Most people don’t know it but the best stress management that they can use is exercise. Aside from not having to spend money on buying products or buying cds for musical relaxation, exercising only requires a minimal amount of your time everyday.

In the world people live in, it is very hard not to be stressed. This is because almost all of the things—work, family, society, and relationships—can be stressors for an individual. Because of these conditions, stress has become an inevitable part of people’s daily living.

For some people, stress can be good because it gives them adrenaline rush. A sudden surge of stress can help them do things in their own accord, finish tasks ahead of time and achieve their goals within the given deadline. At times, stress even helps them to perform better and have a competitive but positive outlook in life.

But, not all people can turn stress into a positive energy. In fact, most people who get stressed suffer from a wide range of health and emotional problems as times go by. People—especially those who getting so much stress on the workplace—suffer from minor health problems such as insomnia or sleep disturbances, headaches and upset stomach. These eventually lead to difficulties in concentration in things, mood swings and irritability, low self-esteem and moral, and poor socialization with immediate family and friends.

This type of stress, if not managed properly, can lead to chronic health problems and conditions such as various cardiovascular diseases, several musculoskeletal conditions, and different levels of psychological disorders. So to avoid these, problems people should be thinking of ways to manage stress and live a healthy life.

Stress management through regular exercise

For some people, there is no better way to manage stress than getting regular exercise. This is because exercise can reduce physical stress fast and can help people to feel good about themselves. Aside from reducing stress by relaxing tense muscles during stressful situations, exercise can offer a lot more benefits than people could ever imagine. More than being a good stress buster, exercise can help you to:

1. Improve the blood flow. Blood flow to the brain is very important for a person to think clearly. When you are doing exercise, additional sugars and oxygen are being brought to your brain, causing you to think effectively.

2. Release endorphins. The chemical called endorphins are responsible for giving a person a feeling of happiness and positive outlook in life. Despite all the stress brought by your surroundings, you can manage it as long as you have enough release of endorphins.

3. Have a fit body. Looking good and feeling good about one’s physical self help many people manage stress. This is because if a person feels he or she is beautiful, that person can take on anything thinking that no matter what happens.

4. Strengthens one of the most important of the body, the heart. If a person gets stressed, the major organ that is affected is the heart. So, to save the heart from any diseases and conditions brought by stress, exercise is a must to ensure that you will maintain a heart that has greater elasticity to pump out enough blood and oxygen to the body.

Indeed, exercise is a very effective technique in stress management. But before engaging into it, make sure that you are physically fit to endure strenuous physical activities. You can ensure that you are in good shape if you visit your doctor and have a general check up.

The doctor can tell you what will be your limitations and can even recommend an exercise program suitable for your needs.

Eat a variety of foods to ensure that you consume all of the forty to sixty nutrients you need to stay healthy. These include vitamins, minerals, amino acids (from proteins), essential fatty acids (from vegetable oil and animal fat), and energy from carbohydrates, protein, and fat. While most foods contain more than one nutrient, no single food provides adequate amounts of all nutrients.

Try to maintain a diet of mostly whole (unprocessed) foods. Stay away from caffeine (coffee, tea, cola, chocolate), which causes nervousness and inhibits sleep if too much is ingested. Caffeine causes a fight-or- flight response in your body and uses up your reserves of the B vitamins, which are important in coping with stress. Alcohol also depletes your body’s B vitamins, and can disrupt sleep and impair your judgment or clarity of thought. Avoid sugar. It provides no essential nutrients and can cause an immediate “high” followed by a prolonged “low.”

Studies have shown that the body depletes its stores of nutrients when under stress, mainly protein and the B vitamins as well as vitamins C and A. A deficiency of magnesium, which helps muscles relax, has been linked to “Type A” or high-stress personalities. If you are under prolonged stress or are at risk for hypertension, consume foods high in potassium, such as orange juice, squash, potatoes, apricots, limes, bananas, avocados, tomatoes, and peaches. You also should increase your intake of calcium, which is found in yogurt, cheese, tofu, and chick- peas.

If you find that you have difficulty managing stress and often feel fatigued or stressed out, you might want to examine your diet for deficiencies in certain nutrients.   If you are deficient in certain nutrients, you will need to alter your diet or take supplements.

Since every person is unique, nutritional needs vary to some degree. It will probably take several months to change your diet and establish healthy eating habits. Experimenting and taking the time to reform your eating will have very positive immediate and long- term effects. Choose foods that you enjoy and try to make meals pleasurable times. Eat a relaxed meal. Continue your healthy diet and supplements even after the period of stress has passed so that your body will be best prepared to cope with the next stressful situation you encounter. The goal is to maintain maximum health with good nutrition, exercise, and active stress management.