Take Control of Stress
As spring blooms and the school year draws to an end, we have more activities, errands, and social occasions that keep us busy doing so much for everyone else. I noticed most people are so busy that they forget to make time to nurture and take care of themselves.
Let’s face it; the better you take care of yourself, the better life will be for everyone. Take some time each day to slow down, calm the mind, and rest. If you don’t, stress can get hold of you. Stress is called the “silent killer” for a reason. Stress will put the body into survival mode and it will break down the immune system. The last thing you need to be doing to yourself during this busy time is break down our own immune system.
Indulging in a soothing hot bath or foot soak at the end of the day is always a wonderful way to relax and clean off the stress. Along with that, here are a few techniques on how to get a handle on stress and boost the immune system along the way!
First – Breathe! Breathe deeply into the diaphragm. When stressed, you tend to hold your breath and/or only breathe up in your lungs. When you do this, it cuts off much of the oxygen to the brain, which makes it hard to think. This type of shallow breathing also tells the body that you are in a fight or flight mode.
Research with deep breathing exercises has shown immediate positive impact affecting blood pressure and the blood pH. According to Esther Sternberg, a physician and researcher at the National Institute of Mental Health and author of several books about stress; slow deep breathing can actually stimulate the body’s reaction that will calm us down. She says it’s like putting on the brakes to your car.
Pranayama Yoga uses breath work as regular part of the practice. Cleveland’s Integrative Medicine Clinic has their patients with chronic diseases learn and practice breathing using yoga techniques. Mladen Golubic, a physician at the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine, says, “You can influence asthma; you can influence chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; you can influence heart failure. There are studies that show that people who practice breathing exercises and have those conditions, they benefit.”
According to Sternberg, when you’re stressed, the body immune system’s ability to do its job to fight infections is seriously compromised. So, if you want to handle a stressful situation, boost the immune system, and ultimately feel better; breathe deeply and slowly on a regular basis. It’s free, easy, and you can do it anytime and anywhere!
Second – Eat whole organic foods that are in their pure form, not from a package or fast food container and eliminate caffeinated beverages from the diet. Many people rely and become dependent on beverages that contain various forms of caffeine to help them deal fatigue, which can be caused by stress. Caffeine will actually raise the level of stress hormones in the body and coffee is a bowel irritant. Get off the roller coaster of caffeine and try for a steady even stride of energy. Eat 3 good meals a day. When your body is really fed on a deep cellular level, you are giving it the fuel to run on. Eating whole foods that are not processed or heated over 105 degrees that are rich with live enzymes and rich with nutrition, provides your body with the tools it needs to run efficiently and thrive.
Third – Get a good night’s sleep. Every night make the last 30 minutes before bed a time of reflection, gratitude, and positive peaceful thoughts. During sleep your body rejuvenates itself. A good night’s sleep can make a world of difference in your health and well-being. Make the list of things that are on your mind, write them down and get them out of your head. Release the thoughts about problems, additions to your To-Do list, and worries that have a grip on you. What you focus on before bed is what your mind is going to ponder throughout the night. Before sleeping, practice meditation. Play soft uplifting music or sounds of running water before bed. Breathe deeply; clear your mind, to bring healing and restful night sleep.
As life is speeding up; it is important to know how to slow down. Take some time to stop and smell the roses, and focus on what is important in life.
Ultimately it is a choice. Breathe deeply, eat and drink whole fresh food and focus on the positive to release stress from your life.
Take stress out of your life and make healthy living your lifestyle.
copyright@nancyaddison2013
Resources 1. : http://www.livestrong.com/article/360...
2. NPR- “Just Breathe: Body Has A Built-In Stress Reliever” by Gretchen Cuda December 6, 20103. http://www.lifespa.com/article.aspx?a...
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