Fall is a season of change. Fiery growth ignites once-verdant hills, school year bustle re-launches at full speed, crisp breezes sweep away the last of a lazy summer.
With the autumnal return to activity, schedules can overflow while stress runs high. In the moment, it may seem impossible to sync a packed calendar with a healthy lifestyle. Luckily there’s an easy way to boost well-being: establish wholesome habits at the start of the season.
There’s a certain power to setting patterns. For better or worse, our routines often stick. Begin with the right one to maximize mental and physical strength.
Stressed About Stress
While brief bouts of stress can motivate efficient work, long-term pressure leads to fatigue. The strain chronic exhaustion places on the immune system can have a pernicious influence on total well-being, increasing the likelihood of more serious health issues.
As The Miami Herald reported in 2014, over 75% of all doctor’s visits are for stress-related ailments and concerns. The top five causes of death in the US — among them, heart disease and cancer — can also be linked to mental strain.
So what exactly is stress? Biologically speaking, it’s a natural chemical response to our perception of danger. When your brain senses a threat, it releases more cortisol and adrenaline, the hormones responsible for that thumping heart and dry mouth you may experience in moments of extreme nerves. The truth of the science is, while these chemical signals may have helped our prehistoric ancestors fend off physical dangers, they aren’t essential for success in an office job. In fact, they may do more harm than good. Long-term elevated cortisol levels can weaken immune defenses and other vital bodily functions.
Blood Type Variations
The way the brain handles daily stressors varies with different blood types. Because Type As have naturally elevated levels of cortisol, they destress better with relaxing exercises, like yoga, than from strenuous ones, like distance running. Type Os, on the other hand, tend to need intense workouts to drain adrenaline, which they can struggle to clear from their system if they are too sedentary.
These tips on balancing work and health will help you build exercise and other beneficial practices into your daily routine:
- Exercise deliberately. Working out when already tired takes determination. Next time you’re dragging yourself out of bed for a run, try reminding yourself why you’re exercising. As reported in the 2016 publication Smarter, Faster Better, acknowledging our reason for action allows us to take mental responsibility for our choices. Something as simple as defining purpose can be motivational.
- Take The Blood Type Diet with you. Remembering to fit beneficial-rich meals into a busy schedule can be tricky. And if you’re shopping for multiple blood types, buying healthy can be even more complicated. The Blood Type Diet App is a handy reference great for checking beneficials, neutrals, and avoids on the go. Or, if you prefer print, try Eat Right For Your Type pocket guides (O, A, B, AB).
- Prep meals ahead of time. Pre-planning your weekly recipes is an easy way to stay healthy. And we’ll let you in on a secret: it doesn’t have to be complicated. Sample our lunchbox prepping guidelines for simple meals perfect for young and old alike. For more organizational support or help measuring diet compliance, try the weekly planner feature of our free, web-based application DietBuddy.
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