Hi, Bettina here, with the July's "Healthy Thoughts", and "7 Tips to Reduce Stress and Enjoy the Summer"
Summer is here and the fog moved into the city. I feel so lucky to see the sun nearly every day, because I live and work in the sun belt of San Francisco.
Have you started with your exercise routine already?
The world is a staircase. Some go up, and some come down. We must ascend.
n From Accordion Crimes by Annie Proulx
Let me tell you what exercises I do:
On one of my strolls through a bookstore I found the book: "Stair Walks in San Francisco", by Adah Bakalinsky. She describes 27 stair walks around our beautiful city. I started to walk them, and already discovered many places I have never seen, San Francisco's back roads. I come across astonishing views of this beautiful city, hidden places, and learn the history of small neighborhoods. I highly recommend this book and the walks. Even though the walks can be challenging, but you can take shortcuts, if you are a beginner to exercise.
My favorite walk so far includes the magic stairway. It is a mind-blowing mosaic style stairway at Moraga and 16th Avenue. If you haven't seen it yeat, it is a MUST. The author says: "people are entranced by the colorful mosaic tile stairway that tells a story of sky and water and birds and fish and flowers and frogs" And I was too. Come and see it. It is truly astounding!
Besides my new hobby of discovering San Francisco in a new way, I re-started my Pilate's routine and the "Exercise-Made-Easy™" routine, attempted archery classes, go on doggy walks and do some gardening, house cleaning and played mini-golf. I am also getting ready to leave for Florida, hoping to get some great water sport fun into my life.
Remember- summer is fun and full of opportunities to get the exercise you need. E-mail me your incredible summer fun exercise exploration. I can't wait to hear your story. Send it to rspt@risingsunpt.com
Today I like to share 7 ways how to reduce your stress during the summer months and beyond.
Love and Health,
And as always: Your health matters more than anything.
Bettina.
7 Ways to Reduce Stress and Enjoy the Summer"
STRESS, STRESS, STRESS, STRESS, STRESS, STRESS, STRESS, STRESS
Everyone talks about stress. We read about it, we hear about it and we say it all the time. We say: "I am stressed", "I have stress at home.", "I have stress at work", "My boss stresses me out", even the kids say: "I have stress at school", and "I am totaly stressed right now, because I am going on vacation next week."
But, do we really know what it means?
"The stress response of the body is somewhat like an airplane readying for take-off. Virtually all systems (e.g., the heart and blood vessels, the immune system, the lungs, the digestive system, the sensory organs, and brain) are modified to meet the perceived danger." Says the American Institute of Stress.
Stress is as old as life exists. Stress is a natural response mechanism and is the response to danger. Your body works extraordinary hard to save your life.
Our lives and our environment have changed. We have many reasons to react to danger. That means that our brain is constantly on a high response system, and alarming our body to react. Your brain sends messages to the heart and lungs, to work harder. It sends messages to your immune system to send out immune boosting troops to repair possible injury. Your mouth and throat reacts by causing dryness and difficulties to talk. Your muscular skeletal system responds with tightening the muscles.
The more triggers there are, more often will this response system react, and if you do not allow your body to relax, you are in a constant stress reaction.
To have constant stress means that your heart, your lungs, your immune system, your muscular skeletal system and other systems in your body are overworked and will be used up faster. This means, that you get weaker at an earlier age.
What can we do to stop this stress cycle?
Here are 7 simple ways to reduce the stress in your life:
Tip 1:
Are you working non-stop at work and at home and feel really exhausted at the end of the day? I suggest taking frequent mini breaks during the day, at work and at home: take a few deep breaths every hour and take a moment to pay attention to your body, notice what your body tells you. Then take some more deep breaths and follow the needs of your body.
Tip 2
Exercise regularly. See June's "Healthy
Thoughts".
Tip 3
My oldest sister Frohmut, who is a medical doctor in Germany, swears by a hot bath or hot tub before going to bed: I even suggest adding some bath salts or aroma therapy infusion in the water and listening to relaxing music. Avoid hot baths though if you experience lymphedema or swelling. Then just listen to relaxing music and use aroma therapy.
Here I like to tell you a surprising story (at least to me), which brings up the question: What makes music relaxing?
I recently went to a Techno Concert in the Sierra Nevada foothills with my kids. We planned to camp out next to the concert. What I did not know before the trip was, that the music would play 24 hours a day for 3 days. When I found out, I was ready to leave, since techno music does not count as my favorite music anyway! But I was so exhausted from the long drive and decided to stay. After I went to bed, I was prepared for a sleepless night. I layed on my mat and felt the vibrations of the music under me. And to my surprise: I fell asleep and I slept better, than I slept in more than one year. I loved it. I woke up, when the music suddenly stopped, and went back to sleep when it continued. The steady sounds of music, and the steady beats and vibrations made me sleep better than a sleeping pill.
What do you think why I slept so well? Did you ever have an experience like this? Send me an E-mail (rspt@risingsunpt.com) and let me know what you think.
Tip 4
Yet another way to relax: make a device, which we call "Still point".
I use it daily before sleeping. This helps me to sleep deeper and more relaxed. It will reduce discomfort in your body. It will support your body to get into a state of relaxation and can greatly reduce the stress of the day. Try it.
Get started: all you need are two tennis balls (preferable old once, which are a little softer), and a sock (one you may have lost the pair). Put the balls into the sock, and close the end, so that the balls won't move apart any more. Take this and place it under your skull transverse (not neck!), just behind your ears or your eyes, while you are lying on your back on the bed. Relax on the balls no longer than 5 to 10 minutes. Do not read or watch TV while lying on the balls, just rest.
E-mail me if you have questions. It can be very effective. Great tool to use before bedtime, just don't fall asleep on it and wake up with a stiff neck.
Tip 5
Take a well deserved vacation! Start preparing early. I always have trouble and stress out just before we leave and again when we come back. Do you have any tips how you prepare for vacation in a stress free manner? If you are willing to share your tips please send me an e-mail: rspt@risingsunpt.com
Tip 6
Take a walk on the beach or in a park. Listen to the waves and the birds, Do something you wanted to do already a long time, but you never had the time. This might be the time. Enjoy what you do. Be thankful what you can do. And: Be in the moment!
Tip 7:
Start journaling: "Journaling is an excellent tool to use for self-awareness and self-healing. If you allow yourself to be open and completely honest in your journal, it will enable you to face the stresses and see the beauty in any health challenge you may be going through. Use your journal to stay in optimal states of health by working to prevent illness instead of internalizing negative emotions or situations. Purge them in your journal and then focus your energy on creating a happy, healthy and prosperous life." Says Juli Romero in "Pathway Over The Watershed", Journaling for Health.
This advice is not meant to replace a visit to your medical doctor or Physical Therapist.
