Stress Awareness Week

Stress is usually thought of as mental and emotional overload from a difficult life event such as a death or a divorce, or ongoing, everyday pressure connected to work, family or finances. However stress can occur in many forms including physical, nutritional and electromagnetic.

Whilst we can’t always change the source of the stress we can often reshape the way we manage it.

Mental stress is often exacerbated by the constant stream of thoughts that circulate in the mind creating a sense of impending doom. These can affect digestion, blood flow, immunity, breathing and muscles where we often store stress. Think of those tight shoulders, or aching back.

As it can be hard to clear the mind of worries, it can be easier to replace them. One of my favourite ways to do this is the Ho’oponopono mantra.

I am sorry

Please forgive me

I love you

I thank you

Repeat constantly for a whole day and see how you feel at the end of the day. People and past events may pop into your mind, keep repeating the mantra and let them clear as they will likely be related to old events you haven’t fully processed and let go of.

Managing Emotional stress can be helped by strengthening the head - heart connection and learning to be at peace with ourselves. If we start with the heart and ask ‘how does this sit in my heart’ we can then ask the head to help us navigate a way to a better place if that’s what we need. Following our heart and asking the head to guide us (rather than the other way round) can be the way to a more fulfilling, fun and therefore less stressful life. And the Ho’oponopono mantra above is also a great practice to help us clear the way to a more calm and connected way of being.

Physical stress can be caused by too much sitting, driving, computer/screen work or repetitive tasks. Regular varied movement is important to keep the physical body happy. This can include a walk, preferably in a natural environment, a yoga or chi gong session, or stretching and gently moving the body in various ways to stimulate energy and blood flow.

Nutritional stress can be related to eating on the run and not giving time for digestion, eating overly processed foods which have little nutrient value but take up energy and nutrients to break down and assimilate, not having enough of certain nutrients, or not eating the best foods for our individual body.

Take time to choose good, fresh, nutritious foods.

Take time to cook delicious meals, it’s a great season for slow cook soups and stews.

Take time to sit at the table, eat and enjoy.

Electromagnetic (EMF) Stress - sources of EMFs are everywhere, mobile phones, wifi, computers, smart meters. These can affect the body’s own electromagnetic fields. The heart is the most powerful source of electromagnetic energy in the human body, producing the largest rhythmic electromagnetic field of any of the body's organs. Ways to mitigate EMF stress include -

Turning your phone to Airplane mode as often as possible, and always at night.

Turning off Wifi at night and when it’s not being used.

No screens or tech in the bedroom.

Sitting at a good distance from any router or similar.

Knowing the sources of EMFs and starting to reduce them.

Often there are multiple sources of stress which can build up. Making small but significant changes as suggested above can help us start to feel better, and therefore more able to manage stress and recognise and reduce or remove the source.

For more information and to get in contact with Maria, you can click on her details below to go to her profile.

Maria Franklin MBPsS, KFRP

EMMETT Technique Advanced Practitioner Level 6, Kinesiology & NES BioEnergetiX WellNES

Energy and Health

Bringing Change to Life