Natural Ways to Handle Stress

Lovink Coloring Presents Natural Ways to Handle Stress Special
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Table of Contents Introduction Understanding Stress Family Pressure Work Pressure
Friend Pressure How Do You Handle Stress? When Should You Seek Professional Help? What Triggers Your Stress? Signs You’re in a Stressful Situation Why Stress Affects You The Effects of Stress Medical Attention: Not Always the Best Choice Common Stress Treatments Prescribed by Doctors Learn to Manage Your Stress Option Two: Change your attitude Turn Off the Stress Other Techniques to Try The Value of Hobbies What’s My Hobby? Adult Coloring Books: Reducing Stress Naturally What to Color Which Drawing Instruments to Use How to Color Stress Relief with Herbs and Supplements Conclusion C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 2

Introduction Everyone deals with stress these days. It’s a part
of life and with so much to do and manage on a daily basis, it has become increasingly more difficult relax and alleviate the stress. This has a big effect on health, both physical and mental. Studies have shown that stress can kill you. It’s one of the main factors in top killers like heart attacks or strokes. This means that stress is one of the top killers in the United States. Every year, people succumb to the effects of stress, yet not enough importance is given to such a common issue. The majority of people have their own coping methods when it comes to stressful situations. You probably have developed some ways to handle your own stress and anxiety on a daily basis. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you live, there will always be times when life becomes overwhelming and your regular methods of coping just don’t work. When things do become too overwhelming, it’s easy to turn to a vice to help you manage the extreme anxiety and tension. It’s not uncommon for people to start drinking heavily when they are under stress. Cigarettes or weed are another popular self-medication method, but a large number of people rely on prescription drugs to help them through the tough times and reduce their anxiety levels. None of these choices is exactly the best option. While drugs, alcohol or cigarettes can temporarily alleviate your stress, they don’t address the underlying issues. That means the stress will be back once the initial effects wear off. This can lead to a cycle of stress vs. temporary measures to relieve that stress. Unfortunately, taking medications or drinking can have an adverse effect on your body. While it may be a good way to temporarily escape the feelings that are overwhelming you, it’s not a good long term situation. Fortunately, you have alternatives. Natural methods of dealing with stress lack side effects that many medicines have. Throughout this book, you will learn of the many different choices you have to reduce stress naturally. These are methods that can be used even if you are extremely busy. The first step in handling stress is to understand it. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 3

Understanding Stress The simplest definition of stress is this: It
is the emotional and/or physical strain caused by external pressures. Everyone has stressful times at some point and everyone reacts differently. In general, however, you’ll find that the symptoms of stress are similar in everyone and include things like: • Headaches • Irritability • Inability to concentrate • Tension • Dizziness • Palpitations • Sweating • Muddled thoughts • Inability to focus Not everyone will have all of these symptoms, but if you are dealing with two or three, it could mean you need to reduce the level of stress in your life. This book looks at the negative kind of stress, the sort that decreases productivity and makes it more difficult to live your life. However, you should know that there is also good stress. Positive stress is actually a good thing and can help you live a better life. What is good stress? It’s the pressure you feel when you’re about to do something big. For some people, this might include leaping out of an airplane or climbing a mountain. For others, it might be making a new business deal or stepping out of a comfort zone. In both cases, there is a lot of stress involved, but there is also a massive buzz of adrenaline when the act is done. The adrenaline rush and the sudden release of stress and tension is what extreme athletes are looking for. It can make you feel alive and like life is worth living. For those taking a flying leap out of their comfort zone, the stress is also good, because it pushes them to move forward in their lives and to take risks that could pay off in the future. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 4

Despite the fact that there are good types of stress,
most people deal with negative ones on a daily basis. Even those who live great lives will occasionally find themselves handling stressful situations. One of the biggest issues with this is the fact that emotions can be blown out of proportion when you are stressed. Let’s take a look at some different examples. Which scenario fits you best? Family Pressure There are multiple situations where you can be stressed out by family. Imagine you are studying in the university and working part time, but your parents feel that you should be helping them out with things. They’re older and don’t get on as well, so they want you to come home and help out. This can put a tremendous amount of stress on you and your relationships, both with family and friends. Another family pressure scenario is where you might be divorced and attempting to maintain a healthy balance and keep the children happy. With dual custody, you can end up in constant contact with your ex and plenty of tension and anger gets thrown around. Work Pressure One of the most common types of stress is caused by work. Many people dislike their jobs to begin with, so it’s already stressful. Add to this co-workers, difficult bosses, too much paperwork and things can become extremely stressful. While some pressure at work is good for productivity, it can be unpleasant and even affect your health if you don’t learn to handle it. When you have a job that you detest, it can be stressful just getting up in the morning on a work day. However, even if you have a wonderful job, but aren’t advancing like you’d expected, you may feel the pressure. Even awesome jobs need to pay the bills. Friend Pressure Friends can also put pressure on you, even if they don’t mean to. If you’re not doing well financially and your friends are going out to eat, you may feel stress and pressure to go with them, even though you can’t afford it. Multiple friends can also put pressure on you, such as when two people you enjoy being around don’t mesh well and you find yourself trying to decide whether you should side with one or the other. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 5

Of course, there are other types of pressure that you’ll
face in your daily life. Everything from medical to financial issues can cause problems and extra pressure and tension. Every event in your life, no matter how severe or how minor, has an effect on your emotional wellbeing. Some events are more likely to cause extreme stress, such as a death in the family or the loss of a job. However, even things like getting married or expecting a baby, even if you are happy about it, can be extra stress. Again, everyone reacts differently to things that happen to them. Two people in the same family can have completely different reactions to the same event. For example, when a parent dies, it can be a terrible blow to the family. However, one sibling might cry and mourn and find it difficult to do anything for weeks or months while another returns to work the next day. Neither reaction is necessarily wrong, but it does illustrate that every single person is different and will react accordingly. Some people thrive on stress. Some fall apart in the exact same situation. In the workplace, some people will crack and lose their focus when they have a huge deadline, while others will find a burst of energy and complete the project on time with a solid goal ahead of them and stress to fuel them. Likewise, if you have two people in a shop where the service is terrible, one person might ask for the manager and complain, while the other could just ignore the poor service and decide not to come back again. Obviously, there are multiple ways to react in every situation and you may find yourself thriving on certain situations whereas others will have a more difficult time. Learning to deal with the emotions and tensions that come up in your daily life is part of living well. It’s best to handle things quickly and efficiently to reduce the lingering effects on your life. Before you can start to manage stressors in your life, you need to realize that your way of dealing with tension is not the same as someone else’s. Accept this and you will be on your way to learning what works for you. How Do You Handle Stress? Take a good look at yourself. When things get tense, what do you do? Do you turn to a prop, like alcohol or smoking? Do you tend to overeat or stop eating altogether? These are just a few of the methods that people tend to use most often. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 6

Even a doctor can tell you that drinking, smoking and
overeating are all vices that come from stressful lifestyles. They are coping mechanisms that can be used, albeit temporarily, to escape from the difficulties of real life. With roughly 66% of family doctor visits being related to stress, it’s obvious that the vast majority of people don’t manage their stress very well. This leads to health issues and far more problems in the future, if you don’t learn to manage your stress. Studies have shown that very stressed people without support are far more likely to die within the next seven years than those with someone to talk to. For those who want to retain their health, learning new ways to cope with their stress is a must. Other stress related issues include heart problems and heart attacks, the risk of which could be reduced by up to 75% simply by applying effective stress management techniques. Stress can certainly kill you, but if you are able to handle it naturally and avoid more dangerous methods, you can drastically increase your health. Unfortunately, while most people know they are stressed out, the vast majority aren’t sure how to stop being stressed. They may have a vague idea that they should leave behind the stressful activities, but when it’s your job, you don’t have much choice. To effectively reduce your stress, you first have to understand why it affects you and the impact it has on your mind and body. You will also need to recognize the signs that your stress levels are becoming overwhelming and then work on reducing the stress, preferably through natural strategies. When Should You Seek Professional Help? In some situations, the natural methods listed in this book may not help you. If this is the case, keep in mind that everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. There are a lot of different choices for dealing with that stress, but it may be that you need different suggestions. While there are some common symptoms of high stress levels, you can also assume that there are signs which fewer people have. In some cases, you may not have any of the symptoms and yet, you’ll find that you are stressed out. Since stress can affect you physically or emotionally, keep an eye out for any changes in your behavior and how you feel. Sudden inability to sleep or concentrate, being tired all the time or stomach upsets and headaches can all be caused by stressful situations. It’s important to know how you react to stress, so that you can work your way through the situation before it gets too bad. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 7

What Triggers Your Stress? Are you a naturally stressed out
person? Or do you tend to be more laid back, except in extreme situations? Some people are more likely to be tense and uncomfortable in certain situations than others, but this is just the tip of the ice berg. Where you work and what you do is also a big factor in whether or not you are stressed out most of the time. For example, surgeons, air traffic controllers and those in similar life and death professions are going to have much higher stress levels than, say, a gardener or store clerk. The additional stress faced by those with high risk jobs can cause them to develop mental problems and anxiety. Your general attitude will also help or hinder your progress. Those who are workaholics and who are always pushing themselves will tend to have more stress than someone who is laid-back and takes a chilled out approach to life. Signs You’re in a Stressful Situation Recognizing the signs of stress can be tough when you’re in the middle of things. Keep in mind that there are four main types of changes that you’ll see in yourself. These include: Emotional: You may notice that you feel differently. You may be more irritable, angry or otherwise not yourself. You might be more prone to anger and find yourself flying off the handle more often. Physical: It’s not uncommon to become physically ill when you’re stressed out. Your body can physically manifest the stress that you are dealing with. Aches and pains, fatigue, and lack of energy are all signs that something isn’t right. Often, these are insidious symptoms that creep up on you and gradually become worse, so it can be tough to realize exactly when they started. Mental: Have you noticed that you’ve been having negative thoughts or feeling down more often lately? For some people, the type of thought is a symptom. This could be your mind letting you know that you’re stressed out. For others, it suddenly may be difficult to remember anything or you may not be able to concentrate for more than a few seconds. Behavioral: Stress may cause you to behave differently than you usually would, so if you notice sudden changes in how you’re acting, this can be due to stress. For many, a regular vice becomes something overwhelming. For example, if you’re used to smoking a couple of cigarettes a day, you may suddenly find C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 8

yourself going through a pack a day. Likewise, drinking, drug
use and other coping mechanisms may suddenly accelerate, thanks to a trigger. While it may be obvious to others that you’re acting or feeling differently, you might not notice it yourself. A good way to keep track is to keep a journal or to chart your mood. You can also talk to your friends and family and ask them to let you know if they notice you’re acting differently. You should also take time to evaluate your stress levels every so often. Set aside a little time to assess your life. Clear your mind and settle down in a calm spot. Next, look at each of the different stress indicators. The idea here is to find your triggers for each one. For example, if you know you’re snapping more at friends and family or are stirred to anger faster, examine what exactly angers you or makes you snap. These are the things that trigger your stress attacks. When it comes to physical manifestations, it’s often difficult to pinpoint when the trouble started. Why is it important to know when it started? If you know when your stress began, you can start to look at what changed around that time. What caused the stress in the first place? Even a rough estimate of when your stress symptoms appeared can help you figure out what happened to cause the stress around that time. Think about everything that happened around that time. You may have had a fight with someone, a major life change, an accident, or any number of other events, large or small. Make a list of everything that could have contributed to your stress. In most cases, it will be more than one thing. Of course, a big event, such as the death of a loved one, a divorce, or loss of a job can be pretty obvious triggers for your stress, but there are a number of little events and everyday situations that can also pile on the tension. The idea of making this list is to have a checklist of possible, personal triggers. When you understand what causes your stress levels to skyrocket, you’ll be better able to cope and to prepare yourself ahead of time. Since everyone is different, there is no one list that can be printed off for you. It’s essential to take this step and spend an hour or so digging into your life to discover just what has caused the many changes you are dealing with. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 9

Why Stress Affects You Now that you have a good
idea as to what triggers your stress, the next step is to understand why it does. The many changes that take place when you are stressed can be quite confusing and you may be wondering just why something as simple as a change in environment is causing you to have stomach upsets, headaches and to become irritable. The fact is, stress once served a very important purpose. It can be traced back to early mankind, when the world was a far more dangerous place. Back then, man had a wide range of predators and was not well-equipped to fight them off. Without claws or sharp teeth, soft-skinned humans were very easy prey. To combat this problem, humans developed a method of rapid reaction in dangerous situations. This fight or flight reaction is sparked by stress. While you aren’t fighting off a mammoth or saber toothed tiger these days, the auto-response still remains. Physically, stress has a visceral effect on you. You get a shot of adrenaline, a stress hormone that prepares your body for both fighting and fleeing. Your heart begins to beat faster to get more blood to your brain and to your muscles so you can react faster. You start to breathe quickly to provide the necessary oxygen for all the most essential functions of the body. If you’ve ever been startled or frightened horribly, you know how quickly your body begins to react to things. The changes are instant. While this is a very useful reaction to have in a dangerous situation, many people experience stress from non-dangerous situations, which is where the problem begins. For example, if your boss is upset with you or if you find yourself missing a deadline, your body will tend to react with the same hormones that it would if you were about to be attacked by a tiger. Obviously, these are not life-or-death situations, but try telling your body that! Since this instinct is ingrained in everyone, it can be very difficult to ignore it. You could end up dealing with stressful situations multiple times a day and your body will still react poorly. The trick is to learn to reduce your stress levels quickly and efficiently. You may not be able to prevent the stressful situations, but you can certainly learn how to handle them better. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 10

The Effects of Stress We’ve already had a brief look
at some of the more common signs that you’re dealing with stress, but this chapter will take a more in depth look at what stress does to you over time. Constant tension and anxiety can cause long lasting reactions that can bother you even after the stressful situation is over. Mentally, you can end up exhausted and overcome with emotions, but physically, you may suffer even more. There’s a good reason for this. With the increase in hormones, designed to help you fight or flee, blood pressure tends to rise and this can be a long term effect. High blood pressure increases your risk of: • Heart attacks • Strokes • Aneurisms This is obviously something you will want to avoid. However, stress, particularly ongoing stress, also lowers your immune system. Without a properly functioning immune system, you’ll fall prey to infections, viruses and assorted diseases that might not normally affect you. Chances are, you’ve noticed that if you have a difficult semester in college or a hard week at work, you get a cold or the flu shortly after. This is almost always the result of too much stress suppressing the immune system. Since stress hormone basically tell your body to put all efforts into security, your immune system is left to fend for itself. Muscles and brain receive all the resources and while this is fine for a short period of time, most people deal with ongoing stress and this means that much of your body is not receiving the care it requires. For those who already suffer from chronic diseases, like asthma, fibromyalgia, diabetes and other similar health problems, stress can cause more intense episodes. Asthma attacks can be more serious and more dangerous if you’ve been dealing with stressful situations. Headaches and exhaustion are common signs of stress, as well, as mentioned in previous chapters. In order to prepare your body for a fight, the extra hormones and higher blood pressure can wreak havoc on your systems. When C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 11

this goes on for hours, days or weeks on end,
you’ll end up dealing with some pretty unpleasant side effects. In addition to reduced immunity, stressed out people are more prone to doing drugs, drinking excessively and partaking in other destructive behaviors. Another common issue seen with excessive amounts of stress is a lack of sexual desire. Your libido is effectively squashed by the extra stress hormones flooding the body. Since blood is being kept in the head and muscles, there’s nothing left for other needs. While all of these issues can be quite serious, deadly at worst and a major irritation at best, there’s hope. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 12

Medical Attention: Not Always the Best Choice In today’s world,
we’ve become accustomed to quick fixes. When something is wrong, you probably try to fix it as quickly as possible. This is partly due to a lack of time in a hectic lifestyle and partly due to the fact that no one likes to be uncomfortable. Stress can be pretty uncomfortable. When you notice that you’re not feeling well, have a headache or are suffering from any of the issues mentioned previously, the first instinct is to head to the doctor. Doctors have seen a drastic uptick in the number of patients they see for minor ailments recently and the pharmaceutical companies have stepped up to help out. There are pills for just about everything now and these are often prescribed as an immediate resolution for minor issues. The underlying problem isn’t really addressed, which is stress. If you don’t treat the reason you’re feeling out of it, you will end up back at the doctor’s or taking more medications. It’s essential to address the root cause of the problem. Reducing stress isn’t always a simple fix. Even if you’re able to take a vacation and relax for a while, you end up with more stress upon your return. Doctors see so many patients with stress-related symptoms that they often give out the quickest “cure” possible, which is what most patients want, as well. When you see a doctor about an issue and expect a fast fix, you can expect to be prescribed chemical treatments in most cases. This can actually cause more problems if you’re not careful. Doctors are very helpful when you’re sick. However, if you’re an anxious person dealing with regular stress or even abnormal stress, you will want to consider taking other action first. When you see a doctor about stress or anxiety, you’ll usually be given medication to combat the anxiety. The issue with these drugs is that they deal with symptoms. They don’t cure the actual problem, so it will require you to continue taking them. Meanwhile, the underlying stressors will continue and you will continue to feel stressed out and anxious without meds. The temporary effect of the drugs is to calm you down in the face of anxiety. However, this tends to wear off fairly quickly and you’ll have to take more in order to stay calm. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 13

Unfortunately, anti-anxiety and anti-depressants can be quite addictive and may
have alarming side effects. Even if you’re just taking them for stress, you can end up dealing with some pretty severe sid effects that include everything from stomach upsets and headaches to suicidal thoughts and depression. Over time, these types of drugs may lose their potency, meaning you’ll need to take more and more in order to see proper effects. We’ll take a closer look at the side effects you could be dealing with for commonly prescribed anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 14

Common Stress Treatments Prescribed by Doctors The most popular drugs
that are given out for stress and anxiety are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs. These include well-known drugs like Prozac or Zoloft. You’ve probably heard of these, even if you haven’t actually used them. SSRIs were first selected as antidepressants because of their efficiency and the fact that they were considered to be far safer than most other options on the market. Before drugs like Prozac were produced, tricyclic drugs were used for antidepressants and they could be deadly. Such highly toxic medications were quickly replaced by SSRIs. Unfortunately, no antidepressant medication is without side effects. The entire point of an SSRI is to work against depression and help you handle life in a normal fashion. The fact is, more people receive prescriptions for Prozac for health issues that don’t even have anything to do with depression. Stress and anxiety are not caused by the same issues as depression, which means you could be taking the wrong medication in the first place. Many of the side effects of Prozac and similar drugs are much like the list of effects that stress has on you. Headaches and dizziness are a common side effect of these drugs, so the pills can actually enhance your existing condition in some cases. Overall, the list of side effects for SSRIs in general is pretty frightening. Constipation, insomnia, weight gain or loss, changes in libido, blurred vision, stomach issues, and abdominal pain are just a few of the possible effects. In addition to all these potential issues, antidepressants are one of the main types of drugs that are abused. It’s easy to become addicted and this can cause even more issues than you are already dealing with. In fact, a large number of people have used antidepressants to commit suicide. While this may seem contrary to the entire point of a medication used to treat depression, these are serious drugs with serious problems and they should be treated with care. Despite the fact that SSRIs are safer than previous treatments, they are still dangerous if misused. In fact, they can be deadly when mixed with MAOIs, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors. SSRIs tend to be best taken alone, as they can mix with other drugs and end up causing even more issues. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 15

The very fact that Prozac and similar drugs can cause
depression and suicidal thoughts more common means they are more dangerous in this particular instance than tricyclics. As previously mentioned, antidepressants are designed to treat a psychological issue, which is quite different from stress or even anxiety. That means that when you take Prozac for a stress-related anxiety, it is overkill for the problem at hand. At the very least, you need to question whether this is the best way to manage your stress. Doctors are a vital part of society, but when it comes to stress, you are often better off seeking alternatives. Unless there are other psychological factors at work, you’ll want to skip the high powered medicines and look for something more natural. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 16

Learn to Manage Your Stress By now, you should have
a sizeable list of triggers and events that have a bearing on your stress levels. At this point, you probably understand your stress and its effects on you far better than ever before. Now you need to learn to handle it. There are essentially two choices when it comes to dealing with stress. Option One: Eliminate all stress from your life Obviously, this is not very practical in most cases, but it is extremely effective. Removing your stressors completely will allow you to focus on enjoying life. In order to do this, you’ll need to understand exactly what your trigger is. If you know that work is what is stressing you out, or your difficult boss in particular, then you might consider changing jobs. Leaving your position can instantly relieve the stress . . . but it has other consequences, of course. You may not be able to find another job, or you may end up blacklisted, depending on the industry you work in. While this is a fast, efficient way to eliminate stress, most people can’t completely eliminate their source of stress. It may be an essential, integral part of their life, which makes it impossible to get rid of. If this is the case, you’ll need to turn to the next option. Option Two: Change your attitude The way you look at the events in your life defines you. It also defines your health, both mental and physical. Most people have more than one stressor in their lives and that means that doing something like quitting your job won’t solve anything, since you have other stresses. You can eliminate one main source, but if you have multiple stressors, a big move like this won’t do much to help you. In some cases, you can’t just walk. If your child has a medical condition, for example, this can be extremely stressful, but there’s no way you’ll just abandon your child. That might take away your stress, but it’s not going to happen. The anxiety and the fight or flight reaction, however, can cause you a lot of pain. Since you can’t fight or run away from a situation like this, you’ll have to figure out the triggers and how to deal with them. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 17

Turn Off the Stress Remember that stress is a good
reaction for danger, but it isn’t necessary in day to day life. How can you turn off the warning system that served your ancestors so well? Basically, stress is an alarm system that is no longer necessary all the time. In fact, it’s rarely necessary. In extreme situations, such as a kidnapping, you will certainly need the adrenaline and everything else that stress causes. In your everyday life, though, you probably don’t have much cause for the real alarm. In which case, most people receive a lot of false alarms on a regular basis. It’s very rare for there to be a good reason to stress out in normal, daily situations. Keep in mind that it’s not always the actual situation that causes the stress that is affecting you. Rather, it is the way you react to the situation. This is something that can be remedied, even if you are not able to retreat from the actual situation that has you stressed out. Before you get upset about something that is happening, stop and think about what you would expect someone else to do. It’s easy to be very critical of yourself and your decisions, but if this is a situation where you would tell someone else that it wasn’t their fault or that everything will be alright, you need to extend the same grace to yourself. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Getting upset and angry with yourself, even if only mentally, can cause far more stress than the actual situation at hand. For example, if you are scheduled to give a speech in front of a large number of people and make a mistake while up on stage, your first instinct is likely to berate yourself mentally. This does nothing but raise the stress level. You are even more likely to mess up again because you’re so focused on the mistake. If your younger sibling or best friend were to make the same mistake on the same stage, what would you say? Chances are, you’d encourage them and suggest that they keep going and not worry about it. This advice works both ways, though. You have to allow yourself the same benefits. This is one of the best ways to reduce your stress and get rid of false alarms. The next time you’re in a bad situation and are getting angry at yourself for being in the situation, take a second to breathe and then give yourself a little encouragement. When you do this, you automatically drop your stress level drastically. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 18

Everyone is more critical of themselves than others, but this
doesn’t mean it’s a good thing. In fact, once you’ve mastered the ability to relax in the face of a minor mistake, you’ll have far more control over your life. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill, as they say. Negativity can be very damaging. Not only does it skyrocket your stress levels, it can also affect your self-confidence. Over time, if you are repeatedly telling yourself that you’re stupid, you’ll begin to believe it. Self-worth is a vital part of each and every person in the world, and it can be undermined very easily. Keep your spirits up and stay positive to lessen the effects of self-talk. Remember that being negative can actually pull you away from what you’re trying to accomplish. You get flustered and confused. The end result is a situation that quickly gets out of control and makes your stress levels higher than usual. How do you actually manage to turn off the false alarms when you find yourself in a negative situation? There are actually quite a few strategies that work very well. These include: Take deep breaths. The first thing you should do when faced with a trigger event or something you know will cause you to stress out, is to breathe deeply. This technique works very well. When you’re stressed, you will start to breathe quickly and with shallow breaths. This is completely normal, since your body needs extra oxygen, but it’s certainly not improving your safety in most situations. When you force yourself to breathe in deeply, you slow everything down. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly to ensure that you slow your breathing down and bring your blood pressure down, as well. You are basically giving your body the opposite of the fight or flight instinct and this is often enough to bring stress levels down and help you cope better. By employing deep breathing before the situation becomes stressful, you automatically get yourself in the right frame of mind. It’s far easier to cope when you’re already in control. This is where it comes in handy to have your list of possible triggers. If you know that talking to your ex about custody arrangements is going to send you into a tailspin, practice breathing deeply beforehand. When you’re in the middle of a stressful situation, it may be hard to remember to breathe deeply, but this is actually the best time to control your breath. It’s right then that you’ll find thing hitting hard. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 19

Remembering to count to ten as you inhale and slowly
release can help even in the midst of a normally upsetting situation. Remembering to count to ten as you inhale and slowly release can help even in the midst of a normally upsetting situation. You aren’t letting your body take over and are controlling things yourself, simply by breathing correctly. Ideally, you should breathe in through your nose and then exhale slowly through your mouth. This helps ensure that your body gets plenty of oxygen, but still reduces your heartbeat and lowers your overall pressure. Train yourself to respond to stressful situations by breathing. If you already have a physical motion that you make when anxious, you can use this to help remind yourself. For example, if you are always rubbing your ear when you’re stressed out, practice breathing deeply while doing this. Eventually, you’ll automatically breathe carefully when you reach for your ear. Relax your muscles. Another sign of stress is tightened muscles. If you’re under a lot of stress, you’ll find that you end up with knots in your shoulders and back. This is thanks to the stress hormones that are telling your body to prepare for fight or flight. This causes your muscles to bunch up, getting ready for action. When there’s no action, those same muscles can end up causing pain and discomfort. Tightened muscles also release chemicals into your bloodstream. These cause your stress levels to go even higher, so this is definitely a situation that you’ll want to remedy quickly. If you’ve ever done any form of meditation or yoga, you should be aware of how to relax your body completely. Otherwise, read on. Start by imagining a line from the top of your head, down your spine and continuing straight down to anchor in the ground. Straighten your spine first. Next, you’ll start with the top of your head and move down your body, relaxing each section as you do so. Your face is first, starting with your forehead, then eyes, then jaw, etc. Next is your neck and shoulders. Move slowly down your body, focusing on each muscle group. If you tense the muscle group slightly, you can note where they are and then physically relax them completely. Continue to gently tense and relax muscle until even your toes are calm. This is best done while you are breathing deeply and slowly. Not only does this relieve the tense muscles, the activity makes you more aware of each section of your body. The most important part, however, is that it C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 20

distracts your mind from dwelling on the stress. This is
just as important as ensuring that your muscles are loosened up. For the best results, combine breathing and muscle relaxation. If you’re prone to high levels of stress, you can also make a point of starting your day off with this exercise. You’ll begin each morning fresh and at east. As each stressor comes up, deal with it and take deep breaths to continue the calm. Visualize something calming. You may have heard someone tell you to “go to your happy place” before. This refers to visualization, which can be extremely effective when done correctly. When you’re stuck in an office with a screaming boss, it’s pretty much the last place you want to be. Any stressful situation can make you want to run out the door and escape to a tropical island somewhere. Since that’s not possible, you’ll have to take the trip in your head. Visualization requires the use of your imagination. Everyone has one, so it’s time to put it to good use and help you escape from the stress of every day life. Pick something that you find extremely calming. This can be anything, but here are a few popular examples: • A tropical beach • A beautiful cave • Rolling green hills • A cozy cabin • In a luxury car • Deep in a tranquil forest • On a boat on the ocean There is no limit to what you can come up with. The only rule is that the place needs to be calming. It should be beautiful and wonderful. You may already have a place in mind. There’s no reason it has to be real, so if you want to invent the perfect place, go ahead and do that. Otherwise, you can jump on Pinterest and look for vacation spots or search through Google Images for beaches or forests, etc. Once you’ve chosen your happy place, you’ll need to fully engage all your senses. This is what will make it real. In this case, practice makes perfect. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 21

Step 1: Focus on visualization. Before you can bring your
other senses into it, you must see the place perfectly in your mind. Check out the little details. If you’re in a cozy cabin, for example, you might imagine the heavy log beams in the roof, the granite countertops, the rough plank floors, etc. Step 2: Bring in sounds. Hearing is a major sense and this is the next step in making your visualization better. What can you hear in your cabin? The crackling fire in the fireplace, birds chirping outside or rain on the tin roof are just a few of the sounds that might be present in your remote cabin. Or, perhaps it overlooks the ocean and you can hear seagulls and waves crashing. Step 3: Add scents. The smell of a place is something that makes it real and connects memories. What does your happy place smell like? The cozy cabin might smell of salt air and cedar logs. Or maybe you have the scent of wood smoke in foggy morning air in your nostrils. Pine trees give off a noticeable aroma and lemon furniture polish can also evoke vivid images. Step 4: Consider the sense of touch. You already know what your special place smells and sounds like, as well as what it looks like, but how does it feel? The rough wood under your bare feet, the chill of the winter air or the heat from the crackling fire and the softness of a wool rug under your toes are all things that will make this image become more alive. You can draw on things you already know and love to create a very realistic feel to your special spot. The point here is to make the imaginings as realistic as possible. When your mind is focused on these little details, it will be distracted from the stress at hand. Your mental power will be focused on creating the perfect peaceful location for you to relax in and that in itself is relaxing. The first time you try this exercise, it will be challenging. You may not be able to conjure up the feelings and sensations that make up the perfect surroundings. It take practice and as you practice visualization of the same place, you’ll become better and better at creating the right ambiance. To master this valuable skill, start off by practicing visualization when you are already calm. This makes is far easier to conjure up an image when you’re in a stressful situation, since you’ve done all the hard work previously. Other Techniques to Try We’ve already looked at deep breathing, visualization and muscle relaxation, but these aren’t the only methods of relieving stress. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 22

Yoga can be very helpful if you want to take
the deep breathing to the next level. Yoga involves the entire body and is an excellent way to alleviate stress. Once you are familiar with the various poses and methods, it’s easy enough to do on your own, in your office during a break or at home after a stressful day at work. Meditation is another method of relaxation that helps you clear your mind. If done correctly, meditation can help you stay calm even after you’re done. Again, it takes some practice, but once you’re familiar with the concepts, you can meditate anywhere. Many people find it helpful to begin their days with yoga, meditation or quite time to help them focus. Starting your morning off right is a good way to ensure that stress will have a minimal effect on your day. While yoga and meditation can be useful in setting the mood for your day, they are not very practical in the moment when you are facing a stressful situation. When someone gets upset with you, chances are you won’t be doing a downward dog pose right then and there. That being said, both of these methods can help you control your reactions by teaching you to manage your mind. You will be in control and will be able to build your discipline. When a false alarm sounds and your body is about to leap into a fight or flight mode, you should be able to tone the response down. Positive thinking is another important part of staying on track and not giving in to the stress. This is far easier said than done, though. Meditation can help you follow through on thinking positively, so it’s an important skill to learn. Negative thoughts can cause quite a bit of damage and are also a major part of making stress worse. If you can turn your thoughts to happier things, you will not only feel better about yourself, you’ll also be healthier, both mentally and physically. In addition to being useful for improving your mood and setting the tone for the day, positive thoughts are something you can pull out when things get tense. Keep thinking of good, positive things and you’ll be able to get through plenty of stressful events, even if you normally find yourself giving in to the stress. Again, practicing this skill before you’re desperately in need of it is a good idea. When you master the art of positivity, everyone around you will benefit. You will radiate the positivity that you have in mind and this can actually change other people, too. Rather than get stressed out when someone is unpleasant or annoying, you will simply continue on with your happiness. The stress alarm doesn’t have to bother you at all. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 23

Now you’ve learned how to handle sudden outbreaks of stress,
but prevention is the best medicine. Which means, you should aim to eventually prevent the stress reaction from occurring in the first place. If you are never or very rarely stressed out, your body can focus on other things, like staying healthy and you don’t have to worry about trying to calm down all the time. How do you turn off the alarm completely? It can be very simple, if you know what you’re doing. If you’ve tackled the visualization task given earlier, you are already in the right place to eliminate the stress reaction. Talk to any psychologist and he or she will tell you that the vast majority of your behavior and feelings are connected directly to our thoughts about ourselves and our own personal beliefs. How you think is what affects your behavior. So, it stands to reason that if you change the way you think, you’ll also change your behavior. This includes how you react to stress. You’ve likely heard the phrase, “Fake it until you make it.” This is a great example of just that. If you find that you get extremely stressed out in minor, non-dangerous situations, learning to invoke a feeling of peace can help you actually feel this when you would normally be stressed out. Often, the reactions we have to difficult situations are based on previous experiences. If you’ve had a previous experience that caused a lot of stress, that memory will affect you when you are facing other issues, particularly if they are similar to the previous situation. You need to overcome these preconceptions of how things will go. If you don’t, even minor situations can end up being a seriously stressful time. A good example of this is when a child is abused and made to feel useless and without value. As he grows, he continues to feel this way. The adult version of the abused child may be depressed or feel stressed out over minor interactions because of the underlying feelings of being worthless. This can affect every interaction you have and cause many events to feel much worse than they really are. For example, if you feel that you’re not worth anything, you might assume that when your boss becomes annoyed with a mistake you’ve made that he is planning on firing you. This increases stress levels drastically, even if it was a minor mistake and the boss isn’t really than upset. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 24

Everything that you’ve experienced in your life leaves a mark
on you, for better or for worse. In stressful situations, even minimally stressful ones, these can pop up and make the entire situation far worse. The first step to leaving these previous experiences behind is to be aware that your emotions and preconceptions are affecting other things that you do. When you know that they will affect you, it’s easier to put these feelings aside. You’re not a prisoner to your feelings and you can focus on the positive instead of the negative. While this does require a lot of practice, it’s something that anyone can do. For more severe issues, you may want to seek some professional help or look to a support group to help you overcome these problems. Your past is in the past and should stay there. Keep an eye out for signs that your immediate stress may be caused by something that happened previously. You may not be able to completely eliminate those feelings, but you can certainly use the previously mentioned methods of relaxing to help you overcome the effects of those feelings. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 25

The Value of Hobbies Stress is only increased when you
focus on it. If you spend all your free time thinking about the stressful situation, it will continue to affect you and to cause issues. While the methods mentioned in the last chapter can help you relax a little, there’s a lot to be said for taking up a hobby. The ideal hobby is one that will capture your interest and give you something to do with your hands. Most people think best with their hands occupied, even if their mind isn’t. Keep this in mind when choosing a hobby. A big reason for stress is not having anything to relax you. If you don’t have somewhere else to direct your attention, you will simply continue to dwell on your problems. For this reason it’s very important to have some sort of pastime that you can enjoy on your own time. Instead of getting so wrapped up in yourself that every tiny problem you face becomes a huge issue in your life, try turning your focus to something more creative. There are any number of hobbies that you can enjoy, so selecting something to do in your free time besides worry shouldn’t be too difficult. What’s My Hobby? Not sure what hobby to pick? Start by looking at activities you enjoyed as a teen or young adult. Did you play sports? Paint? Jog? These are things you might consider trying again, now that you’re older. This is a good place to start. Another option is to look at hobbies you’ve always wanted to try. Why not start now? Some great hobbies include: Collecting What do you enjoy? Would you want more of that? This is essentially what a collector does, collect more and more of the thing he or she loves. You can collect literally anything, but pick something you actually like, rather than going for the money. If it’s for profit from the start, you probably won’t see much benefit on your stress levels. People often collect things like: • Stamps • Coins C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 26

• Salt and pepper shakers • Books • Thimbles •
Tea tins • Spoons • Badges • License plates • Comic books • Toys • Figurines Obviously, anything can be collected, but this short list can get you started. People tend to display their favorite collectibles on shelves or in cases, depending on the value. You can also keep yours tucked away in a secret place, where only you will know what you have. Photography If you enjoy snapping photos, you can easily turn this into a hobby. Make a point of taking your camera with you wherever you go and capturing images of whatever catches your eye. Photography is another hobby that is very open. If you love animals, you can take pictures of cats and dogs. Prefer nature? There are rolling hills, mountains and trees all over the place to snap. Again, follow your heart and do what you love. Carpentry Building things with your bare hands can be extremely rewarding, so carpentry is something that many people pursue. You can get started with a few hand tools, but most people will expand into power tools over time. The great thing about carpentry is that it’s very practical. You can build your own home decorations and furniture if you really want to. Scrapbooking There’s something to be said for getting your photos organized and laying them out in a scrapbook so your family can enjoy them, too. Of course, scrapbooking C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 27

is more about your own enjoyment, but you are also
preserving memories for those who come after you. To get started, you’ll need photographs, scrapbooks and acid free pens and paper. There’s lots of room to get creative with this hobby. You can cut photos and paper into fun shapes, decorate with stickers and cutouts and write stories under each photo. Scrapbooking is also something that you can do for years and never run out of things to do, since you’re always going to be taking new photos. There’s something particularly relaxing about getting into something as creative as scrapbooking Gardening If you love working with living things, you’ll probably find gardening relaxing. For some people, getting back to nature by working in the dirt is extremely good for relieving stress. Try planting and watering a garden to really get the benefits from working in the dirt. There’s always something to be improved on in the garden, whether you’re growing flowers, vegetables or a prize-winning pumpkin. All you need to start is a bit of dirt and some seeds. Writing Did you enjoy writing stories or essays as a child? Then writing could be a great hobby for you. This doesn’t include writing for business or money, but just what you do for your own enjoyment. Writing might include anything from scribbling down poems or writing a journal to creating novels or short stories that you enjoy. Even free writing where you just write whatever comes into your head can be useful in banishing the side effects of stress. Hiking Another form of getting back in touch with nature, which is very soothing for the soul, is to go for a hike. You might walk along the beach, hike up a mountain or just follow a trail through a local park. The idea is to get out and enjoy being outdoors. The exercise is excellent for your body and mind, so hiking can quickly become an exciting activity that you can do alone or share with friends and family. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 28

Potential hobbies and pastimes are endless. You can do just
about anything that you enjoy to relax. Exercise your mind, and possibly your body, to eliminate stress and relax your mind. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 29

Adult Coloring Books: Reducing Stress Naturally As a child, you
probably enjoyed coloring. It’s a popular pastime for children and has a number of benefits, such as building hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. You might be surprised to discover that a large number of adults also enjoy coloring, but when you’re older, it has another benefit. Coloring can be a wonderful stress reliever. There are a few reasons for this. First, coloring in a detailed pattern or image forces you to focus on something specific. Instead of spending time dwelling on your problems, you’re trying to get the color down the way you want it and to stay within the lines. Since you’re focused on something else, your mind can relax a little and the stress reaction that you experience with day to day problems isn’t an issue anymore, even if just for a while. Coloring activates both sides of the brain, which can actually help you resolve problems in other areas of life, not just which section to color first. Creativity and imagination are necessary when filling in a beautiful image, as you need to share the colors and come up with a pleasing look for the design. Reducing your stress levels, even for a short while, can have a positive effect on your overall wellbeing. In addition, if you’re dealing with a problem and can’t figure out the solution, no matter how much you think on it, coloring can free your subconscious to focus on the issue and even help you solve the problem without thinking too much on it. Coloring has been shown to provide clarity in many cases. Most people find moving their pencil or crayon over the page to be very relaxing. If you’re feeling stressed out, this could be the perfect solution and since you can find books of all types, it’s a good option for both men and woman. That being said, women are certainly more into coloring than men in most cases. Since it is such a calming activity, though, this is something that should be open to everyone, regardless of age or gender. What to Color You’re not limited to cartoon characters and simple outlines as an adult. In fact, there are entire lines of coloring books for adults. Some of these are specifically designed to produce an effect, such as happiness or calmness. Common themes for adult coloring books include things like scenery, mandalas, repeating patterns, nature and whimsical images. There’s something for just C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 30

about everyone, but the overall theme is a much higher
level of detail than is usually found in a child’s coloring book. Selecting the right book for your needs part of the fun of coloring. Everyone has different tastes and while one person might enjoy bringing life to cityscapes, another may find this dull and prefer to color faces or flowers. Choose the designs that appeal most to you. Which Drawing Instruments to Use When it comes to actually applying color, you can use crayons to start with. However, most people prefer something like colored pencils or even markers (though these can bleed through the page, so be careful to test any you wish to use). The sharper points on pencils allow you to color in finer details that a crayon just can’t do well, no matter how much it’s whittled down. Since most adult coloring books include a higher level of detail, it’s a good idea to choose a tool that allows you to get into the little nooks and crannies of a coloring page. When selecting your coloring instrument, look for high quality options. Cheap wax crayons will color, but they tend to be streaky and they don’t feel as nice in your hand. Cheaper crayons and pencils will also have weaker colors and can ruin your coloring experience. Test a number of different options to find out what you prefer. There are literally dozens of different brands for each type of writing or coloring instrument. Be wary of markers. They can soak through a page and destroy the image on the other side. If you do choose to use markers that bleed, remove the page from the book and place it on top of a piece of newspaper or cardboard to protect the table or other surface from the ink. Markers offer vivid colors, but they can’t be overlaid easily and are not easily blended. Crayons are blendable and can be laid over each other somewhat. However, the wax can cause streaks and the heavier points make it difficult to color fine details. Pencil crayons are perhaps one of the best choices, since they can be sharpened, offer a wide range of color choices and don’t bleed through the paper. It’s easy to blend the pencil colors together and they can be used in infinite layers to create the exact tone you’re looking for. How to Color This may seem silly, considering everyone knows how to color, but since you’re doing this for enjoyment and stress relief, it’s important to consider how you go C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 31

about coloring. After all, you won’t be terribly relaxed if
you end up frustrated and distracted. To begin with, you’ll want to choose a relatively quiet space where you can sit at a table or desk in a comfortable chair. While comfort is important, it’s also important to maintain your focus, so sprawling on the bed isn’t the best idea. Arrange everything you need before you sit down. Don’t forget to include a pencil sharpener if necessary. You can keep your pencils or crayons in a cup, basket or arranged however you like, but they should be close at hand. Select the image you wish to color and place it on a firm surface without texture so you can have the best possible coloring experience. Now, you’re ready to color. Depending on your mood, you may choose hues that reflect how you feel. If you’re happy, bright sunny colors are great. When you feel down, you may use blue and darker tones. It’s interesting to note the combinations that you use and if you’re not sure how you’re feeling, this can help you figure it out. Click Here to Visit Our bookstore for More Coloring Books to Get You Relaxed C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 32

Stress Relief with Herbs and Supplements You’ve already read about
the difficulties faced by those who are prescribed SSRIs for anxiety and stress. The question then becomes, what can you do if you don’t want to take medications, but need to do something to calm yourself without moving into illegal drugs or alcohol. Fortunately, you have a few choices. St. John’s Wort: This herb is often used as a calming natural medicine. You can find it in capsule or tea form and while it is best known as an antidepressant, St. John’s Wort is also useful for relieving stress and anxiety. The side effects associated with this herb are minor, compared to the issues you could face with something like Prozac. You should avoid taking this antidepressant herb along with other antidepressants or stimulants, as well as oral birth control. That being said, it is a good option if you want to try something more natural than SSRIs. Passionflower: Another useful herb, passionflower has been popular for generations in treating insomnia and anxiety. Though completely natural, studies have shown that passionflower is just as effective, if not more so, than regularly prescribed benzodiazepine drugs. The side effects, however, are less and the herb tends to work even better in improving mental health when it comes to stress. Of course, there are still some side effects and passionflower should not be taken with sedatives or during pregnancy, but for those interested in a new way of handling stress, this is a good start. Valerian Well known as a treatment for insomnia, valerian is also a calming agent that can be used to combat stress. Taken in tea form or in capsules, the herb is a powerful remedy, but can take up to three weeks to start working well. Unlike the other natural solutions mentioned in this chapter, valerian does have some possible side effects that can be unpleasant. These include stomach upsets, headaches and other mild problems that are rarely noticed because most people take the capsules before bed and are asleep for this part. The lack of stress and anxiety can be a major reason to consider taking the herb. Calcium and Magnesium Supplements C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 33

Herbs aren’t the only thing that can be used to
help reduce stress and anxiety. Malnutrition can cause you to react poorly to various situations and end up more stressed out. One of the most commonly associated deficiencies is calcium or magnesium. Taking supplements can help get your levels back up to normal, but it’s actually best to try and boost the levels of these minerals in your diet. Foods that are high in calcium include: • Milk • Cheese • Yogurt • Dark leafy greens • Sardines • Dried Figs • Fish • Molasses • Fortified cereals • Soybeans Foods that are high in magnesium include: • Dark leafy greens (kale, spinach, etc.) • Nuts (cashews, pine nuts, etc.) • Seeds (flax, sesame seeds, etc.) • Fish • Avocado • Soy • Bananas • Yogurt • Dark chocolate C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 34

Filling your diet with a range of nutritious, fresh food
is the best way to ensure you keep your brain and body nourished. A cared for body is more likely to stay healthy and you’ll be less likely to fall prey to stress. Aromatherapy Finally, we’ll look at aromatherapy as stress relief. Scent can be very powerful treatment for stress. Look for pure essential oils that can be diffused in your home, used as a massage oil or just applied to the back of your neck or the soles of your feet to help relieve stress symptoms. The best essential oils for this type of therapy, which can be done at home, include: • Jasmine • Geranium • Lavender • Cypress • Sandalwood Some companies also sell blends that are designed to give you the maximum benefit of all the best oils. However, even just one oil can help you feel better. You don’t have to try everything listed in this chapter, or even this book. However, if you’re looking for an alternative to the usual pharmaceuticals, there are plenty of options. C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 35

Conclusion By now, you understand that stress isn’t a simple
matter of something awful happening or sudden pressure. Often, it’s a combination of factors that can pile up on you and cause all sorts of unpleasant effects. As you’ve seen, there are quite a few different ways to treat the symptoms of stress naturally, by utilizing herbs, aromatherapy and supplements. However, these don’t reach to the underlying issue and it is essential that you dig deeper and deal with the problem at the root of your stress. Imagine you want to eliminate weeds from your lawn. Instead of rooting them out, you simply mow your lawn. What is going to happen? The weeds will be right back because only the obvious parts were eliminated. Your stress is the same way. You can treat the symptoms all you want, but until you actually dig in and get rid of the root, you will always have the same problem. It takes time to eliminate the root cause of your stress. It may be something that has been with you from childhood. Throughout this book, you’ve seen ways to figure out your stress triggers and to deal with things on a deeper basis. It’s well worth taking the necessary time to figure out what is going on. Then, take steps to change your life up a little and make it simpler. With less stress, you’ll be happier and able to enjoy better health. Stress is rarely fun to deal with, but unless you’re an adrenaline junkie, it’s something you can treat naturally. Start working on it today. Click Here to Visit Our Website for More! C o p y r i g h t © 2 0 1 5 L o v i n k C o l o r i n g ™, A l l R i g h t s R e s e r v e d . h t t p : / / l o v i n k c o l o r i n g . c o m 36

Natural Ways to Handle Stress

Natural Ways to Handle Stress

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