6 Tips to Take a Mental Health Vacation Anywhere

1. Close your eyes and focus on a place where you feel happy

The mind is a powerful place. Sometimes, even when we can’t physically take a vacation, visualizing it can help us to lose some of that mental tension and start to unwind. Visualization can even help you sleep at the end of a long day.

Start by imagining an experience or place in which you feel peaceful. Begin to dig deeper, thinking about the colors around you, the texture of what you are touching, and the scent in the air as you build the mental picture. Hold onto this for as long as you can to let the calm permeate. Then slowly let it go from your mind before moving on with your day (and no one the wiser about the peaceful vacation you just took).

2. Practice deep breathing techniques

If you have trouble imagining a peaceful place, you can substitute this method for deep breathing techniques. Often, when we are sitting hunched over our keyboards at work or focusing intently on a project, we don’t realize how shallow our breathing becomes, putting unwanted stress on the mind. A couple of times each day, focus on taking long, deep belly breaths to flood your mind with oxygen and boost your mental health.

3. Cut down on caffeine

For some of us, coffee itself is a happy place. We aren’t saying you need to take it out of your life. But overdoing it for the sake of caffeine can cause mental tension that is hard to escape until caffeine’s effects start to fade. Substitute a couple of your cups a day for green tea, which still contains caffeine, but in much smaller doses, limiting the negative mental effects of caffeine while still giving you that boost.

4. Take a break with your pet

Got a furry friend? Petting dogs and cats have been shown to reduce cortisol levels in the body. Further interaction with them can even increase levels of oxytocin in the body and offer even more mental health benefits.

5. Get a massage

Sometimes the only thing to help your mental health is your physical health. Studies have indicated that physiological and psychological changes happen after only 10 to 15 minutes of a chair massage. Anyone can make time for a 15-minute chair massage for their mental health.

6. Identify fun, healthy pastimes and schedule them

Finally, make time for yourself. Don’t let days go by without enjoying some of the things that make you happy in life. Identify the healthy hobbies or pastimes that leave you feeling positive afterward. Be purposeful and schedule them in instead of hoping that they naturally come about on their own. Even an afternoon dedicated to enjoying time with friends or family or a couple of mornings a week spent doing a hobby can make a big difference for your mental health.

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Risk factors

According to research published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, men are less likely than women to be diagnosed with common mental health disorders such as depression or anxiety. They are also more likely to be diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism or ADHD, or impulse control disorders. However, men are far more likely to develop a substance use disorder or die by suicide.

Mental health conditions can develop for many reasons, not all of which are fully understood. But certain risk factors increase the likelihood of a man developing a mental health disorder. These include:

• Unemployment, underemployment, or low job security
• Genetic predisposition
• Alcohol use
• Divorce, especially when also losing custody of children
• Childhood abuse
• Stressful life events
• Gendered language or attitudes among health care providers may discourage men from seeking mental health assistance.

Signs and symptoms

Mental health conditions can present in a seemingly limitless number of ways, regardless of gender. But according to the National Institute of Mental Health, there are some specific signs to watch for in men. These include, but are not limited to:

• Anger or aggressiveness
• Changes in mood or energy level
• Sleep issues
• Restlessness or feeling on edge
• Misusing drugs or alcohol
• Feeling sad or hopeless
• Feeling numb
• Participating in risky activities such as drag racing
• Physical pains without a definite diagnosis
• Racing thoughts or compulsions
• Difficulty participating in daily life (work, family, or social)
• Unusual thought patterns or behaviors
• Thoughts of suicide

Addressing the stigma of mental health

Most mental health conditions are highly treatable, but men are often reluctant to seek help. This may be due to early lessons in stoicism, social pressures, or the need to be seen as a strong provider. Regardless of the reasons, though, the decision not to seek help can wreak havoc on a man who is suffering and on those who love him. From the National Alliance on Mental Illness, here are a few ways we can all work to erase the stigma surrounding men’s mental health.

• Talk about it. Openly discussing men’s mental health, including personal struggles and the journey through therapy, is the best way to normalize it and help more men feel comfortable seeking help.
• Learn all you can about your mental health condition and mental health in general. When you hear people saying something incorrect or even derogatory, take the opportunity to open a dialogue.
• Watch your language.Be careful to say things like “a person with anxiety” instead of “an anxious person.” Like physical disabilities, mental health conditions are sometimes used as adjectives or even insults.
• Be compassionate.Show kindness and compassion to those who seem to be struggling. Mental health conditions can be isolating, especially when they cause behaviors outside the norm.
• Become empowered. Allowing shame about your condition to control you means giving away your power. Take it back by owning your life and choosing to get better by seeking the help you need.

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Mental Health Tip 1: Turn it off

It’s your special day, so why spend it on things that will only increase your stress levels? Turn off your phone. Stop watching the news. Let calls from your boss go straight to voicemail. Take this opportunity to shut out the noise and tune in to what you want instead.

Mental Health Tip 2: Ask for help

You deserve some time to yourself! If you have small children, they will undoubtedly want to do something to celebrate you. But that doesn’t mean you have to spend all day running after them and taking care of household chores. Ask your spouse or partner to take charge. If you’re a single mom, enlist a friend or relative, or consider hiring a babysitter for a few hours.

Mental Health Tip 3: Have a spa day (at home)

Going to the spa is a wonderful way to relax and recharge, but you can get many of the same benefits right in your own home. With your kids in someone else’s care, light a candle or two, put on your favorite robe, and pour yourself a glass of wine. Then enjoy a simple treatment such as a facial mask, followed by a hot bubble bath. You’ll feel renewed in no time.

Mental Health Tip 4: Engage your senses

We tend to take our five senses for granted, but deliberately engaging them can dramatically boost your sense of mental wellbeing. This Mother’s Day, take the opportunity to discover what brings peace and harmony to each sense. Then you’ll be able to quickly self-soothe in the future as stress builds up. Examples include:

• Wrap up in a warm blanket, hold a stuffed animal or other favorite item, or massage your temples and other pressure points.
• Set a screensaver or digital photo frame with some of your most treasured snapshots, and take the time to really watch them scroll by. Go to an art museum. Or close your eyes and do a short meditation focused on your favorite place.
• Sing along to a song you love, listen to nature sounds (either in person or through a sound machine or app), or turn on some peaceful white noise.
• Get a diffuser and a collection of essential oils, and experiment with how different scents make you feel. Lavender is good for relaxation, while citrus scents tend to give a burst of energy.
• Make your favorite tea or coffee, and carve out the time to sit and savor it. Or chew a piece of gum or indulge in your favorite crunchy snack, noticing how it feels and tastes in your mouth.

Mental Health Tip 5: Make a plan

Mother’s Day is a great time to stop and assess your overall mental health and stress levels. Figure out your main sources of stress and develop a plan for coping with them. Maybe you can redistribute tasks with your spouse or partner. Perhaps you can start a journal. Like many busy moms, you might need to schedule self-care time each week and then stick to it. Having a plan for the future can help keep you feel restored and renewed, rather than overwhelmed or frazzled. And if you have trouble coping, never hesitate to seek professional help.

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Prevalence of mental health issues

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic upended our lives, mental health issues took a toll. According to Mental Health America’s 2022 State of Mental Health in America report, nearly 20% of adult Americans were living with a mental illness in 2019, before the pandemic started. More than half were untreated. In addition, suicidal thoughts and substance use rates were already increasing year over year.

When our lives turned upside down, seemingly overnight, rates of mental illness skyrocketed. Mental Health America notes that during the first nine months of 2020, the number of people seeking an online screening for anxiety nearly doubled from 2019. The number screening for depression went up by 62%. Rates of suicidal ideation also climbed dramatically, with 37% of people reporting thoughts of suicide nearly every day in September 2020. And most of those people were seriously struggling, with 80% registering severe symptoms of anxiety or depression.

Things have settled down somewhat as vaccines and treatments have allowed much of normal life to resume. But it will take a long time to return to baseline. In March 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a brief on the global mental health impacts of the pandemic. Worldwide, rates of major depression have increased by 27.6%, while anxiety disorders are up by 25.6%. As expected, areas hardest hit by the pandemic report the biggest increases. Women, young adults, and those facing other life issues such as preexisting health conditions or low income appear to be at higher risk.

Signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression

How do you know if what you’re feeling is worth noting? Anxiety and depression symptoms are generally easy to recognize, but it’s important to note that not everyone will experience all signs. Here are some things to look for:

Anxiety

• Nervousness or restlessness
• Irritability
• Sense of impending doom
• Feeling of being out of control
• Rapid breathing or heart rate
• Trembling; Sweating
• Obsessive or racing thoughts
• Stomach or intestinal distress
• Avoiding things that might trigger anxiety
• Having sleep problems, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep

Depression

• Persistent sad, hopeless, or anxious mood
• Irritability, being on ‘edge’ and prone to anger
• Appetite and/or weight changes
• Decreased energy or fatigue
• Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
• Difficulty sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping
• Difficulty concentrating, and making decisions
• Feeling worthless or guilty
• Backaches, headaches, or other unexplained physical ailments
• Frequent thoughts of death or suicide

The importance of self-care

Self-care has been essential throughout the pandemic, and it remains highly valuable as we emerge into a new normal. Self-care cannot replace professional care for those who suffer from moderate to severe mental health conditions. But if you’re experiencing milder symptoms or are already under professional care and looking for additional resources, self-care can help you feel significantly better.

Self-care tips

Caring for yourself means looking after not just your mind and body but also your spirit. Here are some ways to cope.

Mind

Helping your mind relax will go a long way toward lowering symptoms of both anxiety and depression. Self-care ideas for your mind include:

• Turn off the news (and social media). There’s a lot going on right now, and our 24-hour news cycle puts negativity center stage. Remember the old saying in the news business, “If it bleeds, it leads.” Meanwhile, social media is more polarized than ever, and arguments over everything from mask-wearing to foreign wars are common. Know when to turn it all off and walk away.
• Stick to a routine. Early in the pandemic, our daily routines were entirely upended by stay-at-home orders. Things are largely back to normal now, but you may still feel the effects of being disrupted. Even if you can’t fully return to your 2019 routines, find a new normal. Your routine should include sleeping the same hours each night, keeping regular mealtimes and work hours, and carving out time for hobbies and other enjoyable events.
• There are never enough hours in the day for everything we want to accomplish, and that’s okay. Figure out what’s truly important, and then let the rest of it go.
• Get busy. Too many empty hours mean too much time for your mind to spiral. Fill your time with things you love. If you’re not entirely feeling it, do it anyway. Changing your behavior can help bring your thoughts and feelings around.
• Talk it out. Reach out to a supportive relative or friend. Let them know how you’re feeling. Sometimes simply talking through your feelings can help you process them. Also, consider starting a journal. Writing everything out on paper by hand can help you work through intense emotions. Later, if you want, you can return to your written pages to reflect and find common themes.

Body

The better your physical health, the more resilient you will be. Focus on these areas:

• Improve your nutrition. Eating a variety of nutritious foods, with a special emphasis on filling your plate with a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, will help your body thrive.
• Get some exercise. Shoot for 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least five days per week. This could include walking, biking, or simply doing household chores.
• Work on your sleep patterns. The average adult needs at least seven hours of sleep per night. If you’re having trouble sleeping, turn off screens and cut out caffeine at least two hours before bed. If you’re awake at night, try reading or journaling until you feel sleepy again.
• Make smart COVID-19 decisions. Although society has largely returned to normal, the virus is still with us. Get vaccinated, get boosted, and if you’re over 50 or immunocompromised, get a second booster. Consider keeping up with mask-wearing in crowded environments, especially if you have any underlying health conditions.

Spirit

Do whatever touches your soul, whether prayer, meditation, or yoga. Rebuild relationships that you may have neglected during the shutdowns. Find ways to lend your support to others. Start a gratitude journal. Exactly what you do isn’t as important as tapping into what makes you feel spiritually nourished, however you define that.

Getting help

Self-care can go a long way toward helping you feel better. But if you have a serious mental health condition, it’s imperative to seek professional help. Signs that it’s time to seek help include, but are not limited to:

• Active thoughts of suicide, especially if you’ve started making a plan
• Inability to function at work, at school, or in your personal life
• Uncontrollable physical symptoms
• Worsening avoidance of specific triggers or the world at large

Anxiety and depression rates skyrocketed during the pandemic. If you’re among the millions experiencing mental health issues, it’s time to start taking care of yourself. Self-care can go a long way, but don’t hesitate to seek professional help if you continue to struggle.

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Tips on eating better for mental health

Establish a dietary schedule

It doesn’t only matter what you eat; it matters how you eat. Establishing a schedule for your daily intake is one of the most important parts of eating well for your mind. If you haven’t eaten for several hours, your blood sugar can drop. Eating consistent, smaller meals during the day helps keep your mood consistent, especially if you notice that your mood changes with your blood sugar, as many people do.

If you’re one of nearly 80% of adults in the United States who consume caffeine each day, this tip is for you. Caffeine is a stimulant that can reduce sleep if ingested too close to bedtime. It takes about 30 minutes to take effect, but it has a half-life of about 6 hours and remains in the system for much longer. We recommend drinking any caffeine before 4 PM to optimize your sleep quality after 10 PM.

Give good fats their rightful place

Your body requires the right balance of healthy fats to keep performing optimally. Your brain, muscles, and other organs need fats from nuts, fish, dairy products, eggs, and olive oil. However, that doesn’t mean that all fats are necessary for your body to function. Trans fats wreak havoc on your cholesterol, which can continue to impact both your heart and brain health.

Include protein in each meal

Protein doesn’t always have to be meat, but you should always include protein with every meal. Most protein sources contain an essential amino acid that your brain uses to aid in mood regulation. Dairy products contain protein, as do beans, soy, lentils, nuts, tofu, and any source of meat.

Stay hydrated

Dehydration and symptoms of anxiety have been linked in recent studies. Up to 60% of the adult human body is water. Researchers recommend that men drink about 15.5 cups of fluid a day and about 11.5 cups for women.

Eat some meals with a group

There are many psychological benefits of eating food with others. This can help bring regularity to your life, slow down your food consumption, and make healthier choices.

Harness the mental power of your diet

Making wise dietary choices can go a long way for your physical and mental health. We are here to help you make that next step to better overall health! If you have more questions about implementing these tips to help your mental health, reach out to the health professionals at EHE.

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What Happens in Your Brain When You Exercise

When you exercise your body, a lot of things happen in your brain at the same time. As your heart rate increases, your body pumps more blood (and the oxygen your blood carries) into your brain. That stimulates brain cell growth and triggers the release of chemicals called endorphins that work like an antidepressant and lower stress hormones like cortisol.

One study also found that exercise increased growth in brain cells in the hippocampus, the part responsible for learning and memory. When hippocampus cells do not grow, it could have the opposite effect, which can lead to depression.

Other Ways Exercise Can Improve Mental Health

In addition to the physical changes in your brain, exercise can have many other mental health benefits.

Distraction from negative thoughts

Exercise requires you to focus a lot on the task at hand. The rhythmic beat of your feet hitting the pavement, or your arms and legs kicking through the water can have a meditative effect on your brain. You can channel your focus toward your breathing, the environment around you, or even the beat of the music, which provides a welcome distraction to keep negative thoughts at bay.

Getting some fresh air

Whether you choose to walk around the neighborhood, jog through a local park, or take a bike ride or hike in a nearby forest, there are many mental health benefits of getting outdoors for your exercise. Research reveals that being outside can:

• Lowering anxiety and depression symptoms
• Reducing stress
• Improving mood
• Increasing levels of empathy and cooperation

Going outside gets you away from screens, and exposes us to fresh air and sunlight, which have physical health benefits. Sunlight also releases serotonin, a mood booster that helps us feel calmer. Even the sounds of the natural world, like the wind in the trees or the birds chirping, can be restorative.

Opportunity for social interaction

Another great benefit of exercise is the opportunity to meet and socialize with others. Many exercises are great social opportunities as well. Going to the gym and sticking your headphones in isn’t the best way to connect with others, so try these ideas if you want to be more social while you exercise:

• Join a local walking, running, or cycling group. You can find groups on social media sites or with a quick online search. Look for groups that cater to different skill levels, such as beginner runners, walkers, or cyclists.
• Ask a friend to exercise with you. If you have someone to exercise with, you’re more likely to stick to your routine (even when you might not exactly feel like exercising), and you get an opportunity to socialize.
• Sign up for a specific class. Exercising in groups is a great way to meet other people, so check out classes like water aerobics, spin, or yoga. Often the same people attend these classes so you can meet new friends.
• Play in a local sports league. For example, if you love soccer, sign up on a community team to play for fun. You’ll get a whole team of supportive new friends with similar interests.

If you’re looking for ways to naturally improve mental health, adding exercise to your routine is a great option to discuss with your doctor or Health Mentor.

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Unfortunately, not everyone gets the preventive care they need. While there is room for improvement in preventive care for everyone, minority populations have lower rates of receiving preventive care compared to white populations. There are several things that contribute to disparities in preventive care, including difficulty accessing care, cultural beliefs, cost, and awareness.

Health experts have pushed for more access and education around what types of preventive care people need and when. These efforts are critical to bridge the gaps for communities at high risk of chronic disease and premature death. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), and other agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognize the importance of preventive care in reducing healthcare costs, increasing life expectancy, and improving quality of life for millions of people in the U.S.

Few Americans Get Recommended Preventive Care

In one study, only 8% of U.S. adults age 35 and older got all the “high-priority, appropriate clinical preventive services recommended for them.” About 5% didn’t get any preventive care at all. That includes things like:

• Annual wellness visits (physicals)
• Well-child visits
• Regular dental checkups
• Vaccinations
• Cancer screenings

Health Disparities Make It Harder to Access All Types of Care

A significant challenge in the U.S. healthcare system is overcoming the health disparities that make it hard for some communities and populations to access consistent, high-quality care.

• Lack of awareness. Many people are unsure about what preventive care, diagnostic services, and treatments they need, or how to get them.
• No primary care provider. Having a primary care provider (PCP) is key to quality preventive care. They take a holistic view of patient health, coordinating with specialists and hospitals to help ensure patients get the care they need.
• High cost of care. Those who lack insurance, or have a high-deductible plan, might avoid getting care because they can’t afford it.
• Limited access to care. Patients who live in rural communities, or lack reliable transportation might not be able to get in to see a doctor regularly.
• Discomfort or fear. Some people fear going to the doctor or the hospital and miss out on important preventive care and treatment that could reduce their risk of chronic illness and premature death.

Racial Disparities in Chronic Illness and Care Access

In the U.S., persistent racial disparities exist in healthcare coverage, chronic health conditions (including mental health), and mortality rates. The Center for American Progress published data in 2020 outlining some of these disparities. When compared with white communities, minority communities were more likely to experience:

• Lower insurance rates
• Higher rates of chronic illness, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), and obesity
• Higher infant mortality rates
• Higher cancer mortality rates
• Serious mental illness, including depression, anxiety, and severe trauma

Many of these issues are related to what health experts call social determinants of health (SDOH). These are factors in a person’s environment—where they live, work, play, and worship—that affect overall health, quality of life, and risk of illness or disease. Genetics and family history can also play a big role in your health risk.

How Preventive Care Bridges Health Disparities

Most people don’t have a lot of control over their SDOH and genetic risks. But there are things you can do to improve your overall health. Preventive care is one of the most effective ways to bridge gaps in care. Plus, most preventive care is available at little or no cost if you’re insured. For those without insurance, there are organizations that help cover the cost of screenings or offer low-cost options to get recommended care.

Lower your risk of chronic illness

Regular preventive care is the best way to reduce your risk of developing a severe or chronic illness. Chronic conditions often develop slowly over time. Seeing a provider regularly to get your health checked can help you or your doctor spot signs of early disease and take steps to improve your health. For example, your doctor will monitor your blood pressure and identify if your numbers are going up. They can help you make dietary and lifestyle adjustments to lower blood pressure naturally. They can also prescribe medications to keep blood pressure down and reduce damage to your heart and blood vessels that can lead to stroke or heart disease.

Reduce the risk of premature death

Catching diseases early—everything from the flu to cancer—can allow for more treatment options. Getting all your recommended preventive care, including screenings and vaccinations, can help lower your risk of illness and disabilities that can lead to premature death. For example, getting colorectal cancer screenings beginning at age 45 (or earlier if you are at high risk) is the most effective way to spot early signs of colon cancer. Detecting colorectal cancer when it’s in the early stages gives you a much higher chance of survival. The same is true for many other cancers, as well as chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes.

Improve your quality of life

Doctors can help you take steps to reduce your risk of developing certain chronic conditions, or catch diseases early when treatment options are less invasive.

How to Get the Preventive Care You Need

These steps can help you access the right preventive care in the right place at the right time.

Schedule an annual checkup with a PCP

Start by seeing your primary care provider. If you don’t have a PCP, you can search online to find one near you that is accepting new patients. People of all ages should have a regular family medicine practitioner who they see at least once a year for an annual physical. They will monitor your health over time to assess trends and identify things that may indicate a problem, including:

• Elevated blood pressure
• Elevated blood sugar
• Elevated cholesterol levels
• Gaps in vaccinations
• Concerning skin changes
• As well as perform specific exams for men and women, such as a pelvic exam or prostate exam

A primary care provider will also review your medications each time you visit, or more often if you get a new prescription. This is especially helpful for people who see multiple doctors and specialists or are admitted to the hospital for care. When those doctors prescribe medications, your PCP can check to make sure they won’t interact with other medications or cause problems. They can also help you understand how and when to take your meds, and address concerns or side effects. If there’s a problem with one or more prescriptions, they can consult with your specialty physician(s) to find an alternative.

Get regular screenings

Regular screenings are another essential part of preventive care. The screenings you need depend on things like your:

• Age
• Sex
• Family history
• Current health and diagnoses
• Medical history

Your primary care provider can help you understand exactly what you need and when to get it. Most preventive screenings are covered by insurance, including Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance.

Preventive care is an essential step to better health for people of all ages. Talk to your doctor today—or find a PCP if you don’t have one yet—to get started.

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How Does Stress Affect Your Body?

It often similarly impacts your body, no matter where your stress comes from. Stressors take shape in three primary types:

• Acute stress
• Episodic acute stress
• Chronic stress

Acute stress commonly manifests briefly, such as in a heated argument. Episodic acute stress is similar to acute but repetitive, typically from work deadlines or continuously conflictive relationships. Finally, chronic stress is heightened repetitive stress, such as continued unemployment, high-tension family conflicts, or abuse.

With each of these, our hypothalamus is triggered. When this happens, it sets off the autonomic nervous system, which causes your blood pressure and heart rate to rise and your breathing and digestion to become irregular. The longer this continues, the more cortisol is released, which affects your body’s digestive, growth, and even reproductive processes.

Lowering your stress levels can help you avoid many illnesses and conditions, from cardiovascular issues such as high blood pressure, heart disease and even diabetes.

Tips for Reducing Stress Levels

Lowering your stress levels is often easier said than done. It might mean a complete lifestyle change for some people, while others need a little more awareness regarding their daily habits. Here are some tips to lower your overall stress levels.

•         Address each kind of stress from top to bottom.

First, start with your most significant stressors. These are typically the hardest to change, but they also tend to trickle into all the more minor, acute stressors in our lives. Create action plans or talk to a counselor about addressing your biggest stresses. You might need to give yourself time to come to a place of willingness to make some significant changes.

•         Take moments for yourself.

Try to carve out moments for yourself each day on a smaller level. According to a study published by Behavioral Brain Research in 2019, meditating for even 13 minutes each day will start to have beneficial effects over long-term application. You can also add a positive hobby that brings you happiness, like reading, crafting, or making something to your day.

•         Exercise more frequently and eat healthier.

Exercise and diet have a significant impact on how your body deals with stress. This is because you are essentially fighting excess cortisol in your body. Exercise directly reduces the body’s cortisol output and increases the happy hormones (endorphins) in your body.

•         Get enough sleep.

Sleep is an essential part of human function. Not getting enough sleep decreases your body’s ability to deal with stress and the harm it has caused, which can lead to even more stress. Even slight sleep deprivation can lead to adverse effects on your judgment and mood. Adults should get 8 hours of sleep a night.

Finding Balance

Addressing the sources of stress in your life and working hard to find a balance for yourself are essential for reducing stress in your life. Stress often leads to more stress if not appropriately addressed. Reduce your stress levels to help your body heal and function optimally for much longer.

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What Are Spring Allergies?

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, almost one in six Americans suffer from seasonal allergies, sometimes called hay fever or allergic rhinitis. While it is possible to be allergic to nearly anything, pollen is the typical trigger for spring allergies. The weather can also play a role, with thunderstorms, heat waves, and other weather related events causing symptoms to worsen. Climate change is believed to be causing an uptick in spring allergies, as pollen counts tend to be higher, and the pollen season is longer than they were just two decades ago.

Symptoms of Spring Allergies

Everyone is unique, and you may not experience all of these symptoms. But if you have spring allergies, you are likely to have some combination of:

• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Sore throat
• Watery, puffy, or itchy eyes
• Itchy, runny, or blocked nose
• Headaches
• Dry skin
• Worsening asthma (in people who have the condition)

Many of these symptoms could also be similar to signs of a respiratory virus, from a standard cold to COVID-19. If you experience new symptoms or are unsure whether you have allergies, it’s worth seeing a doctor for a proper evaluation.

Tips for Reducing Your Symptoms

Treatments for spring allergies run the gamut from avoiding triggers to taking prescription medications. Here are some ideas to help reduce your symptoms.

• Stay inside. Spring allergies are typically the worst early in the morning and on windy days when pollen blows around. Limit your exposure by remaining indoors at these times.
• Use a HEPA filter. Reduce the number of allergens inside your home by choosing a HEPA filter for your air conditioner. HEPA stands for “high-efficiency particulate air.” According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), these filters remove 99.7% of airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns or greater, including pollen.
• Take off your shoes. Shoes can carry pollen and other allergens, as well as a host of bacteria, into your home. Get into the habit of removing your shoes at the door.
• Wear a mask.Consider wearing a mask when you need to go outside, and the pollen counts are high. Even a simple dust mask will filter out most allergens.
• Try over-the-counter medications. A variety of antihistamines and decongestants are readily available over the counter. Be sure to talk to your doctor or pharmacist about possible drug interactions if you are on other medications.
• Get a prescription. If your spring allergies don’t respond to over-the-counter remedies or other solutions, consider asking your doctor for prescription medication. Options include pills, eye drops, and nasal sprays.

Some people try alternative remedies, from vitamin C to using a Neti pot to rinse the sinuses and reduce severity of allergies. The benefit of these solutions vary per person. If you do plan to try an alternative solution for your allergies, speak with your doctor first to make sure it is safe and healthy for you.

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Top Tips to Eat More Healthy Food

We added “daily” into the mix because each day, the small choices you make eventually add up to become your lifestyle diet. Focus on one day at a time, and you will see more long-term benefits in the future. Here are our top tips for cleaning up your daily diet.

1. Swap your sugar for healthy alternatives

Sugars and highly processed foods go hand-in-hand. Pay attention to the kind of food you get from the grocery store. Try to start cutting out overly processed foods full of corn oil and corn syrup, sugars that make your blood sugars spike each time you eat them, leading to weight gain, high blood pressure, and even Type 2 diabetes in extreme cases.

Reducing alcohol intake is another one to cut down on if you want to make ongoing changes. This is because the sugar in alcohol can do a number on your body, causing all kinds of fluctuations in blood pressure and insulin levels.

2. Cook healthy food at home

Almost anything you can find to warm up or buy from a fast food restaurant will be full of preservatives, hard-to-digest sugars and carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats. By planning out your meals and cooking them yourself, you are automatically more aware of what goes into your food. This almost always leads to healthy food choices, giving you more control over your daily diet.

3. Stay on the outskirts of the grocery store or opt for local produce

Many grocery stores use a similar layout strategy. Often, all their natural products, fruits, and vegetables are on the outer aisles of the store. As you draw toward the middle, there are more preserved foods that don’t need to be temperature-controlled. Opting for local produce also helps guarantee the quality of ingredients that goes into your food since you can ask the grower about any chemicals used in production. Eating fresher healthy food from local producers also gives you access to more of the nutrients in the food as fruits and vegetables begin to lose nutrients through natural breakdown starting 24 hours after it’s picked.

4. Remember that carbs aren’t the enemy

Diet fads have demonized all kinds of things that we need in our daily diets. For example, carbohydrates and fats. You need carbs to replenish energy in your body and help it run smoothly. Don’t avoid food just because it doesn’t fall under a diet-food heading.

5. Don’t overcommit

Finally, don’t try to do everything at once. Start by becoming more aware of your food, and then each week or so, choose to cut something out or limit something. For example, do you typically eat fast food five or six times each week? Try to cut it down by half, then half again in a month or so. Changing too fast can set you up for a binge rebound.

Everything in Moderation—Even Healthy Food

Notice that we aren’t saying to make drastic cuts or all-encompassing changes to your current lifestyle. Long-term changes are what you’re going for, and making sudden radical changes is almost always unsustainable. Instead, make small healthy food choices and changes in moderation day-by-day. Days will turn into weeks, weeks into months, and months will become a lifestyle change that leads to a healthier you.

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