Handling Stress

Ways to reduce stress:
Remember Stress begins with understanding your ways of thinking. A thought turns into a feeling. This is where depression may begin; which leads to a behavior. For our purposes, we work with unhealthy behavior. An addict is the result of an unhealthy, destructive behavior, which began by thoughts and feelings. This concept is part of therapeutic treatment. These methods below are created by experts in the mental health field with a little spin by Lila Karoub, and to help with healthier thinking.

1. Deep Breathing - Through the mouth, inhale 4 breaths, hold for a count of seven and release for a count of eight through the nose. Do this 4 times and up to eight times. No more than eight

2. Stretching and loosening up those tight muscles. All stretches should be done slowly, gently and no bouncing. Raise arms high, straight up and bend over slowly until hands are as far to the floor as they can go. Knees can be slightly bent. Hold for 20 seconds.

3. Exercise - This is the so effective for keeping your stress at normal levels, even if it is a daily walk 3x weekly.

4. Rest. Relax. Remember. Take time 3x per week and breathe. Calm your thoughts and open your mind. You can bring yourself back through writing, the process of 'JOURNALING'. No matter what comes out in your writings, it's expression. This is a key component of reducing obsessive thoughts and starts your road to feeling better.

5. Nutrition - Eat fruit, vegetables, soy of any kind, added to your diet. Avoid salty foods and caffeine which could add to stress.

6. Meditation - This is just one exercise of so many. Find a safe, quiet spot for 30 minutes. Sit or lay. Close your eyes and repeat a mantra several times and shut off all thoughts. If your mind begins to think again, repeat the mantra.

7. This is my personal favorite. MUSIC. I love music of all kinds and record it, lay in the sun with it, work out with it and do housework, yardwork, etc., with it.
Share your favorites with someone you like to be with and record some of his or her favorites.

As I always recommend, speak to your primary care doctor to rule out any physical ailments, changing your diet or medication concerns. Your physician and I will do an initial consult with your authorization.