Healthy Habits: 5 Easy Ways to Relieve Stress

One of the biggest problems I have seen throughout my medical career to date is that many people suffer with stress. I noticed that they do not even fully realize that stress is a major factor in their overall health. Here are my five best suggestions as to how you can relieve any level of stress.

1) Eat Healthy Organic Foods

Although this may seem like one of those basic suggestions, people do not fully realize the power of good food. Back when I was in college, I would regularly eat deep fried foods. I always remembered feeling full and disgusted. This in effect, made me feel very uneasy when I would participate in activities with my friends, or even when I was to give presentations. Those foods were not only bad for my physical health, but they also hurt my mental health as well.

Organic raw vegetables and fruits are what I began to eat after I graduated. I noticed that I felt ten times better than I ever felt before. Not only was my physical well being improved, but I felt more enthusiastic and outgoing. The fatty fried foods of the past made me feel ill and I always wanted to lounge around like a couch potato. I have found that I really love to eat fruits and certain vegetables like celery and lettuce. Aside from helping to relieve stress, there are many other benefits to eating raw organic foods.

2) Create a To-Do List

By far, this is one of my favorite tips to give anyone. When I used to create to-do lists in college, I noticed that I got things done faster and more efficiently. Not only were my tasks being completed, I also felt more relaxed knowing that these things were being crossed off my list and I did not have to worry about them. I highly suggest this tactic because it will help you in the long run with stress relief. Many people I have dealt with tend to worry about the little things. They do not realize that those "little" things will add up and contribute to their overall stress.

3) Engage in Enjoyable Physical Exercises

When I used to get stressed out, I would always love to go for a relaxing swim or a jog with my friends. This played a tremendous part in my stress relief. I found out that after I completed these activities, I was less tense and more relaxed. It is almost like venting your frustrations in a constructive and safe way. Give it a try and you will notice a huge difference.

4) Try Aromatherapy and Meditation

I recently started to get into aromatherapy and meditation. I have sometimes taken for granted certain smells and their affect on the human mind. Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses essential oils from plants for the purpose of affecting a person in terms of their mood and health. My favorite scent by far is vanilla. I always buy vanilla scented oils and candles for my home. I am not going to lie, but I feel so relaxed that I doubt anything can bother me when I am at home burning these scents.

Meditation is relatively new to me and I have spent the past few months really getting into it. For example, just the other day I felt really stressed after work and decided to meditate in my bedroom. When I was finished, I felt much better and less tense than before. Do your own research into the different methods of meditation and give it a try.

5) Enjoy Yourself and Laugh

I have often heard the phrase, "laughter is the best medicine" and discarded it as some poetic form of guidance. From my personal perspective, laughter is the ultimate form of stress relief. I do not mean snickering; I mean a nice full body jolting laugh. I have seen many people who love to use laughter as their "medicine" to de-stressing. The beautiful thing is that all laughs are free of charge and anyone can use them.

Overall, stress plays a bigger factor in your health than you can image. Over my years dealing with it, both in my profession and personal life, I can honestly say that stress needs to be checked at all times. Whether it is just a small amount or a large amount that causes your head to hurt, you really need to be sure that your stress levels are kept to a minimum. I really hope this information has helped you and good luck to your health.