2 Ancient Methods Combined Together Make A Modern 2 Minute Stress Relief Technique

When Christopher Columbus arrived in the new world and landed on his rowboat...the natives could not see his ship out at sea! Their familiarity with their environment and the ocean in particular was such that they couldn't perceive the ship (something they had never even imagined before). An elder medicine man that had the flexibility of perception had to describe the ship to his fellow tribesmen before they could see it.This same familiarity applies to how we perceive our breathing.To the ancient Indian system of Yoga, breathing is considered to be so important that before any task a yogi first prepares his/her breathing. Proper breath control is considered the key to healthy living. In fact, learning to do proper diaphragmatic breathing has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety permanently.Our breathing is something that we have become so familiar with that we are almost completely unaware of its effects. Consider this, our breath bridges our conscious and unconscious i.e. unconsciously we are always breathing and at any time we can consciously focus on our breathing. This is important to remember because all our emotional states are reflected in our breathing. If we are stressed our breathing tends to be shallow and focused in our upper lungs. In fact jerky breathing itself will actually increase anxiety and stress. While when we are relaxed we tend to breathe fully into our belly. Knowing this you can observe yourself and know when its time to consciously take control of your breathing to control your stress.Practicing belly breathing (diaphragmatic breathing) can be extremely beneficial and can be done anytime. Just follow this simple method...Sit or stand with your back straight, put your hand on your belly and breath in a slow and deep pattern. Don't try to overfill the lungs or empty them - just breath softly but fully - expanding your belly on the inhale and contracting on the exhale. Keep your attention focused on your breathing. You will find that your mind will tend to drift. That is normal. Simply return your attention to your breath when you notice you got distracted. Allow the relaxation from this breathing pattern to spread through your body and just enjoy yourself. This next one may come as a surprise to you...stress can cause the blood to drain from your forehead! This seriously diminishes your thinking ability.This is a natural biological response to remove blood from your brain to your body so you can fight or run (the famous fight or flee mechanism). This is perfectly fine for when we roamed the plains but in modern day living we don't need to fight at work or run away from it. We have to learn to not only cope but to excel. Fortunately there are two points on your forehead, that in the ancient Chinese system of Acupuncture are called the 'neuro-vasculars'. If you hold these points lightly, with a little deep breathing, they will bring the blood back into your brain! These points are located about one inch above the center of your eyebrows. To make sure you got it, put the palm of your right hand on your right sight of your forehead so that the 'ball' of your forehead is in the center of your palm. Same for the left side. Breathe deeply while holding lightly. The 2-minute stress relief technique is simple. When you feel stressed, angry, nervous, under pressure etc. Sit down with your back straight and feet flat on the floor. Hold your neuro-vascular points while doing diaphragmatic breathing. In 2 minutes, you will feel more relaxed and clear headed.

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Abbas Abedi--- Discover Insider Secrets of Instant Stress Relief. Learn How Easy It Can Be To Relax Immediately, Evaporating Your Stress Away...While Picking Up Effective Stress Management Skills for Life! Visit: http://www.InstantStressManagement.com

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Stop Stressing! How Cortisol Effects the Body

If you've ever gone through a rough period of time in your life, you probably noticed that you've put on some weight, even if you haven't been eating as much. Why? Medical scientists have found that the hormone cortisol thrives on stress, and, simply put, cortisol's main job is to eat away at your muscles. You can't stop cortisol from being released into the body. In fact, that would be unhealthy. However, there are certain measures a body builder can take to keep cortisol levels at a low healthy level.Cortisol is released by the pituitary gland in the brain. It helps regulate your blood pressure, so when things such as a fight with your significant other or a hard day at work have got you steamed, cortisol is released in high levels to help keep you blood pressure down. Unfortunately, cortisol also breaks down muscle proteins and converts it into fat. Theoretically, if you are stressed out, the body is trying to help you. Breaking down muscle releases amino acids into the blood stream, which are in turn broken down to give you energy. However, if you are stressed over nothing, you don't really use this extra energy-you just lose muscle.You can control cortisol simply by thinking happy thoughts. Remember that stress is not only mental, but physical as well. Therefore, if you overtrain, you are putting extra stress on your muscles and your body releases more cortisol, which is counterproductive to the exercise you are doing. Know your body's limits so you can prevent this from happening. It is rare that you body is producing too much cortisol for you to control, but medications have become a popular choice for people who blame cortisol on their weight gain and muscle loss. Before you resort to these supplements, try to control cortisol on your own. You body will be healthier if you don't have to pop pills. Of course, sometimes stress cannot be avoided. In these situations, do not avoid eating. By snacking during the day, even if you are not hungry, you will provide your body with the extra energy it needs to be in a stressful situation. Cortisol will not excessively be released, since you already have a supply of energy. Practicing good eating and sleeping habits will also reduce your stress level in general, so stick to a healthy diet and get a good night's rest. If you are still worried about cortisol, have you doctor check out your cortisol levels to make sure you are healthy.

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Tom Ambrozewicz is one of the pioneers in using breakthrough audio technology on his web sites. You can read, listen to professional narrator reading to you or having MP3 file ready to download if you hate printed files. Check spectrum of bodybuilding tips on http://www.ask-how.info/bodybuilding

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The Link Between Exercise and Stress

It is no secret that people who exercise regularly feel better, more energetic, and less stressed. . There is plenty of evidence to show that exercise provides stress-relieving benefits.Four ways exercise controls stress.Exercise can help you relax. Although the actual exercise bout might be strenuous and difficult to execute, actual benefits such as stress reduction, body toning etc. actually occur after the session is over. The immediate post-exercise period helps flush out carbon dioxide and waste products from the various systems. Following a session of exercise, clinicians have measured a decrease in electrical activity of tensed muscles. People feel less jittery and hyperactive after an exercise session. Exercise can help raise your mood. A good and well-supervised exercise session helps you relax for the next 90 to 120 minutes. This is called post-exercise euphoria or endorphin response, and these 'feel good' chemicals improve your mood and leave you relaxed. Exercise can make you feel better about yourself. Think about those times when you were physically active. Did you not better about yourself? That feeling of self-worth contributes to stress relief. Physical fitness is a buffer against stress and fit subjects experience less stress than unfit subjects. Exercise can make you eat better. People who exercise regularly tend to eat more nutritious food and stick to healthy eating habits; this helps your body manage stress better. To help you get started here are three types of activities you can choose from. A combination of all 3 is ideal for best results.1. Aerobic activity. All it takes is 20 minutes' worth, six to seven days a week. Twenty minutes won't carve a big chunk out of your day, but it will improve your ability to control stress significantly. These are good aerobic studios in almost every town. Look for information in local newspapers for spring specials and other discounts.2. Yoga. In yoga or yoga-type activities, your mind relaxes progressively as your body increases its amount of muscular work. Recent studies have shown that when large muscle groups repeatedly contract and relax, the brain receives a signal to release specific neurotransmitters, which in turn make you feel relaxed and more alert. 3. Recreational sports. Play cricket, football tennis, or badminton on weekends. Cycling and swimming also work well. These games require the kind of vigorous activity that rids your body of stress-causing adrenaline and other hormones. In addition to the above 'long term solutions', you can also try several techniques to 'calm down' when you feel overly stressed.Short cut stress busters.If you are sitting in one position for a prolonged period of time, stand up from the desk and stretch your arms and legs at regular intervals. Shut your eyes and take 20 slow deep breaths. Listen to soothing music. Squeeze and release a towel or a rubber ball a few times. Do not jump to reach the phone and respond in a calm composed manner to all situations. Visualize yourself petting your children, sitting by the balcony watching the sunset, spending the weekend relaxing with family, walking on grass etc.

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Nitin is a renowned personal trainer, columnist and lecturer, who recently appeared on Good Morning America. He offers training routines for women, diet plans & ebooks at http://www.toningforwomen.com. He also provides online personal training at http://www.phonefitnesstrainer.com/

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Stress Relief For Moms: What Can You Do?

Perhaps you've always thought that a toolkit was something men liked but wasn't something you ever wanted to own for yourself. Well, if we're talking about the clanking sort that is used to repair things then I'm not surprised. However, there is another kind of toolbox and it is the mom life saver kind, the one full of resources that you can use to give yourself a break or a quick pep up in order to continue on with what you were doing.

While the standard things like coffee, cakes, chocolate and alcohol maybe your first port of call when things get tough, they really aren't the best things to use. There is no denying that they can be great short term fixes but they carry a price tag in the form of reduced performance later on. Instead of relying on these things to get you through it is better to find better solutions and enjoy a glass of wine because you want one not because you 'need' it.

What exactly ought to go in your stress relieving toolbox?

. websites that you enjoy visiting - they could be your favorite mom stress relief blogs, magazines, parenting sites, celebrity gossip - just make sure that they make you feel better about yourself and life and don't stress you out further.

. music - get a collection of your favorite music together and keep it in one spot.

. healthy food in the fridge and freezer so you aren't tempted to go for the quick sugar hit when you get low on energy

. flower essences - Bach's Rescue Remedy is one you could try. You don't have to wait until a specific event sends you into overdrive, you can try taking it morning and night as a preventative.

. essential oils - mix up your own soothing blend.

. exercise options - from stretches to relieve specific aches to full cardio workouts - match your mood to your exercise of choice.

. list of relaxing activities you enjoy and the phone numbers/contact details to make it happen. Set a page aside in your diary and list out the activities you find relaxing and your preferred venue. That way you always have options and not being able to get an appointment at your first choice won't make you feel more stressed.

You may find it helpful to draw up a list of all the items that are in your toolkit (at least the headings, if not the full list of activities/resources) and place it somewhere you'll see it. On the fridge, noticeboard or office wall are all good places so that when you get stressed you can instantly find relief.

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Being a mother today is more demanding than ever before because we have higher expectations for our children and there are more demands on our time. Moms need stress relief! And they need it now. For stress relief tips and options visit http://www.momstressrelief.com

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Learn An Easy A Shortcut To Stress Management

To many of us, our work triggers stress.

Since stress is unavoidable in life, it is important to find ways to minimize and prevent stressful incidents in order to avoid the negative effects of stress.

We can try some of these strategies:

1) Master efficient management of our time
Mastering time management skills can allow us to have more time with our family and friends. More importantly, it can increase our performance and productivity. This will help reduce our stress levels to a minimum.

Among the techniques that we can use to improve our time management skills are the following:
? Save time by focusing and concentrating on important tasks. We can also consider delegating some of our responsibilities and scheduling time for our selves.

? Keep a record of how we spend our time for work, family, and leisure

? Prioritize our time by rating tasks by importance and urgency. Redirect our attention to activities that are important and meaningful to us.

? Manage our commitments by not over or under committing. Never commit to what is not important to us.

? Deal with procrastination by using a day planner. Break large projects into manageable activities and set short-term deadlines

? Examine our beliefs to reduce conflict between what we believe and what our life is like.

2) Develop healthy coping strategies
It is important that we arm ourselves with coping strategies. One way to do this is by recording a stressful event and taking note of how we reacted and what we could have done better.

With this information, we can work on transforming unhealthy coping strategies into healthy ones. These improvements will help us focus on the positive aspects and direct our attention to the different things that we can change or control in our lives.

3) Consciously choose a healthy lifestyle
Some behaviors and lifestyle choices affect our stress levels. These may not directly cause stress, but can interfere with the ways our bodies seek relief from stress. Try to:

? Have a sense of purpose in life
? Eat a balanced diet for a nutritional defense against stress
? Balance personal, work, and family needs and obligations
? Get enough sleep to enable our bodies to recover from stress
? Get moderate exercise throughout the week
? Limit consumption of alcohol and cigarettes

4) Solicit social support
Social support is the positive support we receive from our families, friends, and the community. It makes us feel cared for, loved, esteemed, and valued. Many studies indicate a strong correlation between social support and improved mental and physical health.

5) Change our thinking patterns
When an event triggers negative thoughts, we experience a range of emotions that include fear, insecurity, anxiety, depression, rage, guilt, and a sense of worthlessness or powerlessness.

These emotions trigger stress, just as an actual threat does. How we deal with negative thoughts and see things can help reduce stress.

At the onset of stress, we should be vigilant and catch ourselves from engaging in negative thoughts to help eliminate stress. We can also use a problem solving process that will help identify all aspects of a stressful event and find ways to deal with it

6) Change your communication style
A change in the way we express things helps us communicate in a way that makes our views known without making others defensive, hostile, or intimidated. Poor communication can result to stress.

Even writers experience stress although they are just using their hands to do the talking. For some people, waiting for 7 or 8 hours is already stressful enough. We should find innovative ways to relieve stress.

Indeed, stress is one unwanted visitor to the lowly-employee in charge of the mails, the CEO of a large organization, or average working parent. Try these strategies and boot out stress from in our homes, most especially in our lives.

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Abbas Abedi--Attain immediate stress relief and permanent stress management skills.Download my FREE stress management system, consisting of a 77 page ebook and 7 mp3s. Visit: http://www.InstantStressManagement.com

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Stress: Our Body's Enemy

Our lives are filled with stress. Our body's stress response is what helped our ancestors survive, enabling them to fight or flee from danger. But in today's world, most stressors are psychological, rather than physical. Stress can have a positive effect on people's job performance, for example an increase of adrenaline just prior to a presentation will give the speaker focus and energy. But stress more often than not has a negative effect on one's life.

During "fight-or-flight" situations, the blood flow is directed to areas of the body considered vital for responding to the stress. The problem with the stress response is that the more it is activated, the harder it becomes to shut off. Instead of leveling off once the crisis has passed, our stress hormones, heart rate, and blood pressure remain elevated. Extended or repeated activation of the stress response takes a heavy toll on the body. Stress causes damage to the cardiovascular system and suppression of our immune system, which compromises one's ability to fight off disease and infection.

Stress can cause damaging effects to our skin as well. Recent studies in mice shed new light on the effects of psychological stress on skin function. Researchers showed that in response to high levels of stress, an increase of plasma glucucortoids (steroid hormones secreted by the adrenal glands on top of the kidneys) caused a deterioration of the skin's barrier function. Since the skin is extremely important in regulating water retention and temperature, any deterioration of the skin barrier may have devastating consequences to the quality and appearance of the skin. Many skin disorders such as eczema, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and rosacea have been linked to a compromised skin barrier function. When you add the effects of stress, the barrier is further compromised leading to an increase in visible symptoms such as inflammation.

Stress can also aggravate acne. Acne forms when oily secretions from the sebatious glands beneath the skin plug up the pores. An increase in the stress hormone corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) stimulates the sebatious glands, which can exacerbate oily skin, thus leading to acne.

Here are a few things you can do to limit the effects of stress on your overall health: Exercise regularly. Exercise improves blood flow, and muscle tone throughout your body, plus, it helps normalize blood sugar and hormone levels. Eat healthy, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, and avoid excessive levels of sugar, caffeine and junk foods. Proper nutrition is extremely important to keep stress hormones in check and to maintain a healthy immune system. Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can increase the impact stress has on our health and well being, so be sure to get your seven to eight hours a night.

Denda, M., Tsuchiya, T., Elias, P.M. and Feingold, K.R. (2000) Stress alters cutaneous permeability barrier homeostasis. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 278: R367-372.
Choi, E.H., Brown, B.E., Crumrine, D. et al. (2005) Mechanisms by which psychologic stress alters cutaneous permeability barrier homeostasis and stratum corneum integrity. J Invest Dermatol 124:587-95.
Zouboulis, C.C., Seltmann, H., Hiroi et al. (2002) Corticotropin-releasing hormone: an autocrine hormone that promotes lipogenesis in human sebocytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 99:7148-53.

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Bart nieuwenhuijsen is trained in molecular biology and neuroscience. For more information on the effects of stress on skin conditions such as rosacea, go to http://www.reverta.com/Rosacea.html or http://www.reverta.com

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Stress at Work and Satisfaction

There appears little doubt that one of the major adverse influences on job satisfaction, work performance, absenteeism, turnover and productivity, is the incidence of stress at work. Stress is a source of tension and frustration that may arise through a number of interrelated influences on behavior, including the individual, group, organizational and environmental factors. In a recent survey into attitudes to work, when a random sample of 1,000 workers was asked to specify the biggest problem at work, the second most common response (after poor pay - 18%) was stress at 17%. This would seem to support the contention that stress is a problem of the nineties.

The causes of stress are complex. Stress is also a very personal experience, as is the response of each individual to it and their beliefs about how best to cope with the causes and the effects of stressful situations. Although considered as having a negative impact, a certain amount of stress may be seen as positive and even as a good thing, which helps and promotes a high level of performance. Keeping the balance is the challenging task of management.

The five situations that are most commonly considered as stressful are the following:

- Responsibility for the work of others - conflicting objectives of groups and organizations, groups and individuals, self and superiors.

- Innovative functions - conflicting priorities and different psychological demands between the routine and administrative aspects of the job and the creative side.

- Integrative or boundary functions - the stressful role of the coordinator, due to the lack of control over the demand of their resources.

- Relationship problems - difficulties with a boss, subordinates or colleges.

- Career uncertainty - doubtful future career prospects affect the whole of a person's work

There are a number of techniques by which individuals may bring stress under control. For example, changing your viewpoint; putting your problems into perspective; learning to laugh at life; not worrying and working on stress reduction; not talking yourself down; and not attempting to slow your life down.

In addition, companies have initiated internal programs to reduce the fatigue or stress from working on a specific position for a long period of time. In fact, job rotation is the most basic form of individual job design. It involves moving a person from one job or task to another. It attempts to add some variety and to help remove boredom, at leads in the short term. However, if the tasks involved are all very similar and routine, then once the person is familiar with the new task the work may quickly prove boring again.

Job rotation may lead to the acquisition of additional skills but does not necessarily develop their levels. Strictly, job rotation is not really job design, because neither the nature of the task nor the method of working is restructured. However, it may help a person identify more with the completed product or service. It can also be used as a form of training and it can reduce stress that is associated with managing the increased responsibilities of a specific role in a company.

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Kadence Buchanan writes articles for http://aboutoursociety.com/ - In addition, Kadence also writes articles for http://4investing.net/ and http://4aginginfo.com/

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Using Music Therapy for Stress Relief Is Very Effective

When it comes to your overall mental health, stress is the biggest problem that most of face. It is also the biggest reason for many health problems that we face daily. Most of don't even understand that stress can be the major cause of major health problems like heart problems. There are many different types of therapy that can be used to help with stress relief and music therapy is a relaxing and soothing one that can help with stress but also major and minor illnesses as well.

Music therapy services are available to adults and children with disabilities. Sessions are individually designed according to each person's special needs. Using music and music activities, the music therapist works with each individual to address specific goals and objectives that are determined by the therapist.

With music therapy both individual and small group sessions will be conducted with regular progress evaluations. Music therapy can be done for clients with the following disabilities: Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Mental Retardation, Attention Deficit Disorder, Lowe's Syndrome, and, Tourrette's Syndrome.

Music Therapy may be commonly defined as the structured use of music and music activities geared toward helping individuals with disabilities meet both musical and non-musical goals. Music therapy goals may be based on behavioral, physical, cognitive, social, and emotional or language and communication. Music is a proven relaxation technique as well as a stimulant. Those who use music therapy often experience positive changes.

Music therapy is good for people of all ages may benefit from music therapy, from young children to elderly seniors. People with almost any disability have ability when it comes to music. Music Therapy clients participate through playing instruments, improvising and making up new songs, singing, or even just listening. The people that are involved in Music Therapy sessions may range from having a mild learning disability to having severe mental retardation.

Music therapists assess clients' communication skills, social functioning, physical health and mobility, cognitive skills, and emotional well-being by how they respond to music. They design Music Therapy sessions for individuals according to their unique needs. In these tailored sessions, therapists use techniques such as music improvisation, receptive music listening, music performance on instruments and with the voice, and learning through music. That is just too cool. When you think of music in terms of therapy, it is very easy to forget how truly useful music can be. It really does sooth the savage beast within us if we let it.

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By Abbas Abedi-To make all aspects of your life easier you might take a look at my blog http://stress----relief.blogspot.com

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Stressed Out in Your Business or Career? Tips to Relieve Pressure in Making a Sale

The good news is you are not alone. We have all had days where nothing seems to go the way we want. The deadline is approaching and your computer crashes, or every phone call you make turns out to be a dead end; days where you can not seem to get out from behind the eight ball and the only thing you have accomplished is raising your stress level.

We all deal with stress in different ways. Some of us internalize it and deal with headaches or stiff shoulders. Others may deal with it by throwing a few back when they get home. Still others may snap at their wife or children. If you have any or all of these symptoms, you have to find ways to get rid of the stress.

First off, laugh. No, really. Laughing is quite good for you. Medical research has revealed that this simple act will decrease your blood pressure and heart rate. It also not only increases oxygen in the blood, but also creates an enzyme that helps protect your stomach from the effects of stress. Give this a thought; It has been shown that the average child in America laughs about 400 times a day where an American adult will only do the same about 15 times day. So thats why kids seem so much more Zen then we do! Makes sense, doesnt it?

If you cant find anything funny about your situation, give a friend a call, but make sure it is the friend that will make you laugh, not the one who will tell you how much worse their life is thank yours.

If laughing doesnt work, try taking a power nap of about twenty minutes. This will workout great in your car during lunch. If you decide to do this in your office, make sure you close and lock the door. Chances are if your boss caught you sleeping, your stress level would go up. Be sure to only sleep for about twenty minutes. It has been shown that more than that will only serve to make us tired.

You may need to change what you are doing. Repetitive tasks can raise you stress levels, especially if you feel like you are just spinning your wheels like making sales calls when nobody is buying.

If you have been stuck behind a desk in a stuffy office all day, go outside and take a walk. Not only will you get some much needed fresh air and sunshine, you will get exercise too, which is always a good thing.

If at all possible, work on another, less daunting task for about 30 minutes or an hour to give your mind a break.

The old proverb dont put all your eggs in one basket is still good advise. One of the more stressful sales situations you will find yourself in is when you are counting on other people who dont come thru. Always have a back up plan so you can change the subject from Joe the Warehouse Guy not pulling the right product last time an order was placed.

Dont forget though, stress can be a good motivator as well. You will learn to think of ways to make the sale that you may not have thought of before. It can also ensure you do not become to be, soft in the middle.

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Leon Edward in his daily blog, articles, free newsletter, best of web Self Help news helps people improve in Goal Setting, Time Management, Success, Leadership, Stress Management, Self-Impromvement. Download his IQ Mind Brain Memory Self-Help library at his website http://www.AwesomeSuccess.org

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Divorce Parenting and Stress

Anyone who has experienced divorce can tell you first hand it is one of the most stressful events you will ever face. That is especially true for those who are also parents. The day to day challenges of parenting are significant enough without divorce and the challenges that come with attempting to recover from such a significant loss complicate the parenting process for everyone, including those who are normally less impacted by stress issues. Stressed parents find they are less tolerant, irritable and angry, depressed, and down right miserable at times. The good news- you can do something about it if you find yourself in that boat.

Stress is normal part of the divorce process. In fact, stress is commonly under identified by divorcees as the primary reason for difficulties. Too often, divorcees focus their attention on anger and sadness issues, rather than identifying some pretty simple things they can do to deal with stress. Understanding how stress impacts you, your ex-spouse, and your children can help you to appropriately and effectively navigate the divorce process.

Stress is basically our reaction to change. Yes it is more complicated than that, but at it the core of almost all stress is change. First of all, there are times in our lives when we should be stressed. Those times usually revolve around significant life changes such as death of a loved one, job changes, moves, change in normal routine, health related issues, and change in family make up. Obviously, divorce can bring some or all of these changes to the table. So, it makes sense that stress plays a vital role in the entire divorce experience.

Recognizing what is happening with you, your ex, and your children can help you to choose the proper approach to dealing with things. When significant change enters our lives, control becomes an important part of the equation. When we feel out of control and powerless, stress levels tend to rise, and frankly there are few life situations outside of divorce where you will feel more powerless. Naturally, when a person feels out of control, they often attempt to control something or many things. Often, divorcees and children in divorce attempt to control what is happening around them, and very often they attempt to control other people.

Do not under estimate this control issue in your own levels of stress and that of other people involved in your divorce. Divorced parents frequently attempt to alleviate their stress by controlling their ex-spouse or children. And very often, the reaction to these attempts to control is negative.

If you want to immediately reduce your stress try this: Sit down at your kitchen table with a note pad and list 10 things you can absolutely, without doubt, control right away. For example, you can control what time you get up each morning. You can control what you eat. You can even control whether or not you allow yourself to get drawn into an argument with your ex. You can control whether you set yourself up for an argument with your ex or not. You can control what you watch and the type of people you surround yourself with during this crisis. I've given you 6 things to start with that you can control. Add 4 to this list and you are on your way. Or come up with 10 of your own. Even small things can make a difference when combined with other things. Once you have a list of things you can control the next step is to follow through. A list alone will change nothing. But, if you work toward controlling those things on your list, you are on your way to successful stress management.

Controlling what you can will make a difference. The more things you put together, the more control you feel you have of your life, even when a lot of big things are outside of your control. So, the next time your ex is doing something you do not like, your attorney fails to return your call, and your child refuses to follow your instructions, take a moment to control some things you can control and your stress levels will inevitably feel drop. The biggest mistake you can make is attempting to control things that are outside of your control. Recognize those things that are beyond your power and do not attempt to change them, you will have more success when you are realistic about what can be controlled and what cannot.

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Matt Doyle has 14 years experience as a mental health professional. He is a family therapist and divorce parent coach with hundreds of hours under his belt working with divorced families. Learn more about divorce parenting at http://www.divorce-parenting.com

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Drug Free Stress Relief

In our modern world we are under increased pressure to perform and be profitable whilst under risk of downsizing, outsourcing and off-shoring. Both men and women are increasingly stressed with the strains of work and family life. Women in particular become stressed from trying to juggle their full time job and caring for their family.

You may find that you suffer from headaches, a lack of sleep and mood swings, so you go to your doctor for help. The doctor listens to what you have to say and then prescribes you some drugs. If you are fortunate, you may even get some time off too.

The drug alleviates and suppresses the symptoms so you start to feel better and then you go straight back into the situations without any changes; except to increase the drug dosages you are taking.

Whether you take the drug or not, the stress levels are still there. The problem with the medicine is that it masks the symptoms of stress so you believe you are ok and not stressed.

There are a number of natural alternatives to prescription medicine that you can use to reduce your stress. Even the busiest of people can fit this into their life, so find out what works best for you.

When you start to feel yourself getting stressed take some deep breaths. As stress is the triggering of the fight or flight mechanism you will find that you start to breath shallowly, usually without even being aware of it.

Breathe from your stomach so it inflates (sticks out) when you breathe in and pull your stomach in so it expels your breath as you exhale. This oxygenates your system which helps prevent muscle cramp and headaches. As you breathe deeply, you will find you relax. Deep breathing like this makes it almost impossible to be stressed.

If you start to feel a headache then take these deep breaths and gently massage your neck and shoulder muscles to relieve the tension. Pay particular attention to your jaw muscles and make sure you relax those too. You will find you are tensing the muscles unconsciously and by relaxing them you can let go of the stress.

Human beings have been talking to each other for as long as they've been capable of speech, and it's an excellent stress reliever. A problem shared is a problem halved. Even just general chit-chat to people will help to reduce your stress levels.

Exercise is one of the best forms of natural form of stress relief. When you get stressed a hormone known affectionately as ACTH is released into your system. Usually it would be worked out of your system through the fight or flight response. In modern society, it is not generally practical for this response to be engaged so the ACTH remains in your system and builds to dangerously high levels.

Taking some exercise will work this ACTH out of your system and help you feel better. Not only that, but it releases endorphins into your body too, which is nature's happy drug. Whether you choose to join a gym or go for walks is up to you, but make sure it is something that you enjoy.

Your diet contributes greatly to your stress levels, believe it or not. These days people consume a lot of caffeine and sugar which add to your stress levels. Caffeine actually triggers the fight or flight mechanism and causes stress! By taking care of your body you can help to alleviate your stress.

If you can plan your day in advance then you can reduce the stress of running around from pillar to post being pulled in all directions. Take some time the night before to (realistically) plan what you want to achieve the next day. Plan your errands for the day and makes sure you perform them efficiently. This will help immensely in reducing your stress levels.

Stress is a natural physiological response and is best when dealt with naturally. Natural methods may take slightly longer to work, but will have a better long term stress reducing effect.

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Stress is a serious problem that can damage your health, career and relationships. Jason E. Johns teaches powerful and effective techniques to help people overcome the stress in their lives. Find out more today at http://www.freemefromstress.com.

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How Stress Can Play A Large Role In Menopause Fatigue

One of the most difficult challenges of menopause is dealing with the ups and downs. Most women suffering from menopause want to maintain a balance. Some woman with menopause deal with the annoyance of menopause fatigue due to past life styles that have worn their bodies down. At this point their bodies are screaming out to be rejuvenated and they want a good rest.

Some women with menopause say that stress helps them to preform at their best. Even if this is true, putting large amounts of stress on your body during menopause is not always a good idea. Menopause is not a very easily controlled problem so dealing with it can be a very hard task. But this does not mean that you should completely limit your daily activities.

High stress can cause this fatigue to set in which leaves you tired and uninterested in daily activities. But if you can limit how much stress you put on your body then you can beat the complications of menopause. Just because you have menopause doesn't mean you shouldn't get out and have fun or treat yourself to a great day.

Don't feel down because some activities can help reduce the fatigue you may feel with menopause. Getting out and spending the day at a day spa is an excellent idea. Relaxing is a great idea for woman who suffer from menopause because it gives them the chance to let their body rest from the stress of daily life.

To greatly reduce the chances of menopause fatigue try to refrain from doing too much; invite a friend over for lunch instead of going out. Spending time with others and or treating yourself seems to reduce stress and ease the body of any fatigue. So dont let menopause get you down enjoy your life and don't let menopause stand in your way.

You can fight back against it, take your life back and enjoy doing it. Isn't it about time you do something for yourself? Reduce your chances of fatigue Relax and enjoy yourself today and have fun doing it. Rejuvenate your body and you might just feel better. You don't have to suffer from menopause you have the power to reduce the annoying symptoms of menopause and take your life back. Enjoy those same daily activities without the hassle of menopause fatigue.

Enjoy the beauties of the world without the fatigue because the world is out there and its time to experience the wonders of life without fatigue. So enjoy and rejuvenate your body and remember to be good to yourself because it's about time. Don't you deserve it? Absolutely! You deserve to relax.

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Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Remedies at http://www.fightfatigueplus.com

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How to Discover and Prevent Aquarium Fish Illness

Aquarium fish fall ill just like any other pet. The illnesses are as a result of disease. The common diseases that affect aquarium fish are mostly stress induced.

The micro-organisms which cause these diseases may be present in the water as part of the normal micro fauna and grab the opportunity to infest or infect the fish when it is stressed and its normal defense are weakened.

Different ways aquarium fish suffer from stress

- Aquarium fish usually start experiencing stress starting from the time it's about living the breeding farm till when the end purchaser finally picked it from retailer. Most beginners don't really know how to handle fish.

- The quality of water is another cause of aquarium fish stress. Different fish species have different water quality that will make the environment conducive for them. Quality parameters like pH, water hardness, high nitrite and carbon dioxide level, low dissolved oxygen salinity of water, water temperature and others.

- Any change in environment like physical damage, leaches, lice and introduction of new fish that is not quarantine could lead to stress in aquarium, thus making life non conducive for fish in aquarium tank

- Change in weather condition is another factor that leads to aquarium fish stress. When there is heavy downfall as you know the weather will become cold and this could lead to stress in aquarium.

- Poor Diet as a result of lack in nutritional requirement always leads to poor performance in fish immune system. Fish immune system will struggle to operate efficiently. This will result in astressed fish.

Warning signs of illness in aquarium fish

You can easily know when your fish are going through stress if you watch them very well and often. You will notice signs like fish swimming with clamps up (closed) in their fins, hovering in a corner, heavy breathing and fish brushing its body against objects. These are warning signs you need to act on immediately.

How to reduce stress in aquarium

To reduce stress in aquarium, you need to guide against factors that lead to stress. The following are tips on how to prevent stress that ultimately leads to illness:

- Make sure you have detail information about the fish species that you will be introducing to your tank. Enquiring about its requirements before you buy it will help you a lot. Thus, ask lots of questions before making your purchase.

- Knowing the right food for your fish is another important thing you have to know as this may vary from species to species. If you have this knowledge you will be able to provide foods that are rich in nutritional ingredients that your fish require.

- Keep the environment clean.

- When you want to introduce new fish, make sure it's quarantined to reduce the risk of disease.

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For more great aquarium related articles and resources check out http://tropicalfish.aquariumspot.com

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Job Stress: Two Bosses, One Victim

Marilyn had a most unusual situation. No one intentionally put stress on her. Marilyn had worked for her company for two years. She held an assistant manager's title and she was extremely competent at her job. And, she was popular with the other employees.

However, she was seriously considering quitting. She was earning a very nice salary and the company offered excellent benefits and bonuses as well as special trips and social gatherings. ButMarilyn had an unusual situation that caused her a great deal of anxiety. She had two bosses. They had been college frat brothers and were very competitive. And she was the one they competed over. Not in a social or sexual way, but in a business way.

It seemed that neither one liked it when she was working for the other. And instead of settling it between themselves, they left it for her to make the decision as to whose work came first. When she was helping one with a project, the other made it very plain that he felt she was favoring the one with the project.. And if an emergency arose and she had to stop something she was doing to handle it, the one whose work she put aside would be miffed.

Marilyn was under a great deal of anxiety and stress. She could not relax at her work. She was constantly on the lookout for anything she did that would upset one or the other of her bosses.

She tried talking to them, both separately and together. She tried to point out how childish it was. She suggested one of them hire someone to do just his work, but neither wanted to take someone new. They both said O,K. as long as the other one got the new employee.

It got to be a contest that Marilyn couldn't cope with. She went to upper management, but got no support. They told her she should be glad she was so much in demand. But this didn't cure her headaches or her anxiety.

Finally she took it in her own hands. She decided to stay home from work until her twobosses worked it out between themselves. She knew she was taking a chance on being fired, but she also knew she couldn't work under those circumstances again. On the fourth day, she got a phone call to come back to work. Both of the bosses had been transferred to another department. Sometimes evenjob stress problems solve themselves.

Copyright 2006 Robert T. Lewis

*The above case has been fictionalized and neither the persons or the incidents are identifiable to any real person or situation.

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Robert T. Lewis, Ph.D. Psychologist and Author of: The Best Little Job Stress Manual on the Planet visit us at: Http://www.self-helpebooks.com

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Does Stress Contribute To Heart Disease?

Stress is a major problem in Western culture. The British government estimated that stress cost the UK economy over ?7 billion ($14 billion) in 2001. With up to 80% of all industrial accidents due to stress, it's rapidly becoming a major problem that both industry and health care companies want to tackle and reduce.

When you get stressed a hormone known as Adrenocorticotrophic or ACTH is released in to your bloodstream. This triggers the fight or flight mechanism, which translates to your heart rate speeding up as blood is pumped more rapidly around the body.
Short term, this is fine as it works its way out of your system. Long term though and it becomes a problem as it stays in your system wearing you down. Eventually it will damage your immune system and possibly even cause a heart attack.

Why?

The human heart is designed to run steadily at a certain rate with occasional bursts to a higher rate. When you get stressed, your heart rate increases and the more stressed you are during the day the more your heart beat stays at the higher rate.

Let's compare this to a car to give you a more visual idea of what we are talking about. Imagine you are in your car in a low (or first gear). Without your foot on the gas pedal, it ticks over nicely. That's equivalent to your regular resting heart beat.

Now, put your foot flat to the floor and listen to the noise of the engine. That's equivalent to your racing heart beat.

What do you think would happen to your engine if you drove everywhere with it racing and making that noise? How far would you get before the engine exploded into pieces?

The analogy shows you what you are doing to your heart when you are continually stressed.

It is not coincidence that otherwise healthy people who exercise, eat well and don't drink or smoke suddenly have heart attacks - it's from the build up of stress in their lives.

In 2002 the British Medical Journal published the results of an experiment where they followed hundreds of people for up to ten years and monitored their lives. What they discovered was that people who felt they were over-whelmed by their work or who did mundane day to day activities with no chance of development or advancement were almost three times as likely to develop heart disease as those who didn't have these stresses.

They also discovered that these people suffering from stress were two to three times more likely to have a life ending heart attack.

And that's simply from stress.

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Stress is a serious problem that can damage your health, career and relationships. Jason E. Johns teaches powerful and effective techniques to help people overcome the stress in their lives. Find out more today at http://www.freemefromstress.com.

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Exercise Reduces Your Stress

Stress is a serious problem that affects many people across the world. It is having a massive financial cost on society and a massive personal cost on individuals and their families.

When you get stressed a hormone called Adrenocorticotrophic or ACTH is released into your bloodstream. This triggers your fight or flight mechanism by providing you with a boost of energy.

In pre-civilization days, the ACTH was worked out of your system by the triggering of the fight or flight reaction. Unfortunately as we have moved out of the savannah and into the office, the fight or flight mechanism is no longer able to work the ACTH out of your system.

In most situations, the fight or flight mechanism cannot be triggered and you just have to grin and bear what is happening.

Long term exposure to ACTH can cause serious health issues including high blood pressure, ulcers and heart problems. One of the best ways to work the ACTH out of your system is through exercise. Doctors across the Western world are prescribing exercise more and more, particularly to senior office workers who are suffering fromstress.

Imagine drinking ten cups of coffee ... that's the effect ACTH has on you.

How much can you relax after drinking ten cups of coffee? Through exercise you can help the ACTH to leave your system and avoid the negative effects it produces.

The type of exercise you take to reduce your stress is entirely up to you. Many people feel that the only way to exercise is to go to the gym. Unfortunately, most of these people really don't like going to the gym. It can be an intimidating and even expensive activity.

However, it is not necessary to go to the gym to get your stress reducing exercise. There are many other options available to you.

My personal favorite is to take walks. Walking is an excellent way to relax and exercise at the same time. It is also not too strenuous and can be a very pleasant social activity. There are many other options available to you - walking to work (if possible), walking at lunchtime, taking up a sport or more.

It is important that you take some exercise, what you do is not important. You have to find what works best for you. You may prefer a sport, you may prefer to swim, you may prefer the gym. Whatever you choose, make sure it is something you enjoy and something you can do regularly.

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Stress is a serious problem that can damage your health, career and relationships. Jason E. Johns teaches powerful and effective techniques to help people overcome thestress in their lives. Find out more today at http://www.freemefromstress.com.

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Debt Stress And Debt Relief

Whenever you hear discussion of credit card debt, the various best ways to manage it and clear it etc., one thing is mostly ignored. Credit card debt can be extremely stressful and it can have a very negative impact on your life.

It's always hanging over you, getting you down, making it difficult to live your life the way you would like to. This article takes a look at how to recognise debt stress, and what you can do about it.

The Symptoms of Debt Stress

There are numerous symptoms that can be caused by stress. Some of the most common ones are:
feeling depressed and irritable
headaches
not being able to sleep
forgetfulness
lack of concentration

If you have some of these symptoms but you're unsure whether they are related to stress a visit to your Doctor may be in order.

Who Gets Debt Stress?

Just about everybody that has debts gets stressed about them. Debt results in millions of days off work every year and it's statistically one of the leading causes of suicide. When you read about someone who has committed suicide it's very common to find their name is followed by "who owed [a very large amount] in debts".

Students and graduates are among the most vunerable, as debt is growing here faster than in any other sector of society.

It's very easy for anybody to rely on their credit card, a little here and a little there and before you know it you owe thousands.

The average adult now owes many thousands in debts, tens of thousands even and as that's the average, then it stands to reason that many people must owe much more.

This being the case then always remember that you're not alone, other people are suffering in the same way and there may well be many worse off than you.

How Do You Deal With It?

The perception of stress caused by debt is often of embarrassment or shame. People with lots of debts don't want to talk about it, even with their family or close friends, for fear of upsetting people or looking like a failure.

It's essential that you talk about your problems, storing it up inside will result in even more stress. If you talk to no one else you should at least talk to your partner. They are in the best position to understand and possibly help you.

When you're ready to confront your debt stress probably the best route is to find two people outside of your partner, one who can advise you and one who can act as a counsellor.

That means a professional who knows what they're doing in regard to financial matters and possibly a psychologist or psychiatrist or some other kind of counsellor. Don't let stigmas deter you, this is about your health which is much more important.

The next thing to do is to consider how you created the debt to begin with. Dig out your old credit card statements. What did you spend the money on?

By far the best way to defeat your debt stress is to pay back your debts.

You need to sit down and work out a budget based on your income and expenditure, cut as many unnecessary expenses as possible and try to free up as much money as you can to pay back the debts.

Even if it will take a while to clear the debt you know that your debt is gradually going down and as it does your debt stress will follow.

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Get General Finance help and advice from http://www.1stfinanceguide.com whether it be Credit Cards, Mortgages, Debt, Investing, Real Estate, etc. we can help.

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Can A Worker Claim Compensation For Stress?

All types of work can result to stress on the part of the worker. However, the gravity of stress can be lesser or greater depending on the type of work the worker is doing.

There are jobs that are stressful either physically or mentally or even both. Office workers who have to face deadlines everyday are prone to being mentally stressed at all times. Blue-collar workers are however subjected to physical stress everyday because of the nature of their jobs.

Some workers admit they are stressed out by their work but consider this part and parcel of being workers. Most workers consider stress a part of the work for which they are being paid. However, little do workers know that although stress is a part of work, their employees have the legal duty to make sure that they provide a work place environment that is less stressful to the workers.

Emotional and physical stress at work can lead to more serious health conditions that can cause injury to the worker and can threaten his earning capacity. Because of this, the law mandates all employers to create stress-free work environment to alleviate the health problems that may be experienced by their workers as a result of stress while working.

Data show that stress caused by work comes second among the occupational health conditions being reported worldwide. However, works tress can be prevented and can be managed depending on the willingness of the employers to create a less stressful work environment for their workers. The sad thing is that most employers have remained uncooperative and they continue to ignore the increasing cases of workers succumbing to work stress.

Most companies readily provide compensation for worker stress compensation claims but they rarely address the root cause of the problem. Because of this, worker stress compensation claims have been continuously on the rise. There is a perceived laxity in the implementation of worker stress laws. While the authorities compel employers to provide compensation for worker stress compensation claims, the focus should however be on the provision of a work environment that is less stressful for workers.

Among the issues resulting to worker stress are harassment in the workplace either by co-workers or supervisors, possibility of violence among the workers, unreasonable work hours and machines that continuously provide hazard to workers.

The existing laws on employment provide mechanisms for the granting of compensation to workers that experience work stress. Workers who experience work stress resulting to physical or emotional sickness should seek experienced solicitors so they would be able to get the proper advice on how to filethe worker stress compensation claim. There are documents that should be presented when filing the worker stress compensation claim and a solicitor can even help the worker look for and prepare such documents.

Workers should be vigilant about their right to claim compensation when they experience stress in the work place. If there is a union then the workers should make sure they demand for a less stressful work environment. If this is not possible, the union should ask the employers to provide them with the best compensation

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Julian Hall is the director of http://www.claimsmastergroup.com.The personal injury, accident claim,slip and trip, no win no fee, claim compensation stress worker specialists. Call 08000 71 22 71 for advice.

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Managing Stress - How to Effectively Deal with Pressure

At some time or another, we all experience stress. Sometimes it stems from family, relationships, or work; but regardless of its source, it still feels the same. Stress cannot be avoided, however, we can learn to effectively manage and prevent it from overtaking our lives.

The first step to coping with stress is to recognize its source and to identify what it is about this source that is causing you distress. As mentioned earlier, stress can come from many different reasons that is why it is helpful to explore these sources and why they can be troubling.

Probably the most common source of stress comes from the family. Families are made up of individuals, each with their own unique personality. When you place these different personalities together, conflict will undoubtedly surface and cause stress. Individuals will also experience distress when a family member becomes ill or engages in self-destructive behaviors.

Family-related stress is perfectly normal and most people can overcome the pressure in due time. However, if you find that you or your family is unable to cope with the stress, it may be time to seek professional counseling to help open up the channels of communication again.

Another big source of stress is relationships. We can experience tension with a loved one because each person has their own way of doing things and interacting with others. When one person fails to meet the expectations of the other, conflict can arise. Problems can also occur during the course of normal (or abnormal) life changes, such as divorce, illness, and work-related issues.

If you think that you and a loved one are having difficulty managing stress, it may be time to sit down and have a heart-to-heart. Sometimes the best medicine in the world for a heavy heart is just being to express yourself openly with someone you care about who will listen.

A final - but not last - source of stress that many of us will encounter stems from work. Many people are not happy with their current job, have interpersonal conflicts with coworkers or the boss, are not being paid enough, feeling powerless or undervalued, and the list can go on indefinitely. .

The best way to deal with job-related stress is to identify what's causing the stress and determine if you have any control over the situation in order to make changes, if not consider working in the dental field and helping others.

Effectively managing the stress you experience in the various areas of your life is possible with the right tools and mindset - discover what's holding you back from overcoming your stress today.

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Written by Cathy Warschaw, Director of the Warschaw Learning Institute. Offering cds, eBooks and online training for the dental and medical field. Register for our newsletter at www.WarschawLearningInstitute.com ?2005

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Stress Can Make Your Body Run Like A Broken Down Car

If asked if your job is stressful, chances are you would answer with an emphatic "Boy is it ever"!

Work is by far the leading source of stress in our lives. Nine out of ten people say they experience high levels of stress several times a week. And one out of four of us have high stress levels every day.

What you may not know is that your stress from work may, in fact, be affecting your health. Stress affects the body in many different ways. Some kinds of stress are beneficial. Others can cause serious health problems.

Chronic stress weakens the body's physiological systems and leads to innumerable health problems. In fact, WebMD estimates that 75% to 95% of all doctor's visits are stress related.

Major stress related health problems include:

work stress, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, sleep problems, headaches, faster aging, strokes, depression, ulcers, asthma, weaker immune system (reducing your natural ability to fight off infection), loss of memory

Even more frightening is that job stress is at an all-time high and continues to rise. For most people the number of hours worked has increased. Where hours don't increase the number of responsibilities increase and deadlines become more and more intense.

Job stress even invades our vacation time. According to Anderson Consulting, 80% of people who took vacations in 2000 stayed in touch with the office by taking their laptop or cell phone with them.

There are several indicators you can use to determine if you suffer from chronic stress. Warning signs of chronic stress include headaches, teeth-grinding, back pain (especially in the shoulders or neck), anxiety, and insomnia. Even lots of day dreaming as escape from your situation is a sign you need to begin to manage your stress.

If you suffer from chronic stress, there are a lot of things you can do to reduce the stress. Some of the most effective stress management techniques include relaxation exercises and meditation.

If you are at work and need to reduce stress, try deep (abdominal) breathing while visualizing a peaceful scene or wonderful past memory that brings a smile to your face.

Ultimately, virtually every job is stressful somewhat. But by identifying and effectively managing your stress, you can reduce its negative effects and enjoy a healthier life.

Why risk being taken by surprise with a health problem when the stress begins to hit your body. Manage your stress today. The effects of your efforts will increase over time. But you have to start immediately.

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Abbas Abedi CHt If you are interested in natural techniques to reduce stress and anxiety in your life today, then sign up for my free eCourse titled, "4 Days to Break Free from a Stressful Lifestyle" at http://www.InstantStressManagement.com

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Have a Healthy Body and Mind for Stress Management

When most of us think about our bodies and dealing with stress it is mostly just in terms of losing weight. Our weight is what we use to define our bodies these days. Food is the key to boosting your self esteem as well as reducing stress. Food should be taken in its natural form. When I say natural forms I mean for example, when you eat vegetable and fruit it helps to eat them in the form that they naturally come in. if you eat fruit from a can, it is contained in syrup and sugars that will not be good for you so eating them raw is the best choice.

When you are eating vegetables it is best to eat them raw and steamed because it keeps all of the vitamins and minerals in them. You should also avoid processed foods and fried meats. Don't get me wrong fats are a necessary aspect of nutrition however saturated fats are not. The right balance of foods in a day can really be a key factor in reducing your stress levels as most fruits and vegetables contain mood enhancers that most of us don't even think of.

It is best to eat at least three meals a day that are balanced with each food group as prescribed by the food guide pyramid and in between snacks as well. What people don't know is that it is ideal that you eat five small meals a day instead in order to get the most our of your metabolic system. The more foods that you intake in a day that are healthy the better to boost your metabolism.

It is not always easy for most of us to follow the food guide pyramid; however, it is still the best way to ensure that you get the most out of your efforts. Diet and exercise combined is the best way too keep your stress levels at bay, but if you can't do both walking and eating right is the way to go. There is no real excuse not to do both, but it was necessary to mention them.

When we think of stress, we rarely think that food plays a part in it. The truth is that a balanced diet is your best tool in dealing with stress. Junk food and fast foods can actually become a depressant for most people. Foods that are high in fat can greatly reduce our moods. We often feel sluggish and tired after eating junk food. The right diet that is balanced can really have a good effect on your system and that includes your stress levels.

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By Abbas Abedi-To make all aspect of life easier you might take a look at my blog http://stress---management.blogspot.com

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Panic - Effective Techniques to Help Manage Your Stress and Anxiety

By Gerald Hunt
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. We all experience it when we are faced with situations that make us uncomfortable. Anxiety is a good thing in small doses and may protect us in dangerous situations but it becomes a problem if you feel overwhelming anxiety for extended periods of time and for no particular reason.
Chronic Anxiety can interfere with normal daily activities,relationships and lead to panic attacks and social phobias. The good news is that we can learn to manage our stress and there for reduce our anxiety.
There are many effective techniques to help manage stress and anxiety. These techniques are used to reduce the intensity of the disturbing symptoms that anxiety can cause. Anxiety management techniques are usually part of many psychological treatments.
They may include relaxation training, deep breathing techniques, meditation, and hyperventilation control. These techniques require regular and consistent practice to be of benefit, and are most effective if used a long with some form of cognitive behavioural therapy.
Guided Imagery-is just one of many types of relaxation training. It is closely related to hypnosis and meditation. Guided imagery is a visualization technique and is a clinically proven, psychologist-recommended course of treatment for everything from depression, anxiety, weight-loss, pain, and many other conditions.
The patient is taught to visualize images of a relaxing environment and to focus on positive images and emotions,when practiced regularly and done properly the body,will enter a relaxed state. And drastically reduces the symptoms of anxiety.
Deep breathing exercises-can help to bring more oxygen into the body and are thought to release excess tension in the diaphragm. An example of a deep breathing exercise that is very effective and worth considering is done by inhaling through the nose and slowly counting to five while you inhale. - exhale slowly through your mouth and count down from five while you exhale. Repeat this until your breathing is under control being careful not to hyperventilate.
Meditation-is one of the oldest self help technique that involves both relaxation and cognitive techniques such as some form of breathing exercise and visualization technique. Meditation helps to calm the mind, and the body relaxes naturally as a result. All you need to start using meditation is to choose a quiet place in your home, office,or even outdoors where you can relax without being interrupted.
Hyperventilation is basically the act of overbreathing which raises carbon dioxide levels and lowers oxygen and occurs quite often in people with anxiety and panic attacks. An examples of a commonly used hyperventilation control technique is paper bag breathing which can be dangerous if used improperly or for extended periods of time and should only be used once in a while and not as a permanent treatment for Hyperventilation.
To find more detailed examples of these relaxation techniques and more. Ask your health care provider,search the internet and read the many books that are available on the subject.

My name is Geald Hunt and I am a long time sufferer of anxiety and panic attacks.They have over the last few years gotten to the point where I have developed a condition called Agoraphobia.I decided to start writing about some of the problems and progress that I have had when dealing with my condition.I hope that everyone finds my articles informative and interesting.
The site I use to express my thoughts on the subject of panic and anxiety attacks is a blog that i started a while ago.
If you are interested in more of what I have to say on the subject please check out my blog at:
http://percainepanicandanxiety.blogspot.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gerald_Hunt

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How You Can Find Stress Relief

We all have heard of the harmful effects stress can have on our lives. Although we can never totally eliminate stress we must be able to manage stress, and find stress relief, especially the prolonged stress which will indeed cause many ill effects on your health.

In many ways we can eliminate much of our stress by the way we perceive things. There are many things in life in which we have little or no control over. Things such as traffic jams and the way others act. If we react to these things in a way that adds stress to our lives many of our bodily functions shut down and prevent our bodies from keeping ourselves healthy and youthful.

Much of our stress can be relieved by the way we perceive things. In many cases we are stressed out by things we have no control over. If we can do something about a situation then we should act on it to resolve the problem. If the situation is out of our control we would be better off just accepting it for what it is and focus our attention on something more pleasant or something that will enhance our day and our lives.

The body reacts to stress by producing a flood of chemicals that shut down important but not vital functions to survival. This constant supply of stress produces hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline which in turn suppress the release of our natural growth hormones and other healing hormones that help your body heal after stress.

Some ways you can control the amount of stress you encounter is to monitor a few things about the so called stressful situation you are in. Firstly ask yourself, am I in control of the situation that is upon me. Like I said earlier if the situation is beyond your control you must let it go. If there is something you can do about the situation then you must be in action and do something to resolve it.

Secondly you could identify to what extent your stress is the result of your interpretation of the situation, which in fact, relates to your beliefs and judgments. If you are caught up in the story of "this always happens to me" or are you always trying to prove something to yourself to reinforce a limiting belief you have about yourself or others. This can be a harmful cycle in which you will always generate unwanted stress in your life. Pay attention to see if the same situations comes up and you get stressed out about similar things. Awareness to our beliefs and judgments can open doors to freedom within our consciousness.

The third thing that one can do is to learn to consciously adjust your reaction to what is happening in our lives. Learn to be calm in situations, to be focused and powerful in dealing with stressful issues. When we react all the time we are not in control and not being in control can add to feelings of recklessness. An out of control feeling is definitely a situation which can cause stress.

Besides the few perceptive ways to deal with stress just mentioned one can also start a program which will be more proactive and help you put your mind and body in a state that more readily handles situation as they arise. Proactive stress management techniques can be addressed with knowledge. Through personal development books or courses that teach you to be in more control of your life and to accept others for who they are, you can eliminate about fifty percent of your stress.

There are also courses in anger management if you feel you have an issue with anger. Many times anger is the end result of other emotions such as disappointment, jealousy, fear, or other emotions. Not being able to communicate this in a healthy manner and really understanding your emotions can lead to anger in almost any area of your life. The recognition of these emotions and the ability to communicate them to yourself and others can be a big stress releaser and put you in better control of your emotions and your life.

Of course eating well and exercising help your body to deal with stress. The release of good hormones through things such as yoga, aerobic, meditation, breathing exercising or weight lifting greatly help your body deal with stress, firstly by having a means to release the stress through the physical activity and secondly these activities enable the body to produce the healthy endorphins and healing hormones into your body.

Other ways to reduce stress is to engage in something you love to do. Get your mind off the situation that is causing you stress. By having a hobby that you just love to do such as gardening, playing a musical instrument, stained glass or whatever gets your mind focused on something you love. Usually something creative opens you up a totally different space within you.

And of course my two favorite thing to relieve stress, laughter and good supportive friends. Go see a funny movie or go out with supportive friends to a comedy club. Spend good quality time with them and share your love, don't complain about your stressful situation unless you discuss it to find possible ways of resolving the situation and then end the conversation and have some fun.

Listen, stress can kill you and the more and more scientist explore this issue the more and more they know that almost all disease can manifest from stress and ill thoughts. Choose to deal with stress in a positive way. Find the way to incorporate stress relief practices into your life and help you mind, body and spirit live a healthier more fulfilled life.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/how-you-can-find-stress-relief-105472.html

About the Author:

Douglas Alp has created a website to serve others to improve their lives. Visit his website to find out more about your health and reducing stress through meditation and yoga

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