Hi this is Donna Brogan back with you, as promised with Part III of my series on stress.  I really hope you are receiving some meaningful help from these posts. Feel free to leave me a comment and let me know any ideas you may have.

What Stress Means to You

Stress is something that is in everyone’s day-to-day life.  Dealing with it is the harder part of your day.  You can reduce stress by taking your day one step at a time, not making too much of the things that happen.  Relax, breathe deeply, smile – these are things that can make your problems seem less intense.

If not avoided, stress can lead to health risks and even mental illness.  It can affect your relationships with family and friends and can even create a risk to yourself.  It must be taken care of immediately. Thinking positive will reduce the risk of being stressed out. Worrying about things we can do nothing about is also a leading cause of stress.

Stress is preventable and manageable.  It  is the number one health problem for most people. Although stress itself is not a  cause of death, the side effects from it can be.  So many things cause stress in daily life.  It can appear in the body in many ways and in many forms.  Stress is brought on differently in every person and for some people it is a debilitating disease that can ruin an entire life.

Preventing Stress

Some of the reasons for stress can be work, family, a terrible or sudden loss of a loved one, an ended marriage or relationship or problems in health and diet.  Stress can come from anything and take over a person’s life very quickly.  It is important for people to learn to prevent stress in their life.

One way to do this is to follow a good diet.  You need to make sure that you are filling your body with healthy foods that will support your mental and physical health.  The more junk that you eat, the more weight you gain and the less energy you have.  This will not only make you feel bad about yourself, the way you feel and look, but may cause a person to become depressed because of these feelings.

Having a good exercise program is another important factor in relieving stress.  Exercise can make a person feel better, both about the way they look and feel about themselves.  You will be burning calories and helping your body becomes stronger and healthier.

There are medications that can be prescribed by a doctor along with vitamins that can be used to help a person deal with the things in their lives that are keeping them from fulfilling their greatest potentials.  These vitamins are going to help with the support of the mind and help people to maintain a better outlook.

One of the best things I can think of to take away those feelings of depression is a good motivational or personal development person.  There are so many CD’s and books on the subject.  Some really good authors are:  Joel Osteen (my personal favorite), John C. Maxwell (great for personal growth), Stephen Covey, and so many more.  Some very special people always ready to help with motivation and personal development are <a href=http://katiefreiling.com>Katie Freiling</a>, <a href=http://createwitheric.com>Eric Goldstein</a> and <a href=http://karyrogney.com>Kary Rogney</a>.

Most of all you need a great support system.  This means that you should have the help that you are going to need from your friends and family.  You will want to have someone to lean on when you are in need of  that support.  You will be able to manage your stress better and feel more confident in finding a way out of it.  All of these things can make you believe in yourself and feel better about yourself.  Soon you can be on your way to a new life

Therefore, as long as you try to keep a  positive attitude and seek help (if you can’t handle the situation yourself) you should be able to sit back, and enjoy a stress-free lifestyle.  Life can be so much fun, and enjoyable without stress.  So take these few tips and create those dreams and learn how to follow them.  Life can and will be good.

So thanks for being with me again and I will talk to you soon in Part IV.  Remember, I won’t mind a bit if you decide to retweet this or leave a comment.  I look forward to hearing what you think and having you share anything you can to help on this subject.   Have a great day.

Yoga is a form of meditation that has been around for centuries. It came about through  the traditions of  Buddhism and Hinduism. The religious aspect of yoga still exists but in some cultures it is now used as a form of exercise. You will find that the stretches and strength building exercises can work with your self image. You are able to burn fat, increase your flexibility, and also build muscles. There are lots of other exercises that are combinable with yoga.  By using yoga with other cardiovascular exercise, you will be able to make your body healthier than ever.

Yoga, traditionally, is a routine of exercise that will rejuvenate the body. Meaning that even though yoga is a fairly difficult workout, it should make you energized as opposed to draining your body and making you feel tired. Therefore, if you are pairing yoga with other forms of exercise, do yoga first, using it as a warm-up exercise. Warm-up exercises are a must before exercising.  It loosens your muscles so they won’t be prone to injury.

Yoga teaches you breathing techniques that help calm the spirit and focus the mind. With good breathing techniques you will be able to breathe fully and there will be more oxygen going to your brain and body.  By practicing yoga, you will be able to do cardiovascular exercises for a longer period of time.

Since yoga helps with increased flexibility, injuries while doing other sports and/or exercises may be prevented. Yoga can be viewed as an entire exercise regimen focused on stretching muscles, thus allowing you to find your limits. This is important when practicing any sort of physical activity.  Always speak with your doctor when you are starting any exercise routine.

If you’re anything like me, you wouldn’t say that exercising is your favorite thing to do. In fact, some people just hate to exercise. But, exercising is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, and without it you definitely cannot lose weight. There are, however, certain tips for learning to love exercising.

First, try finding some exercises that you like to do. You should be working out all of your body, but if you absolutely hate doing a certain kind of exercise, then look for another one instead. You don’t have to do crunches to strengthen your core, lunges to work out your lower body, or  run—you can replace these exercises with cycling or swimming. Find the exercise you like to do and your workout will seem easier and much more enjoyable.

You can also find other activities you like to do and make exercises out of them. For example, if you like working in your garden, try creating exercises surrounding raking or mow your yard with a push mower instead of a riding mower.  If you enjoy the winter weather, you can try ice skating or sledding.  No matter what you like to do, you can always find a way to turn it into a fun exercise. Thanks to the introduction of the Wii and dance games,  you can even play video games and exercise at the same time.

Get  a partner and work out together.  This will help you stay motivated even if you do hate to exercise. With a partner, you can also play things like tennis or challenge one another to meet certain goals. Trainers can also provide this, as well as show you new and fun exercises to keep you from being  bored or feeling overwhelmed at the gym.

Try taking some classes. Exercise classes are a great way to meet new people.  You can learn new exercises, stay motivated, and just have fun. Most gyms offer low-cost or free exercise classes with membership or check with your local YMCA.

If you hate to exercise, staying motivated can be hard.  But, if you set goals and don’t quit, you will feel and look much better. Exercise and dieting go together if you really want to lose weight.  Have you ever heard the saying “if you are overweight and flabby you will be skinny and flabby”?  This sure seems logical, doesn’t it?  Make exercise fun and it won’t seem like such a chore.