STRESS LESS
STRESS = Any circumstance that happens in your life to cause your body to function incorrectly.
**Leading cause of:
Illness
Pain
Death
STRESS TEST
1 - Do you eat 3 or more of these foods per day?
Bacon
Pizza
McDonald's
T.V. dinners
Hot dogs
Canned foods
Processed Foods
Candy
2 - Do you drink 1 or more
3X's / day?
Coffee
Soda
Alcohol
3 - Would you rather watch TV. than take a walk?
4 - Do you sleep restless or wake up several times/night?
5 - Do you feel short of breath?
6 - Do you have indigestion after eating?
7 - Do you feel compelled to do things for others to make them happy?
8 - Do you expect bad things to happen?
9 - Do you wish you had a different job?
10 - Are you expected to do more for your employer than you think you can?
11 - Do you feel taken advantage of?
If you answer yes to 3 or more of these questions:
YOU ARE STRESSED!!!
How does stress occur?
Life threatening emergencies stimulate your body to produce energy = endorphins
This gives your body the rush it needs to:
Run - if in danger
Fight back = increases the heart rate.
*increases blood pressure = increase in the adrenaline = tense muscles & stops digestion.
*After you are out of danger the bodily functions return to normal - You then feel exhausted & need to rest while your body recovers.
*When you are stressed
organs & all body functions react the same way as they do in a REAL emergency
*Chronic stress puts your body in defensive mode
24/7 = disease
*Whether you are awake or asleep the body never relaxes.
*Eventually, all the Internal organs become exhausted & your resistance will lower.
SICK - TIRED - PAIN
2 KINDS OF STRESS
1 - Healthy positive stress
2 - Harmful negative stress
HEALTHY STRESSORS
*Exercise
*Normal digestion
*Excitement - good news
*Motivation
*Reaction to a life threatening emergency = appropriate for survival - short term
*Leads to health, happiness & success
HARMFUL STRESSORS
*Improper exercise
*Eating to much/wrong kind of food
*Cause the body to work overtime
*Negative thought processes
*Body works overtime - causes a timing problem
*Anger, worry & anxiety - causes our bodies to react as though it were facing a life threatening emergency
*Leads to aches/pains, illnesses & death
3 Types of Stressors
3 - T's
1 - Trauma - Physical stress
2 - Toxicity - Nutritional stress
3 - Thoughts - Emotional stress
The body was designed not only to be healthy but to SURVIVE
The body will react to these stressors = normal response
12 Step Program to Stress Less
1- Understand how your body operates & what affects it pos. / neg
*Be willing to make better choices
· Be willing to make a commitment to your health
· Your Choice = Your Health
2 - Evaluate what you eat
*toxicity = stress
3 - Evaluate what you drink
*Coffee, tea, soda & alcohol are external stimulants = increase in stress on the body
*Learn to regulate body stimulants from the inside rather that external stimuli.
4 - Evaluate how you exercise
· exercise/stretching /yoga = increases body motion = regulates bodily functions.
· Increased muscle activity = decreased muscle tension
· Decreases stress
5 - Evaluate how you rest
*Rest = Repair
*The choices you make determines your quality of rest
*External stimuli = Toxicity - Thoughts
6 - Evaluate what you BREATHE
*Everything that goes into the lungs goes directly into blood stream = Choose the quality of your air
*VS. everything you eat - is digested & then detoxified in the liver = waste is eliminated through the kidneys & the bowls.
Clean out your lungs = Your breathe = your spirit.
*Breathing is the breath of life it is what makes you tick & you can NOT survive without it
*It cleanses every part of your body
*Most underused organ - most people only use 1/3 of their lungs
*Learn conscious breathing techniques = decreases stress
7 - Evaluate what you think
*Thoughts affect all bodily functions - think lemon = increased saliva
*If you get mad/angry the body gets uptight & the shoulders draw up = the same response as if you were in a fight.
*Worry - Will I lose my job? Am I pleasing everyone?
-This will trigger the nervous system to perform the same as if you just ate a large meal
*Our thoughts are very important
*Most people spend time thinking about yesterdays thoughts - loosing out on today's gift of life
*Change this pattern by setting future goals & plan each step along the way
*Monitor all thoughts -
you have the choice to -
think what you think -
NO one thinks for you
*Live in the present moment -Live each day to it's fullest
*Living with yesterdays thoughts takes negative energy = Stress
8 - Acknowledge your emotions or feelings on a daily basis
*Life is full of experiences - It's your choice to respond in a negative/positive way.
*Learn to express your feelings- crying, laughter, physical exercise
*Most people suppresses their feelings - internalize
-afraid to offend someone
*Suppression = Build up of Anger = Explosion
9 - Evaluate your tension levels several X's /day
Ex. Uptight, knot in gut
*Learn to focus on one thing at a time - Don't get caught up in the big picture
*Scan the body for tension & learn to relax & breath
*Learn to listen to the body
10 - See the GOOD in everything
*Most people only look at the negative
*Learn your lessons in life - if you don't you will have to repeat that lesson until you finally see the good in it
*Every night when you go to bed FORGIVE everyone that offended you.
*Allow others to FORGIVE you
*Above all FORGIVE yourself
This is a must before you go to sleep
Because after you go to sleep all conscious thoughts move into the subconscious mind
& then these thoughts will run your body tomorrow
11 - Take charge of your life
*Realize that your Health, Happiness & Success is always dependent on you & the choices you make.
*If you don't like the outcome of those choices - then CHANGE them.
Example:
You drink 5 cups of coffee/ day - you can't change the fact that you might not be able to sleep or that you have to get up to use the bathroom.
**But you have the power within you to cut down on the coffee or stop
*Recognize that there is a relationship between the way you feel today & the choices you made yesterday & today
*You are in CONTROL & you can take CHARGE
12 - Make a commitment to regular self care.
*Conscious breathing techniques - relearning how to breathe more deeply & completely - present moment
*Deep relaxation techniques - relaxing music
*Visualization - replaces negative images with positive thoughts
*Meditation - Quiet the mind is the repeated practice of attempting to keep the attention on one designated object, thought, or image.
Focuses on the present moment and reduces mind chatter
*Combine breathing & relaxation with hot bath or sauna
*Creative time - hobbies
*Journalizing - helps you clarify what is bothering you
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