Even though stress is something we all encounter, everyone experiences stress in a different way. Others who are under stress could experience digestive problems or a loss of appetite, while others of us experience an elevated heart rate or trouble sleeping.
Let's examine the various forms of stress, their effects on our bodies, and the steps we can take to manage stress in our lives more effectively.
Health Effects of Stress
Acute or chronic stress can be widely characterised. Acute stress, such as the kind you might experience if you are late for a meeting, might actually be good for you and your body, but chronic stress is more dangerous to your health and wellness.
Chronic stress is described as "a persistent experience of feeling hurried and overwhelmed over a lengthy period of time" by Yale Medicine.
Long-term stress can have a variety of detrimental effects on your body. In fact, stress that is not handled can exacerbate significant medical disorders including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. 2
Changes to your work and home environments, the addition of meditation to your daily routine, adjustments to your food and exercise routines, and the use of vitamins and other goods may all be necessary for stress management. One of these adjustments has the potential to significantly reduce stress in particular situations. Others may require a more major change in habits and lifestyle to relieve stress.
Here is my list of the best tools and techniques for lowering stress.
Stress-supporting supplements
The pressures in your life cannot be eliminated by taking a pill. However, a few of them might be able to lessen your stress levels and improve how you handle them.
Ashwagandha
One of the most widely used herbs in Ayurvedic medicine, ashwagandha has been used for generations to reduce stress, enhance focus, and boost vitality. As an adaptogen, this herb has the potential to aid in stress management.
As a capsule, tablet, or gummy, ashwagandha is simple to add to your regular self-care regimen.
6 Signs You're Dehydrated
This means that you require a lot of water to flush out waste materials, lubricate joints, wet tissues in the eyes, nose, and mouth, and regulate body temperature.
It should be a primary concern to consume enough fluids, but many people frequently don't do so, which can result in long-term dehydration.
Dehydration can occur for a variety of reasons, including inadequate fluid intake. Dehydration can also be brought on by other illnesses such as diabetes mellitus, heavy perspiration, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
Dehydration Warning Signs
When left untreated, dehydration can be a dangerous condition that poses a risk to one's life. Therefore, it's crucial to be aware of the symptoms and signs of dehydration in order to take charge of your health.
1. Headaches
You might have headaches more frequently if you are dehydrated. It makes more sense if you keep in mind that the brain is 73 percent water. According to one study, "brain dehydration" is a condition where there is hypertonicity in the brain due to dehydration.
This means that due to water loss, the structures in the brain, blood vessels, and regions of the brain that perceive pain, tighten up and put more pressure on these places, resulting in headaches.
It's interesting to note that the same study found that dehydrated people perceived pain more strongly. This suggests that people who are dehydrated are more likely to suffer pain than those who are sufficiently hydrated.
2. Tiredness
Fatigue and dehydration have been connected. According to one study, female hockey players who didn't drink water during a simulated activity found that they were more dehydrated than when they did.
The same study also revealed that these athletes struggled to keep their core body temperatures lower, which caused them to perceive themselves as getting hotter more quickly.
Dehydration's effect on the body's ability to regulate its temperature might also make you feel more exhausted.
3. Confussion and Brain Fog
Dehydration can cause brain fog and cognitive deterioration, and older people are more likely to have severe confusion.
According to a meta-analysis, dehydration that causes a loss of 2 per cent or more of body mass results in a variety of negative cognitive effects.
Slower reaction times, worse motor control, less accurate short-term memory, and decreased capacity to pay attention were among the bothersome signs of dehydration.
There are many meals that are ideal for summer dining, but I have selected my top ten favourites. These meals are not only filling but also delicious and appropriate for any summer event.
Specific nutrients for months with warmer weather.
Your nutritional requirements change along with the seasons. You probably spend more time outdoors during the warmer months, engaging in sports, gardening, or other activities that cause you to perspire more. Sweat loss results in a need for replenishment.
The summer sun can also harm your skin if you spend time outside during that period. Wearing sunscreen and sun-protective clothes is the best approach to protect your skin when you're outside, but some foods can help reduce the harm that UV rays do to your skin.
In the summer, your body needs these essential nutrients even more, so be sure to eat plenty of them:
When you perspire, you lose vital electrolytes like sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Try adding an electrolyte powder to your drink to stay hydrated and replace the important minerals you lose when you sweat.
Vitamin C: According to certain research, vitamin C may help shield skin from UV radiation damage.
After spending the day in the sun, make sure you get plenty of this potent antioxidant.
Since vitamin D is known as the "sunshine vitamin," it may appear as though you wouldn't have to worry about obtaining enough of it throughout the summer. However, research indicates that 42% of Americans lack enough vitamin D. 10. Don't disregard this essential vitamin just because the days are longer and sunnier.
Eat seasonal foods.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are collected in the summer. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are immediately transported from the farm to your table after being gathered at their optimal ripeness. They are therefore more scrumptious and nourishing than vegetables that had to travel across the globe to get to you.
Most of the time, eating seasonal fruits and vegetables also saves you money and helps the local farmers who grow your food.
Eating seasonal, local vegetables has many benefits, but my favourite is that it simply tastes better. Additionally, summer is the best time to buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are simply not accessible at other times of the year.
Produce that is in season offers more nutrients.
The fact that eating in-season provides you with more nutrients than eating out-of-season may surprise you. Fruits and vegetables contain more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants when they are in s eason.This is so that local food can be picked when it is most ripe and doesn't have to travel as far to get to your table.
Many nutrients start to degrade over time after a fruit or vegetable is selected. As a result, produce that has been transported a long way or kept for a long time has lost some of its nutritional value by the time it gets to your table.
Since summer fruit has a high concentration of vitamins A and C, which are crucial for immunity, skin, and eye health, it is extremely healthy for you. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are a great choice because they have fewer calories and more water than other foods.
If there is a farmer's market close by, visit it to check what's on offer before going to the store. Uncertain of the particular summertime in-season items? The top seasonal summer dishes are listed below for you to add to your list.
This Summer's Top 10 Plant-Based Foods
1. Watermelon
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Not only is watermelon in season, but it also contains 90% water, making it the ideal summer snack. Watermelon is nourishing and cooling due to its high water content, making it ideal for a hot summer day.
Contrary to popular belief, swallowing the seeds won't cause a watermelon to ripen within your stomach. What's not to love about this classic summer fruit, which is rich in vitamins A and C as well as the potent antioxidant lycopene.
5 WAYS TO SEASON WATERMELON
2. Bell peppers
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In terms of vitamins A, C, and B-complex, peppers are a good source. Actually, compared to citrus fruits, bell peppers provide substantially more vitamin C. They also contain copper, manganese, and fibre.
Green, yellow, and red is just a few of the colours that bell peppers can be. Actually, unripe green peppers have a less sweet flavour than yellow or red peppers. Some even claim that the flavour of green bell peppers is bitter. Red bell peppers are significantly sweeter and might make a better snack option. Peppers can be roasted, eaten raw, or turned into salsa, regardless of colour.
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF RED PEPPERS
3. Tomatoes
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Lycopene can also be found in abundance in tomatoes (just like watermelons). Generally speaking, a tomato's red colour indicates how much lycopene it contains. 2
On a grilled veggie burger, tomatoes are one of the best foods to eat.
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF TOMATOES
4. Lemon
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Lemons are especially good for plant-based eaters because their high vitamin C content makes it easier for the body to absorb iron when eaten with other plant foods.
Red lentils and leafy greens are two excellent plant-based sources of iron.
Lemon enhances the flavour of both savoury and sweet foods. And always remember to make lemonade when life gives you lemons!
5. Corn
A traditional summertime dish, sweet corn is excellent for picnics and barbecues. If you're lucky enough to live in the Midwest this summer, you won't have a hard time finding sweet corn that tastes great.
In addition to being a staple of the summer, sweet corn has many health advantages. Fibre from corn can aid in regulating digestion and preventing constipation. A and C vitamins, which are crucial for maintaining healthy skin and eyes, are also abundant in them. Corn's potassium content aids in controlling blood pressure.
Poor sleep appears to be associated with a variety of health issues, including an increased risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. A recent study on people in their forties discovered that having a mix of sleep issues—such as difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, or sleeping less than six hours a night—virtually triples a person's risk of heart disease.
"These new findings emphasise the significance of obtaining enough sleep," Many factors can contribute to a lack of sleep, he notes. Some folks simply do not give themselves enough time to sleep. Others have behaviours that interfere with or disrupt sleep. Some people also have health problems or sleep disorders that make it hard for them to sleep well or enough.
Who participated in the study?
The researchers gathered information from 7,483 participants in the Midlife in the United States Study who reported their sleep habits and history of heart disease. A subset of the 663 participants additionally wore a wrist-worn device that recorded their sleep activity (actigraphy). Women made up slightly more than half of those who took part. Three-quarters identified as white, while 16% identified as black. The average age was 53 years old.
Due to the fact that adults typically undergo different and challenging life events throughout this time in both their career and personal lives, researchers chose to concentrate on people in their midlife. Also, this is when clogged heart arteries, atherosclerosis (which can lead to heart disease), and sleep problems caused by getting older start to show up.
SLEEP MAY HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT
How did researchers evaluate the sleep problems?
The effectiveness of sleep was measured by putting together different parts of sleep, such as
regularity (whether participants slept longer on work days versus nonwork days).
(whether they had issues falling asleep, woke up during the night or early morning and were unable to fall back asleep, or had daytime sleepiness)
alertness (how often they napped for more than five minutes)
efficiency (how long it took them to fall asleep at bedtime).
duration (how many hours they typically slept each night).
Participants were asked, "Have you ever experienced heart problems suspected or confirmed by a doctor?" used by researchers to gauge heart-related issues. and "Have you ever had a significant chest ache that lasted for at least 30 minutes?"
Follow-up inquiries about the diagnosis were prompted by a "yes" response to either query. These questions were about things like angina, which is a pain in the chest caused by not enough blood getting to the heart muscle, heart attacks, heart valve problems, irregular or fast heartbeat, and heart failure.