Balancing a busy lifestyle with less stress
Before I introduce myself, I would love for us to get something clear, balance isn’t always possible, however prioritising most certainly is.
My name is Dimity Edwards and I am a total health and wellbeing nut. You may have seen me on the Bella Boheme insta stories or modelling their latest Yoga range. I may only be 23, and whilst I’m not a trained health professional, I totally understand the depths of stress and the importance of prioritising health within your busy lifestyle.
What most people forget (because our body is really amazing) is that we have multiple systems functioning all simultaneously without even requiring a conscious awareness or a basic knowledge of how that is even possible. So, let me fill you in on a few of our body’s systems so you might be able to manage them in a healthier way, in turn helping reduce your stress and support you in feeling better on the inside again.
There are 11 major organ systems in the human body, which include the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, excretory, nervous and endocrine systems. The immune, integumentary, skeletal, muscle and reproductive systems are also part of the human body (and yes! I totally googled all of that….). What you may not be surprised to read is that an inbalance in any of these systems can contribute to your you stress, inversely or directly. So it is critical that we start creating boundaries to support our bodies.
Stress can’t be removed, but it can be managed - especially if you are one of those people that say ‘oh! I am too busy… I’ll deal with that tomorrow’. Tomorrow is an accumulative word that builds up over time. You know that time when you felt it all become ‘overwhelming’ and you blamed just one particular moment… well, I am going to catch you out here and say that next time, do your best to you deal with it today. It’s less stress. Ha.
Stress is the number one killer today. Let’s just let that sink in. Out of all the things… stress is one of the greatest links to mortality. Data reveals that 60-90% of all doctor visits are stress related. That’s crazy!!
What I would love to help you do is go over a few really tangible ways you can begin living a more vibrant lifestyle and how to start incorporating some of these into your life. How does that sound?
Ok! The first tip is to get your hands on some Adaptogens. Now these are little secret weapons when it comes to managing stress at a cellular level. I take mine in a form of a naturopathic tonic, but essentially they are a class of herbs that act as a tool within the body to help it manage stress and it’s even been proven to improve mental and physical clarity.
The next step is to ensure that you are capitalising on essential oils. Yes, this may sound ‘woowoo’ but oils such as lavender and frankincense have calming qualities known for reducing stress and anxiety naturally. I love to defuse these by adding a few drops on the glass in my shower and let the steam create my own little heaven infused self care time.
The oldest but most important trick in the book is exercise. Making exercise a non-negotiable priority for at least 21 days will begin to generate an embodied habit, therefore become a life long daily practice. And let’s not get started on talking about how good those natural endorphins are for you in managing your stress -- it really is the best tool!
We spoke earlier about how the body runs on many different systems. One of the systems that we can help manage stress within is our immunity. I personally have sought an organic immunity and nutrient booster. Most people are under the illusion that our ‘food’ provides us with all the nutritional quality that our body needs, and whilst they may not be wrong, research shows how nutritionally depleted our food is today. Vitamins and supplements may not be your thing, but I can only speak from my own personal experience in understanding the giant benefits they have added with my energy and physical body. Try them on for size… you might even find that some help greatly! I recommend visiting a Naturopath or your local health food store to discuss with a professional which are the best supplements for you.
The next one, many people will skip over is sleep. This is a gentle reminder of the importance having enough sleep as it really does effect our stress levels and therefore our overall quality of life. Sleep is so critical to feeling our absolute best! It’s not about the 8-10 hours per night, it’s about the quality. If you are currently struggling with a bad or broken sleep, this may be a direct indicator that your body is under some stress.
And lastly! Let’s talk about crystals. Now we really are getting ‘woowoo’ here! Some of you might already be using these... I have my 7 top favourite crystals to share with you that have stress relieving elements and if you haven’t started incorporating some crystals into your daily/weekly routine… try it on for size this week! Here is my list: Celestite, Fluorite, Black Tourmaline, Angelite, Amethyst, Blue Lace Agate and Lepidolite. Have a deep dive on these, they really have changed the game for me.
I hope these ideas have opened your mind to new ideas that you integrate into your lifestyle to ensure you are feeling your best!
If you have any questions regarding anything of the above, you can always reach out to me on Instagram @dimity.edwards and I would really love to chat more about it with you!
Big love,
Dimity x
(Note: I do recommend that you use this article as a foundation to start your own research into Wellbeing practices. I am not a health professional have shared todays tips using my personal experiences).
Shop the Bella Yoga, Body and Soul range here
Credits:
Model: Dimity Edwards
Photography: Kylie Carson
Styling: Bella Valle
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