Inika Superfoods - March 9th, 2023

Emotional Wellness: How to Manage Stress and Anxiety

Why Almonds, Hazelnuts, and Peanuts Should be a Staple in Your Kitchen

"Quiet the mind, and the soul will speak"

Most of us are aware by now that good health goes way beyond our physical bodies, it's not just about eating the right foods and working out, which of course are also essential parts of holistic health, but mental and emotional wellbeing deserve just as much care and attention. Today we will share a few strategies to help manage stress an anxiety that you can incorporate in your daily life to help you live more in balance .

Journaling

The first thing that comes to mind when we talk about journaling is the image of teenagers declaring their love and fantasies through a cute diary. Let's say that journaling is not just for teenagers, adults can also benefit too from this amazing tool.

You don't need to be a gifted writer to implement journaling in your life, start by writing a few sentences of how your day was and what emotions were more prevalent throughout your day, it won't take you more than 10 minutes. Journaling will allow you to have a moment for yourself, reflect on your day and check on your emotions. By writing everything down, you might also gain a new perspective on the situations that happened through the day and how you managed them.

Mindfulness

There is no magical way to make stress and anxiety disappears from our lives, they are completely normal responses to life's challenges, the only thing that we can control is how we react to them, this is where mindfulness comes in.

Mindfulness brings us back to the present moment, it allows us to see the situation without any judgement. There are different ways you can practice this, but a good starting point is through meditation. There are a lot of great apps that offer short guided meditations which you can do anywhere, this will help calm you down and bring you back to the present.

Breathing Techniques

"Take a deep breath" - we have all heard this in times of stress, and its for a good reason! Deep breathing is connected to the parasympathetic nervous system, which tells our brain that there is no danger, so by slowing slow and deeper we can activate this system, and in return calm both our mind and body.

When we are faced with a situation of stress and anxiety, we tend to breathe more
shallow, so next time you are faced with a stressful situation, take a few deep breaths inhaling from your nose and exhaling from your mouth. There are several different techniques covered in Pranamaya that are also directed to specific situations, and in the long term are really beneficial practices to have in your toolbox.

While all these suggestions might look simple, building the habit to actually use then in times of need can be a little challenging at times. Try incorporating one habit at a time and slowly build your way up. Remember to breath deeply, release the stress and let the worry melt away.

Love,
Inika Superfoods