Tips for Stressed Mom's

The Stresses of Motherhood
Mothers are the world’s best jugglers: arranging family schedules from soccer to band practice to doctor’s appointments, planning meals, and dealing with money issues, childcare and work — they seem to do it all. There is a price to pay, however—the evidence is mounting that women today are experiencing more stress at every stage of their lives than ever before. With all that responsibility, many moms are left feeling tired and stressed out. That stress contributes to poor sleep habits which in turn can contribute to emotional issues, job issues and weight gain. According to a 2006 survey by the American Psychological Association, women are more affected by stress than men and report engaging in unhealthy behaviors such as comfort eating, poor diet choices, smoking, and inactivity to help deal with stress. The same survey showed women report feeling the effects of stress on their physical health more than men. So, in honor of Mother’s Day this month, it’s a good time for moms and their families to recognize the importance of addressing stress and learning to manage it in healthy ways.

Supplement your diet. Fill in nutritional gaps with a well-balanced, high-quality multivitamin/mineral
supplement. Look for one that provides at least 100% of the daily value for 21 essential nutrients
including the B vitamins folic acid, B12 and B6 to help promote heart health, the antioxidant nutrients,
vitamin C and E which support immune function and protect against free radical damage and key bone
health nutrients like calcium, vitamin D and magnesium.

Supplement the omega-3s in your diet with a top quality, pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplement. For digestive health, take a probiotic supplement to help maintain healthy intestinal microflora and for additional stress relief, try botanical ingredients like Ltheanine from green tea and ashwaganda. L-theanine has been shown to facilitate the generation of alpha brain waves, which are associated with a relaxed yet alert mental state, and ashwaganda is an Ayurvedic herb traditionally used in India to enhance the body’s ability to adapt to stress. And lastly, if getting to sleep remains a challenge, occasionally try herbal ingredients like valerian which can help you maintain a calm state and promote restful sleep.

We all know that being a mom takes an extraordinary amount of patience, love and discipline. That’s what
makes moms so special! But juggling family, finances and work commitments can really be stressful, so
remember this Mother’s Day to keep things in perspective –prioritize wherever you can, delegate
responsibilities, eat right, stay active and TAKE YOUR SHAKLEE SUPPLEMENTS! But, most of all, make time for what’s really important – taking care of yourself, so you can be the best mom ever!