Happy New Year!
As 2021 fast approaches, I reflect on 2020 as my “Year of Clarity”. As a passionate preventive healthcare professional, it led me to pursue Health, Wellness, and Life Coaching. This past year gave me the clarity to realize even more how nutrition, health, and wellness knowledge matters, to better cope with and reduce stress during difficult times.
Stress is mental or emotional strain, or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. Stress is activated by the Central Nervous System (CNS), specifically the hypothalamus.
There are four ways we experience stress:
- Biological/Chemical – In the processes of our body
- Mental/Emotional – In our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs
- Spiritual – In our sense of connection
- Structural – In our bones and muscles, skin
At a basic level when stress is activated:
- Heart rate speeds up
- Blood pressure increases
- Respiration quickens
- Adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol hormones are released
- Blood flow is routed away from digestion, and directed toward the arms, legs/ or extremities.
- The digestive system shuts down * This response (Flight or Fight) was once essential in survival in nature; however, our brains cannot differentiate between real & imagined stress*
More of this COOL stuff in my next Blog…. how you can “move the needle” forward in the most effective way to reduce or better cope with stress or better yet……work with me!
“AGILITY” Live Your Best Life…. Healthy Life at Any Age = Healthy food + lifestyle choices + Ideal state for digestion and assimilation.
In the meantime, here is ONE SMALL ACTION STEP you can take as a New Year’s Resolution!
Clearing the Clutter: Kitchen Area #1: Fridge, Freezer & Pantry:
- Check expiration dates on condiments and toss your expired products
- Throw week-old produce in the compost
- Get rid of products that contain trans fats and GMO’s (Dump the crappy snacks)
- Wipe down, and/or wash shelves
- Decant grains, seeds, nuts, flours for plastic or cardboard into glass jars (the food will keep longer and stay fresher and bug free)
- Donate products that you no longer eat or use to local food bank in your area.