Advice

5 Tips for Mental Balance From a Psychotherapist

Date: December 31, 2009
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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Living doesn’t really need to be such a battle. As soon as we let go of just a few old thought habits, things are likely to become a whole lot easier. Here are just a few things you can do in order to maintain good mental balance: 1. Let Go of the Need to Be Right – Is working ourselves up into a state of needless excitement simply because of a need to prove we were right anything other than an exercise in frustration and futility? If only we had been able to take a small step backwards and look at the situation in a calmer, less egotistical manner, then perhaps we might have been able to see – and to react – a little differently. After all, what have we really accomplished by always being right? Does it really bring respect, or does it simply breed resentment? Simply by giving up the burning need to be always right, we free ourselves – and others – to get on with the really useful and productive things in life. We may play being the know-it-all, but who really likes a know-it-all? A little inner humility goes a long way in the mental balance department. 2. Let Go of Being Perfect – Understand that being excellent does not mean being perfect. Sometimes it’s easy to demand too much of ourselves. If we imagine that we need to be perfect because this means that we cannot be criticised, then we need to do some serious work on self-acceptance. Don’t waste your time attempting to make something absolutely perfect. It really is far more effective and useful to finish a task in a timely manner than it is to spend forever in a futile attempt to be perfect. There really is no point in dragging things on forever trying to get it perfect. Do your very best and then move on. Do this often enough and your best – and you – will just keep on getting better in a natural, progressive and balanced manner. 3. Let Go of Trying – And start doing. This is where those advertising people working for Nike were on the money: What a wonderful slogan! ‘Just Do It!’ With that attitude we pretty much guarantee positive results. And, of course, mental balance is all in the attitude. The problem with trying, as opposed to doing, is that whenever we try, we set ourselves up to fail. You didn’t try to open this page, you just did it. You didn’t try to get out of bed, you just did it. We give ourselves excuses when we merely try. Lying to ourselves about ourselves and making excuses for ourselves really isn’t the best way to achieve mental balance: We need to get honest. We either do it or we don’t. It really is that simple. The choice is simple: either we act or we don’t. Did I mention simple? When we allow ourselves to let go of trying, then we allow ourselves to begin doing. And doing allows us to move forward and grow. Set goals and start achieving them — go on, just do it! 4. Let Go of Mistakes – We can learn from our successes and learn from our mistakes too – and then we need to move on. Every single experience we ever have contains some kind of lesson – even the ones we don’t get right – if only we allow ourselves to see and learn. Mistakes are there, after all, to be learned from, which is why they’re called ‘successive approximations’ in the language of psychology. Each time we make a mistake it’s an opportunity to learn to get it right. Dwelling on our mistakes and beating ourselves up for them is a futile pursuit. Take the lesson and move forward. A well balanced self is a self that uses and is guided by life’s lessons. Such an attitude leads to a life full of excellence – and mental balance. 5. Let Go of the Past – The past is there for a myriad of reasons – to instruct and inform, for example – but it is not meant to be lived in. To do so robs us of all we ever really have: Now. When we catch ourselves continually spending time in the past, then maybe we need to think about working with a professional who can help us come to terms with and move on from the past. Each one of us has a past and each one of us has gone through experiences that were difficult and unfair. Because of this, each one of us has the need to forgive. Failure to do this makes us prisoners to the past. And if forgiveness seems just a bit too difficult at the moment, at least consider that anger and resentment does not hurt the person or people who have hurt us – they just keep us in chains to them. Letting go of the past usually involves finding a way to forgive – and don’t forget, this means forgiving ourselves, too. Do this and we truly will live in a state of real mental balance and inner peace.

Don’t Stress – Decompress

Date: December 29, 2009
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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By: M. Affeld

We live in a chaos filled world with commitments, family and professional pressures, personal challenges and seemingly overwhelming obstacles. Most days we manage. We think, if I can just get through next Thursday, next month or make it through the winter gray days I can get my life together. But time passes, the days race by and suddenly your life is rushing up at you. When the burden feels too heavy, we feel depleted and unable to meet the many demands placed upon us and we experience stress. In moderation, stress is actually a good thing. Stress motivates us to stay focused and alert and increases our productivity. One type of stress, eustress, is actually a necessary part of a balanced, meaningful life. Eustress is the type of stress we experience when falling in love, riding a roller coaster or participating in a risky activity or extreme sport. Eustress adds spice and flavor to our experiences, making us feel vital and alive. Problems arise when life’s demands exceed our limitations and negates our ability to cope. This type of stress is called distress and can become an ominous threat to both our emotional and physical well-being. Stress impacts not only our bodies, but our thoughts, emotions, relationships and behavior. When we feel threatened, whether for our personal safety or our emotional equilibrium, our bodies rapidly respond – we are ready for “flight or fight”. Stress is both a physiological and psychological reaction to events that disturb our personal sense of balance. Alarming experiences, either real or imagined, can trigger a stress reaction. When danger is sensed, the body’s defenses activate automatically with a wave of over 1400 reactions including the dumping of a huge variety of stress hormones, including adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine, into our systems. These chemicals race through our bloodstream, readying us to quickly react to the perceived danger. We have all experienced a response to stress: rapid pounding or fluttering heartbeat, shallow breathing, blood pressure soars, muscles tensing up with anxiety and all our senses on full alert. It isn’t pleasant and is often terrifying. We feel out of control, spiraling downward, bracing for what can only be a dreadful crash. This primal “flight or fight” response is experienced by everyone who encounters stress although the threshold that puts us in distress varies from person to person; what bothers me may not bother you, what frightens me, you may meet with confidence and assurance. For primitive man this response was life saving in that it enhanced his ability to react to danger and physical challenges. In response to stress, heart rate and blood pressure escalate to increase the flow of blood to the brain to improve decision making, clotting occurs more rapidly to prevent blood loss and blood sugar rises to furnish additional fuel for energy. These and many more automatic changes in our bodies persist as long as the threat continues. When the danger passes our bodies return to normal. Modern day stress tends to be insidious, more persistent and pervasive that our ancestors experienced. Contemporary stress most often originates from psychological rather than physical threats; however, our bodies do not recognize the difference. Unfortunately, our bodies respond with the same “flight or fight” response to any situation that upsets our personal balance. If we have a bad day at work, problems in our personal relationships or we are stuck in traffic, we react. Physical responses that are meant to support and protect us, are instead, potentially damaging and injurious to our health and well-being. If you live a fast paced life with a lot of worries, obligations and responsibilities, it is likely that you are running on stress most of the time – escalating into emergency mode with every looming business deadline, family crisis or bill that is due. Repeated or extended activation of the “flight or fight” response is especially dangerous as the more it is activated, the more difficult it is to shut off. Instead of leveling off once a crisis is over, heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormones remain at an elevated level. Continuous or prolonged exposure to stress increases our risk of memory problems, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, heart disease, stroke, infection or reduced immune function as well as obesity and stomach ulcers. Because of the extensive damage stress can cause, it is imperative that we learn how to handle stress in a more positive manner and reduce its corrosive impact on our health. The symptoms of stress often mimic other medical problems. Lack of energy, decreased productivity at work, fatigue, abdominal discomfort, severe headaches, back ache or neck pain as well as chest pain, breathlessness, heart palpitations and cold, clammy skin can all be symptoms of stress. Stress can severely affect our health and well-being and we may not even realize it until the damage is done. If we wish to be pro-active in the pursuit of optimum health, it is important that we understand stress, recognize the symptoms and then take affirmative steps to manage the predictable stress reaction triggers in our daily lives. There are a number of ways to manage and reduce stress. First, try to find a supportive physician. Share with your doctor the emotions you are experiencing and the physical symptoms your body exhibits when you are exposed to stress. This is an important step in getting the help you need. Cognitive therapy, a short-term type of psychotherapy based on the belief that we can change how we feel by changing the way we think about things, is often quite effective. Stress reduction techniques, such as meditation and yoga, can be beneficial. Talking with family, friends or joining a support group can be emotional lifesavers and help offset our feelings of social isolation. A burden shared is lighter than one carried alone. It is imperative to our heath and well-being that we make dealing with stress a priority. When stressed, decompress – it is helpful to withdraw from the situation, evaluate your feeling from a distance and gain perspective. Try to breathe deeply, take a walk, re-focus and attempt to think of something else. This too will pass.

Stress Really Affects Your Health

Date: December 29, 2009
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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Stress is something that everybody endures on a fairly regular basis, but when it starts to impact negatively on your body and mind, it means you are not only stressed you are distressed.
Alot of people don’t realise that stress is not only something we cope with but also a state of being that negatively impacts the body. In fact, stress has a bigger impact on our bodies than most of us care to acknowledge.
Here are some facts about Stress and the affects on your body.
When you look at these facts it is hard to deny that we all need to learn how to manage our stress more effectively. Some of these facts include: * 75-90% of all doctor visits are stress-related
* 43% of all adults have health problems related to stress
* Stress is known to cost American businesses more than $300 billion each year
* 82% of workers are at least a little stressed in the workplace
Seven Ways Your Body is Affected By Stress
There are two kinds of stress. The “good” stress is called eustress but we generally only hear about the “bad” stress known as chronic stress or distress.
Chronic stress creeps up on you and gradually affects your health. At first, you may not even notice the symptoms of chronic stress at all! And if this stress is not managed, the symptoms will get worse and its effects may even be irreversible.
Seven ways in which stress may manifest itself in your body are:
1. Anxiety. Those who are stressed are likely to deal with uncontrollable levels of anxiety. Anxiety and depression often go hand in hand, and this can cause many different changes in the physiological functioning of the body.
2. Depression. When you are stressed out, it is very common for people to become depressed. There are only so many chemicals in the brain to help a person deal with stress, and when they are used up, they’re used up. This can lead to a person becoming profoundly depressed in what seems like a relatively short period of time.
3. Diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing epidemics in the world and both mental and physical stress can cause rapid fluctuations in blood sugar levels. The long-term effects associated with this include heart disease, blindness, liver problems, kidney disease, and more.
4. Heart disease. Stress is very closely linked to heart attacks and death associated with cardiovascular disease. When stress is not managed, the body breaks down quickly and the heart is often profoundly impacted.
5. Obesity. We often cope with stress by consuming unhealthy, fattening foods. Plus, stress prohibits the control of necessary chemicals that are needed to break down fat, which can lead to obesity.
6. Sexual dysfunction. Stress is one of the most common reasons associated with impotence in men and lost libido in women.
7. Hair loss. We often tease our friends and family when they begin to lose hair, but this can be a symptom of unmanaged stress. If your hair is falling out prematurely don’t blame genetics, look closely at how you are dealing with the stress in your life and see if there are things you can do to control it more effectively.
As you can see, stress can affect your health in many ways. This is by no means an all-inclusive list of how stress affects your body and health. You may also suffer from hyperthyroidism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, tooth and gum disease, ulcers, and even cancer. Stress is serious stuff! This is all the more reason to start actively managing your stress today.
Little things add up! Even if your stress seems overwhelming, start trying to change things by adapting small strategies to combat your stress. Every little positive thing you do can lead to a big change!
Dont let sress affect your health and get onto it now!

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Therapy – What You Don’t Know About OCD

Date: December 28, 2009
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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Obsessive compulsive disorder therapy is sought out by millions of sufferers of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; however, they wait a while before they actually look for help. How long did you wait before you started looking online for information on it? I was the same way. Most of us at least had it for over a year before we did anything about it. You first go through the stage where you don’t know what’s going on and no one else around you knows what it is so you just think nothing of it and try to let it pass all the while perpetuating it with your actions. One thing that you should know about your brain is that you teach it in the same way that you teach a child. We all know that our children do what we do and not what we say most of the time. In the same way, our brains actually watch what we do and it will continue to do those things. You can tell yourself all day long not to do rituals but if you do them, then that is what your brain sees and that is what your brain learns. If you truly want to teach your brain a new way to do things, you actually have to do the things you want your brain to do first to train your brain to do those things.I know that the above paragraph got a little hairy but let’s deconstruct it and break it down a bit so we all can enjoy the knowledge contained in it. Now we know that obsessive compulsive disorder therapy, at least to be effective needs to teach the individual sufferer how to teach their brain. Think about when you were in elementary school or kindergarten and the teacher would teach you the letters of the alphabet. Do you remember that special paper they used with the big lines that would show you how to write each individual letter and then you would have to write the letter over and over again? Then your teacher would put a sticker on it and you went home and gave it to your mommy and daddy to put on the fridge because you knew that is what was missing from their fridge. You see that we learned to write by repeating writing the letter over and over again. We learned to talk by trying to speak the same words over and over again until you learned them.In the same way, effective obsessive compulsive disorder therapy will teach the person correct actions, have them repeat these actions until they are mastered. This person will then learn a new habit by showing their own brain what they want it to do under certain circumstances. Just like learning how to drive, once you learn how to drive, you don’t have to think about it anymore, it just becomes automatic! If you achieve this same effect with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, then you will become like me, OCD free. It’s not really rocket science, but it is tedious, but oh so worth it! Enjoy the cutting edge OCD information I have for you below!To get cutting edge techniques to beat OCD permanently click here: “Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Therapy” Derek Soto is an ex-sufferer of OCD who teaches people how to overcome their OCD for good in a very short time using little known techniques which are usually ignored by the medical field altogether.Derek Soto also mentors people on a wide range of subjects including how to control your thinking naturally, how to defeat anxiety, phobias and how to change your thought processes so that you will be happier and live a more fulfilling life, period.

Stress: the Silent Killer

Date: December 28, 2009
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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Stress is an overlooked reason people have health problems. Reducing stress is guaranteed to give you a healthier life and can prevent future health problems!
Stress!!!
Most of us feel some kind of stress every day.
The dictionary defines stress as physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension. Everyday 87% of the population lives under this type of stress. We worry about money, children, jobs, our spouse or significant other and hundreds of other things on a daily basis.
Just driving to the corner store can cause tension as you dodge that crazy driver or see the price of gas at the pump.
Some people are very aware of the strain and tension in their life, but many of us live with stress that we don’t see or are unwilling to admit we have. We just go about our daily life thinking this is the way it is supposed to be, the norm.
We build our lives and behaviors around stress. Even children and especially teens have stress. They worry about their friends, their weight, if they are wearing the right clothes or if they have a zit (acne).
More Medical Problems are caused by Stress than anything else!
Learning the right way to relax and reduce tension can help your body work better and create a healthier life. Your body’s natural processes are affected by stress. Stress can be a killer and reducing your stress should be a top priority in your life.
Stress can cause:
1. Your Body to Age: – Which means all your cells and organs are getting old before their time. When your stomach ages, food sits in it longer and can start to spoil before its even digested. This can lead to colon problems. Your skin and heart can also be affected by stress.
2. Sugar to Build Up: – When humans were hunters and gatherers, they had stress when they were being stalked by a predator. The body understood this stress and released sugars for instant energy so we could flee or fight. Now, when the stress causes the sugars to release, we don’t use them for energy. They go unused and the body stores them as fat instead.
3. Your Blood to Thicken: – Thicker blood allows it to carry more oxygen to help with our fight or flight as previously mentioned. Again we don’t use this feature as nature originally intended and now thicker blood only starts the process of building up plaque on the walls of our arteries.
4. Increased Number of Diseases: – Stress depresses the immune system. Colds and viruses are more common in stressed people. Viruses can cause some cancers, thus keeping a strong healthy immune system is a must. Stress has also been linked to Parkinson’s disease.
99% of all Disease is caused by Stress!
When your body senses stress, it automatically gets you ready to run or fight. This is just part of your biological makeup.
First, the natural response causes the stomach and colon to shut down. – Extra blood is needed by the body and it takes it from the stomach and colon. – With no blood, these organs age faster. – Food that was being digested now just sits there and starts to rot. You end up with rotten food in your colon. As you can imagine, eating rotten food can make you sick, so can having it sitting in your body. – 90% of your immune system is battling disease in the colon. Ask any doctor who does autopsies about people’s colons. It’s not a pretty picture.
Second, your metabolism changes. – The body needs energy and it needs protein. – It goes to the muscles to get it. – If you don’t replace the protein and all the amino acids and enzymes, you lose muscle. – You lose body shape when you lose muscle. – The body replaces the muscle with FAT!
I have just described a majority of the human population.
We are stressed out and because of the stress we are battling colds, the flu, allergies, you name it because of our reduced immune system. So What Can I Do to avoid this downward spiral?
Dealing with stress is something we can manage. There are several steps that can reduce stress and when that becomes too difficult, there are things we can do to counteract the negative effects stress has on our bodies.
First and foremost, the best way to alleviate the problems associated with stress is to get rid of the stress in our lives.
Some things you can do include learning relaxation techniques and ridding yourself of stressful habits. Everyone is different and deals with everyday situations in different ways, but we can all learn to reduce the stress in our life. Second, because it is impossible to get rid of all stress, we need to give our bodies the things it needs to be healthy and overcome the ill effects that stress creates.
These can include:
1. Provide you body with the nutrients it needs. While this sounds simple enough, when you body is under stress , the stomach shuts down so even if you are eating a good diet, your body isn’t getting what it needs.
Supplementation is the answer. However, not all supplements are created equal. Make sure your supplements can be used by the body when it is under stress. This means they get the nutrients to your cells where they are needed and not just take them on a nice ride through your digestive tract.
2. Boost your immune system.
Stress makes our bodies more susceptible to disease. It lowers the overall immunity and creates a situation where a majority of the immune system is battling disease in the colon.
3. Get more protein.
Most people don’t get enough protein. Stress causes the body to need more of it and so your body raids the muscles to get what it needs. When there is nothing to replace the muscle protein it gets replaced with fat. We slowly lose our shape and definition as we lose muscle.
Adding more meat to our diet is not the best solution. Today, almost all commercial meat is contaminated in some way. The beef, pork and chicken you buy from the supermarket is pumped full of antibiotics.
A better solution is soy protein. This is a plant protein that has all the amino acids a human body needs.
I read a great article once about everything I ever needed to know I learned in Kindergarten. It said something like “Live a balanced life – learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.” It’s amazing, if we think back to when we were young and now as adults followed some of those same rules how much better our lives could be. I can hear my Mom saying “Eat your vegetables and Take your vitamins”.
We can all learn a thing or two about life and living if we sit back and watch little kids.
So relax, listen to your body and learn how to reduce the stress and its effects on your health. This could be the most important action you can take towards living a longer, healthier and more enjoyable life.
THINK ABOUT IT!

Anxiety Therapy: What It Can Do For You

Date: December 28, 2009
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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According to the advice of professionals and experts in the field of anxiety therapy, there are two ways in which you can beat anxiety.  The first is with the help of good self-help material to treat anxiety.  The second is the services of a professional therapist who can help you address the cause for the anxiety which could be something very deep-rooted in your psyche.   The best way anxiety cure is to employ a combination of both techniques.  It is thought that using one method without the other will not produce the desired results.Informing yourself about the condition will appease your nerves, the more you understand your panic attacks the closer you are to beating them.  You may be able to relieve the symptoms of your anxiety and reduce the intensity or frequency using good self-help material which you can find online or in bookshops.   Beware of programs offering quick fixes which promise to cure anxiety.  More often than not, these so-called ‘cures’ only serve to reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety and the results are likely to be only temporary.This is why it is so important to have therapy for anxiety.   Though there is a stigma attached to therapy, do not be discouraged.  These trained professionals will be able to identify the underlying cause of your anxiety and will be well equipped to help you deal with your anxiety once and for all.  Without this cognitive therapy for anxiety, the real reason for your anxiety could remain undetected, therefore going untreated.  There are so many benefits  to seeing a therapist for your anxiety, I have listed some of the main things a therapist can do to help you.-    A therapist can help you understand the condition and how it personally affects you.  They can help you understand your symptoms and why the condition was developed.

–    Perhaps the most important thing your therapist can do for you is determine the underlying cause for your anxiety.  They can also help you understand how this developed and where it came from.

–    Create a personalized plan designed specifically for your recovery according to your unique circumstance.

–    Provide you with tools and methods to help you overcome your anxiety.  They can provide support and answer any questions you may have regarding the condition or medication and treatments for anxiety.

–    Help those close to you understand your condition and be on hand to provide reassurance and support.

–    Support and mentor you throughout your recovery until you have made a full one.These are just some of the main advantages, there are just too many to list here.  If you want to know more there is wealth of information on the Internet.  Alternatively, you can go and see your doctor who should be able to provide you with more info.  The worst thing you can do for your anxiety is suffer in silence, there is lots of help available and with the right kind of help anyone can  overcome their anxiety.

B Vitamin Complex and Stress: How Vitamin B Can Reduce Stress

Date: December 27, 2009
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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The connection between B vitamin complex and stress is well known; although why a good B vitamin complex can reduce stress is less well known. Before discussing the reason why a Vitamin B formula can reduce stress, we shall first have a look at stress and what causes it. The term means different things to different people, and a stressful situation to one person might not be such to another.
The biochemistry of stress is fairly complex, although involves the production and release of hormones into your bloodstream. When an event occurs that causes stress, the hypothalamus portion of your brain becomes involved. It releases cotocotropin releasing factor (CRF), a hormone that protects you from stress by raising your spirits. CRF sends signals to the pituitary gland causing the release of ACHT (Adrenocorticotropic hormone corticotropin) that causes cortisol to be released into the bloodstream by the adrenal glands. Cortisol speeds up the metabolism.
Coincidentally, the cells of the brain stem and spinal cord send a message that stimulates the adrenal glands to secrete epinephrine that increases the heart rate, breathing and alertness, ready for fight or flight. Both of these mechanisms then lead back to the pituitary gland and your new stress level can repeat the process or stop it, should your stress be reduced. If this cycle continues over an extended period of time it can have serious repercussions on your mental and physical health.
The B vitamins can help to regulate this biochemical function, and in doing so can reduce stress, and with it the associated anxiety and depression. In fact many of the symptoms of vitamin B deficiency are those that are also associated with stress: anxiety, nervousness, depression irritability and so on. There is no one specific form of Vitamin B that helps with stress, and there are eight in total. However, in saying that, the three members of the B vitamin complex that have most effect on stress are vitamins B 3, 6 and 12.
Every one of the B vitamins is involved in cell metabolism. Because they are soluble in water, they are quickly leached from the body so have to be replaced on a regular basis. The various B vitamins are needed by your body for specific purposes, such as Vitamin B1 (thiamin) is essential for the correct function of your nerves, brain and muscles. Although others have their own particular areas of responsibility, they are generally lumped together, not only because they are all soluble in water, but also because they each have a profound effect on the metabolism of your body.
Those mostly connected with the nervous system are Vitamins B3, B6 and B12. Vitamin B3 (Niacin) helps to maintain the proper health of your digestive system, skin and nerves, and B12 (cobalamin) is also needed for a healthy nervous system. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) along with vitamin B12 are the two principal members of the B complex that have an effect on stress, and a deficiency of these can make you more prone to this frequently debilitating condition. In fact many people that are suffering from a general Vitamin B deficiency have various forms of mental problems.
Because Vitamin B12 is available only from animal sources, deficiencies are common in vegetarians, and even more common in vegans who are advised to take a Vitamin B12 supplement. However, in general you are best to take a Vitamin B complex as opposed to a supplement of any specific member of the B family. This is because a surplus of any one could lead to a depletion of others.
It is thought that much of today’s stress is caused by an inadequate diet, and a diet deficient in various forms of Vitamin B is believed to render the subject particularly prone to stress and anxiety. People that have been suffering undue levels of stress over a protracted period of time can be helped by a regular treatment of B vitamins. In taking such supplements, however, you should also be aware of the various possible effects on your body that the causes of your stress can have. These are frequently neither understood nor recognized when they occur.
For example, if you are under stress due to a poor diet, or conversely, are eating a poor diet due to your high stress levels, you might be building up fatty deposits in your liver. Because of this your general health could be at serious risk in addition to your mental health. It is important, therefore, that you don’t just restrict yourself to a B vitamin complex, but also take a supplement containing inositol and choline bitartrate.
These can reduce the fatty deposit that a poor diet can cause to build up in your liver with consequent risk to life. Such deposits affect the ability of your liver to destroy the environmental toxins to which become exposed as part of your daily life, and which can be directly related to your ability to counter high stress levels.
In general, however, if you are prone to stress and get nervous and worried about the slightest thing that doesn’t go to plan, a B vitamin complex can help: vitamin B can reduce stress, although if your stress is sever you would be better advised consulting a physician than a health store.
Stress is a serious condition, and not one that should be treated lightly. It is possible to treat some stress conditions by using a good B vitamin complex, although should the stress be serious then you should consult your physician. Frequently the stress is not diet related, but due to personal circumstances that cannot be cured by any form of supplement.
However, there are few doubts that a course of Vitamin B supplements can help to overcome many of the metabolic causes of stress, and make up for any deficiency in these vitamins that leave your body almost as quickly as they enter it. Vitamin B can reduce stress, but only if your stress is due to a deficiency: and this is more common that most people are aware.

Caught in a Stress Storm?

Date: December 27, 2009
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
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Imagine you’re on your way to meet friends at a bar. You’re late and stuck behind a slow-moving van when the entire street lurches into darkness. Suddenly that man crossing the street in front of you looks like a potential robber. The cars around you seem to be hemming you in. Everyone and everything appears dangerous. You’ve gone from slightly stressed to completely strung-out in an instant.

When you finally get to the bar, your friends are deep in conversation about blackouts, crime and their plans to leave the country. What should have been a light-hearted, fun-filled evening has turned into one riddled with anxiety.

It’s as though a cloud of dark heaviness is hanging above us right now. Most of us are unaware of the extent to which worrying issues are affecting us. But if a high level of stress continues over a long period, paralyzing feelings of being overwhelmed can set in. Many of us could be in the heart of what is termed as a ‘stress storm’. Have you ever been in the situation where, because of stress, you couldn’t remember the name of one of your own family members? Perhaps you’re stuck in a depression, or maybe you’ve accomplished something great but the next morning you don’t want to get out of bed because you’re so down.

These are indications that you are caught in a stress storm – a place filled with fear and confusion, where you’re no longer thinking rationally. If this sounds familiar, read on to understand better what’s happening to you – and how to get to grips with it.

Why are we so Stressed?

In the USA we have a set of stressors to contend with – high crime rates, rising costs of food and gas, and an economic situation in which retrenchments are increasingly common. These compound everyday stressors such as work, family conflicts and financial pressures. We don’t let our bodies or minds relax, and develop distorted perceptions about ourselves – for example, we may think we’re accepted only if we’re performing well.

When people are taxed on so many levels, their resilience rapidly erodes. Most people can deal with one stressful area in their lives – even two – but few people can function optimally when every area of their life is affected by instability and stress.

Stress Poisoning

Our bodies are built to handle stress in short, sharp bursts, but when there is no let-up, stress can in fact be toxic for our bodies. When we’re stressed, our adrenal glands pump out cortisol. This ‘stress hormone’ is preparing our muscles for the fight-or-flight response triggered when our lives are in danger. All energy is diverted from other functions, such as digestion, giving our bodies a burst of energy to ensure we can fight or flee if necessary. Modern stressors, however, such as traffic jams, don’t come and go quite as fast as, say, an attacking buffalo. Consequently, the cortisol and adrenaline that our stressors produce never leave our bodies – our lives are constantly turned to a high-alert setting.

On a physical level – which is where symptoms are easiest to detect and treat – stress may show up as migraines, headaches, muscle aches and pains, skin breakouts (acne, psoriasis, eczema) and stomach problems (including irritable bowel syndrome and constipation). Emotionally, we become more prone to outbursts of temper, mood swings and negativity. Mentally, we feel less able to cope. Our outlook becomes distorted and it becomes very difficult to keep our perspective. Highly stressed people become ‘reactive’. This means they react more to everything in their lives, from the lack of milk in the fridge to the geyser bursting. We become so overwhelmed that we literally get ‘beside ourselves’.

Living on Autopilot

Jane, 27, a fashion planner, knows this feeling all too well. While working in a high-pressure corporate fashion job reporting to a demanding boss, she was being pushed to work longer hours and perform tasks she didn’t feel prepared for.

‘As the pressure built up over about five months, I began feeling increasingly anxious. My short-term memory started to let me down and I would forget things I was meant to do. For example, I’d walk into a room and then go blank, forgetting why I was there. I felt confused all the time and began talking more slowly and slurred my words. I lost a lot of weight and at the height of my stress my right arm would get very tense and feel taut. It’s a scary place to be. It can feel as though you don’t know yourself – as though you’re having a mental meltdown.’

This feeling is not uncommon. Stressed people often describe themselves as being on autopilot – as though they’re participating in the show of their own life, but not starring. They’re overwhelmed and often feel clumsy, awkward and off-centre. They may forget names of people or even the names of simple, everyday objects. This is due to the prolonged periods of cortisol production, but also, because we’re trying to remember too many things.

High levels of stress can affect our relationships too. Some people, like Jane, are too tired to go out and socialize, and often feel they’re a burden on other people. ‘Friends tried to help,’ remembers Jane. ‘I’d lost a lot of weight so they could see I was in distress but they didn’t really know how to help other than telling me to chill out’.

Others may drink more to be more sociable or in an attempt to forget, so the glass of wine suddenly turns into a bottle of wine. According to research women could be more prone to developing stress-related addictions (such as cocaine addiction) than men. The good news, though, is that stress is our body’s way of telling us to do something. But what?

The suggestions below are a good start. Don’t knock them for sounding obvious – at least not till you’ve actually tried them.

Stress Busters

Gain Perspective

Understand that there are certain things in your life that you have control over and others that you don’t. If, for example, you are concerned about the political situation, vote. If you’re concerned about crime, join or start a neighborhood-watch program. Be proactive about things you can influence and let go of those you can’t.

Breathe

At work, if you find yourself getting stressed or anxious, go somewhere quiet and concentrate on your breathing. Imagine your breathing is like waves breaking on a beach. Maintain a regular rhythm. Imagine you are breathing all the way down to your toes when you breathe in, and all the way back up again as you breathe out.

Eat Well

Don’t hand your power over to food and drink. That fatty hamburger isn’t going to release your stress. Rather ask, ‘What will this drink or food do to my body over the long term?’ Cut down on sugar. Sugar gives you a temporary lift followed by a downer. If you’re craving something sweet, try eating fruit or a handful of nuts. Drink lots of water. Stress tends to dehydrate the body. Keeping your body hydrated will lessen stress symptoms such as fatigue and headaches.

Exercise More

One of the most effective ways of dealing with stress is to exercise. Try to do some form of exercise at least three times a week for 30 to 60 minutes.

Develop a Positive Internal Dialogue

This is a powerful way to help ourselves when we’re stressed. We tend to feel anxious about things we have no control over (the future, other people), and most of what we fear never happens. Remain in the moment. If you start to stress about tomorrow, remind yourself that you can only live today – tomorrow does not yet exist.

Talk to a Professional

Jane consulted a psychologist, who helped her see that getting through her stress storm meant removing herself from her stressful job. ‘I took three months off, stayed home and just slept, watched TV and did nothing.’ She saw her psychologist for a few months and gradually became her old self again, but this time with the tools to recognize and avoid another stress storm.

Stress Relief – 10 Natural Ways to Free Your Mind

Date: December 26, 2009
Author: Penny Pettman
Categories: Advice
Comments: Leave a reply

Stress mainly depends on physical, emotional, or chemical event that causes mental or physical tension. It has to be managed properly; otherwise may result in anxiety, tension, loss of concentration, anger, sleep disturbances, headaches, mild to severe bouts of depression, and lack of interest in food or increased appetite.

Stress Relief Techniques #1: Stress relief music is emerging as a popular way to distress. Music with rhythms that repeat and sound monotonous also can calm the nerves. Listening slower and monotonous music makes us relax and removes the stress from our bodies.

Stress Relief Technique #2: Get a full body massage at your favorite spa. When your body is a mass of tight, knotted muscles from stress, a full body massage will calm you down and help release that tension.

Stress Relief Technique #3: Take a bubble bath. Create your own personal spa at home. Draw a bath as hot as you can stand it. Add calming bath salts to the water and light lots of candles for ambience. Lock the door and soak away your stress.

Stress Relief Technique #4: Thing positive. Replace your negative thoughts with positive ones. Allowing negative thoughts to control you will only increase your stress. Speak positive affirmations often to control stressful situations.

Stress Relief Technique #5: Aromatherapy for stress relief is a holistic therapy that involves the use of natural essential oils in promoting a feeling of physical and emotional well-being. Such essential oils derive from natural plants and have been shown to have calming effects on the central nervous system. Some of the commonly used essential oils for stress relief include sandalwood, lavender, jasmine, rose, and eucalyptus.

Stress Relief Technique #6: Find balance. Most stress is a product of living an unbalanced life. Drop the things that aren’t necessary and you’ll reduce your stress by 50% or more.

Stress Relief Technique #7: Get a manicure and pedicure. Science has proven that there are pressure points located on our feet and hands. These areas can cause additional pain during stressful times. A nice manicure and pedicure will help soothe those pressure points.

Stress Relief Technique #8: Pilates and yoga have also been universally accepted as forms of stress relief exercise. Both techniques employ stretching, deep breathing, and concentrated movement. Both can be meditative in their poses and the breathing alone is enough to lower heart rate and reduce stress.

Stress Relief Technique #9: Through meditation, stress and the effects of stress can be minimized if not eliminated resulting in a more restful, happier you who is able to get up the next day and hit it hard again and become a success.

As you focus on meditation stress relief, you will introduce more oxygen into your blood because of the improved breathing you will use during your meditation session. As your heart rate stabilizes, the stress meditation is removing will feel like it is melting away.

Stress Relief Technique #10: Ashwagandha is an herb that is widely used as one of the best stress reducer. It is equipped with the properties that relieve the stress. As per ayurvedic concept is concerned stress is a condition that occurs in our body due to vata dosha vitiation.

In normal condition all the three doshas i.e. vata, pitta and kapha remains in the normal equilibrium state there by making our body achieve balance and attain healthy state both physically and mentally. Ashwagandha helps are body to attain such stability especially where vata imbalance is concerned. Buy Ashwagandha Supplements at lowest prices.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

Copyright © Nick Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

Know the benefits of Ashwagandha in relieving stress and anxiety. Also know useful effects of Shilajit in improving overall health. Read information on the colon cleansing property of Triphala.