Nowadays, stress is becoming as common as the common cold. Although a mental health issue, it harms various elements of physical health as well. Experts recommend several stress management techniques. Yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises are the most common among them. Some foods and drinks can also help. In one of his YouTube videos, Dr. Eric Berg, who has over 6.8 million subscribers on this platform, shared one such drink that can relieve stress instantly.
Why Stress Is Bad
We all have been told several times how stress is bad. However, do you know that some amount of it is essential for survival? In his video, Dr. Berg compared it to exercise. If you put no stress on your body in the form of exercise, you know what impact it will have. When people say that stress is bad, they mean sustained stress. Here is how it harms the body:
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- Immune System: Cortisol is the hormone your body releases in times of stress. It has a detrimental impact on your immune system as it suppresses it. Hence, you become more prone to viral and other kinds of infections. This is the reason why you might get sick in times of stress.
- Stomach: Sustained stress can lead to ulcers in the stomach. It can also increase the amount of gastric acid in the stomach, thus leading to gastritis.
- Heart: When stressed out, your heart rate and blood pressure increase, which are both detrimental to cardiovascular health.
- Sugar: Stress turns proteins, fats, and ketones into sugar. This excess sugar in your bloodstream can make you prone to diabetes. All this sugar can also make you fat, especially around the belly.
- Muscle: During stress, the tone of the muscles get tough, causing muscle spasm.
- Lungs: Hyperventilation can happen due to stress. You might feel breathlessness and that you are not getting enough oxygen. However, the reality is that you are getting too much oxygen which you can even pass out.
- Brain: Stress also harms your brain, the sleep cycle, and circadian rhythm.
Lemon Balm Tea For Stress Relief
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Dr. Berg recommends drinking lemon balm tea for stress relief. The doctor recommends a cup in the morning, one during the day and if needed, a cup in the evening. Here’s how the lemon balm tea helps:
- It has phytonutrients, which are beneficial for health.
- The tea induces tranquility, which is the feeling of peace, calmness, and serenity.
- It displays anti-anxiety and anti-depression properties.
- It uplifts mood.
Also read: Stress Can Cause Weight Gain, Understand The Role of Cortisol Hormone
Lemon balm belongs to the mint family. Research has also shown the beneficial properties of this tea. It helps with stress relief and also improves sleep in those suffering from a sleep disorder. Hence, if you suffer from chronic stress, apart from other techniques, it wouldn’t harm to give lemon balm tea a try. Even in the absence of stress, it has calming property, which helps with overall mental health well-being.
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