Storing Your Stress And Releasing It From The Body

I have become less picky about where I store my stress as time has passed. It was shoulders and neck, but now any part of my body is a target. It is important for me, and my body, to release the tension regularly. One of the techniques I have used from the beginning is Massage.

There are many forms of Massage, and everyone has their preference. I enjoy a Relaxation Massage with lavender added to the oil, but what my body and muscles need is a more vigorous Massage which can get right into the muscles and between them.

Finding a Massage Therapist is just as tricky as finding any other therapist. 

Techniques, behaviour and the understanding of the body and muscular system differs from therapist to therapist, so it is good to make sure they are qualified, and that you get recommendations and try them to find the right one for you.

These are my preferences whilst having a massage:

• a quiet environment. I enjoy soothing sounds or relaxing music playing in the background. I also prefer as little talk as possible between myself and the therapist.
• a warm, dimly lighted room (for comfort)
• a massage table with arm rest (I find laying on my belly and trying to balance my arms alongside me on the table a real pain)
• the use of heat, pressure and percussion ( all 3 techniques are wonderful if done well and suit different parts of the body)
• a general massage from toes to scalp, with concentration on my troubled areas
• organising my day after the massage so there is no sport or rigorous activities planned (my sessions are long and thorough, so I am exhausted and sleepy afterward)
• a professional therapist. Massage is skin to skin contact in a small space, so the therapist needs to display absolute professionalism and discretion.
• water to end the session. Massage releases toxins, so a glass of water is a great way to remind me to keep flushing the toxins through my system afterward.

The regularity of your massages will depend on your needs, as well as maybe your budget and schedule. I book a regular monthly massage which goes for 11/2 hours. If my budget and schedule were more flexible then I would have more. Most Massages can be claimed as a Health Fund benefit if you have health insurance.

Most of my experiences with Massage have been positive, but I have heard some terrible tales.

As with all things, try it out, and see if it works for you.

5 Secrets To a Sickness Free Season

Do you find yourself lining up each year at the doctors with the typical symptoms of cold and flu? Do you spend Winter trying to relieve the sniffles, sore throat and cough? Take action in the months leading up to Winter to arm yourself with these tips to staying healthy.

According to Sheila Zhou, expert Scientist at USANA, leading producer of high quality supplements, “Summer is officially over, and with the cooler months often associated with sneezing, coughing, and fevers, it’s no surprise many of us aren’t happy about it. Staying healthy during this time however, doesn’t have to be difficult. By implementing a cold and flu prevention regimen during April, before Winter starts, will boost your immune system significantly.”

Ms. Zhou shares her expert tips on how to winter-proof your immune system this season: 

Soak up the sunshine 

A significant number of Australians are deficient in vitamin D. Did you know that just 20 minutes of sunlight each day significantly boosts the production of vitamin D in your body? Vitamin D not only helps protect your body in maintaining healthy immune function, but it also assists in general wellbeing. Unfortunately, with the days getting shorter and the daylight hours diminishing, winter can be a difficult time to get the necessary sunshine, so supplements such as USANA’s Vitamin D can be beneficial. 

 

Drink like a fish

Like any other time of year, staying hydrated during winter is extremely important. Even though you may not feel as thirsty or sweat as much during the cooler months, drinking plenty of water is still essential to help eliminate waste and prime your body against infections from pathogens.

Get  moving 

Never underestimate the importance of regular activity. Exercising is of course a great way to get into shape, but it also increases the number of natural killer cells in our bodies that fight off infection. So even if you only have time to walk around the block, making the effort goes a long way in keeping you healthy and infection free as the weather cools down.

Get creative in the kitchen  

Eating brightly coloured fruit and vegetables is also a great way to keep infections at bay. They are rich in vitamin C and E and antioxidants. Their ability to increase the functionality of your immune system means that adding these fresh fruits and vibrant veggies to your daily diet helps your body safe guard itself from nasty viruses, while tasting delicious too!

Stress less

You’re probably aware that stress isn’t good for you, but very few people are aware of how much it actually impacts your health. Stress takes an enormous toll on the immune system and makes you more vulnerable to everything from a common cold to major diseases. So if you don’t already, make sure you get enough sleep and take time out to do the things you enjoy.

To view the full range of USANA Health Sciences nutritional, weight management and personal care products visit www.usana.com.

Guest post - Misconceptions & Benefits of Aqua Aerobics

I love water. Being near it or in it brings me a feeling of calm. The combination of calming, healing water and exercise can only bring good feelings to the Anxiety sufferer. I was keen to learn more through Kaitlin Gardner of An Apple Per Day.

Any of my friends can tell you I love water workouts. I have never been much of a runner and for years, didn’t think about the pool when it came to exercise. Aqua aerobics changed all of that for me. I’ve heard some interesting misconceptions about working out in the water, and there are wonderful benefits as well.

Here are some great resources with more information about aqua aerobics:

●     Water Aerobics and Water Fitness Exercises

●     My Ultimate Guide To Aqua Aerobics

●      Health Benefits of Water-Based Exercise

The Misconceptions

You have to know how to swim. I have done a whole workout class and never gotten my shoulder length hair wet. Most of the exercises take place in water that is waist to chest deep at the most. You stand upright in the water for most of the workout, and even if you can’t swim, you are in a safe situation.

Aqua aerobics is only for seniors. I have to laugh when I hear this one. I usually mention that competitive runners, even those training for marathons, use aqua aerobics for cross training or to recover from an injury. A lot of us have seen those pictures of smiling seniors in the water with their arms in the air. If you go to an aqua kick boxing class, you’ll find a strenuous workout performed by people who are in great shape.

It’s not much of a workout. The water does provide a gentle, low impact workout solution. But in addition, it can give you all the cardio blast you need. Try an aqua Zumba class, and see if you’re not breathing hard really quickly. For me, a good aqua jogging session is comparable to a run on a park trail. I go to the pool when the lap lanes are open, and move up and down one with a good jogging motion. It’s a fantastic workout.

The Benefits

Heart health. In the water, a person’s heart rate is lower by 13 percent, which is about 17 beats per minute. That means I work my heart less than in the gym or out running, just because I’m in the water. It’s thought this effect is due to the lessened impact of gravity and the lower water temperature. The result is that I’m giving my heart a break, and still getting a good workout.

Excellent for stress relief. If I have a busy and stressful week, I go to the pool for an aqua tai chi or water yoga class. Doing slow and rhythmic movements in the gentle element of water guarantees that I will relax and stress will slide away. My husband can tell when I come back from one of those classes, by how relaxed I am.

A hot weather alternative. I used to get up super early in the summer to go run. It was not much fun, but it was my only choice, because it would be too hot later. I can go for a water workout in the middle of the day, and the cool water will make it a pleasant experience.

Tremendous variety. Because water workouts have become so popular, there are a great array of options to choose from. Aqua kick boxing, a group class for an overall workout, or just popping into the pool for a short session of treading water. I can find something challenging any time I like.

Gentle on the body. After years of running, my knees were particularly sensitive. Working out in the water is great for me, because of the low impact part. Since my body only has to support a fraction of its own weight because of buoyancy, I exercise with a lightness that my body really appreciates.

I smile when I walk in the house after a good session of aqua aerobics, because I’m keeping fit, but in a way that’s enjoyable for me.

Kaitlin Gardner started An Apple Per Day to explore her passion for a green living lifestyle, and healthy family living. She and her husband have just moved to rural Pennsylvania, where they enjoy exploring the countryside to discover interesting and out of the way places. She is also learning how to paint watercolors.

A Typical Day of Irritable and Moody

When you wake up feeling crappy, you feel there is little hope for the rest of the day.

I awake, wanting very much to go back to sleep. My sleep had been crappy.

My jaw is stiff, and my teeth on one side are tender.

This is a sure sign that I had been clenching my teeth again.

I can not see the funny side of anything. I can only look at things with sarcasm and bitterness.

Anxiety leaves everything looking tarnished and tasting bitter.

My shoulder blades are achy, as they store the stress.

If relief is not found, that feeling will increase in intensity and move to the middle of my chest.

Big breaths to fill my body with positive air, and relieve the rigidity.

It is hard to push air down further than mid-chest when anxiety is squeezing you.

With some repetition, persistence, and visualization the body starts to relax and lets the air through ... just a little.

How does irritable and moody take over your day?

Anxiety And Appetite

Many people lose weight when in the grips of Anxiety. When normally, I would consider myself an emotional eater, and tend to eat whilst angry or worried, during my heavy bouts of anxiety, this was not the case.

Two things tended to happen each time my Anxiety became out of control.
Firstly, I lost my appetite, which is a sure sign for me that things are not good. I can snack and graze all day and I am not at all a picky eater. So, for me not to be hungry, or worse, not to have any desire for food is just not normal.

Whilst you might spend years fantasizing about not thinking about food and it not being a big part of your life .... when the time comes and you realise that it only exists because of your illness and complete lack of control, it becomes more of a nightmare than fantasy.

To make matters worse, you realise after several days that the body needs nutrients from the food, so you try to eat little bits to nourish the body. I found myself gagging at attempts to swallow the food which my mind was saying that my body didn't want. The thought of upcoming meals were enough to make me queasy. Quite a turnaround for a food lover!

The second thing that happens is adrenaline created through the process of Anxiety also takes over the body. This causes an increase in metabolism. Combine this with the need to do physical activity to use up this increase in adrenaline and energy, just so you can sleep at the end of the day, and the weight starts to fall off.

With weight having been an issue most of my life, I felt like I should be excited by this sudden decrease in weight, but it just caused more worry and concern that things were spiralling out of control.

With the use of medication, therapy and relaxation techniques, things started to normalize for me and my appetite returned and the adrenaline fell under control.

I now know that lack of appetite is a sure sign that my Anxiety is taking over.

Have you noticed a similar effect on appetite whilst suffering Anxiety?

Anxiety: Progressive Muscle Relaxation

I learned this relaxation technique early in my Anxiety diagnosis, and found it really useful to do before going to sleep.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation is easy to learn, but best to master whilst laying down. Once you are familiar and practiced with the technique you can use it in many situations and locations.

I was shocked at how much tension can be held in the muscles. It is important to recognise this and release the tension to prevent further complications. I find this out first hand when I experienced terrible pain across my chest, which then ended in my armpit.

It was easy to go down the wrong path of thinking it could be cancer related, because of the location and the tenderness of the lymph nodes, even though the lymph nodes were soft. After investigation it was found that the lymph nodes and surrounding tissue were fine, but the pain was such that some days I avoided lifting my arm.

Once I was diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder I found a brilliant doctor who put the pieces together to reveal that I had so much tension in my pectoral muscle, that my lymph nodes in this area were being squeezed and pinched, causing the pain.

Perform the following steps for Progressive Muscle Relaxation:

• Lie down flat and stretched out on your back, placing your arms by your side, palms down.
  

• Inhale and exhale slowly and deeply into your stomach. Do this a few times to circulate the oxygen. Listen to your breathing to focus on the moment.
  

• Now begin, working each muscle group and parts of your body , then actively relaxing, in a systematic form.
  

• Clench your hands into fists and hold clenched for 15 seconds. Be sure to relax the rest of the body as you do each group. Picture in your mind the muscle contracting tightening more and more.
  

• Then, let your hand relax fully and go limp. As you do this, picture the tension as a dark colour leaving that part of your body, leaving it glowing and golden.
  

• Now in the order of face, shoulders, back, stomach, pelvis, legs, feet and toes; tense and the relax each part of your body. Each time, clenching for 15 seconds, picturing the tension and its release, followed by 30 seconds of complete relaxation.
  

• The last movement should be the shaking of your hands, as you imagine any remaining tension leaving though your fingertips.
  

You will know which areas of your body may need some extra focus, and these areas can be activated and relaxed twice if needed. With the face, for instance, I like to spend time stretching and moving my jaw, as well as focusing on my forehead and the muscles around my eyes.

It can help to set the scene, if that helps with your relaxation. This can include soft lighting, some soothing music, a relaxing scent like a lavender candle, and even a light blanket over you to help you feel warm.

I find this technique effective and it leaves my body feeling much lighter, and warm. I hope you try this method for yourself and get great results.

Posted via BlogPost

An Entertainer, I Am Not

I love a good party. I love the atmosphere, the socialising, the chance to let down my hair, the chance to enjoy a bevy and a nibble. I am not a natural entertainer though. I stress too much and worry about the really little details. I don't enjoy all of the preparation and am not a natural cook.

It is amazing what you do, though, when it is for a loved one, and you stepping up to the plate is the difference in the likelihood of there being a party for that loved one, or not. Thus, I have just been involved in organising and throwing my 2nd 60th Birthday bash.

Luckily for my dear Mum, and also my mother-in-law, they both fall into the category of special people in my life.  Otherwise, you would NEVER have seen me organising either of their 60th Birthday celebrations. 

I can't take all of the credit though. Hubby is always there to do what he can in organising and pitching in on the day. We also have some pretty special relatives who are more party savvy than I, when it comes to feeding a large group of festive friends and relatives.

Despite my lack of experience, and my dislikes, my mother-in-law's recent birthday party went really well. 

The cake was great, there was WAY too much food, the kids had a great time, many people were chatting and laughing, and some choose to bust a move to the music. Amazingly, there were no disasters!

A successful event!

The Silly Season - The Things I Know

Things sure are moving with momentum now. Things are a little crazy - you can see it, feel it and hear it everywhere. Do you know what I mean? This crazy feeling is the reason for me taking a step back from blogging the last few weeks. I now know my limitations in pushing myself to do more and more, and listen to my needs.

In case you don't know what I'm talking about, I should explain myself.

To reproduce ... or not?

It was never a question for me. It was just a given, always, that I would have children. Sort of the same as I have always known that Chocolate is my favourite flavour. So when hubby and I looked at whether having a family was for us, it was definitely a strong factor. I was lucky that we were able, unlike others that wish for the same and are denied. I wonder about the pressure put on those that have chosen not to reproduce though.

Just as not everyone is successful and/or capable of driving, the same applies with parenting. I actually think there should be some prerequisites to becoming a parent. I'm sure if there were, it would save some children, and families,  a lot of heartache.

I personally know people that have made the choice not to reproduce. They get all the questions of "why not?", "don't you like children?", "what if you grow lonely?" ..... So many questions! While these questions are asked, do people really take in the answers and the opinions of this minority. There are so many reasons not to have children. Some of these reasons remain the same as one hundred years ago, like the economy, family medical history, career, personal medical risk, timing, the stress of raising children... but some are reasons of this era, like over-population and social unrest.

Whatever the reason to not have children, shouldn't it be one everyone is able to make. The decision of whether to re-produce, or not, is one of the bigger choices to make in life. I would say that the ones who have chosen not to, have been through every argument in their head ... I couldn't be so confident to say that about all of those who chose to re-produce.

To make that decision to have children of your own can not be taken back once the ball is rolling. From the moment that decision is set in concrete, lives will change, decisions will need to be made, as well as sacrifices, and even though some people may feel maternal or paternal, I have not met anyone yet who has not found parenting a challenge.

There is no denying that I love my two children to bits, not to mention my nieces and nephews. I find parenting a huge challenge though, and not at all as easy as I thought.
I take my hat off to those who sit down and  admit, this is not for me, for whatever reason.

What are your views? Did you question whether to re-produce or not? Did you go with your original decision, or change your mind?

The steps to a successful kids party?

We have attended a few kids parties and also held a few parties. With the help of Pinterest and our past experience, I planned Master 5's Birthday Party to be enjoyable, simple and fun.

My first instinct was to pay outrageous prices and throw the party at a venue that organised everything, including food, cake, entertainment, party bags and decorations. This idea is so appealing as it lowers the stress factor considerably, not to mention the cleanup efforts.
We opted for the more personal and cheaper option in the end. Why? It meant that Master 5 could invite all of his friends instead of limiting the number to 10. Also there are so many discount stores now where you can buy party supplies at great prices, like your plates, cups, balloons, party bag bits and pieces, etc. We also wanted a local venue for the convenience of all guests.

So this is how the party panned out, and the parts that made it a success.

Cake 
I like to make the cake myself, unless the kids request something totally beyond my skills (which are quite limited). Again, there are many things on the market now to help you do this. I am a huge fan of the Cake Toppers available in different themes, ready to add to the top of your cake. I get mine from The Cheesecake Shop. I went in ready to get something around the theme of Fireman Sam or Lightening McQueen, neither of which were available. I then spied a very cool (by 5 year old standards) A4 Super Mario Bros. Cake Topper. SOLD!

We bought a large cake tin a couple of years ago, which proved to be a good investment. It was the perfect size for the A4 Cake Topper, which I positioned off-center to leave room for some candles. I used Betty Crockers Super Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix x 4 and added green food colouring to the Frosting (included with the cake mix) to decorate the cake, along with some large coloured choc balls. I wrapped a board in some colourful wrapping paper to place the cake on, and my job was done.

Venue
We wanted a local park with BBQ facilities, shelter and play equipment. We chose not to go with the larger park, complete with bike track, play equipment, swings, etc. WHY? The park we did choose was smaller and less popular, which meant that we could monitor the children better. We didn't want to be searching across a sea of little heads trying to pick which kids belonged to our party. The smaller park meant we had exclusive use of the play equipment, park grounds and toilets, allowing us free reign on what activities we did and how noisy we could be. We also reserved the BBQ area through our local council for a small fee to ensure it was available.

Time
On the invitation I specifically wrote 11am - 1.30pm. WHY? People like to be able to plan their day. If a parent is staying at the party, they like to know how much of their day it is going to take up, so they can then plan accordingly. If the parent is not staying, this gives a clear indication of when they should return to collect their child. Also, giving a time allows the parent to prepare their child for the duration of the party, sometimes by giving a rest time beforehand, or by informing the child that the party will be about as long as Playgroup, so that get some indication of timing.

Supervision
Regardless of the age of the children, supervision is important. Accidents happen, children have disagreements, not every venue is 100% child-proof and children are inquisitive.
I encouraged parents to stay if they wanted to and/or thought their child would prefer. The majority of the children at the party were 4-5 years old, and while some are confident, can tend to their own needs and communicate well, not all fall into these categories, especially when in the company of strangers, in a large space, surrounded by a noisy group, and distracted with excitement. It is also a good idea to stand in front of the group and introduce yourself so the children know that if they have a question, need something or are upset, that they know your name and that you are the parent they can come to.

What comes next?
Children, particularly younger ones, benefit from clear instruction and knowing what is coming. It is good practise with children, so they can prepare and get a sense of time, to keep them informed what they will be doing, for how long, and what comes next. So, for example, you might let the children know that they will play Duck, duck, goose until everyone gets a turn and then have something to eat.

Games
The games we played were not based around a reward or a winner. A great range of Party games can be found on our Pinterest Board - Party Games. We chose games that were age appropriate and fun for a group.

Doggy, Where's Your Bone?
The person in the middle (The Doggy), hides their eyes while a person from the circle grabs the bone. The circle then sings
Doggy, Doggy, where's your bone?
Somebody stole it from your home.
Guess who!  Maybe you...
Maybe the monkeys from the zoo.
Wake up doggy, find your bone.

The Doggy then has 3 guesses which of the people sitting around the circle may have the bone, all of whom have their hands behind their backs. With each guess, the person shows their hands. The person who had the bone then is the next Doggy.

Duck, Duck, Goose
The group sits in a circle facing the centre with one person walking around the outside. This person walks around the circle tapping each person on the head lightly, saying Duck to each one, meaning that this person remains seated. The person must chose one in the circle to chase them, to whom they say Goose. The Goose then chases around the circle until they reach their original spot in the circle. The last of the two to sit in the Goose's spot, now becomes the person on the outside of the circle.

Sack Races
Sacks can be anything of suitable size and durability. We used Wheat Bags. Each child puts their legs into a sack and stands at the line. At the command of "Go" the people in the sacks jump toward the finish line. This game always gets a laugh and kids love to race again and again.






Follow The Leader
The person at the front of the line is The Leader. The rest of the people in the line must go where The Leader goes, and to make it more fun they can also move like The Leader.








Food
Wanting to keep it simple we opted for some old favourites.
We chose to have sausages and cocktails in bread, which were great to warm the belly on the windy day. We also provided colourful biscuits, bananas coated in chocolate and decorated, cake in ice cream cones, caramel slice, chocolate crackles, mini cupcakes, top hats, chips and sandwiches.

All of these and more can be found on our Pinterest Board - Party food

Lastly, remember that this is a kids party!
It is easy to get caught up in being organised, being responsible and keeping events on track. Remember that schedules need to be a little flexible and there should be a fun atmosphere. I am sure that if I had told the children at our party that they couldn't keep playing Duck, duck, goose for over 20 minutes, because I had so many others things on my list for them to do, I may have ruined the atmosphere and been a little unpopular.

Parenting; a licence to have fun

Have you found that being a parent means you are part of an exclusive group?

You can do things, as a parent, that other adults would not normally do, or that would earn you funny stares. From the day I became a parent I have RELISHED my special membership and used it regularly.


Now - there are those adults who refuse to grow up and do childish things anyway, but I'm talking about being a responsible adult and enjoying child-like behaviour and activities from time to time.


I have been known to participate in the following:

• playing for longer than needed in the toy aisle
• playing hopscotch on the beach with a friend
• bouncing on the trampoline
• swinging at the park
• bubblegum bubble competition
• using the slide at the kids activity centre
• how long can I hold my breathe under the water competition
• pulling on my old roller skates(tight squeeze now)
• climbing trees
• hide and seek
• playing trains on the floor
• dancing to music around the house
• handstands (attempted to anyway)
• throwing a tantrum (usually to show my daughter how silly it looks)
• squealing at the top of my voice
• squeezing into the cubbyhouse for a tea party
• bouncing on beds
• swinging on the clothesline (it will never be the same again!)

I'm sure there are so many more!


We are being told more than ever to spend more "quality time" with our children and to get down to their level.


And you know what?


It can often be great stress release and quite exhilarating.


So I urge you to give it a go. Let go of your inhibitions. Don't worry about who is watching. Have fun with the children.


And sometimes .... you can even get away with doing these things when the kids aren't with you. Shhhh!