B Vitamins May Provide Natural Stress Relief
Recent studies have found links between high levels of stress and an increased risk of heart disease, depression and anxiety.
B vitamins play a well-documented role in mood disorders, as they are essential for synthesizing mood-boosting neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, and may help prevent age-related cognitive decline. A few B vitamins also support heart health by helping to lower homocysteine levels, since elevated homocysteine is a risk factor for heart disease.
A new study assessed the effects of a B-complex supplement on measures of work-related stress, personality, anxiety, and mood. For 12 weeks, 60 people were assigned to take either two tablets per day of a supplement containing a nutrient-herb blend, or a placebo. The supplement contained:
- the full spectrum of B vitamins;
- calcium, magnesium, and vitamin C, which are nutrients known to help with the stress response; and
- passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) and oats (Avena sativa), which have been used historically to soothe the nervous system.
At the end of the supplementation period, personal strain levels improved 19% in people who had taken the supplement, whereas no change was noted in the placebo group. The supplement group also indicated decreases in feelings of depression/dejection, anger/hostility, and tension/anxiety, as well as less fatigue and confusion.
Since the B-complex used in this study contained other ingredients, this study cannot tell us which constituents caused the beneficial effects, or whether this particular combination carries some specific effect. Future studies should focus on isolating the effects of these ingredients on stress relief.
Staying active during the holiday season can be a challenge. If the weather is not too bad then walking in the open air - as long as you keep very warm- is always benficial and can help with side effects such as muscle aches. Even if you walk slowly- 20 minutes around the block!
Try to exercise for 10 minutes three times a day. If you can't get outside the a 10-minute 'walk' up and down stairs can only help.
Remember to drink plenty of of plain water in addition to tea, coffee, juice (and especially if you drink wine, beer etc).
The number one cause of daytime fatigue is dehydration.
Tip: Try to drink at least 3 large glasses of water a day- I drink at least one glass of plain water before meals. Actually I drink naturally carbonated water but that is my personal taste. I also add Vit C as I find it easier to drink plain water that way. Adding a slice of fresh lemon or lime can also help encourage you to drink more water.
If cramps stop you from sleeping then heat packs are really helpful (as well as stretching excercises).
Hope this is helpful
Sandy
