What is your stress level? 5 approaches to combating stress, especially for women
Knowing your level of anxiety
Stress, which has become one of the major health issues, deserves in-depth exploration. Some stress is an integral part of our daily lives, while other stress leaves its mark on our lives and even our health. It is important to recognise it and to assess your stress level so that you can improve it. We present five questions in this questionnaire; all you have to do is add up the numbers after each answer. The result follows right after.
1- Over the last month, how often have you been upset by something unexpected?
2- Over the last month, how often has it seemed difficult to control the important things in your life?
3- Over the last month, how often have you felt nervous or stressed?
4- Over the last month, how often have you thought that you could not cope with all the things you had to do?
5- Over the last month, how often have you felt that difficulties were piling up so high that you could not control them?
That's it, you have your answer. Now let's look at your results together.
Score below 10
You know how to manage your stress and adapt. You will always find the solution.
Score between 10 and 13
As a rule, you manage to cope with stress, but some situations get away from you, creating a feeling of helplessness and occasional emotional upsets. To get through these moments, explore coping strategies.
Score of 14 or more
You perceive life as a perpetual threat: you feel that you are at the mercy of most situations, often feeling helpless in the face of them, so it is beneficial to explore and adjust your thought patterns as well as the way you react. Work on your thought patterns is advisable, as is a change in the way you react.
Now that you have the results, I hope your score is below 10. If it is not, stress can leave distinct marks on your well-being and even your health. Different sources of stress can be identified. Between professional challenges, family dynamics, health concerns and physical pressures, it takes different forms. Mentally, racing thoughts, disturbed sleep and comfort eating create challenges. Physically, it leads to fatigue, loss of interest and increasingly mechanical routines, with more time spent sitting down. In serious situations, panic and anxiety attacks can worsen these effects.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, the build-up of stress is associated with a stagnation of vital energy, which can lead to an energetic 'blockage' or disrupt the functioning of the organs. So tackling stress calls for a different approach, taking in both the physical and the mental dimensions.
Regaining your balance in the face of stress: simple but effective approaches
When faced with stress, there are various approaches, ranging from medication to professional consultation. In this article, we are going to present five simple solutions that are easy to put in place and have been tested and approved by my friends and colleagues. These methods, some drawn from Chinese medicine and approved by our ancestors, aim to soothe both body and mind by restoring a connection with nature in our daily lives.
1. Chinese meditation
Meditation, widely adopted by many celebrities such as Steve Jobs, Marion Cotillard, Katy Perry and Angelina Jolie, proves to be not only an effective way of relieving stress, but also a practice that aims to calm the mind, refocus on the present moment and cultivate inner peace.
Chinese meditation, of which we can mention the tree posture, Zhan Zhuang, is a practice that goes well beyond a simple spiritual break. It presents itself as active training of the mind that also promotes physical health. It aims to release negative and stressful thoughts by favouring gentle intention, focusing on emptiness to calm the mind and discover one's true nature. It sets no rules as to frequency and duration, but regularity is recommended for optimal results. You can practise it in the morning, during your lunch break or in the evening, even during your commute. Here is a short video to help you better understand this practice:
2. Towards a healthy, balanced diet
Sometimes overlooked, diet plays a crucial role in the fight against stress. As proof, we turn to sweets such as chocolate to feel happy. A healthier alternative to sweets is a plain gruel made with tremella and goji. Tremella, traditionally used in Chinese and Japanese cuisine and known for its gelatinous texture, offers antioxidant properties for an even complexion, while goji berries, rich in trace elements and minerals, strengthen the immune system.
Also discover the detailed recipe by watching our YouTube video: Delicious Goji and Tremella Gruel Recipe (in French) devoted to this preparation:
In general, by favouring a greater intake of fruit and vegetables, we help to meet our body's nutritional needs, calming the mind and stimulating immunity, thereby bringing about an overall improvement in our state of mind, which in turn helps to reduce stress.
Tea-based products are very good allies for regaining energy. Among the options on offer, we often find passionflower and St John's wort to encourage relaxation. With this in mind, the slimming herbal tea made with green tea, rich in antioxidants and theine, offers support against water retention and oxidative stress. These conscious choices in terms of diet and well-being reflect a desire to lead a healthier, more balanced life. Explore our selection of herbal teas carefully crafted by our experts by clicking on this link.
3. Exercising without breaking a sweat
“Reducing stress can be as simple as going for a walk”, as a colleague recently advised me. By going to a park near my home or the office, gazing into the distance and getting a change of air, I was able to calm my mind. This experience highlights how small actions, such as a simple walk, can have a significant impact on our mental well-being.
For a more dynamic approach, Ba Duan Jin, also known as the Eight Pieces of Brocade, is a Chinese exercise routine that aims to strengthen the body and prolong life. The sequence of 8 movements, easy to put in place, takes only 10 to 15 minutes of your day. It fits perfectly into your morning routine or coffee break, to wake up your body and mind, thereby dispelling mental fatigue.
4. The natural power of plants
One option to consider is a course of saffron herbal tea, renowned for soothing mood disorders. This course is part of phytotherapy, a natural approach focused on the benefits of plants, which stands out for its preventive approach and makes use of plant extracts. The use of plant extracts aims to promote overall health.
Beyond its bitterness, prized by cooking enthusiasts, saffron is particularly popular for its benefits for emotional balance, attributed to safranal, a molecule that develops during drying after harvest. Simple to include in your diet: add 3–4 saffron threads to your rice preparation, leave to heat through, and enjoy the natural benefits of this plant. You can also add a pinch of saffron to your tremella gruel.
A woman's life is often accompanied by stress, and Chinese angelica (Dang gui) presents itself as a valuable solution. This medicinal herb, used for centuries in Chinese medicine, offers adaptogenic properties that support you through periods of stress, help to balance hormones and support women's emotional well-being.
To prepare the herbal tea, we advise you to put 10 to 15 grams of roots in 500 mL of water. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes, bring to the boil, then leave to simmer for 20 minutes before serving. I'll let you discover below our exceptional products made with quality saffron and Chinese angelica, the perfect touch for pampering your health and well-being. Discover our selection of plants currently on offer
5. The role of family and friends
Our ties with friends and family play an essential role in reducing everyday stress. Talking about our worries helps to untie certain knots and to think more clearly about problems, allowing us to feel emotionally close to someone and contributing to our happiness. To start with, simple gestures such as showing attention or paying a sincere compliment to a friend or a colleague can strengthen these ties. The support that our friends and family provide creates a space for listening, making us better able to solve problems and lower our stress level.
On the occasion of International Women's Day and Grandmothers' Day, take care of your loved ones. It is also an opportunity to recognise the challenges women face at different stages of life.
The solutions I have shared are simple tips that are easy to put in place and have been tested and approved by me and by those close to me. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us.
Try these methods today and share your experience!
