Reduce and relieve stress in as little as two minutes with these 15 calming tricks (16 Photos)
Brenda Kearns on Jul 30, 2012 at 3:35PM
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In India, they’ve long used nutmeg to shake off funky moods. Reason? Studies there show that inhaling nutmeg’s aromatic oils can kick-start the brain’s production of relaxing, stress-soothing alpha waves almost instantly. Eating nutmeg can give you an even more impressive boost. According to Stanford University researchers, adding a quarter teaspoon to your daily diet could help you feel calmer and less easily rattled in as little as two weeks. Credit goes to nutmeg’s active compounds -- myristicin and elemicin -- which actually mimic mood-boosting Prozac, the study authors say. Sprinkle fresh nutmeg over cereal, fruit, yogurt, hot cocoa and cider, and sneak it into recipes whenever you’re whipping up sauces, veggie dishes and baked treats.
