Stress management » Emotional Stress

Manage Your Stress for Raw Food Success

Mon, 06 Sep 2010 00:00:24 +0000

By: Swayze

Recently, I wrote and article providing four essential yet simple ways to improve your health: 1) Consuming a low fat, high fruit raw vegan diet, 2) Exercising everyday, 3) Getting enough sleep, and 4) Getting 15-30 minutes of sunshine per day. If you are deficient in any of these four areas, your health will surely suffer.

Of course, there are many additional factors that can affect overall health. Clean air and fresh water are just a couple, as well as healthy relationships and mental creativity.

But would you like to know which health factor absolutely TRUMPS all of these?

Oh, you know I’m gonna tell ya.

Stress Management

Once my stress gets out of hand, all h**l breaks lose. Simple things like eating and sleeping become utter chores.

When I’m stressed out, it’s much harder to stay raw. I can’t maintain an exercise routine. My sleep is disturbed.

And you just better pray you’re not anywhere near me if I’ve had more than a couple nights of less than restful sleep.

In other words, the whole system fails. I simply can’t stay healthy when I’m stressed and I KNOW I’m not the only one.

How to Manage Your Stress

It’s not meditating.

It’s not taking a nap or drinking chamomile tea.

Just like ingesting an Ibuprofen to alleviate your headache, these tact

ics only help to alleviate the symptoms. They don’t come anywhere close to the cause.

To do that, you have to get to the root of your problem and figure out what’s contributing to your stress in the first place.

For me, this means tackling the workaholic and perfectionist in me who says, “If I’m not constantly working, then I’m not working hard enough, and if my work isn’t “perfect,” then I’m not working hard enough!” and has me setting ridiculous daily goals for myself that I can’t possibly meet while at the same time reducing my leisure activities to almost nil.

Before I know it, I’m overworking, undereating, and having mad cravings for all kinds of cooked food comforts.

So what do I do to combat this? I set reasonable goals, plan out my work periods for the day, make sure to leave ample relaxation time and VOILA! I’m more productive, more relaxed, and stress-free!

In other words, I DO SOMETHING about it! I don’t just read lots of stress management articles (like this one). I don’t just sit down to a self-help book. I apply that information to my own life and put it to work as soon as possible.

It’s just like with going raw.

You can read all the raw food literature you want or watch as many raw recipe videos on YouTube as humanly possible. It won’t mean diddly squat if the only raw food you eat is an ounce of lettuce under a mountain of Ranch dressing or a sprig of parsley with your Chicken Carbonara.

You have to actually EAT RAW FOODS to experience the benefits!

Putting It All Together

So if you want to stay raw, maintain an effective exercise program, and obtain overall health, you’ve got to get your stress under control. To do that, you have to figure out what causes your stress, develop techniques for managing it, and then get to work!

As Nike says, JUST DO IT!:D

For more information on the best raw vegan diet, be sure to visit www.fitonraw.com and subscribe to Swayze’s newsletter Peachy Keen Ezine. By subscribing, you will also receive the free report The 4 Principles of a Healthy Raw Diet as well as the 5-week mini-course The Fool Proof Transition to Raw.

Herbs For Infertility – Can Emotional Stress Prevent Pregnancy?

Sun, 09 May 2010 01:59:45 +0000

By: Liv Riley

Infertility issues continue to affect 15-20 percent of couples in today’s society. Many of these couples have “normal findings” after standard medical exams and fertility evaluations have taken place. By definition, these couples have “unexplained infertility” and they are left with unanswered questions. Unanswered questions often lead to more emotional stress.

In women, stress disrupts the hormonal balance and communication between the brain, the pituitary, and the ovary. This leads to an interference with the ovulation process and the production and maturation of healthy eggs. When under stress, spasms can occur in both the uterus and fallopian tubes which also interfere with movement and implantation of a fertilized egg.

In men, emotional and physical stress are known factors that contribute to male infertility. Stress causes sperm counts, sperm motility, and structure of the sperm to be altered. Problems such as impotence and difficulties with ejaculation are often caused by over thinking and emotional stress.

The connection between stress and the inability to get pregnant has been studied throughout the years. In 1978, the Mind-Body Institute of Harvard Medical School started a ten-week program for women with unexplained infertility. The program focused on learning to shift from the stress response to the relaxation response and to this day, has an excellent track record in reducing women’s stress. From the women who were available for follow-up, 57 percent of them became pregnant within six months o

f completing the ten-week course. This certainly shows that reducing emotional stress definitely benefits in increasing fertility!

Along with stress-management programs, herbs for infertility have also been proven to relax the mind and body. Herbs such as passion flower, kava kava, white willow, valerian root, black cohosh, and hops have shown to reduce anxiety, depression, anger and fatigue, all of which are commonly part of the lives of people struggling to get pregnant.

Herbs can have a significant impact on the mind and body to reduce anxiety and increase relaxation which will help couples with unexplained infertility. Reducing stress through a herbal regime and relaxation may help normalize menstrual cycles, improve the health of both egg and sperm, and increase the likelihood of fertilization and implantation.

To learn more effective natural tips to reduce stress and get pregnant fast visit Herbs for Infertility. Discover the true story of a woman who dedicated her life to creating the ultimate pregnancy solution to permanently reverse the root of infertility and help you get pregnant quickly and naturally. http://herbs4infertility.weebly.com/

Liv Riley is a Writer and Internet Researcher who has had great success with 100% natural Herbs for Infertility

Constipation As A Result Of Emotional Stress

Sat, 08 May 2010 23:10:06 +0000

By: Roberta Hill

Many situations in modern life lead to high levels of stress that manifests itself not only in the form of sore muscles but also as constipation. In fact, more people than not have or will suffer from constipation as a result of stress at one point or another in their lives.

The physical reason for it is that stress hinders the autonomic nervous system’s function, and can lead to digestion problems like constipation.

So, what can be done? Most will consult addressing the high levels of stress, since treating the symptom is always less efficient than fixing the root cause.

But when that can’t be achieved, there are a couple of other ways that can get things going and relieve your constipation.

The known cures are exercise and a high fiber diet, prune juice and laxatives.

These treatments physically help because they make the job of digesting food easier on the system and encourage the muscle activity of the intestines.

Some less known cures are abdominal massage, reflexology and ayurvedic body massage. Many of those suffering from constipation were able to find a great relief and a real cure in these methods. The reason that these treatments can physically help and actually induce bowel because they relieve discomfort and pain, relax the body and prevent additional stress from exacerbating the problem.

But no matter which option you choose, at one point or another it is important to handle to root of the problem. Although sometimes the price to pay for lowering stress levels is high, it is also necessary f

or maintaining good health.

Prolonged stress can lead to much worse physical problems, such as headaches, hypertension (high blood pressure) and even immunological deficiency. The flipside of the coin is that reducing emotional stress levels can have a profound effect on one’s overall health well-being, in addition to relieving constipation naturally.

To read more and to get tips on how to naturally relieve your constipation, visit Best Constipation Cures and Best Constipation Remedies site.

How Emotional Stress Relates To Crohn Disease

Sat, 08 May 2010 19:04:24 +0000

By: Lou Mcknight

For years, many people have argued that forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, including Crohn’s Disease, is caused by emotional stress, tension, and anxiety; this, however, is completely inaccurate. While there may be links to emotional stress and Crohn’s Disease, it is not a cause of the disorder.

A common misconception is that Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is the same thing as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). However, these differ considerably. IBD causes inflammation of the intestines and is not caused psychological factors. On the other hand, there is a strong link in emotional issues contributing to IBS.

While some may argue Crohn’s Disease is caused by being overly emotional, it is in fact an inappropriate response of the immune system and no correlation to the disease and psychological issues. However, emotions may play a role in how a person deals with Crohn’s Disease.

In dealing with any chronic disease, people may find difficulty is coping with the long term effects of their medical condition. As a result, people with Crohn’s may become depressed or suffer other psychological issues, such as severe anxiety or dependency. As Crohn’s often causes excessive diarrhea and gas, it is sometimes embarrassing for people to go out in public, possibly leading to reclusion. Likewise, travel becomes more difficult, which may lead to feelings of loss of freedom. Long term pain also causes emotional complications, as well as long term use of pain medications.

While Crohn’s Disease may cause emotional

stress, there has also been a reverse connection recognized: meaning stress may cause flare-ups of complications in patients already affected by Crohn’s Disease. Through extremely emotional times, a person may notice an increase in severity of diarrhea, gas, and pain.

If psychological issues become a hindrance in daily life, it may be necessary to seek professional help. While medication is not typically needed, simply acquiring support may be very beneficial. This may also be accomplished by joining support groups or conversing with other people that suffer from the same or similar disorders.

For peace of mind, there are also other steps that you can take to reduce stress as a result of Crohn’s Disease. Carrying a change of clothes with you, familiarizing yourself with your surroundings, including location of bathrooms, and being aware of your body’s reaction to certain foods will ease anxiety when you are out and about and prepare you for possible issues that may arise.

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Stress-free for a Long Life

Mon, 03 May 2010 23:25:53 +0000

By: Alvaro Castillo

Stress has become a part of the fabric of our busy lives, but it wreaks havoc on our health-and our lives. When you are under mental pressure, adrenaline is released from the adrenal gland that tells the body to convert stored sugar from the liver to glucose because the energy needs of the body increase substantially during the supposed fight-or-flight scenario.

The bad news is that this scenario almost never plays out and the excess blood sugar that never got used up ends up being stored as fat. One of two things can happen from a prolonged survival mode. One: Your body will keep storing up excess sugar as fat and asking for more energy from more sugar!

This equals weight gain. Two: All of this stress and colossal effort continually depletes your body of its energy resources until it inevitably crumples under the overload. This can lead to such conditions as adrenal exhaustion, nervous breakdown, or a broken down immune system.

The vicious circle repeats itself over and over again and people never seem to be able to get out of the rat race.

Release Your Stress

Here are some healthy habits you can integrate into your daily grind to free yourself from stress.

1. Cut the Caffeine: Caffeine stimulates the adrenaline release. Give up the cup of coffee and opt for the therapeutic benefits of caffeine-free herbal teas. Or you can cut down on your caffeine intake by substituting coffee with green tea, which usually has 1/3 of the caffeine as compared to a cup of coffee-but with the benefits of the antioxidant polyphenols.

>2. Cleanse the Clutter.

Have you ever heard the saying that what you own soon owns you? Not only do these unnecessary items consume much of your energy for cleaning and maintenance, they also add to the clutter, making you disorganized and increasing your stress level.

Cut back and let go. A good rule of thumb is that anything you haven’t used in six months can be given away to charity.

3. Lighten Your Schedule

Cut back on the commitments in your calendar. Try writing one day in your weekly schedule to spend alone and relax-and stick to it!

4. Reframe Your Perspective

As you move through your day, pay attention to what causes you feelings of stress. Our response has much to do with how it will affect us; by reframing our perspective on stressful situations, we can often see that the danger is largely an illusion and maintain a calm frame of mind.

5. Naptime: Not Just For Children

How many of us feel guilty when we are not constantly in motion? Most parents know that overtired and hurried children are headed for a breakdown. Unfortunately, adults are woefully unaware of the impact of stress on their own emotional lives. Rest and relaxation are crucial for renewal and balance.

Activities for children like naptime and quiet time are designed to help them rest. You can also benefit from structured times for relaxation. Even a 15-minute nap or meditation session by yourself can reinvigorate you.

6. Meditate your stress away.

Stress is the root cause of most of the diseases that shorten our life span. In our modern society stress will continue to increase-unless you find techniques to manage it. Meditation is the best way to release tension and revitalize your being.

It teaches you to breath properly, which is critical for eliminating up to 70% of your body’s toxins and wastes. It also quiets your mind and lowers your stress hormones.

For overcoming stress, try this deep, slow breathing exercise:

1. Sit in a comfortable chair in a quiet place.

2. Sit on the tip of the chair with your back erect. Place your arms gently on your legs, which are bent at 90 degrees.

3. Breathe deeply through your nose and slowly into your lower abdomen. Then breathe out gently. Do not overexert the breathing; begin at your natural pace and gently slow it down.

4. You may wish to close your eyes and calm your mind. Try to do this for 15 minutes every day.

Alvaro Castillo has been helping people with their sleep for 5 years with very positive results. For more information go to www.mynighttimehealth.com