Smart tips reduce stress without distress

Big problems and stress. Image: healthonabudget.com

Everyone has experienced the pressure and stress; even the happiest person also must have experienced it. Every person basically has been blessed with stress blocker feature in their brain.

Workload, financial problem, and personal issues or family problems can be triggers of stress. Even though everyone is trying to avoid the pressure coming, but not everyone is able to cope with their problems.

 If the pressure was coming too often, then you need to take certain actions, so that stress does not attack your immune system. Reducing the stress in your life will take a lot of reflection and action, but it will be worth it.

There are some smart steps you can take so that you can reduce the stress in your life, so that you can be passionate to perform all of your activities. Please continue reading and get tips and solutions as mentioned below:

1.    Before you can move forward, you need to be able to identify the causes of your stress. Take some time to be alone, get out a notepad, and list all of the things that are making you stressed.

2.    Relaxation can help to relieve the symptoms of stress. It can help you calm down and take a step back from a stressful situation.

3.    If you're feeling overwhelmed by a stressful situation, try taking a break and listening to relaxing classical music or “easy listening music”. Generally music has a positive effect on the brain and body, can lower blood pressure, and reduce cortisol, a hormone linked to stress.

Yoga in Bali. Image: mobile.ayanaresort.com

4.    Share your feeling with others. You don't have to deal with your stress alone. You'll feel much better if you open up to a friend, family member, or even a professional about how stressed you're feeling. You will get some helpful feedback as well as a fresh perspective on your problems.

5.    A few minutes of meditation per day can help ease anxiety. Robbie Maller Hartman, PhD, a Chicago health and wellness coach said that daily meditation may alter the brain’s neural pathways. Give yourself a 5-minute break from whatever is bothering you and focus instead on your breathing. Yogaalso a smart choice to make your feeling, your mind and your body more calm and relax. Yoga helps bring peace through the unity of body and mind. 

6.    You are also advised to change of your eating habits. Stress levels and a proper diet are closely related. Tuna sandwich, fruits and vegetables are always good, and fish with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce the symptoms of stress.

7.    Take time to talk to yourself, might seem a bit crazy, and just tell yourself why you're stressed out, what you have to do to complete the task at hand, and most importantly, that everything will be fine.

8.    If lately you always in a hurry to carry out activities such as lunch, dinner, or when you will make an appointment to complete the agenda, so now it is time to slow down.

9.    Laughter is the most inexpensive therapy and is the best thing that can be done every person. Laugh with your friends who are good at comedy, or you can watch the event on television stand-up comedy. You can also buy a funny movie and watch it at home with your family or your friends. Laughter releases endorphins that improve mood and decrease levels of the stress-causing hormones cortisol and adrenaline.

10.  Moderate exercise such as walking in the morning or evening alone or with family and friends can also be a panacea for lowering stress levels. Go to the park near you house and socialize with neighbors also an inexpensive way to reduce the pressure that you are facing. Perhaps you'll meet neighbors that could actually make you laugh out loud. Atmosphere of lush gardens, green and enlivened by the people who play and relax is also a unique therapy to make you more calm and relaxed.

 

                                          Holiday in Bali. Image: indosurflife.com

Additional advice: If your stress level is severe, then you should consult with a physician or mental health professional so you will get a more professional handling, but you have to have a stronger motivation to change your life with a few tips as mentioned above. You are the greatest motivator to overcome you problem. By doing a careful and you can control your emotions, then you will get way out faster than you estimate.

Moreover, you certainly need a vacation and do a little adventure to new places. Those activities also very good treatment for you release from the pressures that have bound you today. Let's keep the spirit and move forward.

Cause and tips to prevent back pain

Have you ever complained because of back pain? 

Do not ever ignore your back pain, and look for the cause and doing something that not serious. Back pain is a common health disorder experienced by many people. Quoted from the Health, 9 out of 10 adults have experienced back pain some time in their lives. Even 5 out of 10 people suffer from back pain recorded annually.

Sitting position. Image: thedailyjog.com

Pain in the back area of ​​the body is usually caused by the way you're sitting, standing and lifting. With the length of time spent sitting, your body inevitably has to adjust to that position. The body must adapt to the weight borne through the hips and pelvis when you sit up straight, slouching or other positions.

 

Moreover, there is also a process in muscles that can cause back pain. When sitting, the muscles in the hip flexors will automatically tighten, and when it was turned into a stand buttocks and sagging weaker because they are in a relaxed position. It is often called the 'muscle imbalance'.

As a result of muscle imbalances, postural dysfunction will lead from the pelvis and spine, making both of them is in an abnormal position. This position could damage the health of people who previously did not have a problem at the back, and a disaster for those who suffer from any kind of back pain. There are several tips and solutions to overcome back pain as mentioned below:

Sitting position

Try different seating positions and replace them at any time. For example, sitting with legs straightened or bent so that the soles of the feet touching wheel chair. Every now and then walked off the desk and stood up when picking up the phone or clear the table, is also another way to reduce back pain.

Caution.

 Duration of your standing

If the job requires you to stand all day, make sure that you wear quality shoes that support the contours of the foot. Body mechanics begins when your feet hit the ground. Therefore the use of neutral shoes (not using the right) is highly recommended.

One of the bad habits when someone standing is weight-bearing on one leg while standing for long. The position could harm the pelvis and spine. So, always try weight-bearing on both legs.

Lifting heavy objects

Reduce your stress now. Image: nydailynews.com

When lifting objects weighing more than 4.6 pounds repetitively, can make your back in danger. Not because of its activity, but because the body's inability to tolerate the stress of weight. In other words, you can lift any object as long as it is able to lift it, but when it is not able to, and still forced to lift it, there will be a muscle imbalance. If it happens, it just takes time or the stress that ultimately makes you feel pain in your back.

 Stress

This is an inevitable of life the world of work, and act as a cause of muscle tension that can make cider. Stress also lowers your tolerance to pain. For some cases, regulate breathing can minimize stress. Moreover, walking in the park, or talk about a frustrating problem with a friend, believed to help.

Additional advice:

If you have too long to work, it would be a good idea to take a leave entitlements, Take a vacation to a place that you dream of, can alone, with family, with friends or family vacation. If you have a hobby, then take the time to live your hobby. Every activity in life is inextricably linked to one another, so that a balanced life will make you healthier and happier.

Feeling Burnt Out? Five Steps To Unleash Your Energy

1) Get Moving

The more that you sit in front of a computer, the less you will want to workout. At the end of your working day your body will tell you that it's tired and give you another excuse to skip your workout. But if you can motivate yourself to push through your tiredness, once you begin to move, you will be surprised to find that you feel energized. This is because movement and exercise unleash your body's energy. We are born to move. We are not born to sit down all day. The Shaolin Temple movements help us to bring our body and mind in harmony. It's only when our body and mind are working in harmony that we can feel truly energized and happy.

2) Use Your Shaolin Workout As A Refuge

We are so goal focused and driven in our work that I think it's good to take the pressure off when we do our workouts. Use this as a time to tune out of your daily life and tune into your body. Each of your workouts gives your body a different experience. There is the challenging anaerobic training from the Kung Fu Workouts, the aerobic training of running, and the internal balancing Qigong Workout. As you move through these different workouts try to be aware of the different energy-producing states and what effect they have on your mind and body. What do you feel when starting the workout? How do you feel when you've finished?

3) Become Your Best Friend

The Buddha said that it is our mind which makes the world. When I was young boy at the temple I had the arrogance to disagree with the Buddha and think he was wrong! But now I realize that he is exactly right. We can be in the most beautiful place in the world but if our minds are angry or depressed then we can't appreciate it. Our life is created by our thoughts. Thoughts can be trained just like muscles. Thoughts are energy so be aware of whether your thoughts are bringing you positive Qi or negative Qi. Tune into the positive and let go of the negative.

4) Wear Jade

If you spend most of your time in front of the computer then balance this out by going for a walk or doing some Qigong in the park. You can also wear Jade. Alongside Qigong, jade has been used for thousands of years in China as a powerful longevity tool. I know that the West doesn't have this tradition but the Chinese believe that jade is a living thing that can give us positive Qi. Not only the stone itself but also the carving. When I'm not training I wear a jade Guan Yin. I don't understand why people in the West wear jewellery made from man made material. I believe we should use every tool we have to increase our health and longevity.

5) Take One Step Today

These are four simple steps to increase your energy. I suggest you take one step a week and then by the end of the month you will have taken all of the steps. Remember, when you improve a little each day, eventually big things occur.

How To Nip A Problem In The Bud

I have many bad character traits but one thing I'm grateful to my masters for teaching me is simplicity. Maybe I'm a little stupid but I don't think over and over again in the way I've noticed many of my Western students do. They run their problems round and round their mind like marbles.

Shantideva said:

“If you can solve your problem, Then what is the need for worrying? If you cannot solve it, Then what is the use of worrying?”
This quote is very powerful because it moves us away from worry and inaction and gets us to the root of what we need to do.

What is it that is making you anxious or worried?

Can you do something to change it?

If the answer is yes then do it.

If the answer is no then you need to find a way to accept it.

This is the end of the story.

You don't need to think about this problem anymore.

Move on.

 If you find it hard to move on then this Chinese proverb is for you:

塞翁失馬焉知非福 (Saiweng Shima, Yanzhi Feifu). The Old Man Who Lost His Horse

During the Han Dynasty—in the third century B.C.—an old man living on China’s border one day lost his horse. His neighbors all said what terrible luck that was, and sympathized with the old man. But Sai Weng said: “Maybe losing my horse is not a bad thing after all.”

The next day the old man’s horse returned, together with a beautiful female horse alongside him. All the neighbors said: “What great luck!” But the old man responded: “Maybe this is not such good luck after all.”

The old man had a strong young son. The boy fell in love with the new horse and rode her every day. One day the new horse got spooked by a wild animal and threw the boy from her back. He broke his leg very badly and was permanently crippled.

All Sai Weng’s neighbors said: “What a tragedy, your strong son will never walk without pain again.” But the old man again said: “Maybe this is not such a bad thing after all.”

And so it went that when the New Year came, the emperor’s army passed through the border region and recruited all able young men to fight in the frontier war. Because the old man’s son was crippled he could not fight and was left in the village to farm with his father. Sai Weng said to his neighbors: “You see, it all turned out okay in the end. Being thrown from the horse and breaking his leg saved my son from fighting in the war and almost certain death. So it was in the end a lucky thing after all.”

Whenever a bad thing happens in China, someone will say “Sai Weng Shi Ma” (Remember “The Old Man Who Lost His Horse”) to remind themselves and others that bad things have a silver lining.

A healthy sex life: 10 reasons to make love

Evidence points to the many health benefits of an active sex life. Sex Made Easy, an article published in Men's Health Magazine, gives 10 healthy reasons to hop into bed -- a reminder that making love is good for both body and soul.

1.Exercise. "Sexual activity is a form of physical exercise," according to Dr. Michael Cirigliano of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Making love three times a week burns around 7,500 calories in a year -- the equivalent of jogging 75 miles.

2.Heavy Breathing. A night of love can raise the amount of oxygen in cells, helping to keep organs and tissues functioning at their peak.

3. Strong Bones and Muscles. "Any kind of physical exercise is going to increase testosterone," states Dr. Karen Donahey, director of the Sex and Marital Therapy Program at Chicago's Northwestern University Medical Center. Testosterone is believed to help keep men's bones and muscles strong.

4. Lowered Cholesterol. Making love regularly can lower levels of the body's total cholesterol slightly, while positively changing the ratio of good-to-bad cholesterol.

5. Pain Relief. Sex can lower levels of "arthritic pain, whiplash pain and headache pain," according to Dr. Beverly Whipple, president-elect of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists. Hormones that are released during sexual excitement and orgasm can elevate pain thresholds.

6. DHEA -- Without Supplements. DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), a popular supplemental hormone, is released naturally during lovemaking. "Just before orgasm and ejaculation," Crenshaw says, "DHEA spikes to levels three to five times higher than usual."

7. Prostate Protection. Researchers say prostate trouble may arise or be worsened by fluid buildup within the gland. Regular ejaculation will help wash out those fluids. Be cautious when suddenly changing frequency -- sudden changes may also trigger prostate problems.

8. Stress Relief. "Sex can be a very effective way of reducing stress levels," Donahey told Men's Health.

9. Love Will Keep Us Together. Crenshaw says affectionate touch will increase levels of oxytocin -- the "bonding hormone." Oxytocin is a desire-enhancing chemical secreted by the pituitary. Regular oxytocin release may help encourage frequent lovemaking.

10. Hormones -- Naturally. "Regular lovemaking can increase a woman's estrogen level, protect her heart and keep her vaginal tissues more supple," states Donahey.

by Deb Donovan



SOURCE: Men's Health (November 1997, p. 104-108)

How To Reduce Stress That Causes Hair Loss and Bad Hair

Happy and stress free. Image: healthyceleb.com

Life is not always comfortable and enjoyable. You can be exposed to the stress of work, life issues, and many other pressures. Get the right tips so that you can reduce or overcome it, you can even prevent it. You can enjoy this interesting article below is written by the experts.

By: Alex Fir       

Your hair will be radiant and shining if you are healthy physically as well as emotionally. 
Your hair becomes dull and lifeless if you are upset emotionally. Your hair will begin to fall out, and it will become waxy with the overproduction of sebaceous glands.

Stress can affect your hair the same way that affects your other major organs such as your heart. Stress can cause hair loss and many times cause hair problems 3-6 months after some trauma event occurred.

As soon as your body finds its equilibrium and you have recovered from stress, the hair loss should cease. Reducing stress can stop stress hair loss so consider the following stress management techniques.

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is a simple but effective stress management technique. It is actually the core component of many stress management techniques, which are comparatively complex in nature.

Imagery 

Imagery is a method of relaxation through use of pleasant or relaxing images. Such images help to calm the body and mind. One can get a sense of relaxation by simply controlling the breathing and viewing some soothing image.

Meditation Techniques 

Meditation has long been one of the most popular stress management techniques. It is the process of focusing upon the core of one's being. It soothes the mind, body and the emotions. One can do meditation by daily practice of a routine or simply while being alone outdoors.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

One can use Progressive Muscle Relaxation to achieve mental relaxation through physical relaxation. It involves tightening and relaxing the muscle groups in succession. In this technique, you first need to tense up a group of muscles to contract them as much as possible. Then relax the muscles normally after a few seconds. You should relax the muscles as much as possible.
Autogenic Training 
This stress management technique uses passive concentration and awareness of the body sensations for relaxation. Physicians use Autogenic training as a part of therapy for many ailments. In this technique, one focuses upon different sensations in different organs of the body through repetition of the autogenic "formulas". Those sensations include warmth, heaviness etc.
Biofeedback

Biofeedback is an advanced technique for achieving relaxation, controlling stress responses and for modifying the body's reactions. It uses certain monitoring equipment to extract information from the body. Such equipment can measure heart rate, blood pressure, brain activity, muscle tension, stomach acidity and other biological functions inside the body.

Martial arts 

Practicing martial arts can be a great stress management technique. It keeps one physically fit and mentally alert. There are several martial arts that one can take up. Tai chi is a Chinese martial art that is popularly known as "meditation in motion". It stresses precision and force. The body movements are soft and flowing.

Qigong
This ancient Chinese health care system combines Eastern philosophy and relaxation techniques with physical training. The physical training includes aerobic conditioning, isometrics, isotonics etc. This stress management technique has several forms. They are effective in treatment of various medical conditions.

Yoga 
This ancient Indian form of exercise is highly effective as a stress management technique. Yoga has many forms but all forms work on the principle that the mind has a connection with the body and breathing. Yoga restores the balance and harmony in the body and emotions through different breathing exercises and postures. It increases the body’s flexibility and capability for relaxation.