Stress can be good for us, but it also can be very dangerous to our long-term health. Good stress is that of a new job, getting married, birth of a child or something that leads to a positive outcome.  Negative stress, however is a big problem in today’s society and is often a result of our busy hectic lives, not exercising enough, not connecting with friends and family (not the Facebook way), consuming diets high in sugar and processed foods and using products that are full of chemicals.  That is why at Alma, we believe that everyone deserves to make time for self-care and we only use products that are made with natural ingredients.  As wonderful as it is to visit our spa for an amazing treatment and/or service, we also promote the importance of lifestyle habits that will support your well-being on all levels. Stress has a significant impact on how our body functions and when one system/organ is overloaded from working overtime, such as the liver or the adrenal glands, it effects how the entire machine operates, how we feel, including our ability to cope with stress.

Below are a few tips:

Sleep
Good quality sleep and proper amounts of sleep is so critical to our well-being.  Our body heals, regenerates and produces the necessary hormones to combat the effects of stress and function properly, while we sleep.

Diet:
Eat a clean diet. This means eating a diet high in organic meat (if you’re not a vegetarian), dark leafy greens, a variety of other vegetables, ideally gluten-free (gluten causes inflammation in the body), and some fruits.  Avoid high sucrose food and beverages and artificial ingredients.  We also suggest learning about any food sensitivities you may have, as this causes stress on the body.

Meditation:
Deep breathing and relaxing the mind produces the feel good hormones.  It also allows room for positive thoughts, solutions to problems and there is scientific proof of the health benefits of regular meditation.  Even if you are not keen on the idea of sitting quietly with your eyes closed and deep breathing, do some active meditation.  This is an activity such as walking, a hobby like painting or even cooking where you focus on the task at hand and get lost in what you are doing.

Aromatherapy:
Use essential oils or a non GMO soy candle, scented with essential oils that are calming and relaxing such as lavender, jasmine, rose and sandalwood.

Exercise:
Daily exercise will make a world of difference and has such excellent long-term benefits. Make conscious choice to walk instead of drive if possible, take the stairs, dance to your favourite music or lift some light weights at home for 20 minutes.  Yoga is also excellent for combating stress and is an excellent workout.

Time Online:
Lastly, limit the use of the internet and your cell phone.  We are connected 24/7 these days, which results in us never turning off.  Adopt a 9-9 rule.  No internet or cell phone between 9pm – 9am.  If you are going to use the internet, use it for leisure activities only – no work, and ensure you log off at least an hour before going to bed.

Above are just some of the habits we suggest that our clients implement into their life to help combat the effects of stress.  Small pivotal changes will result in lasting and significant results. Of course, we also recommend enjoying one of our many services, which are all natural and offer therapeutic benefits.