The instant stress buster.
1. BREATHE shallow, rapid breathing is a common stress signal and causes you to take in to much oxygen, which can lead to anxiety attacks. Counteract this with a 2 minute break. slow your breathing by closing 1 nostril and breathing and exhale with the other then repeat for 1 more minute with the other nostril.
2. POSITIVE RELAXATION imagery
This is where you go to a quiet room and shut your eyes and imagine you are in your favourite place.
Favourite colours, sounds and scents. This will help you reach a relaxed state more quickly.
3. A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP
We all need at least 7 hours sleep a night to prevent an increase in your cortisol level. If you are well rested you are less likely to reach for a sugary snack.
4. CUT BACK on Caffeine, Nicotine and Alcohol
the first 2 are stimulants and alcohol acts as a depressant.
5. LEARN Mindfulness meditation
This combines stress reduction and meditation, and helps you stay in the here and now.
6. Make Exercise a habit
10 minutes walking is a great stress reliever.
7.Always eat BREAKFAST
This will release carbohydrates and protein to keep blood sugar levels stable.
8. Get SUPPORT
Friends, family and your local doctor can all help and are vital to reducing stress.
9. Eat the right foods
Stress calls for more antioxidants, so eat plenty of fruit,
Also include selenium-rich foods too such as brazil nuts, meat, fish and eggs.
10. Keep Hydrated
Dehydration causes and can affect concentration.
Drink 2 litres a day is recommended.
Showing posts with label stress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stress. Show all posts
Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Friday, 13 September 2013
The healing benefits Yoga explained
I used to be one of those people that only worked out if it involved serious, jolting cardiovascular movement, lifting heavy weights, and basically moving fast and sweating my butt off.
Then I was introduced to yoga, a practice that I knew helped a lot of people with back and muscle problems, which I was starting to experience both with age and with my continuing status as a "desk job" professional. The funny thing is, I did not start practicing yoga to actually get a "work out", which I thought could only be obtained through my grueling sessions on the treadmill, eliptical machine, and recumbent bike.
Oh no, for me yoga was strictly a relaxation exercise, one designed to help stretch my muscles and soothe my busy mind. Little did I realize, I was getting an excellent workout with yoga, combined with all the benefits of a serious cardio workout, as was apparent upon waking up the next day to an invariably sore rump and tummy.
But it didn't always "feel" like I was working out when I did yoga, especially the better I got at it. I wondered why this could be. Then I figured it out, with a little help from a yoga instructor. She said that as you begin to learn to use your breath through the practice of yoga breathing techniques, your muscles actually get more oxygen.
Lack of oxygen to the muscles builds up lactic acid within the muscles, which leads to our sore muscles after a serious workout. Oxygen also plays a vital role in managing stress. It has been found in numerous studies that one who is under stress has low blood oxygen levels, and this is due to the fact that they are not breathing properly through the stressful or anxiety inducing event.
This is why you will often find that you feel short of breath when you are going through a stressful situation, and this is also why asthmatics often have asthma attacks during highly stressful episodes, or when their emotions are on "high".
This made perfect sense. Not only did yoga help to streamline my body, but it helped me learn to manage my breathing, and condition my body and mind to manage stress and anxiety through breathing with my body, not against it. You see, yoga is much more than a meditational or contortionist exercise. It actually transcends what we think of as exercise.
Yoga is a tool that we can use to manage stress, condition our mind and body to be more in touch with one another, and to also gain a sense of tranquility and well being.
Yoga practice ranges from a more active, moving practice called Ashtanga yoga or power yoga, to a more methodical, slower moving practice called Hatha yoga, which concentrates more on a slower, fluid movement and is geared toward those that may not have exercised in a while or who have back issues.
There is also another type, which I had the pleasure of participating in on my recent trip to northern California, called Bikram yoga, where you practice yoga poses ranging form beginner to advanced in a room heated to almost 100 degrees farenheit.
This type of yoga can be strenuous on the beginner, and is usually only recommended for those who are very fit or very well versed in the practice of yoga. I found the Bikram yoga to be challenging, but after I emerged from the room after the two hours of posing, I felt a sense of empowerment and clarity that continued on for the rest of the evening.
It is said that Bikram yoga may actually help rid the body of toxins through the sweat that is produced during the practice. And believe me, sweat you will. There was not a person in the room that had anything less than soaking wet clothes.
Since I've started regularly practicing yoga about three times a week, I find my stress levels are down, my back hurts me less while I am working at my desk, and my muscles have taken on a longer, leaner look.
I feel that I am more intuned with my breathing, and I use my breath now to get me through stressful situations that usually would leave me breathless and anxious. I have found yoga to be a true blessing to my life, and will be a lifetime devotee of this empowering and enriching practice.
------------------------
Danna Schneider is the founder of <a href="http://www.herbalnewsmagazine.com">http://www.herbalnewsmagazine.com</a> and <a href="http://www.herbal-therapeutics.com">http://www.herbal-therapeutics.com</a> where news on new natural products and alternative health can be found.
Then I was introduced to yoga, a practice that I knew helped a lot of people with back and muscle problems, which I was starting to experience both with age and with my continuing status as a "desk job" professional. The funny thing is, I did not start practicing yoga to actually get a "work out", which I thought could only be obtained through my grueling sessions on the treadmill, eliptical machine, and recumbent bike.
Oh no, for me yoga was strictly a relaxation exercise, one designed to help stretch my muscles and soothe my busy mind. Little did I realize, I was getting an excellent workout with yoga, combined with all the benefits of a serious cardio workout, as was apparent upon waking up the next day to an invariably sore rump and tummy.
But it didn't always "feel" like I was working out when I did yoga, especially the better I got at it. I wondered why this could be. Then I figured it out, with a little help from a yoga instructor. She said that as you begin to learn to use your breath through the practice of yoga breathing techniques, your muscles actually get more oxygen.
Lack of oxygen to the muscles builds up lactic acid within the muscles, which leads to our sore muscles after a serious workout. Oxygen also plays a vital role in managing stress. It has been found in numerous studies that one who is under stress has low blood oxygen levels, and this is due to the fact that they are not breathing properly through the stressful or anxiety inducing event.
This is why you will often find that you feel short of breath when you are going through a stressful situation, and this is also why asthmatics often have asthma attacks during highly stressful episodes, or when their emotions are on "high".
This made perfect sense. Not only did yoga help to streamline my body, but it helped me learn to manage my breathing, and condition my body and mind to manage stress and anxiety through breathing with my body, not against it. You see, yoga is much more than a meditational or contortionist exercise. It actually transcends what we think of as exercise.
Yoga is a tool that we can use to manage stress, condition our mind and body to be more in touch with one another, and to also gain a sense of tranquility and well being.
Yoga practice ranges from a more active, moving practice called Ashtanga yoga or power yoga, to a more methodical, slower moving practice called Hatha yoga, which concentrates more on a slower, fluid movement and is geared toward those that may not have exercised in a while or who have back issues.
There is also another type, which I had the pleasure of participating in on my recent trip to northern California, called Bikram yoga, where you practice yoga poses ranging form beginner to advanced in a room heated to almost 100 degrees farenheit.
This type of yoga can be strenuous on the beginner, and is usually only recommended for those who are very fit or very well versed in the practice of yoga. I found the Bikram yoga to be challenging, but after I emerged from the room after the two hours of posing, I felt a sense of empowerment and clarity that continued on for the rest of the evening.
It is said that Bikram yoga may actually help rid the body of toxins through the sweat that is produced during the practice. And believe me, sweat you will. There was not a person in the room that had anything less than soaking wet clothes.
Since I've started regularly practicing yoga about three times a week, I find my stress levels are down, my back hurts me less while I am working at my desk, and my muscles have taken on a longer, leaner look.
I feel that I am more intuned with my breathing, and I use my breath now to get me through stressful situations that usually would leave me breathless and anxious. I have found yoga to be a true blessing to my life, and will be a lifetime devotee of this empowering and enriching practice.
------------------------
Danna Schneider is the founder of <a href="http://www.herbalnewsmagazine.com">http://www.herbalnewsmagazine.com</a> and <a href="http://www.herbal-therapeutics.com">http://www.herbal-therapeutics.com</a> where news on new natural products and alternative health can be found.
Saturday, 27 October 2012
The Important Health Benefits Of Acupuncture Treatment
Acupuncture treatment has been known across the world for many years. A lot of people know that acupuncture is a natural healing therapy that helps recover the body's natural balance and harmony. Acupuncture is also known as a very effective treatment against pain and sicknesses. The main objective of acupuncture is to restore the perfect balance of the body and mind in order to prevent sickness and ailments from developing.
Acupuncture works by inserting very thin needles painlessly in various acupuncture points throughout the body. Acupuncture points are the spot on your body that acts as a meridian through the pathways where the life energy flows. The process of inserting the very thin needles helps the acupuncturists to stimulate the pathways thus removing any obstruction in the flow of energy. By removing the obstruction, the flow of energy will be restored in its proper balance. This treatment is designed to treat various health problems and works to balance the energy throughout the entire body.
The acupuncture treatment can provide a lot of benefits. Mainly, it can help improve the overall health and quality of life of a person. Since the acupuncture treatment helps balance the body's energy system, it helps restore the body's ability to heal itself. It helps take the load off from the body thus rejuvenating the entire body system and refreshes the individual. Acupuncture also helps reduce stress. This is highly beneficial since a lot of people experience too much stress thus leading to anxiety and other mental distress. High stress levels make it difficult for your body to relax. The acupuncture treatment can help your body system to go in a state of tranquility thus allowing full rest and relaxation. Another important health benefit of acupuncture treatment is the improvement of the respiratory health. Acupuncture treatment can help treat allergies, sinusitis, asthma, and other conditions. Aside from all these, acupuncture treatment is also known to strengthen the immune system of a person. Acupuncture releases chemicals and stimulates the nervous system that allows the body to heal itself and to fight off harmful sickness and illnesses.
If you want to try a natural healing therapy for your sickness and ailments, acupuncture is definitely a very safe alternative for you. Acupuncture can also help you relax thus allowing your body the rest it needs to recuperate and to heal itself from the daily stress that it goes through every single day.
------------------------
Reil Miller is a freelance writer who writes about the health benefits of acupuncture treatment. She also writes for acupuncture New York clinics such as Alban Acupuncture <a href="http://albanacupuncture.com/">http://albanacupuncture.com/</a>
Acupuncture works by inserting very thin needles painlessly in various acupuncture points throughout the body. Acupuncture points are the spot on your body that acts as a meridian through the pathways where the life energy flows. The process of inserting the very thin needles helps the acupuncturists to stimulate the pathways thus removing any obstruction in the flow of energy. By removing the obstruction, the flow of energy will be restored in its proper balance. This treatment is designed to treat various health problems and works to balance the energy throughout the entire body.
The acupuncture treatment can provide a lot of benefits. Mainly, it can help improve the overall health and quality of life of a person. Since the acupuncture treatment helps balance the body's energy system, it helps restore the body's ability to heal itself. It helps take the load off from the body thus rejuvenating the entire body system and refreshes the individual. Acupuncture also helps reduce stress. This is highly beneficial since a lot of people experience too much stress thus leading to anxiety and other mental distress. High stress levels make it difficult for your body to relax. The acupuncture treatment can help your body system to go in a state of tranquility thus allowing full rest and relaxation. Another important health benefit of acupuncture treatment is the improvement of the respiratory health. Acupuncture treatment can help treat allergies, sinusitis, asthma, and other conditions. Aside from all these, acupuncture treatment is also known to strengthen the immune system of a person. Acupuncture releases chemicals and stimulates the nervous system that allows the body to heal itself and to fight off harmful sickness and illnesses.
If you want to try a natural healing therapy for your sickness and ailments, acupuncture is definitely a very safe alternative for you. Acupuncture can also help you relax thus allowing your body the rest it needs to recuperate and to heal itself from the daily stress that it goes through every single day.
------------------------
Reil Miller is a freelance writer who writes about the health benefits of acupuncture treatment. She also writes for acupuncture New York clinics such as Alban Acupuncture <a href="http://albanacupuncture.com/">http://albanacupuncture.com/</a>
Friday, 12 October 2012
Meditation - Three Fascinating Benefits For Your Wellbeing
As you sit there and read every word or this article you will be amazed at what you will learn about mediation and the fascinating benefits it has on your well being. Meditation has plenty of benefits but it is especially beneficial to your well being. This article is going to show you some of these benefits. It will be looking at the effect of meditation on the decrease in the stress hormone, decreased cigarette, alcohol and drug abuse, and improved perception and memory.
Stress of any kind is detrimental to your health. Plasma cortisol is a stress hormone that builds up over time because we under normal circumstances have no way of getting rid of. In prehistoric times we got stressed when we were chased by a predator. The hormone made it easier for us to escape and as we ran from danger we got to utilise the hormone and it did not stay in our bodies for longer than necessary. In our high flying world today we get stressed but the hormones stay with us because we have no release in escape. The hormone can cause us to put on weight, go into depression and generally not be able to function very well. Studies have shown that plasma cortisol decreased during meditation, whereas it did not seem to change significantly in controlled subjects during ordinary relaxation. Another study following managers and employees for 3 months who regularly practice meditation showed that meditation practitioners displayed more relaxed physiological functioning. Greater reduction in anxiety, and reduced tension on the job, when compared to the control group. Meditation seems to definitely help reduce stress and help you relax.
Further to improving well being meditation seems to have an effect in cutting down on the use of abusive substances. A statistical meta-analysis of 198 independent treatment outcomes found that meditation produced a significantly larger reduction in tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs use that standard substance abuse treatments (e.g. counselling, pharmacological treatments) or prevention programs (e.g.programs to counteract peer-pressure and promote personal development). The conventional programs had effects showing decreases by three months. The effects of meditation on total abstinence from tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs ranges from 50% to 89% over an 18 to 22 month period of study.
The third area where well being is bettered by meditation is the improved perception and memory of people. In a study some college students were instructed in meditation and they displayed significant improvements in performance over a two-week period on a perceptual and short term memory test which involved the identification of a familiar letter sequences presented rapidly. They were compared with subjects randomly assigned to a routine of twice-daily rest with eyes closed, and with subjects who made no change in their daily routine.
Three different areas that can improve with the practice of meditation.Your health, through break down of the stress hormone, less addiction to abusive substances and improved memory and perception. Imagine what other benefits you can get from practicing meditation.
------------------------
Now I would like to help you experience some of the fascinating benefits of meditation. STOP and ask yourself if you would like to try meditation and reap the many benefits ==>>
<a href="http://www.meditationforyou.co.uk">http://www.meditationforyou.co.uk</a>
Stress of any kind is detrimental to your health. Plasma cortisol is a stress hormone that builds up over time because we under normal circumstances have no way of getting rid of. In prehistoric times we got stressed when we were chased by a predator. The hormone made it easier for us to escape and as we ran from danger we got to utilise the hormone and it did not stay in our bodies for longer than necessary. In our high flying world today we get stressed but the hormones stay with us because we have no release in escape. The hormone can cause us to put on weight, go into depression and generally not be able to function very well. Studies have shown that plasma cortisol decreased during meditation, whereas it did not seem to change significantly in controlled subjects during ordinary relaxation. Another study following managers and employees for 3 months who regularly practice meditation showed that meditation practitioners displayed more relaxed physiological functioning. Greater reduction in anxiety, and reduced tension on the job, when compared to the control group. Meditation seems to definitely help reduce stress and help you relax.
Further to improving well being meditation seems to have an effect in cutting down on the use of abusive substances. A statistical meta-analysis of 198 independent treatment outcomes found that meditation produced a significantly larger reduction in tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs use that standard substance abuse treatments (e.g. counselling, pharmacological treatments) or prevention programs (e.g.programs to counteract peer-pressure and promote personal development). The conventional programs had effects showing decreases by three months. The effects of meditation on total abstinence from tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs ranges from 50% to 89% over an 18 to 22 month period of study.
The third area where well being is bettered by meditation is the improved perception and memory of people. In a study some college students were instructed in meditation and they displayed significant improvements in performance over a two-week period on a perceptual and short term memory test which involved the identification of a familiar letter sequences presented rapidly. They were compared with subjects randomly assigned to a routine of twice-daily rest with eyes closed, and with subjects who made no change in their daily routine.
Three different areas that can improve with the practice of meditation.Your health, through break down of the stress hormone, less addiction to abusive substances and improved memory and perception. Imagine what other benefits you can get from practicing meditation.
------------------------
Now I would like to help you experience some of the fascinating benefits of meditation. STOP and ask yourself if you would like to try meditation and reap the many benefits ==>>
<a href="http://www.meditationforyou.co.uk">http://www.meditationforyou.co.uk</a>
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