There will be times when you feel disappointed, frustrated, worried, afraid, concerned, or anxious.

You lack clarity and certainty.

You feel that you’re in the middle of a tornado with not just your head but all your body spinning.

You don’t feel grounded anymore. You worry that life the way you know it will change.

I’m not a politician. I’m really terrible when it comes to politics. I’m no therapist or healer either. It seems like many of us could use one today.

But I’m a health advocate and let me tell you this.

No matter what happened last night or what will happen in the next 4 or 8 or 12 years, your health is in your hands.

Fight for your own health and sanity.

Yes, you ate way too many donuts, cookies, chips, or chocolate last night in anticipation.

You stayed up way too late or didn’t even get any sleep.

Your eyes are puffy. Your head is spinning, and you probably had 3 cups of coffee and your brain still can’t function normally.

It’s ok. You’re not the only one in shock and reacted this way.

Take a deep breath.

…

Then get up and move. Exercise.

Go make that salad or that healthy dinner you were planning on. Nothing changed. Check out my cookbook, The Detox Way, see how it can help you eat clean wholesome meals that will care and nourish your body despite all the craziness!

Because I guarantee you, taking care of your body, moving, eating right, and reducing your stress will affect your future more than who the next president is.

Toss the extra junk food that was left over. No one needs it.

Don’t eat your emotions. That will not change the results.

Instead, walk or run them off.

Hug someone you love.

Laugh out loud.

Take a bath with relaxing Epsom salts.

Turn the TV off. Take a break from the news. Media gets attention by showing horrific facts or playing on people’s fears.

Don’t engage in hateful rants on social media. Don’t read hate comments. Don’t waste your time or energy in negativity.

Why?

Take a look what’s happening inside your body right now: 

When you’re anxious, stressed, worried or engage in negative activities and thoughts, your body is in a fight-or-flight mode. It‘s a tough place to be.

Your nervous system is shutting down things that aren’t as critical.

Look at digestion. The stomach, intestine, and gall bladder activity is inhibited. Enzymes and digestion aren’t working like they should. And if the stressor continues (not who won or lost, but how you react to it), you will suffer from gas, bloating, cramps, nausea, heartburn, indigestion, acid reflux, diarrhea, or constipation.

Look at blood sugar. Your body is spilling glucose into your blood because it thinks you’re about to run for your life. Your blood sugar is high to fuel this run. But you’re not running. You’re sitting down watching or reading the news. Maybe with another donut in your hand. High blood sugar damages your body in many ways.

Stress will increase your cortisol level. High cortisol will drive your insulin level up, which will promote your body to store more fat and burn less fat tissue.

You’re in charge of your life.

You control your future, your health, your values, your beliefs, your faith, your self-talk, how you live your life, how you raise your children, or how you carry yourself.

Life will go on. America will survive. We all will survive.

Yes, a lot of people will be impacted. I’m not blind. But there’s enough goodness to spread around.

Focus on what makes us all similar. Even when we’re all different.

Continue to wave to your neighbor despite the signs on their lawn.

Continue to give charity and volunteer in your community.

Don’t contribute to fear or hate. It will hurt you, your hormones, your blood sugar, your heart health, and the rest of your body before it hurts anyone else.

Practice what you preach: care, love, fairness, grace, respect, goodness.

Life is not what happens to you. It’s how you handle what happens.

Have faith and pray that things will be ok. There’s a higher power protecting us all.

All of these will help calm your nervous system down so you can rest, digest, sleep, and rebuild.

Today it may be the election, but tomorrow it could be your work deadlines, your car payment, your new boss, or your kids behavior. Something else will come up. The more practice you have at calming yourself, the better you will be.