LEAN Living: Stress Mgt lessons from vacay

Last week, my husband, Jay, and I 'got lost' in the Caribbean for an entire week. 🏝 We don't do big vacations like that very often (like once every 10 years it seems). As a health coach who advocates living a LEAN life focusing on whole plant food nutrition, I was quickly reminded of just how important stress management truly is for overall good health.

Here's what I mean...

There are many seasons in life, and as a couple, we've had some doozies recently, and taking a stress-free, unplugging kind of vacation was just what was needed. Details aside, we've had some fairly significant stressors lately. Stress can be good and it can be not-so-good.

Good stress is like working hard toward something you really want, like a wedding or job.  Not-so-good stress is what many of us are very familiar with, such as a major traumatic life event, difficult relationship situation, or illness.

Stress is part of life, and managing it well as part of a whole wellness system is important. The good news is that we can have positive impact on our health by managing stress (and all aspects of wellness).

Stress management can be achieved by reducing exposure to stressors and/or practicing strategies that alleviate stress.

When I went through my health coach training, the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute focused its curriculum on a LEAN lifestyle. This is a great way to 'package' life into 4 areas that, when well developed and managed with the right tools, will manifest in good health.

What is LEAN living?

L - Lifestyle - How we set up our lives matters. Do we live actively, or sedentary? Do we surround ourselves with things we enjoy or do we just go through the motions to please others? Do we take 'time out' to unwind or keep at the grind stone? Do we have a support system that helps us navigate stressors? Surrounding ourselves with positive social connections help us perceive less threat in the face of stressors and mitigates the stress response of higher cortisol levels and manifested physical ailments. Set up a lifestyle that empowers you to navigate stressors when the come.

E - Exercise - Getting enough physical activity plays a key role in overall good health. It is recommended to get at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every week. This means getting the heart pumping regularly will help create strong vascular health and helps the body function well. Spending time with nature and animals also helps alleviate stress response by easing mental strain. Going for a walk in the woods ('forest bathing') or spending time with animals (visit the zoo!) are two great examples of spending time with nature.

A - Attitude - Having a positive outlook on things, a mindset that is optimistic and forward-looking, will create hope and opportunity for one's life. Stress management and quality sleep play key roles in living a LEAN lifestyle. Taking steps to manage stress and getting the recommended 7-9 hours of quality sleep nightly helps to balance hormones, gives the body time to rest and repair and creates the ability to navigate life from an empowered position vs. a victim or reactive position.

N - Nutrition - This aspect of LEAN living may have the biggest impact on health. Eating in a way that promotes health, in a consistent manner, fuels the body so that it can live in a healthy state for a longer period of time. It's like making an investment for the future. Eating healthfully now, pays off not just today but also in years to come. Good health isn't just the absence of disease. Good health is also strong mental capabilities, feeling good, having energy and enjoying life to its fullest. Good health starts with what we put in our mouths.

Furthermore, plant foods may aid stress management and other psychological conditions through a “psychobiotic” effect, in which the gut microbiota influences brain function through neural and hormonal pathways. The gut microbiota is especially influenced by diet quality and, while the Western diet is associated with dysbiosis, a high-fiber diet (eg, whole, plant-based foods) promotes a gut microbial profile associated with good physical and mental health. Consequentially, attention to consuming more servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes should be encouraged as a stress-coping strategy. (Lifestyle Medicine and Stress Management; Kaylan A. Baban, MD, MPH; Darren P. Morton, PhD; doi: 10.12788/jfp.0285)

Now, back to the today's topic of stress. How can we manage stress well? Vacation get-aways are perfect for dealing with stress but those are infrequent. We can manage stress daily by implementing LEAN lifestyle strategies as briefly outlined above.

Which ones will you implement starting today?

Cheers to your health!

💚 Melissa

P.S. If you want support to help manage the stress in your life, hit email me and say "I'm ready!" -- then we can schedule a time to chat and get you answers for your LEAN lifestyle!