That's Fit

Getting a pedicure is one of the best ways to relax after a hard day, but hitting the salon every time you feel stressed can get expensive. But no worries!

Creating a relaxing mood at the dinner table is half the battle when it comes to relieving tension and connecting to each other as a family, but it's often easier said than done. The key to setting any kind of mood is details details details! Here are 4 tips for getting a mellow mood off and running, or rather, relaxing at your next meal:

• Minimize background noise Namely the TV as it 's distracting and can even help spark disagreements.
• Set the mood Depending on your family the options are endless -- try setting up nice matching plates and a pretty centerpiece, light candles, have dinner out on the porch or deck, or even plan a picnic-style meal on the floor on pillows and blankets. Whatever will get everyone the most comfortable and relaxed.
• Get in the right mindset Take a moment before the start of the meal (and encourage everyone else to do the same) to clear your mind of the day's clutter and focus on the positives in the food and family around the table.
• Make cleanup a family affair Everybody should chip in when it comes to cleaning up, even little kids can help bring their dishes into the kitchen when the meal is over.

I've often been struck by the myriad stress relief techniques that involve water, from tabletop fountains to aerobics in the pool as well as warm baths or taking a spin on a boat.

But why does water work?

According to this newsletter on therapeutic techniques, the body has a relationship with water which is both primordial and present and there are many reasons why we might be drawn to water to feel better: we are made up largely of water and life is composed of water, providing all living things with a flow of nutrients as well as a channel of elimination. Perhaps this is why stress relief with water has moved beyond the warm bath into the realm of hydrotherapy.

According to this hydrotherapy source a warm bath (ranges from 35°C to 40°C) relaxes the body and soothes sore areas, increases blood circulation in skin, promotes cell renewal, and eliminates toxins through perspiration and lymphatic drainage. Water has a hydrostatic effect that stimulates touch receptors on skin and boosts blood circulation. Far beyond stress relief, the technique can be effective for treating rheumatic diseases and arthritis and improve fitness levels in dogs and horses.

Personally, nothing works quite like a dip in the ocean.

Do you resemble a walking zombie in the mornings? Or maybe you're familiar with the 3 p.m. crash and burn? Well, get ready to charge your batteries with Qigong.

Do you love how great you feel after yoga class, but your a bit crunched for time? Try these yoga moves -- no mat required!

Deadlines, work, overbooked schedules ... we all have stress in our lives. Finding ways to cope with and release stress is essential to a pleasant and happy life. Goodness knows the things that are creating stress probably aren't going away anytime soon.

Good Housekeeping has a list of 52 ways to reduce stress. What I love about these ideas is that they're reasonable and easy to accomplish. After all, you don't want to add more stress in your effort to release stress. Some of my favorite ideas from their list include:

• Uncork a Bottle of Whine. Call up a friend or get together just to vent. Be sure to listen to your friend's issues as well.
• Bless Their Hearts. My maternal grandmother always said this, so maybe that's why I love this tip so much. Whenever someone annoys you -- a driver cutting you off in traffic, a rude sales clerk -- just think or say "Bless their hearts." Three simple words to remind you to be compassionate even in the face of annoyance.
• Demi De-Clutter. Instead of trying to declutter your whole home, just pick one small area at a time... a drawer, a desk, the top shelf of your closet. When you break the job down to small portions, it's more manageable.

Check out the full list for more doable stress relievers. Also, visit AOL Health to check your stress level.

Saturday morning, my son accidentally put a deep, four-inch scratch in my new car. Instead of being that cool, calm mom that I've always wanted to be, I flipped out a little bit. From that moment on, I was in a bad mood all weekend. I was a grump with a capital G. Thankfully, I shook my bad mood and I'm back to normal this morning. (Good thing, too, because this morning my son used an Allen wrench to knock about 30 dents into the molding on our staircase. I swear to goodness, destruction is my son's middle name).

If you're anything like me, stress and other day-to-day occurrences play a big role in your mood. But there a lot of things you can do to help boost your mood:

• Be thankful. Spend some time thinking about the good things in your life. Maybe even write a list of all the people and things you have to be happy about.
• Try something new. Have you been wanting to take guitar lessons? Don't put it off until life is less hectic. Whether you want to join a sports team, learn to play an instrument, take cooking classes, or join a book club -- don't put it off. Trying something new can actually improve your mood and help you better deal with life's stressors.

Ugh, holiday weight gain. Yes, it's mostly the treats and meals and festive decadence, but there's no doubt it also has something to do with the stressful and hectic nature of the season. It's just so hard to find time for working out and eating right when your regular routine is completely in shambles. There's shopping trips, cooking, traveling, and visiting with family that all make it near impossible to keep a healthy handle on things, and then throw in holiday parties and obscure relatives and friends coming out of the woodwork and you might as well kiss your healthy efforts goodbye -- and say hello to those extra holiday pounds.

Unless you can learn to just say 'no' nicely and manage your schedule a little better.

Working women: do you feel like you're expected to do it all? I'm a big believer in setting yourself up for success in life, meaning making a point to work everyday towards having the life you really want. And for some women that life does in fact mean doing it all and having it all. But along with that dream comes a slew of stress, which means that learning how to manage and relieve that stress is paramount to success in both the big long-term pictures and the small short-term every day ones.

Here are some suggestions that may help if you find yourself struggling, and as always: feel free to share with us whatever works for you!

• Manage your finances and allow yourself a few treats Many women tend to feel guilty about spending any money on themselves, but by setting aside a little every week or month to use on treating yourself to something fun and relaxing you can not only help relieve some of the stress from piling up but you'll have more energy and a better attitude to put towards work, your family, and all your daily tasks.
  

Bad days happen to everyone. In fact, I had one of those days today. As I sit here thinking about it now, I'm ready to laugh about it. But as I struggled earlier to accomplish even the simplest task, only to watch it either fall to pieces or explode in my face, I felt my stress levels rising dramatically.

Bad days really are unavoidable. But even if you can't get things to go your way, you can change the way that you react to your misfortune. Ediets has a list of seven ways to lift your spirits, and they include:

• exercise
• deep breathing
• sing
• get a massage
• read inspirational quotes
• call up a friend and take a walk
• help someone else

These are excellent tips that can help you reduce your stress and give you the strength to face your day. Find out more about why these seven suggestions are so helpful by visiting our latest gallery.

If you're having trouble staying on track with your workout it might have something to do with your stress level. It's hard to make time for working out if you're already feeling rushed with a mile-long 'to do" list, but if you can just get yourself started exercise can be a great outlet and a wonderful way to relax. But not all forms of exercise are created equal in this department -- some are much more relaxing than others.

The best workouts for relieving stress:

• Yoga and Pilates. The stretching and controlled breathing help to relax you and to relieve anxiety. It's important to make sure you're doing the moves correctly though, so if you're a beginner it would probably be a good idea to enroll in a class.
  
• The Batting Cage. This one sounds like FUN. Improve coordination and release stress by smacking some balls with everything you've got. It's surprisingly inexpensive and they can be found in most areas if you know where to look (usually private gyms or family-oriented amusement parks).

Tense? Frustrated? Anxious? Don't worry, Nakazawa Foods knows you live in a demanding, fast-paced society, and need to chill out. That's why they've invented "Adult Milk" -- a line of premium milk that supposedly reduce stress.

That is, if it doesn't stress you out to drop $43 for one quart of a dairy product. That's how much the Japanese company is charging for their new miracle drink -- 30 times what ordinary milk costs in Tokyo (which is already expensive).

The secret, apparently, is to take milk from cows only once a week, at the break of dawn. Because cows release melatonin (a stress-relieving hormone) during the night, this method will theoretically give you milk that has up to four times the normal amount of stress-relieving power.

Sounds relaxing -- if you can afford it.

Steam therapy can do wonders for your skin, and is also a great way to relax. However, a nice steam is hard to come by -- and even when you do find it, the treatment can be a little pricey.

But that was before the Compact Sauna. Not only will this fit in your house, it's collapsible -- allowing you to fold it up and tuck it away when you're not using it. It apparently only takes 6 minutes to set up, can get as hot as 115 degrees, and will run off a standard electrical outlet. Awesome!

And, while it's not the most inexpensive thing you'll ever buy -- at only $340, you don't have to be filthy rich to enjoy a little luxury in the comfort of your own home.