12 Ways to Stay on Top of Stress

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12 Ways to Stay on Top of Stress

Posted by le Reece

on Mon, Apr 16, 2007, 3:39 pm PDT

You know how you have those weeks (or maybe months or years) that just seem to

be loaded with stress? I know it's all relative -- one person's stress is

another's holiday. People with two children think having just one child is a

piece of cake, and so on. I've had one of those weeks -- I've been on the road a

lot and dealing with an injury, work hasn't been going my way, and my

three-year-old has been possessed by an alien. And I'm not talking about a

friendly alien that wants to know what this planet is all about -- no, I am

talking about someone who wants to launch a full-scale assault, but only in

public places. To be honest, this stress has even made it more challenging to

relate to my husband in a free-and-easy " girlie " way. I've had more tones of

" wife " in my voice during this past week than I've had in my entire 11-year

relationship.

It takes a million years for one gene to change in our bodies. One million

years! I'm bringing this up because, physiologically, we're the same humans we

were 300 years ago. But look at how things have changed in that short time. Some

things make life easier now: washers and dryers, transportation, abundance of

food, electricity, etc. But some things make life today more insane: cell

phones, traffic, increased population, fake food, TV, busy schedules. I heard a

statistic from a doctor-friend that we make more decisions in one day than

people used to make in a year. No wonder we're stressed out and reaching for

doughnuts or alcohol to cope.

All this craziness and high-speed living isn't going away. Since we can't

change our genes, we have to create a map to navigate this crazy life. What can

you do to try and stay on top of the stress so it doesn't affect your health,

happiness, or waistline?

1. Exercise. Amen for endorphins. Believe me, they've helped me many days

with my perspective. If you have to work out, then go take a brisk walk and get

that blood flowing. It isn't about working out to lose weight -- it's about

being healthy and staying sane.

2. Eat the real stuff. Crappy food (fast, processed, and loaded with sugar)

doesn't help your chemical brain and body handle stress. Living food, real food,

helps support your mind and body while it's trying to deal with the million

things coming its way. Every time I reach for the chocolate, I'm looking to feel

something from it. Don't get me wrong -- if it's just a little here and there

because I enjoy the taste of it, great. But if I'm using it the minute I feel

overwhelmed, then that's when that food is no longer OK to eat. It doesn't make

the problem go away, and then I just feel bad about eating the food to pacify

myself. Grab green food instead. Put things in your mouth that are going to

support your immune function and keep you levelheaded.

3. Notice. Try not to let the stress overtake you. Recognize the situations

that cause the stress and notice them coming your way. You have a better shot at

fending off the full effects of the stress when you can anticipate it.

4. Get it off your chest. Talk to a friend or partner about the stress.

Sometimes just getting it off your chest can help unload some of the burden.

5. Keep your sense of humor. If you do have the chance to talk about it,

try to see the irony and humor in the wacky bits. I think someone is dead in the

water once they lose their sense of humor.

6. Stay grateful. My daughter has large lungs and verbal skills she likes

to display. Just when I start to wishfully think about her being quiet, I remind

myself to be grateful that she can talk to me at all. In almost all of our

problems are boatloads of blessings. " Oh, I don't feel like going to the gym. "

Well, Amen that you have the means and the health to even be able to wrestle

with the idea of going to work out. Make a habit of saying thank you. You will

notice the sunny spots a lot more often, and not just the gray skies and storms.

7. Ask, " What's the hurry? " Have some fun. We're always so busy going

somewhere, we miss just enjoying the moment. If an opportunity comes your way to

do something fun, take it.

8. Take a deep breath. When you feel the stress getting to you, take a

moment. Get away, even if it's just for an hour, to be with yourself and your

thoughts. Some people like to take a walk, meditate, lock themselves away in a

beautiful bath, or go to church. Find the peace and the silence.

9. Keep it simple. Simplify where you can. Does Junior really need to be in

78 activities at the age of 5? Do you have to go to every little party or

gathering you're invited to?

10. Turn of the TV. A lot of it is bad news anyway, and it robs us of hours

that we could use to be getting other things done. Since everyone complains that

they have no time, get some by unplugging from the tube.

11. Sleep. If you're rested, you have a better shot at handling things. Not to

mention, you may not stress out as easily if you have a chance to recover at

night.

12. Drink water. I have said it before: Americans consume 21 percent of their

calories through liquid consumption. Hydrate with water. Help you entire system

function better just by drinking enough water. Oh, and by the way, if you don't

think that weight loss and proper hydration have a relationship, think again.

Shift the paradigm on its side -- don't think about exercise and nutritional

eating just as something you have to suffer through to get into those jeans.

Instead, think of them as armor that will protect you in this crazy world, with

all of the bazillion details you deal with every day.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/AffirmationstoDe-Stress

A positive thinking, positive affirmations support group, that discusses ways to

cope with the stresses of daily life. Come aboard! PJ and Gang