Briefly on stress

At times one has time, at times one tends to suffer from the lack of it. That is what is happening to me lately-maybe it is my fault-“too much on my plate”. I often get into corners like this, but lately so much information has resurfaced from my past, that has come to my attention, which I know I need to do. And for some obvious reason it is making a tremendous shifts in my life-some would call this “being in the zone”.

So-maybe then I have more insight into some areas of  life-see I am already all with it, as I said it in the present tense. What insight you may ask? Well as humans we do have many commonalities, though we are as individual as a snow flake. One thing that we all have in common is  “stress”-and the truth about this beast, that it is all in our control to dampen it down and understand that we are not a slave to it.

Most diseases start at a psychological level, whether you believe it or not. Stress is the trigger in turning on many unfavorable genes that may cause disease. Stress is a biological need to protect life  and produce “the fight or flight” response, with its hormone cortisol. Today`s lifestyle demonstrates that we are in an almost constant stress mode, which is very harmful to the system, then we wonder why we have so many health problems.  

We dream of a magic bullet to make us well and whole again. The magic bullet is decreasing the "stress hormones" and   raising of the "dampening hormone".  This lessens the stress-by reducing cortisol, adrinelin and norepinephrin and by increasing serotonin levels, as well as increasing the hormone DHEA which is one of the most important hormones in connection with aging as well.  One can have actual  power over ones hormones at will -by controlling the stress, there by controlling the “on and off “switch of  our genes; controlling actual gene expression.

I am not going to go into a huge dissertation about stress, neither about all the physiology or all the problem that it causes-needless to say it is the bottom line to most health problems-including aging and the health of the “telomeres” are triggered by the stress hormone.

Now one has to acknowledge that many of our problems that we carry are “emotional baggage” from the past, not just the present. This needs to be dealt with, and allowed to go. How do we do this? Easy-but one needs to do it. Neither are they secret-or magic or mystical. Nor does it cost anything but time.

There are many ways-here are a few ways that may help you, which I advise my patients, including myself to do. One often falls off the horse, but one needs to be persistent-and there are so very methods –and use whatever works for you.

 1.     Make a list of  10 positive I AM affirmations-recite them in the morning, in your car and in the evening

2.    As soon as you get to bed-recall 3+ things that you are grateful for

3.    Either in the morning or evening  or in your car-have a short 2 minute dialogue with “your divine self” about how happy you are to be alive, what you decided to let go and give thanks

4.    Play some relaxing music in your car- best would be classical; especially Mozart or something slow that you really love

5.     Spend a few minutes in silence-anytime

6.    Buy a spray of “rescue remedy”-and use it when you feel anxious or stressed

7.    Take some Rhodilola, Ashwagandha and omega 3

8.    Burn some incense- or plain candles in the evening before bed

9.    Find a mantra, a prayer-or make up your own-recite it anytime, especially in the car

10  . Don`t procrastinate, don`t beat yourself up; take a deep breath and say to yourself  -“this too shall pass, tomorrow is an other day”

11  . Practice mindfulness-reflect ; anchor your present moment when you are feeling good

12  . Laugh often; check out some funny quotes on the internet-produces the “feel good” endorphins

13  . Drink coffee only during the day; in the evening have some green tea, or herbal teas-with some Valerian, hops, passionflower, chamomile if you are anxious

14  .  Check out “autogenic training”, or some relaxation techniques if you cannot sleep

15  .  Learn the 9 “tapping points” EFT and learn to practice them

Of course there are many more other techniques that I am sure you are familiar with-exercise, walking outside, meditation, diet, sleeping 8 hours- making passionate love and having some great wine-. Well,  it is Valentine`s Day after all.