Another way to build a healthy body that is best able to combat excessive stress is to make sure you aren't suffering from any basic deficiencies in vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (substances in plants thought to improve health and strengthen the immune system).

While not everyone agrees that supplements are important, most of us don't get a chance to eat a completely balanced, well-rounded diet every single day. So, think of a supplement as an insurance policy.

FOR YOUR BEST NUTRITIONAL DEFENSE AGAINST STRESS, FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES:

• Eat a balanced diet.

• Take a multivitamin/multimineral tablet every day to strengthen your reserves and cover your nutritional bases.

• Vitamins C, E, beta carotene (a form of vitamin A), selenium, and zinc are antioxidants. Studies suggest extra antioxidants in the diet can reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cataracts and can slow the aging process. (Note: Antioxidant supplements have been shown to increase the risk of cancer in smokers.) Antioxidants from citrus fruits; broccoli; tomatoes; leafy greens; dark orange, yellow, and red vegetables; nuts; seeds; and vegetable oils are always good for you.

• The B vitamins are great in many ways. Many of them are thought to boost immunity, improve skin quality, protect against cancer, help arthritis symptoms, help the body to metabolize food and produce energy, and even help to reduce the effects of stress in the body.

• Calcium is a mineral that is essential for maintaining bone mass, preventing cancer and heart disease, reducing blood pressure, treating arthritis, promoting sleep, metabolizing iron, and reducing PMS symptoms.

• Many other trace minerals keep the body healthy and working correctly, from copper and chromium to iron and iodine to selenium, vanadium, and zinc.

• Amino acids and essential fatty acids are also necessary for a healthy functioning body.

• Much is made of other “supplement-of-the-week” substances. There may be something to some of these claims. Others may later prove false. Read about supplements if it interests you. But remember, the most important thing is to eat a healthy, balanced, varied diet.

Preventative Vitamin Regimen

Some studies point to an increase in certain vitamins and minerals as helpful for boosting the body's ability to heal certain maladies. An extra boost of vitamin C (500 to 1,000 milligrams per day) and a few zinc lozenges may help to shorten the length and lessen the severity of a cold. Many people swear by these remedies. Extra calcium has been shown to lessen the severity of PMS symptoms in women. Some studies suggest that vitamins C and E as well as other antioxidants can protect against certain cancers and heart disease.

This chart will show you what vitamins are found in abundance in which foods. I will help you to target your stress with a nutrient attack.

Herbal Remedies

Herbalism is an ancient and time-tested art that remains alive and well today. Many people take herbal remedies, from the popular Echinacea for colds to more complex preparations for every imaginable ailment. A good herbalist can help you treat your health problems naturally and can be an excellent complement to conventional medicine.

Herbal remedies can be infused into water for teas, decoctions, and infusions; syrup, to make herbs more palatable; alcohol for tinctures; oil, to rub into skin; they can be mixed with cream, for external application; they can be formed into tablets or put inside capsules for easy swallowing; or they can even be put into the bath.

Although you can buy many herbs at your local pharmacy or even at the grocery store, herbs aren't FDA regulated, so your best bet is to go to an accredited herbalist with a good reputation. Herbalists know about the side effects of different herbs and also how they interact with other medications. To find an herbalist, look in the phone book, ask the employees at your local health food store, or talk to friends for a referral. Some areas have directories of natural health care providers.

While many prescription medications are made from or derived from herbs, herbalists use herbal prescriptions to treat the whole person, not just an isolated condition. Herbalists believe that medical treatment should involve the least possible intervention and should strengthen the body's healing powers.

Homeopathy

Like herbalism, homeopathy is holistic, but the remedies, which can be purchased in many health food stores, are so diluted that they are safe for anybody to use. Homeopathy is a holistic healing therapy that works on the principle that like cures like. Herbs and other natural substances that cause certain symptoms in a healthy person are diluted and shaken again and again, resulting in an extremely dilute remedy that supports and encourages the body's own healing efforts.

Homeopathy is based on a few basic principles: that symptoms of disease are a sign that the body is healing itself, so symptoms shouldn't be suppressed; that a substance that causes symptoms such as those of a particular disease will, in minute amounts, negate the effects of the disease; and that symptoms will clear up in the opposite order from how they appeared.

Because the remedies are so safe, you don't have to understand the whole philosophy behind homeopathy to try it. In fact, homeopathy is an exceptionally safe way to deal with health imbalances, although it typically works more slowly than conventional medicine. Many people prefer it because it is less invasive, has fewer side effects, and is more holistic than conventional medicine.

Homeopathic remedies are effective for physical ailments such as colds, chronic problems such as arthritis or allergies, and emotional problems such as anxiety or depression. Plus, homeopathic remedies, which can be made with everything from herbs and berries to roots to minerals such as gold and oyster shells to whole honeybees dissolved in alcohol and diluted, are typically far less expensive than prescription medications because they contain such minute amounts of the actual substance on which the remedy is based.