Stress is “The Health Epidemic of the 21st Century” and I think a lot of this year’s new book launches will revolve around stress and natural solutions for memory loss – there’s so much coming out right now about cognitive function and how to halt deterioration.
Stress shouldn’t hit us daily but in our society it does. Dr Rangan Chatterjee’s much-applauded brand new book “The Stress Solution” focuses on practical, “do-able” solutions. He warns about MSDs (micro stress doses) which add up and up during the day until our stress threshold is threatened – that’s when things could get dangerous.
Tech, of course, is one of the number one offenders – every ping, every alert, every bit of bad news on your phone…all these mounting up into literally dozens of MSDs a day (all the way up until the final stress of the day – not being able to sleep!) In fact, as Dr Chatterjee says, it’s like MSDs are flying at us from all directions.
I Tweeted a list of all-natural “stress coolers” recently, and here are some of the ones that have worked best for me:
Magnesium – the chill pill many of us are deficient in, the nervous system calmer. It’s a nerve, muscle and brain relaxer that can help get you to sleep but it also supports optimal blood pressure, blood circulation, cellular energy production and blood sugar balance.
L-Theanine – found in green tea, this amino acid can help with anxiety and high blood pressure, it’s also being trialled for Alzheimer’s disease and can make cancer drugs more effective, apparently. I use an under the tongue L-Theanine spray during stressful times. It doesn’t make you sleepy, it just puts you in a more zen state so that obstacles seem smaller and easier to get past. I used it before sleep a few times and it caused very lucid dreaming so I never take it now after lunchtime. Every time I take it at night the dreams come back. It works fast and if you crave that “water off a duck’s back” mental groundedness, L-Theanine might work for you.
Meditation and Breathing Exercises – I like Dr Chatterjee’s 3,4,5 breathing method: breathe in for 3 seconds, hold for 4, breathe out for 5 seconds. No long breath holds, no “forcing”.
Orange Blossom Flower Tea – If my mind’s racing in the evening for some reason, I’ll make a calming tea (lavender, passiflora, lemon balm, verbena and chamomile are other good ones), and also take 350mg of magnesium (types of magnesium vary widely – check brands like Life Extension (which is a US brand I’ve sworn by for years, their research is second to none) for the best forms. Also remember that if you’re using magnesium for cognitive function, the one to get is Magnesium L-Threonate which crosses the blood brain barrier (other types don’t) and can help enhance memory and new learning.
CBD Oil – I’ve got a new post in the works all about this year’s biggest health story – CBD – and we’ve been testing brands for the new Wellbeing Awards on March 1st.
So before Christmas I started waking up in the middle of the night – usually twice – due to family worries, and after two weeks it was starting to get tiring!
The first night I took 2 drops of a full spectrum 500mg/5% CBD Oils I needed to test for the Awards, two things happened:
a) I slept through the entire night and have continued to do so, just occasionally waking up once but quickly going back to sleep. It’s helped so much.
(b) I’d had a nagging twinge in my back which was aggravated by sitting for long and short periods – and aggravated especially by the shape of the seats on the bus I take every day. Results weren’t as good when I tested another CBD Oil brand – the quality, origin, processing and sourcing of CBD oil is a make or break.
Previous to the CBD oil I’d be shifting around in the seat or – less painful – standing for 20 mins on the bus. About 3 days in, I realised I had no twinges. If I stop taking the oil they come back. (I need to sort out the issue with a physiotherapist but I just haven’t had time, so this has been a great result).
There’s still much confusion around Cannabis, Hemp, Marijuana, CBD, THC (THC’s the mind-altering substance), as well as what’s legal, what isn’t and how best to use “the sacred plant” so I’ll write more soon. And because it’s all over Instagram, etc. never has it been more important to understand 100% how this powerful, healing medicinal plant works. It’s not the same for everyone. And there are multiple methods of “delivery” from smoking the flowers to CBD oil drops under the tongue (let it absorb for 90 seconds) along with edibles, gummies, etc. How you take it makes as much a difference as how much you take, so there’s a fair bit of learning to do before launching into the world of CBD. Start slow and low.
Also see: “Hemp Oil v CBD Oil – What is the difference?”
Vitamin B-Complex, Rhodiola and Ashwaganda – If fatigue (due to stress/worry) is an issue, try a good Vitamin B Complex (or B12 alone can be tremendously helpful). The flowering adaptogen herb Rhodiola Rosea can help the body adapt to stress, while the ancient medicinal herb Ashwaganda (this one works well for me) has a smorgasbord of benefits including reducing stress and anxiety along with cortisol and blood sugar levels, it can help improve mood, and reduce inflammation and symptoms of depression, boost testosterone and fertility in men and I’d describe it as a “stress tonic”. I find my energy feels better within about a week. It’s also used as a sleep aid but it didn’t really help me on that front – CBD Oil was the clincher.
Few things are more of a relief than actually finding things that work when it comes to resolving stress and lack of sleep – as well as boosting immunity and energy.
Find out which wellbeing products made the final cut on Friday 1 March for this year’s Beauty Shortlist Awards and Wellbeing Awards, it all kicks off just after breakfast time, UK time!