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No matter whether you ask a Holistic doctor, Western doctor or Ayurvedic doctor, they will all tell you that stress is the number one trigger of disease.
Stress has an immediate effect on your immune system and can stop your blood cells from re-forming, which makes you more susceptible to illness. So, it is best to lower your stress levels as much as you can.
Here are some simple tools to help you do so:
1. De-clutter
This one is something that I am still working on. With our busy modern-day schedules, it is challenging to keep our homes clean. BUT, it is necessary to do so. As they say, a clear home is a clear mind and I firmly believe so. I recommend setting aside two hours a week to de-clutter your home. As in, getting rid of clothes that you haven't worn in 6 months, throwing away old food and mopping your floors. De-cluttering will make you feel good about being in your home.
2. Buy Lavender and Sage scents for your home.
Both Lavender and Sage have been scientifically-proven to help people relax. I highly recommend lighting Lavender and Sage candles or using incense sticks. Please be safe to the environment by using soy or coconut wax candles; as opposed to beeswax. Also, use natural incense sticks without any fake scents.
*We love Meyer's Lavender candles.
3. Dim your lights at night.
Bright fake lights have been scientifically linked to headaches, migraines, blurred vision and elevated stress levels. So, I recommend dimming your lights while you are at home. Bright lights activate your fight-or-flight nervous system, which triggers stress responses. Bright lights might also reduce your hours of sleep.
4. Get rid of toxic-chemicals.
I often hear people say, my parents used bleach to clean for years and there are fine. This argument is scientifically untrue as different people respond to free radicals differently, free radicals are organisms that form in our bodies as a result of chemical exposure. They can take many years to show physical damage; however, they have a direct link to your nervous system. With toxic chemicals, a cough today could lead to cancer in 10 years. Our bodies process toxic chemicals as a stress. I highly recommend replacing ridding your home of chemicals like bleach, SLS and parabens.