1. Practice Deep Breathing
Shift your body’s balance of oxygen versus carbon dioxide in favor of energizing, stress-squashing oxygen by doing slow, controlled breathing exercises. Here are three good ones.

How often? Aim for twice a day.

Why do it? When you focus on your breathing, you’re not focusing on anything else (your to-do list or the late babysitter). That mental shift helps remove stressors, bringing you to a deeper level of consciousness, a place where you can put things into perspective.

2. Get Active
Release the repressed anxiety trapped inside you by putting your body in motion for 30 minutes or more.

How often? Do something — anything — every day, because exercise only tames stress for a maximum of 24 hours. So to reap the most benefits, you need to do it daily. If you prefer, tuck 10-minute pockets of activity into your day — at lunch, after dinner, right after you get up and the house is still quiet. Find ways to sneak fitness into your schedule.

Why do it? Staying active boosts circulation, which delivers more nutrients to cells and skin. It also increases lung capacity, so you can take in more oxygen; lifts your spirits and sense of well-being; and fights age-related diseases. Plus, for many, it’s the ultimate stress reducer.

3. Beat the Foods That Beat You
Reduce the allure of sugary, fatty foods — which are as bad for your skin as they are for the rest of you — by eating more lean protein: fish, eggs, poultry, low-fat dairy foods, and even walnuts. Also, try to be more aware of what you reach for — and how much you consume — when you’re stressed. Get some pointers on mindful eating.

How often? All day, but especially early on — morning protein helps curb afternoon cravings.

Why do it? Protein is key to avoiding mood swings and energy dips. It helps you maintain a healthy blood sugar balance, which in turn keeps certain hormones (including insulin) in check. Bumping up your protein intake also gives you more energy and fights hunger pangs, which can play games with your moods.

4. Focus on the Good Things
Pick up a notebook you particularly like, and at the end of each day, make a list of things for which you are truly grateful. Or write down three things that went well, and why.

How often? Nightly, as part of your winding-down routine.

Why do it? Keeping a journal that records the good things in life helps shift your focus to what you’re doing right, and that can put a brake on the stressful, negative chatter that often goes on in your head.

5. Stretch Out Your Sleep
Make it a goal to sleep as many hours as you need to feel alive and productive the next day — all day.

How often? Every night.

Why do it? Sleep is free cosmetic medicine, pure and simple. When you ask Dr. Amy what single thing makes the biggest improvement in how a stressed-out person looks, she says, “Sleep.” Nothing exacerbates stress and etches in lines like exhaustion.

6. Take a Time-Out
For most of us, life is so hyperscheduled and speedy that we never do absolutely nothing. It’s rare to set aside time to simply be — no agenda, no demands, no plan. (Just like a real vacation. See if you’re due for one.) Find a comfortable, quiet spot to sit for 10 to 15 minutes every day, stop all your hustling and bustling . . . and simply, by yourself, be still.

How often? Try for once a day.

Why do it? Slowing down for a little while helps create a sense of spaciousness in your life, a break in the nonstop whirl that can open the door to new perceptions, new solutions, new possibilities. It gives your brain, your psyche, your whole being a break. Like one long, peaceful sigh.

7. Cuddle or Have Sex
Enjoy a little intimacy.

How often? At least once a week.

Why do it? All kinds of age-defying, beauty-promoting events happen during sex as three seductive hormones spill out of the brain: endorphin, a natural opiate, which contributes to that delicious high; prolactin, which gives you that relaxing, tension-zapping “ahhhhhhh”; and soothing oxytocin, which promotes feelings of affection and triggers a nurturing instinct.

This week is world breastfeeding week. According to the WHO, breastfeeding could save millions of lives, especially in the event of a public emergency. Breastfeeding is not a lifestyle – it is a way to reduce healthcare spending, promote women’s health, and ensure a lifetime of better health for breastfed infants and children. This year, breastfeeding as a part of emergency preparedness is a focus of the World Health Organization.

World breastfeeding is an annual campaign that takes place August 1 to August 7, designed to educate, promote, and encourage breastfeeding throughout the world. This year’s focus is on emergency preparedness and the importance of breastfeeding. Mother’s milk is more plentiful than bottled formula and water and could sustain vulnerable infants and children in the event of a local or national emergency.

Mothers who breastfeed provide a lifetime of health benefits that continues to adulthood through enhanced immunity, less risk of allergy, love, and early bonding. Optimal nutrition comes from mother’s milk.

Women benefit from breastfeeding through reduced risk of ovarian cancer, osteoporosis later in life, and decreased risk of post-menopausal breast cancer. Risk of post-partum bleeding is diminished from breastfeeding.

This year’s focus is “Breastfeeding – a vital emergency response. Are you ready?” Local healthcare agencies are encouraged to consider the importance of breastfeeding when planning for natural disasters and other public emergencies. The focus is on recognizing the importance of breastfeeding for emergency preparedness.

Breastfeeding within one hour of birth is encouraged. According to the World Health Organization, the best way to sustain nutrition for infants and children in extreme circumstances is to exclusively breast feed up to six months. Complementary foods can be added, with continued breast feeding up to age two.

Hospitals are encouraged to adequately staff their facilities to provide support to mothers. Personnel should be trained to ensure infant and child nutrition through breastfeeding during emergencies and disasters.

Each year the World Health Organization places a different focus on the importance of breastfeeding. This year’s impetus focuses on ensuring infant and child nutrition as a part of emergency preparedness through breastfeeding education and promotion, and includes developing a team of trained personnel to assist mothers with breastfeeding in case of disaster.

1.Berries, Any Berries

Blackberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, blueberries. They’re not just delicious; they’re jammed with antioxidants, which is why they’re great at countering the skin-damaging free radicals generated by stress. Eat them one by one (like healthy M&M’s) when the pressure is on. If you’re a jaw clencher, try rolling a frozen berry around in your mouth. And then another, and another. Or whirl up a Berry Dessert Slush.

2.Guacamole

Avocados are loaded with B vitamins, which stress quickly depletes and your body needs in order to maintain nerves and brain cells. Scoop up the creamy goodness — which comes from healthy monounsaturated fats — with whole-grain baked chips or raw veggies. If you’re watching calories, dip instead of scoop: 2 tablespoons have about 55 calories. Try this simple recipe for Avocado Fiesta Salsa.

3.Nuts

Almost all nuts are good sources of vitamins B and E, plus selenium and zinc, but some nuts have more than others, so cover your bases by mixing them up. Just an ounce — a small handful — will help replace those stress-depleted Bs (walnuts); give you a good dose of selenium and zinc (Brazil nuts), which are also drained by high anxiety; boost your vitamin E (almonds), which helps fight cellular damage linked to chronic stress; and may even lower your blood pressure by helping your arteries relax (pistachios). They’re high in calories, so don’t overindulge.

4.Oranges

People who take 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C before giving a speech have lower levels of cortisol and better-behaved blood pressure than those who don’t take it. So lean back, take a deep breath, and concentrate on peeling a big, juicy orange. The 5-minute mindfulness break will steady your brain cells, and you’ll get a bunch of C as well.

5.Salmon and Other Fatty Fish

The omega-3 fatty acid in salmon, called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), isn’t just good for your skin. Studies show people who eat ample amounts of DHA have a much lower incidence of depression, aggressiveness, and hostility. So this healthy fish may even help road rage! Some people report improvements in mood within days or even hours of eating omega-3-rich meals. Serve Double Sesame Salmon with Mango-Avocado Salsa for dinner this weekend.

6.Spinach

Spinach and other happy greens (the dark, leafy ones) contain folate, a B vitamin that appears to be essential for mood and proper nerve function in the brain. Two cups of cooked spinach gives you the 400 micrograms of folate recommended to pick up your mood. And you’ll love this recipe for Sauteed Spinach with Pine Nuts and Golden Raisins.

7.Dark Chocolate

The antioxidant flavonols in dark chocolate (check labels; you want 70% or more cacao) help keep your blood pressure steady and your mind sharp. They may also help counter cellular damage caused by stress. Try this when you need a mental lift: Microwave 8 ounces of vanilla almond milk on medium for 1 minute, and then stir in an ounce of dark chocolate till it melts (heat triggers antioxidant release). Delish. Just show a little restraint; chocolate packs a lot of calories.

* The classic PB&J (go easy on the PB, and try it on a rice cake); top off with a glass of low-fat or skim milk or a cup of herbal tea with a combo of chamomile and valerian
* A banana with 1 teaspoon nut butter of your choice
* A small bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat or skim milk
* Fruit and cottage cheese
* Whole-wheat crackers and goat cheese
* A homemade oatmeal-raisin cookie with low-fat or skim milk