Helping You Love Yourself into Success with Inner Peace! Job Stress Doesn't Have to Make You Sick: When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Swallow Supplements by Ilenya Marrin, DSS HOME FREE NEWSLETTER PRODUCTS SERVICES ABOUT ME TESTIMONIALS RESOURCES CONTACT Job stress can be the tipping point that makes you more vulnerable to colds, the flu and respiratory infections. Especially in mid-winter, workplace stress might weaken your immune system, plus you're probably dealing with short days, less sunlight and less outdoor exercise. Not to mention, there are always co-workers who come to work sick and expose you to their viruses. A few years back, I had respiratory infections and took antibiotics virtually all the time for eighteen stress-filled months. I ran my health into the ground, took a three month disability leave, and then left that stressful job on my doctor's recommendation. So I had plenty of motivation to figure how to improve on this process! How do people manage to keep going? Some do sail right through winter despite the pressures of crazy work schedules and deadlines, not to mention stresses of managing home life, kids, school, finances and more! If you want to get a head start on health this winter as part of your stress resilience program, here are a few holistic tips to consider. These are some of the supportive strategies that helped me the most as I restored my own health, and the things I do now to maintain it, in spite of various stressful situations. And here is my disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor or professional nutritionist! I have read, researched, and consulted with medical and holistic doctors and practitioners pretty extensively for the past 30 years to deal with my own health concerns. Please either check with your own doctor or do your own research and make an informed decision based on your particular health issues and circumstances! Immune Support Tips for Stressed Out Professionals 1. Take vitamins. Few of us get enough vitamins and minerals in the foods we eat. A good B "stress complex" vitamin is often recommended for people experiencing high levels of stress. Consider adding vitamin C, and an all purpose multiple for men or women. 2. Keep a few "emergency" remedies on hand in case you feel you're coming down with something. The following products are my personal favorites for warding off colds and flu, all available in drugstores and health food stores. (No, I don't get paid to advertise these, I just swear by them for my own health needs!) Check them out to see which ones help keep your resilience high enough to ward off illness despite the stresses of your job. Also, please be sure to check with your doctor before making changes in your medical care routine! Airborne. These are vitamin C plus herb tablets to drop in a glass of water. They fizz a bit and dissolve, and the orange or lime flavored drink tastes great. Take at the first hint of a cold, or for prevention if you'll be around germy people. I love this product and keep it on hand always! When I'm working with large groups of people, or dealing with deadlines and high stress projects, I take it daily. It's also useful for air travel days. Emergen-C. This is a packet of powdered vitamin C to mix with water for a fast boost. I mix mine with powdered colostrum (a supplement created from cow's milk right after a calf is born). Then I pour in about an ounce of cranberry concentrate, mix well and fill the glass with water for my morning health cocktail. Emergen-C comes in different flavors and slightly different mixes of added minerals, to suit your taste. Note: If you don't currently take much Vitamin C, and suddenly take high doses, expect some runs to the bathroom as part of a "clearing out" process. You might try smaller doses until your system adjusts! Oscillococcinum. This is a homeopathic remedy from the Boiron company, to take at the first hint of flu-like feelings. I've been using it for ten years with wonderful results! I generally carry a few of the little tubes of pills in my purse and keep more in the cupboard at home. Boiron also makes a homeopathic cold remedy, but I've always used Oscillococcinum for anything and everything with good results. The secret is to take one or two tubes of the pills (an hour or so apart) at the very first hint of feeling sickish. "J-R Cocktail." This alternative remedy is named after John-Roger, who meditated years ago to discover an antidote for too frequent viruses. I believe it alkalinizes your system, which generally boosts immunity and good health. This simple concoction really works wonders for me and a bunch of my friends. At the first sign of a cold, mix ½ teaspoon each of baking soda (yep, from the yellow box!) and cream of tartar in about 4-6 ounces of water and drink it down. I take it every half hour or so until I feel better, and try to get a good solid night of sleep. When taking several doses of the J-R cocktail, I have occasionally had a mild case of diarrhea, which I see as a "clearing action," cleaning out the bugs and leaving me feeling much better. Find cream of Tartar in a pricey little jar in the baking goods aisle, or buy a big container of it at Sam's Club, Costco or Smart and Final Iris. A big jar will last for many years and mine seems to work just as well now as originally! This home remedy is also great for settling indigestion. 3. Consider supplements for ongoing support. Echinacea. Enough people swear by this herb that I thought it worth mentioning. Experts suggest that it loses effectiveness if you take it indefinitely. Take echinacea for a few weeks during the cold and flu season as a preventive measure, or take for a few days at the first sign of a cold. I don't take it because it upsets my stomach, but many people find it extremely helpful. St. John's Wort. Taking a low dose of this herbal supplement is said to boost the immune system. For two winters in a row, I took one capsule daily (the recommendation to help with depression is quite a bit higher) and I believe it gave me additional "insurance" with staying healthy at a time when I had extra stressors. If you are prone to frequent colds and flu, you might give this a try. Here's to your nutritional health as part of your stress management and job success regime! Back to List of Articles

Loving Your Success Blog
Phone: 802-658-2921