Real Stress Reduction Tips

In a recent "Stress Reduction Workshop" we were told to: a) Live in the Present, not dwell on the past or focus entirely on the future, b) Drink lots of water and c) Restore imbalanced posture. It was pretty obvious that the speaker's goal was to get everyone to try chiropractic help. I'm a fan of that, but it left me looking for more "practical" everyday tips to relieve stress and help me to relax. Here's what I came across in a Meridian Magazine article:

Ten Prescriptions for Living to the Age of 100 or More
By Stan Gardner, M.D., CNS
..Here are 10 simple prescriptions you can apply immediately that will help you to relax, smile, and gain greater perspective—all of which are known to increase our longevity and put more fun in our future.

LOVE YOUR BODY: Use healthy things on and in your body. Be mindful of what you eat and drink of course, but also consider what you use for shampoos, toothpastes, deodorants, and cleaning agents that affect the air you breathe.

ENJOY A GOOD BELLY LAUGH (EVERY DAY): Laughter is a wonderful gift that invigorates the body and mind and helps you to relax. Try watching a DVD of Brian Regan, the hilarious clean comedian. Rent an I Love Lucy show (especially the one where she and Ethyl work for the chocolate factory). My wife and I love watching the old movie “What’s Up Doc?”

BREATHE. Focus on exhaling; breathing out ALL the way. While breathing out, relax your shoulders and release the baggage in your life. As you naturally inhale, bring in the things that you need and want, full of gratitude for what you are learning and have learned.

CLEAN UP; FIX UP; SPRUCE UP. When your environment is in order, you feel more in control and more at peace. Don’t overwhelm yourself with the whole project; just select a tiny area of your life that you can put in order right away. Tackle it, put it in order, and then move on.

TAKE A NAP: Take a lesson from the little ones. We all do better when we are rested. Even as adults it is important to be clear minded and well rested. Many of the greatest minds in history said that they performed much better when they took a mini-rest during the day: Spencer W. Kimball, Thomas Edison, Winston Churchill, Leonardo da Vinci, Johannes Brahms, and Albert Einstein are among them.

TAKE A WALK. Stand tall with your shoulders back, chest forward, head tall. Take a deep breath all the way in with good posture. Walk while enjoying the sights and sounds around you.

GIVE OFF GOOD VIBRATIONS. Find joy; be grateful for what you have and what surrounds you (even if right now it may seem difficult, your experience is teaching you something). Smile. Don’t undervalue the power of your influence on others—even those you simply pass by. Your presence radiates to those around you.

WORK HARD AND PLAY HARD. You’ll sleep better at night, and you’ll feel the satisfaction of a job well done. Know when to start and when to quit. And then apply what you know.

GAIN A PERSPECTIVE and FORGIVE: Climb a mountain. Find out your mission, and be sure you’re doing it—or else you’ll have continual stress. Connect to God. Ask His opinion. Then listen. Recognize the value of time in healing. FORGIVE: No one has had the same experiences as you. No one has learned exactly the same things you have learned. No one has the same past, present, or future as you. Why expect everyone around you to automatically read your mind? Why judge others’ intentions? You have no way to know what is going on with others. Only they and God know. So let Him be the judge. That goes for even the people who have hurt you in some way. Why let them have control over you and your peace by continuing to harbor ill feelings?

SAY, “THANK YOU” AND “I LOVE YOU” every chance you get. You never know when the chance may fade away. Live now. Love now. Laugh now.
Let it all go now, and let God guide you.

Try going through all 10 prescriptions, and then repeat. I’d love to hear your results. Feel free to visit my website and let me know. www.stangardnermd.com