August is National Wellness Month!

August is National Wellness Month! Our health clinics at the Lake of the Ozarks would like to spread the word and in honor of this special month, give you a few tips for practicing good wellness. One of which is to have a good doctor you can trust, if you are looking for a new doctor, give Central Ozarks Medical Center a call. In the spirit of National Wellness month, keep reading for a few stress relief tips.

Stress Relief Foods

Spinach

Spinach is known to contain folate, which produces dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical that can tell your brain to essentially, “be happy.”

Oatmeal

Aside from oatmeal already being a comfort food, it contains complex carbs, which can be digested slowly and not cause your blood sugar to spike.

Dark Chocolate

According to Health, dark chocolate can lower your stress hormones and antioxidants contained within dark chocolate can cause the walls of your blood vessels to relax, which can lower your blood pressure.

Turkey Breast

Turkey contains an amino acid that helps produce serotonin, which is a chemical that can make you feel happier.

Avocado

Avoid stress eating, by eating this superfood. While you don’t want to overeat it, avocados can cause make you feel more full. Check out this great recipe for avocado toast we found online:

Source: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mashed-avocado-toasts-recipe-2009592

Mashed Avocado Toast

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Sea salt

2 slices whole-grain bread, toasted

Red pepper flakes

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

Cut the avocado in half, remove pit, and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Add the lemon juice and sea salt, to taste. Mash the ingredients together with a fork, keeping the texture slightly chunky.

Spread half the mash onto each piece of toast and garnish with some red pepper flakes and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.

Stress Relief Techniques

Listen to music.

Put on some soothing music and calm your self. Just take a few minutes to sit down and listen to some of your favorite songs. Your stress level can lower, leaving you more relaxed and ready to be productive.

Focus on your breathing.

If you are feeling stress at work, take a quick break to breathe deeply for about 5 minutes. Really focus on the process of your breathing and nothing else.

Go for a walk.

Exercising can help your body to release endorphins, making you feel happier. If you are at work feeling stressed, take a quick walk around the building or down the block and back.

Reduce Stress with Central Ozarks Medical Center

Beyond having excellent, Board Certified Providers, several recent studies have found that patients who regularly use community health centers, like Central Ozarks Medical Center, have lower total annual healthcare costs when compared to patients who use other primary care providers, such as HMOs, hospital outpatient units or private physicians. High healthcare bills can be stressful all on their own. On an average, these studies show that the cost associated with using a community health center is 22% to 33% less expensive than using other healthcare models. In addition to the savings is the quality of care and concern our providers at the Lake of the Ozarks will offer to you during each visit. With highly trained support staff, Central Ozarks Medical Center Providers can focus on only you and your health. Call one of our clinics listed below for your next appointment.

Central Ozarks Medical Center

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