INFORMATIVE SPEECH

NAME : NURIYAH IZZATI BT SYAFAWI

STUDENT ID : 2020828566
GROUP : AS590-10
SPEECH TITLE : STRESS; HOW TO REDUCE IT?
 INFORMATIVE SPEECH DRAFT TEMPLATE
(Describing chart[s] and/or graph[s])

Name: NURIYAH IZZATI BT SYAFAWI Topic: Ways to overcome stress.

Matric number: 2020828566 Group: AS2531A1

This exercise requires you to provide an outline for your informative speech by filling in the following
template.

The outline of your speech should include:

 introduction,
 description and analysis of chart(s) and/or graph(s),
 conclusion and recommendation.

In this exercise, you need to choose at least one chart and/or graph related to your topic. Describe
the important data (facts and figures) and the salient features of the data from the chosen chart(s)
and/or graph(s). You are also required to choose at least one (1) article related to your topic. Select
relevant information from the chosen article(s) to provide some supporting information for the data.

Introduction
Introduce topic How to overcome stress

Credibility According to The American Psychological Association, in 2019,

more than three-quarters of adults report physical and emotional
symptoms of stress such as headache, feeling tired, or changes in
sleeping habits.
Background of topic Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come
from anything that makes you feel angry, frustrated or nervous. We
can experience stress from the environment, body and our own
thoughts. Generally, stress is your body’s reaction to a challenge
or demand.
Central Idea
“People are disturbed not by a thing, but by their perception of a
thing.” — Epictetus

Stress is a normal reaction to everyday pressure but it could bring

harm to our health if we does not cope well with the pressures.
Stress is ubiquitous and follow us everywhere. Since we could not
avoid it, we should know on how to manage and overcome the
stress in our daily life.

Body
(Describing chart[s] and/or graph[s])
I. Description of data 1. The bar chart shows the top activities to reduce stress
among Americans with a great deal of stress.

Updated: 20 August 2020

(Chart 1) 2. It can be seen that spending time with family or friends has
the highest percent which is 71% to reduce stress among
Americans.
3. Meditate or pray and spend time outdoors have a similar
percentage which is 57% to overcome stress.
Analysis of data 4. Spend time with family or friends becomes the first choice
activity to reduce stress because family or friends are the
(Chart 1)
closest people to us. They know everything about us. This
will make us feel comfortable around them to express our
problems and feelings.
5. Meanwhile, spend time with a pet has the lowest
percentage to reduce stress because certain people feel
more stressed when they get involved with a pet. On
another side, certain people feel that pets can help them to
calm down and relax, therefore helping to eliminate the
stress. Some pets especially cats and dogs can sense
stress in their owners and will sit with them until it is gone.
Conclusion
Conclusion Stress can cause malfunction for humans in their lives and this

will affect the health, psychology, and daily life of people. To have

a happy life, we should know the ways to overcome stress.

Recommendation/s We should not see every pressure in life as bad stress. Some

pressure could lead us to become a better person in the future.

People also should be living a healthy life, so that the stress could

not disturb our daily life anymore.

Lecturer’s Comment/s

Updated: 20 August 2020

 INFORMATIVE SPEECH DRAFT TEMPLATE
(Describing chart[s] and/or graph[s])

Name: NURIYAH IZZATI BT SYAFAWI Topic: Ways to overcome stress.

Matric number: 2020828566 Group: AS2531A1

This exercise requires you to provide an outline for your informative speech by filling in the following
template.

The outline of your speech should include:

 introduction,
 description and analysis of chart(s) and/or graph(s),
 conclusion and recommendation.

In this exercise, you need to choose at least one chart and/or graph related to your topic. Describe
the important data (facts and figures) and the salient features of the data from the chosen chart(s)
and/or graph(s). You are also required to choose at least one (1) article related to your topic. Select
relevant information from the chosen article(s) to provide some supporting information for the data.

Introduction
Introduce topic To inform my audience about how to overcome stress.

Credibility Since I am a university student and often been in a stressful

situation, I have done some research regarding to stress.
Background of topic Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come
from anything that makes you feel angry, frustrated or nervous. We
can experience stress from the environment, body and our own
thoughts. Generally, stress is your body’s reaction to a challenge
or demand.
Central Idea
“People are disturbed not by a thing, but by their perception of a
thing.” — Epictetus

Stress is a normal reaction to everyday pressure but it could bring

harm to our health if we does not cope well with the pressures.
Stress is ubiquitous and follow us everywhere. Since we could not
avoid it, we should know on how to manage and overcome the
stress in our daily life.

Body
(Describing chart[s] and/or graph[s])
I. Description of data 1. The bar chart shows the top activities to reduce stress
among Americans with a great deal of stress.
(Chart 1)
2. It can be seen that spending time with family or friends has
the highest percent which is 71% to reduce stress among
Americans.

Updated: 20 August 2020

 3. Meditate or pray and spend time outdoors have a similar
percentage which is 57% to overcome stress.
Analysis of data 4. Spend time with family or friends becomes the first choice
activity to reduce stress because family or friends are the
(Chart 1)
closest people to us. They know everything about us. This
will make us feel comfortable around them to express our
problems and feelings.
5. Meanwhile, spend time with a pet has the lowest
percentage to reduce stress because certain people feel
more stressed when they get involved with a pet. On
another side, certain people feel that pets can help them to
calm down and relax, therefore helping to eliminate the
stress. Some pets especially cats and dogs can sense
stress in their owners and will sit with them until it is gone.
Conclusion
Conclusion We can concluded that spend time with family or friends, spend

time outdoor, meditate or pray and also eat healthfully can helps

us to reduce stress in daily life.

Recommendation/s I recommend you to follow all the ways that mentioned above to

reduce your stress. You should not look down on stress as it can

affect your health if you do not have a proper ways to manage it.

Lecturer’s Comment/s

Updated: 20 August 2020

PREPARATION OUTLINE (INFORMATIVE SPEECH)

NAME : NURIYAH IZZATI BT SYAFAWI

ID : 2020828566

GROUP : AS2531A1

TITLE: How to deal with stress?

GENERAL PURPOSE: To inform the audience about how to deal with stress.

CENTRAL IDEA: Stress is a normal reaction to everyday pressure but it could bring harm to our
health if we do not cope well with the pressures. Stress is ubiquitous and follows us everywhere.
Since we could not avoid it, we should know how to deal with and overcome the stress in our daily
life.

INTRODUCTION

I. Attention getter
Are you nervous, anxious, irritable, or moody? Do you feel your muscles are tense? Are
you have trouble keeping things straight and thinking clearly? If the answer to these
entire questions is yes, then you are in a state of tension or stress.

Credibility statement
As I am a university student and often been in a stressful situation, I have done some
research regarding stress. According to the American Psychological Association in 2019,
more than three-quarters of adults report physical and emotional symptoms of stress such
as headache, feeling tired, or changes in sleeping habits (Stress,2020).

II. Background of topic

Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from anything that makes
you feel angry, frustrated, or nervous. We can experiences stress from the environment,
 body, and also our thoughts. In psychology, the term stress is used to refer both to
heightened mental and body states.

III. Relevancy statement

Stress is ubiquitous and follows us everywhere. Since we could not avoid it, we should
figure out on how to manage and deal with stress.

IV. Preview
Today, the purpose of my presentation is to inform you about how to reduce stress. My
talk today consists of the top 4 activities that can reduce stress based on the graph which
is to spend time with family or friends, spend time outdoor, meditate and pray and eat
healthfully.

(Transition: As you can see from the chart, these are the top activities to reduce stress
among Americans with a great deal of stress)

BODY
I. Main Point 1: Spend time with family or friends
A. Supporting detail: From the bar chart, we can see that spend time with family
or friends has the highest percentage which is 71% of the top activities to
reduce stress among Americans with a great deal of stress.
1. Sub-detail: Many researchers have found how important a network of
loved ones and family can be to our well-being (Guzman,J.2017).
Spending time with family or friends teaches us interpersonal
communication skills including healthy and constructive ways to
discuss, debate, and solve problems.
2. Sub-detail: As they are the closest people in our life, we feel more
comfortable talking about anything including things that stresses us out.
 3. Sub-detail: When we spending time with our loved ones, immediately
we will forget all the stress and pressures that we had before as we have
strong emotional ties.
a. To illustrate my point, consider when you spend time with family or
friends, you will know there is always a group of family members
that support you ( Guzman,J.2020). Knowing that you belong, you
are cared for, and you are needed, these assurances give you the
motivation to push forward, grow, and succeed.
b. For example, when we have a problem, we will seek out our family
or friends to tell our problem instead of other unhealthy ways.

(Transition: Now, let’s turn to the next point which is spend time outdoor and meditate and pray.)

II. Main Point 2: Spend time outdoor and meditate and pray
A. You will notice from this bar chart that mediates and pray and spend time
outdoor has the same percentage which is 57% and rank second for the
activities that can reduce stress choosed by the respondents.
1. Spend time outdoor involves physical activity and leisure activity. It could
be anything as long it involving the nature.
a. For example, hiking, walking and travelling,
2. Having something pleasant to focus on like trees and greenery helps you
to distract your mind from negative thinking, so your thoughts become
less-filled with worry.
b. For instance, calming nature sounds and even outdoor silence can
lower the blood pressure and level of the stress hormone cortisol
which calm the body’s fight-or-flight response.
3. On the other side, meditate and pray can give sense of calm, peace and
overall health.
c. For example, when you meditate or pray, you will clear away the
information that builds up everyday and contribute to your stress.

(Transition: Now, let’s move on to eat healthfully as the next point.)

III. Main point 3: Eat healthfully
A. Eat healthfully is slightly lower than spend time outdoor and mediates and
pray which is 55% and rank for third place for the top activities that can
reduce stress among Americans with a great deal of stress.
1. You can handle stress better when you are as healthy as possible, so eating
nutritiously is a good defense against stress.
2. Comfort full that is full of fat and sugar can worsen your stress level.
Foods that are high in good nutrients can help our body feel good and
reduce our stress response. It also can help to improve our mood, energy,
and immunity.
a. For instance, you must reduce your caffeine intake as caffeine can
stimulant and increases your levels of stress hormones.
b. Comfort foods like a bowl of warm oatmeals can boost levels of
serotonin which is a calming brain chemical. Other foods can cut
levels of cortisol and adrenaline, stress hormones that take a toll on the
body over time.

CONCLUSION

i. I would like to re-cap the main point as the activities that can reduce stress
which is spend time with family or friend, spend time outdoor, mediatate and
pray and eat healthfully.
ii. Stress is natural part of life, without it you would lose your energy for living
but if it’s too much or too little, it will limit your effectiveness. So, it is very
important for us to know ways on how to deal stress in daily life. Surely, we
do not want our life filled with worries and affected our health just because we
do not know how to deal with stress. Let me finish by saying a quote from
Epictetus, “People are disturbed not by a thing, but by their perception of a
thing.”
 REFERENCES

A beginner's guide to meditation. (2020, April 22). Retrieved from

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858

Edison Institute of Nutrition. (2020, June 19). How Does Eating Healthy Reduce Stress.
Retrieved from https://www.edisoninst.com/2018/09/eating-to-manage-stress/

Guzman, J. (2017, January 12). Spend time with family to manage stress. Retrieved from
https://www.tsln.com/opinion/spend-time-with-family-to-manage-stress/

Healthy Eating to Decrease Stress. (2019, December 15). Retrieved from

https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/ta4631

Publishing, H. H. (2018, July). Sour mood getting you down? Get back to nature. Retrieved
November 13, 2020, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/sour-mood-getting-you-down-
get-back-to-nature

Stress. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.apa.org/topics/stress#:~:text=Stress%20facts%20and%20tips&text=More%20than%20thre
e%2Dquarters%20of,time%20with%20friends%20or%20family
 Stress:
How to
reduce
it?
By: NURIYAH IZZATI BT SYAFAWI
WHAT IS STRESS?
STRESS IS PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL
TENSION DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE
PRESSURE IN DAILY LIFE.

ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN

PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION(2019),
MORE THAN THREE-QUARTERS ADULTS
REPORT PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL
SYMPTOMS OF STRESS SUCH AS
HEADACHE, FEELING TIRED AND
CHANGES IN SLEEPING HABITS.
4 TOPS ACTIVITIES TO REDUCE STRESS
CHOOSEN BY RESPONDENT BASED ON THE
CHART
✓ SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY OR
FRIEND
✓SPEND TIME OUTDOOR
✓ MEDITATE OR PRAY
✓EAT HEALTHFULLY
“People are disturbed not by a thing, but
by their perception of a thing”
-Epictetus-

THANK YOU!
ADDITION MATERIALSM (ARTICLES)

Spend time with family to manage stress

Opinion OP I NI ON | January 12, 2017

Jackie Guzman
Extension Educator, Scotts Bluff County

All families require strengthening and nurturing on a regular basis. However, in times of crisis
and stress research tells us that family stress impacts even the youngest members of the family.
Stress, whether it comes from family finances, a death, divorce, bullying, or what children hear
in the news, can impact a child’s sense of security.

Fostering resilience in children is a common phrase these days. What does resilience mean?
Resilience is the ability to adapt well to adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or even significant
sources of stress (as defined by the American Psychological Association).

In reality, life is full of stressors. Helping children manage stress, feelings of anxiety and
uncertainty, by building a strong foundation before stress or adversity strikes a family, can
determine how well or quickly a child will be able to cope in difficult situations. Here are some
suggestions:

1. Build a support system. Take the time to build relationships with all members of the family.
This takes time and a concerted effort by each. Focus on communicating, working together,
supporting each other, celebrating accomplishments, and most importantly, spending time
together. Then each family member recognizes that there is always a group of family members to
support them. This may include your immediate family, extended family members or close
friends that you and your children can depend upon and are willing to help ease life’s difficulties.

2. Maintain daily routines. For young children, especially during times of stress or change,
maintaining a daily routine is important. They know that they can count on this routine and the
caregivers or teachers that are engaged in their lives. It is helpful for these caregivers and
teachers to be informed of the changes or anxiety a child maybe experiencing in order to help
meet the child’s needs.

3. Be Positive and optimistic. If you can always find the positive in a situation, your child too
will look for the positive in life’s ups and downs. This helps children recognize that this is life
and there will always be setbacks, but they can be overcome together as a family. Remember that
laughter too helps reduce stress and helps see the bright side of life. Seeing a difficult situation
arise as a family and being optimistic helps children learn that this too shall pass and we will
make it through as a family.
4. Accept change. Times of divorce or separation can cause great stress or even cause children to
experience some stages of grief. It is important for parents to be able to recognize the symptoms.
First reassure children that this is not their fault and that sometimes things change. However,
your love for them will not change and will continue. Most important is to remember that
regardless of the change children need both parents involved in the lives of their children as your
family makes this transition.

5. Have fun. Taking time to do something fun as a family will help everyone de-stress and get
their minds on something else. By doing this parents model for children how to cope. Having fun
doesn’t have to cost money (sometimes finances are a stressor). Take time to play a board game,
go for a walk, have a picnic, just do something that gets the family laughing and enjoying each
other.

6. Serve others. Participating in some type of community service or service to others as a family
for someone less fortunate helps put things into perspective.

Many researchers have found how important a network of loved ones and friends can be to our
well-being. Carolyn Attneave, a family therapist and psychologist, cited a classic University of
Washington study that found patients actually lived longer if they had lots of loved ones and
friends. Individuals who had at least 16 people with whom they related in their social network
survived and flourished while on kidney dialysis. But, “those persons with the best physical
prognosis in the world who were apparently healthy specimens but did not have outside
resources died within a year. They died despite the doctors saying, ‘This is a good risk.’”

By reaching out, we are giving each other, literally, the gift of life, and our morale increases. We
learn new ways of managing difficulties in life from each other. We invest enjoyable time with
each other. We enhance our personal feelings of self-esteem and confidence.

You always get back what you give, and if you really think about it, you probably get back a lot
more. (Excerpt from Creating a Strong Family Commitment: The Importance of Fostering
Community; UNL NebGuide G1839)
Meditation: A simple, fast way to reduce stress
Meditation can wipe away the day's stress, bringing with it inner peace. See how
you can easily learn to practice meditation whenever you need it most.
By Mayo Clinic Staff

If stress has you anxious, tense and worried, consider trying meditation. Spending even
a few minutes in meditation can restore your calm and inner peace.
Anyone can practice meditation. It's simple and inexpensive, and it doesn't require any
special equipment.
And you can practice meditation wherever you are — whether you're out for a walk,
riding the bus, waiting at the doctor's office or even in the middle of a difficult business
meeting.

Understanding meditation
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years. Meditation originally was meant
to help deepen understanding of the sacred and mystical forces of life. These days,
meditation is commonly used for relaxation and stress reduction.
Meditation is considered a type of mind-body complementary medicine. Meditation can
produce a deep state of relaxation and a tranquil mind.
During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled
thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process may result
in enhanced physical and emotional well-being.

Benefits of meditation
Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit both your
emotional well-being and your overall health.
And these benefits don't end when your meditation session ends. Meditation can help
carry you more calmly through your day and may help you manage symptoms of certain
medical conditions.

Meditation and emotional well-being

When you meditate, you may clear away the information overload that builds up every
day and contributes to your stress.
The emotional benefits of meditation can include:

• Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations

• Building skills to manage your stress
• Increasing self-awareness
• Focusing on the present
 • Reducing negative emotions
• Increasing imagination and creativity
• Increasing patience and tolerance
Meditation and illness
Meditation might also be useful if you have a medical condition, especially one that may
be worsened by stress.
While a growing body of scientific research supports the health benefits of meditation,
some researchers believe it's not yet possible to draw conclusions about the possible
benefits of meditation.
With that in mind, some research suggests that meditation may help people manage
symptoms of conditions such as:

• Anxiety
• Asthma
• Cancer
• Chronic pain
• Depression
• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Sleep problems
• Tension headaches
Be sure to talk to your health care provider about the pros and cons of using meditation
if you have any of these conditions or other health problems. In some cases, meditation
can worsen symptoms associated with certain mental and physical health conditions.
Meditation isn't a replacement for traditional medical treatment. But it may be a useful
addition to your other treatment.

Types of meditation
Meditation is an umbrella term for the many ways to a relaxed state of being. There are
many types of meditation and relaxation techniques that have meditation components.
All share the same goal of achieving inner peace.
Ways to meditate can include:
• Guided meditation. Sometimes called guided imagery or visualization, with
this method of meditation you form mental images of places or situations you
find relaxing.
You try to use as many senses as possible, such as smells, sights, sounds
and textures. You may be led through this process by a guide or teacher.

• Mantra meditation. In this type of meditation, you silently repeat a calming

word, thought or phrase to prevent distracting thoughts.
• Mindfulness meditation. This type of meditation is based on being mindful,
or having an increased awareness and acceptance of living in the present
moment.
In mindfulness meditation, you broaden your conscious awareness. You
focus on what you experience during meditation, such as the flow of your
breath. You can observe your thoughts and emotions, but let them pass
without judgment.

• Qi gong. This practice generally combines meditation, relaxation, physical

movement and breathing exercises to restore and maintain balance. Qi gong
(CHEE-gung) is part of traditional Chinese medicine.
• Tai chi. This is a form of gentle Chinese martial arts. In tai chi (TIE-CHEE),
you perform a self-paced series of postures or movements in a slow, graceful
manner while practicing deep breathing.
• Transcendental Meditation®. Transcendental Meditation is a simple, natural
technique. In Transcendental Meditation, you silently repeat a personally
assigned mantra, such as a word, sound or phrase, in a specific way.
This form of meditation may allow your body to settle into a state of profound
rest and relaxation and your mind to achieve a state of inner peace, without
needing to use concentration or effort.

• Yoga. You perform a series of postures and controlled breathing exercises to

promote a more flexible body and a calm mind. As you move through poses
that require balance and concentration, you're encouraged to focus less on
your busy day and more on the moment.
As you get more skilled at meditation, you may be able to do it anywhere,
especially in high-stress situations where you benefit the most from
meditation, such as a traffic jam, a stressful work meeting or a long line at the
grocery store.

• A comfortable position. You can practice meditation whether you're sitting,

lying down, walking, or in other positions or activities. Just try to be
comfortable so that you can get the most out of your meditation. Aim to keep
good posture during meditation.
• Open attitude. Let thoughts pass through your mind without judgment.
Sour mood getting you down? Get back
to nature
Research suggests that mood disorders can be lifted
by spending more time outdoors.
Published: July, 2018

Looking for a simple way to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and maybe
even improve your memory? Take a walk in the woods.

"Many men are at higher risk for mood disorders as they age, from dealing with sudden
life changes like health issues, the loss of loved ones, and even the new world of
retirement," says Dr. Jason Strauss, director of geriatric psychiatry at Harvard-affiliated
Cambridge Health Alliance. "They may not want to turn to medication or therapy for
help, and for many, interacting with nature is one of the best self-improvement tools
they can use."

Your brain and nature

Research in a growing scientific field called ecotherapy has shown a strong connection
between time spent in nature and reduced stress, anxiety, and depression.

It's not clear exactly why outdoor excursions have such a positive mental effect. Yet, in
a 2015 study, researchers compared the brain activity of healthy people after they
walked for 90 minutes in either a natural setting or an urban one. They found that those
who did a nature walk had lower activity in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region that is
active during rumination — defined as repetitive thoughts that focus on negative
emotions.

"When people are depressed or under high levels of stress, this part of the brain
malfunctions, and people experience a continuous loop of negative thoughts," says Dr.
Strauss.

Digging a bit deeper, it appears that interacting with natural spaces offers other
therapeutic benefits. For instance, calming nature sounds and even outdoor silence can
lower blood pressure and levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which calms the body's
fight-or-flight response.

The visual aspects of nature can also have a soothing effect, according to Dr. Strauss.
"Having something pleasant to focus on like trees and greenery helps distract your mind
from negative thinking, so your thoughts become less filled with worry."

Bringing the outdoors inside

If you can't make it outside, listening to nature sounds can have a similar effect, suggests a
report published online March 27, 2017, by Scientific Reports. Researchers used an MRI
scanner to measure brain activity in people as they listened to sounds recorded from either
natural or artificial environments.

Listening to natural sounds caused the listeners' brain connectivity to reflect an outward-
directed focus of attention, a process that occurs during wakeful rest periods like daydreaming.
Listening to artificial sounds created an inward-directed focus, which occurs during states of
anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression. Even looking at pictures of nature
settings, your favorite spot, or a place you want to visit can help.

Find your space

How much time with nature is enough? "Anything from 20 to 30 minutes, three days a
week, to regular three-day weekends in the woods is helpful," says Dr. Strauss. "The
point is to make your interactions a part of your normal lifestyle."

Your time with nature could be something as simple as a daily walk in a park or a
Saturday afternoon on a local trail. "You can even try to combine your nature outings
with your regular exercise by power walking or cycling outdoors," says Dr. Strauss.

The type of nature setting doesn't matter, either. "Focus on places you find the most
pleasing," says Dr. Strauss. "The goal is to get away from stimulating urban settings
and surround yourself with a natural environment."

And don't feel you have to go it alone. A 2014 study found that group nature walks were
just as effective as solo treks in terms of lowering depression and stress and improving
overall mental outlook.

In fact, the researchers noted that people who had recently experienced stressful life
events like a serious illness, death of a loved one, or unemployment had the greatest
mental boost from a group nature outing. "Nature can have a powerful effect on our
mental state," says Dr. Strauss, "and there are many ways to tap into it."
Healthy Eating to Decrease Stress
Topic Overview

You can handle stress better when you are as healthy as possible, so eating nutritiously is a good
defense against stress. The tips below focus on using nutrition to reduce the symptoms of stress.
For more information about eating right, see the topic Healthy Eating.
• Avoid or limit caffeine. Coffee, tea, some sodas, and chocolate contain caffeine.
Caffeine causes you to feel "wound up," which can make stressful situations seem
more intense. If you drink a lot of caffeine, reduce the amount gradually. Stopping use
of caffeine suddenly can cause headaches and make it hard to concentrate.
• If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. If you are feeling very stressed, you might
be turning to alcohol for relief more often than you realize. If you drink, limit yourself to 2
drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women.
• Make mealtimes calm and relaxed. Try not to skip meals or eat on the run. Skipping
meals can make stress-related symptoms worse. You may get a headache or a tight,
tense feeling in your stomach. Eating on the run can cause indigestion. Use mealtime to
relax, enjoy the flavor of your meal, and reflect on your day.
• Avoid eating to relieve stress. Some people turn to food to comfort themselves when
they are under stress. This can lead to overeating and guilt. If this is a problem for you,
try to replace eating with other actions that relieve stress, such as taking a walk, playing
with a pet, or taking a bath.
Eating to Manage Stress
How and what you eat can have an impact on your stress levels. Simple things from
skipping meals to how much coffee you have in a day can contribute significantly to
your overall wellbeing. If you often find yourself stressed out or tense, consider the
following eating and lifestyle tips and strategies to help better manage your daily
stress levels.

Stress Reduction Strategies

• Prioritize Yourself – While you may not always feel it or believe it,
you are the most important person in your life. Making yourself a
priority isn’t a selfish thing to do but is actually a great way to reduce
stress and prevent burnouts. When we get stressed, we tend to
overexert ourselves and sacrifice our wellbeing. We’ll stay late at
work, show up to events, and sleep less than we need. It’s essential
to take some time to pull yourself together and make your needs
the most important part of your life, as you can’t give to anything or
anyone if you’re empty yourself.
• Don’t Skip Meals – Once you’ve gotten the hang of making yourself
a priority, your next method of self-care is to nourish yourself
properly. When we’re stressed and busy, it’s common to skip meals
and put other tasks ahead of eating. Skipping meals actually puts our
bodies into a stressed-out state where it slows metabolism and
actually promotes the storage of fat. Regular meals that are healthy
and nourishing will keep your body out of stress-mode and on track.
• Select Nutrient-Rich Foods – Comfort food that is full of fat and
sugar can worsen your stress levels. Foods that are high in good
nutrients can help our body feel good and reduce our stress
response. It also helps to improve our mood, energy, and immunity.
 Be sure to eat many foods containing B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin
C, and omega 3s.
• Make Healthy Snacks – The trick to being able to eat
healthier while stressed or busy is to make snacks ahead of time.
This way, you are able to feed yourself a nutritious snack no matter
what you’re doing throughout the day.
• Practice Meditation – Meditation is an excellent way to reduce
stress. Many powerful business people use meditation to help them
alleviate stress and regain focus. It helps to focus on what’s
happening in the present, slowing down your mind, and relaxing your
body. Science has shown that meditation also helps to lower cortisol
levels.
• Reduce Your Caffeine Intake – Caffeine is a stimulant and can
increase your levels of stress hormones when you consume even
small amounts of it. This doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate
coffees and teas completely but be sure that you aren’t overdoing it,
consider decaffeinated options, and listen to your body when you
have caffeine to determine what levels are appropriate.
• Seek Help and Support as Needed – You are never in this alone. If
you begin to feel like things are getting out of control, seek outside
support. Whether this comes from a doctor, therapist, nutritionist, or
trusted friend, asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s important
that you do what you can to keep yourself going and be the best that
you can.