Here are 6 tips to manage your stress levels

Strategies to help manage stress and impact both physical and mental health:

Mindful eating:

Creating a stress-free zone can help you savour your food at a leisurely pace without pressure. Mindful eating is based on taking the time to truly enjoy your meal without rushing. This can reduce bloating and general stomach discomfort. It can also help you become more in tune with your hunger as you start to observe how your body feels before, during and after a meal.

Food groups, including fermented foods (such as kimchi, kefir, pickles, yogurt, kombucha, miso, idli, dosa), spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, fruits and vegetables, pulses which include beans, lentils and nuts, are all beneficial to gut health. Foods rich in prebiotic fibre like garlic, bananas, onions, asparagus, celery, berries and foods containing insoluble fibre benefit our gut-brain axis.

Meditation:

Start by meditating a few minutes each day. Gratitude journals are also an effective form of meditation. A simple but powerful way is to physically put pen to paper and write down what you’re grateful for each day.

Movement:

Gentle, mindful exercise like light stretching, yoga, tai chi or even a brisk walk through the park can help relax both your mind and body.

Breathing Exercises:

Pranayama can greatly influence your stress and anxiety levels and can help balance hormones that cause these feelings of stress and anxiety in the body.

Mindfulness:

as told to Delna Mistry Anand