Reduce SuperStress in the New Year! by Roberta Lee M.D.,
Author of The SuperStress Solution
Each New Year, we doctors hear our patients' wistful declarations of resolve to change their health. As I listen I silently hope that this year those promises will come to pass! I know that 60% of Americans die from illnesses connected to poor choices in lifestyle, such as overeating, lack of exercise and smoking. Whatever your specific goals, my vested interest is to see my patients aspirations take hold and succeed. But I also might have different priorities than you do for yourself. Here are my top health wishes for all my patients . . . see if you think that adopting some or all of these might help you reach your own resolutions, too:
Make health goals practical. Everybody loves to make lofty goals but such high-flying targets make it harder to achieve success.
Make a simple plan to achieve your goals. There is nothing worse than steering towards a goal without a strategy to achieve a successful outcome.
Maintain an exercise routine. Be creative in designing "reward surprises" as incentives to keep yourself going. For example, when I use the treadmill for aerobic exercise I need more entertainment than just watching what's on TV or listening to music as I huff and puff towards a healthy heart rate. Instead, I buy or rent DVD's of TV shows that I had always wanted to see (and never had time to watch) and only watch them when I work out. Now, I want to get to the next program and see what happens -- but I'll only let myself watch if I am on the treadmill.
Increase physical activity and benchmark your progress. One of the easiest ways to begin moving more is to buy a pedometer and measure how much you are already walking. People who use pedometers walk an average of one mile more than those who do not measure their steps! Aim for 10,000 steps a day, or the equivalent of 5 miles. This might seem like a lot of walking, but you might be surprised to learn how many steps you take in a given day when you start keeping track. One way to increase your overall number of steps is to add mileage by 500 steps each week.
Get more sleep. Sleep deprivation affects mental health. It also decreases a hormone that signals fullness known as leptin. The less leptin, the more you overeat which, in turn, depresses the release of growth hormone during our sleep. The less growth hormone, the harder it will be for your body to build muscle mass, rejuvenate skin and strengthen bones.
See your doctor or primary healthcare advocate. Annual physicals and preventive gynecological exams are an essential part of staying healthy, yet only 21% of adults get a preventive physical exam! Don't be part of that statistic -- commit to making and keeping this one important appointment this year.
Do routine screening tests. Mammograms, Pap tests, prostate and prostate specific antigen (psa) tests and colonoscopies detect breast, cervical, prostate and colon cancer. Early intervention in these cancers improves the statistics for successful outcomes, so talk to your doctor about your need for these tests. Your doctor should also regularly check your cholesterol, vitamin D levels, blood count and routine blood chemistries.
Love something, someone or experience the feeling of being grateful for 5 minutes every day! Dr. Robert Emmons, research expert on gratitude and Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Positive Psychology, wrote "[First] the practice of gratitude can increase happiness levels by around 25%. Second, this is not hard to achieve -- a few hours writing a gratitude journal over 3 weeks can create an effect that lasts 6 months if not more. Third, that cultivating gratitude brings other health effects, such as longer and better quality sleep time."
To reduce stress, and avoid SuperStress, try this today:
Simple as it sounds; focused breathing -- during which you think about your breath as you inhale and exhale -- is a very effective stress-management technique. A slow, full breath triggers physical and cognitive changes that promote relaxation. Deep breathing helps release tension and anxiety and is a great energizer because the deeper the breath, the more your body is flooded with life-fueling oxygen. A full breath begins with the diaphragm pushing downward so that the stomach extends out. As your lungs fill with air, your chest expands. When you exhale, the reverse occurs -- your chest settles first and then your stomach.
When anxiety strikes or you find yourself focusing on negative thoughts, immediately exhale through your mouth.
Now, open your lungs, and breathe in through your nose, drawing in a fresh, cleansing air to the count of four.
Exhale again slowly to the count of five.
Repeat four times.
Copyright © 2009 Roberta Lee M.D., author of The SuperStress Solution
Author Bio
Roberta Lee, M.D., author of The SuperStress Solution, is vice chair of the Department of Integrative Medicine, director of Continuing Medical Education, and co-director of the Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at Beth Israel's Continuum Center for Health and Healing at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Lee attended George Washington University Medical School and is one of the four graduates in the first class from the Program of Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona conducted by Andrew Weil, M.D.
For more information please visit www.superstresssolution.com
