Stress - How To Relieve It

By Michael Russell

In this last article in our series on stress we're going to cover some of the ways that stress can be reduced.

One of the easiest ways to reduce stress is to start with a healthy diet. Medical research shows that a diet composed of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits can greatly reduce stress because of the nutrients being supplied to your body and mind. Also avoiding such things as alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco can greatly reduce stress.

Another great treatment for stress is lots of exercise. This serves two purposes. The exercise itself builds up the body which fights off stressful factors. Also, exercising is a great distraction in itself to get your mind off of the things that are bothering you, and in turn this reduces stress. A varied exercise routine is best because it prevents boredom. Maybe take an hour or two and divide up your time between treadmill, biking and weightlifting.

Other activities that are great for reducing stress are aerobics, swimming and yoga. Signing up for one of these classes is a great way to kill a couple of hours, get your mind off things and at the same time get your body into better shape.

Of course if you are terribly out of shape then you need to start slow. Maybe start with taking a 15 minute walk 3 days a week. Then work your way up to 30 minutes and eventually an hour. Then you can add yoga or aerobics to your routine, maybe starting one or the other for a half hour a week and then working your way up to maybe 20 minutes a day. Of course don't start an exercise routine until you've checked with a doctor.

Besides exercise, another way to reduce stress is through activities that don't take much physical exertion, but do take time and in the process take your mind off your problems for a while.

The best of these, if you can afford it, is to take a vacation. Go somewhere for a week or at least a few days just to get away from things. Places where they have many attractions like amusement parks or beaches, especially in the summer, are great. An associate of mine personally told me of a time when he was under such terrible stress that he was afraid he was going to have a nervous breakdown. After just one weekend at the beach he was a new person.

Yes, vacations work wonders.

Another thing that's important to do is reduce stress at work. If there is something about your job that is extremely stressful, take it up with human resources. Maybe they can find some ways to reduce the stress by changing your situation slightly.

Practice stress reduction techniques like deep breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, meditation and massage therapy.

Finally, get yourself into a support group. Talking to other people who are also under great stress can be a great comfort. You know the old saying, misery loves company.

These are just some of the natural things you can do to relieve stress without medication. You should see significant improvement by using the above suggestions.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Stress

The Easiest Damn Stress Management Techniques Ever! Part V – Time to Tune Out

By Rodger Ruge

This is part five of a five part series exploring simple, easy to implement stress management techniques we can do every day. These are powerful techniques that are easy to learn and they do not take a lot of time or effort. If you do not have time to listen to a guided relaxation CD, or participate in an exercise program or meditate for 30 minutes each day, then these techniques will give you a quick way to begin to combat the effects of stress. No excuses, everyone has time for this stuff so let’s get to work!

Something we seldom do is to take time for ourselves. I’m not talking about taking time to catch up on the millions of chores and incidentals that seem to never end, in addition to all our daily demands. The pace of our lives is quite literally out of control. We do more with less constantly. We sacrifice our sleep to cram everything possible into every waking moment and these days it is rare to find someone who actually does stop to smell the roses. This pace leads to a life that is out of balance, a life that centers itself on chaos, a life heading down the path to depression and total burnout. Believe it or not, it’s OK to stop life and get off for a while!

Whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed by the pace of my life, which at times borders on the insane, I just tune out. Admittedly I should do this more often than I do, because I also struggle with allowing myself to find this peace. But this is part of self-care and gratitude and it should be part of our daily life. So, the trick is making the time to do some “Me” fun. I accomplish this by taking my day planner and literally scheduling in the time. I make an appointment with myself for fun and then do whatever I feel like doing, without guilt. I have found that by budgeting the time it makes me feel better about the whole process.

Another positive choice I make when I’m feeling beat up by life is to take a break from information overload. I simply stop reading the paper, listening to the news and watching television. I just deal with my immediate world and the rest of it can all go to hell for a while. Now, I’m not advocating disassociation from the world because that would be an unreasonable thing to do. We do need to keep abreast of current issues in our society so we can be informed citizens, but I am telling you that taking a couple of days off form the constant bombardment of negative stimulus feels really great. And, believe it or not, the world will continue without you!

The benefit to this is that when you deal with your immediate world, the larger picture does not seem as significant as before. This will help you to keep your perspective and stay on track. The world will seem more positive and your life will have greater balance and peace.

If you take a look at all the stress management strategies we have discussed in each part of this article you can see that the effort needed to complete any one of these is minimal and best of all none of them require tremendous commitments of time. Literally just a few minutes each day of applying any or all of these concepts can lead to tremendous strides in managing your daily stress. Frankly, you can not possibly come up with any excuses to justify not trying some of these simple techniques. I hope you choose to do everything I have suggested, and would encourage you to explore deeper levels of stress management techniques as you begin to see the positive results emerge in your life.

Good health!

Rodger Ruge is a retired police officer, stress management trainer and author of The Warrior's Mantra, Barricade Books. Rodger is available for stress management training and seminars. You can reach Rodger through his website at http://www.readyforce.net.

Manage Your Stress Naturally

By Farah Khan

Let’s face it. We all get stressed out now and then. Life is hectic. We often feel like we have too much to do in too little time. People in our lives can be difficult. There are so many factors that can throw our life off kilter at times. One way to reduce stress in our lives is to focus on personal growth and renewal. This includes mental and spiritual renewal along with maintaining our bodies in optimum physical health. The state of our nervous systems can particularly make a huge difference in our capacity to adapt and thrive through all of the curve balls that life may throw us. Proper rest and relaxation, proper nutrition, proper exercise, as well as prayer and meditation can all improve our ability to handle stress. In addition, there are numerous herbs and essential oils that can help us to handle stress better.

Certain herbs can improve our ability to handle stress. Siberian ginseng is one herb that is well known for its adaptogenic functions. This means that it can aid our bodies to adapt to a variety of stressful conditions better. Many athletes use it to improve athletic performance. In China, it is commonly used to help cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. It can reduce many of the negative effects of chemotherapy. People’s white blood cell counts stay more normal and they have less hair loss and nausea when taking Siberian ginseng. We can take Siberian ginseng in everyday life to cope better with stress. In small amounts, it can also improve our sleep and alleviate insomnia. It can alleviate fatigue and exhaustion in people whose nerves feel fried from doing too much.

Another Chinese herb that increases our resistance to stress is cordyceps. Cordyceps is a Chinese herb that has been shown to improve oxygenation in our body. It enhances our ability to adapt to stress and it boosts energy. It has been shown to be beneficial for people suffering from chronic fatigue. In Chinese medicine, it is considered to be a kidney tonic. This means that it can be particularly beneficial for people who feel adrenal depleted. These people often have fatigue combined with a poor appetite and low back pain.

Free and Easy Wanderer is an herbal formula that can help anyone experiencing moodswings, anger, fatigue or depression along with changes in appetite. It contains bupleurum root, which is renowned in China for its capacity to relieve stress. This herbal formula is particularly beneficial for women with premenstrual syndrome, but it effectively relieves stress in men as well.
An herbal formula called Lung Tan Xie Gan Wan, or Dragon Gallbladder Clear Fire Pill, can be useful for those of us who get angry and enraged easily. This Chinese patent pill can reduce conditions of heat and inflammation in the body, and concurrently alleviate emotional “heat”.

Another herbal formula called Zizyphus Pills can help people suffering from anxiety and insomnia. The main ingredient, zizyphus seed, is beneficial for calming and soothing strained nervous systems. It can increase the nourishing yin energy of the body which helps to promote restful sleep. This herb can also be helpful for people who are continually anxious about the future and for people who tend to hyperventilate or who have panic attacks. Pinellia and Magnolia Bark Formula can also be beneficial for people with panic attacks or for those who experience stress-induced asthma.

Certain essential oils can also increase our capacity to handle stress and can also encourage us to relax so we do not get stressed out in the first place. Simply sniffing these scents by placing a drop on a handkerchief or diffusing the aroma with a room diffuser can make a wonderful difference in our state of mind.

Lavender essential oil is very soothing, calming, and relaxing. One drop placed on or near our pillow at night can improve sleep and may alleviate insomnia. Chamomile essential oil can also promote a good night’s rest. Placing three or four drops in our bathwater before we go to bed can promote sleep and calm our nerves.

When we want to be awake and energized, a number of essential oils can give us a little pick me up. Peppermint essential oil can improve our clarity of mind and our wakefulness. Lemon essential oil can also make us feel more alert. Studies in Japan have shown that lemon essential oil increases the accuracy of people’s work when the fragrance is diffused through their office.

Grapefruit and tangerine essential oil can make us feel more joyful and optimistic. These are good oils for people who tend to get depressed easily. Grapefruit essential oil can also promote wakefulness in people suffering from jetlag. Another essential oil that is helpful for people who get depressed easily is rosemary. Simply inhaling the scent of rosemary can enhance the flow of oxygen to the brain. This can also help improve retention of information and improve people’s test taking abilities.

And last but not least, if you are interested in letting go, letting things flow and taking the stress out of romance, certain essential oils are wonderful for creating a good ambience. Ylang-ylang, jasmine, and rose essential oils can all help to create a relaxing and warm atmosphere to help us loosen up and enjoy an evening with someone special.

As you can see, there are many different remedies that can aid us in our quest to lead a more relaxed life while managing our stress naturally.

Dr. Farah Khan is a licensed Doctor of Oriental Medicine in the state of New Mexico. She is an experienced herbalist, aromatherapist, and acupuncturist. She also practices a form of spiritual energy work that was passed on to her by a line of Mexican curanderas. Her specialties include treatment of Lyme Disease and fibromyalgia.

She has a B.A. in psychology from Brown University and an M.A. in Oriental Medicine from the International Institute of Chinese Medicine in Albuquerque, NM. She is available for herbal consultations over the web and has an extensive line of products at her site.

Her web site is at http://www.yinessence.com.

You can e-mail Dr. Khan at farah@yinessence.com.

Best Stress Busters

By Katie Byrd

Stress has thousands of causes, but, ultimately, there’s only one remedy – and that’s to let it go.
How can you let stress go? You can begin by knowing that in the long run “this too shall pass.”

Life is not an emergency. Just letting a problem be is often a good solution. Scarlett O’Hara knew how to handle stress. She would inevitably say, “I can’t think about that right now. If I do, I’ll go crazy. I’ll think about it tomorrow.” Sometimes a little procrastination can do wonders.

When life gets rough, just stop, take a couple of deep breaths and chill out. There are lots of things you can do to slow down and let go. Take on a new point of view of the situation, take a break, take a nap, take a bath or take a walk. They all work. Just don’t take a valium. That doesn’t work.

Other stress busting techniques include improving your diet, exercising on a regular basis and getting enough rest. You can also ask for support from family and friends. Be selfish and take good care of yourself. Remember that if you’re not happy, for the most part, nobody around you is going to be happy either.

The problem is most people get so caught up in life’s soap opera they lose perspective. They forget that being cool, calm and collected - no matter what’s going on – is the source of all success, health, wealth and happiness.

Follow Lily Tomlin’s advice – “For fast-acting relief, slow down.” Slowing down changes your perspective and empowers you to see that you don’t have to be a victim. There are actions you can take that will give you more control of your life. You can set reasonable and attainable goals, stop overcommitting yourself, give up perfectionism and minimize or even eliminate most of your sources of stress.

As the Serenity Prayer suggests, change the things you can and learn to accept the things you can’t change. If you follow these guidelines, stress will be a small, manageable part of your life.

Katie Byrd will take you by the hand and teach you the skills she's used to journey from a financially strapped, bad credit nightmare to debt free abundant living. To find out more visit: http://abundanceandwealth.bellaonline.com

How To Use A Journal To Reduce Your Stress

By Daniel Lesser

Writing in your journal on a regular basis can actually help you prevent stress. You will learn to think out your problems in an organized way. You will learn how to express yourself and release emotions and anxieties. You learn how to manage your life more productively so you do not have such overwhelming feelings which lead to stress.

Stress can lead to certain health conditions. These health conditions make your stress worse and it is a cycle that is hard to break. When you become accustomed to journaling, you will see that your life is improving.

There are few situations that are actually stressful in themselves. It is our reactions to situations and events in our lives that create stress. Stress is compounded by work overload and not enough sleep. Your journals can help you reduce this and prevent a large majority of stress.
You should use your journals to:


1. Identify the source of your stress

2. Create ways to cope with the stress

3. Find ways to organize your life and activities and events in your life

4. Think of ways to nurture yourself (such as a massage or a bubble bath)

5. Evaluate your responses and opinions of stress in your life to see if you are being productive or counterproductive

Keeping a journal helps your situations become manageable. Keeping a journal offers you a distraction to many daily activities. It also gives you an outlet for your emotions. Journals can keep you on task by forcing you to approach your situation instead of pushing it aside "for later".
Daniel J Lesser is the creator of Stressed-In-The-City.com. A whole world awaits if you can control your stress. Find out how to expand your horizons at http://www.stressed-in-the-city.com.

Top 10 Tips for Mastering Stress

By Jeff Herring

1) Make a clear distinction between stress and pressure. Stress comes from the outside. It’s what is imposed upon us by others, such as deadlines, bills, and that jerk that cut you off in traffic. Pressure is what we tell ourselves, how we think, about the stress.

2) Give up the silly notion that you can completely reduce or eliminate the stress in life. Stress is inevitable if you are alive. The goal is to manage it well.

3) Learn to say no. It’s such a small but powerful word. Yet we take on much more than we can reasonably handle when we don’t say no. Picture this scene from an old Mel Brooks film - Brooks is in a medieval dungeon being tortured by being placed on a stone table with a board on top of him, covering his body. Stones are being placed on the board, slowly increasing the pressure on him. Here’s the punchline for our purposes - Brooks is yelling “more weight, more weight, give me more weight.” Learn how to say NO!

4) Stop trying to eat a pizza in one bite! In other words, break down large stressful events or projects into manageable sizes.

5) Rest. Rest. Rest some more. According to the story, even God rested one day out of seven. Not a bad model to follow. Or how about these sage words from Lily Tomlin - “For fast acting relief, try slowing down.”

6) Watch your language! Pay attention to the language you use when thinking about the stress in your life. This applies to how you talk to yourself about stress - “I’ll never get all this done!”, as well as to how you define situations - “This is the worst thing that could possibly happen, and besides, it’s not fair!”

7) Guard how many things you allow to pull on your time and on your mind. I have a theory that our culture has gone insane and we just haven’t realized it yet. We have allowed so much stress, demands and have to’s into our life that we fail to realize it’s not normal or healthy. It’s a frog in the pot situation - place a frog in boiling water and he’ll do his very best to get right out. But place the same frog in a pot of water at room temperature, and then slowly turn up the heat. He’ll cook. Be careful how much you take on and allow into your life.

8) Make a list of all the things you like to do for fun. Then consider how many you have done lately. After you get over the shock, pick one and go do it.

9) Get organized. You will live longer and easier. If you say that you are too busy to get organized, then I thank you for proving my point. I’m not an organized person by nature. I’m lucky that Lauren has the gift of organization. If you don’t know how to organize, get help from someone who does.

10) Use these suggestions. Don’t just read this column, smile, say that makes sense and then walk away. Taking action, doing something about it, is one of the most powerful stress management tools available.

Implementing just one of these ten tips will help you to master stress. I wonder what would happen if you used all ten?

Visit http://www.thearticleguy.com/ for more leading edge tips and tools for writing articles that bring you prospects, publicity and profits. You can also subscribe to our monthly Article Writing & Marketing Tips Newsletter. You are also invited to visit my Express-Start Article Writing Program for more information on the next article writing tele-seminar.

The HALTS Approach to Stress Management

By Jeff Herring

One of the best professional experiences I have ever had was working for an adolescent drug treatment center for a good part of the eighties. I certainly didn’t make much money there, but what I learned during those six plus years was priceless.

HALTS is an acronym commonly used in substance abuse treatment that can be very usefully applied to stress management. A HALTS approach to managing our stress recommends that we avoid getting too Hungry Angry Lonely Tired Scared.
Let’s take a look at each of these five stressors and how to avoid them.

Hungry - Although food comes immediately to mind (when doesn’t it?), there are many other things for which we can “hunger.” We all need a sense of worth, connection to others and to something bigger than ourselves, appreciation, and many others. Miss out on some of these basic emotional needs for very long and we can end up stressed out, sad or depressed.

Tip: Stay connected to people and situations that help you meet these needs in a healthy way. Avoid those who don’t as much as possible.

Angry - Anger is a huge source of stress. I get angry, you get angry, all God's children get angry. No problem there. The problem comes when anger is our most common emotion and our first response to most situations. Recent research has demonstrated that constant anger is not only not good for you, it can kill you.

Tip: Pay attention to and deal with the emotions that anger typically grows out of: fear, frustration, hurt.

Lonely - In spite of all the modern ways we have to communicate with each other, we still live in a culture where it is incredibly easy to become isolated. Most people don’t know the names of their neighbors on either side or across the street. I know of people who are “just too busy” to spend the time to connect with other people. These folks are way too busy for their own good.

Tip: Take the time to connect and stay connected to others. Walk next door and introduce yourself. Call an old friend you have not spoken with in a while. Stay connected. Connection and community relieve stress.

Tired - Vince Lombardi said “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” It’s not that most people don’t have the time to rest, it’s that most people have actually forgotten how. When it comes to the ultimate form of rest, sleeping, when was the last time you got the recommended 8 - 10 hours? You can stop laughing now. We can push ourselves just so far before the body takes over and forces us to rest. I’ve worked with clients that have told me that it’s actually a badge of honor among their colleagues to have been hospitalized for exhaustion. Go figure.

Tip: In addition to getting enough sleep, schedule time to rest. Put it in your appointment book, and protect it and keep it like you would any other important appointment.

Scared - In the Tarzan movies I watched as a kid, there were these natives with blowguns who would shoot darts coated with poison that would render a person temporarily paralyzed. Fear can do the same thing - paralyze us into inaction. Fear of failure, of rejection, of success, of the future, you name it, we get too scared and we freeze up.

Tip: Facing your fears and taking action is spite of them can reduce or eliminate your fears. Remember that fear stands for forget everything and run and false evidence appearing real. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is being afraid of something and doing it anyway.

For better or worse, we may have too much of one of these on any given day. Consistently having two or more can indicate a situation in need of change. Practice these tips to successfully manage your stress or you might want to get with someone who can coach you on making your stress work for you.

Visit http://www.thearticleguy.com/ for more leading edge tips and tools for writing articles that bring you prospects, publicity and profits. You can also subscribe to our monthly Article Writing & Marketing Tips Newsletter.

You are also invited to visit my Express-Start Article Writing Program for more information on the next article writing tele-seminar.

The Laws of Stress Mastery

By Jeff Herring

The Law of Decision and Question - Every day we have to make a decision and answer a question about stress. Is it going to beat us or are we going to beat it? Each and every day.

The Law of Recovery - We can handle any amount of stress, if we have an equal or greater amount of recovery after the stress.

The Law of Laughter - The law of laughter states that “if you can laugh about it, you can handle it."

The Law of "Manageable Chunks" - Often what seems like overwhelming amounts of stress can be managed if it's broken down into small enough chunks. This is when the old saying "one day at a time" may be too big a chunk. So we go to 1 second, 1 minute, 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 1 year, one lifetime.

The Law of Diamonds - If you have a diamond anywhere near you at the moment, take a look at it. Did you know that the beautiful gem you are seeing is nothing more than a lump of coal that handled stress very well?

The Law of Reframing - Reframing means to put a different frame around something, in order to look at it in a different way. An example would be instead of saying to yourself “how I am I ever going to return all these phone messages", reframe it into “I've worked very hard for a long time to have this many people who want to talk to me!"

The Law of Dead Roaches - Too many times we take the "dead roach approach" to stress. You know what I mean, just sort of rolling over with your feet in the air, allowing stress to stomp on you. Get up and get moving!

The Law of NO - One great way to manage stress is to learn how to say no, especially when no is the very best thing to say.

The Law of Challenge - It's important to challenge yourself each day to handle stress in a way that will allow you to thrive and to shine. My personal challenge to you is to take these universal laws and use them to successfully manage the stress in your life.

Visit http://www.thearticleguy.com/ for more leading edge tips and tools for writing articles that bring you prospects, publicity and profits. You can also subscribe to our monthly Article Writing & Marketing Tips Newsletter. You are also invited to visit my Express-Start Article Writing Program for more information on the next article writing tele-seminar.

How to Develop Toughness

By Clyde Granger

The human body has the capability of protecting itself from various diseases through its immune system. We do not discount the fact that the immune systems of some people are healthier than that of others.

Why is this so? The answer lies in the fact that your disposition in life affects your health significantly. If you develop a positive attitude, you will also develop toughness to overcome adversities that may come your way. Researchers have proven that mental health has much to do with physical health. A healthy mental attitude results to a healthy body, which in turn results to a more productive life.

Stick to these personality factors and you’re well on your way to developing toughness:

Build a strong commitment to self, family, community, work, and almost all other values of your daily life. Instill the importance of quality living. This will drastically improve your psychological and physical well being. What the mind contributes to a healthy body, the body will reciprocate. The mind and body works in tandem, as a team. Without one, the other is helpless. But when both are healthy, the results can be astonishing.

Develop a positive guiltless disposition. When you say guiltless, you must be willing to accept whatever comes your way. For example, if you do your best to reduce your risk of acquiring health problems but some illnesses still develop nonetheless, you must never feel guilty for what seems to be a failure. Don’t let problems pull you down. Stand firm.

Make sure you have full control of your life. This is one quality tough people are made of. You should have no problem managing the things you can control. Controlling does not mean dominating. Respect other people’s rights and get the same in return. Accept things you cannot control the way they are, if you cannot do without them. If you can do without them, leave them and divert your attention to something else that will make your life more meaningful.

Adjust to change and use it to your advantage. Tough people welcome change as an opportunity to improve, rather than a threat. Even if it is a threat, you can come out one level better than before psychologically, despite all the beatings you might have taken physically. You learn from your mistakes. Adopt a “Next time, I know what I’m going to do to avoid the same mistake” attitude. There is always a first time and there will always be a next time. The succeeding times will always be better than the previous ones (if you learn from your mistakes). The setbacks will keep getting lesser while success will keep getting closer at hand. This is progress at work.

If you have children, develop toughness in their attitude at an early age. Provide strong parental encouragement and acceptance. When children feel accepted, this develops in them a sturdy attitude of commitment to others. Assign casual tasks to them so that they can feel their place in life. Teach them how to become independent and responsible. It pays to enhance their toughness at an early age.

What is foundation to a building, toughness is to people. Foundation of a building is made strong at the start of construction, while the foundation of tough people is enhanced through a continuous process of trials and adjustments.

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FREE CONTENT: If you are a blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, feel free to use my blog entries (articles) - please make sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Thank You, Clyde Granger – Aura Publications--------------------------------------------

How to Manage Panic Attacks with the Proper Diet

By Clyde Granger

There is a saying “For every action, there’s an equal reaction.” The foods you eat can have a significant effect when it comes to curbing panic attacks.

In this article, you will find means to prevent panic attacks by means of controlling, avoiding, or reducing the foods that trigger such disorder. On the other hand, you will also be encouraged to consume more foods that minimize panic attacks, keeping in mind a well-balanced diet.

Panic attacks directly affect the nervous system; therefore, eat foods rich in the B vitamins because they have calming effects and can deliver nourishment for a healthy nervous system.

Under the B vitamin group of nutrients, Vitamin B12, Thiamin, and Niacin have direct bearing to keep your nervous system from being susceptible to panic attacks. In more ways than one, these nutrients can make you more prepared in warding off or in handling nervous disorders.

Keeping in mind a balanced diet based on the Food Pyramid Guide while putting more emphasis on the B vitamin complex, the following can serve as an ideal food group on your diet:

1. Consume twenty percent of meat, poultry, seafood (salmon, swordfish, tuna, clams, crab, mussels, and oyster), and products made from soybeans like tofu, eggs, and cheese.
2. Consume thirty to thirty-five percent of baked potato, broccoli, asparagus, peanuts, legumes, watermelon, and oranges.
3. Consume forty to forty-five percent of brown rice, whole grain cereal, pasta, wheat germ, oatmeal, and bread.

While the above food groups which are rich in B vitamins can reduce panic attacks by maintaining a well-balanced nutrition regimen, there are three consumables that may aggravate anxiety disorders.

Alcohol is one of these substances. It raises hyperactivity in the nervous system and raises alertness. Being alert is not bad. However, alertness in the stressful level is like overacting in a stage play. Instead of doing good, it becomes annoying and may make you irritable. If alcohol cannot totally be avoided, the least you can do is to cut down your intake gradually until it reaches level zero. Some people tend to have secondary triggers of anxiety when withdrawal from a substance is abrupt.

Caffeine triggers panic attacks because it is a stimulant. Just like alcohol, withdrawal from caffeine might spur a secondary anxiety in the form of shaky, irritated, and exhausted feelings. For coffee drinkers, try the decaffeinated variety. Gradually reduce the strength and cut the frequency in which you consume coffee and other caffeine-rich drinks like cola, tea, and chocolate.

The third substance to avoid is sugar. Sugar hardly contains any nutrients and is packed with calories. Just how is sugar related to panic attacks? Sugar makes a person hyperactive, thereby bringing emotional disturbances that may ultimately lead to panic attacks. Sugar also causes mood swings. Sugar combined with starches from the foods you eat leads to fermentation and breaks down to alcohol. As mentioned earlier, alcohol raises stress levels that can lead to panic attacks.

All in all, maintaining a healthy eating habit is one of the prerequisites that contribute to a life free from panic attacks. Try your best to maintain a balanced diet even when you’re busy. Health should be your foremost priority.

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Visit: http://selfimprovementemporium.blogspot.com/
--------------------------------------------
FREE CONTENT: If you are a blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, feel free to use my blog entries (articles) - please make sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Thank You, Clyde Granger – Aura Publications
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Live for the Moment and Put Worry on Hold (Part 1)

By Paul Jerard

Living for the moment seems easy enough, but what if you are feeling hesitant, unhappy, fatigued, or afraid? We all have these feelings, and if they go on without setting controls, they become worry, stress, or depression. Each one of these can cut your life very short or cause a serious health condition.

Unfortunately, I have seen this first-hand when my mother “worried herself to death” at 50 years of age. The day of her funeral, I swore to give up smoking and stop worrying. Well, I did quit smoking, but to quit worrying is an “uphill battle.”

Even the toughest people we know worry. Worrying has been a curse to mankind, even in ancient times, but there are better ways to deal with worries at this time. Here are a few ideas to give you relief from worry and to allow you to start enjoying your life right now.

Get self-improvement audio books that make your heart soar. You need to plug yourself into positive information that creates optimism from within your inner being. There are many good self-help audio books to choose from, and you have to listen to positive ideas many times before they are “permanently wired” into your psyche.

There is a growing number of self-hypnosis audio books for anything, subjects vary from topics such as: “quitting smoking” to “goal setting.” For obvious reasons, the self-hypnosis audio books are not recommended when driving your car. However, they are a good sleep aid, and you could set one up at bedtime. If you make them into a steady routine, you should feel results within a month.

Be productive each and every possible moment. Write down your goals and go after them. Your goals should be specific and should make you feel positive when you think about them. Wake up every day and go after your goals.

Set realistic deadlines that fit into your lifestyle. If you have responsibilities and commitments, allow time for them, and don’t make deadlines into a stressful situation. To get the most out of life, we have to have a full life.

Allow for family time. Nothing is so important that you have to be a stranger to your family. We all need bonding with people we can trust.

Seek advice from a life coach, friend, personal trainer, Yoga teacher, or martial arts teacher. Sometimes we all need a little “pep talk,” but only you know when, and how often, you need to boost your morale. This is not a substitute for medical or psychological counseling, but in the case of preventative health, most of us just need someone to gently push us along.

Some of my most successful clients know what to do, but they also need to have it organized into a system that is “user friendly.” They have also come to understand that you have to work at your goals every day and accept the minor setbacks in life.

Counseling by a physician, psychologist, or psychiatrist, is an option to consider, and there is nothing wrong with getting “professional help.” The family unit is not what it was a generation ago, and people need someone who is qualified to help them. If you need advice from a competent professional, this is a solid option.

Design a plan to help yourself, and stick to it. You can look at this as a starting point.

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Live for the Moment and Put Worry on Hold (Part 2)

By Paul Jerard

For once, I am going to endorse procrastination. When it comes to worrying, you should put it off. Do everything you like to avoid worrying. Worries don’t help us; and in fact, they make many bad situations worse. On top of that, most of what we worry about never comes to pass.

On the other hand, putting off tasks that will help us advance, right now, is an epidemic. There is a health maintenance disaster on the horizon when most of the western world does not want to engage in exercise. Therefore, the habit of procrastination should be purged as soon as possible.
Here are a few things that will help you “stay on track” toward your goals, live for the moment, and leave most of your worries behind.

You should design a specific, and detailed plan, of your future. Your plan should have an exact step-by-step formula with time lines. Cover every possible detail and research it.

Your written goals should be reviewed daily. This is a healthy process, and people who write goals down have a much better chance at success. Don’t talk, or think, in terms of “some day.”

Meditate and visualize yourself attaining success. Take the time to quiet your mind and focus on your dreams. You should do this every day to keep your vision alive. You could do this in the morning, or the evening, when you can make time for yourself.

You should exercise regularly to increase endorphins and rid your body of toxins. This will change your entire mindset for the best. If you are new to exercise, walking is the best place to start. Walking alone is a great program for overall health.

Drinking water, and getting a massage, are two more ways to flush toxins from your body. Getting a massage is truly living in the moment and gives you an appreciation for the finer things in life. Massage could also be a form of bonding with your “significant other.”

Learn to laugh, watch a comedy, and lighten your spirits. Some of us take ourselves far too seriously. In order to live for the moment, we all have to put serious feelings aside and learn to enjoy life.

Posture is important while sitting, standing, walking, eating, or anything else. A slouched body posture is bad for all forms of health. Always sit up, or stand up, straight whenever you think about it. Poor posture is usually a reflection of poor self-esteem, so get rid of a slumping posture right now. Make changes to your goal setting plans when you have to. Nothing is “carved in stone,” and if you see a collision course with disaster, make an adjustment as soon as you can.

You may not be able to implement all of these changes at once. That’s not a problem; but if you add them to your lifestyle gradually, you will enjoy your life and leave your worries behind.

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html

Turning Nothing into Something

By Clyde Granger

Have you ever read a signboard (usually seen on a corridor or a hallway) that says something like “If you have nothing to do, don’t do it here?” The subtle message here is to avoid loitering.

If you analyze this expression, it does make sense. But if you look at it in a deeper dimension, there is a strong message being delivered here - a message that has relevance to success in life. It is like a wake up call to the reality of life.

Your conscience is the one telling you to stop wasting your time, to do something with your life, and to do your best to achieve a goal. You have to listen to your conscience’s call because if you don’t, it is nobody’s loss but your own.

You must find out if there are any hindrances that are holding you back from moving forward in life. Is it financial condition? Is it social status, age, color, race, religion, educational background, gender, or a handicap? If you look at history, none of those mentioned above were considered hindrances. The explanation is simple. If you think you’re a failure, then you probably are. If you think you’re a success (even if you’re not yet successful), then the universe will work hard towards bringing you to fulfillment.

So the first thing you have to do is to flip the word “failure.” Look at it on the other side, and spell it out as “success.” Letter “f” becomes “s,” letter “a” becomes “u”, and so on.

Next thing on the list, you have to use your navigational instinct. Know what you want, where you’re headed, and how to get there. Find out what you are aiming for. Don’t run around headless.

If you can’t decide on what you want, here are two simple guides. Guide one is to find out what you love or like to do - something you enjoy doing. This is following your heart’s desire. When you love what you do, you’ll stick to it, no matter what. Your level of perseverance is higher and you won’t give up easily. This will keep you going and you won’t stop at anything until you achieve it. This will ensure success.

Guide two is to find a need and fill it. This principle is attributed to a great instrumentalist and has been the guiding principle of many other industrialists ever since. Look around. Be an observant. Check out what kind of product or service your community needs to enhance life improvement and development. It may take some effort and time to find out what it is or what they are, but it will be worth it. Sometimes when you’re looking for something, it is difficult to find it. Other times when you’re not looking but you’re just maintaining an open mind, ideas can come flowing into your mind effortlessly and spontaneously. Call it timing. There is always a right time for everything.

Once you know what you want to do, you will know where you’re heading. Between the “what” and the “where” is the “how” to get there. And this is the most important part of a successful life. It’s action time.

Try dividing a story or movie feature into three parts (what the story is about, how the story goes, and the ending of the story). The lengthiest part is how the story goes. This is where the action is. The outcome of the story is determined by the action that takes place. All three parts of the story are important. However, the middle portion is more significant than the other two.

This is the same with your purpose - to succeed in life. To achieve your goal, the action part takes the most time, effort, and material support to get to where you want to be. It is the part of your life where you are going to experience all the ups and downs, laughter and tears, joys and pains. But it’s all going to be worth it. In the end, as you look at the trail you left behind, you’ll be glad you went through it all.

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FREE CONTENT: If you are a blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, feel free to use my blog entries (articles) - please make sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Thank You, Clyde Granger – Aura Publications
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