Stress is defined as anything the body perceives as additional exertion on the system. We often make negative associations with stress, but our bodies can even be stressed with excitement. None of us are immune to stress, including our kids. They have exams coming up, concerts to perform in, schoolwork to complete all while managing their extracurriculars. We have shopping, entertaining, decorating on top of all of our normal adulting. Even though we enjoy so much of what the Christmas season brings, it can be taxing on our bodies as we aim to fit it all in.

An individual suffering from stress must support the biochemistry of the body. Whether or not stress is harmful

is based on the strength of the system.

1) Focus on Good Nutrition: Most North Americans are not providing their bodies with the high-quality nutrition they need. Instead of eating foods rich in vital nutrients, many focus on refined foods high in calories, sugar, fat, namely saturated fats. To support your body, eat foods rich in magnesium to help regulate the nervous system; eat vitamin B-rich foods for energy, Omega-3 rich foods to help lower inflammation, and bump the protein in your diet to help balance your blood sugar and balance hormones. You may want to swap out the coffee for matcha that can still give you the jolt you desire but

won’t leave you feeling jittery. Matcha also contains L-theanine, an amino acid found in the green tea plant that can reduce stress by increasing alpha waves in your brain.

2) Move Your Body: Restorative exercise like yoga, pilates or a nature walk can also help significantly reduce stress and boost serotonin, the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter.

3) Stimulate the Vagus Nerve: During stressful times, the goal is to elicit the parasympathetic nervous system to ‘rest and digest”. By stimulating the vagus nerve, you can send a message to your body that

it's time to relax and de-stress, which leads to long-term improvements in mood, wellbeing, and resilience. You can do this through humming, singing, cold exposure, diaphragmatic breathing, and laughing! These acts stimulate the vagus nerve which runs from mid-brain and is directly connected to your gut. I love diaphragmatic breathing or meditation/prayer to help mitigate my own stress response. Intentionally slowing down our breath and quieting the mind is a very powerful way to connect to your body, live in the moment and lower stress.

4) Prioritize Rest: Aim to get 7-9 hours of sleep will be crucial to lowering stress levels. Sleep helps our body repair, improves mood and energy so ensuring you have good sleep hygiene is critical.

5) Supplementation: Finally, sometimes we will need to support the body through supplementation. Whether it’s an adrenal support that has adaptogen herbs to help the body adapt to stress, supplements that help the body produce energy or supplements to help regulate the nervous system, work with a certified practitioner that can help guide you and focus on your specific needs.