Its Taxing!

     its april 15th and our 1040's are due. many of us find this annual chore taxing, to say the least and i know i do as did many of the people i encountered at the post office doing last minute mailing. of course those who file early and/or get a refund probably are feeling better about the entire experience.
     but if you are one of those feeling stressful here's a reminder about some of the foods that help reduce stress naturally:

• foods containing tryptophan such as turkey, pumpkin seeds and shrimp
• brussels sprouts, asparagus and broccoli are good for their high folic acid content
• especially if you live in northern states getting enough vitamin d along with some actual sunlight helps
• vitamin c such as in fresh fruits (avoid just juice) can lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol 
• if stress increases your desire for crunchy snacks try carrot sticks with hummus or celery sticks with some almond butter. nuts are great for crunch but remember that a 1/2 cup has about 265 calories

     many financial advisers recommend that now is a good time to review our money matters for the upcoming tax year so that we have time to make any changes. my suggestion is to also review your stress level and see what changes  you can make in your life to reduce stress and improve your overall health during the year. remember "the first wealth is health"*.

*r.w. emerson