Six Stress-Busting Natural Solutions for a Healthy Holiday Season

The holidays are here, along with endless to-do lists, tons of social engagements, extra spending, decorating, and more. While this time of year is full of merry-making and festivities, all that extra activity and spending can take some of the fun out of your celebration, and may even leave you feeling a bit stressed.

Thankfully nature provides a wealth of natural solutions that can help you lessen the impact of stress (even holiday stress!) in your life. Click through the slideshow to find products to help maintain a positive mood and healthy energy levels.

Essential oils and aromatherapy have been helping folks relax and unwind for thousands of years, thanks to the effect of scents on our olfactory system, which can have a powerful effect on our thoughts and emotions. Essential oils also possess natural substances that are just plain good for our mental well-being. NOW^® Solutions’ ultrasonic diffusers and essential oil kits are a great way to enjoy the benefits of aromatherapy, and they make great gifts too!

Natural essential oils are highly concentrated and should be used with care. Dilute essential oils as directed, do not exceed dilutions recommended for this recipe. Pure essential oils can be irritating to skin.  Avoid direct contact with skin.  As a precaution, wear protective gloves while using this formulation. For adult use only. Keep out of reach of children. Not for internal use. Avoid contact with eyes. Consult healthcare practitioner before using if pregnant/nursing.

Like aromatherapy and essential oils, teas have been used for thousands of years to help us relax, along with a host of other beneficial attributes. An herb such as chamomile is known to possess unique natural compounds that make it ideal for zapping the stress out of your day. NOW Give a Tea^® Organic Chamomile is comfort in a cup, caffeine free, and the perfect way to unwind and prepare for a good night’s sleep.

When essential oils and teas won’t cut it, it’s time to take matters into your own hands, literally. Massage is a time-honored way to promote relaxation and soothe tired muscles, and certain natural oils, such as grape seed, apricot and almond, are ideal for use in natural massage. Make your massage even more beneficial with the addition of relaxing essential oils. Or you can just use NOW^® Solutions’ Comforting Massage Oil, which combines lavender, chamomile and patchouli essential oils with grape seed, apricot, and almond oils.

Want to make your own massage oil? Try this DIY Soothing Muscle Massage Oil.

A nice, warm, soothing bath is just what the doctor ordered after a long, stressful day, but you can do even better with the addition of natural additives such as essential oils and magnesium flakes. Magnesium flakes added to bathwater are a super-effective way to relax and unwind, and they also help to seriously hydrate your skin. NOW^® Solutions 100% Pure Magnesium Flakes are sourced from the ancient Zechstein seabed in the Netherlands, one of the world’s purest remaining subterranean mineral sources. One cup of flakes contains approximately 19 grams of elemental magnesium.

Let us help you get you started with this DIY Soothing Tea Time Bath Recipe.

Amino acids play an essential role in the body’s production of calming neurotransmitters. Aminos such as glycine and taurine promote a relaxed state of mind, as does theanine, an amino acid found in green tea that’s believed to be responsible for its calming and relaxing properties.* NOW^® True Calm is an amino acid blend that includes B vitamins and valerian root, an herb that research suggests can help promote a relaxed mood.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Just like essential oils and aromatherapy, we’ve been using herbs and botanicals to calm and center ourselves for thousands of years.* Traditional herbalists have uncovered a myriad of nature’s most effective stress-busters, including ashwagandha, kava kava, passion flower and valerian root, and you can still find these herbs today in a variety of forms, including capsules and liquids.* NOW^® Mood Support combines mood-balancing herbs and botanicals with a variety of vitamins and minerals to help you maintain a positive attitude.*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.