Stress-free for a Long Life

Stress has become a part of the fabric of our busy lives, but it wreaks havoc on our health-and our lives. When you are under mental pressure, adrenaline is released from the adrenal gland that tells the body to convert stored sugar from the liver to glucose because the energy needs of the body increase substantially during the supposed fight-or-flight scenario.

The bad news is that this scenario almost never plays out and the excess blood sugar that never got used up ends up being stored as fat. One of two things can happen from a prolonged survival mode. One: Your body will keep storing up excess sugar as fat and asking for more energy from more sugar!

This equals weight gain. Two: All of this stress and colossal effort continually depletes your body of its energy resources until it inevitably crumples under the overload. This can lead to such conditions as adrenal exhaustion, nervous breakdown, or a broken down immune system.

The vicious circle repeats itself over and over again and people never seem to be able to get out of the rat race.

Release Your Stress
Here are some healthy habits you can integrate into your daily grind to free yourself from stress.

1. Cut the Caffeine: Caffeine stimulates the adrenaline release. Give up the cup of coffee and opt for the therapeutic benefits of caffeine-free herbal teas. Or you can cut down on your caffeine intake by substituting coffee with green tea, which usually has 1/3 of the caffeine as compared to a cup of coffee-but with the benefits of the antioxidant polyphenols.

2. Cleanse the Clutter.
Have you ever heard the saying that what you own soon owns you? Not only do these unnecessary items consume much of your energy for cleaning and maintenance, they also add to the clutter, making you disorganized and increasing your stress level.

Cut back and let go. A good rule of thumb is that anything you haven't used in six months can be given away to charity.

3. Lighten Your Schedule
Cut back on the commitments in your calendar. Try writing one day in your weekly schedule to spend alone and relax-and stick to it!

4. Reframe Your Perspective
As you move through your day, pay attention to what causes you feelings of stress. Our response has much to do with how it will affect us; by reframing our perspective on stressful situations, we can often see that the danger is largely an illusion and maintain a calm frame of mind.

5. Naptime: Not Just For Children
How many of us feel guilty when we are not constantly in motion? Most parents know that overtired and hurried children are headed for a breakdown. Unfortunately, adults are woefully unaware of the impact of stress on their own emotional lives. Rest and relaxation are crucial for renewal and balance.

Activities for children like naptime and quiet time are designed to help them rest. You can also benefit from structured times for relaxation. Even a 15-minute nap or meditation session by yourself can reinvigorate you.

6. Meditate your stress away.
Stress is the root cause of most of the diseases that shorten our life span. In our modern society stress will continue to increase-unless you find techniques to manage it. Meditation is the best way to release tension and revitalize your being.

It teaches you to breath properly, which is critical for eliminating up to 70% of your body's toxins and wastes. It also quiets your mind and lowers your stress hormones.

For overcoming stress, try this deep, slow breathing exercise:
1. Sit in a comfortable chair in a quiet place.

2. Sit on the tip of the chair with your back erect. Place your arms gently on your legs, which are bent at 90 degrees.

3. Breathe deeply through your nose and slowly into your lower abdomen. Then breathe out gently. Do not overexert the breathing; begin at your natural pace and gently slow it down.

4. You may wish to close your eyes and calm your mind. Try to do this for 15 minutes every day.