Stress: Tip #6 - The Synergistic Affect

We all have stress in our lives, it’s unavoidable. It’s how we deal with it that can make or break us.

Our tips this month on Stress Relief have been simple ideas that, when applied, can help alleviate much of your stress almost immediately. 

1. Laughter/humor
2. Nutrition
3. Sleep
4. Hydration
5. Exercise

These sound simple enough but it’s putting them to use that will make the difference.  Just like our New Year’s resolution’s take an effort for success, incorporating these stress relief tips takes an effort too.

Life spirals in an upward motion or a downward motion depending on our good or bad decisions, and these decisions are exponential.

By doing nothing, your life could look like this:

You have no time for exercise because your too tired from lack of sleep which is caused by lack of exercise and poor planning; which makes you feel bad so you don’t care what you eat, you skip breakfast because your too tired and get up late and have no time to eat or pack a lunch; eating at the first fast food restaurant you come to. Your health suffers because you don’t make time for exercise or proper diet, or drink enough water, causing more stress & lack of sleep; the relationship suffers because we are too stressed, causing more stress, lack of sleep and bad diet, you live on coffee because you are so tired, causing you to be dehydrated due to the caffeine, which interrupts sleep patterns more, causing more stress; we don’t drink enough water to flush out the toxins all the stress causes so we have more health issues arise causing more sleepless nights, stress and relationship issues; our since of humor is gone so we don’t find anything funny; the job suffers, we are often late, we snap at people making them stressed so they snap at someone and on and on; your inefficient, forgetful, grumpy and sullen, not a good candidate for promotion, keeping you at a lower pay grade, causing low self esteem which causes junk food binging, which makes us more tired, depressed and overweight and it goes on and on...

Or:

You exercise, which energizes your body and your brain and makes you feel good so you want to eat healthier; you sleep good because the exercise allowed for a sound nights sleep; you wake refreshed needing only 1 cup of coffee with your nutritious breakfast; you remember to pack a lunch with a refillable water bottle because you got a good nights sleep and your memory is working efficiently; You have planned your day well so you have time to visit with friends and have some good laughs; which makes you feel happy, you smile at someone walking down the sidewalk, which in turn, smiles back and passes it on; your more efficient at work because cognitively you are “with it” being an important part of the office; your boss notices and offers you a promotion with a nice raise; you now have more money to do those things you love and can even put some aside to save; your happy, yes stress comes but it only makes a ripple not a splash; you feel confident and empowered and it goes on and on...

Which life do you want?  What will you do to achieve it?

“The biggest gap in the world is between ‘I should’ and ‘I did’ ” Author Unknown

Take action now! Plan your day don’t let it plan you!

Stress tip #5 - Exercise

Love your Brain, Love your Body, Love your Life

Exercise boosts your feel-good endorphins and distracts you from your daily worries; it does your mind & body good.

Besides increasing our overall health and well-being, exercise has some direct stress-busting benefits.

- It pumps up your endorphins (our feel good neurotransmitter) Often called a runner’s high you can get the feeling from any form of exercise.
- Improves blood flow to the brain, bringing additional sugars and oxygen that may be needed when you are thinking intensely.
- When you think hard, the neurons of your brain function more intensely. As they do this, they can build up toxic waste products that can cause foggy thinking. By exercising, you speed the flow of blood through your brain, moving these waste products faster.
- It’s like meditation in motion - After your daily physical exercise, you’ll often find you have forgotten your day’s troubles and concentrated on your body’s movement. You may find that this focus on a single task and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you remain calm and clear in everything you do.
- It improves your mood. Regular exercise increases self-confidence and lowers symptoms of mild depression and anxiety, and it improves sleep.
All this combines for an ease on your stress levels giving you a sense of command over your body and your life.

Too busy and stressed to fit it into your routine?

- 30 min. of good exercise can help boost your daily efficiency by up to 20%; how much time would that save you?
- How much time will you loose being sick or in the hospital.
- Are you less important than your clients, customers or family? If you don’t take care of yourself how do you take care of your responsibilities with business and home?

Here are some tips and suggestions:

Start now with regular exercise!
- Consult your doctor. Begin any new fitness program with a visit to your doctor, especially if you have any medical conditions.
- Walk before your run- Build up your fitness level gradually. Small steps make big strides.
- Do what you love and love what you do. Don’t train for a marathon if you hate running. Any form of exercise or movement can increase your fitness level and reduce stress.
- Put it in your daily schedule; treat it like a very important appointment, because you are a very important appointment!

Stick to it!
- Set some goals; committing to walking 20 min. a day. Whatever gets you going!
- Find a friend to workout or walk with.
- Change up the routine; Try new exercise classes; if you run/walk, incorporate biking, swimming, yoga, pilates. Change it up so you don’t get bored.

Whatever you choose make it a regular routine; it’s your time to unwind and it’s an important part of your day and an important part of your approach to easing stress.

"The consequences of today are determined by the actions of the past. To change your future, alter your decisions today." - Unknown Author

Synergy Training Center; Mayoclinic.com; Mindtools.com;

Stress tip #4 Hydration

Love your Brain, Love your Body, Love your Life

Drinking more water is one of the easiest changes you can make to help manage your stress. 

Water can offer your body many benefits, not the least of which is a stronger defense against stress. If you are dehydrated your body can't rally its energy in the cause of stress management. 

Sound too easy? The link between water and stress reduction is well documented. All of our organs, including our brains, need water to function properly. If you’re dehydrated, your body isn’t running well -- and that can lead to stress.
“Studies have shown that being just half a liter dehydrated can increase your cortisol (a stress hormone) levels. Staying in a good hydrated status can keep your stress levels down. When you don’t give your body the fluids it needs, you’re putting stress on it, and it’s going to respond to that.” Amanda Carlson, RD, director of performance nutrition at Athletes’ Performance.
That doesn’t mean that all your problems with money, kids and job will magically go away, however, you will be able to manage these issues a lot more efficiently with lower stress. “You’re actually likely to get more dehydrated when you’re under stress, because your heart rate is up and you’re breathing more heavily, so you’re losing fluid,” says Renee Melton, MS, RD, LD, director of nutrition for Sensei. 
A general rule is to drink half as much water in ounces as your body weight, with adjustments needed if you live in a warm climate or doing a workout etc., you will need more hydration. In addition to the amount of water intake, it is just as important to disperse it throughout the day.

You can get the correct water consumption throughout the day and remember to do it in these 3 easy steps!

1. Determine your recommended daily amount. Remember half your body weight in oz. per day. For example if you weigh 120lbs. you should be drinking a minimum of 60oz per day.

2. Disperse that amount equally throughout the day. Starting first thing in the morning before anything else, even coffee. Divide your daily intake by 12, for a 12 hour period during the day. (for example this would be 5 ounces per hour). This is the minimum ounce amount you should drink per hour. Recommended stopping 3-4 hours before bedtime.

3. Remember to drink by creating a plan. Get a water bottle and know the volume. Every hour on the hour drink your H2O hourly intake (for the example 5 ounces) repeating the process throughout the day. you can set alarms on your watch or computer etc. To help you remember to drink and refill.

- Keep a water bottle at your desk, in your car, by your bed, with you as much as possible.
- Keep caffeinated beverages to a minimum, they dehydrate you. Water is a great beverage with meals.
- Keeping hydrated will help lower your stress, improving both your physical and cognitive abilities, helping you have better performance all day long.
- If you get to the end of the day and you realize you didn’t meet your required amount, don’t try and make up for it and drink 4 glasses of water at once, it is not good for you. Just do better tomorrow.

Stress tip #3 Sleep Deprivation

Love your Brain, Love your Body, Love your Life

Stress causes lack of sleep, lack of sleep causes more stress, the more we are stressed the more sleep we lack and on and on....AHHHHH! Ok how do we sort this out? Which came first the sleeplessness or the stress?

Who knows, sometimes a serious illness, or depression can cause lack of sleep, or stress can cause us to get a lack of sleep therefore causing the illness or depression which in turn causes us more stress. Our life can definitely cause us stress, job, school, deadlines, family, new baby, old babies (teenagers) all are stressful and can cause us sleepless nights. So what to do?

First, take care of yourself with a proper diet and regular exercise, this will alleviate some of the stressors in your life. According to animal studies done at the University of California, sleep deprivation increases stress hormones, which may reduce new cell production in adult brains. So yes, take care of yourself we need all the brain cells we can. Sleep allows our brain to turn off neurotransmitters and allows the receptors to "rest" and regain sensitivity which allows monoamines (serotonin for example) to be effective at naturally produced levels. This leads to improved mood and increased learning ability. Also, we need our REM sleep which may allow enzymes to repair brain cell damage caused by free radicals. Which when we are awake can't efficiently repair themselves. This study also discovered the first evidence that sleep deprivation can cause brain damage.

Some helpful tips for a good night sleep:

• Go to bed at the same time each night. Fluctuating bedtime by just a 1 hour difference takes approx. 3 days for your body and brain to adjust.
• Let go of the day, work on forgetting that to do list.
• Make your bedroom a sanctuary. Avoid watching TV, eating and discussing emotional issues in bed.
• Keep the bedroom for relaxing activities and sleep; don't bring your computer to bed to do work or answer email.
• Start to unwind early in the evening, long before you go to bed.
• Learn to make relaxation part of your daily routine
• Exercise at the right time for you. Regular exercise can help you get a good night's sleep. But timing and intensity seem to play a roll in its effects on sleep. Avoid exercise right before bed, it can energize you, however, an easy walk a couple hours before bed can relax and help you unwind from the day. Regular exercise in the morning can even help relieve insomnia.
• Eat right, sleep tight. Try not to go to bed hungry, but avoid heavy meals before bedtime. An over-full belly can keep you up. Some foods have a sleep promoting substance such as tryptophan and can help; milk, tuna, halibut, pumpkin, artichokes, avocados, almonds, eggs, bok choy, peaches, walnuts, apricots, oats, asparagus, potatoes, buckwheat and bananas.
• Try some herbal tea before bed such as chamomile.
• Watch your caffeine intake. Caffeine can stay in your system as long as 8 hours. Cutting out caffeine at least 4 to 6 hours before bedtime can help you fall asleep easier.
• Restrict nicotine. The effects of nicotine are similar to those in caffeine.
• Avoid sugary foods.

From: heart of healing.net; webmd.com; wikipedia.com

Stress Tip #2 Nutrition

Love your Brain, Love your Body, Love your Life

When you’re stressed you release high levels of cortisol into the bloodstream of the brain, cortisol destroys glucose, the only fuel the brain has to run on.  Ideally, we want to control our stress, but often our lives don’t allow us this luxury.  We often think about proper nutrition for our bodies, but most of us don’t give enough attention to what our brain needs. Considering the brain controls all body functions, proper brain nutrition is vitally important. If the brain does not get the nutrition it needs it will not function efficiently. Also, stress is the one of the biggest destroyers of memory.

The right foods can help us control our stress and if we can’t control our stress the right foods can help replenish the glucose the cortisol has stollen.

What kinds of nutrients are good for my brain? According to the Franklin Institute our brain thrives on these nutrients:

-Fatty acids from fats are what your brain uses to create the specialized cells that allow you to think and feel.

-Amino Acids from proteins are used to make the neurotransmitters that allow your brain cells to network and communicate.

-Glucose from carbohydrates is the fuel your brain uses to produce energy that moves and motivates you.

-Micronutrients from fruits & veggies are the antioxidants your brain relies on to safeguard it’s cells from damage and dysfunction.

How do we get these nutrients? Here are foods that give your brain the best nutrition for optimal performance.  The nutrients these foods offer: Vitamin B’s, Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids, lycopene, Vitamin E, choline, magnesium, polyphenols (antioxidants), zinc, vitamin A, amino acids, flavonols.

Wholegrain foods

Nuts & nut butters - Walnuts, cashews, almonds, pecans

Seeds- sunflower, pumpkin, flax

Berries

Green Tea - freshly brewed

Eggs

Olives & Olive Oil

Avocados 

Fish

Canola Oil

Tomatoes

Broccoli

Red Cabbage

Eggplant

Spinach

Yogurt 

Chocolate - Dark and Milk (in moderation)

Along with good nutrition remember to:

-Stay well hydrated

-Reduce your caffeine intake

-Incorporate fruits and vegetables in each meal

-Eat breakfast everyday

-Eat 3 to 4 small meals everyday

Check back with us every Monday and Thursday for more tips and information on how to have a Better Brain, Better Body and Better Life.

How to Relieve Stress: Tip #1

Love your Brain, Love your Body, Love your Life Campaign

We chose laughter as our first tip because it’s an immediate antidote to stress, it’s fast, simple and anyone can do it.

Smiling, laughing, and positive thinking have been shown to have a huge number of health benefits to both mind and body.

-When you laugh, your body releases endorphins, the bodies natural feel good chemicals. They are also a natural pain and stress reliever, and promote an overall since of wellbeing.
-Laughing reduces levels of stress hormones like cortisol, allowing for improved memory performance and significantly increases cell proliferation.
-A good laugh can be beneficial to the lungs by enhancing your intake of oxygen and stimulates your heart by increasing blood flow and improves the function of your blood vessels which can help protect against heart disease.
-Laughing can even burn off calories.
-Laughter boosts the immune system by decreasing stress hormones and increasing immune cells and infection fighting antibodies. This improves your resistance to disease.
-Laughter relaxes the whole body and mind. A good laugh relieves physical tension and stress leaving your muscles relaxed up to an hour later.
-Smiley, happy people are thought to have more friends and be more successful, by appearing more confident and approachable.

“Simply using the same muscles as smiling will put you in a happier mood,” explains Dr Michael Lewis, psychologist at Cardiff University.

So make it a goal everyday to find a way to laugh:
-Read a cartoon strip
-Watch a funny video
-Listen or tell a joke
-Seek out a funny person
-Laugh at yourself
-Emulate a child

Laughter is contagious so not only can you improve your health but the health of others around you. Start today’s daily laugh with this"Laughing Baby" video.

Check back with us every Monday and Thursday for more tips and information on how to have a Better Brain, Better Body and Better Life.

Resources: mayoclinic.com; netdoctor.co.uk; helpguide.org

Love your Brain, Love your Body, Love your Life!

December is the first month of our year long campaign on Love your Brain, Love your Body, Love your Life. Each month will be emphasizing a specific topic, however not exclusively; as needed we will tap into other categories that seem relevant to the campaign.

Since December is known for being stressful. Our focus this month will be how we can understand positive and negative stress, maintain control and decrease the negative stress levels in our lives to achieve better performance and health.

For starters, we are introducing this National Geographic segment on Stress - Portrait of a Killer. At 56 minutes it’s a bit lengthy, however, we feel it is worth your while to watch. It’s interesting, informative and has a unique look at how our society deals with stress and its affect on our body.

Check back later this week for helpful hints on how to combat the stress in your life.

Dear Colleagues, Clients and Friends,

Over the last couple of years we have been watching as we battle a bad economy and struggle both personally and in business. If it’s not finances, it’s our health or various other things that are causing us too much stress; which takes up quality time, bringing down the quality of our lives. We need all the help and support from each other to make our lives and the lives around us better.

We at Synergy want to make sure we do everything possible to support one another. We truly believe in the definition of Synergy; A combined action; the combined healthy action of every organ of a system. Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.  So, with that in mind, we are introducing the, “Love your Brain, Love your Body, Love your Life” campaign. To help give you an advantage in your school, work, sport or life in general.

This is NOT a marketing or promotional campaign, but a sincere effort to reach out and help in a tough time. Too often when we hear about people in need, our hearts go out but our hands don’t. So Synergy wants to give a hand.

Every week over the next year we will be posting valuable informational tips. Information on free classes, literature, downloads, training classes, and much much more, all free! The method in which to get this help to you will be thru posts on our Facebook, website and our two blogs; anything we can find that helps you have a Better Brain, Better Body and Better Life.

This information will begin Monday, December 5th, with each month having a specific theme. New information will be available every Monday over the coming year. 

Also, if you have a question or issue Synergy can possibly help out with, contact us and we will do what we can to try and help, for free! If we cannot help, we will try to point you in the right direction or try to hook you up with the correct people that can help.

Some people may ask why are we doing this or what’s the catch, No catch. We just want to help, that’s the way we’re wired!

So I invite you to check this out, tell friends about these free life support systems to help you to have a better brain, better body, and better life.

We look forward to working together for a brighter future for all.