In Hope For ...

2009-06-22T13:53:00.002-05:00

Planning on another fun session of laughter yoga, stress reduction and general happiness today.

Fortunately spreading joy and laughter is like a candle. Being used to light other candles doesn't diminish its light actually it makes the room even brighter! So it is with laughter, spreading laughter increase joy in the whole room and takes nothing away!

The question is simple, am I building or destroying? Am I spreading joy or sucking the life out of a room? Builder or Wrecker? Like this poem by an unknown author:

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I watched them tearing a building down,
A gang of men in a busy town.
With a heave, ho, and a lusty yell
They swung a ram and the side wall fell.

I asked the foreman, "Are these men skilled?
Like the men you’d hire if you had to build?"
He laughed as he replied, "No, indeed,
Just common labor is all I need.
I can easily wreck in a day or two
What builders have taken years to do."

I asked myself as I went away
Which of these roles have I tried to play?
Am I a builder who works with care,
Measuring my life with a rule and square?
Or am I a wrecker who walks the town
Content with the job of tearing down?

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Makes you think! ttfn

Laughter Yoga -

2009-06-08T07:50:00.003-05:00

Had an excellent LAUGHTER YOGA class yesterday at a community center with over eighty participants! We discussed Cancer and how to deal with the issues of cancer treatment and prevention. How does laughter yoga fit into this picture, read the following article and realize that you are in control of your life and health.

My contact information is: akhiljhaveri@yahoo.com, cell phone: 214-934-8855

Laughter Yoga and Cancer

Cancer is the second most common killer after heart disease today. The number of people suffering from cancer is rising constantly. The most common cause of cancer is stress. Extreme physical, mental and emotional stress weakens our immune system.
A weak immune system is a major factor in the development of cancer. Scientific studies have shown that hearty laughter has a powerful and immediate strengthening effect on our immune system.

Laughter quickly increases immunoglobulin levels that help fight infection and increases the number of Natural Killer Cells (NK cells) in the blood. Natural killer cells play a key role in cancer prevention. Dr Berk took blood samples from subjects watching humorous videos and found that natural killer cells increased significantly with laughter. The NK cells in blood samples from laughing subjects quickly killed cancer cells he introduced into the samples.

The Healing Effects of Laughter in Cancer Patients
Cancer is considered a killer disease. When someone is struck with cancer it leads to intense stress and fear.
How can laughter yoga help? Laughter Yoga as a physical intervention leads to real physiological and biochemical changes in our body that have a profound effect on the development of cancer.

Laughter yoga provides a non-intellectual path to laughter.
Cancer patients may be in emotional turmoil and become depressed, making it difficult for them to achieve laughter through intellectual stimuli like humorous videos. Laughter yoga approaches laughter as a body exercise that can easily be done regardless of mood.

Laughter helps counter stress and fear. Hearty laughter causes the brain to release chemicals that reduce stress within minutes. It is typical to measure a 70% reduction in stress indicators after just 10 minutes of laughter.

Laughter promotes a positive outlook. Hearty laughter quickly counters depression and negative outlook, especially when practiced within a group of peers. This is partly due to chemicals released by the brain and partly caused by a powerful emotional response to the group dynamics of laughter yoga.
A positive mental state is very important when a person who is fighting a deadly disease like Cancer.

Laughter helps deal with pain. Hearty laughter causes the brain to release endorphin, a natural morphine that is also responsible for the ‘runner’s high’. A typical laughter yoga session can provide two hours of pain relief without drugs, making it easier for patients to retain full control of their mental abilities and keep their spirits high.

Laughter oxygenates the body. Ten minutes of hearty laughter leaves the body and all major organs super-oxygenated. Ongoing cancer research shows a strong relationship between oxygen in our cells and the development of cancer.

Nobel Prize winner (twice in the field of medicine) Dr Otto Warburg has shown the strong connection of oxygen in the cells to health. He says we fall sick due to lack of oxygen in our body cells. The lack of oxygen is due to poor breathing habits caused by stress and negative mindset. This causes us to breathe shallow, irregular breaths and hold are breath when under stress.

Laughter yoga uses a combination of laughter exercises and yoga breathing to train our diaphragm and abdominal muscles to breathe deeply. This increases the net supply of oxygen to body cells and can play a significant role in preventing cancer by increasing oxygen levels in the body cells.

Laughter strengthens the immune system.

Medical studies around the world have shown that ten minutes of hearty laughter has a sudden and dramatically powerful effect in strengthening the immune system. This is where Laughter Yoga can play an important role in bringing laughter from the body not from the mind. Laughter as a physical exercise helps to bring similar physiological and biochemical changes without involving the mind. This is much easier for most people to do laughter from the body, and still get the similar benefits.

There is no doubt that regular practice of laughter yoga will strongly influence whether a person develops cancer and has a very strong preventative action.

While I would never claim that laughter yoga can cure cancer, I am absolutely certain that it can help cancer patients in many ways and should be combined with other forms of treatment to provide cancer patients with the best quality of life and the best possible chance of survival.

Over the past eleven years many people with cancer have taken up laughter yoga. It has helped them to eliminate their depression and create a positive mental state, and has improved their quality of life. Many of these people beat their cancer thanks to, some believe, due to laughter yoga!

Video

2009-02-19T18:35:00.006-06:00

Practice Makes Perfect - This dude has practiced for quite some time. He is a world champion juggler. Make you want to pick up some eggs and have some fun!

Check out this video!

BTW: Why do we say, "It is colder than than hell!" Isn't it always colder than hell? Isn't hell supposed to be the hottests place in creation? You know, lake of fire, brimstones, etc.?

Meeting with Rodger

2009-02-16T23:00:00.003-06:00

What a wonderful evening - we all met, talked and realized that we have the same mission: Save the world, one person at a time! There were some wonderful topics discussed, the most entertaining one was how much stress there is at work today, mostly due to misunderstandings.

To that end, check out this video:

Heart broken!

2009-02-16T08:05:00.000-06:00

I heard a good sermon at church yesterday. The young preacher was talking to the teenagers about not jumping into relationships too quickly. He made some valid points and it made me think of a poem I heard when I was a young man. This poem by A.E. Houseman summarizes the preaches speech quite well:

When I was one-and-twenty
I heard a wise man say,
"Give crowns and pounds and guineas
But not your heart away;
Give pearls away and rubies
But keep your fancy free.

"But I was one-and-twenty,
No use to talk to me.

When I was one-and-twenty
I heard him say again,
"The heart out of the bosom
Was never given in vain;

"Tis paid with sighs a plenty
And sold for endless rue.

"And I am two-and-twenty,
And oh, 'tis true, 'tis true!"

Laughter Yoga Class

2009-02-14T20:53:00.001-06:00

Another Fabulous Laughter Yoga Class! We had 19 participants and three guests. The room was full of joy. Hard to believe we laughed at the cieling for 8 minutes!!

We all discussed how freeing it was to act like children. No inhibitions at all. From the words of Nelson Mandela, "Free at last, free at last. My God, my God, I'm free at last!"

Try freedom. It really works to clear the mind and release your soul.

Akhil...

Quote for the day:
"Give the world the best you have and the best will come back to you." - Madeline Bridges

You still smoking?

2009-02-12T08:57:00.000-06:00

THIS IS A CEILING MURAL IN A SMOKER'S LOUNGE. Keep puffing!!!

Funny Thought

2009-02-12T00:38:00.001-06:00

If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

Laughter Yoga Video For Cancer Patients

2009-02-10T15:37:00.001-06:00

This is a good video to watch to understand laughter yoga is beneficial for all kinds of people.

http://www3.mdanderson.org/streams/MDACCFlvPlayer2.html?xml=pubCreativeSrvc/config/LaughterYoga_CW_cfg

Funny Quote

2009-02-10T01:39:00.000-06:00

I hope that after I die, people will say this about me: "That guy, he owed me a lot of money!"

Jack Handy

2009-02-08T23:19:00.000-06:00

"To me, it's always a good idea to carry two sacks of something when you walk around. That way, if anybody says, 'Hey, can you give me a hand?,' you can say, 'Sorry, got these sacks.'" - Jack Handy

Gotta' love the logic!

MS 150 - Day 9

2009-02-08T23:13:00.000-06:00

Tried to do interval training. Charging hills and going at it as hard as possible.

Ride Time: 30 mins

Total Distance: 7:07 miles

Avg Speed: 13.33 miles

I think joining a spin class would be helpful.

MS 150 - Day 8

2009-02-07T13:15:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a day of rest, today I went on my first FORMAL planned ride with the Texas Flyers. They met at Downing Middle School at 9:00am.
There were 14 of us and Ken was the leader. Ken has done 10,000 miles every year for the last 4 years on his bike! Wow.

The ride was faster than I have ridden before, but I made it!!

Total Ride Time: 1 hr 41 mins
Total Distance: 20.21 miles
Avg Mph: 14.74 <- Personal best.

Yes, I was dead afterwards. But I have more confidence now.
Tomorrow I am supposed to go another 10 miles to keep the pace going.

We will see.

MS 150 - Day 6

2009-02-05T21:00:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a day of rest. I hit is hard today and the wind was harder than ever.

I did 13.01 miles in 1 hr.
I went alone and that was not as motivating as being with others.
Got a cramp half way through, I was told to eat bananas.
I think drinking an electrolyte would be a good idea too.

Total miles: 13
Ride time: 1 hr
Avg: 13 mph

MS 150 - Day 4

2009-02-03T22:57:00.000-06:00

Went on another ride today - Robb Boyd joined us! Yea, he is part of the team.

Go Dragonslayers.

As usual, Laura was at the head of the class by out performing both Robb and myself. Oh well, I was coached that the MS 150 is not a race. I have to focus on finishing - that's is quite a goal all unto itself.

Total Ride miles: 19.18
Ride Time: 1:31 mins
Avg: 12.74

Hey, I heard a funny quote: "To me, boxing is like a ballet, except there is no music, no choreography and the dancers hit each other." - Jack Handy, Deep Thoughts

MS 150 - Day 3

2009-02-02T23:07:00.000-06:00

Today was a Cardio workout only. I didn't ride my bike because I have a J.O.B. and by the time I got home it was D.A.R.K.

No worries, I got to watch the one hour episode of the office while I did the eliptical. Actually I combied walking for 30 minutes and Yoga.

--------------

On a different note, looks like the Dragonslayers (Our MS Bicycle Team) may get some more team members. Other men from Castle Hills. Some of these guys are avid cyclists so that will be very helpful.

Also, I plan on getting some corporate sponsors for the ride. We want to raise $3,500. Let's see how far we get.

MS 150 - Day 2

2009-02-02T01:05:00.000-06:00

Much better ride today:

8.43 Miles
40.4 minutes
Average: 12.74

Much less tired (of course I went 10 miles less!)
It is super bowl sunday and I don't want to be too tired to watch the commercials!
Looking forward to the game though, hope the Cardinals show the world that they can be champions!

(I do like Pittsburgh though!)

If I had to choose, I would choose Arizona thanks to Kurtis the grocery store dude!

MS 150 - Day 1

2009-01-31T13:08:00.001-06:00

Okay, Day 1 - January 31, 2009

I decided yesterday that I am going to ride in the MS 150. Laura, my lovely wife, decided to ride with me. We are going to form a team! Laura and I are the first two members and I plan on inviting others to ride with us.

Team name: We are calling ourselves the Dragonslayers. We live in Castle Hills so it made sense, also, MS is depicted as a monster, a Dragon that lives in our bodies. We are vowing to slay the dragon! Dragonslayers!!

BTW: MS 150 - That is riding 150 miles on my bike in two days. That is about 75 miles per day. The ride starts in Frico, TX and ends in Fort Worth somewhere. Since I have Multiple Sclerosis and can ride a bike, this is the perfect cause for me.

Riding for 150 miles, "No problem, how hard could that be anyway?"I realize I should train, the ride is on May 2 & 3, this year. The longest ride I had been on in the last couple of years has been 20 miles.It was 72 degrees today in Dallas and I decided to get on my bike and start riding.

Laura, my maniac physical fitness nut of a wife, decided to go with me. "It will be fun!" she said. I agreed, fun, entertainment, no big thing, just peddle. I remembered riding my bike as a kid all day long. I had a single speed Huffy back then. I was 10 yrs old and stayed out all day riding to the store, to the park, the playground. FUN.

Laura and I got on the bikes, I now have a bike with 12 gears and clips.

BTW: Clips are freaking scary! It is like someone welded your legs to the peddles and if you want to stop, you better plan early otherwise - Smack - you fall and hit the ground because your legs are now an integral part of the bicycle!

We rode about three miles and all was good when I saw we were going to go up hill. No problem. Then wind started blowing in my face - I became a sailboat and was getting pushed backwards. I went from 14.7 mph to 6.5 mph. Legs clipped, gotta peddle or fall!Voices in my head: My heart started talking to me, "Akhil, how about we stop doing this?" My legs were forming a committee with my heart and everyone was complaining. "We just went three miles," I told my body, "suck it up! Quit complaining!"We pushed through the wind and hill and continued.

I started doing some quick math in my head, 33 years have passed since my Huffy days! I don't care if my current bike has 11 more gears. I didn't have a motor on my current bicycle which meant - I had to peddle!I was planning on doing only 10-15 miles for my first ride, but I was with Laura. After 6 miles, she asked, "How are you doing, do you want to keep going? Can you make it further?"

Pause: Are there any men reading this? Which man would tell his wife after riding a measly 25 minutes, 6 miles, "No honey, I am tired, let's go home. Actually, why don't I wait here by the side of the road, and you go get the car!" NOT ONE OF YOU MEN? Hmmmm

My answer to Laura, "Are you kidding me, let's keep going."
My brain said to me, "YOU ARE A STUPID MAN!"

We found ourselves 10 miles from home and now we see the only way to continue is a street called Kelly Blvd. Those last four letters, BLVD, very important! It turns out that BLVD stands for boulevard, translation, BUSY STREET, with cars!

I was already tired, but something wonderful happens to you when you feel like you are going to be killed by a car, your body gets into high gear. My average speed went from 12 mph to 18 mph. In other words, I was sprinting. My heart was racing and I was running for my life!

After that adrenaline rush, we decided to turn back. We made it home and suffered no injuries! Success. Looks like I need to train a LOT MORE. I have roughly 90 days to get my body into shape for this GRUELING ride. 75miles/day for two days, that is BIG DEAL!!!I will keep you posted on my journey to the MS 150.

Wish me luck!

Ride Time: 1:31 mins
Total: 19.6 miles
Average Speed: 12.6 mph

MS 150 - Day 0

2009-01-30T23:13:00.000-06:00

Just decided to do the MS 150 - I don't know what I am getting myself into; however, I have talked to my doctors and they have all given me the following advice:
1. Try not to get over heated when cycling (Oops, I will be riding in May!)
2. Keep hydrated (Need another bottle of water)
3. Make sure I get my heart in condition. Over exertion will accentuate an episode.
4. Finally, HAVE FUN! (I can do that)

Also, if anyone wants to donate to our cause or join our team, go to the link below:

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/Akhil09

Amazing Story

2009-01-30T21:52:00.000-06:00

A true and timely story.
KURTIS THE STOCK BOY MEETS BRENDA THE CHECKOUT GIRL

In a supermarket, Kurtis the stock boy, was busily working when a new voicecame over the loud speaker asking for a carry out. Kurtis was almost finished, and wanted to get some fresh air, and decided to answer the call.

As he approached the check-out stand the checkout girl caught his eye. She was an older woman (maybe 26, and he was 22). Later that day, after his shift was over, Kurtis waited by the punch clock to find out her name. She came into the break room, smiled softly at him,took her card and punched out, then left.

He looked at her card, BRENDA. He walked out only to see her start walking up the road. Next day, he waited outside as she left the supermarket, and offered her a ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she accepted. When he dropped her off, heasked if maybe he could see her again, outside of work. She simply said it wasn't possible.

He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn't afford ababy-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter. Reluctantly she accepted his offer for a date for the following Saturday. That Saturday night he arrived at her door only to have her tell him that she was unable to go with him. The baby-sitter had called and canceled. To which Kurtis simply said, "Well,let's take the kids with us." She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but againnot taking no for an answer, he pressed.

Finally Brenda, brought him insideto meet her children. She had an older daughter, then Brenda brought out her son, in a wheelchair. He was a paraplegic. Kurtis asked Brenda, "I still don't understand why the kids can't come withus?"

Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away from a woman with two kids,especially if one had disabilities - just like her first husband and father of her children had done. Kurtis was not ordinary. That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and the movies.

When her son needed anything Kurtis would take care of him. When he needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his wheelchair,took him and brought him back. The kids loved Kurtis. At the end ofthe evening, Brenda knew this was the man she was going to marry and spendthe rest of her life with.

A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children. Since then they have added two more kids. So what happened to Kurtis the stock boy and Brenda the check-out girl?

Well, Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live in Arizona, and Kurt Warner will be the starting quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Told you this was a timely story.

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Disclaimer. This story sounds like a Disney Movie even to me! I don't put much credence in the details; however, the basic facts check out.

Like any Disney move, don't ruin the experience by over analyzing the story. Just sit back and enjoy the story. Same advice fits this Blog, relax, smile and ejnoy!

Akhil...

Posterity

2009-01-29T09:04:00.001-06:00

You can only gain control of your life to the degree to which you stop doing things that are no longer as valuable or as important to you as other things you could be doing.

Your Dance Card Is Full -
You already have too much to do and too little time in which to do it. The average person today is working at about 110% of capacity, or more. Your dance card is full. You do not have any spare time.

Change Your Priorities
As your life changes, your priorities change as well. Certain things that were important at one stage of your life or career are no longer as important as you move to another stage of your life or to another level of responsibility.You must continually ask yourself, "What activities in my life can I cut back on, delegate, or discontinue to free up more time for my most important activities?"

Master your time and master your life!
Wouldn't you like to have more time available to get more done? To make more money and have more time to spend doing the things you like, and being with the people that make you happy?It's easy... become the master of your time.

Create a practical and simple program on time management for you to achieve an outstanding life.

How: Decide What to Discontinue, To start anything new, you must stop doing something old. We say that "getting in means getting out."

What: Analyze your time carefully and have the courage to stop doing things that are no longer as important to you as other things could be.Starting up means stopping off. Getting in requires getting out. You cannot take on something new without deliberately deciding to discontinue something else.

What is it going to be? Apply this law immediately:

First, analyze your work and make a list of the items that consume most of your time. Which of these activities could you discontinue or delegate to free up more time for higher value work?

Second, compare your daily activities against your annual income. Would you pay someone else your equivalent salary to do the things that you are doing? If you wouldn't, stop doing those things immediately and pass them onto someone who can do them almost as well as you can.

Abundance!

2009-01-27T01:30:00.000-06:00

The Law of Abundance - there is ample money for everyone who knows how to acquire it and keep it. We live in an abundant universe in which there is sufficient money for all who really want it and are willing obey the laws governing its acquisition. You Can Have All You Want

Listen to educational audio programs in your car. The average person drives 12,000 to 25,000 miles per year which works out to between 500 and 1000 hours per year that the average person spends in his or her car. You can become an expert in your field by simply listening to educational audio programs as you drive from place to place.

Make A DecisionThe first corollary of the Law of Abundance says that, “People become wealthy because they decide to become wealthy.” They become wealthy because they believe they have the ability to become wealthy. Because they believe this completely, they act accordingly. They consistently take the necessary actions that turn their beliefs into realities. And you can always tell what your beliefs really are by looking at your actions. There is no other way.

The second corollary of this law says: “People are poor because they have not yet decided to become rich.” Examine Your Own Thinking In the book, The Instant Millionaire, by Mark Fisher, the old millionaire asks the boy who has sought his advice about becoming a millionaire, “Why aren’t you rich already?” This is an important question to ask yourself.

However you answer this question will reveal a lot about yourself. Your answers will expose your self-limiting beliefs, your doubts, your fears, your excuses, your rationalizations and your justifications. Review Your ReasonsWhy aren’t you rich already? Write down all the reasons you can think of. Go over your answers one by one with someone who knows you well and ask them for their opinion. You may be surprised to find that your reasons are mostly excuses that you have fallen in love with. Whatever your reasons or excuses, you can now get rid of them.

The world is full of hundreds and thousands of people who have had far more difficulties to overcome than you could ever imagine, and they’ve gone on to be successful anyway. So can you.

Couple of things you can do NOW:

First, imagine that every experience you have ever had with money contained a special lesson that was designed just for you to help you to ultimately become financially independent. What are the most important lessons you have learned so far?

Second, analyze yourself honestly and determine your biggest block, your major self-limiting belief that holds you back from becoming more successful financially. Resolve to act from now on as if this block no longer exists.

See you on the cover of Fortune!

Akhil...

Stretch

2009-01-26T01:16:00.001-06:00

Anyone ever train for a marathon?
How about for an atheletic competition?(maybe in the past?)
Remember the pain that you felt while training and shortly after training?
That was your body telling you that you were making progress.When you feel aches, you are being stretched. It makes your body reach the “Next Level”

Felt pain like that lately? How about in your spiritual life? Are you being stretched?
If you are not feeling any aches or pains, perhaps it is time to realize that you might not be growing?

I am not suggesting that you put yourself in harm’s way, what I am suggesting is that you step outside your comfort zone and stretch!

With the superbowl coming, I have football on the mind and when I think football, I think Tom Landry who said, “I make men do things that they don’t want to do so those same men can do the things the really want to do!”

Stretch!

Stress Management Tip #25

2009-01-25T15:48:00.000-06:00

This is my last stress management tip. I did save the best for last:

Say a Little Prayer Studies show that compared with those who profess no faith, religious and spiritual people are calmer and healthier.

Recognizing that it is NOT all you is a healthy. When the sun sets on your shoulder, they the clouds are your fault too. In other words, don't takes God's job away from Him. Let Him run the show and get Him involved with a prayer.

This tip could have been first, since it is the first you should do when you are getting out of control. Or this tip could have been #13 because it would have been in the middle, as in, God is int he middle of everything. I chose to make is last because in the end, it is all about God!

Peace.

Stress Management Tip #24

2009-01-24T23:46:00.000-06:00

Tiptoe Through the Tulips: Tending a garden helps get you out of your head and lets you commune with nature, a known stress reliever.

Also tending to a houseplant works too.

Do something that helps you focus on life! Plants have a way of calming people down.

Stress Management Tip #23

2009-01-23T23:43:00.000-06:00

Make Plans: Looking forward to something provides calming perspective. Plan something fun that will excite you. Think about the fun that you are going to have, this is a fabulous way to extend the fun even before is starts.

Many people don't start a vacation until they reach their destination, mistake! The vacation starts the minute you leave the office and are not coming back until the vacation is over. Maximize your fun.

Stress Management Tip #22

2009-01-22T23:42:00.000-06:00

Stretch When we feel stressed, muscles tighten. Stretching loosens muscles and encourages deep breathing. The greatest stress-relieving stretches is a yoga position called the child pose.

BTW: There are many yoga posses that will help you destress. Try several that forces you to relax your back, works like a charm

Remember: BREATHE

Stress Management Tip #21

2009-01-21T23:39:00.000-06:00

Phone-a-Friend Sharing your troubles can give you perspective, help you feel cared for and relieve your burden. You are not in this alone.

The world will try to isolate you and expect you to do everything on your own, don't buy it!

Every watch a horror film and that one idiot goes out in the woods alone, after hearing an odd sound? Alone, woods, ax-murder. Yes he dies a gruesome death.

Don't go out there alone, you may meet a gruesome death yourself. Take a friend, one that you can out run. Because you don't have to run faster than the killer, you just have to out run your "friend"

Stress Management Tip #20

2009-01-20T23:36:00.000-06:00

Practice Mindfulness: Heighten your awareness of the moment by focusing intently on an object. Notice a pencil's shape, color, weight and feel. Slowly savor a piece of chocolate. Mindfulness leads to relaxation.

Mindful walking is another technique. Simply pay attention to every step, the feeling you get when the foot hits the ground. Feel the toes, the knees, pay attention to all the feelings that every sensor in your body is sending to your brain. Next, try to isolate the feelings one by one.

This is mindfulness.

Stress Management Tip #19

2009-01-19T23:35:00.000-06:00

Soooo Cute Researchers found that those who owned a dog had lower blood pressure than those who didn't. If you don't have a pooch, visit a friend's: Petting an animal for just a couple of minutes helps relieve stress.

Stress Management Tip #18

2009-01-18T23:34:00.000-06:00

Play a Few Bars: A number of recent studies have shown that music can do everything from slow heart rate to increase endorphins. Classical music works best for the brain. Try: Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Handel, or Mozart.

Also, a great stress reducer is to actually play a musical instrument. It helps you change focus to doing something creative. Very right brain!

Stress Management Tip #17

2009-01-17T23:32:00.000-06:00

Soak it Up: Nothing is more stress relieving for most than a hot bath. The next-best thing: Wash your face or even just your hands and arms with hot water.

Breathe and relax, close your eyes and feel the warmth overcoming your anxieties.

Stress Management Tip #16

2009-01-16T23:32:00.000-06:00

Take a Walk: It forces you to breathe more deeply and improves circulation. Step outside if you can; if that's not possible, you can gain many of the same benefits simply by walking to the bathroom or water cooler, or by pacing back and forth.

Movement is the key!

Stress Management Tip #15

2009-01-15T23:21:00.000-06:00

Tea for me: The calming properties of chamomile tea are well documented, so try a cup of tea. Whether you use tea bags or loose tea (one teaspoon of tea per cup of boiling water), steep for about 10 minutes to get the full benefits of the herbs.

This is also another stress reduction technique that has positive health benefits.

Stress Management Tip #14

2009-01-14T23:19:00.000-06:00

Munch Some Snacks: Foods that are high in carbohydrates stimulate the release of serotonin, feel-good brain chemicals that help induce calm. Crackers, pretzels, or a bagel should do the trick.

My favorite, chips and salsa. That is really comfort food for me and I can tell it calms me down very quickly.

Be careful that you don't over do this one!

Stress Management Tip #13

2009-01-13T23:18:00.000-06:00

Shake It Up Baby: This quick exercise helps loosen the muscles in your neck and upper back: Stand or sit, stretch your arms out from your sides and shake your hands vigorously for about 10 seconds. Combine this with a little deep breathing and bending.

Moving large body parts quickly gets the blood moving and helps with relieving stress.

Stress Management Tip #12

2009-01-12T23:16:00.000-06:00

Schedule Worry Time - Some stressors demand immediate attention; but many low-grade stressors can be dealt with at a later time, when it's more convenient. File them away in a little mental compartment, or make a note then deal with them when the time is right.

Don't let the stressors control you. Ask, "Is this a now thing? Can it wait?"

BE IN CONTROL

Stress Management Tip #11

2009-01-11T23:14:00.000-06:00

Warm Up Rub your hands together vigorously until they feel warm. Then cup them over your closed eyes for five seconds while you breathe deeply. The warmth and darkness are comforting.

This is a really clever way to fool your body into destressing. It will make you feel good almost instantly. Rubbing your hands together will release some energy; but, the warmth on your eyes is the real trick!

Stress Management Tip #10

2009-01-10T23:12:00.000-06:00

Smell that? Oils of anise, basil, bay, chamomile, eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, rose, and thyme are all soothing. Place a few pieces of rock salt in a small vial, then add a couple of drops of the oil of your choice (the rock salt absorbs the oil). Open the vial and breathe in the scent whenever you need a quick stress release.

This is such a cool trick to make sure the oils don't leak. Cotton in a vial works too; however, rock salt tends to hold the scents longer.

Stress Management Tip #9

2009-01-09T23:11:00.000-06:00

Count to ten before you say or do something you'll regret, step away from the stressor and collect yourself. You can also look away for a moment or put the caller on hold. Important to realize that from an action to a reaction there is an element of time that you want to use to your advantage.

Just Say No!

Trying to do everything is a one-way ticket to serious stress. Be clear about your limits, and stop trying to please everyone all the time.

Remember this tip works for calming down a child as well as a grown up!

Stress Management Tip #8

2009-01-08T23:07:00.000-06:00

Put it on paper Writing provides perspective. When you write down the stressor, your next step is to write what you can do about it.

Here is an example: My wife doesn’t close the kitchen drawers. When she gets something out, she leaves the drawers open. It was really annoying me. So I wrote down all my options: I could get angry, takes forever to cool down. I could divorce her, wow that is drastic. I could close the drawers, takes all of 3 seconds. Guess what I chose, if you guessed, close drawers, you were right.

You will see that the response to your stressor is manageable once you realize that you are in control of the situation. Cool, right?

Stress Management Tip #7

2009-01-07T23:05:00.000-06:00

Compose a Mantra Devise an affirmation statement, a short, clear, positive statement that focuses on your coping abilities. Silence the self-critical voice we all carry with us that only adds to our stress. Example: “I feel calm. I can handle this.” “I am strong, I can do this.” “I am too blessed to be stressed!”

I used to say, "Ain't no thing, I have had MUCH worse!" My friend in college used to say, "At least I'm not y0u!" Sounds like he was ahead of his time, he had a stress reduction mantra and it really worked!

Stress Management Tip #6

2009-01-06T23:04:00.000-06:00

Stop Gritting Your Teeth Stress tends to settle in certain parts of our bodies, the jaw being one of them. When things get hectic, clench your teeth and inhale deeply. Hold the breath for a moment, and as you exhale say, "Ah-h-h-h," then unclench your teeth. Repeat a few times. Clenching your teeth let you know what unclenching feels like!

Remember - motion produces emotion. Grit your teeth and you will feel stressed.

Stress Management Tip #5

2009-01-05T23:02:00.000-06:00

Rate the Fate Using a scale of one to ten, with one being the equivalent of a minor hassle and ten being a true catastrophe, assign a number to whatever it is that's making you feel anxious. Most problems rate somewhere in the two to five range, I.E. they're really not such a big deal.

Basically, chill out, it isn't that bad. Stop fantasizing and exaggerating.

Just relax, tomorrow is another day.

Stress Management Tip #4

2009-01-04T22:58:00.000-06:00

1. Make Time for a Mini Self-Massage Simply massaging the palm of one hand by making a circular motion with the thumb of the other.

This is really a great idea, your body cant tell the difference between a self-massage or another person massaging you!.

Get some oil and/or lotion and gently massage your legs and arms. This massaging action gets the body to produce all sorts of healing activities in your body.

Try it, de-stress.

Stress Management Tip #3

2009-01-03T22:54:00.000-06:00

1. Visualize Calm Close your eyes, take three long, slow breaths, and spend a few seconds picturing a relaxing scene, such as walking in a meadow, kneeling by a brook, or lying on the beach. Focus on the details: sights, sounds, smells.

Stress Management Tip #2

2009-01-02T22:52:00.000-06:00

1. Breathe Easily "Breathing from your diaphragm oxygenates your blood, which helps you relax almost instantly," says Robert Cooper, Ph.D. Shallow chest breathing, by contrast, can cause your heart to beat faster and your muscles to tense up, exacerbating feelings of stress. To breathe deeply, begin by putting your hand on your abdomen just below the navel. Inhale slowly through your nose and watch your hand move out as your belly expands. Hold the breath for a few seconds, exhale slowly. Repeat several times.

Stress Management Tip #1

2009-01-01T20:55:00.000-06:00

1. Laugh Emotions are led by motions. Smiling transmits nerve impulses from the facial muscles to the limbic system, a key emotional center in the brain, tilting the neurochemical balance toward calm. So the expression “grin and bear it” actually has medical merit!!

Come to my Laughter Yoga class for some relief! It is really fun.

Stress Management Tips

2009-01-01T09:24:00.000-06:00

Stress management tips are often offered but then, so many of us just do not do what needs to be done. Finding some stress relief management in our lives can be a great thing you could do to permit ourselves to find healing and inevitably to become someone that knows how to relax and enjoy life.

Did you notice that when you are undergoing in a lot of tension and pressure, it may delay you or take you twice as long to complete a single task? Now compare to the fact that you experience less pressure. Will you be able to perform better and more than you do now? It is a great probability, and finding this level, you can use stress relief management.

What exactly is Stress relief management (SRM)?

SRM alleviates from the hassles you experience in your daily life. To simplify, there are some things you could do to help deal with pressure or at least manage it better. Although there is very slim chance to escape from hassles completely, well, at least by managing it, you have a better way to de-stress and help it not to be as life-threatening and dangerous as could be.

For a totally new perspective on life tomorrow and beyond, here are some stress management tips to welcome into your life now. Always give yourself time to relax and unwind. Though you might be very busy or have no time to do this, you just have to.

The human body needs to rest once in a while and do some repair and recharging. It needs space to breathe and just stop all the worrying. The body also needs time to soothe and calm itself from all the running and pacing back and forth. Ideally, allow yourself about four to six hours a week of doing just nothing.

This is a cheapest reward you can give yourself. It will not cost you even a single cent. How about your schedule? Stress relief management plays a big part on your schedule. Do you schedule your day to day activities, or do you stuff it all in countless hours of working and do whatever you can do? This is very tough and could prove to be unhealthy. It may result in disorientation if not properly addressed sooner.

Buying a day planer will surely help manage tension better. Invest in some stress relief products available these days. Place them where you need them and store them where you can easily reach and find them.

A stress relief ball is a good example of an effective stress relief product to own. It lets you work your way through hassles and making it appear lesser and much easier to handle.

You could bring one to work, and place it nearby for easier access and can instantly soothe any stressful moment. Some of these tips and advices could help you find balance and rhythm especially in situations which are constantly plagued by tension and worry.

Stress Management Tips

2008-12-31T20:44:00.000-06:00

The year is almost over and I am watching people all around me under a tremendous amount of stress because of various things, like the economy, relationships, health, etc. Everyone experiences stress from time to time, so it is perfectly normal. BUT, normal doesn't mean healthy or inevitable!

Believe it or not, you can learn how to largely eliminate stress. I don't mean eliminate the pressures in your life – those will probably remain.
Pressure is what is happening to you. Stress is how you react to those pressures.

(Read that again!)

Recent Study "Stress in executives": Shows that low and middle level executives show many stress symptoms, like ulcers, high blood pressure, tension, burnout and so on. Top executives, however, as a group show much fewer stress signs.

Why do folks at the top show fewer signs of stress?

There may be many reasons, like more control over their lives, but it is hard to believe they don't have pressures. So why don't they get as stressed? The main reason is that they have learned how to handle the pressure without letting it eat them up.

The next 25 days will have a tip a day to deal with stress. Again, these are amazingly SIMPLE techniques and they will help you.

I have heard people that have taken my stress class say, "I tried your techniques and they don't help me." Let me address this comment: First, these are not my techniques. I have learned them from smarter people than me! Second, if one doesn't work, try another technique. Not every technique will help in every case; however, having a strategy to deal will stress is vital to your survial.

Trust me when I say this, "Stress kills!"

Stress Tip #1 tomorrow. Makes sense, right, Tip 1, January 1, see you tomorrow!

Akhil...

Sleep Tips #12

2008-11-13T23:00:00.000-06:00

Morning Sunshine. Avoid letting sunshine in the room when sleeping. Sunshine will activate your natural biological clock to stay awake.

Close those curtains, put on a face mask, cover your head with a damp wash cloth.

Keep the light out.

If you live in Alaska and it is daylight all the time: Move. Ms. Palin will understand.

Sleep Tips #11

2008-11-12T19:58:00.000-06:00

Sleep in bed. Make sure the bed is for sleeping, train your mind to think sleep = bed. If you do other active things in bed, your mind will lose the connection with sleep = bed.

This is a FABULOUS Tip! If you play games in bed, work in bed, etc. Your mind doesn't connect the bed with a place to sleep. Of course you will wake up in bed and start thinking, let's get the laptop and knock out a few emails.

Sleep Tips #10

2008-11-11T21:55:00.000-06:00

Cool it. Keeping the temperature in your bedroom on the cool side can help you sleep better.

If it is too hot, your body will not get a good nights sleep. If you get up sweaty, odds are very high that you didn't enter REM sleep.

If you are too hot, try this tip: Take a damp wash cloth and put it on your eyes, this typically does the job of cooling you down.

Sleep Tips #9

2008-11-10T22:53:00.000-06:00

Have a good sleeping environment. Get rid of anything that might distract you from sleep: noises, bright lights, uncomfortable bed. Turns out that the most important part of a bed is the pillow. Save your money on the mattress, spend $$ on the pillow.

If your bed is a mess, clean it up. Make sleeping a PLEASURE. Make your bed inviting.

Spend on those pillows. They make the most difference.

Why do you think your wife wants to take her pillow with her when she travels? Because she is SMART!!!

Sleep Tips #8

2008-11-09T20:51:00.000-06:00

Take a hot bath before bed. The drop in body temperature after the bath may help you feel sleepy, and the bath can help relax you.

This is one of my favorite tricks to get to bed. Wow, do I sleep well after a HOT SHOWER or HOT BATH.

I am so relaxed, just typing this makes me want to go to bed!

Sleep Tips #7

2008-11-08T20:47:00.000-06:00

Relax before bed. Take time to unwind. A relaxing activity, such as reading or listening to music, should be part of your bedtime ritual.

This is why we read books to our children. Unwind.

BTW: An idea + a man = Bad News! Tickling is fun, I like to have fun, my daughter likes to have fun, I have an idea! Tickling your child before bed, not a good idea. I found that out the hard way!

Next night, no tickling, just reading Harry Potter, doing the voices of course!

Sleep Tips #6

2008-11-07T21:44:00.000-06:00

Don't take long naps. Short Naps can boost your brain power, but late afternoon naps can make it harder to fall asleep at night. Try one hour max.

Also, if you want to get over jet lag, DON'T SLEEP until you are ready to follow a routine. I know the first day is hard, but then you are over your jet lag!

Small price to pay to get a good nights sleep.

Sleep Tips #5

2008-11-06T23:11:00.000-06:00

Avoid large meals and beverages late at night. A large meal can cause indigestion that interferes with sleep. Also there is a small problem with acid reflux when you eat too late at night. Also, drinking too many fluids at night can cause you to awaken frequently to urinate.

Man, I hate that when I have to get up at night. I am all warm in my bed and then I have to go to the bathroom. I become completely awake and then I have to fall back to sleep. GOOD LUCK with that. Now, not liquids enter my body a couple of hours before bed. Works for me!

Sleep Tips #4

2008-11-05T23:39:00.000-06:00

Avoid alcoholic drinks before bed. A "nightcap" might help you get to sleep, but keeps you in the lights stages of sleep. You also tend to wake up in the middle of the night when the sedating effects have worn off.

"Oh I will have a quick drink, that always makes me fall asleep!" so say some people. But they actually don't get the proper sleep that they NEED.

Avoid alcohol before bed, period!

Sleep Tips #3

2008-11-04T22:36:00.000-06:00

Avoid stimulant. Caffeine, cigarettes, etc. The stimulating effects of caffeine can take as long as 8 hours to wear off fully.

I know this is a, "Duh!" tip, but, you would be surprised how many people drink caffeinated beverages before going to sleep. People react differently to stimulants, so watch what you intake before bed.

Sleep Tips #2

2008-11-03T21:53:00.000-06:00

Exercise, but not too late in the day. Avoid exercising closer than 4 - 6 hours before bedtime.

A good workout does wonders for sleep. Your body is ready to relax = Relax = Sleep!

Go Figure. By the way, the 4 - 6 hours is because when you exercise you also get energized. You don't want to get charged up just before you go to bed.

Sleep Tips #1

2008-11-02T21:27:00.000-06:00

Having trouble sleeping, try sticking to a schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day-even on the weekends.

This is an excellent way to regulate your body's clock. I have become so used to a schedule, that I seldom need an alarm clock! My body just gets up at a certain time and when I am tired, I know it is around 10:00pm.

Sleep Tips - What is Sleep

2008-11-01T22:17:00.000-05:00

When you need more time in a day do you cut back on your sleep?

Many people think that sleep is merely a "down time" when the brain shuts off and the body rests. I found out that I was wrong.

Sleep studies show that sleep has distinctive stages that cycle throughout the night. Your brain stays active throughout sleep, but different things happen during each stage. For instance, certain stages of sleep are indeed for us to feel well rested and energetic the next day, and other stages help us learn or make memories.

In brief, a number of vital tasks carried out during sleep help maintain good health and enable people to function at their best. Most adults need 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Newborns, on the other hand, sleep between 16 and 18 hours a day, and children in preschool sleep between 10 and 12 hours a day. School-aged children need at least 9 hours of sleep every night.

So I asked, “Does it really matter if I get enough sleep?” “Absolutely!” Not only does the quantity of your sleep matter, but the quality of your sleep is important as well. People whose sleep is interrupted don’t get enough of certain stages of sleep. In other words, how well rested you are and how well you function the next day depend on your total sleep time and how much of the various stages of sleep you get each night.

Performance: We need sleep to think clearly, react quickly, and create memories. The pathways in the brain that help us learn and remember are very active when we sleep. Studies show that people who are taught mentally challenging tasks do better after a good night's sleep. Sleep is needed for creative problem solving.Skimping on sleep has a price. Tough to focus the next day and can slow your response time.

Mood: Sleep also affects mood. Insufficient sleep can make you irritable and is linked to poor behavior and trouble with relationships, especially among children and teens. People who chronically lack sleep are also more likely to become depressed.

Health: Sleep is also important for good health. Studies show that not getting enough sleep or getting poor quality sleep on a regular basis increases the risk of having high blood pressure, heart disease, and other medical conditions.In addition, during sleep, your body produces valuable hormones. Deep sleep triggers more release of growth hormone, which fuels growth in children, and helps build muscle mass and repair cells and tissues in children and adults.

Another type of hormone that increases during sleep works to fight various infections.Hormones released during sleep also affect how the body uses energy. Studies find that the less people sleep, the more likely they are to be overweight or obese, to develop diabetes, and to prefer eating foods that are high in calories and carbohydrates.

Sleep Tips

2008-10-31T22:22:00.000-05:00

Hi all! It is Halloween and I am seeing a lot of night owls!!

I have discussed staying up late in some of my classes and there has been one one common complaint from many people that take my class: I can't sleep!

Are you suffering from a lack of sleep?

There are many forms of sleeplessness, one is an inability to get to sleep, stay asleep, wake-up STILL TIRED! These are very common for people as they age. I will give you some tried and true tips that will keep from being tired!

I have to tell you that I used to have a really hard time with sleeping and my attitude was:
Sleep is for the dead! While I am alive, I am going to stay awake!

I considered sleep annoying and envied people that could go on little to no sleep. As it turns out my view on sleep was WRONG!

My health suffered because of my lack of understanding with sleep and my body paid the price. I will tell you more about the pain and suffering on a later date; however, this blog is for you! Tips to sleep.

Tomorrow, we will look at why sleep is important!

Share theses nuggets with others and get some rest. Akhil