Stress..... YIKES!!!

How does stress change our lives?  Well it causes problems, it causes our bodies to produce cortisol, and adrenaline, and it wears us out.  Cortisol causes us to hold weight around our midsections... no good can come from this.  Adrenaline causes us to have a burst of energy to get through the crisis, and then leaves us feeling exhausted, no good can come from this either.  Some stress cannot be avoided, but there is some that can, and some ways of dealing with it that can help us to help our bodies.

• Prepare for your day ahead the night before so you don't start your day in a stressed out panic rushing for work or school.
• Keep simple healthy snacks at work, in the car, in the diaper bag or purse - this way when you do feel a little anxious you are not found munching down a greasey burger and fries.  The healthy food will help you to fuel your body in a way that will help it process through stress.  Plus isn't being a little overweight stress enough!
• Have a simple at home fitness option that you can do to relieve stress.  Exercise is a great way to work off stress.
• Look at your goals once a day (it will help you to see the light at the end of the tunnel, or give you purpose to your day, to help you make healthy choices.)
• Set up auto bill pay with your bank so you are not late on payments and can keep your credit score high (bills in general just give me stress, so the less I have to think about them and worry about them the better)
• Set e-mail reminders of important dates such as birthdays, anniversaries, car maintnenance schedules, home repair items, routine appointments such as doctors, hairdressers, dentists.  If you are on yahoo, you can actually set your calander to e-mail you the reminders so you don't have to remember to look at the calander, just your e-mail.
• Listen to relaxing and motivational music.
• Set up and maintain a filing system and do it once a week or once a month so you are not overwhelmed and stressed out with paperwork.
• Start an accomplishments list - both for ones that you worked towards as well as surprise breakthroughs.
• Drink chamomile tea - this is supposed to help you relax and de-stress.
• Use calming essential oils such as lavender, chamomile, geranium, and rose.
• Do something for you - take your "ME TIME"
• Get a massage
• Get your feet zoned
• Exercise - oh I already said that earlier... well that is because it is a huge part of stress relief!!
• SLEEP - this is a big part as well, if you are not getting proper sleep you body will be worn down and unable to fight the after affects of stress
• Meditate- to me this means a couple of things, it can be through prayer, it can be through a mind clearing session, it can be to music... but it will help.

Did you know that according to The American Institue of Stress it is estimated that 75% to 90%  of all visits to health-care practitioners are prompted by stress disorders... hmmmm That is a TON...  that leave 10-25% that are actually problems that might not be as avoidable, but to know that 75% - 90% of our health problems are avoidable if we could learn to better manage our stress if not eliminate it.

I read in "The Spark" by Chris Downie that "Just five minutes of stress can leave your immune system vulnerable for nearly six hours."  Are you kidding me - no wonder we are so susceptible to illness.  Learn to manage your stress so you are not among these statistics.

Sheena