Lower Stress... Live a Healthier Life!

If you want to keep your health at optimum levels this winter, it will require a little extra effort and vigilance on your part. Are you getting stressed-out due to higher prices for food, job instability, long lines and continued economic uncertainty?

If so, the extra stress can negatively affect your immune system and its ability to avoid infections. No wonder there is a "cold and flu season." The best way to maintain good health this winter is to reduce stress while paying attention to a few simple health habits.

Stress in the form of anger, fear, depression, worry and uncertainty all strongly influence how well your immune system works in three major ways.

First, high stress severely depletes the cells in your immune system that are responsible for maintaining good health. With fewer cells available, your body has a more difficult time adequately containing bacterial, viral and other infections such as the flu.

Second, constant stress also changes your hormone balance elevating cortisol levels (stress hormone) and reducing serotonin levels (feel good hormone). The shift to higher cortisol and lower serotonin levels increases hunger and promotes over-eating (especially simple carbs) and weight gain.

Finally, stress increases the levels of inflammation and free radical formation in your body speeding the development of osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, psoriasis, back pain, arthritis and many other diseases.

Staying healthy through these stressful times is easier than you think.

Click Here to read the entire article and my three suggestions to help get you started.