FamilyInShape

12 days to a new you - stress

Since I started this series, on December 12, we have covered drinking more water, eating more fruits and vegetables, sleep and cutting back on bad carbohydrates. By the 24th you should have a nice collection of ideas that will help to improve your body and mind and prepare you to tackle a brand new year with a brand new you.

Today I would like to chat a bit more about stress, the good and the bad.  Enjoy this article contributed by the author of The Inner Peace Diet, a tasty little recipe follows the article.  

Stay well,

Finding Inner Peace During Times of Stress

Are you feeling overwhelmed and stressed out by the conflicting demands of work, home and holiday preparations?  Do you find it difficult to find the time and energy to eat nutritious, healthy meals due to your fast paced lifestyle?  You are not alone.   Unfortunately, life does not come with an instruction manual and most people don’t have personal chefs at their disposal.  One surefire way to attain serenity is to eat healthy foods, breathe mindfully, and feed your soul with joyful thoughts. 

Stress and fatigue are rampant in our society. Sometimes, mild stress can have positive health benefits. For example, it can serve as a motivator to achieve a desired fitness or educational goal.  However, over time, poorly managed stress can lead to medical problems such as anxiety, depression, digestive issues and obesity. In modern life, it is imperative to learn stress management techniques in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

One of the most effective stress management techniques is breath work.  Breathing exercises are free, are easy to learn and can be practiced virtually anywhere.

Breathe Your Stress Away

Breathing is of one of the most grounding and calming experiences we can attain. Does it seem silly to you read instructions about a concept as fundamental as breathing? Breath is something that most of us take for granted.  It is an involuntary response that we rarely think about. Air is one of our basic survival needs.  Without breath, human beings can only survive a maximum of ten minutes. Most of us do not breathe properly and deprive ourselves of the vital energy we need to prosper. By training our lungs to effectively take in and dispel air we can literally transform our lives and our bodies. 

The ffirst step to inner peace through breathing is to simply notice your own breathing patterns.  Sit quietly in a space where you will not be disturbed. Take a moment to close your eyes.  Become aware of your body drawing in air.  Do not attempt to change or alter anything. Simply notice your own unique and conditioned way of inhaling. Gently observe how you exhale. Do you empty your lungs completely?  Or do you hold your breath? Is your breathing rapid and shallow?  Does your chest expand when you take in oxygen?  Do you fill your belly with air or simply just inflate your upper lungs?  Is your breath even or is it jerky? Sit and notice your breath for ten minutes.  Our breath is often an accurate reflection of how we live our lives.  For example, does your rapid, uneven breathing mirror your chaotic and fast-paced lifestyle?   In your journal, write any thoughts feeling and behaviors that this exercise stirred within you.

Here are some breathing exercises to help you  reduce your stress level.

Breathing from your belly

Gently close your eyes.  Place your right hand over your heart center and your left hand over your belly. Placing your hand over your heart is an act of self-love that provides an instant sense of tranquility. By placing your hand over your belly you will be able to sense your deep breaths and learn how to breathe more effectively.   Allow yourself to breathe normally for three complete breaths. When you are ready, gently inhale. Fill you belly with a long cleansing breath.  Sense this breath with your left hand. First fill your belly with air, then fill your lower lungs with air and finally fill your upper lungs with air.  Imagine that you are filling a glass of clean, refreshing water.  Pour the water from the bottom of your belly to top of your lungs.  As you exhale, imagine that you are emptying the same glass of water. First empty the air from your upper lungs, then your lower lungs and finally empty your belly.  Practice this breath for ten minutes.  In order to enhance belly breathing, you may wish to visualize your belly as a large red balloon that expands during inhalation and deflates during exhalation.

Healing Breath

Gently close your eyes.  Lie down on the floor or assume a seated position that is comfortable for you.  Practice breathing naturally for a few moments.  Either silently or aloud ask yourself what part of your body most needs healing in this moment.  Place your dominant hand over the area of your body that requests therapeutic touch.  This area may be injured, infected or simply just calls out for your mindfulness.  Place your other hand on your abdomen.  Slowly inhale.  As you inhale, visualize a healing energy flowing into your dominant hand. Picture this energy as a repairing and rejuvenating white light.  With each inhalation, imagine this healing light purifying and cleansing this area of your body. As you exhale, imagine the pain and negativity washing out of your body and your life. Continue breathing deeply and visualizing the healing, white light for ten minutes.

In conclusion, here is a healthy, gourmet recipe that is a great way to use nourish your body and put that leftover holiday turkey to good use.

Relaxing Rice and Turkey Salad

10 ounces vegetable stock, organic and ready to serve
1 cup water
1 cup brown rice, long-grain, uncooked
1 cup whole kernel sweet corn
1 fresh tomato, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup fresh parsley
3/4 cup turkey, cooked
1. In large stockpot over medium high heat, blend vegetable stock and water. Bring to a rolling boil. Add brown rice, corn, peas and carrots. Stir well.
2. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the water is absorbed.
3. Gradually add lemon juice and olive oil to mixture. Mix well. Add cheese, tomato, parsley and turkey. Toss well to coat
4. Transfer mixture to bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least three hours. Serve.

 

Aileen McCabe-Maucher, RN, MSW, LCSW is co-author of The Inner Peace diet which will be published by Alpha/Penguin Books and released nationally on December 2, 2008.  She is a registered nurse, licensed clinical social worker, and nationally recognized mental health expert.  She is a professional psychotherapist and widely quoted health expert.  She can be reached at www.innerpeacediet.com.

Hugo Michael Maucher, is co-author of The Inner Peace Diet.  He is a graduate ofthe prestigious Johnson & Wales University.  He is a professional chef and former resaurant owner with over 20 years of experience in culinary arts and recipe design.  He has appeared as a guest chef on Philadelphia cooking shows and has worked wih the Food Network.  He can be reached via the website www.innerpeacediet.com.

Fitness, Nutrition, Relaxation - Week 1

This week marks the first in my weekly series of The Fitness, Nutrition, and Relaxation program.  These lifestyle changing ideas can be either the beginning of your own plan or added to an already fantastic routine.  I will provide one exercise, one recipe or meal idea, and one relaxation technique.  Together we will begin to add each of these ideas together.  Over the weeks, as we continue to perfect each exercise, change the way we eat, and incorporate some well deserved R&R, we will begin to form habits that are likely to change the way we feel and the way we look.  Who knows, maybe your family will clue into what you’re doing and follow in your healthy living footsteps.

Fitness

Photo by Fanboy30

Get down and give me 20!!

When babies reach a certain age (somewhere between 4 and 8 months- depends on the child) the first physical activity they do is a push up.  Have you ever noticed?  It is the sweetest thing to see them trying to balance that big ol’ head and push up with their tiny little arms.  But they persist and eventually they go from belly to knees. 

Well we, as adults, need to mimic this determination and persistence that babies intuitively show off right from the start.  This week’s exercise is the infamous Push Up.  The push up is one of the most effective exercises because you have to engage many muscles just to hold the proper form.  Push ups test your cardiovascular and muscular endurance as well as your level of fitness. 

In an article on the New York Times, writer Tara Parker-Pope says, “The push-up is the ultimate barometer of fitness. It tests the whole body, engaging muscle groups in the arms, chest, abdomen, hips and legs. It requires the body to be taut like a plank with toes and palms on the floor. The act of lifting and lowering one’s entire weight is taxing even for the very fit.” 

Having been in the US Marines I know all too well the meaning behind ‘get down and give me 20,’ it was never really 20 because we had to do 4 count push ups so we were doing 40 at a time.  If you really want to challenge yourself, give it a shot… count down 1- up 2- down 3- up 4 – that’s your first push up.  Ouch!!!

However, one must first start at the beginning to avoid injury and work your way up to a full push up.  Zandria from Keep Up With Me, writes about graduating from commonly known “girly push ups” to “real” push ups.  “I had established a goal: I wanted to graduate from doing girly pushups on my knees, to being able to do real pushups from my toes. I’m happy to report that I have now accomplished this goal.” So set a goal, start with the “girly push up” and work your way up to real push ups.

Check out Krista at Stumptuous.com, who gives us girls a variety of forms from beginner to advanced, to help us get started.  Men, young adults, yes, you too can adapt these to your body.  The form is the same for everyone and you can start wherever you want depending on your level of fitness. “Some of you might want to start right at stage 1, while others can jump to stage 2 or even 3. Before you move to the next stage, ensure that you can perform the easier exercise with rigid body and a good range of motion.” Who knows, if you keep up the training you may eventually graduate to doing a push up with a monkey on your back, or a 40 lb kid, whichever is easiest. 

The best part of doing push ups:  no equipment or location required!  So what are you waiting for, get down and give me 20!  OK maybe not, but start today with as many as you can, then work your way up from there.

Nutrition

My lunch:  Romaine lettuce, baby spinach, yellow pepper, granny smith apple, craisins, walnuts, egg whites, part-skim mozzarella cheese, olive oil and lemon juice.

Because I love dressing and undressing salads, I will have to start with that meal.  Salads can get a bad reputation from people who tend to ‘over dress’ their salads resulting in no weight loss and even some weight gain.  In an article called Undress Your Salad! posted in the Wellness Junction, and written by yours truly, I describe ways you can make your salad fun, nutritious and delicious without the excess fat. 

The idea is to dress your salad with nutrient rich foods, vegetables, lots of colors, fruits and nuts.  If you feel you must have some kind of dressing, go for something less damaging than the creamy fatties such as Olive Oil and lemon juice or Balsamic Vinaigrette.  Be creative, after all, this is your meal and only you have to like it.   

For this week you are tasked with either adding a salad to an already nutritious meal or replacing a meal with a salad an awesome salad.  Try my lunch above or come up with your own combination and share it with the rest of the world.

Relaxation

Photo by szlea

Ahhhhhhh! Finally, a chance to breathe and engage in some serious self talk.   When I attempt to get a full night’s sleep my mind wonders for hours, inevitably the baby will wake up for no known reason and my 6 hours of sleep suddenly become 3 or 4 if I’m lucky.  My goal is to make the time to rest, nap, or simply relax in an environment that gives me the opportunity to be alone with my own thoughts (not my children’s).   

You don’t have to tell me how busy you are, I know, I have four kids ranging from 18 months to 17 years old—believe me, I’m busy and running (physically or mentally) most of the time.  But I have made it a point, even if it means going to the “grocery store” by myself, to carve out at least ½ hour just for me.

Lately the weather has been splendid so I have been going to one of my favorite places, my garden.  It’s my current hobby and one that my kids usually run away from so that’s actually a good time to be alone.  Jeff Archer at Instant Feel Good writes, “Hobbies are what we all have as kids but only some of us have them when we grow up. It is so good for your health and mind to have something you enjoy in your life as a regular fixture and know that in times of stress, you could escape to do it knowing it will get you back on track.”

Notice the operative word here is ‘escape’.  That’s exactly what I do when I step out back and start pulling weeds or covering up mole holes. Sounds like a lot of work but this is my way to escape from the kids, electronics, and other noise pollution we experience every day.  Sometimes I just say I’m going to pull weeds and if they bug me they will pull weeds too.  They usually withdraw into their rooms like rabbits hiding from their prey.  Instead I go out back and just sit and enjoy the weather. 

Get up a little earlier than the family and if you are having trouble mustering up some energy during the AM hours, read Kavit Haria's 5 things you can do each morning to have more energy on the Wellness Junction.  Kavit writes that "Energy is a source within us that we can increase or decrease not only using the mind, but based on how we utilize our food and drink." If you are a night owl go to bed a little bit later or go for a walk—10 minutes in any direction away from your house will turn into a 20 minute walk since you have to come back at some point.  That’s 20 minutes you didn’t think you had.  The idea is to carve out time just for you to relax, regroup, and get control of your day.

Now, go take a look at your calendar, reorganize what you must, and write it down—I will take time to relax today! I look forward to your comments and updates on how you incorporate these ideas into your daily routine! Don’t forget to share your own ideas with us!

Stay Well,