No products in the cart
Daily 5 by Dr. Jill Blakeway
1. Swap energizing foods for some calming ones
Cut back on coffee, which can make you feel wired. Try to limit alcohol (difficult at this time of year, I know!) because it only temporarily relieves stress but then has a rebound effect leaving you feeling lower and less able to cope. Try starting the day with green tea instead. Taking B-vitamins and essential fatty acids can help a lot too.
2. Breathe
When we get stressed our breath becomes rapid and shallow thanks to the “fight or flight” response initiated by the sympathetic nervous system.
When we consciously take slow, deep breaths, we’re stimulating the opposing parasympathetic nervous system, which is the one that calms us down.
3. Find a way to relax your muscles, especially your back
Acupuncture is a great way to relieve muscle tension, our Yinova patients always talk about how they float out of our center after a treatment.
If you don’t have much time and notice your back is tense, simply take a minute to shrug your shoulders then relax them and roll them back, making your scapulas (your shoulder blades) move towards each other.
4. Stay Present
Most stress is related to reliving the past or worrying about the future.
Taking a big breath and consciously being here now can really help. Try to remind yourself that nothing exists but this moment. The past is over and the future hasn’t happened yet.
5. Let it out!
Most of the physical responses to stress come from feeling pent up. Repressed emotions make people sick so finding ways to harmlessly let off steam can really help.
Some suggestions for letting it out – laughing, exercise, therapy, singing, art, writing, music, dancing.
Dr. Jill Blakeway
Dr. Jill Blakeway is a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, a licensed and board-certified acupuncturist, and clinical herbalist and one of our amazing meal plan partners. Here are her best ways to reduce stress right in time for the busy holiday season to come!
The Importance of Metabolic Fitness: an 8-Step Daily Routine to Become More Metabolically Fit
What does it mean to be so metabolically healthy that you can tolerate carbs or fat? What would it take for all this static about low carb versus low fat diets to go away? Are you tired of feeling like you have to hack your biology into the body you think you need to have?
Norwich Meadows Farm
After working in the dairy division at Cornell Cooperative Extension for six years, Zaid Kurdieh and his wife Haifa decided to open their own certified organic farm in 1998. Starting with just a half acre behind their house, their vision of supporting the community has become a reality and now they farm over 200 acres. Norwich Meadows Farm produces food that is free of harsh chemicals and is grown using natural fertilizers. Realizing the health of the earth’s resources is paramount in the production of food, they have made a promise to always strive to preserve their agricultural land, and to use it in a manner that is economically, ecologically, and ethically sound.
The Daily Five by David Choi
David’s a staunch believer that learning to optimize your biology is everyone’s responsibility and he strives to share all the necessary tools to biohack the world.