Some decisions are more difficult than others. When confronted with a difficult decision we often try to weigh all the choices. While we’re weighing the choices, we feel our stomach being tied into knots. Whoever is tying the knots in our stomach is pulling the knots tighter the longer we delay in making our decision. Once we decide, the weather clears and the road is wide open for us. What is the best decision? I’ve always felt the answer resides in my stomach. If every choice doesn’t satisfy my stomach, I’ve learned once I choose and force myself not to look back, it always works out. It has for me.
stress
Today’s Health Tip ~ DYK Laughing is Good for You?
Here’s Why Laughing is Good for You
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- It relieves stress. Letting out a good laugh makes you feel more relaxed because it disarms your nervous system,
- It strengthens social bonds. Humor and laughter naturally create bonds between us.
- It increases oxygen to the body. When you laugh out loud you brings heaps of oxygen into your body.
- It may give you a healthier heart.. Early research suggests laughter can decrease stress hormones, reduce artery inflammation and increase HDL, the “good” cholesterol.
Today’s Health Tip ~ What are the Benefits of Hugging?
Hugging has Multiple Benefits
- Hugs reduce stress.
- Hugs may protect against illness.
- Hugs may boost heart health.
- Hugs may make you happier.
- Hugs may reduce your fears.
- Hugs may help reduce pain.
Family therapist Virginia Satir once said, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.” While that may sound like a lot of hugs, it seems that many hugs are better than not enough.So, how many hugs should you have a day for optimal health? According to the best science, we should have as many as possible if we want to reap the greatest positive effects. Unfortunately, most Western people today — especially people in the United States — are touch-deprived. Many people live solitary or busy lives with reduced social interaction and touching. Our modern social conventions often push people not to touch others who aren’t directly related to them. However, it seems people could benefit a lot from touching others a bit more.So, if you want to feel better about yourself, reduce your stress, improve communication, and be happier and healthier, it seems that giving and asking for more hugs is a good place to start. If you feel nervous about seeking out more hugs, start by asking for them from friends and family members closest to you first.
Science proves that regular hugs with those closest to you, even if brief, can have especially positive effects on your brain and body.
What If . . .
What if I gave up multi-tasking, would I feel better? All of us do it. We try to simultaneously juggle multiple tasks. It can be stressful keeping so many balls in the air. What if I did one task at a time, completed it, and moved on to the next task. I may feel like I am walking in slow motion, yet the opposite may be true. As we complete each task and move on to the next, we get a strong sense of accomplishment without adding excess stress.
Today’s Health Tip ~ Practice Self Care
Setting aside time to practice self-care may help reduce your stress levels.
Practical examples include:
- going for a walk outside
- taking a bath
- lighting candles
- reading a good book
- exercising
- preparing a healthy meal
- stretching before bed
- getting a massage
- practicing a hobby
- using a diffuser with calming scents
- practicing yoga
Studies show that people who engage in self-care report lower levels of stress and improved quality of life, while a lack of self-care is associated with higher risk of stress and burnout.
Taking time for yourself is essential in order to live a healthy life. This is especially important for people who tend to be highly stressed, including nurses, doctors, teachers, and caretakers.
Self-care doesn’t have to be elaborate or complicated. It simply means tending to your well-being and happiness.
Exposure to certain scents via candles or essential oils may be especially calming. Here are a few relaxing scents:
- lavender
- rose
- vetiver
- bergamot
- Roman chamomile
- neroli
- frankincense
- sandalwood
- ylang-ylang
- orange or orange blossom
- geranium
Using scents to boost your mood is called aromatherapy. Several studies suggest that aromatherapy can decrease anxiety and improve sleep.
What If . . .
What if today I decide to roll with it and take the day as it unfolds? I’ve never met a day where every single thing went my way. I’ve had plenty of good days. Yet, even in my good days, there are bumps here and there. I didn’t notice them because they were overwhelmed by the good things that were happening. If I’m looking for a perfect day, I may as well search for gold or an oil well on my property. I’m not going to find either one. If I roll with the day as it unfolds, I’m likely to enjoy the day, maybe get a few laughs out of it. And, maybe I’ll get a few great surprises I otherwise would not have noticed.
Something to Think About
Imagine a bowl of bread dough gently rising. If no attention is paid to the rising dough, it will spill over, and the bread will not turn out as well as one hoped. It is the same way with us when we hold things inside too long. Our emotions build up and eventually spill over and it usually does not turn out well. Speak to a trusted friend and talk about things you’ve been holding inside. You’ll feel better.
A Better Life ~
It’s often the small, trivial things that disturb us. We may go to dinner and find the wait time for a table is forty-five minutes. We let it upset us and leave. A better way may be to enjoy each other’s company over a drink and appetizer while waiting. It’s similar with other trivial things. When we learn to roll with them, life takes a 180 degree turn for the better. Today go on a trivial fast. You’ll feel a lot better.
What If . . .
What if I didn’t rush around today as if I were in a 100 meter dash? Some days I feel like I’m running a hundred miles an hour (160 Km per hour) and I’m getting no where, but I’m going fast. I think today I’ll lighten up the pressure on the gas pedal. I won’t get impatient at the driver in front of me at when the red light turns greens and he/she is checking FaceBook or texting (this will be a tough one – LOL). I’ll drive in the slower lane and stay within the speed limit. I’ll tackle one task at a time and what gets done gets done. And, what doesn’t get done will wait for me until tomorrow. I think I’ll feel a lot more peaceful.
Today’s Health Tip ~ Is Crying Good for You?
Crying Has Health Benefits
As a phenomenon that is unique to humans, crying is a natural response to a range of emotions, from deep sadness and grief to extreme happiness and joy. But is crying good for your health? The answer appears to be yes. Medical benefits of crying have been known as far back as the Classical era. Thinkers and physicians of ancient Greece and Rome posited that tears work like a purgative, draining off and purifying us. Today’s psychological thought largely concurs, emphasizing the role of crying as a mechanism that allows us to release stress and emotional pain.
Crying is an important safety valve, largely because keeping difficult feelings inside — what psychologists call repressive coping — can be bad for our health. Studies have linked repressive coping with a less resilient immune system, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension, as well as with mental health conditions, including stress, anxiety, and depression. Crying has also been shown to increase attachment behavior, encouraging closeness, empathy, and support from friends and family.
