Practical Ways to Manage Stress from Herbalife Nutrition Experts

     When I ask someone the question "how's life going lately?" The immediate answer I always get is the word stress. We are all experiencing stress because of the pandemic and it's been affecting our well-being. Stress is part of daily living, but it can become a major cause for concern when it starts to affect one’s health. There are several ways to manage it, and we can start by being more mindful of the food we eat, and taking better care of our mental health.

     Last July, I was invited to the monthly online media engagement of Herbalife Philippines to join  Herbalife Nutrition Institute Chairman Dr. David Heber and Herbalife Nutrition Global Fitness Advisory Board Member Shayamal Vallabhjee as they share ways how to deal with stress. Both Dr. Heber and Vallabhjee have been speakers in separate Herbalife Nutrition eWellness Tour events presented by Herbalife Nutrition Philippines. The monthly forum aims to promote nutrition education by inviting experts from the fields of science, nutrition, health, and fitness to talk about the importance of good nutrition and having a healthy active lifestyle in achieving overall health and wellbeing. Read more highlights of this online event below.

Practical Ways to Manage Stress from Herbalife Nutrition Experts 
image from Pexels

The Importance of Healthy Eating

     Dr. Heber, who is the Chairman of the Herbalife Nutrition Institute, said that many people tend to overeat during times of stress, they turn to foods that are quick and comforting but often loaded with fat, salt, and sugar. He said that be mindful of what we you especially during stressful circumstances as it can help you manage stress levels and change the way you respond to them.

Avoid Mindless Snacking

• Reach for nutritious, hard, and crunchy foods that can help relieve stress by putting your jaw muscles to work.
• Snacks like almonds, soy nuts, or baby carrots instead of unhealthy food.
• Avoid skipping meals as it might adversely affect your mood and energy levels.
• Blood sugar levels can fall, leading to increased stress. If stress is an appetite-killer, try eating smaller amounts of food more often during the day.

Stay Active

• Exercise is a great stress reliever as it helps release endorphins that would help you naturally feel good.
• Do it consistently. It is recommended to do 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly.
• Build muscle through strength training and also do stretching routines.

Rest and Recover

• Sleep, meanwhile, helps the body go into repair mode.
• In order for you to have a sound sleep, it is also advisable to maintain a clean environment that helps reduce stress. 
• Another addition to having a goodnight's sleep is by taking a warm bath and using anti-bacterial towels which eliminate 99.9% of bacteria growth. 
• Dr. Heber said that collectively, nutrition, exercise, and sleep promote better health, and while they won’t take away stressful situations, they can help you better manage stress levels and achieve better overall wellbeing.

Practical Ways to Manage Stress from Herbalife Nutrition Experts

One of my 'stress-relievers'- Herbalife Herbal Concentrate in Apple Chamomile

The Three Cs to Thriving in a Stressful Situation

     What's your stress level in the last 15 months? I presume that we have been all living in a stressful situation because of the pandemic and until now we are still trying to cope with this new normal way of living. We've been experiencing uncertainty, fear, unfavorable outcome, and insecurity because of the negative things that are happening around us. 

     Mr. Shayamal Vallabhjee, told us that we need radical adaptability to approach the situation that is changing at every level and recommended cultivating the three Cs along with good nutrition, exercise, and sleep. Here are the important mindsets or the three Cs to cultivate and succeed in life.

Practical Ways to Manage Stress from Herbalife Nutrition Experts 

Shayamal Vallabhjee, Herbalife Global Fitness Advisory Board Member

1. Composure- this can be achieved by training your mind to focus on your internal perspective.

When you look externally, you make yourself a victim of that situation and you render yourself completely powerless. In an internal perspective, the mind is able to calm itself down. The mind is able to perceive a situation rationally,” he said.

2. Competence- means how good a person is at something.

When you have competence, you have a strength that you can execute in a high-pressure situation,” Vallabhjee said.

3. Confidence- comes in two ways: one, from motivation, and two from habit cultivation.

“The confidence you need to succeed comes from competence,” he underlined. “And these three -- composure, competence, and confidence -- can help you thrive in any environment.”