Sunday, May 17, 2015

Beating Stress (part one)

From the files of Mary Jane Popp at KAHI Radio in Sacramento

Available on Amazon
No matter who you are or what you do or how hard you work or not, stress can still be killing you. And it doesn’t matter what race, creed, color or socio-economic group you belong to…even political parties…stress does not discriminate.

That’s where Jeanne Ricks comes into the picture with her book, “Biology of Beating Stress.” On POPPOFF, Jeanne explained that there are ways to beat stress by changing your environment, your body, and your brain to help you find balance and peace.

The changes that take place in your body due to stress are real and can have serious side effects. Some symptoms are easy to spot…headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, or problems sleeping.

But stress can lead to major health issues including disease. So Jeanne said you can take back control with a few pointers. Here are the first five of ten.

BREATHE: You’re completely unaware of it but, the more anxious you become, the shallower and higher in the chest your breathing becomes. So change it! A couple of times during the day consciously deepen and lengthen your breath, loosening the muscles across the chest and through your abdomen, breathing deep into the stomach. Count to seven as you breathe in, and ten on the out-of-breath. Doing this several times a day helps send signals to the brain that it’s okay to relax.

SMILE: Research has shown that the easy tool of laughter can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Take a quick break to get some giggles in. Check-out a short comedy clip on YouTube to calm those jittery nerves.

WORRY: That’s right. Give into it, completely freak out, but only for a limited time. When you think something terrible will occur, commit yourself to only allowing that worry for 20 minutes. During that time think of all the possible outcomes and write down game plans, then quit thinking about it after 20 minutes. Set a timer so you keep to the time.

MAINTAIN STEADY BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS: It’s the key to stabilizing your moods. Stress throws your body completely out of whack. You might crave foods like carbs and sugar. Research shows eating sugary and processed foods can increase symptoms of anxiety. Give your body the support it needs. Eat foods that contain nutrients like Vitamin B and Omega-3s. Make sure you have a small meal or snack every 2-3 hours that contains protein like a hard-boiled egg, a small organic chicken breast, and seasoned brown rice. Studies have shown that Omega-3s help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, while Vitamin B has links with good overall mental health.

MAKE PLANS: Fend-off anxious thoughts in advance by preparing for potential pit-falls. Help yourself develop habits that will increase your productivity. Trying writing-out-a to-do list or schedule. You will easily learn how to “un-think” your anxiety, producing beliefs by being prepared even before they pop-up.

That’s a start. Next time around we’ll get to the last five stress beaters so your life can settle down. Stress is all around us, but that doesn’t mean it can control us.

Check out Jeanne Ricks at www.NuDau.org. In “The Biology of Beating Stress” you can live life to the fullest!
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