*from Women’s Day

Drink Tea
Black tea has been shown to have an effect on stress hormone levels in the body. Researchers in England have found that people who drink black tea de-stress more quickly than those drinking a fake tea substitute. Tea contains catechins, polyphenols, flavonoids and amino acids that affect your brain's neurotransmitters and ultimately reduce blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Go Nuts
Next time you feel a bit cracked up, forgo the junk food and snack on some nuts instead. Nuts are typically high in tryptophan and magnesium, two key nutrients that support serotonin production. And almonds are especially high in stress-busting B vitamins, zinc, vitamin E and antioxidants.

Rub Your Ears
According to Ayurveda, India's 5,000-year-old 'science of life,' there are marma points—like acupuncture points—in the ears that correspond to the various parts of the body. Simply rub the circumference of each ear—right hand on right ear and left hand on left ear—to instantly ease tension.

Take a Whiff
Aromatherapy has calming effects that can tame the tension in no time. Proven stress-reducing aromas include lavender, lemon balm, chamomile and geranium. Place a few drops of essential oils on cotton balls and place them a few inches from fans or heater vents or underneath your car seat.

Pop a Vitamin C Pill
Researchers at the University of Alabama say that vitamin C reduces the levels of stress hormones in the blood, which may alleviate the body's response to stress. Studies suggest that 1,000 mg of vitamin C is most helpful.

Put on the Pressure
Put your left finger at the base of your skull, then move it down the width of one finger, and then move it to the left the width of one finger. Position your right finger in the same place on the right side. Press both points for one to three minutes. A second stress-busting point is located four finger-widths below your kneecap and one finger-width to the outside of your shin. (You should feel a slight indentation.)

Eat Berries
Blueberries, blackberries and other berries contain some of nature's most powerful antioxidants and are jam-packed with vitamin C, making them potent stress-busters. Stress causes the body to release free radicals—highly unstable oxygen molecules that can damage normal cells—and antioxidants help to neutralize those harmful molecules.

Strike a Yoga Pose
When we get stressed, we tend to tense up and cave our chest in. Fold your hands as if in prayer behind your back, then pull your shoulders back, tilt your head back and breath deeply.

Stretch for Balance
Sit in a chair with your left foot on the floor. Put your right ankle on your left knee and lean forward with a stretch. Hold it as far as you can go, then bend forward a bit more. Repeat on the other side. This opens up your hips and balances that tensed up muscle feeling.