Friday, June 4, 2010

Staying Healthy on the Go: Managing Stress

We all know the typical "How to Stay Healthy" routine - eat nutritious meals, do heart-healthy cardio and add weight and strength training. Many people don't incorporate stress management (which can be equally as important as regular exercise and a healthy diet) into their daily routine.

Since stress is part of our daily lives, why not have a plan to mitigate its effects? Long-term exposure to stress can lead to severe health problems, including high blood pressure, immune system suppression, increased risk of strokes and heart attacks, and increased frequency and severity of migraine headaches.

Try to alleviate stress by adding a few of these tips into your day-to-day schedule:

Upload relaxing music onto your MP3 player and listen on the way home from work or while you're cooking dinner.

Soak in a hot tub or bath with lavender oil or sea salts. Add lit candles and focus on slowing your breathing and heart rate through meditation.

Limit PDA or cellphone use during evenings and weekends. Distinguish home and leisure time by stopping work activities at a designated time each night.

If possible, take a day to disconnect. Visit a spa, golf course or another venue that has a calming effect, allowing you to fully recharge and in turn, increase your productivity.

Massage pressure points on the body (temples, palms), which can be done at your desk, in the car or on the couch.

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