Stress... Do I need to say more?

Stress is a guaranteed part of life at one time or another, but constant stress can have a damaging affect on the body. It can raise cortisol levels, increase your blood pressure, increase your heart rate, and cause gastro-intestinal disturbance, among other things.

Financial concerns, health concerns, and life concerns can all cause stress, but it is how you deal with that stress that will make the difference.

My humble recommendation is that you find something positive to channel that stress into.  Write it out in a journal, and if it is a problem that you can solve, solve it. If it is something that you can't do anything about, stop dwelling on it and move on to something else. Go for a run, a walk, ride a bike, read a book, or whatever. There are some things in life that are out of your control.

A pipe leaked in the bathroom and now I will have to pay to have the wall and floor fixed. I don't have the money right now.  I was very upset when this happened, but then I realized that there was really nothing I could do to change the situation.  I had no money to fix it so it had to wait, and as soon as I have the money, I have to fix it. That is what has to be done. Once I recognized that this was the only decision that I could make, I felt better.

Sometimes when you are in a stressful situation, there is more than one way out of it. That is when the real stress occurs. You have to make a decision, and each choice will lead to a different result. There is no secret to making good decisions and there is no way to look into the future to ensure that your decision will lead to something good. All that you can do is make the decision that feels right for you, and then not look back. Choose an option, and forget the what if's. All of the time that you spend worrying about whether you made the right choice is wasted time. Your decision is made. Even if it was the wrong decision, you can't change it. So instead of spending all of that time worrying, let it go.

For those of you that are religious, what I have said is summed up in the serenity prayer, and I believe that this prayer could be a mantra for just about anyone, religious or not.

  Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the strength to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. 

Life is short and no one will ever spend their last hours wishing they had worried more. Spend your time enjoying life and making memories with those that you love. After all, that is what really matters.

Healthy substitutions: Fruits and Veggies.

Spring has sprung which means the prices for fruits and veggies are on the decline.  About a year ago I decided to start loading up on fruits and veggies to see if it really made a difference. It was the best decision I ever made. I eat at least two servings of vegetables with dinner, and at least on vegetable and one or two fruits with lunch. They fill me up so I eat less of everything else, and if I feel hungry again, I just grab another fruit or vegetable. Fresh veggies are the best, and frozen are the next best thing. Canned vegetables are still a lot better than tons of other foods that you could be eating, so do what you can on your budget.
Mix veggies (onions, peppers, mushrooms) into your pasta sauce. Cook them on the grill with your meats. Instead of making mashed or baked potatoes for dinner try cutting up some small red or white potatoes and mixing them with carrots, onion, mushrooms, squash, or any other veggies that you like. Throw them on a cookie sheet that has coated lightly in cooking spray. Add a little salt, pepper, garlic and/or basil. Let them cook until the potatoes start to brown. These are delicious.

Grab fruit for a snack or set a bowl of sliced fruit out at meal time. Watermelon is a very healthy snack and is in abundance this time of year. If you make healthy choices readily availably you will be much less likely to binge on junk food.


Good Luck

When stress gets in the way

I have to tell you that yesterday was a rough day. Work was hopping and I was on-call handling patient issues all night after I left. I was frustrated, because I had every int ention of stopping on my way home from work to take a walk on a local trail. With the way that calls were coming in that was not going to happen. I had put in eleven hours at the office, and ten the day before that. I was mentally exhausted. So what did I do? I ate. I came home and ate like it was the last supper. Some people sleep when they are stressed out. Some people cry. I eat anything that isn't nailed down. It is crazy because I am a nurse, and I teach people about nutrition all of the time. So where did this problem come from? Well I can tell you it started early.

I grew up in a family of five children and two adults. Mom was on a lot of diets and she was constantly losing all sorts of weight only to gain it back when she gave up dieting. When she was on a diet we had no snack foods in the house but when she went off the diet, we would have everything. There were cookies and ice cream and potato chips. When a bag of potato chips or a box of cookies were opened in our house they never went back to the cupboard. Everyone would eat them as quickly as possible, because you had to in order to get your fair share. Unfortunately we never learned how to moderate our eating habits. Mom always soothed herself with food and so we learned to do the same.

Over the years I have learned how to eat healthy foods and I am better at eating things in moderation, but when I am stressed out that all goes out the window. So how do I fix this problem? Well, here are a few things I am gonna try...

1. Create a better work life balance. I cannot volunteer to do every extra project. I need time for school, time for life.

2. Carve out time for exercise. I love to get outside and walk. It gives me time to think and unwind. I just need to plan it better so that getting there is not stressful

3. Avoid the stress of being overbooked. Sometimes you have to just look at your schedule and let things go. What really has to be done? I had to be on-call that evening. It wasn't optional. So other things had to wait. By recognizing that, I make canceling my other plans less stressful.

4. Stop before you eat. I have read some other blogs where people use a physical cue to stop themselves before they eat. This is especially helpful when you are stressed. Some put a small picture on their refrigerator. Something that reminds them of why they are trying to be healthy. It could be a wedding dress, a bicycle, a picture of your children, or anything that causes you to pause and reconsider.

5. Get the junk out of the house. It is simple, if there is no junk food in the house, you won't eat it. Many of us have spouses or children, so this can be tough. The next best option is to have single serving packages of chips, pretzels, or cookies and ice-cream bars or sandwiches instead of the gallon. When I grab a bag of chips I could eat the whole thing, but if it is a single serving, I am less likely to go back and grab another.


Well I am going to try these things out, and I hope that they work. I would love to hear other ideas on how people deal with stress.

Sunshine

I woke up this morning and the sun was shining brightly. Did you know that the sun can actually affect your mood? Certain chemicals are released  into the brain when the sun is shining. These chemicals called neurotransmitters, help to regulate mood. Each person's body reacts differently, but it has been proven that these chemicals are released in smaller amounts during the winter months, which can lead to worsened mood, anxiety, and depression. My thought for today is that you should get outside. Whether you are sitting in a chair reading, doing lawn work, or taking a walk or jog, you will feel better.

Life is out there waiting, so get out and start enjoying it.

How to move past failure and change for the better

I have heard those words a thousand times. I just can't do it. I have tried everything. It is too hard.
Change is not easy, and failure is a hard pill to swallow, but every day comes with a new opportunity. It is up to us to wake up and realize that we don't have to be the same person that we were yesterday. Take a shower and wash all of those previous failures down the drain. They are over. There is no time machine that will allow us to change our history. All we can to is move on. So how do we break the cycle of failure? It's easy. We start with realistic goals, make gradual changes, and forgive ourselves when we make a mistake. I am like the rest of you. I hear that inner voice that tells me to lose a few pounds. That same voice that belittles me when I have that extra piece of cheesecake for dessert. In order to make progress, you have to defeat that voice; that inner bitch that makes you feel like a failure. Instead of focusing on that voice, focus all of your energy and thought on the good decisions that you are making. Make a physical list if you need to, or just spend a minute with your eyes closed, picturing those positive moments from your day. These do not have to be big things, like losing 20 pounds. Start small, make goals, and write them down.  Make them measurable, so that you know when you have met your goal.

 Instead of I will drink less soda say, I will drink less than 3 soda's per week.

Instead of I will eat healthier say, I will eat a vegetable with every meal

Instead of, I  will exercise more, say, I will spend fifteen minutes of my lunch break walking each day.



These goals do not have to be about diet or exercise. Maybe you are a workaholic like me. You work like crazy, go to school, run a household, and never seem to slow down.  Well your goal might be to spend one hour each week doing something for yourself. It could be taking a walk, a bath, reading a book, or meditating. Choose something that works for you.

Each time you meet a goal that is proof that you CAN do it. You will feel better and stronger, and will gain self-esteem.

Keep a list of your successes and look at it when you slip up. Remind yourself that one slip cannot take away what you have accomplished. Share your successes with others. Share them with me.

Wake up tomorrow and make use of your opportunity for change. Life is a gift , so don't waste it by standing in your own way.