62 ways to feel great naturally: these gems work like magic to make you calmer, happier, and more energetic - Cover Story

Natural Health, May-June, 2003 by Amy Rapaport Karlson

1 Double Your Laughs

"A 1998 study showed that the average toddler laughs 400 times a day, but the average American adult only laughs 15 times a day," says Martha Beck, Ph.D., a Phoenix-based life coach and author of The Joy Diet (Three Rivers Press, 2003). That's a shame because laughter relaxes your muscles, boosts immunity, and may even extend your life. So aim to laugh at least 30 times a day. To help, stash a joke book in your desk drawer.

2 Tap Away Tension

Lightly tap your scalp with your knuckles for 10 seconds, taking slow, deep breaths as you tap. Silly as it seems, this softens tense muscles in your head and neck and builds your energy, says Elaine Gavalas, exercise physiologist in New York City and author of The Yoga Minibook for Stress Relief (Simon & Schuster, 2003).

3 Tote Around Healthy Fuel

Keep small bags of nuts and dried fruit (like cashews and tart cherries or walnuts and dates) in your purse. The healthy fats and fiber in this snack will sustain you longer than a sugary candy bar.

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4 Give Thanks

Every time you eat (whether it's a snack or a seven-course meal), say grace. Silently ask the universe or a higher power to infuse your food with the nourishment you need, and express gratitude for the food. You'll eat more mindfully and enjoy your food more.

5 Tell Your Pet Your Troubles

Time spent with animals can ease your stress. In fact, a 2002 study in Psychosomatic Medicine found that married pet owners were less likely to perceive events as stressful than couples without pets.

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6 Inhale Energy

Perk up by placing a drop of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) or peppermint (Mentha x piperita) essential oil on one of your palms. Rub your hands together, cup your hands over your nose, and breathe deeply.

7 Create Joy with Feasts

Aim to have three feasts every day, life coach Beck says. A "feast" isn't necessarily food; it's anything that nourishes you physically or emotionally: a stunning sunset, a succulent fruit salad, or an evening spent with good friends.

8 Take a Power Shower

End your morning shower with a 30-second blast of cool water. You may shiver a little, but the temperature change improves blood flow and gives you a burst of energy.

9 Steep Basil Tea

To relax in minutes, place three washed fresh basil leaves (Ocimum basilicum) in a cup of hot water. Steep for 10 minutes, inhaling the aroma, and then sip the tea slowly. Herbalists know basil is one of nature's most effective calmatives, yet it's often overlooked because it's such a commonly used kitchen spice.

10 Soothe Your Shoulders

Drape an herb- and grain-filled shoulder pillow around your neck. The weight of these fragrant U-shaped pillows relaxes hunched shoulders, relieving muscle tension, says Meg Jordan, Ph.D., R.N., a health journalist in Alameda, Calif. Try the Shoulder Trigger-point Pillow from Mother Earth Designs ($40; 800-344-2072; www.motherearthpillows.com).

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11 Rely on Flowers for Focus

When you need to concentrate, reach for Indian pink (Silene californica) and impatiens (Impatiens glandulifera) flower essences, which are made by a process that includes steeping fresh flowers in water. You'll find them in natural food stores. Take 4 drops each, under your tongue, four times daily.

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12 Get a Boost, from Bananas

This favorite fruit contains norepinephrine and serotonin, two brain chemicals that support your mood.

13 This Calming Breath

Close your eyes and cover your right nostril with your right thumb: Exhale all the air from your lungs through your left nostril, and then inhale through the same nostril for four counts. Next, keep your right nostril closed with your thumb and use your right ring finger to close your left nostril; hold for four counts. Lift your thumb and exhale slowly through your right nostril for eight counts. Now inhale through your right nostril for four counts and use your thumb to close your right nostril for four counts, Lift your ring finger. Repeat five times.

14 Sleep Deep with Scents

Place 1 or 2 drops of clap/sage essential oil (Salvia sclarea) inside your pajama shirt collar or pillowcase. This calming scent induces restful sleep, says Teshan Laucirica, an aromatherapist at the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy in Seattle.

15 Sigh Away Stress

When you're frazzled, take a deep breath in through your nose to expand your belly, and then exhale through your mouth with a long, mind-clearing "Ahhhh" sound.

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16 Shed Your Shoes

Take a short stroll in your bare feet through dewy grass. This fatigue-buster also helps you feel more grounded.

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17 Thrown Away Your Fear

If you feel anxious, use a pen and paper to list your specific worries. Once you have them out of your head and on paper, toss the list in the trash.

18 Become a Morning Person

To wake up feeling fresh and alert, try morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea) and self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) flower essences, says Patricia Kaminski of the Flower Essence Society in Nevada City, Calif. You'll find these remedies, made by a process that includes steeping fresh flowers in water, in most natural food stores. Place 4 drops of each under your tongue before bedtime and as soon as you wake up.