Beauti Control Spa Escapes

ReflexinglyFIT
Beauti Control Spa Escapes
By Cindy Hunter
HAVE YOU TAKEN ANY TIME FOR YOU LATELY?
“You’re kidding, right? How can I possibly take any time for me when I am so “stressed?” The truth of the
matter is that when you feel you have the least amount of time, and you feel stretched to the Nth degree, is
when you really need to stop the most and just get off that “merry-go-round,” if only for a few minutes.
In my business, clients often tell me how stressed they are and how hard it is to give themselves permission to relax. (This is especially true with women.) The truth of the matter is that
stress is part of everyday life. However, there is “good” stress, which helps you get things
done and “bad” stress, which is really unhealthy for you. This article will provide you with
tips on how to de-stress and feel better.
Stress overload or under load (boredom) can cause irritability, reduced efficiency,
and mistakes at work and at home. Stress has been linked to six of the leading causes
of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, liver cirrhosis and suicide.
So slowing down is not just a luxury; it’s actually a necessity to keep us healthy,
especially since we now live many years longer. According to a recent study, 8595 percent of all doctors’ office visits are for stress-related ailments. The annual
cost of work time lost due to stress in the U.S. is $30 billion—that averages to
$3,000-$30,000 per employee a year! Type “A” personalities respond to stress
by working faster and harder and run a greater risk of heart disease. Those are
some scary statistics.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO DE-STRESS
AND GET HEALTHY?
OSHA states that optimally a person should have a fifteen-minute break
every hour, but that is far from realistic in today’s world. Most people carry most of their stress in their neck and shoulders, so
periodically roll your shoulders to the front and back,
then get up and shake out your hands and move
around a little bit rather than staying in the same
position. It will help your blood flow and you
will feel better.
One HUGH stress-buster you can do that
takes little time but is so, so effective is to do
deep breathing. Close your eyes, put your hand
on your stomach so you can feel it going in
and out as you breathe. Take a deep
breath-in with the nose (count to four),
and then hold the breath for seven
counts, then breathe out through the
mouth four counts. Do this anytime you are feeling harried or
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anxious and it will help you feel more calm and relaxed. Try deep
breathing when you are stuck in traffic -- better for you than
cursing at a situation you can’t fix.
If you can take even ten minutes to sit in a quiet room, in a
comfortable chair, and breathe deeply, and then visualize peaceful
places to take the place of the hectic moment you are in, it will do
so much to help you settle down and feel better. If you can add in a
relaxing CD, all the better! Here’s another stress-buster —at the
end of the day, if you have way more things to do than you have
hours to do it in, take a few minutes to soak your feet or rub your
feet with an aromatic foot cream. It only takes a few minutes, but
you won’t believe how much more energy it gives you. Try it! If
you are at a place where you can light a vanilla candle it will add
even more to your sense of peacefulness. And if you can take a
whole body soak in nice hot water, you are really living!
Sometimes when you feel tired (or even hungry) it is also your
body’s way of letting you know that you are dehydrated. Be sure to
drink lots of plain water (not coffee, soda) throughout the day. It
will help give you energy and make you feel less stressed; and, it is
also so good for your health in general. Try keeping water right by
you all the time—you’ll drink more and stay hydrated and healthy.
Another stress-buster is to alternately contract and relax your
muscles. Start by scrunching your face and holding that position,
and then relax the muscles in your face. Tighten your fists, hold for
several counts, and then relax. As you do this with each muscle
group you can feel the tension fade away. It’s something you can
do anytime, anywhere, and requires no equipment.
Here’s another stress-buster: practice positive self affirmations
(self-talk). “I am worthy of time for me. I deserve to take care of
myself.” Shake off the negative with positive (even if you have to
pretend to believe it at first) and you will feel more in control and
less tense.
Other stress busters are exercise, relaxation, social interaction,
getting enough sleep, optimism, and humor, which all help
decrease the negative effects of our daily challenges. Be sure to put
exercise right on your calendar so it becomes part of your recipe
for de-stressing.
Take time to visit with friends, laugh, and “let your hair down.”
Take that vacation, get pampered, take a walk, get a massage (or
give one) and just “be!” These can be big stress relievers themselves. Relaxing and de-stressing is really not just for the fun of it
anymore, it really is for the health of it—your health!!
Cindy Hunter, whose company is BeautiControl Spa Escapes,
has been helping men and women de-stress and feel great
for over twenty years. She has a mobile spa business that
comes right to you at your home or office for relaxation and
pampering. She also loves to do fundraisers and organizational programs. Contact her at 215-699-6308 or imageonthego@comcast.net for information on personal or work spa
escapes or a free stress quiz and tips pamphlet. Contact Cindy at
cindy@phillyfitmagazine.com
July/August 2008 I 215-396-0268 I www.phillyfitmagazine.com
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