First State Bank of Uvalde

Relax

In order to get the most out of each breath, your body should be as relaxed as possible. Consciously try to relax your shoulders, your chest, your neck and your head muscles. If you don't know how to consciously relax a muscle, you can clench it for a moment then let it go completely. Visualize

With every breath you take, visualize the oxygen from the air spreading out from your lungs into every part of your body. This kind of visualization encourages the development of the right kind of awareness of your body for yoga. Don't Fight the Breath

Although you are supposed to aim for a certain kind of breathing in yoga, it is even more important that your breathing is unforced and natural. If your breath wants to change, don't try to force it into the pattern you want, just let it change. Then try to guide it slowly and gently back into the desired pattern. You will find that your yoga sessions go more smoothly and produce better results when you master the art of yoga breathing. It helps to practice the breathing method even outside of the yoga studio, separately from the poses and movements. When you get enough experience, the right kind of breathing will come naturally to you in your yoga practice.

A Salute to Our Medical Community

In the near future Uvalde and all of Southwest Texas will enjoy the benefits of a new, state-of-the-art hospital facility, complete with an increased menu of medical conveniences and services. First State Bank of Uvalde is proud to be involved with the financing for the construction of the new Uvalde Memorial Hospital. As time moves forward, we fully expect to see this as just the beginning of additional medical specialties and expanded services here. We congratulate them on achieving this milestone in the history of the practice of medicine in Southwest Texas. We also want to salute the members of our medical community and the wonderful work they do everyday to care for the health and well-being of all citizens in our region.

Pictured: UMH CEO Tom Nordwick (center) leads a tour of the new hospital construction for First State Bank President and CEO Chad Stary (left), Senior Vice President Todd Redfearn, and (far right) Executive Vice President Roy Kothmann.

200 East Nopal Street • Uvalde, TX • 830-278-6231

Anxiety varies in severity. If you have a milder form of anxiety, you may be able to manage it without the use of medication, which negates the risk of side effects and other problems like dependency. While the drugs that treat anxiety can be effective for many, they are best used sparsely and in a limited dosage if your anxiety isn't severe. Luckily, there are a few great ways to manage anxiety without medication. AVOID STIMULANTS

One of the most important changes anyone with anxiety needs to make is to cut out the consumption of stimulants like coffee, energy drinks, cigarettes and other similar products. Stimulants like caffeine and nicotine directly increase anxiety-inducing hormones in the brain and can act to trigger anxiety attacks in susceptible people.

They also make you more prone to overreacting to negative stimuli by amplifying the strength of your body's stress response. If you suffer from regular anxiety, you should aim to avoid all use of these products whenever possible. GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Lack of sleep is another factor that can lead to increased perceptions of anxiety because it predisposes you to imbalances in neurotransmitters. Anxiolytic hormones like adrenaline and cortisol are increased in response to sleep deprivation and this can leave you susceptible to severe symptoms like a panic attack.

The negative effects of a lack of sleep on anxiety are compounded if you use caffeine to try to compensate for not sleeping enough. It's best to try to get enough sleep every night if you want to reduce symptoms of anxiety. MEDITATION

A big part of the problem of anxiety lies in your potential to start fixating on it when you experience symptoms. Meditation is a healthy and effective way to help reduce mild symptoms of anxiety without medications.

Whenever you feel like you can't stop thinking about your anxiety, try to find a quiet, calm place where you can sit and focus on other thoughts to give your mind a chance to relax. If it works for you, gentle music can often be even better to focus on instead of sitting in silence. MAGNESIUM AND MULTIVITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS

Magnesium is an incredibly important mineral that many people don't get enough of daily. If you're one of those people, a magnesium deficiency could easily be causing you to feel more anxiety than you otherwise would, because it acts to calm your body in various ways, including by acting as a muscle relaxant and by slowing a racing brain.

Magnesium can only help you if you aren't regularly getting enough. Likewise, a multivitamin supplement can be effective to keep your body and mind running smoothly if you're missing any of the necessary vitamins and minerals daily. TAKE A HOT BATH

Anything that relaxes you can help to ease mild anxiety without having to resort to medications. A hot bath is a great way to relax, but anything that absorbs your attention and focus can help. Whether that means finding a quiet place to relax, taking a walk, listening to music, or playing a video game; is dependent on who you are as a person and what helps you to relax.

Your life should never feel like it's spiraling out of control and it's important to not be afraid to seek professional help if you need it.

DON'T IGNORE SEVERE SYMPTOMS

While managing anxiety without the use of medications is ideal, it can't be the reality for everyone, unfortunately. If your anxiety is too severe to be handled comfortably with natural, healthy methods like these, or if you're going through a sudden rough patch it's important to seek the guidance of a healthcare professional for further treatment.