What Happens to Your Body When You’re Stressed – Part 1

Candles

Have you heard the phrase, "stress is a killer".  Surely, that phrase should be a wake up call to get a handle on stress. But, unfortunately, most of us wear stress like a comfortable pair of old shoes. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, two-thirds of office visits to family doctors are for stress-related symptoms such as fatigue, body aches, obesity and heart palpitations. These are stressful times for all of us and coupled with our day-to-day stressors, we can easily become affected by stressful symptoms. When you  have a gazillion things on your to-do-list, you're overwhelmed by the demands on your time, and can't take a minute just for yourself,  your body will respond to these stressors as though you … [Read more...]

The Effects of Stress and How it Shows Up in Your Life – Part 2

I know you hear a lot about stress but unless you get a grip on stress, stress will get a grip on you and won't let go. The second article in this series is meant to give you concrete examples of how stress shows up in your life. I'm sure you have either experienced or know someone who seems prone to accidents, often gets burned while cooking,  is always tired or gets frequent colds during the winter.  It's not that you or anyone else is unlucky, unhealthy, clumsy or unfocused.  These are all early warning signs leading to stress overload. Let's take a look at the effects stress has on your body. Physical Stress - Do you often complain of a headache or wake up tired?  Here are some signs of physical stress: Frequent … [Read more...]

Relax, Rejuvenate and Rest

Talk about an "aha" moment...I have had several the past couple of weeks as I lay coughing, sneezing and feeling like walked on dirt from some all-encompassing "bug". There's nothing quite as enlightening as not being able to do anything but lie still and take time for reflection. How often have I said, "take time for yourself", "take care of yourself first", etc. (you've heard it from me many times). Yet, there I was completely depleted mainly because I neglected to take care of the most important person - me. We often ignore all the warning signs - exhaustion, disturbed sleep patterns, lack of energy - while feeling like we're on a fast moving treadmill at top speed. Don't ignore these warning signs. This is exactly the time to … [Read more...]