Boost your vitamin intake

Boost your vitamin intake
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Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Food and Mood, recommends that women take a daily multivitamin and mineral formula that contains between 100 percent and 300 percent of the recommended dietary allowances of vitamin B, as well as calcium, magnesium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc. Stay away from stress formulas, which often contain large amounts of randomly formulated nutrients, such as the B vitamins, but little or nothing else, Somer says.

Here are 10 ways to make vitamins and minerals work better for you. 

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Get horizontal

Get horizontal
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If sex has been on the bottom of your to-do list for too long, move it to the top. Sex increases levels of endorphins, those mood-boosting chemicals in the brain, and it’s one of the best total-body relaxers around, says Louanne Cole Weston, PhD, a sex therapist. Make a date with your mate, and don’t let anything get in the way.

These are the 5 ways sex could help to save your life. 

Admit it

Admit it
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Each of us has uniquely individual stress signals: neck or shoulder pain, shallow breathing, stammering, teeth gritting, queasiness, loss of temper. Learn to identify yours, then say out loud, “I’m feeling stressed,” when they crop up, recommends Dr Rosch. Recognising your personal stress signals helps in managing stress and slows the build-up of negativity and anxiety.

Space out

Space out
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Look out the window and find something natural that captures your imagination, advises Dr Sobel. Notice the clouds rolling by or the wind in the trees. Who knew spacing out could be so beneficial to managing stress?

Try tea

Try tea
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By now most of us know about the calming properties of chamomile tea. But a steaming cup of catnip, passionflower, skullcap or kava kava also work, according to Dr Duke. Whether you use tea bags or loose tea (one teaspoon of tea per cup of boiling water), steep for about 10 minutes to get the full benefits of the herbs.

Take a walk

Take a walk
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Walking forces you to breathe more deeply and improves circulation, says Dr Cooper. Step outside if you can; if that’s not possible, you can gain many of the same benefits simply by walking to the bathroom or water cooler, or by pacing back and forth. “The key is to get up and move,” Dr Cooper says.

Soak it up

Soak it up
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“When I have the time, nothing is more stress relieving for me than a hot bath,” Dr Weston says. “But when I don’t have time, I do the next-best thing: I wash my face or even just my hands and arms with hot water. The key is to imagine that I’m taking a hot bath. It’s basically a visualisation exercise, but the hot water makes it feel real.”

Play a few bars

Play a few bars
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Listening to classical music is more than just a pleasant experience; it’s a healthy one. A number of recent studies have shown that music can do everything from slow heart rate to increase endorphins. Good bets: Bach’s Air on the G-String, Beethoven’s Pastorale symphony, Chopin’s Nocturne in G, Handel’s Water Music, or pianist George Winston’s CDs Autumn or December.

Fall for puppy love

Fall for puppy love
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In a study of 100 women conducted last year at the State University of New York, researchers found that those who owned a dog had lower blood pressure than those who didn’t. If you don’t have a pooch, visit a friend’s. According to researchers, petting an animal for just a couple of minutes helps in managing stress.

Practice mindfulness

Practice mindfulness
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Mindfulness is all about living attentively in the moment, and it leads to relaxation. Heighten your awareness of the moment by focusing intently on an object. Notice a pencil’s shape, colour, weight and feel. Slowly savour a piece of fruit or chocolate. To start your day mindfully, practice these simple morning mindfulness exercises.

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