Fit Trip Tips

Last week I was contacted by an individual who self-proclaims himself as an "avid traveler and foodie" to do a guest post on Nutrilicious.  Naturally, anyone who can self-proclaim themselves to be a foodie is very close to my heart and at some point in my life I long to be an avid traveler, so he had my attention.  His name is Cole Millen, and he wanted to give some tips that he has found helpful on how to eat healthy while traveling.  Enjoy!!

 

How to Eat Right on the Go

Once again, summer vacation is approaching, and thousands across the country are planning their next big excursion. While most are aware that they will encounter the impulse to buy food that lacks in nutrition, few will be prepared to resist the urge. By following a few simple tips, however, anyone can have fun on vacation without compromising good health.

Pre-Flight Planning

Good health on vacation should be planned from the very beginning of the trip, and the airport is full of opportunities to get a quick, unhealthful snack. Merchants prey on weary travelers and can make it difficult to maintain a healthful lifestyle while waiting on a flight. To counter this, it is important to eat a nutritious snack before leaving the house. In case of a layover, the vacationer should be proactive and bring along small healthy snacks such as nuts and raisins to tide them over until landing.

Book the Right Hotel is Pivotal

Hotel owners realize that vacationers and other travelers lack the accommodations to make a family meal as they would at home. Therefore, thousands of people rely on fast food and room service to satisfy their dietary needs. Unfortunately, this often leads to the consumption of convenience foods high in fats and sugars and lacking nutritional value. When making reservations, it is a good idea to inquire on the room service menu and inform the staff of healthful requests. It is their job to make their guests happy, so they will normally comply with special requests. Furthermore, this will give the vacationer a good idea of which hotel will prove the most accommodating during the length of their stay.

Also, inquiring about amenities and other services that they have for your healthy lifestyle is very important. Often time’s hotels mislead guests into thinking that their accommodations are better than they actually are. For this reason I have found consumer reviews to be the most helpful in finding the perfect spot. I recently traveled out west and found a great site with a list of reviews for Las Vegas hotels and had detailed information regarding restaurants, amenities, as well as things to do. This was extremely helpful in finding the right stay for me and made my vacation that much easier to remain healthy.

While these are all good preliminary steps to take, the best way to stay healthy at the hotel is to consider preparing food in the room. A crock-pot makes it possible to cook a delicious, healthful, home-cooked meal at the hotel. In addition, oatmeal can be easily prepared to start off the day using the coffee maker. The mini fridge can be stocked with healthful alternatives to dining at restaurants every night, saving the traveler money to spend on souvenirs and exciting activities.

Dining Out

While eating in the hotel room is a sure fire way for a traveler to know they are staying healthy on vacation, dining out does not have to be completely avoided, and there are a few guidelines to follow to stay healthy while doing so. For example, all-you-can-eat buffets should be strictly avoided as this limits the traveler's variety.

It is also a good idea to shun restaurants that feature mascots as they are normally more concerned with driving traffic than preparing nutritious meals. Prior to arrival, it is helpful to call ahead and inquire on the various menu items before deciding on a particular restaurant.

Once in the restaurant, consumers are encouraged to order brightly colored menu items. Furthermore, foods donning names with adjectives such as battered, covered, creamy and crunchy should be avoided. By exerting a little bit of effort, anyone can stay healthy on vacation this year.

Steamy Winter Soups

Do you know what my favorite part of winter is? No, not driving in the nasty snow and freezing rain outside!  But how about curling up on Sunday afternoons with a bowl of simmering soup.  This tradition is part of my fiance's family and I have since adopted the tradition.  Waking up on a cold Sunday morning, reading the Sunday paper over coffee, and making a big pot of soup that is ready in early afternoon for him to eat while he watches the important football games of the week.  I, on the other hand, curl up with my bowl of soup, a blanket, and a good book.  Somehow I always get the play-by-play of the game because Tyler gets a bit vocal!  I would love to share some of my favorite soup recipes that I enojoy making on Sundays in winter.

Tomato Dill Soup
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 can chopped tomatoes (28 oz)
1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
6 cups chicken broth
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 cup 2 % milk

1. Heat oil and butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook and stir about 10 minutes. Add carrots and celery and cook and stir another 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the chopped and crushed tomatoes with their juices and chicken broth. Add the pepper and crushed red pepper and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the dill, parsley, and milk.

Corn Chowder

4 cups fresh corn (or 2 10-oz packages frozen-thawed)
2 cups skim milk
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large white onion, diced fine (about 2 cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium zucchini, diced (about ½ lb)
2 cups chicken broth
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
½ cup fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons 

1. Put 2 cups of corn and milk into food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and zucchini and cook, stirring until the vegetables are tender (about 5 minutes)
3. Add the remaining 2 cups of corn and the broth, bring to a boil.
4. Add the pureed corn and milk mixture and the tomatoes and cook until warm.  Do not boil!
5. Serve garnished with basil ribbons.

Lemon Chicken Orzo
8 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup orzo (preferrably whole wheat)
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick pieces
3 eggs
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
salt and white pepper to taste
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1. In a large saucepan, bring stock to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and add orzo. Cook uncovered until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Five minutes before orzo is done, add chicken.
2. Place eggs in mixing bowl. Whisk eggs while adding lemon juice. Stir in zest. Whisking constantly, slowly pour a ladle of the hot stock into the egg mixture to temper.
3. Reduce heat to very low. Then, while whisking the soup in pan, slowly pour in the egg mixture. Soup should thicken slightly. Add salt and pepper and garnish with parsley.

 

I hope you all enjoy these tasty winter soups.  Stay warm!!

Resolution Revolution

Well, its that time of year again: the time to reflect on the past 365 days and decide what in your life needs updating and changing; then resolving to do better for the next 365 days.  But doesn't it seem as though every year most of us make the same resolution?  I resolve to lose weight!  I resolve to eat better!  I resolve to spend less money!  How about this New Year, you  revolutionize that resolution!  Think up different resolutions that will actually be something you can achieve and maybe even find they can enhance your every day life.  This year I am making a resolution revolution and going outside the box!

Perfection Isn't Reality
As some of you may know, I am a bit of a perfectionist.  I straighten my hair about 45 times per day, all plated food I prepare must contain the entire rainbow, people that don't use their blinker while driving make me crazy, and God help you if your around me and I find I have received a grade that is anything less than an A.  My name is Jackie and I am a perfectionist.  I hope you all know how difficult that was for me to admit...as a perfectionist, I am now admitting I am less than perfect.

But why take so much time stressing over being less than perfect?  I will never get there, no one can.  One of my best friends in my class, Mariana, said to me one day, "Why does it matter so much to get a grade of an A rather than an AB?  Will you get a better job?  Will you get paid more money?  No.  Its just not worth killing yourself over being perfect in school."  When she first said that I scoffed in my mind.  I will know if I get a less-than-perfect grade!!  It will be on my transcript.  It will ruin my 4.0 GPA at Mount Mary.  But then I got to thinking: if I didn't kill myself to be perfect, think about how much more time I would have.  Think about how much less stress I would be under.  And most importantly, think about what a much better mood I would be in.  So next year, I resolve to understand that perfection isn't reality and not worry so much about being perfect...at least, I'll try.

Quality Over Quantity
This last year was a big wake-up call to me.  My fiance began his career as an attorney and because of that fact, he worked quite a bit.  Most weeks, he would work 7 days a week and bring work home with him.  I'm not going to lie, it was a big adjustment for me.  I am so proud of him and what he has accomplished in his career and I have tried so hard to adjust to his lifestyle and the responsibility that he has to his law firm.  That being said, I still got a bit jealous that on Saturday mornings, it seemed that he would rather hang out in his office than with me.

When I stop to think about my feelings on this I came to a conclusion: I would get upset that he was spending so much time working.  But so what?  What else would we be doing if he wasn't working so much?  Cleaning? Watching TV?  Reading?  Maybe I should be more concerned with using the time we do have together and doing something meaningful and fun.  Make a date night once a week.  Use that time to visit family.  Or use it for something else altogether, that we both love to do and make great memories.  Next year, I resolve to remember that quality time is favored over just quantity time.

Learn To Have Fun By Yourself
Over the course of the last year, I think I have covered more miles than I have the rest of my life combined.  Driving miles, that is.  I was finishing my Dietetics degree at Mount Mary College in Milwaukee, living with my grandma in Port Washington during the week, and commuting back to Madison on the weekends.  I easily drove about 250 miles each week.  And that doesn't even count when I would have to travel to shadowing opportunities through my classes that, of course, where about an hour and a half out of my way.  That being said, I spent a lot of time in the car by myself. 

When I transferred to Mount Mary and began the long commutes every day, I hated it.  Long spans of being in the car, left with my radio and my thoughts.  I would get bored so easily and resent the fact that I was sacrificing my time to see Tyler and my family.  The same songs would play over and over again on the radio.  I would see the same sucky drivers every morning (note: Milwaukee drivers are out to kill every driver on the road, except themselves).  But about halfway through the year, I began to notice a change in myself: I actually started to look forward to my time alone in the car.  It was almost therapeutic in a way.  During the middle of the semesters I found myself so stressed, so having this time to just be silent and reflect and breathe really helped me.  If I needed silence I would turn the radio off, if I needed cheering up I would give myself a pep talk, if I needed to study I would go through study guides.  I learned to have fun with myself, and honestly, I learned a lot more about myself.  Next year, I resolve to continue learning about myself and having fun by myself.

Its the time of year to start new and wipe the slate clean.  This year, do something a little different and make a resolution revolution!!

 

Happy New Year!!

Snow Day!

Thursday, December 20th was the "Blizzard of 2012".  Madison was lucky enough to get over 15 inches of snow from Wednesday evening to early Friday morning (lucky is being used sarcastically in this sentence).  I am not a huge fan of the snow.


As I was sitting on the couch looking at the white-out going on outside, I felt a bit antsy.  As I mentioned, I don't particularly like the snow.  I can't go anywhere; usually if I try to drive somewhere, I hit everything in sight.  You know how people always complain about those drivers who can't seem to get it together in the snow, even though they live in Wisconsin and should be used to it?  Well, I am that person.  And I can't even really walk anywhere in the snow, especially the deep snow, because I am too cheap to buy snow boots.  That's right, I have lived in Wisconsin my entire life and can't seem to drive in the snow or buy snow boots.  Did I mention I really despise snow?

So, that brings me back to last Thursday.  Most people who know me pretty well understand the fact that if I don't have a project or something to keep me busy, I go a little crazy.  I was sitting on the couch trying not to clean the bathroom one more time (I think I would have scrubbed a hole right through the floor), I racked my brain for something to do.  What did I come up with?  Cooking!  I decided to make a healthy home-cooked snow day dinner for my fiance (who, of course, went into the office today...had to get those billable hours, you know!)

Since Tyler and his whole family are big hunters, we have a freezer full of venison.  I decided to make a venison roast in the crock pot, with some great spices and flavors and add some great veggies to roast along with the meat.

1 boneless venison roast (frozen or thawed)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
3-5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp pepper
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cayenne powder
1 tbsp ground ginger
3 tsp chili garlic sauce (or any hot sauce)
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bell pepper, cut in strips
2 carrots, chopped
3 tbsp butter

1.) Put roast in the crock pot.  Pour chicken broth, water, and Worcestershire sauce over the roast.  Sprinkle each spice on top of the roast and in the liquid around the roast.  Throw all the veggies into the roast pan.  Lastly, add butter on top of the roast.
2.)  Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.

Along with a protein, I always make some type of side dish as well.  I went grocery shopping the day before and picked up some couscous.  Its one of my favorite grains and so I decided to boil some of that to go with the venison.
 
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup fresh spinach
1 small red onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 tomato, chopped and seeded

1.) Saute spinach, red onion, and garlic in olive oil until fragrant.  Add red and yellow peppers, saute for about 5 mins.
2.) Add couscous and tomato, and mix for about 2 mins.  Add 2 cups of water and bring to boil.  Let couscous soak up the water.  Once all water is soaked up, remove from heat and serve.

Usually, I also add a veggie with every dinner that I make.  However, because there are veggies in the crock pot with the venison, I decided to omit extra veggies for the night.  That being said, there always has to be dessert - Brandied Cherry Balls!

1/2 cup dried cherries, finely chopped
1/2 cup cherry brandy
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened
3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
6 ounces dark chocolate candy coating, chopped
1 tablespoon shortening
White candy coating, chopped
Pink paste food coloring

1.)  Place cherries in a small bowl. Cover with brandy; refrigerate at least 6 hours.
2.)  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until crumbly. Drain cherries, reserving 2 teaspoons brandy. Add cherries and reserved brandy to cream cheese mixture.
3.)  Roll into 1-1/2-in. balls. Place balls on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4.)  In a microwave, melt dark chocolate candy coating and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip balls in chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Return to the baking sheet.
5.)  For drizzle, melt a small amount of white candy coating in a microwave; stir in food coloring until smooth. Drizzle over candies. Chill until set. Yield: about 3-1/2 dozen.

So, next time there is a snow storm that keeps you home bound, try out some new recipes for the ones you love!  Or, do the alternative, watch sappy movies with a bottle of wine (that was my backup plan for the day!)

Merry Christmas!!

Holiday Tips: Taste Everything, Eat Nothing

Recently, I was getting fitted for my wedding dress.  The young woman who was taking my measurements (and helped me pick out the wedding dress of my dreams) was chatting with me about holiday eating.  I had mentioned that I will very soon be a Registered Dietitian, she asked me a question that I'm sure everyone thinks about and ponders this time of year: "How do you eat what you want and still keep your figure over the holidays?"

What a great question!  And is certainly one that is on most everyone's mind.  Even sometimes I struggle with this.  But I would like to share some things that I do over the holidays that make me feel a bit better about what I eat and the choices I make.

Usually this situation comes up when you are attending a party or get-together.  The first thing I do when I get to a party, is grab something to drink.  I know what your all thinking..."what a lush!"  But this doesn't have to be an alcoholic drink.  Most of the time people get to a party and immediately start filling up on whatever food is sitting out without even looking at it.  This can be a big mistake!  What if the food isn't even that good?  Or what if its something you don't even like?  But because you were starving yourself all day for the party and were so hungry when you got there, you just gorged on empty calories from a food that you wish you hadn't even seen.  So, step one: get a drink!  Take a few sips, chat with some people, take a look at the spread and make a good decision.

My favorite motto for a party or for anytime during the holiday season is: taste everything, eat nothing.  Now, I know that sounds pretty harsh, but hear me out.  There are so many choices of different foods at parties over the holiday season and I know most people want to try it ALL.  But that doesn't mean you need to have a plateful of each food.  First of all, check out the spread.  If there is something on the table you absolutely don't want to eat, or doesn't look good, then don't!  But if there are multiple foods you would like to try, take a small bite (and I mean ONE BITE) of each and just taste them.  This way, you can taste everything you really want, but you don't actually "eat" all of it.

Okay, so now that you've tasted all that you really wanted to taste, you are really craving more of those amazing cheesecake bites that were absolutely scrumptious.  You know that if you walk over there to grab a couple more of them, you will end up taking five cheesecake bites plus two platefuls of dips, cheeses, and salty treats.  So, take a moment.  Usually when you have a craving for something, distracting yourself can make you forget the circling thoughts of those cheesecake bites.  Grab another glass of wine or water, find someone to chat with, and after a few minutes you may not even remember those sugary sweets.  But what if you still are?  Well, then it may be the best to go grab another one.  Otherwise, you may not be able to stop thinking or obsessing over those little cheesecakes, and it may be best to quench that true craving. 

This is what I usually do to try to curb the calories during the holiday season.  Maybe you already have your own system that works for you, and thats great!  Just remember, that even if you do overindulge a few days during the holiday season, it won't kill you!  Usually the weight fluctuations of a pound or two over a couple of days isn't true fat pounds, it is water weight.  One pound of weight gain is equal to an extra 3500 kilocalories.  That would equate to an extra 500 kilocalories a day for a week to gain that one true pound of fat. 

So, don't get overly stressed about eating over the holidays, and let yourself have fun.  Enjoy this holiday season!!

The History of Hunting

This time of year it seems as though every man's favorite colors are blaze orange and camouflage.  Why?  Well, deer hunting, of course!  Each year on the weekend before Thanksgiving, men seem to puff up their chests, exude copious amounts of testosterone, shine up their guns, pull out their lucky overalls, and get ready for the kill.  Which, of course, means going out and sitting in a stand for a few hours and then heading back to camp to drink beer, gorge themselves on food, play cards, and exchange the same stories told year after year (why is it these stories always seem to become more elaborate the longer they are told). 

But what is the history behind going deer hunting in Wisconsin?  I wondered that myself so I did a bit of research.

Native Wisconsin Tribes:
Prior to the European contact, Santee Dakota Indians relied heavily on deer hunting in the southern regions of what is now Wisconsin. They migrated with white-tail deer throughout the winter and subsisted on their meat and fur while being ever-vigilant to preserve the deer population. Spear hunting and later bow hunting along with complete animal use helped maintain a balance that was soon jeopardized by the influence of firearms and the fur trade. To compete with early European settlers, tribes such as the Ojibwa and Menominee, that had previously subsisted mainly by fishing, began to hunt deer for subsistence and for the fur trade. The next wave of European settlers would further inhibit the migratory patterns of both the white-tail deer and the native tribes.

Early State Legislation:
1851 saw Wisconsin's first closed season for deer hunting. Realizing the potential for over-hunting, early state legislators began to limit the time period for legal hunting to July through January. Indian reservations were not subject to the closed season and were allowed to continue hunting throughout the year. In 1876, hunting with dogs was prohibited. As legislation increased, so to did the need for oversight, forcing the state to employ its first game warden in 1890. Increased agricultural use in the midst of deer migrations led farmers to extinguish deer as pests during this period. Though early hunters sought to harvest deer for both subsistence and for trade, sport hunting was also becoming a popular Wisconsin pastime, and by 1910 the deer population had reached a record low.

A Vanishing Resource:
In the first half of the 20th century, Wisconsin's legislature aimed to preserve the white-tail deer population in the state through a series of evolving restrictions and continued monitoring. In 1921, hunting younger deer with antlers less than three inches in length was prohibited. Antler length restrictions would be a crucial early biological monitor of deer as a resource and would continually adjust dependent on the rise and fall of the deer population. In 1927, the game commission merged with the conservation commission to form what became the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The same year produced legislation that would close deer hunting in Wisconsin in alternating years for the next decade.

Stabilizing the Deer Population:
In 1962, deer population goals were reached for the first time since the commission's oversight began. The Department of Natural Resources continued to monitor migratory patterns and population trends, adjusting restrictions, the length of open seasons, harvesting checkpoints and caps per hunter, and the amount of licenses issued per year. Hunter safety was also becoming a concern, as gun hunters were now required to wear orange beneath their outerwear. By 1980, blaze orange vests became required outerwear for all gun hunters. Bow hunting season now preceded gun hunting season to further inhibit both over-hunting and firearm accidents. During this period, the white-tail deer's other main predator, the timber wolf, reached near extinction due to poaching for agricultural needs. Harvesting regulations would loosen, as would season length in an attempt to prevent overpopulation.

Chronic Wasting Disease and Overpopulation:
With the absence of the timber wolf, deer populations thrived to the extent that scarcity of resources became a major issue for white-tail deer survival. Bait hunting with corn or other fruits and vegetables had always been common unrestricted practice, although culturally unpopular with animal rights organizations. In the 1980's, antler-less deer hunting was permitted in certain southern regions of the state to alleviate crop damage. Increased license promotion and incentives saw increased harvesting, but not at a rate that quelled the rise of the deer population.

Though the Department of Natural Resources attempted to increase the harvest year to year, overpopulation continued along with inevitable food scarcity. In 2001, the first cases of Chronic Wasting Disease, a spongiform encephalopathy where sponge-like holes form in the brain, were reported in Wisconsin among harvested deer. The contagious nature of the disease led wildlife officials to attempt to curb the population. All licenses now included antler-less hunting permits and the amount of management units increased statewide to monitor the health of local deer populations. The gun hunting season now began earlier than it had in almost a century.

Stabilization and Present Day:
As cases of Chronic Wasting Disease became almost non-existent, antler-less hunting regulations returned, as did the onset of baiting restrictions and bans in most Wisconsin counties. For the first time in decades, 2009's harvest was predicted to decrease from the previous year. Sport hunting remains a tremendous source of income for Wisconsin, as well as a deeply rooted tradition in many communities. Hunting license promotions include a youth hunting weekend, a disabled hunt event, and a donation program to harvest meat for Wisconsin's hungry. Continued monitoring will aim to protect the health of the white-tail deer population in Wisconsin for generations to come, ensuring that the practice of deer hunting will go on.

Deer hunting is a deep-rooted tradition in Wisconsin and will continue for years to come.  My fiance, his family, and many others continue to enjoy deer hunting as a part of the activities around the Thanksgiving season.  As fun as all this excitement surrounding deer hunting sounds, I have my own tradition.  Going to see the essence of the perfect male physique...Thunder Down Under, of course!

Happy Hunting!!
 

I'm Stressed!!

Lately, I have been feeling a little more stressed than normal (I think the people closest to me in my life can attest to this!)  With all the projects, classes, homework, studying, tests, presentations, and clinicals, and hold on, I think I'm planning a wedding now, who has time to sleep?  Let alone eat?  Every day, I keep checking the clock, hoping that I will get an extra hour or two to get everything I need to done.  I know I'm not the only one out there that has problems with dealing with stress.  This day and age, the attitude is go, go, go.  But what is this attitude and stressful life doing to our health?

What is Stress?
Stress is a normal physical response to events that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. When you sense danger – whether it’s real or imagined – the body's defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” reaction, or the stress response.

The stress response is the body’s way of protecting you. When working properly, it helps you stay focused, energetic, and alert. In emergency situations, stress can save your life – giving you extra strength to defend yourself, for example, or spurring you to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident.

The stress response also helps you rise to meet challenges. Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work, sharpens your concentration when you’re attempting the game-winning free throw, or drives you to study for an exam when you'd rather be watching TV.

But beyond a certain point, stress stops being helpful and starts causing major damage to your health, your mood, your productivity, your relationships, and your quality of life.

The Body's Response to Stress:
When you perceive a threat, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones rouse the body for emergency action.

Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed your reaction time, and enhance your focus – preparing you to either fight or flee from the danger at hand.

How Much Stress is Too Much?
Because of the widespread damage stress can cause, it’s important to know your own limit. But just how much stress is “too much” differs from person to person. Some people roll with the punches, while others crumble at the slightest obstacle or frustration. Some people even seem to thrive on the excitement and challenge of a high-stress lifestyle.

Your ability to tolerate stress depends on many factors, including the quality of your relationships, your general outlook on life, your emotional intelligence, and genetics.

Effects of Chronic Stress
The body doesn’t distinguish between physical and psychological threats. When you’re stressed over a busy schedule, an argument with a friend, a traffic jam, or a mountain of bills, your body reacts just as strongly as if you were facing a life-or-death situation. If you have a lot of responsibilities and worries, your emergency stress response may be “on” most of the time. The more your body’s stress system is activated, the easier it is to trip and the harder it is to shut off.

Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems. Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process. Long-term stress can even rewire the brain, leaving you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression.

Some health problems that are caused or exacerbated by stress include: pain, heart disease, digestive issues, depression, obesity, autoimmune diseases, sleep problems, and skin conditions.

 

So, what am I trying to do to manage my stress?

 

1.)  Avoid unnecessary stress

• Learn how to say “no”
• Avoid people who stress you out
• Take control of your environment 
• Avoid hot-button topics
• Pare down your to-do list

2.)  Alter the situation

• Express your feelings instead of bottling them up
• Be willing to compromise.
• Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life.
• Manage your time better.

3.)  Adapt to the stressor

• Reframe problems. 
• Look at the big picture.
• Adjust your standards.
• Focus on the positive. 

4.)  Accep the things you can't change

• Don’t try to control the uncontrollable.
• Look for the upside.
• Share your feelings.
• Learn to forgive.
• Let go of anger and resentments.

 

5.)  Make time for fun and relaxation

• Set aside relaxation time.
• Spend time with positive people who enhance your life.
• Do something you enjoy every day.
• Keep your sense of humor.

6.)  Adapt a healthy lifestyle

• Exercise regularly.
• Eat a healthy diet.
• Reduce caffeine and sugar.
• Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs.
• Get enough sleep.

Slowly and surely I am trying to get my stress under control.  Our culture is all about go, go, go these days.  But one of my very best friends asked me one day: Where are we really in such a hurry to get to?  And is it all really worth our health?