Tag Archives: positive stress

It’s National Stress Awareness Month. Each of us is probably plenty aware of stress. Despite its association with a busy, successful life, we need to manage it for our health …

by Michelle Sutton-Kerchner Stress is a natural part of life. You can’t eliminate it. However, you can learn healthy ways to manage it … Stress usually has negative connotations. It is associated with excessive responsibilities, sick kids, overbooked schedules, and traffic jams. Used effectively though, stress can increase mental and physical functioning. Its release of fight-or-flight brain chemicals can energize us into action. It is impossible to banish all stressors from your life. Avoid the frustration of this futile attempt, and the additional stress it will cause. Instead, focus on better ways to deal with it. Start with these: Sleep Well Lack of quality sleep contributes to stress by exacerbating negative occurrences. Little hassles become disproportionately hard to manage. You are also inclined to make poor decisions and more mistakes when tired, which leads to more stress. Skip the Comfort Food Power up your brain and immune system with food for thought. No stress-attack needs to be fueled by sugar and caffeine. That only leads to a crash. Go for foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like tuna. Snack on nuts and seeds. Essential nutrients improve concentration and help maintain energy. Monitor the amount you eat. Too much food can …

It doesn't have to be! As the pace picks up, grab these ideas and go with the (albeit increased) pre-fall flow ...