The Simple Life...
Quote
“Health is not valued till sickness comes.”
~Dr. Thomas Fuller
As you know, stress is apart of everyday life for most everyone in today’s fast paced world. Between the constant pressure of family, friends and finances -- it’s hard to give your weary head a moments rest.
But Mother Nature has provided us with certain control mechanisms that are geared to counteract the effects of stress on our bodies.
However, many of today’s stressors are longer lasting and more drawn out than the stress our bodies was originally designed to combat. And this constant bombardment can overwhelm us from time to time.
Adrenaline, our main control mechanism -- was designed to give our bodies the extra immediate boost it needs during stressful times. But like I alluded to before -- that’s where the problem starts.
Much of the stress we’re forced to deal with in today’s world is never ending… career… bills…family…politics. So what ends up happening is you live everyday of your life in a kind of an adrenaline induced fight or flight mode.
This is where those overwhelming feelings of anxiety and nervousness come from. Nature intended these mechanisms to go to work instantly and carry us away from danger or give us the strength to fight off an attacker.
But today’s attackers are relentless. The bills never stop coming -- and no matter how long of a vacation you take the same stress is always there when you return.
Whether you’re aware of it or not you have your own special methods for dealing with the stresses in you life. But a lot of them may not be the best for supporting good balanced health. What’s your vice?
- Drugs
- Alcohol
- Overeating
- Smoking
In order to deal with day to day stress effectively we have to teach our bodies to adjust its methods when called for. And teach it how to adapt to the needs of today’s world.
Surprisingly enough it’s not that hard. Here are 4 simple methods I use from time to time to keep my stress levels in line when the going gets tough:
#1 Breath in…Breath out…
Deep breathing is the key to calming both the mind and body and is an integral part of most every relaxation technique I’ve ever seen. Everything from yoga to tai-chi puts a large focus on proper breathing techniques.
When I’m trying to calm myself after a long day out on patrol I like to sit on a comfortable pillow in the corner of the room and just focus on my breathing.
I don’t think – I don’t listen to music. I just sit there and pay attention to each and every breath I take -- making sure I’m breathing as deeply as I can with every breath.
But if that sounds a little too boring for you – there’s other methods that will get you similar results…meditation…self hypnosis…yoga…praying…experiment a little and find the one that works best for you.
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#2 The simple life
Your lifestyle is the major determining factor for your day to day stress levels. It goes without saying that a young entrepreneur working 60 hours a week to get his business off the ground is going have double the day to day stresses of a young kid that lives off a trust fund and surfs all day.
And then you add the stress of family…friends…and the kid’s soccer practice. Life becomes one giant balancing act.
But that doesn’t mean we get to quit our jobs and move to the beach either (unfortunately). So if you’re currently trying to squeeze 25 hours into a 24 hour day -- and there no trust fund in your near future. You need to simplify and take control.
Organize your day – set priorities and don’t try to do everything in one day. You’re only one person. And don’t be too much of a perfectionist – get the job done right then move on. Don’t dwell.
And remember no matter how crazy things get – family comes first no matter what!
#3 Watch what you’re eating
People seem to forget sometimes -- your body is a machine. We have to make sure we’re giving it the proper support it needs to deal with all the stress we put ourselves through day in and day out.
When you look at the amount of junk food the average American consumes in a day, it’s no wonder we feel out of sorts. So eat only high quality foods – remember it’s really fuel.
In my mind the 2 most important dietary factors to remember when it comes to stress are increasing your potassium to sodium ratio – and eliminating all refined carbohydrates from your diet if possible.
Couple that with a balanced healthy diet -- and just watch the stress roll off you like water off a ducks back.
#4 You probably already guessed…
EXCERSISE! That’s right lazy bones – time and again it’s the cure for what aisles you. People who exercise regularly are going to be able to handle the effects stress puts on their bodies much better than folks who don’t.
The reason is simple -- exercise puts stress on the body and in turn your body adapts by becoming stronger. So over time you can make your self almost impervious to its effects.
And you don’t have to train like a mad man or ever join a gym for that matter. Just get out and do something – you’ll notice the difference right away.
So if the stress of the day is starting to be too much -- remember what I said. Take a deep breath – maybe knock out a few push ups.
And trust me, whatever has you stressed…is probably not as bad as it seems.
Stay Healthy!
Doc Darville
http://www.NatureCast.comImportant Note
