Stress Reduction

Many studies and reports have touted the negative effect of stress on the body. From heart attacks to increased cancer risk, stress is dangerous. As we age, a prevailing thought is we lessen our stress. In my experience, the opposite is true. If you feel you have been immune to the effects or speed of the world around you, think again. The same pressures still have an effect, and more importantly a toll on the body. In the normal aging process a few areas in particular come to mind: increased stress of your health status, the fear of disease, the fear of daily activities (be it due to weakness, inability to cope in situations, etc.) and one very important fact, the inability to handle or modify the stress we are under.

Influenced aging specifically alters a large majority of the effects of stress on you. When you focus on doing everything you can to prevent disease, and you exercise and eat right to developing strength in daily activities, you increase your body’s ability to handle / modify stress and stressors. You are able to ward off and even be a major factor in treating your own disease. The simple knowledge of ‘doing all you can do’ is stress reduction in and of itself. Use stress to your benefit; do not let it be used against you!

Again, there is a lot of information out there on ‘how to’ – including how to relieve stress. Besides diet and exercise, some of the simplest yet effective tools we have found in our practice other than diet and exercise include the following:

1. Laugh! Nothing is healthier or more stress relieving than to let the gut roll. Especially at your self. If you do not – the result will be someone else laughing at you.

2. Avoid procrastination. When something comes up – take care of it!

3. Go with the flow. Life begins NOW…and NOW…and NOW…(get my point?) Use the past to learn from and the future to anticipate. Stressing about either only prevents you from living today.

4. Practice Wonderment!

5. Practice Balance. Make time for friends, family, self, socializing, work, etc. Equilibrium in life allows no stone unturned. Take time to just sit and relax, spend some quality time alone. Cultivate outside interests.

6. Nancy Reagan said it best: “Just say NO!” Do not try to please everyone. By doing so you please no one, and kill yourself while doing it!

7. Slow Down! Life will pass you by.

8. Develop a support group. Have close friends or family act as consultants for any and all projects you undertake, including the attainment of ultimate health. These people are also quick to point out the ‘truth of our critics’. Objective eyes are nice to see through.

9. Avoid perfectionism. We perfectionists are a set up for failure. When you make a mistake, learn from it and go on. Focusing on it only will cause more to occur.

10. Eat right and exercise. Did I mention this one before? My point is…well, you know!