Some stress may be unavoidable, but these habits should help keep the damage to a minimum.

BREATHE DEEPLY
Regular, slowed breathing-a common characteristic of meditation and prayer - alerts your brain that you are in a safe place far away from predators. It also relaxes your heart, decreases blood pressure and removes wastes from the bloodstream.

MAKE FRIENDS
Social isolation increases the physiological damage caused by stress. A 2006 survey found that Americans have only two close friends with whom they can confide their deepest concerns - down from three friends 20 years ago.

EXERCISE REGULARLY
It protects the heart, which is often the first to feel the effects of stress. Studies show exercise also helps maintain the brain's ability to change focus quickly from one situation to another.

EAT PLENTY OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
The antioxidants and other ingredients they contain counterbalance the inflammatory proteins the body produces under stress.

Ayurveda recognizes that each person has a unique mind-body constitution. Ayurveda then identifies the various components of that individual's constitution, determines where imbalances and disturbances exist, and provides education, guidance and a plan for helping the individual bring about their own improvements in health and wellness.

Forget the eyedropper, get a spoon!

Tinctures are liquid herbal preparations that have a much longer shelf life than teas or powders herbs. In a tincture, there is a base liquid, usually alcohol, used specifically for its abilities to preserve the herb and its components, retard spoilage, and draw out the active ingredients. They are not used in traditional Ayurvedic pharmacies but generate a lot of confusion in the marketplace.

The reason that tinctures are one of the most widely misunderstood forms of natural medicine involves a misconception around dosage. There is a very widespread impression (fostered largely by the dosages printed on the bottles) that you can put 3 drops of a tincture in some orange juice and get all better. These dosages are absurd, as are the 1 ounce dropper bottles in which these tinctures are most often sold.

Tinctures are NOT some super strong medicine-they are no better or stronger than any other herbal medicines. "Maximum 1 to 10 drops" is rarely the dose that's effective; it's just the manufacturer's way of being cautious and conservative. It also reflects the company's anticipation of your expectations; it may be assumed that you simply won't take any more than a few drops.