What does detoxing have to do with stress reduction?
Everything!
One of the most awesome side effects of detoxing is the dramatic reduction of both physical and mental stress. The reason for this is based on several key factors:
|Clean, Whole Food
There are some foods that increase stress and some that help to reduce it. Foods such as coffee, alcohol, sugar, and excess salt are all known to strip the body of essential nutrients and undo the work of a healthier diet. What this means for your body is that normal bodily function is thrown off and has to work much harder to produce the energy you need.
When you dedicate a period of time to eating clean, whole food exclusively, you’re allowing your body to reset and rebalance all of its systems, including your adrenals which are directly connected to whether you feel calm or agitated. Some of the top nutrients to include for stress reduction are vitamins B and C and the mineral magnesium.
| Focus on self-care
When life gets busy it’s easy to lose sight of keeping your own batteries charged, but it’s important to remember that it’s impossible to take care of others, stay productive at work, and manage all the details of life if you’re running on empty.
If you feel that life is an endless loop of keeping all the balls in the air, leaving you to feel drained and exhausted, then the solution is some serious TLC. More rest, regular exercise, and some basic pampering (such as Epsom salt baths) are a few of the elements I consider essential to a fully supported detox because they are so effective at recharging and re-energizing both the body and mind.
| Mindfulness
(Also known as paying really close attention).
A recent article in the NYT outlined the connection between staying connected to your body and the ability to build up a resistance to stress. The basic idea is, if you are not paying attention to the signals your body is sending you, then you are more likely to overreact to stressors.
The solution? Breathing. (Don’t you just love simple solutions!) But it’s not just any breathing; they’re talking about focusing on steady, conscious breaths that allow the mind to settle after it’s been triggered by anxiety or stress.
When you learn to quickly recognize the signs of stress and then mindfully respond in a way that calms the sympathetic nervous system, you will have more mental clarity, increased feelings of calm, and the ability to stay grounded, even when your day hits unexpected bumps!
Everything!
One of the most awesome side effects of detoxing is the dramatic reduction of both physical and mental stress. The reason for this is based on several key factors:
|Clean, Whole Food
There are some foods that increase stress and some that help to reduce it. Foods such as coffee, alcohol, sugar, and excess salt are all known to strip the body of essential nutrients and undo the work of a healthier diet. What this means for your body is that normal bodily function is thrown off and has to work much harder to produce the energy you need.
When you dedicate a period of time to eating clean, whole food exclusively, you’re allowing your body to reset and rebalance all of its systems, including your adrenals which are directly connected to whether you feel calm or agitated. Some of the top nutrients to include for stress reduction are vitamins B and C and the mineral magnesium.
| Focus on self-care
When life gets busy it’s easy to lose sight of keeping your own batteries charged, but it’s important to remember that it’s impossible to take care of others, stay productive at work, and manage all the details of life if you’re running on empty.
If you feel that life is an endless loop of keeping all the balls in the air, leaving you to feel drained and exhausted, then the solution is some serious TLC. More rest, regular exercise, and some basic pampering (such as Epsom salt baths) are a few of the elements I consider essential to a fully supported detox because they are so effective at recharging and re-energizing both the body and mind.
| Mindfulness
(Also known as paying really close attention).
A recent article in the NYT outlined the connection between staying connected to your body and the ability to build up a resistance to stress. The basic idea is, if you are not paying attention to the signals your body is sending you, then you are more likely to overreact to stressors.
The solution? Breathing. (Don’t you just love simple solutions!) But it’s not just any breathing; they’re talking about focusing on steady, conscious breaths that allow the mind to settle after it’s been triggered by anxiety or stress.
When you learn to quickly recognize the signs of stress and then mindfully respond in a way that calms the sympathetic nervous system, you will have more mental clarity, increased feelings of calm, and the ability to stay grounded, even when your day hits unexpected bumps!
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