That's Fit

Try to find a person who doesn't enjoy a massage to relax. You'd be hard-pressed. Of all the stress-relieving techniques out there, massage is my absolute favorite.

Certainly, massage relieves muscle pain and soreness, but it appears to be most popular for stress relief. It's effectiveness is largely due to the fact that manipulating the muscles releases endorphins, the brain's natural opiates, which encourages a feeling of well being and confidence. Studies show massage can be helpful for various ailments. But when looking at the list, one can't help but notice many of the benefits involve the mind more than the body. Consider the following from a Mayo Clinic article:

Time. Our greatest resource. I'll debate it with anyone. And I'll win.

Lack of it is responsible for most of what stresses us out. And taking it back is what makes us feel better. The idea of taking a few minutes to relax at the end of the day is possibly the most commonly given advice for recovering from a stressful day. Such a simple solution and so satisfying. But how often do you actually do it? Seems I witness more time spent complaining about now having time than taking time to shut up and relax.

And it makes a world of difference. However, those few minutes would not be quite as decadent for me if not for adding a glass of wine to the equation. Also pretty common, I know. Again, when's the last time? And it's not such a bad idea. In moderation, wine can actually be a good thing. It can even have an antioxidant effect. For some adding chocolate makes for the ultimate de-stress recipe.

So stop fretting that you don't have time or can't afford the calories and sit down with a bite or sip of something nice. For five minutes. OK, two. Whatever. The point is this: ridding ourselves of a day's stress isn't about large quantities of time, wine, chocolate or anything else. It's about coming up with your perfect recipe, whatever that may be. Just so long as it's small and simple.

I have houseguests arriving this afternoon. And my daughter's birthday party is this weekend. So, I've just spent two days cleaning my house. Granted, I don't clean often, so it was pretty dirty. But two days? Sore feet? Sore back? The money I could have made working in the time I spent scraping bits of Play Doh off the floor! This got me to thinking. And I dared to consider that I may be able to afford to pay someone to clean the house.

First, let's back up a bit. I'm not that old. But I grew up when "cleaning ladies" were still considered a luxury. Something, or someone rather, who rich people could afford to pay to clean their homes while they worked or played. Certainly good mothers and housewives didn't hire them.

Today, things have changed. Immigration has caused labor costs to plummet. And many middle class families employ housekeepers, a more politically correct title to be sure. What's more, many housekeeping businesses are now offering eco-friendly cleaning services, a big bonus for the health of the planet and you. So, I'm thinking it might be wiser, better for my household economy and the local economy, and healthier for my body and psyche to have the house cleaned more thoroughly in four hours than in the more than 14 it took me. What do you think? Other than that I'm crazy to clean at all before a bunch of 3-year-olds arrive to eat chocolate cupcakes in my house?

While some may downplay sexual harassments by calling them "harmless compliments," or "unwanted sexual attention," two recent surveys suggest that sexual harassment is not only prevalent, but can have serious impacts on mental health. And, contrary to conventional wisdom, this is not just a female issue. Males also reported harassment, though lesser in number and severity.

When I was a child, my great uncle would bring me gifts from the Far East. He worked as a waiter on a cruise ship, a job that offered ample opportunity for visiting places all over the world, especially the Orient.

One of his gifts was a pair of Laughing Buddhas, which he explained would bring me luck if I rubbed their bellies. I don't know if doing so ever brought me luck, but it did bring me comfort in the idea that it could. And I still occasionally take part in the folkloric practice, although it does not form part of any Buddhist doctrine. Still, the Laughing Buddha is often admired for his happiness, plenitude, and wisdom of contentment.

There is perhaps a more effective technique within Buddhist tradition for bringing comfort to one's mind and ease stress. Mindfulness plays a central role in the teaching of the Buddha. It involves close examination of inner reality, upon which one finds that happiness is not exclusively a quality brought about by a change in outer circumstances, but rather by realizing happiness often starts with loosening and releasing attachment to thoughts.

The practice has become known as an antidote for various ailments, notably type-A stress and depression. Sounds like great news. And the better news is that one not subscribe to the whole belief system, albeit an attractive one, to borrow part of it as a means of calming the mind.

One of the biggest stress inducers for me lately has been finding enough activities to keep my young daughter occupied. Structure and focus seem to be requirements to prevent afternoons filled with whining and crying. Park and pool trips, walks, craft projects, Play Doh and coloring books, and when all else fails, TV. Usually Dora the Explorer.

And then there's her birthday party coming up. She'll be 3. And about 10 other 3-year-olds will be joining her to celebrate. An afternoon of whining, crying 3-year-olds would take more bottles of wine without the "h" than I can afford. So I've come up with the following ideas to get me through the afternoon sober:

• Strategy No. 1: A goal contest with a soccer ball and a Diego doll strategically placed as goalie. They can kick to their heart's content and everyone will get a handmade ribbon for their efforts.
• Strategy No. 2: Craft project. Ten foam sun visors in the same color to prevent fights for favorites. Foam stickers to decorate as well as foam letters to spell out names. Cost for supplies: $28. Value of a few minutes of peace at the party: priceless. Added bonus: the kids have a favor to take home.
• Strategy No. 3: Cupcakes. No ice cream. Save yourself from cutting and serving and scooping. Enough said.

More good news: The first two can be used any old time. And you can find more ideas here. So good luck. And hang in there until September!

I am not a picky eater. But I'm picky about the quality of the food I eat. I try to stick with whole foods, avoiding pre-made or processed foods as much as possible. But I'm also time-pressed like everyone else, so I like the idea of having a frozen meal I can microwave in a pinch.

Sure, there's several such options that are supposedly healthy from such makers as Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, and Weight Watchers in the frozen section at grocery stores. But the sodium content, additives and preservatives don't appeal to me. And I consume as much organic meat, dairy and produce as much as possible.

I've found ways to adhere to my food foibles without making meal time more work than it should or needs to be at stressful times.

I recently started running again. Since completing the Kona Marathon six years ago this month, my stride has been very sporadic. I bought my first house, had my first kid, moved across the country and bought my second house. I lost my focus and began getting a workout in any way I could and with a variety of activities.

That hasn't been a bad thing, necessarily. But I realized a while back how much I missed the mental benefits of running. It may be hard on your knees, but it's sure great for your head. All exercise is supposed to be. But I've never experienced anything like the clarity, absence of depression and pure elation that running induces.

And for those of you out there that think running isn't for you or have tried to run a mile and given up, please reconsider. Save for those dreaded laps in junior high gym class, I had never incorporated running into my active life before training for that marathon. In my experience, the payoff is well worth the painful beginnings. Pretty soon, you'll hit your stride. And it doesn't matter if it's a slow one, either. Habitual marathoners are a whole lot thinner and faster than I am, but I've got a head that's every bit as healthy as theirs.

We've all seen those lists of top stressors. And it's always struck me that the lists include events that are both happy and horrible. Moving, divorce and marriage are always on them. But putting these in context is important.

Take my friend's recent separation from her spouse. The 10-year relationship was far more stressful than filing the paperwork and finding a new apartment. And speaking of finding a new apartment, moving is always on those top lists. But, let me tell you, I've never seen my friend so happy as when we were moving her new red leather sofa into her bachelorette pad. As for marriage, I'm one of the fortunate ones who can say that promising to be with my husband forever was one of the least stressful things I've ever done. And 10 years later, I feel the same way.

My point is this: there is plenty of joy to be found is these supposedly high-stress events. And from my experience, it can offset most of the negative elements involved in planning a wedding, moving a big piece of furniture or facing life alone. I think this guy's got the right idea. There are fates far worse than moving.

Call me square. Call me granola. I'm up for any method of reducing stress that doesn't involve prescription or illegal substances.

So I really like these holistic ideas for brightening your outlook and lightening the mental load. The authors emphasize taking things slow when it comes to stress reduction. No quick fix or single solution is key. I especially appreciate the idea of doing things that are easy and free. There are such things. Incorporating the following 10 simple tips into daily life, many of which I do myself, can make a big difference:

• Add something beautiful to your life on a daily basis (e.g., flowers).
• Do some enjoyable activities whenever possible.
• Walk, work, and eat at a relaxed pace.
• Take a short break after meals to relax.
• If possible, go outside at least once per day and notice the simple things such as the weather, scenery, etc.
• During the day, whenever you remember, notice the tension in your body (jaw, neck, diaphragm, shoulders, etc.). Breath deeply and gently stretch and relax any tense areas.
• If you notice your mind racing or worrying about the past or future, take a minute to breath deeply and gently focus on something in the moment such as your breath, scenery, birds.
• Take breaks during the workday to relax.
• Wear comfortable and loose clothing when possible. Take off your shoes when you can.
• Avoid holding in feelings day after day, but instead, find a safe place to feel, express and embrace them.

Good luck!

Source: www.holisticmed.com

If you've read some of my other posts, you know I'm a fan of gardening and the resulting goodness: flowers, food, herbs, etc. I'm also a big fan of house plants, which, I believe, are supposed to evoke a sense of bringing the outside in and, thus, a sense of calmness and freshness. An aura that's anything but stressful.

But I find that sometimes keeping up with watering and caring for house plants can actually be a bit stressful, and therefore can cancel out a bit of their peaceful properties. This is not true if you choose succulents. I've had succulents I didn't water for an entire season that are still flourishing in their respective containers, so you don't have to worry about keeping up with a regular watering schedule. They don't get those unsightly brown, and dare I say, stressed, leaves. They require very little care and give big payback, in my opinion. One of the more well-known in this plant family, aloe, can even heal wounds as well as protect and beautify skin.

Beyond that, various types of these delightful little living things are perfect for adorning your windowsills, bathroom vanities, and other nooks and crannies throughout your home. And sometimes they can please the eye just enough to take the edge off of an otherwise frazzled day.

I'm a writer and yet I've never filled a journal. I've started many. But then I get distracted with other projects and life and writing for work ...

But one of my dearest friends has filled 37 journals in the past 10 years. Why? It's one of her main stress relievers. She swears by it. It's helped her recognize unhealthy patterns and make healthy changes. Sometimes it's easy. Sometimes it's painful. Sometimes excruciating.

It's the only place she can be honest. The only place she's free. It's a look in the proverbial mirror. And clarity looks back. "My journals save me," she says. "They're solace. A release."

Wow. Sounds good. Maybe I'll dust one off and fill the pages for once in my life.

One of the elements I miss most about Southern California since moving to Northern Virginia almost three years ago is the ocean: it's proximity to where I live, visiting it often, seeing the sun set in it, driving Highway 1 with the windows down and smelling it, surfing and swimming in it, everything.

I remember when years ago I'd break up my long and traffic-clogged commute between a newspaper in Thousand Oaks and my apartment in Los Angeles by taking a detour and following Kanan Road from the 101 freeway to Malibu and having a cocktail on the sand at Paradise Cove. Just looking at the ocean relieved my stress from the work day more than any cocktail could. Breathing the air, smelling the salt, feeling the breeze, watching the waves, basking in the sun. It was heavenly and I'd continue my drive home a happier person.

I'm not the first to practice or suggest visiting the ocean or another body of water as a means of stress relief. Nor am I the first to start or suggest imagining such a visit. I find both methods highly successful, even if they leave me with a sad case of nostalgia.

Did you just go through sorting a mountain of receipts crumpled in a shoe box in order to complete your income tax filing for 2007? Well, time to get to work on avoiding that stress next April.

Establishing a good filing system for various receipts and a spreadsheet for tracking deductions means putting forth a little extra energy now, but will save tons of time in the long run. And while you're at it, do some planning for working your refund or economic stimulus package check into your budget to ease those financial burdens that always seem to catch you off guard -- car repairs, birthday gifts, chimney sweep, air conditioning tune-up and so on.

Then you can kick back and celebrate the end of another tax season with a little more satisfaction than usual.

Medicinal herbs can be welcome relief for stress and it's side effects, including nervousness, anxiety and loss of sleep. Thus the market for consumption via herbal teas and supplements in pill or liquid form. Last week I wrote about the benefits of getting out in the garden to relieve stress. Then I got to thinking, why not include some stress-relieving medicinal herbs while you're at it?

Planting lavender, chamomile, lemon balm, passionflower, California poppy, and others in the relatively long list of herbs known for their calming effects would provide a constant supply of remedies and the peace of caring for them. Herbs that provide stress relief are often classified into various categories for treating related ailments, including anxiety, insomnia, nervousness and restlessness. There's also a breakdown of which herbs to use according to potency according to David Hoffmann's book Medical Herbalism. The same article describes such herbs as nervines: a plant remedy with some kind of beneficial effect upon the nervous system. Nervine relaxants are most important in times of stress and confusion, as they can alleviate many of the accompanying symptoms.

If you can't find appropriate plants or seeds at your local nursery, you can buy many of them online. There are also plenty of tips for growing herbs as well as ideas for growing indoors.