lets-talk-about-the-impact-of-stress-on-your-health Stress is something which, unfortunately, cannot be avoided in life. Whether it is your work, your family or another pressing issue that you have to deal with, it is inevitable that at some point, your stress levels will rise to a point where you feel it is beyond your control. What impact does this have on your health?               Stress can contribute to many health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes, but it can also affect your mind, your behaviour and in turn, cause weight gain. Many spend their lives working to maintain a good diet, remain active and in some cases, lose a significant amount of weight, so it could be considered quite unfair that stress has the power to unravel your hard work - yet sadly it is quite common. What can you do to avoid stress? Now we’re not saying that by following this advice you will remain stress free for the rest of your life, because sadly there is no guarantee of that for anyone, but little changes to your lifestyle can make a huge difference. Take time to breathe – It sounds simple, but learning to breathe in a healthy and calm way, such as through yoga or meditation, can allow you to become more aware of how you treat your body. Getting your breathing under control and remembering this during a stressful situation can avoid any further developments, such as enhanced stress or even a panic attack. You diet counts – You might feel that the doughnut to your right is the answer to all of your problems, but sadly, it is not. It might be a delicious treat to distract you from your concerns for a couple of minutes, but the point here is that it won’t last. That, and the fact you’ll end up craving more because of the sugar intake, and may even find yourself eating uncontrollably of the course of the day. Bridget Jones eating ice-cream in a duvet fort comes to mind. Eating good, nutritious food will satisfy those stress induced hunger cravings, all while giving you that required brain power. Get some fresh air – A walk, jog or cycle in the fresh air will do wonders for your mentality. Doing this when you’re stressed is a good option, but to work on reducing your stress on a more long-term basis, we suggest making this a regular part of your weekly routine. Taking time out to regain that organised and serene mind-set is something we should all be doing, multiple times per week. Another benefit? The exercise is always an added bonus. Utilise the benefits of exercise – Further to walking in the fresh air, attending a regular fitness class, hitting the treadmill, bike or elliptical, or working through a strength workout a few times per week is excellent for reducing stress. Exercise releases a chemical known as endorphins, which triggers a positive feeling. Frequent physical activity has endless benefits that really are worth the time and effort. As they say, whoever regrets a workout? Not matter how much stress you might be put under, tackling it head on from the very beginning will hugely support your energy, your productivity and your control.