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• Oct 30 2009

  Stress Tips for Health & Anti-Aging

  posted by Webmind

  For optimal mental health and anti aging, there are several important factors you must consider: a nutrition filled diet of natural, organic foods free of trans fats; high doses of vitamins and antioxidants; a fitness and exercise regimen; and techniques for reducing stress such as meditation and practicing the art of positive thinking.
  
  Stress is perhaps the most sinister disease of the modern age. It seems everyone today is complaining about being over-stressed. This is because the pace of life is changing at an ever increasing rate. People are losing their jobs or changing careers and relationships faster than ever before. Americans and the US government are struggling with record levels of debt.
  
  This change can be good or bad depending upon your perspective. The good part is that knowledge and technology are also progressing rapidly, increasing longevity and living standards. It is bad if we do not learn to cope with this change.
  
  Almost 15% of all Americans will experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetime. That's about 20 million people. After alcohol and drug abuse, anxiety disorders are the number 2 problem facing men and the number 1 health problem facing women.
  
  Anxiety is the number one mental health disease in America. Women are afflicted with anxiety twice as often as men. This is a $50 billion a year burden on society. This anxiety is produced by what? Quite often stress is the trigger.
  
  In addition to increasing anxiety levels, stress also can lead to depression, another serious disease of the modern age. Stress leads to debilitating diseases such as strokes, autoimmune disorders, heart disease, high blood pressure and even cancer.
  
  We know that stress weakens the immune system, which is responsible for fighting nearly all disease. Stress reduction is one of the most important elements of an anti aging lifestyle.
  
  Stress can be useful and even necessary for certain situations that require the release of hormones to energize us for quick action, but continued over prolonged periods of time cause damage to cells and a breakdown in our immune system leading to disease. People with high stress levels they are unable to cope with are vulnerable to abusing drugs, tobacco and alcohol, and usually lack the discipline or are too depressed to exercise or eat a healthy, nutritious diet.
  
  How can we reduce stress and increase relaxation? There are many paths to success, and everyone must discover what suits them best. Following are several techniques that work well for a majority of people.
  
  It is important to understand that most stress is not caused by events in your environment, but your reaction to those events. You create your thoughts, and your stress levels are the direct product of these thoughts.
  
  Listening to music is one of the most enjoyable and effective stress reduction techniques. Stress is synonymous with low frequency vibrations and energy levels. Music is a product of love, which vibrates at the highest frequency in the universe.
  
  Music, with its higher order energy vibrations, enhances and uplifts the vibrational energy in your body, naturally reducing levels of stress. Music is anti-aging, with an ability to reduce stress by bathing your body in high frequency energy vibrations.
  
  Meditation has been scientifically shown to decrease levels of stress. Now is a great time to learn how to meditate if you don't already know. One of the very best ways to manage stress, control your emotions and increase your self-esteem is through meditation. people who meditate enjoy increased relaxation and conscious control of their destiny.
  
  Meditation reduces stress by emptying the mind of negative thoughts that produce lower frequency energy vibrations which attract negative experiences into our life. Everything is produced by our thoughts, including our levels of stress. Meditation increases your ability to manage and control your thoughts, allowing you to alter and control your reality.
  
  Scientific studies have also linked exercise to reduced stress levels. When anxiety levels begin to increase, take a break and do something active, moving and stretching your body. Simple stretching exercises, going for a walk, gardening or cleaning the house are all good ways to increase our activity level. It is amazing how powerful this can be for decreasing stress levels in your mind & body; movement is life and increases well-being.
  
  I find for myself that a good exercise workout in the gym lifting weights is a tremendous stress reducer. I never feel better than after a strenuous workout at the gym. Endorphins or "feel good" chemicals in your brain are released in the body in substantial quantities by exercise.
  
  Most of us live our entire lives indoors. Traveling from their home to work and back again, they have little time to see the light of day. Without regular, direct exposure to the sun, your body is unable to manufacture important substances such as vitamin D, melatonin and seratonin which are responsible for better quality sleep, elevated moods and increased immunity to disease.
  
  When feelings of anxiety increase, go outdoors and soak up some natural healing sunlight (no more that 15-30 minutes without sunscreen), preferably while exercising. Get out more often and enjoy your natural surroundings. Bask in the peace and beauty of nature by strolling in a nearby park or wooded area.
  
  Laugh as much as possible, and learn to play more every day too. Perhaps the greatest stress reliever in the world is laughter. Watch a humorous TV show or a great comedic movie. Going out to see one live is even better. Going outside and socializing is one of the best ways to enhance your self-esteem and sense of mastery in your life.
  
  Science has even demonstrated that laughter releases healthy chemicals to help fight disease. Figure out what gives you joy and pleasure in life and do more of it. Discover and embrace the spiritual child within.
  
  Make friends and socialize. It has been discovered that those who are most socially active enjoy greater immunity to disease and greater longevity. Studies show people who marry live longer, happier lives than those who stay single. Scientific studies have also shown reduced levels of stress, greater satisfaction in life and increased longevity among people who have pets, which give us regular unconditional love.
  
  A diet of organic, natural foods is important for optimal nutrition and health. Among them, abundant quantities of organic fruits and vegetables which includes fresh juicing, high quality proteins (for example, spirulina, lean meats and eggs), whole grain carbs and healthy fats like olive oil. Avoid trans fats.
  
  This is critical for maintaining fitness and feeding your cells with the vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and nutrition necessary to support your immune system to fight disease, and give you the mitochondrial energy to live an active, long and productive life.
  
  In addition to a nutritious natural, organic food diet, potent supplements such as hormones and specialized antioxidants will increase your chances of a healthy life free from disease and premature aging. Among the most powerful herbs, hormones and supplements you should take include resveratrol, fish oil, DHEA, pregnenolone, melatonin, ginseng and green tea.
  
  The law of attraction. If you take away only one thing from this article remember this. You create and control your thoughts. Your reality is created by your thoughts, and you are the source of those thoughts, which you can become conscious of and control.
  
  Practice and become good at visualizing the life you want to live, filled with everything you have ever desired, and think positive thoughts as if you were already living your dream life, and you were already the person you want to become. Make this a habit and you will attract more abundance and success into your life, your self-esteem will improve and you will begin to live the life of your dreams.