Small breaks from everyday life help us reduce stress

Learn why stress can make us sick

Simply switch off and forget everything else around you – small breaks in everyday life help us reduce stress, recharge our batteries, increase our performance and be happier in the long term.

What is stress?

Stress is a bodily response that enables us to cope with physical and psychological stimuli. If the brain perceives a situation as stressful, it releases increased amounts of stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. Chronic stress results in the release of these hormones continuously, which can ultimately make us sick. Our immune system is weakened in the long term, making us more susceptible to colds, among other things. Our gastrointestinal system can react with digestive problems, and chronic stress can lead to elevated blood pressure. All of these effects are triggered, among other things, by the stress hormones themselves. Stress can also impact our metabolism, leading to elevated blood sugar or cholesterol levels, for example. The constant release of stress hormones also leads to states of exhaustion, such as sleep disorders and chronic fatigue. To feel well and healthy, your body needs a short or long break every now and then.

Fasting at home allows you to take a conscious break that can be easily integrated into your daily routine. You have to worry about almost nothing, and your body is still supplied with all its beneficial nutrients during the health-promoting fast. Your body is therefore not exposed to any additional stress.

Why is it so important to incorporate breaks into our daily routine?

You get up in the morning and think about what you still have to do this evening. Your day has just begun: checking emails, Facebook, etc. – you have to know what's going on out there.

• Permanent accessibility through digitalization
• Unhealthy diet
• Lack of exercise
• Pressure to perform and deadlines
• Double burden of work and family
• Disturbed day-night rhythm

If this happens continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, these stimuli eventually become stress factors for our body, putting it on alert and causing it to repeatedly release stress hormones. If stress occurs in excess and the body doesn't have sufficient opportunity to relax, stress can harm our body and cause lasting strain.

That's why it's important to incorporate conscious breaks. When we relax, our muscles can relax, and our muscle tone can decrease. Our breathing also becomes calmer, allowing blood to flow regularly through our body again. The cardiovascular system is relieved, and blood pressure and resting heart rate decrease. Our brain receives the signal: " We can calm down again," and our body is told that we are safe.

How are diet and stress related?

Stress reduction through dietary adjustment

A well-nourished body can handle stress factors better, or even effectively. When we feel rushed, we take little to no time for the thing that keeps our bodies running every day: nutrition. Therefore, these days, nutrition is usually the first to suffer when we feel stressed. Everything has to be done quickly, and depending on how we react to constant stress, we eat too much or too little. Then we find ourselves in a hamster wheel of stress and poor nutrition. This ultimately leads to higher stress levels, which can manifest themselves in, for example, sleep disturbances, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.

Our stress hormones cause digestion to slow down. This slows down the absorption of important nutrients, while simultaneously increasing the need for nourishing foods. Our blood sugar and insulin levels rise, causing us to crave fatty and sugary foods. It's important to counteract this by consuming complex carbohydrates such as whole grain products. This slows the rise of blood sugar. Fruits and vegetables provide us with vitamins and trace elements when we're stressed. Some are important and have a positive effect on our nerves and psyche. The B vitamin group is essential for our nervous system. Iron, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 reduce symptoms of tiredness and fatigue.

A break for body and mind with a fasting week at home

You can take a conscious break at any time and incorporate it into your daily routine. To support this, you can use therapeutic fasting at home. Our fasting boxes provide you with healthy nutrients throughout the day, so your body isn't under any additional stress and you can counteract the hamster wheel.

Why sufficient and healthy sleep under optimal conditions (sleep hygiene) is the easiest break

Restful sleep is essential for our body's regeneration and can effectively counteract chronic stress. Sleep is a vital, daily state that allows body and mind to rest. Sleep is essential for our brain. During sleep, waste products are eliminated and information from the day is processed. Restful sleep seems quite simple in theory: lie down, turn off the lights, and close your eyes.

Unfortunately, many of us can't do this, as we're often under pressure in our daily lives and take our thoughts to bed with us. Most of us find it increasingly difficult to switch off. As the saying goes, "Every child can learn to sleep." We can do it too, with a little practice. Sleep hygiene refers to rituals and rules that help us consciously switch off and apply them effectively before going to bed. Gradually, our body adjusts to this and winds down—it becomes conditioned, i.e., trained. Body and mind can thus enjoy a long, restorative rest.

Tips for sleep rituals

• Do not eat much in the evening and do not eat anything that is difficult to digest
• Turn off your mobile phone, laptop and TV at least one hour before going to bed
• If possible, try to go to bed at the same time every day
• Meditate if you want to
• Keep a diary by writing down what you are grateful for
• Reduce stress through exercise

Exercise is an excellent way to reduce stress and give yourself a little break from everyday life. That doesn't mean you have to run miles at a fast pace. Often, your lunch break is enough; it's up to you how you want to use it. Even a brisk walk without getting out of breath is enough to reduce stress. Leaving your office, for example, provides a change of scenery, and the exercise ensures a good supply of oxygen. This revs up your metabolism and reduces your stress hormones.

If possible, get out into nature. It has a positive effect on both body and mind. Perhaps you have a park near your work that you can use for a lunchtime stroll.

Did you know that exercise is said to have the following effects?

• Lowers blood pressure
• Promotes the cardiovascular and metabolic systems
• Promotes concentration and memory performance
• Strengthens your energy level and drive
• Has a stress-relieving effect and much more

You get plenty of fresh air, a different perspective, and it's simply nice to unwind. It also boosts your performance. Increased energy and concentration through active breaks strengthen muscles and thus reduce or even prevent physical ailments. 20-30 minutes two to three times a week is often enough to manage stress.

Adequate fluid intake (water or tea) activates the metabolism and keeps your body running

Why is it so important that our body is supplied with enough water?

Our bodies are largely made up of water, and many of its functions depend on it. Water serves as a transport medium for nutrients to the organs and cells, and thus also for oxygen transport. Water is also important for the removal of metabolic waste products and regulates our body temperature. Many of us forget the simplest thing, especially in stressful everyday situations – DRINK!

Our body can regulate its water balance itself to a certain extent, but stress also puts its organs into a state of emergency. For example, people who drink a lot usually have clear urine, while people who drink little have very dark (concentrated) urine - the body manages water through the kidneys. Our blood becomes thicker, begins to flow more slowly, and the body is therefore less well supplied with oxygen and nutrients. The blood vessels become narrower to increase blood pressure; although the muscles receive proportionally more blood, at the same time systemic blood flow decreases. Symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and dizziness can occur if our central nervous system does not get enough water. To counteract this condition, it helps to drink plenty of water. This allows your body to carry out its normal functions unhindered and get you through the day stress-free.

In medicine, the maxim "the dose makes the poison" applies, so theoretically, you can also "poison yourself with water." According to the above logic, too much water leads to increased blood pressure or even dilutes the body's electrolytes. The right amount of water depends on factors such as exercise, age, gender, and body size.

How do I take a break with therapeutic fasting at home?

Preventive therapeutic fasting at home can be easily integrated into your daily routine. Our 5-day fasting box provides you with all the nutrients you need, so you don't have to worry. This way, you can face the stress ahead with knowledge and tools.

With intermittent fasting in the Salufast app, you can prepare yourself optimally or continue pursuing your goals even after preventative fasting:

- Chronotype determination
- Various intermittent fasting programs
- Circadian rhythm (real-time day-night recommendation)
- Meal tracking
- Water tracker
- Autophagy score

The Salufast app is free of charge and offers access to scientifically based natural medicine and prevention to show users their own options for sustainable health.

Be important to yourself

Author: Naturopath and Coach Sandra Wolschke