Top 10 Tips to reduce stress and anxiety
- Written by Candice Meisels
Nikki Warren, Naturopath, Mum to two, and Founder of Naturobest Supplements shares her top 10 tips to decrease stress and anxiety.
1. Be mindful
Every thought has a corresponding physiological response. Positive thoughts = less stress.
2. Exercise
Exercise helps you sleep better and let off steam when you’re feeling wound up.
3. Breathe properly
Breathe into your belly instead of your chest and count to 6 on the out-breath to slow your breathing down.
4. Meditate
Find a meditation app you enjoy and meditate for at least 5 minutes every day.
5. Laugh
Watch comedy shows or movies, laugh with your friends and have fun with your partner.
6. Eat well
Adequate protein, carbohydrates, and fats are essential for healthy neurotransmitter function. 5+ veggies and 2 pieces of fruit are vital for a healthy mind, body, and soul.
7. Ensure an adequate intake of vitamins B, C, and D
B5 and C in particular are used by the adrenal glands when stressed. Vitamin D helps to manage mood.
8. Increase intake of calcium, magnesium, and zinc and avoid copper
Having a hot cup of milk to relax isn’t just an old wives' tale, it’s a good idea! Calcium and magnesium are relaxing minerals and when taken at night may help you to drift off to sleep.
A well-absorbed, high-quality form of calcium is calcium citrate and high-quality forms of magnesium include magnesium citrate and magnesium amino acid chelate. A therapeutic dose of calcium is 500mg of elemental calcium and there should be at least a 2:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium.
Calcium supplements should contain vitamin K2 to help direct calcium into bones and out of the arteries.
Ask your naturopath or nutritionist to check your zinc and copper levels. Zinc is required to make serotonin,
a neurotransmitter that is depleted under long term stress. High copper levels are associated with heightened anxiety.
9. Sleep well
Sleep is so important for our mental health and wellbeing so 7-8 hours a night is a priority. Invest in blackout curtains, keep a window open at night for ventilation, read a book before bed rather than a screen and keep the lights low for a few hours before bed to promote the production of melatonin. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day.
10. Buy more time
If you never seem to have enough time, start outsourcing the mundane tasks that zap your time and energy. Get a cleaner, get a tutor to help your kids with their homework, find kids in your neighbourhood who want to earn some pocket money and get them to do your gardening, wash the car, and any other task you don’t enjoy.
Naturobest has just launched, NaturoBest Cacium and Magnesium Plus with K2 and D3 Powder and I have some for those who want to check it out.
It can be taken from age 2 to mature adults. 
You may want to try out NaturoBest Cal-Mag if you are:
- pregnant and breastfeeding women
- women and teenage girls with PMS or perimenopause
- men and women who are trying to conceive. Calcium is important for male fertility.
- men and women who are stressed or suffer from insomnia
- anyone who suffers from muscle cramps
- kids who don’t eat dairy products (for healthy bones and teeth)
- prevention of osteoporosis – in particular, menopausal and post-menopausal women
It is unique to have a therapeutic dose of both calcium and magnesium in the same formula. If you take capsules, you would have to take about 4-6 capsules daily.
Vitamin K2 is essential to absorb calcium into the bones and not the arteries (this reduces CVD risk). The vitamin K2 I chose is VitaMK-7® which is patented and is a natural form from natto.
Vitamin D is a vegan form – Vitashine® which comes from lichen. Most formula’s on the market use vitamin D sourced from lanolin which is not vegan.
