Time To Take Care Of Yourself…And Relax.

So by now all you guys know how I’m majorly into health and fitness. I make sure I eat right, take my supplements regularly and I don’t believe in skipping meals. Of course, I like to indulge once every couple of weeks but that’s okay because I also don’t believe in being too hard on myself. I workout 5 days a week but I take it easy on the weekends as sometimes being super strict with yourself can leave you feeling unmotivated. A little bit of self love can go a long way.

The problem

Over the last 2 months, I must admit I was not feeling my normal self.

I know one thing I was doing wrong was not drinking enough water, Your body requires certain amount of water every day, around 2/3 litres to stay hydrated and this is not just when it’s hot outside but even in winters too. Thanks to my refreshing infused waters I’m on track with my water intake and it feels great.

Being low on energy, I also noticed a certain change in myself. I developed dark circles under my eyes, I was bloated, my digestion became weaker but worst of all, I was having trouble sleeping as I kept worrying about things that were not in my control. Constantly thinking about problems I couldn’t do too much about.

So when I was in Delhi a few weeks back, I decided to meet a couple of doctors and had a few tests done. To cut the long story short, I was diagnosed with high levels of stress.

Understanding myself

Stress happens to everyone. It is hard to stay calm and chilled in our crazy, hectic lives and both short and long term stress can affect our physical, emotional and mental health.

As women, we have so many roles to play; daughter, mother, wife, friend, worker which means there is often a lot on our minds. This constant stress can lead to anxiety, and sometimes even depression. We need to be very careful when we feel this way in order to learn what causes us stress and also, to learn how to handle this stress to lead better, happier lives.

How I tackled my stress levels

Mental

I prefer more natural, holistic, Ayurvedic means of healing, as I am aware of my body type and know that I respond really well to these three types of self healing techniques.

I also try to cultivate a positive mindset which means that no matter what is going on around me, I try to stay strong and remember that there is always a way out and a solution to every problem.

Sometimes we just have to take a step back and breathe! Staying calm helps you clear your mind and move forward in a logical way, rather than letting your emotions take over. Trust me, the minute I started doing this, I felt so much more confident and comfortable in myself and everything around me rather than feeling overwhelmed.

Too much time spent in the digital world and on social media can also lead to sleeping disorders which in turn, can cause more stress as our minds and bodies need rest in order to function properly. I know that I need my full 8 hours of sleep so try my best not to go online after a certain hour (around 9pm) as our phones have a particularly strong light which isn’t good for us just before we sleep.

Physical

I also like doing deep breathing exercises for relaxation. Did you know, the way you breaethe affects your whole body? I truly believe it’s an excellent way to relax your mind and relieve stress levels mentally, simply by taking control physically.

If you think about it, we only really shallow breathe – deep breathing only happens when you are actively trying to relax during mediating, stretching and exercising.

What you eat is also so important to how you feel. I go easy on raw foods as they are little difficult to digest according to Ayurveda. So I like to indulge in more slow cooked greens, vegetables and light dal like moong dal as the rest are difficult to digest. I also stick with lean meats as this is the best for a healthy body and clear mind.

Going to the gym for me is a serious stress buster! I have cut down a little on intensity just for a couple of months as I realised my body needs a break too! Right now, lighter weights with more reps are working out just fine rather than intense strength training. This keeps my happy hormones at a good level all day.

Making time for me

One of my favourite ways to release stress is going for a deep tissue massage once a week to release all the tension built up in my muscles, especially in my neck and shoulders. I love going for 90 minutes massages as I feel 60 minutes just isn’t enough. It makes me come out feeling so light and relaxed, like I can do anything!

I find herbal plant based teas very soothing, calming and relaxing. They help fight anxiety and just help put your mind at ease. I like to just sit back, breathe and enjoy a nice cup or two of delicious herbal tea to unwind. Pukka Love is a perfect blend of chamomile, organic rose and lavender which works like magic for those intense moments when you need a cup of comfort.

Helping others is something which makes me feel so good! I love to give back and also giving positive advice, especially for problems people feel like they can’t talk to others about.

I really can’t tell you how happy all your loving messages make me feel. I get this amazing high when I get positive response from you lovely people! I love writing and sharing my experiences about health, wellness and beauty…it’s one of my best stress busters.

Thank you so much,

SK xx