Are you feeling anxious, tension, anger, depression, irritability, guilt or sadness?

These are all signs of stress and doctors tell us that stress is responsible for 70-90% of all illnesses/diseases.  Not good!  But what is good is what you can do about it naturally. 

Even long after the trigger of our stress is gone, our bodies still register stress and it can be very taxing on our immune & nervous system as well as our adrenals. We need to take steps regularly to rebalance and de-stress our nervous system. Here are a few simple easy tips to help you find stress relief.

• Reiki & Crystal Healing – is a great way to de-stress &  balance our nervous system. The crystals & Reiki work together to positively affect all levels of the body.  Physically, mentally & emotionally crystals and Reiki assist the release of stress, help the body heal, balance the nervous system & put one in a clam peaceful state of being.

• Meditation – Taking time to meditate is a crucial key to stress relief. Meditation puts us in the here & now, which eliminates worry. It is also provides a nervous system reset, lowers high blood pressure & helps us to stay relaxed & focused.

• Deep Breathing – Practicing deep breathing especially during meditation can also be very beneficial because when we are stressed we tend to breathe shallow. Deep breathing allows us to take in more life force energy & gets us back to our heart center, so we are thinking with our heart instead of our minds.

• Herbs – can be of great benefit for quieting the mind & healing our nervous system. Some of the easiest ways to use herbs are in teas, there are companies that make good stress teas which include a multiple of herbs, tinctures or supplements. Helpful herbs are Kava Kava, Chamomile, Skullcap, Valerian, Hops and Rose petals.

• B Vitamins – A good vitamin B complex is beneficial for healing & de stressing the nervous system. Look for lots of Vitamin B12 in the formula.  Vitamin B-12 stimulates the utilization of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in the body. It helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells. Injections are typically used to improve energy and mental clarity. Vitamin B-12 is needed for the healthy development and sustenance of our circulatory, immune and nervous systems.  You can expect to see an increase in energy, improved sleep patterns, reduced depression and fatigue and even a suppressed appetite. Be sure to also look for Folic Acid which helps the Vitamin B12 be more bio-available.

• Massage therapy – is an effective stress reliever and also lowers blood pressure, increases flexibility, improves mental focus and enhances immune function.  Plus it just feels yummy.
• Essential oils – are one of the easiest to use, they can be added in a bath, or put a drop in the palm of your hands – rub your hands together because the heat activates the oils & then inhale the scent deeply, or place a few drops on your pillow case at night before going to bed. Good oils for calming & de stressing are Lavender, Rose, Ylang Ylang & Chamomile.

• Crystals – are easy to use because you can carry them in your pocket or sleep with them. Dark stones like Hematite, Smokey quartz & Elestial quartz help us ground & absorb our stress. These stones need to be cleansed. Blue stones are calming & soothe the nervous system like Blue Lace Agate, Larimar, Aquamarine, Sapphire, Chrysocolla & Lapis Lazuli. Pink or lavender stones contain lithium which is good for depression. These stones are Lepidolite, Rose quartz, Kunzite, Pink Tourmaline, Rhodonite, Charoite, Morganite & Amethyst. Yellow stones boost our confidence & heal the adrenals & immune system. These stones would include Tigers Eye, Citrine & Amber. Clear stone like Clear quartz crystal, Herkimer Diamonds & Selenite aid in helping us focus & calm the body.

These suggestions are proven and work but not all work the same for everyone.  So if one doesn’t work for you , then try another. Due to the stressful environment we live in, it is helpful to remember to regularly practice de-stressing activities so we can deal with all situations in a calm peaceful way. 

This article was co written by Dave Krajovic and Jennifer Vanderwal.  Jennifer is a Reiki Master and Certified Melody Crystal Healer and practices out of BodyWorks.