Mindset and Stress Reduction

Meditation and Breathwork

When we are born they wait for us to take our first breath to signify the start of our life. When we die, it is the last breath with which we say good-bye. The breath sustains us from life through our death. It is the answer to our healing yet we often ignore it and allow it to breathe through us on autopilot. I encourage you to begin a formal practice of meditation. What you do “on the cushion” will flow over into what you do in your everyday life. The breath can and will relax and heal you.

All you simply need to do is start becoming aware of it The next time you are upset, stop in that moment and take 3-5 deep, slow and intentional breaths. Pay attention to how you feel after Notice the changes The breath is free and always with you so embrace it and experience the profound and beneficial changes it can provide for you

ACTION: When you wake up, before you get out of bed, pay attention to your breath. Do you wake with an “in” breath or an “out” breath? How do you greet the morning?

Mindset and Stress Reduction

Journaling

Writing things down can be very helpful in allowing your mind to take a break from the circular thinking that accompanies stress. Expressing your thoughts on paper, and then most importantly reading them back to yourself on a regular basis is guaranteed to give you new insight into your journey. One of my favorite exercises is to begin a gratitude journal.

ACTION: Every morning before you get out of bed and start your day, write down anywhere from 3-5 things that you are grateful for. A wonderful way to begin your day is with the right attitude!

Mindset and Stress Reduction

Movement

Many of us are familiar with the beneficial effects of hitting the gym to relieve our stress and blow off some steam An increase of endorphins, (the feel good molecules) are always a welcome addition to a stressed out mind. The benefits of exercise are far-reaching and including exercise in your daily “to do” list is important. If exercise is not already part of your lifestyle, now is the time to make a shift and welcome it in!

ACTION: Take a dance class or a Zumba class, go for a run/walk around your neighborhood or on the beach, ride your bicycle or go swimming! Be creative and be sure to move your body

Loving Touch

As Stephen Stills sang, “Love the One You’re With”. Be sure to include loving touch in your life. Cuddle, hold hands and make love often. If you do not have a significant other at this time, include masturbation as part of your stress reduction habits.

ACTION: Experiment with yourself and your partner to find new and different ways of being sexual. For example, take a tantric workshop, read poetry or utilize essential oils.

Music

This is a direct line to the soul Whether you are actively playing an instrument and creating music or simply listening and appreciating another’s musical creation, it is an easy and profound way to shift the space you are in and allow the stress to melt away

ACTION: Take some time to make a set list on spotify of your favorite songs and have it ready for use at the end of a stressful day.

Mindset and Stress Reduction

Community

Community: Nowadays we are much more isolated. After a long day at work many Americans retreat home to their nuclear family and spend their evenings in front of a television set. The art of the family dinner is often lost with chaotic schedules and tending to the children’s extra-curricular activities. Long gone are the days of extended families and sharing around the communal fires Without connection to another, the human organism experiences negative emotions and stress in the nervous system.

ACTION: Begin by reconnecting to your own family. Have dinner together. Do not allow the television to be on, or phones, and do not allow reading materials at the table. Have a sharing time – allow everyone to have a turn to express their struggles of the day as well as their wins of the day.

Start local and go global. Get your nuclear family sharing and then expand to invite neighbors, friends and families to have regularly scheduled time for connection as well. If you know someone who has no family, reach out and invite them in to yours!

Mindset and Stress Reduction

Spend Time In Nature

Modern society and its’ concrete jungles have removed us, to a great extent, from our connection with the earth. It is up to you to actively pursue nature and make it a part of your daily living I have yet to meet a person who is not moved by the beauty of a mountain range, the smell of a flower and does not know peace from being in nature.

ACTION: Grow a garden and get your hands in the earth, walk by the beach and breathe in the negative ions, wake up early and marvel at the beauty of a sunrise, stop and pay attention to a sunset, walk barefoot in the grass, bask in the sun, take an active role in cleaning up the environment. Just be sure to enjoy Mother Earthshe’s the only one we got!

Mindset and Stress Reduction

Purge

When we hold on to things it creates clutter and stagnation on both an energetic and physical level. Take stock of what you have and on a regular basis take time to purge what is no longer needed. Start with a commitment to do this twice yearly at the change of winter to spring and fall to winter

ACTION: Clean out your closets, look through your kitchen cabinets, go through those e-mails, evaluate your relationships, and peruse through your calendar. Make a commitment to let go of what no longer serves you so you have space to merge with what does!

Desire Less

Often stress comes from wanting it all or struggling to keep up with the Joneses. Become clear on what you actually really NEED to survive rather than what you WANT Perhaps working all those extra hours so you can have a fancy house isn’t worth it and perhaps it is. This is not a suggestion to let go of ambition, just a reminder to take stock of whether or not the effort involved in reaching material goal is truly worth it to you or not

Mindset and Stress Reduction

Detox

Not only do we need the correct vitamins to support our basic physiology but we also need them due to the fact that the world has become a toxic place. The air, food and water all have contamination It is a sad but true statement Be active and do what you can to prevent those toxins from piling up in your body. When your body gets bogged down with toxins it stresses your immune function and other processes I take at least 50 vitamin capsules a day to keep my body in tiptop shape as well as engage in exercise and detoxification therapies. I credit this as one of the reasons people are shocked to hear I have two children in their late 20’s! The quality and specificity of your own personal regime varies greatly even from year to year. Let me help you create the perfect plan for you!

ACTION: Make time to engage in detoxification therapies. Use the Infrared Sauna, Ion Cleanse Footbath and Photon Genie Lymph machine. Have a colonic hydrotherapy or use home enemas as part of your healthcare plan.

Mindset and Stress Reduction

Eating Healthy & Hydrating

Proper nutrition ensures a stable blood sugar level. By eating healthy we have better mood and energy. If we eat according to our genotype and avoid our food sensitivities our body can utilize the food we eat more efficiently through higher rates of absorption and by avoiding negative immune reactions towards our foods.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”-Hippocrates.

Don’t forget about staying hydrated Dehydration is one of the leading causes of dis-ease in the body. A simple formula-drink ½ your body weight in ounces EVERY DAY! Optimally the water should be alkaline water as it has been shown that dis-ease cannot grow as easily in an alkaline environment

ACTION: Find out what your food sensitivities are and eat right for your genotype. Everyone thinks they drink enough water but do you? Use the formula to calculate how many ounces of water you should be consuming a day. Fill a large glass or stainless steel jug with all of your water for a day and drink it throughout. See if you are finishing it and if not, slowly start increasing your water intake until you are able to drink it all in one day. As a reference, a gallon is equal to 128 ounces, a liter is equal to 33 ounces and a quart is equal to 32 ounces.

Mindset and Stress Reduction

Hobbies

I find in clinical practice that many of you no longer participate in a hobby. Now is the time to consider re-engaging with an activity that you do simply for pleasure.

ACTION: Notice the reduction of stress when you allow yourself to create or experience for no other reason than to create or experience! Master juggling, balloon art or origami, take up photography, learn to cook something new every week, join a book club, paint, build a model or volunteer.

Mindset and Stress Reduction

Unplug

The technology age is unstoppable. Even babies have their own cell phones and facebook page! Although I fought technology for a while I have now been seduced by it and swept into its waves I have to admit it has made my life easier in many ways both professionally and personally so I offer up gratitude. I do realize, however, that it is up to me to institute PROPER TIME MANAGEMENT so it does not suck me down into a black hole

ACTION: Take a detailed log of how often you are online, answering emails, checking your voicemail and texting. Create a succinct system for optimizing your time. Many of you have told me you have “no time” to exercise, meditate, sleep, etc. See how much time you are technologically connected and then honestly decide if you truly have “no time” or you just are not managing your time correctly. Have periods of time where you are unplugged during the day and definitely on vacations. You will be more productive if you Take Time To UNPLUG.

Keep It In Perspective

Life is fleeting When I feel stressed out about something one of the first things I ask myself is, “Will this matter when I die? Or for that matter in a year? Two months? A week? An hour?” Almost always the answer is a resounding “NO!” By seeing things from the greater perspective we are able to remember what is really important in life. We have fallen in to the habit of making every RED traffic light in our life a major stress.

ACTION: The next time you are at a RED light, even if you are late, remember that there is nothing you can do about it so use those precious moments to take a deep breath, hum a few tunes and appreciate the beauty around you. Slowing down is good medicine!

Mindset and Stress Reduction

Support Your Adrenal Glands

Two tiny little glands that sit on top of your kidneys are the source of your stress hormones. Whether or not we secrete the right amount of cortisol at the right time of day greatly impacts how we respond to stress By measuring the levels of hormones in your saliva, we can find out what is actually bio-available to your body at specific times of the day, and a specific support plan for repairing, regenerating and preserving your adrenal glands can be put into place If you are stressed out, can’t sleep and have no energy, you are doing yourself a disservice by not loving your adrenal glands!

ACTION: Call my office or any Naturopathic Physician’s office and make an appointment to formulate a plan to test and support your adrenals.

Communication

Express your feelings rather than keeping them bottled up inside. Speak from the heart and speak your truth. Always state an intention first so that people know where you are coming from Be honest, first with yourself and then with others Pay attention to your body language. A simple smile can change someone’s day including your own! Fight fairly when fighting. Really listen to what others have to say

ACTION: One of my favorite Native American traditions is the talking stick. If you are holding the stick then nobody else is speaking and everyone else is listening to you. Pay attention when you listen. Become a true listener. Be present with what the other person is saying and do not use that time they are speaking to be thinking about how you will respond. Just be present and it will reduce their stress and yours!

Mindset and Stress Reduction

Catch some Zzzzzzs

Numerous studies have come out showing the benefits of proper sleep related to optimal hormonal and brain activity. However, I don’t think you need a study to understand the benefits of sleep. Just check in with your own body...the best personal laboratory in the world!

ACTION: If you are not used to sleeping regular hours on a regular basis I invite you to spend the next two weeks going to bed at 10pm and rising at 6am. Keep a journal of all the beneficial changes that you experience by sleeping in alignment with the hormonal rhythms of your body. I guarantee improvement!

Mindset and Stress Reduction

Nurture the Body

Often we ignore our body when it is working fine and supporting us It is not until the body screams with symptoms that we stop, drop and begin to listen. I take a moment here to remind you of the Naturopathic Philosophy of Prevention. Do not wait until your body is aching to attend to it Schedule regular sessions of Massage, Acupuncture, Lymphatic and Chiropractic treatments. Trust me, it is a lot easier to maintain good health than to treat poor health.

ACTION: At home include baths as part of your nighttime routine. Use some lavender or Epsom salts in the tub for an added treat. Light a candle to set the mood and get ready for the stress to wash away!

Mindset and Stress Reduction

Choose Wisely

Do not let the integration of stress reduction become stressful for you!

HOW we do things is just as important as WHAT we do

For example, if you are not going to bed 15 minutes earlier so you can wake 15 minutes earlier to journal then you are potentially stressing your body

Be mindful and choose from the above list what speaks to you. This is a process where you'll need to be patient, gentle and kind with yourself

Integrate the above ideas at a pace that feels comfortable and please feel free to share with me what works for you! Perhaps you will have ideas to add to the list above!

Be creative, authentic and true to your inner wisdom We are always going to be confronted with stress while alive on Earth. The solution is not to totally abolish stress from your life, rather to meet it with an attitude of grace.

Without a doubt, it is my belief that stress is 99.9999% responsible for all disease.

So let dancing, artwork, singing and prayer be your medicine!!!!