WOMEN’S HEALTH & STRESS - A Wholistic Approach to De-Stressing Your Life!
By Jhoane Robinson, Herbalist and Co-Founder of Cedar Bear Naturales
As I’ve been working with women in my community, I hear over and over again,
“I’m so stressed that…” What follows is a litany of woes, everywhere from getting sick frequently, to menstrual problems, to emotional issues. The list is quite extensive.
We as women have unique stressors that hit us, especially as our lives have become more complex. We have family responsibilities, career responsibilities, and lots of expectations that we put on ourselves, not to mention what others expect of us. Many of us juggle multiple important roles as caregivers, professionals, and nurturers. The pressure to perform at a high level in many directions at once puts stress on us that affects us physically, mentally, and emotionally. The pressures we experience can deeply affect our health and wellbeing! So today, we’ll specifically address stress management and a holistic health approach to your health and wellbeing.
Stress and Adrenal Function
Chronic stress profoundly affects the adrenal system, especially the adrenal glands. Cortisol and adrenaline hormones help the body cope with the “lions and tigers and bears, oh my!” of our lives. When these hormones are being pumped out at high level over long periods of time (what we call chronic stress), they can cause fatigue, sleep insomnia problems, mood swings, brain fog and difficulty concentrating, just to name a few, and can lead to estrogen and progesterone imbalances.
Cedar Bear® Adrenal Support:
Adrenal Balance: Specially formulated to help the adrenal system come into balance.
Stress Effects on Reproductive Health
Chronic stress imbalances our hormones. This can affect the health of our reproductive systems and our reproductive organs can become challenged. PMS and menstrual symptoms can intensify, menstrual cycles can become irregular, fertility can be affected, even menopausal symptoms can intensify.
Stress on Physical Health
Stress weakens the immune system, making us more susceptible to getting sick. It also can contribute to fatigue, weakness, blood pressure issues (high AND low), and weight gain.
Stress Affects Us Mentally & Emotionally
Mental/emotional effects can be burnout, anxiousness, mood swings, even low moods and depression, all of which impact our overall well-being.
Stress Can Drive Bad Habits
Unhealthy coping mechanisms can kick in. ‘Self-medication’ with overeating, substance abuse with alcohol, medications and drugs, or even self-isolation, can make things worse.
Stress Management
Take care of yourself EVERY DAY!
I speak from experience! When my family was young, the babies came almost all at once. I had three young boys and twins, all in 5 ½ years! (And a husband who started a business when the twins were born, so I had no help from that department.) I totally burned myself out! I was overly stressed, which damaged my health. I had to work very hard to get it back in balance. Since those Super Mom days, even with the fast-paced life that I still have, I learned to take care of myself, and that has made all the difference! So, here are some important tips, ones that I follow myself.
Mind Your Mindfulness
It is very important to incorporate mindfulness practices into your life, taking time with yourself to reset your stress levels. Mindfulness is a mental state of focused awareness in the moment. Pay attention to here and now, without judgment or reactions, to observe your inner and outer experience with greater clarity and openness.
Mindfulness practices include meditation, exercise, and movement, whether it is yoga/tai chi, walking, or other exercise practices, and even being mindful while eating. In other words, “Stop and smell the roses!” You’ll find many stresses begin to melt away when you live more mindfully. In those ‘mindful moments,’ you will most likely find yourself enjoying life a whole lot more!
Diet
When we are stressed, it is easy to reach for the high sugar and processed snacks. Don’t! Eat healthy fresh veggies and fruits. Stay away from fast food and processed packaged foods. Stay hydrated and drink plenty of pure water. As an herbalist, I highly recommend drinking herbal teas as part of your fluid intake, as they add micronutrients your body needs and can help give you many of the benefits you may be looking for: reducing stress, helping sleep, boosting energy…
Endocrine Balance
Our hormonal systems in our bodies are very complex. It’s important to help keep hormonal balance to keep our health in balance. We’ve addressed how stress effects the adrenal system, but there is another very important part of the endocrine system that stress effects, and that is the thyroid. The thyroid controls your metabolism, and when you are under stress, your thyroid may become stressed, as well. It is very important to take care of your thyroid, and Cedar Bear® can help you do just that.
Cedar Bear® Thyroid Supports:
Thyro Boost: Specially formulated with herbs that nutritionally supports your thyroid health.
Thyro Calm: For those individuals whose thyroids tend to run on the high side, this herbal formula has herbs that help soothe overactive thyroid.
Iodine: Vital for thyroid hormone production, Cedar Bear® makes a mono-element alcohol-free iodine that is easy on your health.
HERBS FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH
I’ve been working with herbs for balancing my health for 30 years now. It’s amazing how Nature has provided so many plants that can help us! Herbal remedies have been used since the beginning of time for natural health support. Here are some of the herbs known for women’s health support that are available as herbal supplements from Cedar Bear®:
Black Cohosh: Soothes menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, moodiness. Helps balance hormones.
Chaste Tree Berry: Supports women’s hormonal balance, soothes menstrual symptoms, helps balance menstrual cycles and menopausal symptoms.
Cramp Bark: Helps reduce muscle spasms, especially in the uterus. Cramp bark uses include helping with menstrual and menopausal issues and supporting regular menstrual cycles.
Damiana: This herb is known as an aphrodisiac and helps energy and lift mood. Damiana benefits also include: Helps with menstrual cramping, menstrual cycles and menopause.
Motherwort: A calming herb that supports emotion health, reduce anxiousness and tension, which helps during menstruation. Also gives heart/cardiovascular support.
Red Raspberry Leaf: A uterine tonic that supports women’s reproductive health. Has minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, etc.). Red Raspberry Leaf benefits include: Helping tone the uterus, soothing menstrual cramping, preparing the uterus for childbirth. It is commonly used during and after pregnancy for supporting labor and postpartum recovery.
St. John’s Wort: Mood balancer, lifts mood and helps reduce anxiousness. Supports emotional well-being.
Herbal Formulas by Cedar Bear®
Women’s Daily: Women’s Daily has many of the herbs that help support women’s reproductive and overall health and wellbeing.
Adrenal Balance: This formula has adaptogenic herbs (help our bodies adapt to stress) and nervine herbs (help soothe and calm the nervous system), which helps balance the adrenal glands and the HPA Axis (Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal glands), so our whole system benefits, body, mind, and emotions. Helps with mental focus, reducing brain fog, and balancing energy levels.
Thyro Boost: Help boost your thyroid function with this wonderful herbal formula.
Revive-Her-Drive™: Yes, Revive-Her-Drive™ can be used for its gentle aphrodisiac action, but this formula also helps lift mood and overall energy. Ditch the caffeine and energy drinks and enjoy a healthier option for an energy lift without the after the caffeine crash.
Natural Health Care is a Wholistic Approach to Your Health
Caring for your health isn’t just about dealing with symptoms. It’s about nurturing your body, mind, and spirit to balance your whole being and achieve optimal wellness. Take care of your health! By making a nutrient-rich balanced diet, mindful and healthy lifestyle habits, and Nature’s amazing herbal remedies part of your daily routine, you can empower yourself and take care of all the wonderful people and needs in your life!
A WORD ABOUT CEDAR BEAR®
We at Cedar Bear® are dedicated to helping you support your health needs in the healthiest way possible. We have over 30 years of wellness work with our herbs. Everything we make is 100% alcohol-free. All herbs have only 3 things in them: The herbs, glycerin, and water. Nothing else! They are easy to use and can be taken with you wherever you go, don’t need refrigeration, last for years. And best of all, they taste good to great and work even better!
Cedar Bear® – We know Herbs!
Herbal products made by real herbalists.
Be well!
(These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.)
