Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

Simple But Life Giving Tips To Reduce Stress

There are many ways that will help you live a better life. Exercise, diet, good relationships  and many more things will lead to a great life. The problem usually with most people though is stress.

If we could reduce the amount of stress in our lives or at least find better coping mechanisms then we would all be a lot happier and fulfilled

Here are some great tips to reduce and handle stress better to have a happier and healthier life.

stress relief tips1. When feeling stressed, most people tend to breathe in short, shallow breaths. When you breathe like this, stale air is not expelled, oxidation of the tissues is incomplete, and muscle tension frequently results. Check your breathing throughout the day, and before, during, and after high-pressure situations. If you find your stomach muscles are knotted and your breathing is shallow, relax all your muscles and take several deep, slow breaths. Note how, when you’re relaxed, both your abdomen and chest expand when you breathe.

2. Writing your thoughts and feelings down (in a journal, or on paper to be thrown away) can help you clarify things and can give you a renewed perspective.

3. Try the following yoga technique whenever you feel the need to relax. Inhale deeply through you nose to the count of eight. Then, with lips puckered, exhale very slowly through your mouth to the count of 16, or for as long as you can. Concentrate on the long sighing sound and feel the tension dissolve. Repeat 10 times.

4. Inoculate yourself against a feared event. Example: before speaking in public, take time to go over every part of the experience in your mind. Imagine what you’ll wear, what the audience will look like, how you will present your talk, what the questions will be and how you will answer them, etc. Visualize the experience the way you would have it be. You’ll likely find that when the time comes to make the actual presentation, it will be “old hat” and much of your anxiety will have fled.

5. When the stress of having to get a job done gets in the way of getting the job done, diversion ‘ a voluntary change in activity and/or environment ‘ may be just what you need.

6. Talk it out. Discussing your problems with a trusted friend can help clear your mind of confusion so you can concentrate on problem solving.

7. One of the most obvious ways to avoid unnecessary stress is to select an environment (work, home, leisure) which is in line with your personal needs and desires. If you hate desk jobs, don’t accept a job which requires that you sit at a desk all day. If you hate to talk politics, don’t associate with people who love to talk politics, etc.

8. Learn to live one day at a time.

9. Every day, do something you really enjoy.

10. Add an ounce of love to everything you do.

11. Take a hot bath or shower (or a cool one in summertime) to relieve tension.

12. Do something for somebody else.

13. Focus on understanding rather than on being understood; on loving rather than on being loved.

14. Do something that will improve your appearance. Looking better can help you feel better.

15. Schedule a realistic day. Avoid the tendency to schedule back-to-back appointments; allow time between appointments for a breathing spell

16. Become more flexible. Some things are worth not doing perfectly and some issues are well to compromise upon.

17. Eliminate destructive self-talk: “I’m too old to,” “I’m too fat to,” etc.

18. Use your weekend time for a change of pace. If you work week is slow and patterned, make sure there is action and time for spontaneity built into your weekends. If your work week is fast-paced and full of people and deadlines, seek peace and solitude during your days off. Feel as if you aren’t accomplishing anything at work’ Tackle a job on the weekend which you can finish to your satisfaction.

19. “Worry about the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.” That’s another way of saying: take care of the today’s as best you can and the yesterdays and the tomorrows will take care of themselves.

20. Do one thing at a time. When you are with someone, be with that person and with no one or nothing else. When you are busy with a project, concentrate on doing that project and forget about everything else you have to do.

21. Allow yourself time everyday for privacy, quiet, and introspection.

22. If an especially unpleasant task faces you, do it early in the day and get it over with; then the rest of your day will be free of anxiety.

23. Learn to delegate responsibility to capable others.

24. Don’t forget to take a lunch break. Try to get away from your desk or work area in body and mind, even if it’s just for 15 or 20 minutes.

25. Forget about counting to 10. Count to 1,000 before doing something or saying anything that could make matters worse.

And now just a couple more!

26. Have a forgiving view of events and people. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world.

27. Have an optimistic view of the world. Believe that most people are doing the best they can.

How about you? I bet you have a lot of great coping mechanisms for stress that you use at times and just simply forget. Try to start living your life for today and making sure that you don’t compound problems when they just aren’t as bad as you are worried they could get.

Related Blogs

  • Related Blogs on Fitness
Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

Take Control Of Your High Blood Pressure – At Home

High blood pressure cures can be useful for people suffering from this dangerous condition. High blood pressure or hypertension is usually diagnosed when the blood pressure is consistently 140/90 or more (including being over one of those measurements but not the other).

Normal pressure is defined as between 90/60 and 120/80. Between 120/80 and 140/90 there is a gray area where you have a slightly increased risk of the complications associated with hypertension (including stroke, heart attack and kidney failure) but not so much that hypertension would be diagnosed.

If you are in this band you should have your blood pressure checked regularly and take steps to lower it.

High Blood Pressure Cureshealthcare

There are many things that you can do to help control your high blood pressure. The best is to combine them all.

High Blood Pressure Cures – Reduce Weight

There is a strong link between obesity and hypertension. If you are over your doctor will already have suggested that you try to lose some . However, it is best to lose slowly and you probably want to deal with your hypertension fast. So it is good news that there are other high blood pressure remedies that you can try too.

High Blood Pressure Cures – Reduce Stress

Stress is well known to lead to high blood pressure. There are many stress busting techniques that you can learn but one of the best for lowering the blood pressure consistently is meditation. A few minutes of deeply relaxing meditation morning and evening can have a big effect on your stress levels throughout the day.

You can learn meditation with a local class or on your own from a CD. Most Buddhist groups teach meditation but it is not only a Buddhist practice. Many yoga teachers include meditation in their classes or you may find relaxation classes which will be based around meditation.

High Blood Pressure Cures – Avoid Salt

Salt can cause or contribute to high blood pressure when the levels of salt in the diet are too high for the kidneys to process quickly. How much difference salt makes to blood pressure depends on the individual and how efficiently their kidneys deal with salt.

Some people are salt sensitive and even a diet that is moderate in salt will contribute to hypertension. But most of us eat high levels of salt and a reduction will help almost anybody who has high blood pressure.

This does not necessarily mean you have to stop using salt completely. A pinch of salt in a pan of vegetables will not give you much sodium. However, you should not add salt at the table or eat foods that are high in salt – including most packaged foods.

So throw out the TV dinners and start cooking from fresh. A diet based around fresh vegetables, fruits and grains with some beans and low fat dairy products will be best for your hypertension. Check the sodium content on any frozen, canned or packaged foods. Cut down on meat, fats and sugar as well as salt.

If your diet has not included many fruits and vegetables until now, it may also help to increase your potassium consumption to balance out some of the sodium. High potassium foods include bananas, cantaloupe, spinach and yogurt.

High Blood Pressure Cures – Other Substances To Avoid

Alcohol can make hypertension worse. Subject to what your doctor says about your individual condition, you can probably have the occasional alcoholic drink but you should avoid drinking a lot at one time or drinking regularly. Some people find it easier to quit completely.

Licorice raises the blood pressure so you should always avoid liquorice if you suffer from hypertension. This may sound easy but licorice can be found as an ingredient where you might not expect it. It is often used in medications, e.g. for coughs, sore throats and peptic ulcers, so always check labels.

You should also avoid non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Motrin and Ibuprofen.

Consult with your doctor to have your blood pressure checked and ask about high blood pressure cures for your individual case.

Related Blogs

  • Related Blogs on Fitness
Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

How To Portion Food – And not be hungry

The dieter who thinks he or she can visually determine 6 ounces of meat or half cup of ice cream probably is not doing all that well on the diet. Successful diets require food scales, measuring cups, and no guesswork.

For most, it’s impossible to visualize a serving size, especially if the dieter measures by hunger level versus by a scale.

Why Worry About Portion Control?

how to contol food portions

How to Portion Food

Portion control is essential. That half-cup of ice cream, if not measured, could go from 120 calories to 400 calories with one “just a bit more” scoop. Consider bagels or muffins, which were once a safe 100 calories.

Today’s supersized breakfast breads can blow a dieter’s entire calorie count before lunchtime.

A dieter must cut back on the quantity of food eaten. That’s not easy in a country in which the perception is ingrained that large portions of food are desirable and small portions make one feel cheated.

The types of food being served can determine portion control. If dinner is a platter of spaghetti with meatballs, cook just enough for the number of diners being served. If the side dish is steamed vegetables, feel free to cook extra. The larger the portions that are served, the more people will eat (whether they are hungry or mindlessly eating).

How to Portion Food

  1. Measure your food! Always!
  2. If you don’t have a scale on measuring cups, consider these measurements:
  •   ½ cup is the size of an ice cream scoop
  •   1 cup is the size of a tennis ball
  •   1 ounce of cheese is the size of a domino
  1. When serving a meal, serve from the stove, versus large serving platters
  2. Reduce the size of your dinner plates. Smaller plates make for smaller portions.
  3. Break down your purchases into single serving packs. For example, instead of freezing an entire package of ground turkey, divide it into individual portions and freeze then individually.
  4. When eating out, check the menu for portion hints. If the offering is a double chicken breast, anticipate taking half home. If the baked potato is jumbo, ask for a take home box immediately. If it’s a 12-ounce steak, anticipate cutting it in half.
  5. Increase the visual portion sizes on your plate by decreasing the high carbs and replacing them with more vegetables.
  6. Looking forward to dessert? Cut the treat in half by sharing.
  7. Turn off your television. Controlling how much you eat requires paying attention. If you’re watching television or playing computer games, you are more likely to mindlessly eat.
  8. Think visual. The more food that is in front of you, the more you are likely to eat. Consider the reaction to dining on a platter of pasta versus a single serving of pasta. You can feel full with the single serving of pasta whereas you will feel stuffed and guilty with the platter of pasta.
  9. Don’t eat out of a box or bag. That popcorn should be served in a small bowl, not consumed by the fistful from the bag.
  10. If available try a restaurants tasting menu. It’s fun, it offers variety, and it’s portion control.
  11. Read nutrition labels: Determine the amount of food in a serving and then measure it out.
  12. Don’t trust your eyes. Measure everything.

Our minds are skewed by the bounty of food that is available. Some steak houses offer a whopping 18 ounces prime rib. Faced with that large slab of beef, some diners forget that 18 ounces of meat could feed a family of four at their kitchen table. Instead, the meat eater thinks: “It is in front of me; I will eat it all.”

I know that there are lots of ways that we have opportunities to overeat so following these portion control tips are really key to getting the right amount of food, being satisfied eating, and not overeating.

Are these great tips for you? I know that there are lots of tricks that help me with portion control and I think I have covered them all here.