You’ve probably heard of our Skip the Chemicals campaign. If not, take a moment to watch our video – it’s sure to make you laugh and feel less stress about purchasing organic.
Today we’re highlighting 10 ways you can skip stress by adding some healthy additions to your daily routine.
10 Ways to Relieve Stress and Anxiety
Exercise. Exercise is one of the most important things you can do to combat stress. Get tips on staying active this winter here.
Supplement Your Diet. Several supplements promote stress and anxiety reduction. We recommend supplements from the following organic brand partners:
Journal. Journal about your anxieties and stressors so you can release them. Writing down anything that gives you stress can be a powerful process of moving through it and letting it go.
Connect with your people. Take time to talk with friends, family, and loved ones about your life, so they can help you lower your stress levels. If possible, commit to visiting with your loved ones regularly to keep your connections strong. (Just make sure to follow guidelines for staying safe and healthy during the pandemic.)
Laugh daily. Laughter has been found to be a great stress-reduction method. This quote comes from the Mayo Clinic: “A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.”
Set boundaries. Don’t forget to set healthy boundaries by saying no when it’s warranted.
Keep deadlines. Set realistic deadlines and then do your best to avoid procrastination. It’s easier to avoid the stress that way.
Take a yoga or meditation class. Yoga and meditation are two techniques that have been in use since ancient times. Yoga focuses on connecting the breath with specific movements, and meditation – a powerful tool for practicing mindfulness – connects the breath with non-movement.
Deep breathing. Learn breathing techniques that ease anxiety, depression, and other stress-related issues.
Eat anxiety-fighting foods. Did you know certain foods can curb your stress response? We came up with some healthy recipes and our top five stress-reducing foods below.
5 Organic Foods That Calm Stress and Anxiety
- Organic Yogurt. Eating organic yogurt for the naturally occurring probiotics, or healthy bacteria, found in some types of yogurt can improve several components of well-being, including mental health, according to at least one study. Probiotics are “life-promoting” organisms: The word “probiotic” is derived from the Latin words “pro,” meaning to promote, and “biotic,” meaning life.
So enjoy your yogurt in a bowl with fruit on top, or try new ways to incorporate it into your diet by trying one of these recipes.
Organic Yogurt Recipes
Stonyfield’s Blueberry Yogurt Muffins
Stonyfield’s Yogurt Tropical Lassi
- Organic Dark Chocolate. Dark chocolate contains flavonols, which are antioxidants that may benefit brain function. Cocoa flavanols improve blood flow to the brain and promote its ability to adapt to stressful situations, according to one study.
To get the cleanest, safest, fairly traded chocolate, we recommend the following brands:
Organic Chocolate Recipes
Pete & Gerry’s Keto French Cocoa Silk Pie Cups
Pete & Gerry’s Chocolate Mocha Cream Pie
- Organic Turmeric. You’re probably already familiar with the rich golden color of turmeric, a common spice in some types of cuisine. Twenty mg/kg of curcumin, a component of turmeric, produced significant anti-anxiety effects in stressed mice, according to one study.
Organic Turmeric Recipes
Organic India’s Cherry Lemon Turmeric Zinger
Organic India’s Carrot Sweet Potato Soup with Turmeric and Ginger
- Organic Chamomile Tea. Chamomile tea contains high amounts of antioxidants proven to reduce inflammation and decrease the risk of anxiety, according to one study. We recommend choosing certified organic tea, because at least one major study, by Greenpeace,found that the pesticide levels in conventional teas are often very unhealthy. Learn more about organic tea benefits here.
We recommend organic chamomile tea from the following brands:
Organic Chamomile Recipes
Organic India’s Tulsi Chamomile Honey Latte
Traditional Medicinal’s Chamomile with Lavender Blueberry Smoothie
- Organic Green Tea. One cup of green tea a day can reduce the chances of getting certain types of cancer, according to one study – just make sure to choose those made with medicinal-grade herbs.
We recommend organic green tea from the following brands:
Organic Green Tea Recipes
Organic India’s Pomegranate Pear Green Smooth-Tea
Traditional Medicinals Herbal Lemonade
By now you should feel well-equipped to reduce your stress and enjoy some relaxing recipes and rituals.
In addition to all that we listed here, you can rest easy knowing you’re skipping over 700 chemicals by just choosing organic food and supplements. So skip the stress and just go with organic!
