I have a lot of experience with stress – I made myself so stressed and worried for 30 years during the first half of my life that it nearly killed me.
In 2015, I had a stroke, which came as a massive surprise. This wasn’t only attributed to my anxiety but also to some of the meds I was taking and the fact that I was quite severely overweight.
None of the doctors actually cared to explore and find the root cause of my problems. The answer was always the same – let’s try this medication for a while and see how it goes. Before you know it, you’re addicted to all of the meds and can’t bear the thought of living without them.
What the doctors don’t tell you is that each medication can and likely will lead to another health problem. They also don’t mention how damaging these meds are for you in the long run.
Meds are addictive, full of chemicals, and very bad for your body and mind. Plus, they are only a temporary fix.
In reality, things won’t change unless you recognize the root cause of your problems and take action.
It all starts with what you put in your body!
Stress starts and can end with your diet. Like the majority of the world’s population, I had no idea that what I was putting in my mouth made me sick.
Sugar & Carbohydrates:
Consuming sugar is the worst thing you can do to your body and mind. Sugar is proven to be 10 times more addictive than Heroin or Cocaine.
When we ingest sugar, our whole brain lights up! That’s the sugar high, and soon after comes the sugar dump, and you crave more sugar in the form of carbs.
There are also large amounts of added sugars in all processed foods, such as bread, pasta, cereal, energy bars, oats, sauces in restaurants, fruit juices, yogurts, chips, cookies, candy, donuts, muffins, etc.
Carbohydrates convert to glucose in your bloodstream = sugar, simple!
A high-carb diet with large amounts of sugar creates a huge amount of excess glucose in your bloodstream to be burned or locked away as fat cells if not burned off. The latter is what usually happens as most do not burn off the excess glucose and thus they become overweight or even obese.
Here is what sugar & carbs do to your body:
- Excessive insulin production – can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes
- Accelerated cell division – leads to accelerated aging
- Energy rollercoaster – stresses your body and mind, causing the release of cortisol, the fight or flight hormone
- Sugar converts to glucose (which is sticky) in your bloodstream. If not burned for energy, insulin converts the excess glucose and locks it away as triglycerides (fat), leading to insidious weight gain
- Wreaks havoc on your teeth
- Insulin spikes can lead to kidney failure
- This can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, as excess sugar is turned into fat in the liver, which can lead to liver failure
- High blood pressure – increased risk of stroke or heart failure
- Sugar breaks down the collagen in your skin – and ages you faster
- Makes you moody and depressed
This list isn’t all – there is more, but you get the idea.
Remember, this applies to any sugar, including coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, etc, as it applies to all forms of carbohydrates.
So, the question is – is it really worth consuming all the sugar and carbs that most folks do?
I hope you enjoy my YouTube short video about how to remain positive and happy:
4 Ways to Reduce Stress, and Avoid Burnout
1. The Fat and Protein-based Keto Diet.
Eat 100% natural and real food – the starting point that will save your life!
Switching to a 100% natural, protein, and fat-based ketogenic lifestyle will remedy most of your ailments.
When I transformed my diet I eliminated all of my health issues. Today I am no longer on any meds, plus I’m never sick because my immune system is super strong, and I also reduced my stress.
My health recovery in summary:
Headaches: gone
Acid reflux: gone
Depression: gone
Insomnia: gone
Anxiety: gone
Stress: gone
Bad Cholesterol: gone
Excess weight: gone
Fat has been the primary fuel source for humans for 2.5 million years – a little-known fact in today’s society.
Energy-rich, animal fats such as omega-3 fatty acids, actually supported the development of a more complex brain, which allowed humans to branch out from their vegetarian great ape cousins to rise to the top of the food chain.
In summary: It’s scientifically proven that eating a natural fat and protein-based diet leads to a healthy body and a calmer mind.
2. Your Exercise & Movement Routine.
Most people don’t exercise at all – or very little or wrong!
For example, going spinning every day won’t help you, nor will fast running. Just like daily strength training separate muscle groups won’t help you either.
All these types of routines overstress your heart daily, releasing the fight or flight hormone cortisol into your bloodstream, increasing your risk of heart disease or stroke, just like fast-paced spinning and running will do.
It gets worse – your body is not burning an ounce of fat with this type of routine, instead only your stored glucose (which is limited), and when that’s all spent, your muscle mass will be broken down and used for fuel.
None of this is a good outcome for body and mind, plus it adds to your stress and the risk of burnout.
“Less but right is more!” That’s my mantra.
Learn to move frequently, every 60 minutes throughout the day, walk, bike, or swim, keeping your heart rate in the aerobic zone.
Then, you will burn fat and also improve your cardiovascular system healthily and safely.
Add some sprinting and 2 full bodyweight workouts per week, and you’ll be on the right path to ideal health and fitness.
You can read all about it here in my E-Book:
The Ultimate Guide to Weight Loss, Fitness, and Health
3. Sleep, Rest, and make “Me Time” a Daily Habit.
Getting adequate sleep, resting up, and making “Me Time” is a chronic problem in today’s society.
Almost everyone I work with is stressed and can’t fit it all into a day.
They are backed up with hundreds of emails to answer, phone calls to make, and social media to manage, while getting to bed at midnight or even 2 am and getting up at 6 or 7 am – that’s just not healthy.
That’s the classic Tail Wagging the Dog syndrome going on and we need to regain control of our lives before this behavior makes us sick.
The Answer:
I’ve got the answer, but I have two questions for you to ask yourselves first:
1. What’s your health and life worth to you?
2. Do you want to lead a long healthy, and happy life?
Many people think they are fine with only 3, 4, or 6 hours of sleep and even feel superior that they can function with so little sleep.
Sure, you can do that and get used to it, forcing yourself into this grueling schedule.
But rest assured, it will catch up with you in time in the form of massive fatigue or burnout syndrome.
The answer is to get adequate sleep, which supports the healthy recovery of your brain and body.
–> 8 hours of sleep would be ideal. Try to get to bed by 10 pm and wake by around 6 am.
Avoid using computers, cell phones, or watching TV for at least one hour before bed. These devices trick your mind into thinking it’s daytime. The blue light they radiate is 10 times stronger than the sun! Think about that.
Your brain should be settling down into natural night mode when following the circadian rhythm and slowly releasing melatonin to get you into sleep mode.
Rest often throughout your day. Take a break and go for a walk and get some fresh air or just sit down and enjoy a coffee or tea, without working or staring at your phone.
Making time for yourself will significantly reduce your stress levels. If you can indulge in two massages per week, or a facial, steam, or sauna, this will slow you down even more, reduce the stress, and make you a healthier and happier person.
Then comes Meditation.
4. Meditation & Mind Training
Meditation is much more important to your well-being than you may think.
Meditation calms the mind from all the nagging thoughts and talks you have with yourself all day.
Mindfulness & Meditation allow you to focus on yourself and relax your body and mind. Spending time to sit still and focus on observing your breath and feeling your heart rate is a calming and enjoyable experience.
There is plenty of evidence that meditation supports brain function, such as memory, and can support the immune system.
If you do this first thing in the morning, you’ll feel far more relaxed throughout your day.
Your mind will become more focused on the now and will not constantly dart around thinking and worrying. You will respond better to problems and reduce your stress levels while avoiding burnout.
Sometimes people are turned off by the thought of meditation as they think it’s too daunting.
It really isn’t – it’s simple and fun if you approach it with an open mind.
Learning to meditate and understanding what meditation is about drastically calmed my mind.
The combination of the proper human diet, and a sensible exercise plan, and meditation results in stress leaving you alone for good. View my meditation routine here.
Slow Life Down and Enjoy every Day
Slowing life down and making an effort to enjoy every day is probably the best advice I’ve ever been given and I can give back.
I decided to write this article because I work with and see so many people who are terribly stressed, angry, and upset.
At times, me included, which means it’s a never-ending self-improvement process!
You may also enjoy my related article:
Exploring Nature: How To Prepare Yourself For Your Next Adventure
Final Thoughts
Why shout, scream, and get angry at others and yourself? Just relax, slow life down, take several deep breaths, and focus on calming your mind and moving your body a lot!
You will then soon learn that you will reduce stress and avoid burnout, both of which could lead to premature death!
Rob
MBA from Robert Kennedy College & University of Cumbria, UK.
Certified Nutritionist & Health Coach | Trainer | Blogger | Copywriter | Author
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