Discover eight* free, time-tested action steps to help you manage stress effectively. Email: solutionfocusedhealth@gmail.com and write “StressWorks I” in the subject line.

Stress is a universal experience. Everyone faces stress at some point, which can take them from feeling good and coping well to feeling out of control. But what happens when stress becomes a repetitive cycle that negatively impacts life to the point where breaking free seems impossible? Often, people seek medical help, and while counseling is sometimes suggested, medication is usually the initial therapy prescribed.

But what about discovering how to manage stress from a more holistic perspective? 

We are here to give you some solutions and make your life flow better. To receive eight* free, detailed, time-proven action steps, email solutionfocusedhealth@gmail.com with “StressWorks I Steps” in the subject line.

Case Study

Janice is a 67-year-old woman with a history of anxiety. Her traumatic upbringing forced her to shoulder many responsibilities from a young age. She has struggled with chronic “stomach problems,” including pain and irregular bowel patterns, ranging from constipation to diarrhea. These issues have been accompanied by sleepless nights, hypersensitivity to loud noises, difficulty focusing, fluctuating weight, chest tightness, and a rapid heart rate during periods of heightened stress. Janice often feels short-tempered and tends to avoid stressful situations by running away from them. Her social life is virtually non-existent, and the constant feeling of panic has significantly decreased her quality of life.

Janice’s Care Choices:

• Counseling: Janice has been in counseling for most of her life. Although she has been taught techniques to stay present and focused on the “now,” she still doesn’t feel much better.

• Medication: Various psychotropic medications were tried, but they left her feeling numb and disconnected, just going through the motions. A sleep medication helped her sleep but left her feeling groggy in the morning. Eventually, she decided to stop taking her medications.

• Exercise/Movement: Janice dedicated two hours a day to a combination of jogging, bicycling, and weight training. She even hired a trainer to ensure she was doing everything correctly.

New Approaches to Care: A 3-Month Natural Plan

Janice opted in for a three-month coaching program, focusing on identifying deeper issues underlying inner stress responses that contributed to her disrupted life. Using natural approaches to change her stress patterns brought significant improvements to Janice’s mental and physical health. By addressing her inner chemistry and stress responses, Janice’s symptoms improved, allowing her to start building the life she desired.

Strategies and Rationale for Making Changes:

1. Improve Diet and Nutrition:

Janice was consuming too many pro-inflammatory foods, increasing histamine and dopamine (an excitatory neurotransmitter). She also ate too quickly, skipped meals, and drank an excessive amount of fluids with meals.

Removed pro-inflammatory foods (list given*) and added protein and healthy fats, reducing carbohydrate intake.

Added fiber-rich foods* and a colon repair product, which led to consistent bowel movements and resolved her stomach pain.

Practiced mindful eating*, created a regular eating pattern, and reduced the amounts of fluids to half during meals.

Adopted intermittent fasting*, eating two balanced meals daily.

2. Establish Calm Throughout the Day and Improve Sleep:

Janice frequently woke up feeling “wired” and occasionally fearful. She often experienced stomach pain, which caused her to skip breakfast before heading to work. During especially stressful moments, her heart would race, and she struggled to concentrate. To cope, she would retreat to the bathroom for a moment of relief. After these high-stress events, Janice felt exhausted and would eat a candy bar to boost her energy.

Took melatonin (6 mg) at 8 AM, 2 PM, and 8 PM to regulate neurochemistry for calmness during the day and before sleep.

Added a B-complex vitamin, focusing on a higher dose of Vitamin B6.

Practiced 3′-4′ tempo breathing* and mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques* throughout the day and before sleep

Implemented Helpful Sleep Hints* to promote consistent sleep patterns.

Engaged in progressive muscle relaxation techniques when feeling body tension.

3. Implement Exercise Modification:

New exercise guidelines were provided, including parameters for calculating maximum heart rate*.

Reduced exercise to three to four times a week, with sessions lasting 50 minutes.

Encouraged engaging in hobbies that promote calmness (Janice enjoys needlepoint).

4. Evaluation of Progress:

Depending on Janice’s continued progress, she may need additional support from an integrative practitioner for further testing or a licensed counselor specializing in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a therapy that helps reprogram thoughts, reactions, and behaviors.

If you think the offer of eight* free, detailed, time-proven action steps that help you to make lifestyle changes would be beneficial, email solutionfocusedhealth@gmail.com with “StressWorks I Steps” in the subject line.