Health and Wellness – Page 16 – Personal Growth Cafe

October 25, 2017

Combating Mental Fatigue

Mental fatigue can definitely take its toll on a person’s well-being. It can actually be worse than physical fatigue because of a person’s inability to think clearly or express their feelings and frustrations.

Worse still, mental stress is known to cause physical fatigue and illness, too!

Mental fatigue or exhaustion may be a result of your work, family life, conflict, or even a lack of quality sleep.

If you have to make an important decision, mental stress can take its toll on you and can even lead to severe depression. This is all the more reason to avoid the consequences and implement strategies to overcome mental fatigue!

How to Relax your Mind and Boost your Energy

Relaxation is absolutely necessary to relieve mental stress and rejuvenate your body and mind. You’re probably thinking, “How am I going to do that?”

Well, it’s easy. Here are some tips to help you reduce mental exhaustion and start implementing a relaxation routine:

Take time out for yourself. Spend time in a quiet room where you can reflect and get in touch with your spiritual side. Everyone has a different way of self-reflection.Some pray or meditate, others write in a journal or diary, while others simply allow their thoughts to gently release into the darkness and quietness of the room.

Get plenty of sleep. Mental fatigue can exist no matter how much sleep you get, but sleep does help refresh your body and mind.Getting adequate sleep will eliminate a lot of your day-to-day stress. After all, the body will have a chance to repair itself and recharge.

Free your mind from the problems that swirl around you. Take your mind off of those things that are causing you stress by working on a puzzle or spending time with friends and family.Or perhaps you need to go out for a nice dinner or weekend getaway to free your mind.

Exercise regularly. Exercise causes your brain to release endorphins, which are known to make you feel happy. It’s like the body’s natural “high.” Even if all you can do is take a 15-minute walk, take it. That can be great alone time for you.

Try breathing exercises. When things get rough, take deep breaths in through your nose, hold it for 10 seconds, then release. You’ll notice that this will relieve tension.
Take a day in which you can do things by yourself. Take yourself out to a movie, go to a museum or art gallery, or do something you’ve always wanted to do but never made time for. In doing so, you’ll be able to enjoy the peace and quiet of being alone.

Implementing Your Own Strategies

These are just some of the strategies to combat mental fatigue. You may have some other methods that help you relax and find peace in your life.

Once you begin integrating these simple exercises into your day, you will begin to feel the weight lifted of your shoulders and before you know it, you’ll feel like a brand new person!

What is the best way for you to relax yourself?

How can fighting mental fatigue help you become more productive and efficient in your daily activities?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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October 25, 2017

Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live. – Jim Rohn

October 23, 2017

Helping others helps me manage my stress.

Showing others compassion is a beautiful gift. Finding ways to help others manage their stress is a way of showing my love.

I find comfort in seeing happiness radiate from others. If I can find a way to help another person manage their problems or overcome their difficulties, then I will take action.

Finding ways to soothe their worries and remove pressure from their lives is a worthwhile use of my time.

I have been given many wonderful gifts and talents. Finding ways to share my fortune with others is important. I am so grateful that I am in a position to help other people.

When I help others, I feel like I am doing my part to make the world a better place. By channeling my energy into providing my support, I lessen the stress in my own life.

Some people may find it hard to accept help or acknowledge the kindness of others, but that is okay. I lend a hand because it is the right thing to do and that is the only reward I need.

Seeing others relax removes stress from my life. It is like taking a deep breath and finding the world a calmer place. I know that if I can remove stress from other people’s lives that I am also capable of bringing calm into my own life.

Because I am a kind and loving person, helping others is in my nature. I am so lucky that I have received so many blessings in my life, and I look for ways to share my gifts. Giving back to others makes me feel calm and happy.

How do you use your time and talent to help others?

How do you feel after you have helped someone overcome difficulties or problems?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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October 23, 2017

As I soak in a tub of comfort and warmth, I wash away the day’s stress.

October 19, 2017

Where Does Stress Come From?

From the time you were young you probably heard people talking about being stressed out. Then the moment you experienced stress for yourself, you immediately knew what everyone was complaining about!

Stress is a part of life, but where does stress come from? What is the origin of stress? This is a question that many people ask but can never quite pinpoint it.

Where Does Stress Originate?

If you ask 10 people where their stress comes from you’re likely going to get answers such as their kids, family, work, and especially money.

These are stress factors that are common to most of us. Yet, when you receive these answers and really understand them you’ll notice that these are causes of stress but not where the stress actually comes from.

So where does stress come from?

There are many different schools of thought about where stress comes from. The fact of the matter is that stress is our body’s response to the demands that we place on it.

The demands may be physical, mental, or emotional in nature and when we place these demands on our body, chemicals and hormones like Cortisol and Neuropeptide Y are released into our bodies and then we feel stressed.

Stressful Thinking Leads to Stressful Feelings

Some believe that stress can stem from our own minds. This is true to some extent because we can cause stress through our worries, fears, and anxiety.

We often get into the habit of negative thinking where we can somehow convince ourselves about things that are untrue. For example, have you ever convinced yourself that you aren’t good enough, smart enough, or pretty enough to do something?

This negative self-talk creates stress within our own minds. Unfortunately, these thoughts are going on unbeknownst to us because we have come to accept our negative thoughts as truth, even when it’s far from it.

This is precisely why we need to begin to tame our negative thoughts and replace them with positive truths.

Stress is a normal part of life so we’ll never be able to escape it. What really matters is how we deal with stress, but we all experience stress differently; hence there’s no universal stress treatment!

Dealing with Stress

As we now know, stress is a bodily response to the pressures and demands that we place on ourselves in every day life.

To limit the negative effects of stress – such as heart attack, breathing problems, reproductive problems, and stomach problems – you need to learn how to actively manage your stress.

There are many simple stress coping strategies that you can employ such as:

Getting more exercise
Using positive self-talk
Getting more restful sleep
Eating a healthier diet
Knowing your work limits
Saying no when you need to
Asking for help
Creating time for fun
Using positive imagery
Employing deep breathing techniques
Listening to calming music
Clearing your life and workspace of clutter
Keeping things simple

These are all effective ways to deal with the stress in your life, however, you need to remember that the goal is to proactively manage your stress.

If you react to your stress, you’ll be spending most of your time putting out fires. Instead, if you constantly implement just a few of these stress management techniques, you will live a healthier, happier, and more productive life!

How can you react to stress healthily?

Which of the tips above can be most useful for you?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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October 18, 2017

Top Seven Reasons Stress Affects Your Health

Are you constantly feeling stressed? Stress is something we all encounter on a regular basis, but when it starts to have a negative effect on your body and mind, it means you are distressed.

What many people don’t know is that stress is a state of being that negatively impacts the body. In fact, stress has a bigger impact on our bodies than most of us realize or care to acknowledge.

Facts About Stress and Your Body

There are some downright scary facts about the toll that stress takes on the body. When you look at these facts it is hard to deny that we all need to learn how to manage our stress more effectively. Some of these facts include:

43% of all adults have health problems related to stress

75-90% of all doctor visits are stress-related

82% of workers are at least a little stressed in the workplace

Stress is known to cost American businesses more than $300 billion each year

Seven Ways In Which Your Body is Affected By Stress

There are two kinds of stress. The “good” stress is called eustress but we generally only hear about the “bad” stress known as chronic stress or distress.

Chronic stress gradually affects your health at first; in fact, you may not even notice the symptoms at all! And if the stress is not managed, the symptoms will get worse and its effects may even be irreversible.

Seven ways in which stress may manifest itself in your body are:

1. Depression. When you are stressed out, it is very common for people to become depressed. There are only so many chemicals in the brain to help a person deal with stress, and when they are used up, they’re used up.

This can lead to a person becoming profoundly depressed in what seems like a relatively short period of time.

2. Anxiety. Those who are stressed are likely to deal with uncontrollable levels of anxiety. Anxiety and depression often go hand in hand, and this can cause many different changes in the physiological functioning of the body.

3. Heart disease. Stress is very closely linked to heart attacks and death associated with cardiovascular disease. When stress is not managed, the body breaks down quickly and the heart is often profoundly impacted.

4. Diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing epidemics in the world and both mental and physical stress can cause rapid fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

The long-term effects associated with this include heart disease, blindness, liver problems, kidney disease, and more.

5. Hair loss. We often tease our friends and family when they begin to lose hair, but this can be a symptom of unmanaged stress.

If your hair is falling out prematurely don’t blame genetics, look closely at how you are dealing with the stress in your life and see if there are things you can do to control it more effectively.

6. Obesity. We often cope with stress by consuming unhealthy, fattening foods. Plus, stress prohibits the control of necessary chemicals that are needed to break down fat, which can lead to obesity.

7. Sexual dysfunction. Stress is one of the most common reasons associated with impotence in men.

As you can see, stress can affect your health in many ways. This is by no means an all-inclusive list of how stress affects your body and health.

You may also suffer from hyperthyroidism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, tooth and gum disease, ulcers, and even cancer.

Stress is serious stuff! This is all the more reason to start actively managing your stress today.

What effects does stress have on you?

How do you distress yourself?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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October 17, 2017

Letting go cleanses my body, mind, and spirit.

Letting go is a freeing process to renew myself. The old me is buried when I release my inhibitions and awaken anew.

There are many things in my life of which I must let go in order to free myself for the blessings in store for me.

I let go of all anxiety and stress to cleanse my mind. When I let go of my worries, I enjoy peace of mind and serenity in my soul.

I am liberated when I surrender control because my mind is free from tension’s contamination.

I let go of the emotional wounds of my past so I may cleanse my spirit. No matter what is behind me, I move forward to a better day.

I block out evil thoughts and replace them with faith and trust. And I know my present and future holds the best days of my life.

In order to cleanse my body, I examine my diet and make adjustments where necessary. I cut out fatty and unhealthy foods and I eat vegetables and foods rich in vitamins and nutrients.

My body is free from drugs and other toxins. My lungs are free from smoke. I enjoy breathing fresh air.

Cleansing helps me enjoy my life to the fullest. I cleanse to fill myself with things of value. I add healthy habits to my life so I may improve my body.

I add clarity and perspective to improve my mind. I add peace of mind and strength to improve my spirit.

How can letting go improve your health?

How can you cleanse your body and mind?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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October 16, 2017

The Link Between Diet and Stress

Do you ever think about the fact that, if you ate differently, you might be better able to handle the stress in your life? Do you ever wonder how stress might affect what you eat?

No matter which way you look at it, stress and food are related. There are many things that you can do to help deal with your stress without resorting to food as your crutch.

How Your Diet and Stress Are Related

When you’re stressed out you’re more likely to either over-eat or under eat.When you do either of these things you are negatively impacting your blood glucose levels and your moods may swing violently, which will only create conflict and intensify your stress.
Unfortunately, most of us don’t realize how we can sabotage ourselves with food! Once you become aware of your stress response, you can make the choice to change it.

Food cannot cure stress, but it can help. When you eat nutritious foods you are giving your body what it needs to deal with your daily demands. In other words, when you eat the proper foods you are giving your body the fuel it needs to make it through common stressful situations.When you predominantly eat sugars and fats in your diet, your body doesn’t have all of the nutrients and energy supplies needed to deal with stress, so instead, you’re more likely to feel grouchy, tired, or anxious.

Stress breaks down the immune system, while the right foods can help support it.Time and time again, studies have proven that stress makes our immune system weaker, leaving us exposed to dangerous viruses, bacteria, and illnesses.
It has also been proven that when you eat the right foods you’re helping your body build and maintain a healthy immune system. The key here is simple: Eat right, feel great!

Your Stress and Your Diet

When you look at all of the ways that stress and diet are interwoven, it’s hard to deny the fact that the foods you eat affect how you think, feel, and react.

After all, an unhealthy diet not only stresses your body, but your mind as well. A good starting point is to evaluate your daily diet and make one change at a time to create that healthy lifestyle you deserve.

Not Just the Diet

A healthy and balanced diet can help you manage stress much more effectively, but simply eating right is not enough to help you deal with stress.

There are many different things you can do to help control and manage your stress such as:

Getting 7-8 hours of sleep at night
Making time to relax
Having a support system
Knowing your limits
Proactively planning and organizing
Being able to say no

These are just a few stress solutions that, in addition to healthy eating, will help you limit and control the stress in your life.

When you incorporate even just a few of these healthy living strategies into your life, you’ll find that overwhelming stress is a thing of the past; and the weight will be lifted off your shoulders (and thighs!)

How can you turn an unhealthy habit into a positive one?

What will you do about it today?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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October 15, 2017

One must eat to live. Not live to eat. – Moliere

October 10, 2017October 10, 2017

Quick and Simple Brain Exercises

Did you know that the brain acts like the muscles in the body? Every time you use your brain, it becomes stronger and more effective.

Just like working out, your brain will become more responsive, efficient, and effective when you do brain exercises. You will simply feel stronger, sharper, and more attentive than ever before.

Brain Exercises for You to Try

Some brain exercises may make you feel a little silly at first, but they are worth all of the perceived embarrassment and uneasiness.

Try to put any worries aside while you exercise your mind. You’ll soon notice benefits that you couldn’t possibly have experienced any other way.

One of the best brain exercises is simple but effective: Step outside of your comfort zone and learn something new.

Even if you pick up a new book about something you knew nothing about before, you are exercising your brain and using parts of it that you may have never used before.

Learning really does exercise the brain. Just think of all the exercise you’ve given your mind since you were a child!

Sharpen Your Mind Through Song

You may not be aware of this, but singing is another way to exercise your brain. When you are encountering a problem or are thinking about solutions, try singing through it.

Singing uses a different part of the brain than speaking does, so when you sing through your concerns, you are giving the other side of your brain a workout!

You may also find that you are able to uncover more creative solutions or unique answers to plaguing questions than ever before.

Engage In Some Mind Benders

Puzzles are a great way to put your brain to work. Putting together a puzzle is not only a relaxing and fun way to spend your time, but it also helps you use your brain in a unique way that you wouldn’t typically do.

Pick up a new puzzle every once in a while and have fun putting it together while you give your brain a workout!

You can also try crossword puzzles, Sudoku, or word searches. These all are great ways to become a more efficient and effective thinker, but they are also fun!

By engaging your mind in rigorous exercise, you will reap significant benefits in terms of your health, happiness, and productivity. Who would say no to that?

Creating a Healthy Mindset

Another way to exercise your brain is to create a healthy mindset. We all have negative thoughts that hold us back from doing the things that we need to do. One way to exercise your mind is to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.

You can do this by repeating positive affirmations or motivational quotes throughout your day. Or perhaps you can print your favorite quotes and tape them to your fridge, bathroom mirror, computer screen, or other places that will get your constant attention.

The more you use positive statements, the healthier you will feel. This exercises your mind in the most positive way, and is a way that truly could change your life, one thought at a time!

What tools can you use to manage stress positively?

How can you alter your life to protect yourself from stressful situations?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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