Stress. The lowdown. The remedies.

Stress is a funny thing. For many of us, it's a daily occurrence. We all know the signs – a weight on our shoulders, a tightness in our chests, an uneasy feeling in our stomachs...

But how does it really affect us and what can we do about it?

Causes

• Work
• Finances
• Busy schedules
• Family
• Relationships
• Bereavement
• Big life changes
• Anxiety disorders
• Chronic illness

Symptoms

• Muscular tension – particularly jaw, neck and shoulders
• Breathing difficulties – shallow breathing, panic attacks
• Excessive perspiration
• Digestive troubles – bloating, heartburn, knotted stomach, cramps, IBS
• Skin breakouts
• Disturbed sleep
• Fatigue

Repercussions

• Persistent insomnia
• Adrenal exhaustion – 'fight or flight' becomes a knee-jerk reaction
• Reduced energy levels – 'wired but tired' feeling (see above)
• Chronic illnesses – often involving the nervous or digestive system
• Poor absorption of nutrients, leading to fatigue
• Weight loss or gain
• Mood disorders

Solutions

• Live in the NOW. Most stress can be relieved if you stop judging an event through the eyes of the past, in fear of the future. Approach the event in isolation, without sub-text, and focus on the moment with your whole mind and body.

• Let yourself experience the full range of emotions, good and bad. Repressing a feeling buries it deep into your mind and body, and negative emotions have a tendency to rear their ugly heads further down the track. If you feel sad or angry, let the feeling have its place, sit with it for a while. It will pass a lot quicker.

• Don't let your thoughts dictate your happiness. We all do it – wage analytical warfare on our decisions, reasoning through every possible outcome or option until we don't know if we're Arthur or Martha. Next time, go with your gut. You can't always make the 'perfect' decision, just make a decision, and roll with it! Your heart and gut have just as much validity as your thoughts. Give them a chance.

• When you feel your body tensing up, take notice. Pause for a second. Listen. Take a few deep breaths, drink some water, shut your eyes for a minute, then restart.

• Be kind to yourself. You don't need to perform miracles and you can't do everything or be everything to everyone.

• Laugh. It's important to maintain perspective, and see the fun in things.

• Sleep. This one's a no-brainer. Sleep helps. It really is that simple. If you can't get enough shut-eye, try a herbal calmative or, if you have exhausted all natural remedies, speak to your doctor. Nothing you do will heal your mind and body the way sleep will.

Time for a little coaching?

When it comes to health and wellness, we’ve got your back here at Urban Remedy. So much so, that we are taking cleansing to a whole new level to keep you healthy, well and of course happy!

Drum roll please! Introducing our brand-spanking-new...

Urban Remedy

Health Coaching Programs

What is health coaching, we hear you say? Well, we’ll let Claire answer that.

Meet Claire Obeid, our very own Resident Health Coach, who just happens to be a little bit (okay, a lot) keen on health and wellness:

“Health Coaching is a fantastic opportunity to work one-on-one with a knowledgeable (certified and trained) advisor who will provide you with the support, guidance and information to set health and wellness goals, but also help you achieve them in a sustainable way!”

Think about this. Have you ever wanted to change something in your life – your relationship with food, your fitness level, your overall happiness, your lifestyle habits – but you didn’t know where to start, how to make it happen, or even what change really looks like?

That’s where a Health Coach can help. Our delicious and nutritious (if we do say so) cleanses are an amazing way to kick-start new healthy habits, but sometimes we need a little push and shove to stay on track and build the healthy habit momentum. 

Claire will devise a personalised program – based on your needs and where you are at on your own wellness journey – that will radically improve your health, wellness and happiness. If you’re not ready to launch into a full blown program, Claire can start you off with an individual session and you can take it from there, no strings attached.

Want better skin? More energy? Less stress? Would you like to feel balanced? Learn how to cook? Understand your body? Be aware?

Do we hear a YES? Well then, get in touch. If you would like to check out our individual sessions and health coaching packages, or just want a little more info, it’s all here.

Let’s keep it simple. Let’s get back to basics.

We were talking about what we like at the Urban Remedy HQ today. We like: green juice, warming soups, yummy smoothies (no surprises here)… and... well, we’re all a little bit methodical and organised (read geeky) so we also really like lists. When it came to discussing what we don’t like, we were pretty unanimous: we don’t like over-complicating things. And that definitely applies to the world of health.

It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of the latest fad or to feel overwhelmed by the multitude of nutritional choices and suggestions out there. Breathe. It’s okay. You probably know a lot more than you realise. When it comes to living well and being healthy, we like to believe that you know best. You just have to tune into your body and get back to the basics.

To help you do so, we’ve compiled a list of super simple guidelines to living well. We’re guessing you know it all already but that’s kind of the point. Sometimes it’s good to remember that it’s not rocket science, that we already have all the information we need to be healthy and happy.

And because we’re total list junkies, here’s... well, a list of...

10 simple health rules:

1.      Always eat breakkie – king. of. meals.

2.      Drink more water – nope, not 2 litres all at once… sip it, slowly

3.      Know your food – make your own or find out what’s in the stuff you buy!

4.      Read the label – look out for trans-fats, sugar and nasty additives

5.      Keep moving – if you can’t do a workout, get your walk or stretch on

6.      Get enough sleep –  6 hours min… find a routine that works for you

7.      Identify your cravings – better yet, find a healthy way to enjoy them

8.      Reduce your stress levels – ask yourself: will worrying change anything?

9.      Listen to your body – are you hungry, thirsty, in need of some TLC?

10.    Take the time to eat – food is there to enjoy!

You’re the boss. Tune into your awesomeness.