If you’re living with a disabling condition, staying in shape might not be at the front of your mind. But the truth is that being fit, even when you’re living with a disability, can do a lot to improve your quality of life. Aside from increasing your endorphin levels—the natural feel-good chemical in your brain—regular exercise is also a great tool for fighting stress and depression and promoting full-body health.

Now I know what you’re thinking: running marathons, jumping in pools, and bench-pressing weights are not things I can or should be doing right now. The good news is that you don’t have to be scaling mountains to have your health in a good place. Low-impact exercise is a great way to stay healthy and strong even if you have a condition that limits your mobility. In fact here’s a great video of a low-impact cardio routine that will get you sweating:

Keep in mind that even this routine might be too strenuous for your condition. Just exercise at the pace that works for you and be patient with yourself if you need to take a rest. It’s also a good idea to consult your doctor when trying any new kinds of exercise to make sure it’s safe for your condition.

To learn even more about the importance of getting fit, check out our blog post on exercising with a disability.

In our fast-paced world, anxiety and stress have pretty much become a way of life. And I speak from personal experience when I say stress is the pits. As a perfectionist, an introvert, and an all-around worried person, I understand that sometimes your stress goes into overdrive. Feeling like you can’t do anything about it only makes the problem worse.

But you can do something about it! I’m not saying there’s a magical pill or a mystical yoga routine for beating stress. (Although if you do ever hear about one, please let me know.) What I’m saying is there are things you can do to make your internal life less hectic. Here are seven simple ways that I like to soothe my stress:

1. Make a list—One of my tried and true methods of stress reduction is list-making. Writing things down is a great way to gather your thoughts and come up with a plan, so write down everything you need to do or a list of ways to fix your problem. You’ll be able to see your thoughts on paper plus have the added benefit of not forgetting anything.

2. Go on a walk—Exercise is an awesome way to get your mind off things. So if you’re pushing to your breaking point, set aside twenty minutes to go on a quiet walk by yourself or with a friend. Spending time in nature has been scientifically proven to reduce stress in case you didn’t know.

3. Eat a snack—Dealing with stressful daily drama on an empty stomach isn’t a good plan for anyone, so do what you can to keep your blood sugar from dropping. Eat smaller meals more frequently to keep your energy up. Plan ahead for stressful weeks by packing yourself some nutritious snacks. Berries, chopped vegetables, and plain almonds are some of my personal favorites.

4. Get a massage—Confession: this is my favorite stress-reduction tip of all time. Massage therapy has a shocking number of emotional and physical benefits, and if you’re feeling stressed out, chances are you’re carrying that tension somewhere in your body. Take a load off and visit a massage therapist in your area. You can jump online to find one with good reviews or look on Groupon for an inexpensive option.

5. Get more sleep—Okay, maybe this something I’m not the best at, but getting enough sleep is essential to maintaining healthy stress levels. Shoot for more than seven hours of uninterrupted sleep every night and try to get to bed before midnight. If you’re so stressed out that you can’t sleep at all, try natural remedies like sleepy chamomile tea, essential oils, or a warm cup of milk before bed. If your sleepless nights persist, be sure to talk to your doctor.

6. Take a breather—I don’t know about you, but the things that stress me out the most are things that I can’t control. And when life feels especially crazy and unfixable, it might just be time for a break. Open up your laptop to watch some cat videos. Start a new creative project. Watch your favorite movie. Whatever it is you enjoy, carve out a little bit of time to do it. And if nothing helpful is coming to mind, take fifteen minutes to lie down in a dim room and breathe in and out deeply. Trust me, it makes a difference.

7. Talk to somebody—Stress isn’t something you have to take on alone. If you’re feeling consistently anxious, talk to a close friend about how you’re feeling. It may not sound like much, but verbal processing will do you a lot of good. And if your anxiety becomes unmanageable or you find yourself feeling stressed out a majority of the time, it might be time to talk to a professional. Ask your doctor for recommendations.

For more healthy living tips, check out our blog posts on yoga stretches that reduce lower back pain and all the benefits of vitamin D.

I don’t know about you, but to me there’s nothing that screams summer deliciousness like an ice-cold popsicle. We all love something cold when it’s hot outside, but unfortunately most frozen treats are loaded with sugar, calories, and lots of dye. If only there was a better way . . .

But maybe there is! I’m no nutritionist, but I do know some homemade options that both your sweet tooth and your waistline will enjoy. And every single one of these is super easy to make. So before you run off to raid the frozen section of the grocery store, here are five flavorful yet healthy snacks sure to cool you down this summer:

1. Frozen Watermelon Cubes

• 1½ pound seedless watermelon
• ¼ cup mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• A pinch of salt

Here’s a chilly twist on one of our favorite summer melons. Cut your watermelon away from the rind and dice it into chunks. Combine all your ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Next pour your watermelon juice into empty ice-cube trays and freeze. If you’d like you can stretch plastic wrap over your trays and stick a toothpick into each cube to make mini popsicles.

2. Blueberry Vanilla Yogurt Ice Pops

• 3½ cups of low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 2 cups blueberries, fresh or defrosted
• 1 tablespoon honey

These popsicles are filled with fresh blueberry flavor along with lots of vitamin C, antioxidants, and protein. First combine the honey and blueberries together in a small bowl. Next blend your blueberry mixture with two cups of your yogurt until smooth. Now take 10 popsicle molds and divide your remaining cup and a half of yogurt among them. Finish filling them up with your blueberry mixture and freeze your popsicles for 24 hours. They’re now ready to enjoy!

3. Spicy Mango Sorbet

• 1 ½ cups frozen mango
• 1 fresh banana
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• ½ cup maple syrup
• A dash of cayenne powder

Are you in the mood for a sweet treat with a little kick? This spicy mango sorbet has hardly any steps to it: just put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour your mixture into an airtight container and freeze overnight or until firm. And that’s it! Scoop it out and enjoy a little tropical spice.

4. Peach Frozen Yogurt

• 4 cups frozen sliced peaches
• 3 tablespoons honey
• ½ cup non-fat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Peaches are probably my favorite fresh fruit of the summer, and this recipe is a really easy and delicious way to enjoy them frozen. Just put all of the ingredients above into a food processor and blend until creamy. You can serve it immediately or store it in an airtight container in your freezer to eat later. It really is that easy. I’ll let you judge the deliciousness for yourself.

5. Savory Yogurt Dip

• ¼ cup low-fat yogurt
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (dill, basil, cilantro) or a few pinches of dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon lemon zest

And to go along with all these sweet treats, how about something savory? This recipe isn’t frozen, but it definitely makes my list of cold summery treats. The ingredients above make one serving of dip, so just combine all of them in a cup and serve with raw vegetables. Cucumber spears and carrot sticks are my personal favorites, but use whatever you like.