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Andropause and Hair Loss
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The Four Work Stresses of Christmas
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The Stress Test
Stress happens. It’s a normal part of our daily lives. But it is how we react to and manage stress that affects the toll that stress will take on our lives. Overwhelming amounts of stress can lead to back pain, headaches, raised blood pressure, indigestion, sweating, palpitations, irritability, and anxiety. It can also contribute to the development of such diseases as cold sores, ulcers, and heart disease. Are you feeling stressed out? Take the following stress test to see if stress is causing you problems and if so, read on to learn how to manage the stress in your life.
The Stress Test
Do you try to do everything yourself and feel overwhelmed when you are unable to?
Are you exhausted?
Do you avoid exercise?
Are you often irritated at yourself and others?
Do your friends, co-workers, and loved ones often tell you that you often make a “big deal” of things?
Do you tend to “bottle up” your emotions, keeping everything inside?
Do you have difficulty falling and staying asleep at night?
Do you feel unable to handle all of the tasks that you have to accomplish on a daily basis?
Do you feel like your way is the only right way to accomplish something?
Do you spend a lot of time complaining about yourself, others, or events that happened in the past?
Do you set unrealistic goals for yourself and for others?
Do you frequently procrastinate big projects or decisions?
Do you eat an unhealthy diet and frequently neglect good nutrition?
Do you have difficulty making decisions?
Do you lose control of your emotions or “blow up” easily?
Do you often fail to see humor in situations that most other people find funny?
Do you frequently feel disorganized and harried?
Do you avoid making positive connections with friends, family members, and coworkers?
Do you frequently get angry when you are kept waiting?
Are you depressed or anxious?
If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions, you may be having trouble handling the amount of stress that occurs in your life. Stress is an inevitable and normal part of life. You can't prevent it completely, but you can learn ways to manage and alleviate stress so that it does not take over your life. Here are a few techniques that you can use to relieve stress.
Stress Management Techniques
Physical Exercises: Yoga, relaxation techniques, pilates, dance therapy, and general exercise help to relive the buildup of stress hormones in the body and help to promote a general relaxation of the nervous system. Physical exercises also help to integrate the mind and body, relieve muscle tension, and improve physical function.
Mental Exercises: Meditation, guided imagery, art, music, and other mental exercises are a useful way to reduce stress and promote relaxation in your life.
Relaxation Techniques: Slow, diaphragmatic breathing and conscious muscle
relaxation can help to manage stress by calming the body and clearing the mind of stressors.
Social Supports: Sometimes, all it takes to relieve stress in your life is to talk about the stressor with a close friend or family member. Pet therapy has also been reported to relieve stress.
Dietary Changes: Stress suppresses the immune system and can cause or aggravate such conditions as heart disease and ulcers. Dietary changes, such as reducing coffee and other caffeinated beverages can reduce the jitteriness, restlessness, anxiety, and insomnia that might magnify the effects of stress. Also whole grains promote production of the brain neurotransmitter serotonin for a greater sense of well being.
Herbs: There are many natural supplements that can be used to elevate the mood and help you relax. St. John's Wort, SAM-E, Lithium Orotate and marijuana are all popular herbs that are useful in relieving stress. Herbs known as adaptogens, such as include Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus), ginseng (Panax ginseng), wild yam (Dioscorea villosa), borage (Borago officinalis), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile), milk thistle (Silybum marianum), and nettle (Urtica dioica) may also help to alleviate stress.
Aromatherapy: Essential oils of lavender, chamomile, geranium, rose, neroli, sweet marjoram, and ylang-ylang are commonly recommended for stress relief. They help to reduce anxiety and tension and can be used in massage, added to a bath, or inhaled through a vaporizer.
Treating Stress
Acupuncture: Stress causes tension that disrupts the flow of the qi. Acupuncture can help to restore harmony and induce a state of deep relaxation.
Massage: A regular massage in which the practitioner uses such techniques as rubbing, kneading, and pummeling, can be very beneficial in the management of stress. It can help to increase blood circulation, reduce pain, and relieve muscle tension. Massage also helps to release endorphins, substances that have a mood-enhancing effect. Have your massage therapist use a product called “NOPAINE” to massage the tender points. “ NOPAINE” is available through http://www.ghchealth.com.
Natural Medication: If stress is affecting your health, you may wish to see your natural health care provider to determine whether or not a specific herb may be helpful in relieving stress.
Therapy: Cognitive therapy helps people lessen the amount of stress they feel in their lives by teaching them how to reframe or mentally reinterpret the stressors that are causing problems.
For more information on Dr. Group or coping with stress, anxiety or depression naturally go to http://www.stress-anxiety-depression.org.
About the Author
Dr. Group, the founder/CEO and clinical director for the Global Healing Center, heads a research and development team producing advanced, new, natural health protocols and products. To learn more visit http://www.ghchealth.com.
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Stress Management Tips and Techniques from Mind Tools |
More than 100 stress management tips and techniques, helping you manage the job-related stress in your life. |
www.mindtools.com |
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Stress Management Techniques, Stress Relief & Stress Reduction ... |
Mind Tools helps you manage the causes of stress and teaches useful stress management techniques. |
www.mindtools.com |
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Stress Management |
Stress Management. What is Stress? Stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment; it has physical ... |
www.ivf.com |
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Stress Management: Information and Resources on Stress From About.com |
Find a wide variety of stress management strategies you can use in your daily life. Learn about the causes and effects of stress, healthy and effective ... |
stress.about.com |
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Stress Management |
Links to stress management information on the web. |
www.pp.okstate.edu |
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Links to Stress Related Resources |
Return to the Stress Management and Emotional Wellness Page ... Cognitive Restructuring Approaches to Stress Management ... |
www.imt.net |
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International Stress Management Association(UK) |
The leading professional body for stress management. The ISMA website has articles from their journal Stress News, links and general advice on lifestyle and ... |
www.isma.org.uk |
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Stress Management for Patient and Physician |
Stress management for patient and physician. Stress is the most common cause of ill health, probably underlying as many as 70% of all visits to family ... |
www.mentalhealth.com |
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Stress Management: Counseling Services, University at Buffalo |
The description on stress management. ... Stress Management. Introduction Stress is a part of day to day living. As college students you may experience ... |
ub-counseling.buffalo.edu |
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Stress Management and Anxiety Relief |
Welcome to stressmanagement.co.uk - We specialise in managing your stress. |
www.stressmanagement.co.uk |
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Stress Management for effective ways to manage stress |
Our stress management services allows you to find the solutions to all types of stress. We also have professional stress management counsellors available 7 ... |
www.stressmanagement.com.au |
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Stress Management--UIUC Counseling Center |
Self-help Brochures. What is Stress? Stress is the "wear and tear" our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment; ... |
www.couns.uiuc.edu |
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The Stress Management Society |
Congratulations to taking the first step to freedom from the stress trap. This is the place to learn more about stress and its management. |
www.stress.org.uk |
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Stress management - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
Stress management encompasses techniques intended to equip a person with effective ... Definition of stress: Stress management defines stress precisely as a ... |
en.wikipedia.org |
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Stress |
Stress Management. Everyone experiences stress from time to time, so it is perfectly normal ... Fortunately, stress management is largely a learnable skill. ... |
www.cyberpsych.com |
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SBC Academic Resource Center | Stress Management |
With stress management training, you can learn to avoid procrastination and other stress-producing situations. Stress Quiz: How Stressed Are You? ... |
www.arc.sbc.edu |
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Mind Tools - How to Master Stress |
3. Stress Management Techniques. Raising Stress Levels - Psyching Up · Stress Reduction Techniques · Reducing Short-Term Stress - Mental Techniques ... |
www.psywww.com |
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Stress, stress management, occupational stress, stress prevention ... |
A recent survey showed that 70-90% of us feel stressed at work and outside. Unless we learn to manage stress, we will get sick. |
www.holisticonline.com |
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HSE - Stress Management Standards Homepage |
The International Stress Management Association has produced a leaflet showing how employees can work with their employers to tackle work-related stress ... |
www.hse.gov.uk |
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Stress Management Tips for Stressed and Overworked People. |
Free weekly stress management tips and relaxation CD plus practical resources for stressed people. |
www.stresstips.com |
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