When days like this pop up, it can take a bit more than a few deep breaths to pull you back to calm. The important thing to remember that you’ve got all the tools you need to turn a tough moment into a forgotten memory. Even if there is still a task at hand, the unnecessary worry it brings can be a thing of the past.

Next time you’re feeling the crunch, try out some of these stress management tools…

• Eat something healthy! I know it seems simple but how many times have you reached for something unhealthy to deal with your stress?  Many people are “emotional eaters” and grabbing a clementine instead of a doughnut when emotions run high will not only “feed the feelings” but will give you important phytonutrients to help fight the diseases often caused by stress. Crappy carbs also mess with our cortisol levels which can make you feel even worse. Remember this line when you’re looking for something to munch…Crappy leads to crabby.

• Stretch out your stress or walk out your worries! Twenty minutes of yoga or a quick walk around the block can really make a difference when the weight of the world is weighing you down. It doesn’t need to be a heavy workout session, just a little bit of movement and a whole lot of deep breathing can bring you back to a place of calm. If you’re at work, get up from your desk and get a few minutes of fresh air. “Go make a copy” or take a water break. When you return to your desk, you’ll feel lighter and refocused.

• Talk it out! What is it about stress that makes us want to be not so nice bitchy to the ones we love. Remember that friends and family want you to be happy and often are happy to help you through your tough time. So, be nice to your loved ones. A warm embrace is more comforting than a cold shoulder! Regardless of whether or not they give advice, talking about your problems can make them seem a whole lot more manageable. If you don’t feel like talking, just hang with someone. You’ll remember that you’re not in this alone!

• Take a break! There’s nothing wrong with leaving your troubles for another day. And if a problem needs immediate attention, letting go of the woes will give you the strength you need to get through it.  Stop, take a minute, and remember that everything is going to be okay. For real!

My biggest challenge with incorporating a healthy exercise regime into my schedule is time. Of course!  I’m sure many of you can relate to that.  With my commute and work and shopping and cooking, then digesting and reading and spending time with my significant other, where can I fit in fitness?  I’ll tell you where…in the morning, before I do anything.  That’s how it works for me. And if I’m diligent and committed, I’m okay. If I give myself even a little bit of slack, I’m bound for laziness.

Waking up earlier than I have to is the key to my success, and the hardest part. I really have to drag myself out of bed in the morning. Not because I can’t do it, just because I don’t want to. My covers are warm and my pillow is soft, much more forgiving than the cold, cruel world. But alas, I am an adult, and my days of sleeping in need to come to an end.  There’s just way too much a.m. daylight that I’m missing.

I made a commitment to myself this week that I would start waking up earlier than absolutely necessary and that today I would re-visit my yoga practice. So, bright and early, 7am, I was up and ready to stretch!

I found a free demo video from Myyogaonline.com. I’m seriously considering buying a year membership to this website. It’s only $9.95 a month. That’s cheaper than a yoga class. This 12 minute video was just what I needed to get started. I continued with another 1/2 hour or so of my own routine and I feel great.

Here are just a few of the benefits I experienced from yoga in the morning:

• reduced muscle stiffness and joint compression that occurred during sleep
• an awakening of the senses and the ability get my mind going without caffeine
• a feeling of calm and rejuvenation.

Take some time to examine the challenges you’re facing in regards to fitness. Are you busy like me? Is it a financial reason? Are you injured? Are you just not sure where to start? I hear a hundred excuses everyday from patients who want to be well but can’t seem to overcome one major obstacle, themselves. You are the only real thing standing in your way. Of course time and money and injury are factors, but those can easily be overcome with a little initiative and creativity.  If you want to grow, you can and you will.  Sure you may need to modify, but you are always capable of trying and with a little effort you can be even more than able. You just have to start with the basics.

For me, it’s yoga, then I’ll advance to running. I may even buy some roller-blades. For you it could start with a walk around the block and some light-weight bicep curls. Before you know it, your new routine will be set and you’ll be cruising along on your own path to wellness.

Namaste

The easy downward spiral of this situation is that if your injury lasts several days or weeks, or your long day at work turns into a month long project, then you could find yourself sitting among a lot of empty chip bags and once the “toe” heals, do you think you’ll be running for the race gates to start day one all over again?  Maybe/hopefully/definitely! you will, but you may not have the same enthusiasm or strength that you started with the last time.

So what is the solution?  “Don’t eat chips!” Eureka! Thanks Dr. Know-it-all.  But seriously, more importantly would be to have more of the good stuff.  If you are taking a whole-food source supplement, double-up. Have a great breathing meditation you’ve been working on?  Add an extra ten minutes.  Don’t have much time to cook a healthy dinner? Throw a bunch of veggies in some broth and have a yummy soup.  It doesn’t have to be extra work.  It just needs to be extra goodness.  And don’t worry about Little “insert your name here.” When you are finally sitting back on the couch with your mind quiet and your tummy full, he or she will be fast asleep and your body will be on it’s way to it’s old healthy self.

Have a Happy, Healthy Day!

Refrigerator principle for this week…

Smile