Tag Archives: stressed

Want to feel less stressed at your next picnic or backyard barbecue?

30 Friday Jul 2021

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Serve yourself some potato salad, or maybe two scoops of grandma’s famous pasta salad! Researchers at the University of Toronto found potatoes and pasta that are cooked and then popped into the fridge to cool down, develop so-called “resistant” starch. And when you eat resistant starch, it sends a message to your brain to “chill out,” and be less sensitive to the triggers that stress you out. And as we’ve said before, when a carbohydrate is turned into resistant starch, it acts more like fiber in the body – and helps us burn fat. 

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We really DO hate hot weather.

26 Monday Apr 2021

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Environmental experts at the Vancouver School of Economics analyzed a BILLION tweets, comparing temperatures, and the use of positive and negative words and emojis. The result: Going from a mild 70-degrees to hot 90-degrees causes the same happiness dip we experience going from a relaxing Sunday to back to work on Monday. And when the temperature tops 100 degrees, people are 3 TIMES unhappier than when the weather’s cold. So why are we more irritable when it’s hot out? First, because high temperatures increase our heart rate, testosterone, and other metabolic reactions that trigger our stress response. Also, psychologically, hot weather makes us feel out of control. Because if it’s cold you can wear more layers… but, when it’s hot, after a certain point, you can’t remove any more clothing to cool down. And when we feel we have no control, it makes us stressed out, anxious, and irritable. 

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Is your nose cold?

28 Monday Sep 2020

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It could mean you’re stressed and working too hard! 

Researchers at the UK’s University of Nottingham found when people were concentrating really hard on a task, their noses got colder – dropping almost 2 degrees temperature-wise! The scientists say, when we’re feeling overwhelmed by intense cognitive activity, more blood gets diverted to the brain… and less goes to the nose. Because it takes extra energy to pump blood there. So, if the tip of your nose starts to feel chilly, it may be time to take a quick break at work. 

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If you’re stressed, try this side dish:

09 Wednesday Sep 2020

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A red pepper and papaya salad. People who eat foods high in vitamin C are better at handling stressful situations, like a test and public speaking. Vitamin C is known to lower blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol. And a cup of papaya has twice as much vitamin C as an orange, and red pepper has even more.

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Feeling stressed?

23 Tuesday Oct 2018

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Look out a window. Researchers at the University of Washington found the view outside is far more soothing – and lowers a person’s heart rate further than plopping in front of the TV. But there’s a catch: It has to be a view of nature. If you’re looking at a cityscape of buildings, traffic, and crowds of pedestrians, instead of flowers, trees or a burbling fountain, it’s not going to lower your stress.

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When you’re stressed, go sniff a lemon!

06 Wednesday Jun 2018

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When participants in a recent study spent as little as ten minutes inhaling the fragrance of citrus fruit, they saw a significant increase in their overall mood – which included a DECREASE in their levels of tension, anxiety, depression, confusion, fatigue and anger.

So, peel an orange, get a whiff of a citrus essential oil, or mix up a batch of lemonade. And be sure to breathe deeply.

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You’ve heard of “white coat hypertension,” right?

18 Thursday May 2017

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Where the minute a doctor or nurse starts taking your blood pressure, it spikes, simply because you’re stressed about being examined. Well, next time they’re about to put a blood pressure cuff on you: Take 3 or 4 deep, slow breaths over 30 seconds. In a study, people who did that lowered their systolic number by 15 points – that’s the top number. Deep breathing works to slow your heart rate, which triggers the reflexes that control blood pressure, and brings it down to where it normally is when you’re not on an exam table.

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To improve your mood, do something artistic!

01 Wednesday Mar 2017

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It doesn’t matter if you’re not exactly Van Gogh, doing something artistic, whether it’s painting, drawing, sculpting, or even decoupage or knitting – can pull you out of a bad mood. That’s according to research from Northern Arizona University. In their study, when people created art – even if they didn’t consider themselves artistic – they felt happier and less stressed. That’s because art distracts you from negative thinking. And the repetitive movement involved triggers a relaxation response.

Simple way to lower your stress:

12 Tuesday Jul 2016

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If you’re a stress case, ask a friend if you can babysit their kids. And it’s especially effective if you’re over 50 years old. Dr. David Bach is a longevity researcher – and he says spending time with kids makes people more playful, and relaxes the mind. And that can counteract the damaging effects of stress.

Stress is contagious!

10 Friday Jun 2016

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Studies show just seeing someone who’s freaking out can flood your body with the stress hormone, cortisol. And if your partner’s the one who’s stressed out, you’re 25% more likely to be affected than a stranger would be. The response is a holdover from our ancient ancestors…… Because if one person flipped out when a lion charged the village, everyone experienced the same fight-or-flight response, so the group could instantly go into defensive mode. Today, our reaction remains the same, but the “danger” is more likely to be a crashed computer.