit of wellness.
Accept that you cannot control everything. Put your stress in perspective: Is it as bad as you think? Does God have this? Haven't you worried in the past and it turned out not to be as bad as you had imagined? Give yourself a break.
Welcome humor. A good laugh goes a long way. Make someone else laugh. It's good for the soul.
Maintain a positive attitude. Make an effort to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.
Get out in nature. Observe the trees, flowers, wildlife, and the color of the sky.
Get involved. Volunteer or find another way to be active in your community, which creates a support network giving you a break from everyday stress, and helps you think of others instead of yourself only.
Learn what triggers your anxiety. What stresses you? Work, family, school, or something else you can identify? Write in a journal when you’re feeling stressed or anxious, and look for a pattern. Become aware of your triggers and stomp on them with positive thoughts.
Talk to someone. Tell friends and family you’re feeling overwhelmed, and let them know how they can help you. You may want to talk to a psychologist. It's o,k to share. We all need other people. We were not designed to be alone and withdrawn. We are to bear one another's burdens. It's healthy to do so. The Bible tells us so (Hebrews 10:23 - 25).
Please Try The Holistic Approach First
The suggestions listed above can be very helpful. In addition, simple nutrients like Magnesium can do wonders for stress and anxious feelings as magnesium can have a calming effect and affects every system in the body. It's that important!
Many are deficient in magnesium and don't even know it so it's a good idea to eat foods high in magnesium as much as possible.
Foods high in magnesium include:
Nuts – like walnuts, almonds, and macadamia nuts
Green leafy vegetables – like kale, spinach, and collard greens
Avocado – perfect in salads and on sandwiches
Seeds – like sunflower and flax seeds
Dark Chocolate (70%)
Organic fish and chicken – lower in mineral content, but combined with green leafy veggies to boost magnesium!
You can also supplement your magnesium if you feel you're not consuming enough from the foods you eat. Many people are deficient in magnesium. You can shop for Magnesium here, from our selection of trusted supplement sources.
Now that you are aware, Share with others that May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Anxiety is only one of several issues. Attention needs to be brought forth. Many suffer. The stigma needs to be addressed and no one should feel alone because of it.
Do You Have a Predisposition To Anxiety? It May Be!
That's where SelfDecode Can Come in!
Now you can dig deep into your body and see how it's working. You can find out if you have risks of anxiety. If you do, you get recommendations on how to help yourself. The SelfDecode AI algorithm analyzes your DNA, labs, lifestyle, symptoms and conditions, and goals, to give you prioritized and personalized recommendations. WOW! That's quit amazing! Since pretty much all mood issues can be fixed - so you can look at the brighter side of things, you may want to consider SelfDecode!
Beware!
Unfortunately, for some with anxiety, their doctors are too quick to prescribe medications like Benzodiazepines (Zanax, Klonopin, Ativan, Librium, and others ). Be very cautious with these medications. They are intended for only short-term use, however, many patients remain on these for an extended time. They are physically addictive, have long-term risks, have a boxed warning and no studies are showing convincing evidence of long-term benefit. You may want to discuss with your doctor an alternative to Benzos!
For more information regarding Benzodiazapens please refer to this extensively informative website. Benzodiazapen Information Coalition.
Wishing you all, the very best in your health
Val
Now that you are aware, Share with others that May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Anxiety is only one of several issues. Attention needs to be brought forth. Many suffer. The stigma needs to be addressed and no one should feel alone because of it.
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