When we hear the advice “avoid stress” many of us might think, “but I have a life!” There are, however, many small, realistic steps we can take to help cut down on stress harming our bodies and our minds.

The term “stress” can refer to any reaction that upsets the body—everything from arguing with your spouse to dealing with daily traffic jams. People can create their own stress by worrying excessively, and even experience stress with happy events in life, such as having a child or planning a wedding. It’s easy to dismiss stress by thinking it’s merely psychological, but it has a huge impact on your body.

Stress can raise your cholesterol levels, increase the incidence of blood clots, suppress immunity, deplete magnesium in the bloodstream, and inhibit the storage of calcium. With prolonged or frequent bouts of stress the body can become nutritionally deficient—especially in B vitamins, which allow the nervous system to function properly. Stress can also increase the oxidation and breakdown of healthy tissues by releasing free radicals.

One of the most important and simple things you can do to help counter the effects of stress in your life is to get a full eight hours of sleep every night (Melatonin and Valerian might help in this effort). The less sleep you get, the more havoc stress can unleash on your body. Meditation, which doesn’t have to be religious, helps many people get a handle and begin to articulate what is causing stress for them. Also, don’t forget to communicate with the people who might be able help you better handle your burdens. Go for a jog, enjoy a hobby, relax outdoors and make it a priority to escape the rigors of everyday life once in a while.

Making sure your body is prepared for battle nutritionally can also help. Make an effort to take a daily antioxidant--it helps immunity and the fight against free radicals. A daily B-complex vitamin also helps proper regulation of the nervous system. Calcium and magnesium should also be supplemented. But most importantly, just remember to stop and breathe.