   
Ease into relaxation
Last Updated: 07/04/2002 04:18 pm
You've made all the phone
calls, finished all the reports and you're ready to do nothing this weekend but "vedge" out with the family and watch the
fireworks. Are you set for fun in the sun, though, or a big immune system crash?
It's
called 'the let-down effect'. You're under stress, your body's in high gear and all of a sudden, it's over. You're done. Unfortunately, once you collapse, your immune system
may too and that leaves you susceptible to whatever nasty germs may head your way.
If
you've ever become ill right after finishing a stressful project or after a major crisis, if you seem to get sick on weekends or during or after vacations, you probably have the
let-down effect. So next time, slow down gradually.
To picture it another way,
imagine yourself at work doing 80 mph. You need to slow down to 30 mph, but you need to drop slowly to 70, 60 and so on.
Get through the stress, then ease yourself into relaxation by doing things like keeping
your mind busy. Do mental games and time yourself, or throw some extra physical activity into your routine.
There's a technique called "somafocus" in which you create sensations
of lightness or floating, warmth, or vibration and these seem to give the immune system a boost.
If you want to "float," i.e., sit in a chair, eyes closed and lift your arms as if balloons were pulling them up.
Do this!!! Do this!!! And do it often!!!
Inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth
and focus your attention on the middle of your forehead.
Imagine you're floating. It's an ounce of prevention to make sure your "down time" doesn't turn into "down and out time."
 
Oxygen
A simple 6 letter
word, like "oxygen" means so much; even more than you may think to know. I've heard so many people disregard my advice when they're feeling anxious or in pain about breathing properly. It seems like such a simple choice to make, and still most laugh it off as being too trivial to be concerned about. After all, they're experiencing the symptoms of anxiety, fear and panic.
Your brain needs a constant supply of clean, oxygen-rich blood for clear thinking. Your muscles need it for vitality. And your digestive system needs it to utilize the food you eat and to get rid of waste products.
All of your blood goes thru
your lungs many times a day to get rid of excess carbon dioxide and to take in refreshing oxygen. So the air in your lungs
must be clean and fresh otherwise stale blood is re-cycled and allows toxins to build up.
Oxygen plays a
vital role in the circulatory and respiratory systems. As we breathe, oxygen that is inhaled purifies our blood by removing
poisonous waste products circulating throughout our blood systems.
Irregular breathing
will hamper this purification process and cause waste products to remain in circulation. Digestion will then become irregular,
leaving tissues and organs undernourished. Improper oxygen consumption will thus ultimately lead to fatigue and heightened anxiety states.
Habitual shallow breathing lowers your vitality, reduces your resistance to disease and can lead to a negative frame of mind.
The irregular breathing
elicited during stressful situations not only makes them hard to cope with but also contributes to a general deterioration of health. By the careful control of our breathing pattern, we may not only rejuvenate our systems, but counter the unhealthy effects of stress.
Take some time to concentrate on your breathing patterns. Inhale through the nose
from deep within your abdomen. Exhale slowly through your mouth. It's the concentration on this technique that will make you
more aware of taking quick shallow breaths that don't help your physical or mental state.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Technique
Also called, "Soft Stomach Breathing," diaphragmatic breathing is the correct way to breathe for anyone. Somewhere
along the line, most of us forgot the correct way to breathe. To try this method:
Sit
up with back straight.
Slowly, inhale through your nose taking a deep breath. Your
stomach should be pushed out by taking in the diaphragmatic breath.
Exhale now,
very slowly, counting in your mind, 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8.
Try it again, but
remember that you should be breathing in very slowly through your nose, with your stomach moving outwards. Then exhale slowly,
counting to 8 in your mind, through your mouth.
Repeat this breathing method 2 more
times. You should be feeling more relaxed and at ease.
Anytime
you begin to feel tense or stressed, use this technique to calm yourself before you lose control of the situation.
Relaxation
Techniques for Relief of Anxiety & Stress
Women with increased levels
of anxiety and nervous tension often need to develop more effective ways of dealing with day to day stresses the minor everyday pressures that women with a healthy emotional balance handle easily but that can be overwhelming for women whose anxiety responses are easily triggered.
Such stress can include riding in an elevator, being in crowds, going to the dentist, or any situation, place, or person that sparks
a woman's emotional charge. Often these charged issues evoke anxiety, fear, or upset feelings.
Moreover, significant lifestyle changes, i.e., death of a loved one, divorce, job loss, financial problems, major changes in personal relationships can be almost impossible to handle when a woman is already feeling anxious and tense.
Being unable to cope with stress effectively can also damage a woman's self esteem and self confidence. A woman with anxiety episodes may feel a decreasing sense of self-worth as her ability to handle her usual range of activities diminishes. Life stresses themselves don't necessarily change, so how a woman copes with them can really make the difference.
How Stress Affects the Body
Your emotional and physical reactions to stress are partly determined by the sensitivity of your sympathetic nervous system. This system produces the
fight or flight reaction in response to stress and excitement, speeding up and heightening the pulse rate, respiration, muscle tension, glandular function, and circulation
of the blood.
If you have recurrent
anxiety symptoms, either major or minor lifestyle and emotional upsets may cause an overreaction of your sympathetic system. If you
have an especially stressful life, your sympathetic nervous system may always be poised to react to a crisis, putting you in a state of constant tension.
In this mode, you tend to react to small stresses the same way you would react to real emergencies.
The energy that
accumulates in the body to meet this "emergency" must be discharged in order to bring your body back into balance. Repeated episodes of the fight or flight reaction deplete your energy reserves and, if they continue, cause a downward spiral
that can lead to emotional burnout and eventually complete exhaustion.
De-stress to save your health
Posted: 03/23/2004 04:24 pm
Last
Updated: 03/23/2004 04:24 pm
Research shows stress can contribute to serious health problems especially heart disease, but there are simple things you can do everyday to stop
stress.
Larry Herman owns two businesses,
sits on several boards and the stress was killing him.
"My stress comes out in the angina where I feel the pressure inside my chest," comments Herman.
Cardiac rehab taught Herman
ways to stop the stress with exercise at the top of the list.
"I do it on a regular basis.
Even when I travel I make sure the hotel I stay in has a workout center," says Herman.
You don't need a specific
workout. Even a 15-minute walk can go a long way in relieving stress.
"Exercise helps our heart rate once we've stopped exercising. It increases our endorphins, our bodies natural opiates," says Stress Counselor Dr. Kaia Calbeck.
For a quick stress break at work Herman recommends closing the door and turning off the lights for a few minutes or retreat to a place with
soothing sights and sounds.
Yoga is also becoming a mainstream way to de-stress.
"By stretching and strengthening,
everything that has gripped up tends to release," remarks Bobbie Goldin, yoga instructor.
If you don't have time to
take a 90-minute class there are some simple moves to do at your desk.
Goldin says, "To stretch
your spine have your hands the width of your shoulder lengthen out over your desk. To lengthen the hips put one foot up, let
it rest on the chair and bring the leg in toward the side of your body."
What you eat can also help cause or relieve stress.
"You don't want real spicy
foods. You don't want real chewy foods," explains Lisa Dorfman, registered dietitian.
You also want to stay away
from a lot of caffeine and try some chamomile herbal tea. Moreover, that stiff drink to relax
is not such a good idea.
Dorfman says, "It robs
the body of B vitamins. It takes B vitamins to metabolize alcohol and we need B vitamins to get us through the stress."
There are certain foods that
can help comfort your stress as well.
"I think of them as warm white
foods, pastas, potatoes mashed potatoes. They tend to have a soothing effect on the system," remarks Dorfman.
The same also
goes with a warm bath or a massage to knead away built up tension.
Furthermore, there's also
a way to relieve stress through breathing. Try breathing in your nose for 8 seconds, holding it for 8 seconds and then breathing out your mouth for
8 seconds. Do that 2 or 3 times for a quick and easy way to stop the stress.
You
can break this spiral only by learning to manage stress in a way that protects and even increases your energy level.
Techniques
for Relaxation
Many patients
have asked me about techniques for coping more effectively with stress. Although I send some women for counseling or psychotherapy when symptoms are severe, most are looking for practical ways to manage stress on their own. They want to take responsibility for handling their own problems observing their inadequate methods of dealing
with stress, learning new techniques to improve their habits, and then practicing these techniques on a regular basis.
I have included
relaxation and stress reduction exercises in many of my patient programs. The feedback has been very positive; many patients report an increased
sense of well being from these self help techniques. They also note an improvement in their physical health.
This chapter includes
14 stress reduction exercises for women with anxiety. They will take you through a series of specific steps to help alleviate your symptoms. The exercises will teach you the
following helpful techniques:
-
focusing and meditation
-
grounding techniques (how
to feel more centered)
-
exercises that help you to
relax and release muscle tension
-
erasure techniques (how
to erase old programs)
-
healing the inner child
-
visualizations
-
affirmations
These techniques
will help you cope with stress more efficiently, make your thoughts more calm and peaceful, and help you learn to relax,
while you build self esteem and self confidence. Try them all; then decide which ones produce the greatest benefits for you.
New method of relaxation may replace pain medication
Posted: 10/28/2002 04:22 pm
Last
Updated: 10/28/2002 06:06 pm
Imagine coming out of surgery & not needing pain medication.
Millions of Americans undergo surgery each year & recovery is often long & painful. For the most part, pain medication
is usually a necessity. However, researchers say that learning how to relax can have a major impact on your surgery.
Relaxation consists of a 5 step program:
- Patients listen to a relaxation tape twice a day before surgery.
- Patients learn to visualize recovery & turn fears into healing.
- have friends & family wrap the patient in a blanket of love or prayers for a half hour before surgery.
- Develop a supportive relationship w/the doctor.
- Have the anesthesiologist read healing statements to the patient throughout the surgery.
Patients who use this program have less bleeding in the operating room & have fewer complications after surgery.
Meditation
May Bolster Brain Activity
Buddhist
Meditation May Produce Lasting Changes in the Brain
by Jennifer Warner on Wednesday, November 10, 2004
WebMD Medical
News
Nov. 10, 2004 -- Meditation may not only produce a calming effect, but new research suggests that the practice of Buddhist meditation may produce lasting changes in the brain.
Researchers found that monks
who spent many years in Buddhist meditation training show significantly greater brain activity
in areas associated w/learning & happiness than those who have never practiced meditation.
The results suggest that long-term
mental training, such as Buddhist meditation, may prompt both short & long-term changes
in brain activity & function.
Buddhist Meditation May Change
the Brain
In the study, which appears
in this week's online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, researchers compared the brain
activity of 8 long-time Buddhist monks & 10 healthy students.
The average age of the monks
was 49 & each had undergone mental training in meditation for 10,000 to 50,000 hours
over the course of 15 to 40 years.
The students' average age
was 21. They had no prior experience in meditation & received one week of meditative
training before the start of the study.
Both groups were asked to
practice compassionate meditation, which doesn't require concentration on specific things.
Instead, the participants are instructed to generate a feeling of love & compassion w/out drawing attention to a particular object.
Researchers measured brain
activity before, during & after meditation using electroencephalograms.
They found striking differences
between the two groups in a type of brain activity called gamma wave activity, which is involved in mental processes including
attention, working memory, learning & conscious perception.
The Buddhist monks had a higher
level of this sort of gamma wave activity before they began meditation & this difference
increased dramatically during meditation. In fact, researchers say the extremely high levels
of gamma wave activity are the highest ever reported.
The monks also had more activity
in areas associated w/positive emotions, such as happiness.
Researchers say the fact that
the monks had higher levels of this type of brain activity before meditation began suggests
that long-term practice of Buddhist or other forms of meditation may alter the brain.
Although age differences may
also account for some of the differences found by this study, researchers say that the hours of meditation
practice, rather than age, significantly predicted gamma wave activity.
Researchers say more studies
are needed to look at whether differences in brain activity are caused by long-term meditation training
itself or by individual differences before training.
Practice
these on a regular basis.
Quieting
the Mind & Body
Women with recurring
symptoms of anxiety and nervous tension are usually barraged by a constant stream of negative "self-talk." Throughout the day your conscious
mind may be inundated with thoughts, feelings and fantasies that trigger feelings of upset. Many of these thoughts replay unresolved issues of health, finances, or personal and work relationships.
This relentless mental replay of unresolved issues can reinforce the anxiety symptoms and be exhausting. It's important to know how to shut off the constant inner dialogue and quiet the mind.
The first
2 exercises require you to sit quietly and engage in a simple repetitive activity. By emptying your mind, you
give yourself a rest. Meditation allows you to create a state of deep relaxation, which is very healing to the entire body.
Metabolism slows, as do physiological functions such as heart rate and blood pressure. Muscle tension decreases. Brain wave patterns shift from the fast beta waves that occur during a normal active day to the
slower alpha waves, which appear just before falling asleep or in times of deep relaxation.
If you
practice these exercises regularly, they can help relieve anxiety by resting your mind and turning off upsetting thoughts.
Exercise 1: Focusing
Select a small personal object that you
like a great deal. It might be a jeweled pin or a simple flower from your garden. Focus all your attention on this object
as you inhale and exhale slowly and deeply for one to two minutes.
While you are doing this exercise, try not
to let any other thoughts or feelings enter your mind. If they do, just return your attention to the object. At the end of
this exercise you will probably feel more peaceful and calmer. Any tension or nervousness that you were feeling upon starting
the exercise should be diminished.
Exercise 2: Meditation
- Sit or lie in a comfortable position.
- Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Let
your breathing be slow and relaxed.
- Focus all your attention on your breathing.
Notice the movement of your chest and abdomen in and out.
- Block out all other thoughts, feelings,
and sensations. If you feel your attention wandering, bring it back to your breathing.
- As you inhale, say the word "peace" to
yourself, and as you exhale, say the word "calm." Draw out the pronunciation of the word so that it lasts for the entire breath.
The word "peace" sounds like p-e-e-a-a-a-c-c-c-e-e-e. The word "calm" sounds like: c-a-a-a-l-l-l-l-m-m-m. Repeating these
words as you breathe will help you to concentrate.
- Continue this exercise until you feel very
relaxed.
Grounding Techniques
Many women suffering from
anxiety episodes often feel ungrounded and disorganized. There is a pervasive sense of "things falling apart." When anxiety episodes occur, it often takes a concentrated effort just to get through the day, accomplishing such basic daily tasks as
cooking, housecleaning, taking care of children, or getting to work or school.
The next two exercises teach
you grounding techniques that will help you feel more centered and focused. Practicing either of these exercises will allow
you to organize your energies and proceed more effectively with your daily routine.
Exercise 3: Oak Tree Meditation
- Sit in a comfortable position, your arms
resting at your sides.
- Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Let
your breathing be slow and relaxed.
- See your body as a strong oak tree. Your
body is solid like the wide, brown trunk of the tree. Imagine sturdy roots growing from your legs and going down deeply into
the earth, anchoring your body. You feel solid and strong, able to handle any stress.
- When upsetting thoughts or situations occur,
visualize your body remaining grounded like the oak tree. Feel the strength and stability in your arms and legs.
- You feel confident and relaxed, able to handle any situation.
Exercise 4: Grounding Cord Meditation
- Sit in a comfortable position, your arms
resting comfortably at your sides.
- Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Let
your breathing be slow and relaxed.
- Imagine a thick wide cord attaching itself
to the base of your spine. This is your grounding cord. It can be a thick piece of rope, a tree trunk, or any other material
that feels strong and stable. Make sure your cord is wide and sturdy enough. Then imagine a thick metal hook attaching itself
to the end of your cord.
- Now visualize your grounding cord dropping
down two hundred feet below the earth and hooking on to the solid bedrock below the earth.
- Continue to breathe deeply and notice the
sense of peace and stability that your grounding cord can bring you.
- Replace the cord with a new one each day
or whenever you feel your emotions getting out of control.
Releasing Muscle Tension
The
next three exercises will help you get in touch with your areas of muscle tension and then help you learn to release this
tension. This is an important sequence for women with emotional symptoms of anxiety and nervous tension since habitual emotional patterns cause certain muscle groups to tense and tighten.
For example, if a person has
difficulty in expressing feelings, the neck muscles may be chronically tense. A person with a lot of repressed anger may have
chest pain and tight chest muscles. Contracted muscles limit movement and energy flow in the body, since they tend to have
decreased blood circulation and oxygenation and accumulate an excess of waste products, such as carbon dioxide and lactic
acid.
Therefore, muscle tension can
be a significant cause of the fatigue that often accompanies chronic stress. The following exercises help release tension and the blocked emotions held in tight muscles.
Exercise 5: Discovering Muscle Tension
- Lie on your back in a comfortable position. Allow your arms to rest at your
sides, palms down, on the surface next to you.
- Raise just the right hand and arm and hold it elevated for 15 seconds.
- Notice if your forearm feels tight and tense or if the muscles are soft and
pliable.
- Let your hand and arm drop down and relax.
The arm muscles will relax too.
- As you lie still, notice any other parts of your body that feel tense, muscles
that feel tight and sore. You may notice a constant dull aching in certain muscles.
Exercise 6: Progressive Muscle Relaxation
- Lie on your back in a comfortable position. Allow your arms to rest at your
sides, palms down, on the surface next to you.
- Inhale and exhale slowly and deeply.
- Clench your hands into fists and hold them tightly for 15 seconds. As you
do this, relax the rest of your body. Visualize your fists contracting, becoming tighter
and tighter.
- Then let your hands relax. On relaxing,
see a golden light flowing into the entire body, making all your muscles soft and pliable.
- Now, tense and relax the following parts
of your body in this order: face, shoulders, back, stomach, pelvis, legs, feet, and toes. Hold each part tensed for 15 seconds
and then relax your body for 30 seconds before going on to the next part.
- Finish the exercise by shaking your hands and imagining the remaining tension
flowing out of your fingertips.
Exercise 7: Release of Muscle Tension and
Anxiety
- Lie in a comfortable position. Allow your
arms to rest at your sides, palms down. Inhale and exhale slowly and deeply with your eyes closed.
- Become aware of your feet, ankles, and
legs. Notice if these parts of your body have any muscle tension or tightness. If so, how does the tense part of your body
feel? Is it viselike, knotted, cold, numb? Do you notice any strong feelings, such as hurt, upset, or anger, in that part
of your body? Breathe into that part of your body until you feel it relax. Release any anxious feelings with your breathing, continuing until they begin to decrease in intensity and fade.
- Next, move your awareness into your hips,
pelvis, and lower back. Note any tension there. Notice any anxious feelings located in that part of your body. Breathe into your hips and pelvis until you feel them relax.
Release any negative emotions as you breathe in and out
- Focus on your abdomen and chest. Notice
any anxious feelings located in this area and let them drop away as you breathe in and out. Continue to release any upsetting feelings located
in your abdomen or chest.
- Finally, focus on your head, neck, arms,
and hands. Note any tension in this area and release it. With your breathing; release any negative feelings blocked in this
area until you can't feel them anymore.
- When you have finished releasing tension
throughout the body, continue deep breathing and relaxing for another minute or two. At the end of this exercise, you should
feel lighter and more energized.
Often the situations and
beliefs that make us feel anxious and tense look large and insurmountable. We tend to form representations in our mind that empower stress. In these representations, we look tiny and helpless, while the stressors look huge and unsolvable.
You can change these mental
representations and cut stressors down to size. The next two exercises will help you to gain mastery over stress by learning to shrink it or even erase it with your mind. This places stress in a much more manageable and realistic perspective. These two exercises will also help engender a sense of power and mastery,
thereby reducing anxiety and restoring a sense of calm.
Exercise 8: Shrinking
stress
- Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Breathe
slowly and deeply.
- Visualize a situation, person, or even
a belief (such as, "I'm afraid of the dark" or "I don't want to give that public speech")
that makes you feel anxious and tense.
- As you do this, you might see a person's
face, a place you're afraid to go, or simply a dark cloud. Where do you see this stressful picture? Is it above you, to one
side, or in front of you? How does it look? Is it big or little, dark or light? Does it have certain colors?
- Now slowly begin to shrink the stressful picture. Continue to see the stressful picture shrinking until it is so small that it can literally be held in the palm of your hand. Hold your hand out in front
of you, and place the picture in the palm of your hand.
- If the stressor has a characteristic sound (like a voice or traffic noise), hear it getting
tiny and soft. As it continues to shrink, its voice or sounds become almost inaudible.
- Now the stressful picture is so small it can fit on your second finger. Watch it shrink from there until it finally turns into a little dot
and disappears.
- Often this exercise causes feelings of
amusement, as well as relaxation, as the feared stressor shrinks, gets less intimidating, and finally disappears.
- Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Breathe
slowly and deeply.
- Visualize a situation, a person, or even
a belief (such as, "I'm afraid to go to the shopping mall" or "I'm scared to mix with other
people at parties") that causes you to feel anxious and fearful.
- As you do this you might see a specific
person, an actual place, or simply shapes and colors. Where do you see this stressful picture? Is it below you, to the side, in front of you? How does it look? Is it big or little, dark or light, or does it
have a specific color?
- Imagine that a large eraser, like the kind
used to erase chalk marks, has just floated into your hand. Actually feel and see the eraser in your hand. Take the eraser
and begin to rub it over the area where the stressful picture is located.
As the eraser rubs out the stressful picture it fades, shrinks, and finally disappears. When you can no longer see the stressful picture, simply continue to focus on your deep breathing for another minute, inhaling and exhaling slowly and deeply.
Many of our anxieties and fears come from our inner child rather than our adult self. Sometimes it is difficult to realize that the emotional upsets
we feel are actually feelings left over from childhood fears, traumas, and experiences.
When unhealed, they remain
with us into adulthood, causing emotional distress over issues that competent "grown up" people feel they should be able to
handle.
For example, fear of the dark,
fear of being unlovable, and fear of rejection often originate in early dysfunctional or unhappy experiences with our parents
and siblings. While many of these deep, unresolved emotional issues may require counseling, particularly if they are causing anxiety episodes, there is much that we can do for ourselves to heal childhood wounds. The next exercise helps you to get in touch
with your own inner child and facilitates the healing process.
Exercise 10: Healing the Inner Child
- Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Breathe
slowly and deeply.
- Begin to get in touch with where your inner
child resides. Is she located in your abdomen, in your chest, or by your side? (This may
actually be the part of your body where you feel the most fear and anxiety, such as your chest or your pelvis.) How old is she? Can you see what clothes she is wearing? What
are her emotions? Is she upset, anxious, sad, or angry? Is she withdrawn and quiet?
- Begin to see her upset feelings flow out
of her body and into a container on the floor. Watch the upset feelings wash out of every part of her body until they are
all gone and the container is full. Then seal the container and slowly watch it fade and dissolve until it disappears completely,
carrying all the upset feelings with it.
- Now begin to fill your inner child with
a peaceful, healing, golden light. Watch her become peaceful and mellow as the light fills every cell in her body. Watch her
body relax. Give her a toy animal or a doll or even cuddle her in your arms.
- As you leave your inner child feeling peaceful,
return your focus to your breathing. Spend a minute inhaling and exhaling deeply and slowly. If you like working with your
inner child, return to visit her often!
Visualization
The next two exercises
use visualization as a therapeutic method to affect the physical and mental processes of the body; both focus on color. Color
therapy, as it applies to human health, has a long and distinguished history. In many studies, scientists have exposed subjects
to specific colors, either directly through exposure to light therapy, or through changing the color of their environment.
Scientific research throughout
the world has shown that color therapy can have a profound effect on health and well-being. It can stimulate the endocrine
glands, the immune system, and the nervous system, and help to balance the emotions. Visualizing color in a specific part
of the body can have a powerful therapeutic effect, too, and can be a good stress management technique for relief of anxiety and nervous tension.
The first exercise uses the color blue,
which provides a calming and relaxing effect. For women with anxiety who are carrying a lot of physical and emotional tension, blue lessens the fight or flight response.
Blue also calms such physiological functions
as pulse rate, breathing, and perspiration, and relaxes the mood. If you experience chronic fatigue and are tense, anxious, or irritable, or carry a lot of muscle tension, the first exercise will be very helpful.
The second exercise uses the color red,
which can benefit women who have fatigue due to chronic anxiety and upset. Red stimulates all the endocrine glands, including the pituitary and adrenal glands. It heightens senses such
as smell and taste.
Emotionally, red is linked to vitality and
high energy states. Even though the color red can speed up autonomic nervous system function, women with anxiety-related fatigue
can benefit from visualizing this color. I often do the red visualization when I am tired and need a pick me up. You may find
that you are attracted to the color in one exercise more than another. Use the exercise with the color that appeals to you
the most.
Exercise 11: Tension Release Through Color
- Sit or lie in a comfortable position, your
arms resting at your sides. As you take a deep breath, visualize that the earth below you is filled with the color blue. This
blue color extends 50 feet below you into the earth. Now imagine that you are opening up energy centers on the bottom of your
feet. As you inhale, visualize the soft blue color filling up your feet. When your feet are completely filled with the color
blue, then bring the color up through your ankles, legs, pelvis, and lower back.
- Each time you exhale, see the blue color
leaving through your lungs, carrying any tension and stress with it. See the tension dissolve into the air.
- Continue to inhale blue into your abdomen,
chest, shoulders, arms, neck, and head. Exhale the blue slowly out of your lungs. Repeat this entire process 5 times and then
relax for a few minutes.
Exercise 12: Energizing Through Color
- Sit or lie in a comfortable position, your
arms resting easily at your sides. As you take a deep breath, visualize a big balloon above your head filled with a bright
red healing energy. Imagine that you pop this balloon so all the bright red energy is released.
- As you inhale, see the bright red color
filling up your head. It fills up your brain, your face, and the bones of your skull. Let the bright red color pour in until
your head is ready to overflow with color. Then let the red color flow into your neck, shoulders, arms, and chest. As you
exhale, breathe the red color out of your lungs, taking any tiredness and fatigue with it. Breathe any feeling of fatigue
out of your body.
- As you inhale, continue to bring the bright,
energizing red color into your abdomen, pelvis, lower back, legs, and feet until your whole body is filled with red. Exhale
the red color out of your lungs, continuing to release any feeling of fatigue. Repeat this process 5 times. At the end of
this exercise, you should feel more energized and vibrant. Your mental energy should feel more vitalized and clear.
Affirmations
The following two exercises
give you healthful affirmations that are very useful for women with anxiety. As described earlier, anxiety symptoms are due to a complex interplay between the mind and body. Your state of emotional and physical health is determined
in part by the thousands of mental messages you send yourself each day with your thoughts.
For example, if fear of public places
triggers your anxiety symptoms, the mind will send a constant stream of messages to you reinforcing your beliefs about the dangers and mishaps
that can occur in public places. The fright triggers muscle tension and shallow breathing. Similarly, if you constantly criticize
the way you look, your lack of self-love may be reflected in your body. For example, your shoulders will slump and you may
have a dull and lackluster countenance.
Affirmations provide a method to change
these negative belief systems to thoughts that preserve peace and calm. Positive statements replace the anxiety inducing messages
with thoughts that make you feel good.
The first affirmation exercise gives you
a series of statements to promote a sense of emotional and physical health and well being. Using these affirmations may create
a feeling of emotional peace by changing your negative beliefs about your body and health into positive beliefs. The second
affirmation exercise helps promote self-esteem and self-confidence and also helps to reduce anxiety.
Many women with high anxiety lose their
self-confidence and feel depressed and defeated by their condition. They feel frustrated and somehow at fault for not finding a solution. Repeat each affirmation
to yourself or say them out loud 3 to 5 minutes. Use either or both exercises on a regular basis to promote healthful, positive
thought patterns.
Exercise 13: Positive Mind/Body Affirmations
- I handle stress and tension appropriately and effectively.
- My mood is calm and relaxed.
- I can cope well and get on with my life
during times of stress.
- I think thoughts that uplift and nurture me.
- I enjoy thinking positive thoughts that make me feel good about myself and
my life.
- I deserve to feel good right now.
- I feel peaceful and calm.
- My breathing is slow and calm.
- My muscles are relaxed and comfortable.
- I feel grounded and fully present.
- I can effectively handle any situation that comes my way.
- I think through the solutions to my emotional issues slowly and peacefully.
- I am thankful for all the positive things in my life.
- I practice the relaxation methods that
I enjoy.
- My body is healthy and strong.
- I eat a well balanced and nutritious diet.
- I enjoy eating delicious and healthful food.
- My body wants food that is easy to digest and high in vitamins and minerals.
- I do regular exercise in a relaxed and enjoyable manner.
Exercise 14: Self-Esteem Affirmations
- I am filled with energy, vitality, and self-confidence.
- I am pleased with how I handle my emotional needs.
- I know exactly how to manage my daily schedule to promote my emotional and
physical well-being.
- I listen to my body's needs and regulate my activity level to take care of
those needs.
- I love and honor my body.
- I fill my mind with positive and self-nourishing
thoughts.
- I am a wonderful and worthy person.
- I deserve health, vitality, and peace of mind.
- I have total confidence in my ability to heal myself.
- I feel radiant with abundant energy and vitality.
- The world around me is full of radiant beauty and abundance.
- I am attracted only to those people and situations that support and nurture
me.
- I appreciate the positive people and situations that are currently in my
life.
- I love and honor myself.
- I enjoy my positive thoughts and feelings.
How Meditation Reduces Anxiety
by Reid Peterson
If
anxiety is something that bothers you enough to do something about, try meditation. Meditation has a lasting impact on calming
the mind down. The all consuming “chatter” that anxiety creates will dissipate, allowing you to feel and be more
relaxed.
Most of us know this already but our minds want to ask the question “How?” This article will provide
an explanation for how meditation reduces anxiety. My intention is that you’ll understand the knowledge of meditation’s
positive effects, and you’ll be inspired to start, or deepen, your meditation practice.
Anxiety is not a pleasant
experience. When you feel anxious, your mind loses its ability to be settled and calm. It grasps tightly to any issues that
are currently creating stress in your life. Worry some thoughts about the future and/or past bombard your mind when you’re
anxious.
Meditation trains your mind to become more quiet, calm, and settled. It takes you through a process of releasing
physical distress. It benefits your well-being by reducing stress and relaxing the body.
Meditation also teaches you
to identify signs of stress. It can be considered a preventative measure to stress and its harmful effects. But if stress
is already consuming your life, meditation helps you identify how to respond healthier to complications created by stress.
Meditation
changes the way your mind functions. In successful meditation, your mind will fully concentrate on one thing. In most meditations,
this is your breath. By simply keeping the meditation focused to one thing (which is different from stress), you end up letting
go and releasing stressful thoughts.
For example, assume that your job is draining to the point that you feel soulless.
When you are not at work, you are constantly thinking about it. You can’t sleep at night because you end up dreaming
about work. All of your thoughts are consumed by your exhausting job.
When you successfully meditate, you let go of
these thoughts because you are fully focused on something else. Any thought of the job that comes to your mind is quickly
released. You consciously come back to the original focus of your meditation.
Anxiety speeds up the heart rate. Meditation
slows down the heart rate. When you meditate, your breath deepens, allowing more oxygen into the brain and blood stream. The
deeper breaths help relax your heart, slowing it down to help you feel at ease.
Meditation may affect certain brain
regions. Studies have shown a connection between meditation and alpha waves, which are brain waves associated with relaxation.
Some meditations even impact people to be more compassionate, kind, and loving. Certainly, these qualities can benefit us
tremendously.
The next time you feel anxious, remind yourself to meditate. It doesn’t have to be for a long time
and you don’t need to have a guru to follow. Keep it simple by finding a clean space, sitting in a comfortable position,
and keeping the internal focus.
You’ll feel so much better!
Author's Bio Reid Peterson is a the founder of Manifest Creations. He helps people find inner peace
with the use of meditations, affirmations, and manifestations. Reid's mystical perception of life has gifted him the ability
to assist others in seeking truth, wisdom and the authentic self. Learn more about Manifest Creations by visiting manifestcreations.net
Brief
Relaxation
Muscle
tension is most commonly experienced in the back of the neck and shoulders. One easy way to get rid of such
tension is to tighten the neck and shoulders, holding for 5-10 seconds before releasing. Repeat this exercise several times.
You can also release tension
in your shoulders by gently rotating them, first in one direction and then another. To release tension in our neck, slowly
roll your head from side to side.
Yoga for Relaxation &
Overall Well Being
Yoga helping cancer survivors
Posted: 03/31/2004 04:21 pm
Last Updated: 03/31/2004
05:33 pm
Many cancer
patients turn to alternative methods of treatment. One such therapy that's widely practiced is yoga but
it's never actually been scientifically studied for cancer until now.
Currently it's being studied for a special group of women, breast cancer survivors.
Traditional
yoga is more about flexibility, strength and stamina but this yoga class focuses more on the meditative aspects
of the discipline.
"Basically cancer patients face a host of different issues related to side effects of treatment, including
fatigue which is a big one, nausea, vomiting, depression, anxiety, just living with the constant fear of uncertainty, what's going to happen next," says Dr. Alyson Moadel of the Albert Einstein Cancer Center.
Final
results aren't in, but the women report improved emotional well being and a higher quality of life.
If final
results are promising, the class hopes to expand to people with lung and colo-rectal cancer.
10
Minutes a Day to Reduced Stress & Better Health
The "Relaxation
Response" has helped many people to overcome debilitating stress.
If
you have 10 free minutes a day, you can reduce stress, improve insomnia, lessen anxiety and depression and decrease your chances of developing cardiovascular disease. Sound too good to be true?
In
fact, the meditative technique known as the "relaxation response" was described
a quarter century ago by Harvard physician Herbert Benson, M.D. and has been scientifically proven not only to reduce stress and anxiety but also to improve symptoms of cancer, AIDS and other conditions.
Dr. Benson's
1975 book The Relaxation Response, reissued in 2000 (compare prices), has become the definitive work on the mind/body connection and the effects of stress on our physical well-being. Since its description, the relaxation response has been accepted
as a valuable tool by physicians and therapists worldwide and relaxation response techniques
are taught in medical schools and are an accepted part of therapy for many medical conditions.
Just
what is the relaxation response? Simply put, it's the opposite of the "adrenaline rush" we associate with stress and anxiety.
Physiologically, our bodies respond to perceived threatening situations with an increased release of the hormones nepinephrine and norepinephrine, leading to increased heart rate, increased blood pressure,
accelerated breathing rate and increased blood flow to the muscles.
Because these reactions prepare our bodies to flee the situation or to fight, this reaction has been termed
the "fight-or-flight" response.
The relaxation response described by Dr. Benson and his colleagues
is a state in which our bodies undergo an opposite reaction - leading to decreased breathing rate, heart rate, blood pressure
and metabolism.
Almost
anyone can learn to elicit the relaxation response and no special equipment
is necessary. The relaxation response technique consists of the repetition of a word, sound, phrase, etc. while
sitting quietly with eyes closed. Intruding thoughts are dismissed by passively returning to the repetition.
This needs
to be practiced for 10-20 minutes a day in a quiet environment free of distractions. A seated position is recommended to avoid falling asleep and you may open your eyes to check the time but don't set an alarm.
Don't
feel discouraged in the beginning if it's difficult to banish intruding thoughts or worries; this technique requires practice. With consistency and time the relaxation response will occur effortlessly and smoothly.
For maximum
benefits you need to schedule time to practice the relaxation response into
your daily routine. Many people find it helpful to practice this technique at approximately the same time each day; i.e.,
upon returning home after a busy work day it may ease your transition to a relaxed and enjoyable evening.
source: About.com
Stress Walk - click on the underlined link word "stress" to learn how important it is to relieve stress and avoid it in your lifestyle!
The next
time you have built up a lot of physical tension or are about to enter a difficult situation, take a walk.
Walk around your desk at work, up and down stairs, down a hallway, around the block, or back and forth
in your living room.
A walk
even a short one can give you a much needed "time out," releasing muscle tension and allowing more oxygen to enter your brain
and body. It can be amazingly effective.
Exercise when sitting at a desk, during revision or in an exam.
- Stay quiet for a few moments
then continue slowly & smoothly w/what you were doing.
- Pull in stomach muscles tightly
- hold for a count of 5 - then relax
- Clench fists tightly - hold
for a count of 5 - then relax
- Extend fingers - hold for
a count of 5 - then relax
- Grasp below seat of the chair
- hold for a count of 5 - then relax
- Press elbows tightly into
side of body - hold for a count of 5 - then relax
- Push feet hard into
floor - hold for a count of 5 - then relax
The power of music
Last Updated: 09/04/2002 05:13 pm
A new
study has added evidence of the healing power of music. Researchers studied 2 groups of patients with chronic
back pain. Both groups had normal treatments but half had additional treatment using music and relaxation imagery for
25 minutes a day.
After 3 weeks, people in the
music therapy group said they had better pain relief and fewer sleep disturbances than the other group. Researchers believe music helps erase pain by reducing tension in the body.
Relaxation - The key to healthy life: click on the underlined article titles above and below to read more about
music and relaxation.
Music & The Brain
The rest of this chapter
contains additional techniques useful for relief of anxiety and relaxation of tight and tense muscles. These methods induce deep
emotional relaxation. Try them for a delightful experience.
Hydrotherapy
For centuries, people have
used warm water as a way to calm moods and relax muscles. You can have your own "spa" at home by adding relaxing ingredients to the bath water. I have found the following formula to be extremely useful in relieving
muscle pain and tension.
Alkaline Bath. Run a tub of
warm water. Heat will increase your menstrual flow, so keep the water a little cooler if heavy flow is a problem. Add one
cup of sea salt and one cup of bicarbonate of soda to the tub.
This is a highly alkaline
mixture and I recommend using it only once or twice a month. I've found it very helpful in reducing cramps and calming anxiety and irritability. Soak for 20 minutes. You will probably feel very relaxed and sleepy after
this bath; use it at night before going to sleep.
You will probably wake up
feeling refreshed and energized the following day. Heat of any kind helps to release muscle tension. Many women find that
saunas and baths also help to calm their moods.
Sound
Music can have a tremendously
relaxing effect on our minds and bodies. For women with anxiety and nervous tension, I recommend slow, quiet music classical music is particularly good.
This type of music can have
a pronounced beneficial effect on your physiological functions. It can slow your pulse and heart rate, lower your blood pressure,
and decrease your levels of stress hormones. It promotes peace and relaxation and helps to induce sleep.
Nature sounds, such as ocean
waves and rainfall, can also induce a sense of peace and relaxation. I have patients who
keep tapes of nature sounds in their cars and at home for use when they feel more stressed. Play
relaxing music often when you are aware of increased emotional and physical tension.
Massage
Massage can be extremely therapeutic
for women who feel anxious. Gentle touching either by a trained massage therapist, your relationship partner, or even yourself can be very relaxing. Tension usually fades away relatively quickly with gentle, relaxed touching.
The kneading and stroking
movement of a good massage relaxes tight muscles and improves circulation. If you can afford to do so, I recommend treating
yourself to a professional massage during times of stress. Otherwise, trade with a friend or partner. There are also many books available that instruct people how to massage themselves.
Putting Your stress-Reduction Program Together
This chapter has introduced you to many different ways to reduce anxiety and stress and make each day calm and peaceful. Try each exercise at least once. Then find the combination that works for you.
Doing the exercise you most enjoy should take no longer than 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how
much time you wish to spend. Ideally, you should do the exercises daily.
Over time, they will help you gain insight into your negative feelings and beliefs while changing
them into positive, self nurturing new ones. Your ability to cope with stress should improve tremendously.
Massage
What is massage?
People
have been practicing massage as a healing therapy for centuries. Massage is currently the most widely used muscular therapy,
with an estimated 100,000 practitioners in the U.S. Today, the term "therapeutic massage" refers to a range of manual therapies
involving the manipulation of the soft-tissue structures in the body.
In most cases, massage relieves muscle tension, reduces stress, and evokes feelings of calmness. Varieties of massage range from gentle stroking and kneading of muscles and other soft tissues to deeper manual techniques.
Some focus on one specific function of the body (see lymphatic massage below).
Others, such as trigger point and myotherapy, seek to relieve muscle contraction in a target area. Most practitioners rely on a combination of techniques.
Currently, few clinical trials examine the effects of massage.
However, practitioners believe that the therapeutic benefits of massage are due, in part, to its ability to affect changes in the musculoskeletal, circulator-lymphatic
and nervous systems.
Taking particular care of specific parts of our bodies can influence our overall mental and physical health.
The feet and hands
are an interesting study in reflexology...
Even if you aren't
able to spend time studying reflexology, you can notice how much better your entire body feels when you take special care of your feet and hands...
Foot Care... Dry
Cracked Heels
Soak feet for 10
mins in warm water mixed with a bit of olive oil.
Cover heels with
a dollop of Vaseline with ½ tbsp. of salt added in and smooth with a pumice stone. Rinse well and while feet are still damp,
apply another coat of Vaseline or a rich moisturizer. Put on a pair of warm white socks.
Another treat...
Cover bottom of
large basin or footbath with marbles or small, smooth stones. Add about 6" of warm to hot water and 2-3 drops of lavender
essential oil. Place feet in water and draw gently over the marbles for a minute or two for a mini massage. Sit back to soak
and relax for 20 mins. Remove feet and pat dry with a clean towel.
Or try this....
Stir 1 tsp. vegetable
oil with 5 drops rosemary oil, 4 drops lavender oil and 3 drops peppermint oil. Massage feet firmly with mixture, slip on
socks, preferably overnight, to seal in the effects.
also.....
CINNAMON FOOT BATH
(May
be used: to help fight foot fungus and yeast from athletes foot)
4 1/4 cups of water
10 cinnamon sticks - whole
Place water and cinnamon sticks in a pan. Bring to pan to a boil, cover then turn down heat and
simmer the mixture for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cinnamon sticks steep in the hot water for an hour longer.
Soak your feet in the solution for 20 mins. This footbath will not only make your room and your
feet smell wonderful but it'll help you to fight fungal and yeast infections too!
Facials...
Try a pumpkin facial!
Posted: 10/31/2003 02:34 pm
Last Updated: 10/31/2003
02:34 pm
The pumpkin: it's a key decoration
for the porch on Halloween & it wouldn't be Thanksgiving if you didn't whip one up into a pie. But pumpkins aren't just
for eating & scaring! Salons around the country are mixing the vitamin rich vegetable into a festive fall facial!
Pumpkins have enzymes that just grab the dead skin cells & digest them.
If you local spa or salon doesn't offer the pumpkin facial, you can whip one up at home.
Here's the recipe:
- Wrap a 4-ounce piece of pumpkin in wax paper & microwave
3 to 4 minutes until slightly soft.
- Cool under running water to stop the cooking, then peel
- Place the pumpkin in a food processor or blender, adding in
one egg yolk (pasteurized) & 2 tsp. of plain yogurt
- Put the setting on puree & blend until smooth.
- Apply mixture to freshly cleansed face & leave on for 20
minutes.
- Rinse off.
The delicious mixture exfoliates, tones & rejuvenates tired skin,
while delighting you w/ a rich pumpkin pie aroma.
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it's in the news.....
Breathing Methods
Breathing
methods are useful to settle the body and mind as well as to induce a heightened sense of awareness. Breathing exercises have been practiced for thousands of years in the East. The West began studying the effectiveness and
importance of them several years ago. There has been more than enough research to verify the usefulness of these techniques.
The following breathing
methods can be helpful for reducing anger, anxiety, depression, fatigue, irritability, muscular tension and stress.
Proper Breathing
While
breathing is a function most people take for granted, rarely is it practiced in a proper fashion. Before beginning any technique
it's essential that you learn how to breath properly and fully:
Lie down on a rug
or blanket on the floor with your legs straight and slightly apart, your toes pointed comfortably outwards, arms at your sides
not touching your body, your palms up, and your eyes closed. This is called a "relaxed body"
position. Take time to relax your body and
breathe freely.
It's best to breathe
through your nose, as the tiny hairs and mucous membranes filter out dust and toxins from the inhaled air. Keep your mouth
closed as you breathe.
As you breathe,
your chest and abdomen should move together. If only the chest seems to rise and fall, your breathing is shallow and you're
not making good use of the lower part of your lungs.
As you inhale you
should feel your abdomen rising; it's as if your stomach is filling with air. As you exhale, the abdomen comes back in, like
a balloon releasing all of its air. This inhale and exhale process should continue comfortably and smoothly. The chest and
abdomen should rise as you inhale and fall as you exhale. The chest should move only slightly.
Deep, Relaxed
Breathing
Although
this exercise can be practiced in a variety of poses, the following is recommended for beginners:
- Lie down on a blanket or
rug on the floor.
- Bend your knees and move
your feet about 8" apart.
- Your toes should be turned
outward slightly.
- Make sure your spine is straight.
- Place one hand on your abdomen
and one hand on your chest.
- Inhale slowly and deeply
through your nose into your abdomen to push up your hand as much as feels comfortable. Your chest should move only a little and only with your abdomen.
- Continue step 3 until it becomes rhythmic and comfortable.
- Now smile slightly, inhale thru your nose and exhale through
your mouth, making a quiet, breezy sound as you gently blow out. Your mouth, tongue and jaw will be relaxed.
- Take long, slow, deep breaths raising and lowering your abdomen.
Hear the sound and feel the texture of breathing as you become more and more relaxed.
When
you first begin this technique, do it for 5 mins. When you become more comfortable with it, you may extend it up to 20 mins.
Upon ending a session, stay still for a few mins and try to keep the entire body relaxed.
The purpose of this technique is to develop a good, relaxing breathing method. It may be practiced anytime, especially during
stressful situations.
How Breathing Differently Can Make You Happier
Are You Holding Your Breath?
Aromatherapy
Basics:
Aromatherapy is using the
essential oils of plants, flowers, seeds, leaves, and roots to promote health and well-being. Many people make the mistake
of thinking aromatherapy is nothing more than scented candles.
Aromatherapy covers many issues
of health and well-being. Holistic aromatherapy uses essential oils to heal the body (for
example, a drop of thyme oil under the tongue for someone feeling the first symptoms of a cold or flu) while
psycho-aromatherapy addresses the way smells affect our moods and well-being.
Whether you want
to soothe your spirit, or protect your body, the nose knows when it comes to aromatherapy. The scientific reasons behind why and how aromatherapy works involve
the human body and our response to scent.
Experts suggest
the olfactory nerve takes the smells of the essential oils, carrying them to the parts of the brain involving our emotions and hormones. When essential oils are used in bath or body products, the oils are absorbed through the skin and into the nervous and muscular
systems for a restorative effect. This explains why you feel more relaxed when you light
a lavender candle, use a rose room spray, or rub on massage oil with ylang-ylang.
Essential oils are chemical
compounds that can be antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and even antiviral. Essential oils are made from plants,
but not all plants have essential oils. Most are steamed distilled, that's the most common form of extraction, but some citrus
oils like orange and lime are cold pressed.
The positive effects
of aromatherapy have been known for thousands of years. Using essential oils extracted from flowers, leaves, branches, or
roots, aromatherapy is used to treat everything from infections, insomnia, impotence, arthritis and skin disorders, to stress and immune system deficiencies.
In fact, some aromatherapists
even claim the oils have the power to heal problems of the ovaries, kidney, and veins, among others. However, successful aromatherapy
treatments of these ailments have not been scientifically proven, and the world of medicine has been slow to embrace this
alternative approach. Until now.
Researchers
at the University of California-Davis have now released findings that suggest some smells, such as basil, rosemary, and cinnamon
can actually protect the body against disease by acting as anti-oxidants protective agents often found in fruits and vegetables.
It is believed that anti-oxidants may reduce the risk of developing conditions such as cancer and heart disease by helping
destroy free radicals, which are known to damage a cell's DNA.
In addition, a
report this summer from the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry showed that aromatherapy with lemon balm oil has a significant
calming effect for patients who are suffering from dementia. And though more research is needed, scientists are optimistic that more reports will follow.
Understanding Scents
There are many
theories as to how aromatherapy works. Many advocates suggest that the scents trigger a "feel-good" effect in the brain. Aroma
molecules may enter the part of the brain that is responsible for memory and emotion and induce emotional responses which
can immediately calm or energize the body.
Other proponents
believe the scents stimulate certain glands to produce hormones that fight pain and inflammation.
Because essential oils are very concentrated, a drop goes a long way. Applying essential oils directly to the skin can
cause irritation, so many people use a carrier oil (such as safflower, grape-seed, or sweet
almond oil) that helps dilute the product and make it more user-friendly.
Whatever the case may be, aromatherapists assign
specific oils to treat certain conditions. Here are some of the more common claims:
- Chamomile: Relieves stress; reduces swelling; treats allergic symptoms; relieves insomnia; useful in treating digestive problems.
- Lavender: Relieves depression, inflammation, spasms, headaches, respiratory allergies, muscle aches, nausea, menstrual cramps; lowers blood pressure.
- Rosemary: Decongests the
chest; increases circulation, relieves pain, indigestion, gas, and liver problems; lessens swelling; fights infection; helps
alleviate depression.
- Lemon Balm: Relieves anxiety, depression, hypertension, insomnia, migraine, nervous tension, shock and vertigo. Also may be helpful for asthma, bronchitis, coughs and colds; quiets racing
of the heart and slows an overactive thyroid.
- Eucalyptus: Lowers fever;
clears sinuses; has antibacterial and antiviral properties; relieves coughs.
- Peppermint: Alleviates digestive
problems; cleans wounds; decongests the chest; relieves headache, neuralgia, and muscle pain; useful for motion sickness.
- Thyme: Relieves digestive
problems; lessens laryngitis and coughs; fights bladder and skin infections; relieves pain in the joints.
Inhale or Apply
In order to reap the benefits, experts say that you
must inhale the scents or apply them externally. Although many companies now manufacture candles and potpourri as "aromatherapy,"
more "genuine" treatments given under the supervision of a certified aromatherapist are reportedly more effective. The most
standard approaches are as follows:
- Inhalation: Try adding 6
to 12 drops of essential oil to a bowl of steaming water. Place a towel over your head, and deeply breathe the scented vapors.
- Diffusion: Aromatherapists
often suggest spraying oil-containing compounds into the air. This technique is said to calm the nerves, enhance a feeling
of well-being, and even to improve respiratory conditions.
- Add 10 drops of an essence to 7 tbsp. of water.
Massage: Blend 5 drops of
essential oil with a light base oil. A higher concentration could irritate the skin.
- Bathing: Adding 8 drops of
oil to a tubful of water is usually sufficient. If you shower, after washing yourself, dip a wet sponge or cloth in an oil-water
mixture and apply to your skin while you are under the spray.
- Hot and cold compresses: For
muscle aches or pains, bruises, or headaches add 5 to 10 drops of oil to approximately 4 ozs. of water. Soak a cloth in the
solution and apply to the sore area.
WARNING
Aromatherapy is
not for everyone. Infants and young children, pregnant women, and people with skin allergies may want to avoid it altogether.
When using aromatherapy, remember to keep your eyes closed when inhaling the scents, and because oils are highly concentrated,
never ingest them. This could lead to a toxic overdose.
Part of this information provided by: the American
Council on Science and Health, the National Associatin for Holistic Aromatherapy, and the Pacific Institute of Aromatherapy.
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Headaches
[Note:
If you have anything like a migraine or cluster headache - or if your headache came on suddenly and strongly or it woke you
up in the morning, or your headaches are increasing in intensity, or you recently bumped or injured your head, if you experience
tension headaches frequently or on a daily basis, we strongly advise you to see your doctor without delay. Headaches can be
an important sign of serious medical problems or a component of clinical or chronic depression. These conditions require professional
medical or psychological treatment. We urge you not to delay getting the proper treatment your condition requires. ]
 [NOTE: CAFFEINE
WITHDRAWAL HEADACHE. This is a "killer" (hurts!) headache that comes on because you haven't had your usual fix of caffeine.
The good news is it's easily cured. Simply ingest something with caffeine in it immediately - such as a cup of coffee or tea
- caffeinated coffee or tea - not decaffeinated, which won't help you much. Voila! Your headache should be gone in
ten to twenty minutes. You could also take an aspirin or other pain killer. Might help - but the key thing is getting some
caffeine into your system.]
TEN
STEPS TO RELIEVE A TENSION HEADACHE
Symptoms of a tension headache are dull to medium pain on both sides of the head, with tightness
around the forehead, like a cap or tight band around the head, and often include tension in neck muscles and shoulders. Tension
headache is the most common form of headache.
The following process is for a tension headache only (and might help
if you're overtired). But if your headache comes from another source - such as you're coming down with a cold or some other
illness, you've got an allergy, or you're in caffeine withdrawal or you've got a serious medical condition, perhaps a migraine
or cluster headache or other serious medical or psychological condition (such as clinical or chronic depression) or you're
addicted to pain killers - then this system won't help at all. It's directed solely at the occasional tension headache.
Most of us know how bad a tension headache can be - it hurts - it aches - it pinches - it grabs and clamps tight -
and it won't let go! It's throbbing, pounding, cruel and unrelenting pain that can make you feel sick all over. It's truly
awful - insufferable - unadulterated misery. If only it would go away! Here are some things you can do to encourage your headache
to go away. (At least this is how I do it....)
ONE
Absolutely the first thing - Take an aspirin or an ibuprofen tablet such
as Motrin or Anacin or Bufferin - right away - now - immediately - without delay - as these pills have ingredients that help
to shrink the swollen vessels that are contributing to your headache. They actually help your blood to flow more easily -
and that's good! [Aceteminophen (as in Tylenol) works in a different way.] The sooner you take a pain reliever like aspirin
or ibuprofen, the sooner you can start to get some relief.
[Naturally if there is a medical reason - or a
possible other reason why you should not take such medication - then of course don't take them. There are other things you
can ingest too, such as HERBAL TEAS (see below).]
TWO
If at all possible, lie down in a dark, quiet environment,
close your eyes and try to relax. If this is not possible, do the best you can with your situation that most closely resembles
lying down in a dark, quiet place - even if it means simply resting your head on your folded arms as you sit at your desk
and closing your eyes - or finding a couch to lie down on, or slouching into the most comfortable chair you can find.
THREE
Start sipping very cold, ice
water - that is, water with plenty of ice in the glass. Place the glass next to where you're lying down or sitting and sip
it frequently. Occasionally put your cold fingers - or a cold cloth with some ice in it - against your forehead - just to
cool it down.
FOUR
Take a deep breath in through your nose, nice and
deep, feel your lower diaphragm expand while you count up to 8 and think "Relaxation".... I am breathing in "Relaxation"
Gently blow the air out your pursed lips - very slowly - long
and drawn out - counting down from 8 - and think "Tension" - I am releasing all Tension...."'
Do it again. Deep breath in through your nose, counting
up to 8 - 'I am inhaling Relaxation...'
Let it out slowly, through your pursed lips - counting down
from 8 - while you think, 'I'm exhaling Tension...'
And one more time - for a total of three deep, long breaths,
counting up to 8 - and back down to one - inhaling Relaxation - exhaling Tension.
FIVE
Do as thorough a muscle relaxation as your circumstances permit.
Here's one form.
Lie on your bed - (If you're limited to sitting in a chair -
that's fine - this will still work for you...) straight - on your back, preferably w/out a pillow, so you're in a nice
straight line, not rigid, very relaxed, hands resting by your side. Then, while lying on your back, your hands gently at your
side, (or sitting in your chair) relax each muscle group in your body.
Start by focusing on the muscles
in your left foot. First tense up the muscles in your left foot - scrunch up the foot... Hold for a moment & release...
Then scrunch up, hold for a moment & release the muscles in your right foot. Then your legs - tense up the muscles in
your left leg - hold for a moment & then relax... then your right leg - tense - hold - then relax... work
your way up to your thighs - squeeze each muscle, hold for a moment, then relax it - just let it go & slowly, gently
continue working your way up your body - tensing & relaxing every group of muscles - your stomach, your buttocks, your
chest, your arms, your neck, your chin, your face, your forehead, your scalp - til you get to the hair on top of your head.
Then reverse direction and work your way back down to your feet
- muscle group by muscle group - tensing and relaxing - all the way down your body.
If you do this properly (thoroughly), by the time you get back
down to your feet you should feel essentially soft as butter.
Then, with your eyes still gently closed, draw your focus towards
the bridge of your nose - and say to yourself - "I am relaxing...I am relaxing and releasing this headache...' I am fully
releasing this headache... I am relaxing and fully releasing this headache...'
SIX
Now that you're more physically relaxed, search your mind for
reasons why you have this headache, all the reasons, conscious reasons & unconscious reasons. You can try completing this
sentence as you search your mind: I've got this tension headache because... And go over every possible reason, such
as, I didn't get enough sleep last night; I'm under too much pressure; I'm angry w/my mate, or boss, lover, sister, someone
else important or close to you; I'm worried about money, or my business, job, children; I'm dreading my family or in-laws
showing up for the holidays; I am full of rage at (fill in the person or situation)... I hate it when (so & so)
does (such & such)...
You get the idea.
WRITE IT DOWN
If you can write these things down, that might help you get
these issues more externalized from your system - as opposed to staying tight within you - where they're causing you pain.
Think of your problems as poison to your system - and you need to get rid of that poison to get rid of your headache. Of course
you can't get rid of your problems so easily - or you would have done that. But you can externalize them to some extent
- by bringing them to the surface - and maybe by writing them down. It gets them out of your system as you put them onto paper.
SEARCH YOUR MIND
Then, search your mind for more reasons - hidden reasons. You
might try completing this sentence: I am also upset because of these more hidden reasons (or more detailed reasons): I don't
want to admit my marriage is in trouble; I don't want to admit I hate my job - or feel it's a dead-end - I don't want to admit
that I hate my in-laws; or that I feel rage about a certain situation - or at a certain person, etc. - whatever the hidden
things are that might be bothering you - upsetting you. You want to ferret those out - so you can get the "poison" out
of your system - so you can RELIEVE yourself of your pain....
SEVEN
Once again, take three deep, long, breaths - Inhale
Relaxation... Exhale Tension...Again - Inhale Relaxation - deeply...Exhale Tension - completely... And one more time
- Inhale Relaxation - all the way to your lower diaphragm - And fully Exhale Tension....
TALK POSITIVE
Now, you're going to talk to yourself in a positive, helpful
way - like a good parent or counselor might - the good parent or counselor within you: You're going to say things to yourself
such as: I understand why I have this headache - and now I'm relaxing so this headache can go away. I deserve to be painfree
- I don't deserve to be in this pain... I am working out my problems - I am helping myself by working out my problems
and releasing the pain in this headache... All the positive things you can think of to say to yourself to give yourself comfort
and support in letting go of this pain...
CREATE A PLAN
If there are things you can think of to do that will
help w/whatever situation is causing you tension & upset, think of those things - create a plan for yourself to follow
- a plan that will help get you out of the situation that is bothering you - or will help get it resolved - such as you'll
have a talk with your spouse or boss or partner - when appropriate - about the problem - to come up w/ways you can both handle
the situation constructively. If you're up to it, get up & write these things down - create a written plan to help
you cope w/your problems or troublesome situation.
BE CONSTRUCTIVE
You will not feel a lot better if you come up w/a plan of action
that is not constructive. For instance that you'll really tell that person off. Or since he or she humiliated you in front
of others - you'll do the same back. Such plans are usually not helpful. It is better to plan to discuss the problem - or
- if the person is unworkable - perhaps the best plan is to figure out how to get away from that person & associate w/more
workable people.
COPING ACTIONS
If there's no way out of your problem that you can see, come
up w/coping actions you can do - people you can consult who can comfort you or offer suggestions you hadn't thought of. Write
these plans down so you can start doing them as soon as practical. And also so that you'll feel better - more in control
- like you're taking concrete steps to help yourself. That always feels good. Because it IS good.
THERAPY?
Or perhaps therapy is called for. That can be part
of your plan - you'll seek therapy. For information about SEEKING PROFESSIONAL HELP go to our segment.
EIGHT
After you've developed a plan of action that can help you either
relieve your problem, to some extent, or resolve your problem in a constructive manner, coping with it as
best as possible; you're going to release the tension that is creating your headache.
Again take 3 deep, long breaths, inhaling... inhaling "Relaxation."
Exhale the "Tension."
PICTURE A TRAP DOOR
Now picture a "little trap door" at the top of your head;
just a plain ordinary trap door on the top of your head. Now picture opening that trap door to let all the tension within
you fly out of your head. Can you picture it? All the tension is being released - into the air, out of your system,
away from you, you're releasing tension. Continue picturing the tension being released, feel the tension oozing
out of your head, or flying away from you, rushing out that trap door & evaporating into thin air...
NINE
Here is an Affirmation to help you release that tension.
Affirmations are positive statements you say outloud (if possible),
softly - to yourself - in order to plant positive ideas into your brain where your system can integrate them, and you can
eventually automatically follow these statements with actions.
Simply read each statement,
slowly, gently, distinctly:
- I am allowing myself to relax now...
- Every muscle in my body is relaxing now...
- I am feeling more and more relaxed...
- I am allowing myself to relax...
- I am releasing all tension within me...
- I am allowing all tension within me to fly away...
- I am opening the little trap door on the top of my head and
I'm allowing all tension to fly away from me...
- I feel myself relaxing more and more...
- With every breath I take in I am relaxing...
- With every breath I let out, I am releasing tension...
- My shoulders feel better, because they're more relaxed now...
- My neck and jaw feel better now, because they're more relaxed...
- As my muscles relax, my head is feeling better...
- My head is feeling better and better and I can sense the tension
flying away from me...
- My head feels more and more relaxed...
- I feel less and less tense...
- I am feeling more calm...
- I feel more and more calm...
- I am calming down and relaxing...
- I don't need this headache...
- I am allowed to release this headache...
- I am allowing myself to release this headache...
- The headache is going away from me...
- I am releasing that headache...
- My head feels better already...
- My head feels clear and free of pain...
- I am thinking of things I look forward to now...
There are many things I look forward to...
- I am very relaxed and my headache is gone...
- I feel good and my head feels good...
- I am happy to feel so relaxed and good...
- I enjoy being tension-free...
TEN
When you feel ready, get up and do something completely
different, if possible - preferably something fun and relaxing - like, take a walk - go shopping - call a friend who makes
you laugh - see a movie that can take your mind off your troubles - or turn on tv - listen to music - anything that's likely
to cheer you up and change your thoughts and consequently what I think of as your brain chemistry.
NOW WHAT?...
Now you may have done all 10 of these steps correctly
- perfectly and still that headache's with you - because that's how headaches are - they're stubborn things - they like to
stick with you. Keep re-working these 10 steps - over and over again - in whatever order you wish.
Keep sipping the ice water and cooling your forehead - Then
go over your Relaxation Breathing - and your muscle relaxation again - group by group - from your feet up to your head - relaxing
every one of them - from bottom to top and then from top down to bottom.
Keep going over your reasons for being tense and upset - trying
to get closer and closer to the root issue that's disturbing you - and trying to understand why it's disturbing you...
Keep working on things you can do that will help relieve
the situation that's creating this tension for you or that can resolve it - or give you comfort and support while you're stuck
with it.
THREE DEEP BREATHS
Every once in a while take 3 deep breaths again -
'Inhaling Relaxation' and 'Exhaling Tension' - Sip your ice water again. Try to fall asleep - even if only for a few minutes.
HOT SHOWER
You might also try a hot shower or bath. If
the hot shower is aimed at tense muscles - as in your neck and shoulders - it might be especially helpful.
[My father would sometimes get severe tension headaches.
He learned that if he could just get into a hot shower for maybe 20 minutes, he could work it out of his system. J.]
MORE HELP
If your headaches persist, or are daily, or chronic,
or are excessively painful, or came on quite suddenly, especially in the morning, and very painfully, we strongly advise you
to consult a doctor, without delay. There are many important and serious conditions that can lie behind a headache that require
medical attention, some of them serious.
HERBS and HERBAL TEAS GOOD FOR CURING A TENSION HEADACHE
[Of course, we caution you before
taking any herbal preparation. Herbs can be potent, can have side effects, and can interact w/other medications you're taking.
Do consult with your doctor before taking. If you're pregnant, especially important to avoid taking anything without
consulting your doctor.]
- White Willow Bark
[For migraine, try Fever Few capsules.]
GENERAL ADVICE ABOUT AVOIDING TENSION HEADACHES
Keep a regular schedule. Try to get adequate
sleep.(We ourself sometimes get a killer headache if we've had too many nights of insomnia.)
- Exercise regularly. Very important.
- Eat healthy foods. Also important.
- Avoid fatty and sugary foods.
- Keep your weight at a healthy level.
- Stop smoking! (Smoking and drinking are
closely linked to cluster headaches.)
- Never use alcohol to medicate yourself for any condition.
Do not get into the habit of taking pain killers
every day. This can have terrible consequences and can make your situation worse rather than better.
Avoid these trigger foods, (especially
if you may be having migraine headaches):
- Caffeine beverages (note: caffeine can
help a headache as well as be a trigger)
- Nitrite preservatives often found in smoked and processed meats
- Some prescription medications
Try to relax. Include
regular relaxation activities in your life. Consider learning meditation and other relaxation techniques so you can practice
them regularly. Also massage therapy (by a licensed therapist), accupuncture,
hypnosis, biofeedback techniques and chiropracty may help.
Try to have balance in your
life - between work and fun - professional life and personal life.
Deal with emotional problems that are upsetting you.
Consult a therapist if necessary or advisable. Get proper medical treatment when required.
It's in the News.....
Yes, we do have a "News Page" with recent news stories for you to access, but instead
of having an "archive" with older articles, we're posting them - by subject - on each individual page. Look for It's in the
News.... on each page, right hand column at the end of the page! Who knows... you may find articles about what's been bothering
you!
It's in the News from Intelihealth.com
some articles...
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