Hello!
I’m really excited to be launching Epic Beauty Guide today, and with that, I’m posting my 5 favorite, easy tips on staying lean and stress-free…especially during the holiday season. It is a fact that stress and weight gain are closely related, so it is important to pay attention to your stress levels as well as what you put in your stomach. So enjoy the list and enjoy the holidays! See you back here soon. 
1. To lower stress and cortisol (the hormone that forces us to gain weight) look to these natural aids:
• Shankhpushpi (pronounced shank-a-push-pee). An Ayurvedic herb that comes from a flower. It lowers cortisol levels, improves energy, and improves concentration. The recommended dose is 200–275 mg., twice per day.
• Turmeric. A common yellow-orange root used often as a powdered spice. Best absorbed with black pepper. Lowers inflammation, promotes weight loss. Gaia Herbs makes an excellent one, and you can also add a pinch of the powdered spice to your meals.
• Ashwagandha. My favorite herb for all-around stress reduction and brain improvement. Rebuilds dendrites in the brain (the connections between neurons). Cedar Bear Naturales makes a great glycerin tincture. You can also try an alcohol-based tincture, as it may work better than glycerin for some people.
2. If you want to stay lean, get moving.
All it takes is walking 30 minutes around the neighborhood. Of course, it’s even better if you can run for 15 minutes, go bike riding, do some at-home yoga or pilates, or do 15–20 minutes of circuit training. The hardest part of doing this? Getting motivated. So just remember that you’ll always feel AWESOME after moving around, and your body will reward you by staying healthy and living longer (it’s a fact, really!). The longest-lived, healthiest people are those that did some sort of physical activity every day. Make it a routine and stay lean.
3. Don’t forget to breathe.
Stress and anxiety cause us to breathe shallowly from the tops of our lungs instead of taking normal, deep, calming belly breaths. So try this right now: Breathe in slowly through your nose for 7 seconds (count silently in your head). Hold that breath for 5 seconds. Breathe out slowly through your mouth for 7 seconds. Repeat 6 more times. Do it while driving, working, cooking, listening to someone blabber about their horrible day, etc. It’s free, it’s easy, and it instantly calms you down and allows your body to reduce its cortisol levels (which also results in not gaining stress weight, yay!).
4. Put on some music.
Music alters our moods and stimulates the brain, so why not use it to ease your mind and reduce stress? Just put on some calming, awesome tunes and enjoy! (It could be Mozart, Buddhist monk chanting, Enya, whatever does the job for you.)
5. Take a few minutes to put up your feet and read THIS book.
Read A Thousand Names for Joy by Byron Katie. This is one of the best books for reducing and eliminating your stress through a simple shift in your mindset and thoughts. Easy to understand and an enjoyable, calming read. You can also read books by Eckhart Tolle.
Bonus Tip: Eat slower — yeah, I know, easier said than done.
Try first to pray over or give thanks for the food on your plate. A lot of work went into getting those raw ingredients to you, let alone the cooking that had to be done to give you the final product you’re about to enjoy. So saying a few words over your food will set the tone for you to appreciate your food, and thereby go a little slower in enjoying it. We always want to eat faster the better it tastes, but the faster you eat, the quicker it’s gone, and the less enjoyment you get out of it. Just enjoy each bite! Chew each one slowly. This method has two benefits: 1. You will get full quicker, which means you’ll eat less and won’t gain “holiday weight” and 2. You will digest much better and won’t have to unhook your belt after the meal.
.….….….….….….……
Acknowledgments:
Some tips were written in conjunction with RawMatt, a professional athlete, certified personal trainer, and ordained minister.
