You: Stress Less..Stress-Management Technique 1

.... and now we are on to the first of the 8 stress-management techniques. Written in blue italics are some of my comments/opinions. Happy reading!

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE BASICS

8. GET EIGHT

• you need 8 hours of sleep to feel restored, to have energy, to let your body's systems and chemicals re-charge and thrive
• good sleep will help you manage your energy systems - essential for fighting stress (these days, specially for a SAHM like me, i find it very difficult to get the full 8hrs of sleep every night. I usually get up around 530am during weekdays to prepare the kids to school, and sleep around 12midnight to fix things around the house and still have time to spend with hubby. I've tried sleeping around 1030pm a few times before, which gave me about 7hrs of sleep, and it did make a difference in my energy level. Hope I could do that more often.)

9. KEEP THE BEDROOM SACRED

• do nothing in your bedroom but sleep and have sex
• your bedroom should be a sanctuary from the normal hustle and bustle of life (with kids still sleeping with us in the masters bedroom, this is going to be a challenging task. I normally allot a few minutes before bedtime as reading time with the kids. But i think it helps settle them down because they know that after reading it's sleeping time.)

10. PRACTICE GOOD SLEEP HYGIENE

• make a sleep schedule
• before that eight-hour period starts:
• give yourself 10 minutes to do quick chores absolutely needed for the next day
• another 10 minutes for hygience
• and 10 minutes for meditation
• make sure your room is cool. The ideal sleep temp seems to be around 67 degrees (that's around 20 degrees celsius?! BRrrrrrrrr)

11. ADD IN A POWER NAP

• just make sure to keep it under thirty minutes (having an alarm clock helps. Or probably ask the kids to wake you up when they're done with their work. That's what i do :) )
• any longer than that and you'll slip into a stage of deeper sleep so close to the dreamy REM phase that when awakened from it, you'll feel hung over and drowsy (sleep inertia)
• at less than thirty minutes, a nap can be invigorating
• naps enable your body and brain to reboot and are commonly practiced in societies that boast great energy and longevity

12. GET SOME AID

• some patients like velarian root (though it has an energizing effect in 10 percent of people), passion flower, theanine, hops, and melatonin (0.5 to 3mg, esp of you're jet-lagged or working weird shift hours)
• calcium (600mg) and magnesium (300mg) are also helpful. These can help you get to sleep and wake up refreshed with no hangover
• try an essential oil aromatherapy for sleep

13. USE FOOD IN YOUR FAVOR

• food is nature's best medicine, especially when it comes to maintaining energy levels throughout the day
• higher energy levels will most effectively help you manage stress and avoid ups and downs that can come from eating unhealthy foods
• eat a balance of lean protein, healthy carbohydrates, and healthy foods
• aim to consume high-quality protein (eg. nuts and fish) and low-carb diet, and include lots of fruits, vegetables and 100 whole grains (still working on this balanced diet regimen)

14. DRINK UP

• drink as much water as it takes to keep your mouth and lips moist throughout the day, so that your urine is clear enough to read through
• one hidden cause of fatigue is a little bit of dehydration
• if you're feeling a little low, a glass of water (and not a bag of M&Ms) may be the jolt you really need. (argh! I normally take chocolates. But i found out, after reading this, that water does help. I always keep a small bottle of water in the fridge so anytime i feel thirsty it's easy to pop the bottle and quench that thirst and feel reenergized)

15. AVOID SIMPLE SUGARS

• they end in -ose (eg. glucose, sucrose, maltose, dextrose etc except ribose
• avoid syrups (another word for sugar), any grain by whole grains (since processed grains turn into simple sugars and increase your blood sugar quickly), and saturated and trans fats

16. GO TURKEY

• turkey contains tryptophan (increases serotonin to improve your mood, combat depression and help you resist cravings for simple carbs)
• try chicken soup and dark chocolate (preferably not in the same bowl)

17. DEVELOP A LIST OF EMERGENCY FOODS

• they can satisfy you when cravings get the best of you
• V8 juice, a handful of nuts, fruit, cut-up vegetables, or even a little guacamole

18. CHANGE THE TEMPTATION

• first trick to eating out is choosing a place that offers many healthy options 
• be especially aware of danger zones 
• the first ten minutes of the meal (order veggies and olive oil, instead of bread)
• the last ten minutes (have your glass of wine at the end of the meal, rather than a slab of chocolate mousse cake)

19. MANAGE THE DRIVE-THROUGH

• there are some main dishes that can be good for you, but you have to be careful. Some slight name variations can make the difference between causing your fat and keeping you flat.
• avoid side dishes and desserts. They're mostly loaded with bad fats and simple sugars, and they often have more calories than the main dishes
• choose low-calorie dressing, not low-fat. Low-fat dressings are steeped in HFCs, which has plenty of calories, and the fructose tricks your body into staying hungry.

20. MAKE THIS FOR BREAKFAST

21. MAKE THIS TO HAVE ON HAND

22. TURN BAD FOOD GOOD

23. CHOOSE THE ENERGY VITAMIN

• you need B vitamins for your mitochondria (your body's power plants) to produce energy from glucose
• take half a multivitamin in the morning and evening (twice a day to keep table levels, since we pee the water-soluble vitamins out) to keep you energized
• you may want to get your vitamin B12 and D3 levels checked yearly. You may be the rate person who doesn't absorb them well from your stomach and intestine and needs a B12 vitamin injection yearly, or 3000 IU daily (in pill form) of vitamin D3.

24. GO GREEN

• green tea has been shown to have a very high content of polyphenols (chemicals with potent antioxidant properties, believed to be greater than even vitamin C's). They give tea its bitter flavor.
• because green tea leaves are young and have not been oxidized, green tea has up to 40% polyphenols, while black tea contains only about 10%
• green tea has 1/3 the caffeine of black tea, but it's been shown to yield the same level of energy and attentiveness in more even levels than the ups and downs associated with other caffeinated drinks
• just don't drink milk with it - the casein in milk has been shown to inhibit the beneficial effects of tea

25. IF YOU CHOOSE AN ENERGY DRINK, CHOOSE CAREFULLY

• do they work? There are just not enough data to be sure.
• if you want to indulge, go for the ones with the lowest sugar content
• many are loaded with caffeine or its equivalent (eg. taurine and guarana)

26. EMBRACE CHIA

• a whole grain used by the Aztecs as their main energy source
• chia can help restore energy levels and decrease inflammation because of its omega-3 fatty acids
• similar to cornstarch, it can be used as a thickening agent and as a substitute for whole grains in your diet
• whole grains are especially important because they help stabilize blood sugar levels

27. SOCK IT UP

• when your legs feel heavy, use socks or stockings that compress your feet, calves and thighs
• decreases the chance of developing varicose veins
• will make your legs stronger and better rested
• stockings/socks decrease the pooling of blood in your legs, letting your heart function better
• choose ones with pressures starting at 10mmHg and work up to 40mmHg
• the higher the pressure, the better they work, but the more expensive they will be and the harder they are to put on

28. GET RID OF INFECTIONS

• since inflammation and infection can be two of the dominos in the cascade of low-energy symptoms, one of your goals should be to monitor your body so that infections don't linger
• regular flossing to decrease the risk of gum inflammation
• regular use of a neti pot to reduce sinusitis
• probiotics for treating such infections as prostatitis, bowel infections and vaginitis
• for viral infections, good sleep, frequent hand washing and food choices that avoid simple sugars and saturated fats can help

29. BE A MARINE 

• ... and stand up straight (it may seem difficult at first, specially if you are not used to doing so, but with constant practice you'll get the hang of it. And it feels great! You will also look more confident.)
• good posture promotes strong core muscles - and helps you feel energized all day
• correct posture should be practiced with your back against a wall
• tucking your chin under slightly will allow a larger area of the back of your head to touch the wall, was well as the top of your back, buttocks and legs
• the small of the back should not be against the wall (the spine is naturally curved)
• pretend a string attached to the top of your skull is pulling your skyward, and feel yourself becoming taller
• when you're standing for a long time, elevate one foot on a step or curb to help alleviate some pressure
• if you're sitting for a long time, put your feet up on a stool, so your knees are higher than your hips - that will decrease the pressure on the discs in your lower back

30. WATCH THE DAILY SHOW

• when we laugh, natural killer cells that destroy tumors and viruses increase
• laughing lowers blood pressure, increases oxygen in the blood with deeper respirations, and helps address the effect of mental stress on the arteries
• (our family is a big fan of The Ellen Show. Since it's aired every afternoon here in Singapore, we record it and watch it at night or during the weekends, when the boys are done with their homework. Good show, great laugh, good time with the rest of the family.)

31. BUT GO AHEAD AND CRY

• tears lubricate the soul (i have to admit, i'm a cry baby. I shed tears easily - blame it on being emotional. But it helps. After a bucket of tears a feel better, whatever the reason for crying may be)
• according to research, crying may serve as a request for help or to communicate the presence of a problem such as hunger, pain or loneliness, and it may serve as a signal of empathy
• the parasympathetic nervous system is what shoots out tears via nerve messages
• the actual content of tears is a chemical cocktail of various hormones such as estrogen, prolactin (the same stuff that helps women breast-feed offspring), and proteins
• the substance of tears actually differs depending on whether the tears are generated by emotions or simply for the purpose of lubricating the dry eyes

32. IDENTIFY YOUR MOOD

• our moods dictate what we eat 
• research study shows many moods send specific signals
• stressed adrenalin glands could be sending salt-craving signals
• tough foods like meat or hard and crunchy food = angry
• sugars = depressed (it's either i'm officially depressed, or i just really LOVE chocolates!)
• soft and sweet food = anxious
• salty foods = stressed
• bulky, fill-you-up foods = lonely or sexually frustrated
• anything and everything = jealous

33. PLAY

• laughing, playing and relaxing all decrease your stress level (i guess this is one of the advantages of having kids around. There will be times that they will ask you to play with them, and you just couldn't say no. Both of you will love the time together, and it's healthy not only for your body but for your relationship.)
• play decreases your levels of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, while distracting you from the source of the stress
• daydreaming can have a similar effect
• that quick mental image actually improves your brain function, keeping your brain flexible and getting those creative juices flowing

34. HANG OUT

• friends are the ultimate de-stressor (and i couldn't agree more! That's why i try to go out with friends as often as I can.)
• research shows that one of the most vital elements in reducing the negative health effects of stress is to have strong social networks. It's mental medicine.
• interacting with a good friend actually lowers your blood pressure and makes you more productive
• however, there can be too much of a good thing, especially in today's social-network-driven world. A virtual social life, including pressure to constantly check the latest updates on Facebook, or to tweet or to text back in response to each IM, can be a stressor in and of itself.
• in women, it has been shown that high stress levels stimulate a surge in the bonding hormone oxytocin in the brain, causing women to want to get together, talk and de-stress
• when men are stressed, they don't get the same surge of oxytocin, so there is less drive to get together and talk

now that's something new that would help us better understand why women and men behave differently....

• Stress: The big picture
• Healthy Lifestyle Basics
• Activity
• Relationships
• Manage Pain
• The Softer Side
• In the heat of the moment
• At work
• For the mind and soul

You Stress Management Plan