Your job is getting hard to keep a handle on, the to-do list is piling up, the credit-card bills are rising steadily. Your teenager decides they hate school and wants to run away with the circus. Or maybe you are feeling down by the constant stimulation you are bombarded with 24 hours a day….images, media, news, television, radio, billboards….
Whether it’s due to one thing or another, you just can’t relax and there never seems to be enough time!
There is no doubt about it, stress is an epidemic of the 21st century and it can easily creep into our lives and grow there if we let it.
It’s upsetting that in the USA today over 77% of people are regularly experiencing negative physical symptoms due to stress.
For some people, this can mean dealing with depression or anxiety, but for others, it can mean that they get hungry! So hungry that they add the stress of weight gain to their growing list of problems.
Looking at the nation as a whole it’s easy to see that we are more stressed and less healthy than ever before.
But it doesn’t have to be this way!
Trust me, I know what it’s like to feel stressed. Just like many of you, I am constantly trying my best to balance the personal, family and professional areas of my life.
We wear multiple hats every single day. Don’t we?
It is so important to have the right tools to calm the mind and nervous system and find that balance we truly need in our lives. Otherwise the outcome can be disastrous.
With heavy minds, bodies and hearts we can end up getting more and more wound up, tight and knotted until we literally break and get sick! No one wants that!
Can’t we just “BE”?
We are a culture of busy bees. Even as children we are encouraged to be active, productive and purposeful: going the extra mile is rewarded and laziness is generally frowned upon. We work hard, play little and free time has become a luxury we dream of having more of.
As we move into adulthood our responsibilities and financial needs become more and more demanding.
There is just so much to do and keep up with!
Jobs are scarce, life and loans are expensive and competition is high. Add a family and children into the equation and you certainly know what it’s like to be a busy beaver. Not only do you have yourself to care for but you must also consider the needs of your loved ones.
So We Adapt
As a species, we learn to adapt so we create products that help us cope with the various stresses and ailments of our busy lifestyle. In particular, the food and pharmaceutical industries have an enormous variety of quick fixes on offer. Ready-made meals, snacks and pills for every common ailment are readily available at most supermarkets.
- Feeling peckish at midnight? No worries! There is bound to be a fast-food lane nearby that you can turn to.
- Feeling low in energy? Take an energy-boosting pill.
- Can’t fall asleep at night? We have pills for that.
- Need to shed some weight? Get the latest diet meal, drink or pill and we’ll get you sorted.
Now most of us know in our heart of hearts that just treating the symptoms without dealing with the cause, is not the ideal way to go.
But since we are bombarded with clever marketing day in, day out, are stressed for time and with no real solutions on offer.
It is tempting to reach for these advertised quick fixes – even if they don’t really work and often get us addicted.
Stuck In A Vicious Stress Cycle
The more pressure we face, the more stressed we get, the more we feel the need to be even busier and get even more things done thus increasing our stress levels even more!
No wonder it’s easy to get stuck in this vicious cycle and become overwhelmed and then, it’s only a matter of time until we start showing symptoms of chronic stress such as:
- Weight gain
- Frequent headaches
- Body aches or tension
- Frequent illnesses
- Gastrointestinal distress
- Eczema, acne, skin problems
- Increased sweating
- Insomnia, nightmares, sleepwalking or disturbed sleep
- Frequent illnesses
- Restlessness, such as tapping your foot or hand
- Decreased interest in sex, sexual arousal problems, reduced fertility
- Mood swings, difficulties with concentration, decision-making, and memory
DOCTOR NOTE: If you are regularly experiencing more than two of these symptoms, it is vital you find effective ways of reducing your stress levels.
Our Kids Are Stressed
While we teach children how to be more productive and efficient, we do not teach them ways to relax and de-stress. It saddens me to see primary school children already showing symptoms of stress and hyperactivity. According to several new studies, average kids today are more stressed and anxious than children of the same age who were treated for a variety of psychiatric issues in previous generations.
According to several new studies, average kids today are more stressed and anxious than children of the same age who were treated for a variety of psychiatric issues in previous generations.
In our attempt to create high achievers we tend to only focus on test results and exam scores. We forget that we are also dealing with very emotional human beings. If only we would educate our children in matters of their psyche and how to deal with their emotional state, we could save them a good deal of unnecessary suffering, they would be less stressed and perform better at school.
It’s time we adapted our educational system to the needs of the 21st century and, luckily there are some schools that have realized this. Interestingly, in schools where kids are taught mindfulness as a way of relaxation and emotional management boasts happier pupils and high test scores.
The Art Of The Cat Nap
But of course, it’s not just children who need to relax, adults would also greatly benefit from some regular time out. Companies that promote power naps are shown to have less sick leave, higher productivity, and more motivated employees.
You see, if we lack sleep and/or are stressed, we tend to overeat.
Most people gain weight when they are stressed because, when we are stressed, we are more likely to opt for industrially processed food (junk food), foods that are high in sugar, salt, fat and carbohydrates (i.e. donuts, ice cream, cake, deep-fried foods).
Additionally, in this tired, stressed state we will be prone to eating too fast and in a distracted way, which automatically leads to overeating. So once you learn how to handle stress effectively, it is also much easier to make healthier food choices.
You can begin your effortless Stress Detox by downloading this free guided Brain-Training Audio>>
The key is, learning how to manage your stress levels.
Tips to De-Stress, Shed Weight & Gain Vitality
The key to de-stressing is to recognize when you are falling into the trap of chronic stress and know how to help yourself – without popping pills! It’s tricky so here are some things you can do:
1. Take breaks, indulge in power naps and celebrate time-outs.
Just 15-20 minutes of daytime rest will boost your vitality and creativity, improve your memory, strengthen your immune system and help you lose weight. When we are stressed it is because we are functioning in the “fight or flight” mode. Listening to a guided meditation or subliminal affirmations balances the hemispheres of the brain and calms the entire nervous system. The great thing is that you don’t need any experience to begin right away.
You can learn more about the wonderful benefits of brain-training here.
2. Teach your children the art of relaxation.
Children are quick learners and will greatly benefit from learning to relax at an early age. Especially in our society of constant stimulation and distraction (video and online games, tv etc.), being able to do “nothing” (some call it meditation) is an essential skill, which improves focus and concentration.
3. Tap your stress point.
This acupressure point (it is located in that little dent above your lip and under your nose) goes back to the ancient Chinese science of Acupuncture and has been proven to promote health for centuries. Whenever you feel overwhelmed (and tempted to reach for an unhealthy snack), tap this acupressure point and take a few deep breaths. Watch a video demonstration below:
4. Tap your stress point with your kids!
Share this trick with them, so they can do it whenever they feel stressed or anxious, especially before exams and they’ll notice the calming effect of this exercise. And the added benefit of tips #3 and #4 is that the less stressed your kids are, the less stressed you will be!
5. Drink a glass of water and breathe!
Often, we confuse emotional stress and dehydration with hunger. Avoid eating the empty, fat-promoting calories of processed snacks like high-sugar granola bars, muffins, and chips by drinking lots of water and taking some full, deep breaths.
Research has shown that the more stressed we get, the shallower our breathing gets. So next time you think you feel hungry before you reach for a snack:
Take at least 3 deep breaths and drink a big glass of water. Wait a few minutes and then decide if you really need to eat.
Now you saw above how we mentioned the power of brain-training and the amazing benefits it has on the body and mind!
It really is our most recommended tip for if you really want to reduce stress, loosen up and feel lighter in every way.
My husband and I, along with our whole family, take a brain-training power break every day after eating our lunch and usually several other times in a day. My life changed completely once I started!
I am finally in control of my emotions and I have a handle on my stress level. I kid you not, I can literally de-stress myself because I now have the tools to do so.
I no longer eat excessively or make bad food choices because of the way I am feeling. I am finally free and I feel lighter than ever and you can too by connecting with the natural essence of feel-good self-love.
We encourage you to follow the above tips for 3 weeks and look forward to hearing about the changes you notice!
Do leave us a comment in the box below and subscribe to our blog for more tips on healthy weight management and personal development.
In Boundless Love,
Joy Martina
References:
Statistic Brain: http://bit.ly/1RDF647
WebMd: http://wb.md/1qhE19o
