Your permission to eat chocolate!

it is so important we are doing something for stress right now. There aren’t too many people not stressed over what’s going on in the world right now.

Did you know stress is the number 1 cause of disease?

It will disrupt your sleep, hormones, mental health, mood, gut permeability (hello autoimmune diseases, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s- the list goes on).

If there’s one thing you learn to do, it’s work on ways to regulate your stress. Show your kids how you do it too.

Find POSITIVE body loving ways to do this. This doesn’t include binge eating bad foods, drugs or alcohol that feel good at the time.

Some ways I regulate stress are:
1. A walk/ run in nature.

2. Bare foot grounding my feet in the grass.

3. Box breathing- in through the nose for 4 right down to the belly, hold for 4, exhale through the mouth for 4. It tells every cell in your body you are no longer in fight or flight.

4. Essential oils- the smell-brain connection is amazing. Find an oil that calms you & inhale. This can work really fast.

5. A bath- pop some detoxing magnesium & oils in & just be for a moment.

6. Read a book or watch a movie- a funny one!

7. Drink a calming cup of tea- chamomile is amazing.

8. Hug- it releases the ‘feel good hormone.’

9. Be around friends & family who are positive and make you laugh.

10. This is your permission to eat chocolate! There is an undeniable link between chocolate and our mood. Studies have shown that eating chocolate can actually make you happier. In moderation!! Dark chocolate in particular is best for you, as it contains more flavonols and polyphenols, two hugely important antioxidants which can help combat stress! Go for 70%+ cocoa as anything full of sugar is not going to help you in the long run.

Which number/s are you using to help with stress or which will you start?