If stress is getting the better of you and you want
some non-medicinal ways to lower the levels,
do the following…

Non-medicinal Rxs:
a) Move-
We’re not talking about an hour on the treadmill
or an hour in the gym, all that’s required is 3 to 5
minutes.
Brief but vigorous outputs of energy prompt
your pituitary gland to release endorphins,
which are the hormones that can help you
feel 50% more calm and boost energy levels for
1 to 2 hours.
Some ideas for your 3 minutes:
walk around the house a few times.
speed clean the bathroom or kitchen.
dance to a song on the radio.
Or choose something to your liking.
b) Massage-
Yes, a full body massage does wonders in alleviating stress,
but if no one is available to administer one, just massage
your eyebrows.
When one applies pressure to the forehead area, the brain
responds by producing calming alpha waves.
Another benefit: using your fingertips to massage the
area above the brows and the brows themselves, helps
lower blood pressure by as much as 10%.
So, make sure to do it once or twice a day, a few times
a week.
c) Eat Your Way To Calm-
You’re probably well aware of the dangers of eating
too much processed foods.
These types of foods do little to enhance your health
especially mental health, and to counter this,
start eating more foods in their natural states.
Simply put, read labels and avoid foods with
3 or more ingredients, avoid white sugar
and corn syrups and foods high in sodium.
So, what should you be eating to achieve a more
calm and relaxed state?
Vegetables.
Yes, adding more vegetables to your diet, helps
you instantly de-stress and boosts moods by 60%.
Vegetables are rich in cartenoids, nutrients that impact
the brain just like antidepressants, and they’re cheaper
and without the side-effects.

Add the foods listed below to this week’s grocery list to make
the following recipe.

The recipe: One Pan Italian Roasted Vegetables!
Yellow Peppers 1
Zucchini 1
Whole Tomato – 1
Red Onion- 1
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. dried Italian spices
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper or cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
To Make:
Heat oven to 400*F. Cut pepper into 1″ pieces,
cut the zucchini into 1/2″ thick rounds,
and cut up the tomato and onion into 8 wedges
each.
On the baking pan, toss the vegetables with the next 3
ingredients, season with the salt and pepper,
and roast for 25 to 30 minutes.
After the 30 minutes, turn on the broiler 400 *F and
broil the vegetables for 2 to 4 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve.
Enough for 4 servings.

Another tip:
Add some vegetables that you enjoy or those that
are in season: butternut squash, turnips, rutabagas,
carrots, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes and radishes.

Sources:
Michael Smith, Ph. D.
Tamlin Conner, Psychologist,
Yale University