Dr Laurence Magne RELIEVING STRESS TO PREVENT CANCER From the office of Dr. Laurence Magne, author of www.cancer-free-for-life.com. It is now agreed that stress is not what happens, but how the person reacts to what happens. Stress in itself is neither good nor bad. It is a mechanism built into our organism, not for the purpose of making us sick, but to enable us to respond more effectively to challenges.
The successful people who can handle stress effectively have designed techniques to manage the inevitable stressors in their life. You will note that the most truly successful people are not overburdened with stress. They actually perceive stress as an opportunity for learning and achievement. They also possess a disciplined self-awareness and the flexibility to handle excessive amounts of stress. Individual techniques which they qualified as tools for developing a consistently positive attitude toward life included: Deep breathing, Listening to music Long walks on the beach Traditional meditation Yoga practices Prayer Biofeedback Visualization The silent repetition of a meaningful word or mantra Relying on stress management techniques alone to accomplish the rapeutic goals is shortsighted.
You must also take a good look at what drives your life. To learn more how you can stop cancer in your life, read Cancer Free For Life. Finding a purpose in life: feeling that you have a role to fulfill in the universe which gives you an unwavering commitment to your values. The stress management techniques described above are only tools to reinforce your sense of purpose. Victor Frankl: Man’s search for meaning. “Man finds identity to the extent to which he commits himself to something beyond himself, to acause greater than himself. ’Research also shows that purpose is beneficial to psychological health, alleviating such conditions as depression and anxiety and physical health and contributing to recovery from heart attacks and cancer.
A majority of people with stress-related disorders are actually suffering from an inner feeling of unworthiness that generates an impressive array of coping strategies all aimed at self-perfection. The person you think you are is actually a committee of sub-personalities, each doing its best to keep you safe from situation that threatened you in the past. Most of us still harbor the emotional ghosts or ourselves as children, frightened and insecure. Healing our guilt involves putting these ghosts to rest by giving them the love they need to let go of their self-protective fear. Unhealthy guilt is an autoimmune disease of the soul that causes us to literally reject our own worth as human beings.
Unhealthy guilt causes life to become organized around the need to avoid fear rather than the desire to share love. Finding out who we are is the very process of life. As long as we are prisoners of guilt, we cannot discover who we are, we are too busy with people-pleasing, and our addiction top refection, to really live each moment as it happens. The question is not how we will die, but how we will live. Our inner critic tells us that we never good enough, never worthy of our own love. In spite of all our achievements, peace and acceptance remain elusive, and we are guilty and stressed.
We have forgotten who we really are. We are searching for our worthiness in all the wrong places. We forget that we access our real identity whenever the mind becomes quiet and we are fully present in the moment. But whenever our guard is down, yielding to the majesty of a sunset, the caress of a breeze, the silence of a heartfelt hug, we re-experience the inner current of joy and love that is always present After all, what else can mobilize us to overcome the inertia of day-to-day life? It’s the crisis and pain which are the universal awakeners. In facing our dark parts, the disowned parts of our being that we thought were unworthy of love, we learn to live whole, authentic lives. In the shadow, we find the power that allows us to live life with enthusiasm, excitement, and joy, the natural impulses lost from our child hood. In becoming psychologically whole, we mend our souls and becomes spiritually whole. We discover loving-kindness and compassion, the ability to suffer with.
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Stress Will Make You Fat!
It’s true, stress can make you fat. It’s because of a hormone called cortisol. This hormone is always present in your body, but your body secretes it at higher levels when it’s under stress. Cortisol has positive effects on when it’s secreted in small amounts – it gives you bursts of energy, increases memory function and lowers pain sensitivity.
However, when secreted I larger amounts, Cortisol can have negative effects on your body and your health. It is necessary for us to reduce our stress level to keep cortisol levels under control. The thing is, we live in such a high-stress culture that some people’s secretion of cortisol doesn’t slow down and they live in a state of what is called chronic stress. Chronic stress sufferers end up having many negative effects because of the high levels of cortisol in their systems. The effects include blood sugar imbalances, high blood pressure and increased abdominal fat. This is caused partially by the fact the people who secrete high levels of cortisol tend to eat more in general, and more specifically carbohydrates, than their counterparts who secrete less cortisol during stressful situations. This excess abdominal fat alone can be detrimental to your health because it increases your risks of heart attacks, strokes, and bad cholesterol. The best way to combat the negative effects of high levels of cortisolis to give yourself opportunities to reduce your stress and “kick-in“ your body’s relaxation mechanisms.
Most people do know that physical exercise is a great stress reliever. But what they don’t know is that most traditional forms of exercise such as running, walking and jogging and aerobics classes only serve to help reduce the body’s physical effects of stress. To get the full benefits of physical and mental stress reduction, people need to find activities that work their bodies and minds. Training martial arts does this. It’s impossible to train martial arts without fully concentrating on what you are doing. This concentration helps your mind relieve its stress as well. Activities like martial arts that require you to concentrate on your movements and core strength give you a well-rounded stress relief; not just on your body, but on your mind as well.
At the Academy of Kempo Martial Arts we use Shoalin breathing methods effectively accomplishing this goal of combating everyday stress. These kung fu breathing methods (which have been refined over 1500 years) include physical movements which relieve the physical symptoms of stress, and breathing patterns which clear the mind and relieve mental stress. Training these methods will help to bring down your levels of cortisol, which can help relieve another stressor in your life…, needing to lose those few extra pounds. So if your diet isn’t working it might be stress. Combat stress and get in better shape by training the mind and the body with martial arts. Combined with a healthy diet and a positive life style you can’t beat it!
However, when secreted I larger amounts, Cortisol can have negative effects on your body and your health. It is necessary for us to reduce our stress level to keep cortisol levels under control. The thing is, we live in such a high-stress culture that some people’s secretion of cortisol doesn’t slow down and they live in a state of what is called chronic stress. Chronic stress sufferers end up having many negative effects because of the high levels of cortisol in their systems. The effects include blood sugar imbalances, high blood pressure and increased abdominal fat. This is caused partially by the fact the people who secrete high levels of cortisol tend to eat more in general, and more specifically carbohydrates, than their counterparts who secrete less cortisol during stressful situations. This excess abdominal fat alone can be detrimental to your health because it increases your risks of heart attacks, strokes, and bad cholesterol. The best way to combat the negative effects of high levels of cortisolis to give yourself opportunities to reduce your stress and “kick-in“ your body’s relaxation mechanisms.
Most people do know that physical exercise is a great stress reliever. But what they don’t know is that most traditional forms of exercise such as running, walking and jogging and aerobics classes only serve to help reduce the body’s physical effects of stress. To get the full benefits of physical and mental stress reduction, people need to find activities that work their bodies and minds. Training martial arts does this. It’s impossible to train martial arts without fully concentrating on what you are doing. This concentration helps your mind relieve its stress as well. Activities like martial arts that require you to concentrate on your movements and core strength give you a well-rounded stress relief; not just on your body, but on your mind as well.
At the Academy of Kempo Martial Arts we use Shoalin breathing methods effectively accomplishing this goal of combating everyday stress. These kung fu breathing methods (which have been refined over 1500 years) include physical movements which relieve the physical symptoms of stress, and breathing patterns which clear the mind and relieve mental stress. Training these methods will help to bring down your levels of cortisol, which can help relieve another stressor in your life…, needing to lose those few extra pounds. So if your diet isn’t working it might be stress. Combat stress and get in better shape by training the mind and the body with martial arts. Combined with a healthy diet and a positive life style you can’t beat it!
How Diet Effects Your Sleep
What you eat during the day and evening can affect your sleeping patterns. If your diet consists of a high amount of processed foods you may want to try eating more wholesome products. You may want to eliminate, reduce, or substitute the amount of sugars, fats, and preservatives from your daily intake of food. This may benefit your ability to fall asleep at night as well as improve your general health. Eat a well balanced diet by following the recommended daily food allowance. Make sure you are meeting the daily requirements for fresh fruits and vegetables. Eat complex carbohydrates and choose protein that is low in fat.
You can also choose healthy meat substitutes, such at tofu and vegetarian burgers. Become aware of any food allergies that you have and try to avoid them. If your body is allergic to certain foods it may affect the way you think and feel. This could be a contributing factor to your sleep problem. Some common food allergies that are known to contribute to insomnia are corn, dairy products, wheat, and chocolate. Try to schedule your last evening meal at least four hours before bed. Eat a healthy, well balanced meal. Try not to overeat as this may cause you to become tired after your meal. You want to avoid feeling tired or napping in the early evening hours as this will greatly hinder your ability to fall asleep at bedtime. As well, try to eat enough so that you are not hungry later and find your self reaching for foods that are high in fat or sugars. If you find that you are hungry before bed you may find that a small snack an hour or two before bedtime will help.
Avoid foods that are high in protein, fats, and sugars. You should also avoid foods that are too heavy or spicy. Try a bit of cereal and milk or one serving of low-fat yogurt. The key idea is to provide your body with a bit of nourishment to avoid hunger pangs and not overindulge in an evening snack. The goal is to reduce your hunger and allow your body to rest and relax. Make sure that you drink enough water during the day. Studies show that your daily recommended water intake should be around 8 glasses, or 2liters.If your body is well hydrated it won't signal you to wake up during the night.
Try to avoid drinking water or other liquids one hour before bed if the need to urinate wakes you up during the night. The healthier you eat the more balanced you will feel both physically and emotionally. The target here is to get you to sleep regularly and deeply without waking during the night.
You can also choose healthy meat substitutes, such at tofu and vegetarian burgers. Become aware of any food allergies that you have and try to avoid them. If your body is allergic to certain foods it may affect the way you think and feel. This could be a contributing factor to your sleep problem. Some common food allergies that are known to contribute to insomnia are corn, dairy products, wheat, and chocolate. Try to schedule your last evening meal at least four hours before bed. Eat a healthy, well balanced meal. Try not to overeat as this may cause you to become tired after your meal. You want to avoid feeling tired or napping in the early evening hours as this will greatly hinder your ability to fall asleep at bedtime. As well, try to eat enough so that you are not hungry later and find your self reaching for foods that are high in fat or sugars. If you find that you are hungry before bed you may find that a small snack an hour or two before bedtime will help.
Avoid foods that are high in protein, fats, and sugars. You should also avoid foods that are too heavy or spicy. Try a bit of cereal and milk or one serving of low-fat yogurt. The key idea is to provide your body with a bit of nourishment to avoid hunger pangs and not overindulge in an evening snack. The goal is to reduce your hunger and allow your body to rest and relax. Make sure that you drink enough water during the day. Studies show that your daily recommended water intake should be around 8 glasses, or 2liters.If your body is well hydrated it won't signal you to wake up during the night.
Try to avoid drinking water or other liquids one hour before bed if the need to urinate wakes you up during the night. The healthier you eat the more balanced you will feel both physically and emotionally. The target here is to get you to sleep regularly and deeply without waking during the night.
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