LGR Holistic Wellness

In today’s fast-paced world, stress and anxiety have become almost synonymous with daily life. Between the pressures of work, relationships, finances, and the constant stream of information, it’s no surprise that many people feel stretched thin and emotionally overwhelmed. While deep breathing is often suggested as a go-to remedy—and for good reason—it’s just one of many powerful tools in a well-rounded, holistic approach to managing stress and anxiety.

A holistic approach doesn’t focus on just one solution. Instead, it considers the full picture of a person’s physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. It aims to identify the root cause of stress while equipping the mind and body with multiple layers of support. Whether you’re looking to create more calm in your day or manage ongoing anxiety in a sustainable way, the following tools go beyond simple breathing exercises to offer meaningful, integrated support.

1. Nervous System Regulation Through Grounding Techniques

Grounding techniques help bring you back to the present moment, especially during periods of anxiety or dissociation. They work by activating your senses and reconnecting you with your body and environment, pulling you out of cyclical thoughts or emotional spirals.

Simple grounding methods include:

1. Placing your hands in cold or warm water for a few moments
2. Touching or holding textured objects like a stone, fabric, or wooden surface
3. The 5-4-3-2-1 method: identify five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste
4. Walking barefoot on grass, sand, or soil
5. Sitting on the floor or leaning against a solid wall to feel supported and safe

These small practices can help reorient your nervous system and reduce the intensity of stressful episodes.

2. Herbal and Nutritional Support

The connection between diet and mood is powerful. Certain foods and herbs can either exacerbate or ease feelings of stress and anxiety. Incorporating calming herbs and nourishing, anti-inflammatory foods into your diet can support emotional regulation and nervous system resilience.

Herbs to consider:

1. Ashwagandha: An adaptogen that helps balance cortisol levels and promote a sense of calm
2. Lemon balm: A gentle herb that supports relaxation and cognitive clarity
3. Passionflower: Known for its calming effects, especially helpful in cases of racing thoughts or trouble sleeping
4. Chamomile: Traditionally used to soothe the nervous system and digestive tract
5. Lavender: Can be taken as a tea, tincture, or essential oil to support mood and ease restlessness

Nutritional support includes:

1. Omega-3 fatty acids from foods like salmon, flaxseed, and walnuts
2. Magnesium-rich foods like leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, and dark chocolate
3. Stable blood sugar from balanced meals with protein, fiber, and healthy fats
4. Limiting caffeine and refined sugars, which can exacerbate anxious symptoms

Always consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before starting new herbs or supplements, especially if you’re on medication.

3. Somatic Practices and Body-Based Therapies

Somatic practices focus on the body’s experience of stress, helping to release stored tension and trauma through gentle movement and awareness. Because anxiety often lives in the body as tightness, restlessness, or hypervigilance, addressing it physically can provide deep relief.

Effective somatic practices include:

1. Somatic stretching: Moving slowly and intuitively, focusing on areas of tension and breathing into them
2. Tapping (EFT): Emotional Freedom Technique combines touch with affirmations to regulate emotions and energy flow
3. TRE (Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises): A series of movements designed to activate the body’s natural tremor response, releasing deep muscular stress
4. Qi Gong or Tai Chi: These ancient movement systems combine breath, slow movement, and intention to balance the body’s energy and promote calm Progressive muscle relaxation: Tensing and releasing muscle groups to increase awareness of tension and support relaxation

These practices teach the body that it’s safe to let go, creating physical spaciousness for mental and emotional relief.

4. Nervous System Reset Through Sensory Rituals

Our sensory system plays a powerful role in regulating our emotional state. By using sensory input intentionally, you can activate the parasympathetic nervous system—the “rest and digest” mode—and help your body exit fight-or-flight.

Rituals might include:

1. Lighting a non-toxic candle or diffusing essential oils like bergamot, frankincense, or ylang-ylang
2. Drinking herbal tea slowly and mindfully, noticing warmth, flavor, and aroma
3. Listening to calming music, nature sounds, or binaural beats
4. Taking a warm bath with Epsom salts and calming oils
5. Wearing soft, comfortable clothing and surrounding yourself with soothing textures

These seemingly simple acts can become powerful rituals when done with mindfulness and regularity.

5. Journaling and Expressive Writing

Journaling offers a safe container to process emotions, explore triggers, and identify thought patterns. Writing helps you externalize internal tension, gain clarity, and shift perspective.

You can begin with simple prompts like:

1. What am I feeling right now?
2. What is this stress trying to teach me?
3. What do I need more of—and less of—today?
4. What thoughts am I believing that may not be true?
5. What can I let go of?

You don’t have to write for long. Even five to ten minutes of honest, unfiltered writing can help calm the mind and reduce emotional overwhelm.

6. Aromatherapy and Breath Anchoring

While breathwork is foundational, combining it with aromatherapy adds another layer of support. Certain essential oils have been shown to influence brain chemistry, calming the limbic system and lowering cortisol.

Try this practice:

1. Place a drop of lavender or vetiver essential oil on your palms
2. Rub your hands together and cup them over your nose
3. Inhale slowly for four counts, hold for four, exhale for six
4. Repeat for several cycles, letting the scent deepen the sense of calm

This practice can be used before stressful events, during moments of panic, or as a daily ritual to reset your nervous system.

7. Connection and Community Support

Isolation fuels anxiety. Having a safe space to express yourself and be witnessed without judgment is one of the most healing forms of stress relief. Holistic wellness includes not just the self, but the support systems that surround it.

Ways to cultivate meaningful connection:

1. Reach out to a trusted friend and share what you’re feeling
2. Join a support group, book club, or wellness circle (online or in person)
3. Practice active listening and vulnerability in your relationships
4. Seek professional support from a therapist, coach, or holistic counselor
5. Volunteer or help someone else—service can be grounding and heart-opening

Even short moments of heartfelt connection can significantly shift your emotional state.

8. Spiritual Practice and Mindfulness

For many, anxiety is a signal that they’ve become disconnected—from themselves, from the present moment, or from a deeper sense of meaning. Spiritual practice offers a way to return home to what matters most.

This might look like:

1. A daily meditation or prayer practice
2. Time in nature, observing the cycles of life and grounding in simplicity
3. Reading spiritual texts or writing affirmations that reflect your inner truth
4. Lighting a candle and sitting in silence for a few minutes each morning
5. Reflecting on your values and aligning your actions with them

Spiritual practices don’t require a belief system. They simply invite you to slow down, listen inward, and reconnect with your deeper self.

9. Daily Rhythm and Nervous System Structure

Creating structure in your day can help regulate your nervous system. Anxiety often thrives in unpredictability and mental clutter. A gentle daily rhythm offers safety and containment.

Consider:

1. Waking and sleeping at consistent times
2. Starting your day with a grounding morning ritual
3. Eating nourishing meals at regular intervals
4. Taking short breaks between tasks to rest and reset
5. Ending your day with a calming bedtime routine

This rhythm doesn’t have to be rigid. Think of it as scaffolding—something supportive you can lean on when life feels chaotic.

10. Healing Through Creativity

Creative expression is one of the most direct ways to move emotion and shift energy. Whether it’s painting, drawing, dancing, singing, or playing an instrument, creativity helps release what words can’t always reach.

You don’t have to be an artist. The act of creating is therapeutic in itself. It gives your inner world a voice, fosters presence, and offers a sense of purpose and joy.

Try this:

1. Put on music and move your body however it wants
2. Doodle or color while listening to a calming podcast
3. Keep a sketchpad for drawing, even abstract lines and shapes
4. Write a poem or short story about your emotional experience
5. Cook a new recipe and treat the kitchen as your studio

When you create, you open a portal between stress and serenity, chaos and clarity.

In Summary

Managing stress and anxiety holistically means learning how to meet yourself where you are, with compassion and curiosity. No single practice is a cure-all. Some days you might need movement; others, stillness. Sometimes it’s journaling, and other times it’s reaching out to someone who sees you.

Start by choosing one or two of the tools above that resonate with you. Incorporate them into your daily rhythm with intention and consistency. As you grow more attuned to your body and emotions, your toolkit will evolve with you.

The goal isn’t to eliminate all stress. It’s to respond to it with presence, resilience, and grace. You are not powerless in the face of anxiety. You are wise, intuitive, and capable of cultivating peace from within.

And every time you choose to care for your nervous system holistically, you send a powerful message to yourself: I am safe. I am supported. I am coming home.