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Healthy Stress vs. Unhealthy Stress

October 17, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

The phrase “healthy stress” may seem like an oxymoron, but it’s actually a reality. Stress is inescapable; everyone feels some stress at some points throughout their lives. Our bodies are therefore equipped to handle certain types and amounts of stress. We can even benefit from it.

So what is the difference between healthy and unhealthy stress? What makes stress healthy? Here are some things to think about regarding stress and its role in your health.

Healthy Stress
-The Great Motivator
Without stress, not very much would get done. Stress is what drives you to teach your kids proper behavior, to earn money, and to pay your bills on time. It is what keeps you on your toes in a football game or when catching your tumbling toddler. A certain amount of stress about traffic accidents motivates you to drive safely.

-Reaction Time
Did you feel stress when that person cut you off in traffic? The stress response was partially responsible for your quick pressure on the brakes! Stress can motivate us into quick, sometimes life-saving action. In the case of an emergency, one of your stress hormones – adrenaline – kicks in, and prompts you to act quickly and sometimes with remarkable strength.

-Endorphins
Endorphins are the “feel good” neurotransmitters. When the body is stressed or in pain, its natural pain relievers are released in the form of endorphins. Exercise is a healthy way to bring this kind of endorphin-releasing stress onto your body. While you should not exercise to the point of unbearable pain, it’s okay to “feel the burn” and push yourself a little. Massage therapy and acupuncture can also stimulate the release of endorphins.

-Other Health Benefits
Experts are finding anti-tumor activity in people who undergo healthy stress, indicating that healthy stress stimulates the immune system.

Unhealthy Stress
-Constant
The unhealthy type of stress is constant. You do not return to a normal energy level after it has passed. Unhealthy stress can take the form of constant worry, depression, and exhaustion. It can cause weight gain as well due to the release of cortisol, the “stress hormone.”

-Immunity
Continual stress weakens the immune system. That can leave you more susceptible to everyday illnesses and more serious problems such as cancer.

-Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
People who are chronically stressed usually worry about common, everyday things over which they have no control. These are the kinds of things that are not going to go away, such as paying bills, keeping the house clean, and so forth. Once one set of worries is tackled, another set comes along. Accepting these annoyances as part of life can go a long way in helping you cope with unhealthy stress.

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Acupuncture And Tai Chi For Stress Management

July 1, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Acupuncture and tai chi are methods which many people believe can help to release the flow of energy throughout the body. These ancient forms of health care are becoming more and more commonly used in the western hemisphere, as people realize the benefits to their health and well-being.

In a study conducted at Yale University Medical School in the 1990’s acupuncture was demonstrated to significantly reduce stress. The study showed that the technique succeeded in lowering blood pressure, anxiety state, heart rate and electrodermal activities in the majority of test subjects.

In a second study, published in 1998, acupuncture was successful in treating 85.7 percent of test subjects with General Anxiety Disorder.

Acupuncture is considered a holistic medicine, and those who are treated generally experience no side effects. This is in stark contrast to the many side effects often experienced by patients taking prescription medications to reduce the affects anxiety and stress.

While acupuncture requires the use of very small, fine needles applied to specific areas of the body, tai chi is a non-invasive form of acupuncture, which requires no needles to be effective.

Both procedures have been shown to reduce the presence of certain chemicals in the body which are produced at high levels during periods of stress. Additionally these procedures help to optimize nerve transmissions along the spine, and stimulate the internal organs, increasing their ability to function properly.

To find a licensed and certified acupuncture therapist visit the “National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine” on the web.

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How Seniors Can Benefit from Music Therapy

June 24, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Growing older can be frustrating. Besides all of the aches and pains associated with aging, many seniors begin developing problems remembering or being able to focus. Scientists and health professionals are beginning to see how seniors can benefit from music therapy. It may be something you want to consider to help seniors in your life.

What exactly is music therapy? Music therapy is an activity in which a qualified person uses music, whether listening or learning to play, as a means to bring about positive changes in a person’s cognitive, physical, psychological, or social functioning.

The ultimate goal of music therapy is to improve a patient’s or client’s quality of life. This is done through encouraging them to participate and interact with others taking music therapy, by providing individual treatment, and by influencing their well-being.

How can music therapy benefit seniors? The therapist uses music therapy to address a myriad of personal goals. These include developing musical skill in the client, enabling them to change their behavior, allowing them to express emotion and expect a resolution to them, as well as providing a sense of connectedness, comfort, and personal affirmation.

Music therapy can also be used to reduce stress and encourage relaxation, give structure to exercise and movement, and enhance personal relationships and social skills. Finally, music therapy is beneficial because music reinforces learning, improves focus, and improves a person’s self-esteem.

Music therapy easily captures your attention and it’s no different for those with diminished mental capacity due to illness or injury. In fact, music stimulates many parts of the brain, which can be extremely beneficial for those with dementia. Music can be used no matter what a person’s ability or disability. It is an effective memory aid and encourages movement. Music taps into our memories and plucks on our heart strings.

Making music together, no matter which instrument is being used, allows those taking music therapy classes to relax and enjoy themselves. Because it evokes emotion and brings back memories, even if a person is merely listening you can see the smile appear on their face.

Music therapy may include singing together, playing instruments, improvising, moving to the rhythm of the music, or simply listening. You can find music therapy sessions being offered in rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes, day care treatment centers, mental health centers, and psychiatric hospitals. Some correctional facilities, hospice programs, and private practices also use music therapy to benefit their clients and patients.

Conditions which can be improved by using music therapy include but are not limited to:

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The Healing Sound of Music – Therapeutic Drumming

June 6, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Doctors have long known the healing sound of music. Therapeutic drumming, on the other hand, is a relatively new way to tap into the body’s healing ability. When you think about it, though, why shouldn’t the body respond to drumming? The first sounds ever heard are those of a mother’s heartbeat while still in the womb.

Nearly every culture in the world has some type of drumming. It can be seen in ceremonies and rituals, and some cultures use drumming during rites of passage. Drumming has also been used extensively in music, to guide dancers, and as a means to celebrate.

In recent years people in the medical profession have started realizing the importance of using a holistic approach to healing. Many physicians are using drumming therapy with senior citizens in co-ordination with otherwise traditional means of healing.

Why drumming therapy? It could be partially due to the fact that drumming reaches down into a person’s psyche to touch patients in a non-verbal way. Drumming therapy is being used with people of all ages. From patients as young as four to those as old as 104, drumming therapy has many benefits. Some of the benefits of drumming therapy include:

* Drumming has been proven to reduce anxiety and depression in patients over the age of 80. A study also noted the increased self-esteem of the patients following their weekly drumming session.

* During one study on drumming therapy, participants had blood samples drawn before and after a one-hour drumming session. Doctors found a marked decrease in the hormonal stress response and an increase in activity of natural killer cells.

* Alzheimer’s patients have been shown to respond favorably to drumming therapy. They are able to connect better with their loved ones as a result. Therapeutic drumming can also increase their cognitive ability.

* For patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease or stroke, moving can be difficult. Therapeutic drumming, when done with deliberate slow, steady rhythms, enabled these patients to move more steadily.

Medical studies have also proven that drumming can greatly increase the production of T-Cells which are responsible for building the immune system. It accelerates physical healing and gives those in therapy a sense of wellbeing and being a part of something larger than themselves.

Some other research has shown the effect of drumming therapy to produce deep relaxation. It lowers blood pressure, and reduces stress, as well as aiding patients in overcoming chronic pain. Drumming has also been found to release negative feelings which can remove emotional blockages.

Therapeutic drumming can be done by an individual, but research has proven the added benefits of drumming with others. Therapeutic drumming is the sound of healing music; it will continue to be studied and new benefits are likely to be found.
Do you have a loved one you feel could benefit from this form of therapy? You may want to discuss this option with your loved one’s doctor.

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Sit Back and Let the World Go By

June 3, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

At some point in your hectic life, you may feel like screaming “Stop the world, I want to get off!” Life can come at you in a blur at times. It’s at those moments you want to sit back and let the world go by.

Taking time to refresh yourself is extremely important in today’s hurried pace. Rather than trying to ‘keep up with the Joneses,’ why not make a change to your life for the better. Learn to step back on a regular basis and enjoy a day of peace and quiet.

* Do you like to read but never find time to do it? How long has it been since you’ve simply lost yourself in a book? Set aside time each week to do just that. Give yourself permission to spend a couple of hours delving into the newest novel by your favorite author. Or go back and re-read one of your favorite books. Curl up with a cup of coffee or hot tea and allow yourself to get lost in the pages. You’ll feel refreshed and more ready to face your busy schedule once you’ve taken a break.

* When was the last time your family took a vacation? How about a long weekend where you could get away from your normal schedule? If you live close to the beach, setting aside time to enjoy the sunshine and the sound of the waves may be just what your family needs to get rejuvenated.

* Take a walk during your lunch hour instead of hurrying to eat and get back to work. Take your full allotted time so you can relax a little bit before rejoining the rat race. Spend some time sitting on a bench watching the people passing by. Enjoy the warmth of the sun and the fresh air. You’ll be amazed at how awake you are when you return to work.

* Head to the gym when you feel the pressure and stress of a busy schedule getting the best of you. Not only will exercise strengthen your muscles, it will also help reduce the effects of stress you may be feeling. Does this mean you have to spend hours at the gym to get these benefits? Of course not. However, a minimum of 30 minutes three days a week is recommended to get the most benefit.

* Take the time to do some research on the internet to see if there are meditation retreats in your area. What’s a meditation retreat? They are short trips to facilities which are known for being quiet. This could be a convent or monastery but could also be a campground in the mountains. The point is to take the time away from your stress-filled days to reconnect with your own hopes and dreams by spending time in meditation.

When your world is going crazy and there doesn’t seem to be enough time to breathe, getting away to sit back and let the world go by can be what you need most. Give it a try! Use one of the above ideas to help you step back from your hurried life and bring back a sense of peace and sanity.

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Improving Both Body and Mind

May 30, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Exercise is important, and so is education and learning. They keep the body and mind fit and active, promoting good health. As beneficial as these may be, it’s sometimes difficult to make time for everything. Has the focus of your efforts been on either your body or mind, but not both?

If so, it’s certainly good to know that you can keep both your mind and body fit, and it’s easier than you may have imagined.

It’s important to make a commitment of time and energy, even if the time you can devote to this endeavor is short. Lives are busy, and people have to pursue the things that matter most to them. You should do the same. Just avoid doing it at the expense of your health and happiness.

Balance is needed in all areas of life for optimum enjoyment.

Ways to Improve Your Body

If going to the gym or enduring long exercise routines is what you think of when you consider improving your body, you’ll be glad to discover that there are many other ways to work plenty of exercise into your schedule.

For a super-quick workout and a good energy boost, you can also:

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Park farther away from the store.
• Run and play with your children or pets.
• Walk around the block after work or after dinner.
• Walk in place or move around while watching TV.
• Clean a room. Cleaning burns a lot of calories.

Besides these activities, there are plenty of other ways to get the exercise you need so you can take good care of your body. Be creative. Any activity can provide a good workout as long as you’re moving!

Focus on what you can do in just a few minutes a day, to improve your body. Can you sit up straighter? Can you lose those stubborn five pounds you’ve wanted to get rid of? Can you smile more? Of course you can!

In addition, simple things like your posture and the expression on your face can go a long way toward how others see you, and how you see yourself, as well. Even if your body shape or size doesn’t change, it can look drastically different, giving you more self-esteem and happiness.

Improving your body is easy if you keep the right attitude and take small steps in the beginning. Even little changes can make a big difference.

Ways to Improve Your Mind

New experiences and learning new things on a daily basis are great ways to challenge and improve your mind. Your brain needs to be stimulated, and there are many ways to give it what it craves.

If you’re looking for ways to improve your mind and have fun at the same time, consider these options:

• Take a class on something you find interesting.
• Learn a foreign language.
• Do crosswords, word jumbles, or Sudoku puzzles.
• Read a challenging, interesting book.
• Research online in an area you’ve always been fascinated with.
• Write a short story, book, or play, or start keeping a journal each day.
• Pray or meditate.

There’s nothing wrong with watching TV or just relaxing, but avoid making that the only thing you do when you’re not at work. Instead, see the value in your time and use it to become even better, happier, and more fulfilled than you are now.

It’s easy to get started, and you shouldn’t worry about doing it all at once. It’s just you, setting your own schedule. The most important thing is to take that first step and get started. Once you do that, you’ll move forward into improving your body and mind and creating the life you really want and deserve!

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Stress Management Techniques for Seniors

May 27, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Stress is something nearly everyone has to deal with. You may not be able to do much about the things stressing you, but can you do something to help the senior citizens in your life? What stress management techniques for seniors can you pass along to help them?

Even though most seniors already know it, you may want to help them remember that managing stress is simply taking charge of the things in your life that you can control. This may mean managing a schedule that seems to have gotten out of control. It could also mean being sure to strive for balance in life rather than letting life run you ragged.

Help them identify what the stressors are in their life. Are they concerned about having enough money to live off of in their golden years? Can you go with them to speak with a financial advisor? They may be able to subdue some of the fears which are causing so much stress.

Are the seniors in your life stressed about their health? Go with them to their next doctor’s appointment and discuss their concerns with the doctor. They will likely be able to address those concerns or recommend they visit a specialist who can better help them. Their doctor may suggest they spend time with a psychologist to help them deal with the stressors they experience.

Suggest they take yoga classes to help them manage their stress. Yoga will teach them to improve their posture, learn to breathe properly, and may help them become more limber. Another benefit to learning yoga is that it helps the body relax, which means they’ll learn to manage the stress they feel.

Meditation is another stress management technique seniors may want to try. Once they learn to meditate, they will find their heart rate slows, their blood pressure lowers, and they’ll be taking in more oxygen. All of these things lead seniors to manage their stress in a more effective way.

Have you always liked to put together jigsaw puzzles? There’s something very relaxing about putting puzzles together. They can concentrate on the puzzle alone which may make the stress seniors feel less of a problem.

Suggest they stay away from people who cause them stress. Perhaps they have a neighbor that bothers them and wants to borrow tools all the time. They can learn to say ‘no’ when a request is made, or simply refuse to answer the door. If they’re able to avoid the stressor they won’t be affected by it.

They may want to downsize their home. Even though your parents may have lived in the same home their entire married life, if they’re in a two-story home and neither can climb stairs very well, it might be time to move to a one-floor home. The thoughts of moving may cause stress, especially if they have years of accumulated things, but they may feel a sense of freedom once they’re in a new, smaller home.

No one wants to be affected by stress, particularly when they’re supposed to be headed to their golden years. There are many stress management techniques for seniors to try. Encourage them to try several methods until they find the one that’s best for them.

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Identifying And Managing Stressors- Setting Limits

May 9, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Part of a good Stress Management plan simply involves identifying the areas of stress in an individual’s life. Taking an objective look at circumstances and situations that may seem unmanageable, can be a helpful first step in dealing with stress.

Once the areas that are causing the most stress have been identified, a plan to reduce the level of stress produced by each situation can begin to be formulated.

Often situations which create a large amount of stress can be eliminated completely. For those stressors which cannot be entirely eliminated, a plan to better manage the situation, so that the amount of stress produced is decreased significantly, is often helpful in relieving the overall amount of stress the person is feeling. [Read more...]

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8 Simple Exercise Routines to Fit into Your Busy Life

May 6, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Are you thinking that you don’t have time to fit exercise into your busy lifestyle? Well, think again! Here are 8 simple routines that are easy to do and – best of all – they don’t take much time. Just spend 10 minutes or less on these easy activities and a new, healthier lifestyle will be yours!

As always, be sure to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine.

Surely you can fit these fun, healthy activities into your busy life:

1. Jump rope. If you haven’t tried jumping rope lately, now is the time to give this fun and invigorating exercise a try. Purchase a jump rope or fashion your own from any sturdy piece of rope. Start slowly and gradually increase both your speed and intensity. This heart-healthy exercise can be performed a few times a day for maximum exercise benefits.

2. Climb stairs. Did you know that staircase in your home or workplace is actually a mini-gym in disguise? Take advantage of this exercise opportunity whenever you have a few extra minutes to spare. Climbing stairs builds strength and gets your heart pumping.

• Listen to music or an audio book while going up and down the stairs. Before you know it, you’ll be looking forward to your climbing sessions!

3. Dance to the music. Don’t be shy! Turn up your favorite music and dance with abandon! Dancing is not only fun, but it’s also a terrific form of exercise. Professional dancers are more fit than many professional athletes!

4. Bounce on a mini-trampoline. No doubt about it. Trampolines are just plain fun! Mini-trampolines can be purchased at many chain stores, sporting goods stores, or online. Pull out your trampoline and spend just five minutes jumping away. You may enjoy this exercise so much that you’ll increase the amount of time you have available for your exercise routine.

5. Quick calisthenics. Everyone has, at one time or another, practiced calisthenics. Now is the time to remember those lunges, knee bends and jumping jacks of days gone by! Finding just five minutes in your hectic day to practice one or more these calisthenics exercise routines can make a big difference in your health.

6. Lift weights. Many exercise routines neglect that all-important need to increase upper body strength. Lifting weights solves that problem. Depending on your size and fitness level, choose the amount of weight appropriate for you. Start with lighter weights, and as you spend time on a daily routine, gradually increase the amount of weight you can handle.

7. Walk faster. Will you be walking the dog later today? Or perhaps walking from your car into the shopping mall? Picking up your walking speed will also increase your fitness level. Walking of any kind is always a good thing, but walking faster enhances the exercise benefits you receive from it.

8. Practice balance. Part of any healthy lifestyle is having good balance. The more you practice, the easier it is to maintain balance not only in your exercise routine, but also in your daily life. Practicing balance requires only a few minutes a day and best of all, can be practiced anywhere with no special equipment.

• Stand a few feet from a wall or other supporting structure and raise one foot off the ground, placing that foot gently on your other ankle or calf. Maintain balance as long as you can. Repeat with the other foot.

• With daily practice, you’ll notice a gradual increase in the amount of time you can keep your balance.

By following just a few of these simple and quick exercise routines, you’ll be on your way to healthier and happy lifestyle. Don’t wait for tomorrow. Start now!

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Stress Management through Guided Relaxation

January 7, 2010 By admin 2 Comments

Is stress controlling you? Stress and tension is one of the hardest things that a person has to learn to deal with. Stress and tension will control you if you let it. Therefore, you need to learn how to reduce it as much as possible.

How managing stress helps you to relax:

To reduce stress you will need a stress management program. The program may include walking, socializing, using music; bathing, fragrances, massages, videos and more that help you relax. You can use books as well. Books designed to teach you to relax will help you set up a stress management program.

Finding relief with books:

If you enjoy reading, go to the library and pick up your favorite books. Instead of rushing through the day, take a moment out for you and relax. Read your book and do not allow demands to take over you. For example, if your mind is telling you to get those dishes done, put it off. We are not promoting procrastination; rather we are saying that sometimes you just need to relax. If the dishes are bothering you, ask someone else to handle the task. Ultimately you can get it out of the way, and then take time out to read your book. [Read more...]

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