| THE BEST MEDICINEf- LAUGH! FIRST DOSE There are always two ways to look at everything, I guess. My wife and I were sitting at a table at my high school reunion last October, and I kept staring at a drunken lady swigging her drink as she sat alone at a nearby table. My wife noticed me staring and asked me, "Do you know her?". "Yes", I sighed, "She's my old girlfriend. I understand she took to drinking right after we split up those many years ago, and I hear she hasn't been sober since." "My God!" says my wife, "Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?" Got a Joke? E-mail it to us: frontpage@collectivewizdom .com |
| THE BEST MEDICINE- LAUGH! SECOND DOSE Last night, my friend and I were sitting in the living room and I said to her, "I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug." She got up, unplugged the TV, and threw out my wine! |
Anxiety --Daily Habits That Ease
Anxiety
Related Links
Top 10 Foods That Fight Depression
Schizophrenia Diet-Foods That Actually Help-New Study
Foods That Reduce Stress
Stop Worrying-Tips That Work
Foods That Reduce Stress
Peace of Mind
Letter to My Son
Karma -How ItReally Works
Transgender-Who Are These People
Health Benefits of Walking
The Importance of Drinking Enough Water
July 16, 2009, Updated March 9,2009
By Mark S. Mays, Associate Editor and Featured Columnist
We are a nation of anxious people. None of us likes to think
of ourselves as anxious. It collides with our national image
as independent, take-charge Americans. But we Americans
are, after all, humans first. And, as Americans, we are
among the busiest, most-driven-to-succeed humans on the
planet. We consistently lead the charts as the most
productive people on earth. We take the shortest vacations
among all industrialized nations. Little wonder that we also
suffer from untreated anxiety.
While there are no statistics on the number of Americans
who suffer from mild anxiety, there are reports on the
number of Americans who suffer from the extreme form of
anxiety, sometimes referred to as "anxiety disorders" or
anxiety attacks". According to the National Institutes of
Health, over 40 million Americans received treatment in
2008 for anxiety disorders in 2008, the last year for which
statistics are available. That's 18% of all adults over the age
of 18. Anxiety is often accompanied by depression.
I've been there too. I started to notice that I was anxious
when I was in the middle of a project at work. I had
handled deadlines with ease for over 20 years. In this
particular whirlwind, I started to feel like it was a tailspin.
And, I started to notice little changes. I began feeling more
tired, even when I first woke up in the morning. I dragged
through the days, listlessly.
Is there a way out of a pattern of anxiety? Are there any
daily steps we can take that can help to ease anxiety?
The way out of it is to slow your thoughts down and start
observing life. There are simple steps you can take to help
reduce anxiety in your daily life.
Here are some simple daily practces to relieve anxiety and
stress in your Life:
1. Claim the Last 10 Minutes of the Day. Literally, take time
at night before you close your eyes, and you're just lying
there, to think about the vastness of this universe, and how
small, really, any of our problems are.
Think about the power of the universe that built the universe
in the first place. That power may seem strange but it is real.
And you are an expression of that power. All of us are. Just
listen. Get real quiet in your spirit.
2. Claim the First 10 Minutes of the Day. Do the same thing
first thing in the mornings, after you wake up.
3. Affirmations Ease Anxiety. Daily affirmations can ease
anxiety. Affirmations are nothing mysterious. They are just
self-talk. You engage in self-talk all the time. But you are
usually unaware of it. Self-talk is simply self-censoring or
self-encouragement.
It helps to write down 10 things you like about yourself.
Keep the list on the table beside your bed. Read it right
before you go to sleep. And read it right after you wake up.
Over time, slowly, it starts to change your head so you stop
beating yourself up.
And when you finally stop beating yourself up, the world will
stop beating you up too.
4. Drink More Water. Water relieves stress. In the mornings,
before you launch into your day, drink a glass of water. You
have become dehydrated during the night. So, you're
already behind in your water count.
And most of us never catch up during the day. We wake up
dehydrated, we go through our days dehydrated, and we go
to sleep dehydrated.
Most of us can count on one hand the days in the year when
we drink the recommended 8 glasses of water a day. Our
bodies are literally in a 24-hour water crisis. And how does
your body react when it's in crisis? It becomes anxious. It
becomes stressed. Studies show that we need at least 8
glasses of high-quality water a day simpy to meet or bodies
basic needs.
4. Raggedy Ann or Andy. Stretching relieves tension. Right
after you wake up, bend over and let your arms fall to the
floor, like a rag doll. Let them swing like two ropes. This
simple stretch will remind your body what it feels like to be
free of tension. Then take a moment to stretch your back
gently and your neck. This is where a lot of the tension goes
in most people.
5. Breathe. Most of us never take a deep breathe during the
day. We are a nation of shallow-breathers. Many people feel
anxiety and stress in their stomachs and chest. The reason
that the anxiety is in your stomach and chest is that there is
where your breathing ends. Your lungs are located there.
You can reduce anxiety by practicing deep breathing. Just
breathe in to the count of 5 and exhale to the count of 5. Do
this 4 times. Then stretch your shoulders out just a bit.
6. Eat Green and Clean. Make sure you're eating healthy.
When you're stressed your body needs extra nutrients. Make
sure you eat plenty of the specific foods that help you to
reduce stress.
7. Walking More Eases Stress. The more I learn about the
health benefits of walking, the more I wished I had started
sooner! Walking just 30 minutes a day starts to ower your
blood pressure, lower your blood sugar levels, helps you to
prevent lower back pain and, if you walk fast, walking can
even extend your life.
Our bodies are simply not built to be sendentary.
We are built for motion. If you stop moving, your body
becomes stresses. You eventually become anxious. Studies
have found that walking helps to regulate stress hormones,
blocking the release of cortisol and nor-epineprine.
This is the reason you really must stride out at least 30
minutes a day. Not just for your body's health. For your
mental health.
You're just getting started on the journey to know yourself:
Top 10 Foods That Fight Depression / Ideal Diet for
Schizophrenia / Foods That Reduce Stress /10 Easy Steps to
Become More Active / Health Benefits of Walking /Peace of
Mind-Practical Tips/ Karma -How It Really Works /
Drink Water-Why It Matters / The Basics of Healthy Eating
More Resources
Foods That Reduce Stress
Healing Foods
Peace of Mind
Bringing About Good Karma
| Walking and Spending Time with a Pet Can Bring You Peace of Mind |
All material on this site (c) copyright 2007-2008 collectivewizdom.com All rights
reserved.
reserved.
Home > Conditions > Anxiety and Stress > You Are Here |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| COLLECTIVE WIZDOM.COM Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Life |
