How do you know when you’re stressed?

Are your shoulders tense?  Maybe you grind your teeth or twirl your hair.  Maybe you hold your breath.  Maybe you get a headache or bite your nails.

Me? I sit perched on the edge of my chair, staring at my computer, holding my breath and feeling like I don’t have enough time!  It’s not pretty.

But at least I recognize the signs now.  Because you have to recognize that you’re stressed to be able to deal with it!

Aside from making some major life changes, cutting back on caffeine and getting more exercise (which are all things to consider if you have regular stress), I like to have some quick-fixes up my sleeve.  And no, I’m not talking about a large glass of Pinot Noir.

Simple Home Remedies to Reduce Stress

1.  Sip a chamomile infusion.  Chamomile is an essential part of your home remedy toolkit!  I suggest buying loose chamomile and making your own infusion.  This basically means, put 2 Tablespoons of dried, loose chamomile flowers in a teapot (or French press), fill with boiling water, steep for 5 minutes, then strain and drink.  You might also add some honey.  Chamomile is a super safe and versatile herb – it has been used for centuries for reducing stress, relaxation and soothing upset tummies.  If you know you’re going to have a stressful day – drink chamomile tea early and often.  Yes, you can just buy chamomile tea bags, but they’re a lot more expensive than brewing your own.
2. Essential Oils to the rescue!  Lavender essential oil is the classic stress-reducer.  But I also love Clary Sage essential oil.  Clary Sage is relaxing and de-stressing, but also has a warming and uplifing effect on your emotions (which is helpful when you’re feeling frazzled!)  If you’re at home, put a few drops of one or both of the oils in an oil burner or diffuser.  On the move, you can put a drop of each oil on a handkerchief and smell it occasionally.  Or make my…
3. Stress Relief Spray: in a portable spray bottle combine some rosewater (or distilled water), and a few drops of lavender and clary sage essential oils.  Shake to combine.  Mist your face or your general environment as needed, and enjoy the relaxing aroma…
4. Take an aromatherapy bath.  Baths are relaxing enough, but for some extra stress-relief, I like to add a handful of epsom salts and 10 drops of essential oil to the running bath.  You can use the lavender/clary sage mix as above, but I also like adding some Rose essential oil or Ylang Ylang essential oil.  Just keep it to 10 drops total.  Soak for 20 minutes, then towel off and apply…
5. Stress relief body oil!  For a super simple body oil, combine 1/2 cup sweet almond oil with 10 drops total of your favorite essential oils.  Try Geranium and Rose, or for a more masculine scent, add some Sandalwood or Vetiver.   Pour into a pretty bottle and use as a moisturizer after your bath or shower.
6. Drink some water.  I know it’s not exciting, but when you’re feeling stressed make sure you’re hydrating yourself throughout the day.  Having enough water helps your body function at its peak, and also helps to flush out any toxins.  Drinking enough water also helps stabilize your mood and prevents the energy slump that comes from dehydration.
7. Eat some green, leafy veg.  Greens are the most nutrient dense food, and we often don’t eat enough of them.  In times of stress, making sure you boost your intake of green leafy vegetables like broccoli, spinach and (my favorite) kale will ensure you body gets the nutrients it needs to handle the stress!

“Routines” have such a negative connotation. Sure, they’re great for productivity – they put you on autopilot so you get stuff done. But who wants to go through life on routines? It makes life sound so dull, so typical, so uninspired and grey.

 A concept I’ve been exploring for myself is the difference between rituals and routines.

In one sense they’re very similar – something that you do over and over, the same way.  So, what the difference between a routine and a ritual? Intention.

• A routine is functional. There is stuff that needs to get done, and your routine is the steps that you take to do it.
• A ritual is also a series of steps – but it’s a sequence of carefully edited, selected steps, with a side benefit. The side benefit might be relaxation. Feeling grounded. A spiritual connection. A sense of nourishment. A sense of purpose. Or pure enjoyment.

The major difference between routine and ritual, as I see it, is the meaning you attach to the series of steps.

Let’s see how this might work in real life.

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Do you seem to catch every cold that goes around?

Or perhaps you get that one cold that just lingers on and on … until Spring?

Conventional wisdom says there’s not much you can do about this.  Colds happen.  Wash your hands, take cold medicine and get back to work!

Grandma would disagree.  And this is where things get interesting.  Because Grandma believed that what we eat is a huge factor in our health.  Literally, you are what you eat.  And that differs from our modern opinion that we can eat whatever we want and then take medication to “fix” us when we get sick.  And I’m not just talking about eating junk food, although that’s a big culprit.  Perhaps you don’t eat vegetables.  Or you eat completely fat-free and low-calorie.  Or you only eat a very limited diet.

I propose a new way to think about food.  Let’s eat food that nourishes us.  Nourishment.  That’s a nice word.  It sounds comforting, and cozy, and soothing and … tasty?  At least it sounds more appetizing than the latest scientific diet.

I’m suggesting this shift in thinking because I’ve done it myself, and it’s worked for me.  Rather than obsessing and calculating each meal, I have started to pay attention to my body and give it what it needs at that time.  Since making some simple changes, I have more energy and seem to catch colds less often.   My approach isn’t scientific, but it’s based on traditional wisdom, seasonality, and paying more attention to what foods work for my unique body, rather than the latest nutrition article.

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I’ve been staring at my screen for 30 minutes, willing myself to write and coming up blank.  I can’t think of anything vaguely interesting to share with you, or any reason why you would want to read what I’m writing.

This is in stark contrast to my normal mode of life: an early morning wake-up bursting with ideas, followed by a full weekend in the kitchen making projects, notepad at the ready to capture ideas as they strike, and still not enough time to share all my exciting new discoveries with you!

So what’s the difference this time?

Jet lag.

I recently spent a week in the USA, and now several days later I’m sort-of adjusted back to London time… but mentally I’m just not here.  And worst of all, I’m heading back to the US again next weekend, so will go through this fun process yet again … two more times!

The more I travel, the more I realize that jet lag doesn’t just affect the quality of my sleep – it seems to throw off my entire day.  My normal morning creativeness has disappeared, and I feel mentally dull.  I need some kitchen remedies ASAP!

Here’s the plan.  I’m going to use myself as guinea pig and start testing some simple home remedies for jet lag.  Much like The Sleep Experiment, this isn’t scientific, but I really need some help!

What are your favorite remedies, tips & tricks for jet lag?  Leave them in the comments, by email or on twitter or facebook. 

Ready? Let’s get started…

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