We need different types of energy for a variety of functions.  It takes energy to complete day-to-day activities, exercise, and for normal metabolic reactions that constantly occur throughout our bodies.  Once our valuable energy stores are depleted, they must be refilled.  Activities that are the most critical to life are refueled first, while other activities are put on hold dependent on energy reserves.  It takes a lot of energy to maintain a “stress” environment within your body.  When this happens you don’t have energy reserves available to maintain activities within your body that allow for normal balance and there is no reserve to combat exposure to infection or disease.  There are many descriptions of how the body reacts to the effects of stress and many disorders identified as a response to chronic stress such as ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux – to name a few.  It is no coincidence that many of these conditions are associated with the gastrointestinal tract.  It is also not a coincidence that some of the most effective stress preventive measures involve how you fuel your body which can maximize the coordinated defense mechanisms that occur within your gut.  Our best defense is a good offense in the form of daily nutritional maintenance.

What Is the Digestive Domino Effect?

Often when an individual is stressed it incites the Digestive Domino Effect (DDE).  The initial action associated with DDE involves basic eating habits which result in nutritional compromise. The manner in which you eat is critical to your health but is commonly disregarded or ignored.  People who are stressed may not take the time to chew their food, but instead gulp rapidly and in that haste usually consume greater quantities of food.  Digestion begins in the oral cavity during chewing where saliva mixes with food to start the digestive process prior to moving to the stomach.  If food isn’t properly macerated in the mouth it takes more energy and time in the stomach to undergo the complete digestive process.  This is one step in the domino effect where you could be banking that energy for other important activities in the body rather than using it for digestive support.

It is also important to remember that different foods digest at different rates based on their composition.  When larger amounts of food are consumed than the stomach is designed to process, the system gets backed up.  The simple clinical presentation for that is bloating, gas, and abdominal discomfort.  This is the second phase of DDE.

The end of the digestion process is elimination.  The overall function of this process is to effectively clear toxins from your body.  When they are not cleared in a normal manner they remain in your body and have the potential for absorption and further negative effects on body systems and can manifest clinically as diarrhea or constipation resulting in the final phase of DDE and is a common clinical sign in people who are stressed.

Other systems in your body respond to stress and indirectly affect the digestive process

When the body is in a state of stress it releases hormones such as cortisol.  When this hormone is circulating at higher than normal levels it is a signal to the body that this is a survival alert and all systems that are not part of acute survival will either be shut down or muted until the life threatening activity is abated.  The digestive process is not part of the emergency response team so digestion and metabolism are altered.  In cases of chronic stress the body continues in this unbalanced state and digestion, absorption of nutrients, and elimination of waste are all adversely affected.

Digestive Support During Episodes of Stress

It would make sense that the best stress preventive health measure should be to maintain and nurture the body’s normal digestive processes and defense mechanisms.  Provide your body with valuable nutrients and eliminate empty calories found in processed foods, fast foods, and alcohol.  Remove products that stimulate the sympathetic nervous system which would create an additive effect to the emergency response created by stress.  These foods include processed sugar, caffeine drinks, energy drinks, and soda.  It takes valuable energy, nutrients, and hormones to process these non-beneficial foods that could be used to fight infectious disease, bacterial infections, and degenerative disorders.  Think about where you want these valuable resources working for you.

We all realize we will never completely remove stress from our busy lives, but we can greatly reduce the effects of stress on our bodies.  The three preventive measures include: properly fueling our bodies, being mindful of our eating practices, and harnessing energy for defense against disease rather than using it to fortify a poorly functioning digestive system.

I once went to a parenting workshop where we were taught about the value of synaptic connections. What that essentially means is that whenever a child goes through what it perceives as a threatening situation, and is then convinced or assured by a parent or someone else that everything is all right and she is safe, she develops a valuable synaptic connection, which in turn helps the child to grow into a secure adult.

I suspect these early synaptic connections have a lot to do with what we perceive as a threat and what our bodies react negatively to. When we first made a decision to move back to India from Singapore, I remember being overcome with fear about how we would live there. We were going to have to take everything we had created in the last seven years and move to a new city. My body was feeling the fear of the unknown. I noticed my belly starting to get queasy. Every few hours the weird feeling would come back.

Then one of the times, I finally put my hand on my belly and affirmed that I was safe and protected and that our move would be smooth and fruitful for us. And just like that, the queasiness started to dissipate. I felt better within minutes!

The other way that fears affect us is when they’re masked as confusion. Have you heard yourself ever saying, I don’t know what to eat! I am so confused! This is one way we delay our decisions and avoid taking control of our health!

We seem to tell ourselves that we don’t really know what’s best for us, we are too confused to make the right decision about what to do for weight loss! I realized that this confusion is often times a way to mask our fears.

These are our fears of moving out of our comfort zones of the weight problems we’ve been experiencing for a long time. And our fears of becoming really responsible for what is happening within our bodies. Very often, what’s hidden underneath all of these is our fear of having to actually access our own power that lies within us.

The truth is that by tuning in to our bodies and accessing our emotions, we can find a way to end confusion!

Karla McLaren, the author of “The Language of Emotions,” talks about how “Intention ends all ambiguity.” If anyone drops into confusion about his or her health care, a job or a project, the best question to ask yourself is, “What is my intention?”

She talks about how this question immediately cuts through our fogginess and illuminates the struggles and difficulties we face. Our confusion lifts, our real feelings come forward, our focus and grounding come back and we become able to think coherently again.

For example, there was a time I was confused about all the different projects I had in front of me. I couldn’t decide which one to choose first because they all looked so good! When I asked myself what my intention was, I found that I wanted to make an impact and affect people’s health and lives positively.

Then I realized the reason I was confused was because I felt like I would lose out on something by choosing one area to focus on.

By connecting with my body’s wisdom and acknowledging my deepest desires of impacting the health of hundreds of thousands of people I let myself choose the one or two projects that aligned most with them. And that really made my whole being sing!

Women have a unique physical journey throughout life, with changes initially manifesting during puberty with the onset of menses, subsequently with pregnancy, motherhood, and later menopause. These stages of the female life cycle require significant physiological and emotional adaptations.

PMS, or pre-menstrual syndrome, is estimated to affect 30-40% of menstruating women. An elevated estrogen to progesterone ratio, elevated prolactin and aldosterone levels, altered liver function, swings in serotonin and endorphin levels, and hypothyroidism have all been associated with symptoms of PMS.

The good news is that dietary and lifestyle habits can make quite a positive impact on common PMS symptoms, which include depression, anxiety, irritability, fatigue, abdominal bloating, breast tenderness, water retention and food cravings.

Vitex agnus-castus (chaste tree) is the longest and best-investigated herbal extract for PMS. European researchers made the first modern product in the 1950s and since that time dozens of human studies have been performed on various extracts of the herb, showing that vitex can reduce symptoms often associated with PMS, especially breast tenderness, menstrual pain, bloating, and mental and emotional symptoms like mild depression, insomnia, and mood swings. The research indicates that vitex works by balancing pituitary hormones which then modulate important sexual hormones often associated with symptoms of PMS such as progesterone and prolactin. Two recent double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies of women with symptoms of PMS have been published recently. These showed significant benefits over women taking a placebo for relieving total symptoms of mild to moderate PMS such as pain, water retention, and insomnia.

In one study (He et al, 2009), researchers found that vitex extract administered at 40 mg per day was well-tolerated and reduced symptoms such as pain by almost one-third in 108 women with moderate to severe PMS, over those in a placebo group. In the second study (Ma et al, 2010); vitex extract was given to 31 women with PMS. The researchers found that the vitex was significantly more effective at reducing unpleasant symptoms, especially insomnia and water retention, compared with those in the placebo group.

Menopause is the stage in a woman’s life when the ovaries stop producing eggs and estrogen and progesterone production decreases, causing menstruation to occur less regularly before it ceases completely. For most women, this stage begins between the ages of 45 and 55. Specific symptoms and severity varies from woman to woman.

The most common symptoms include:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Racing heart
• Sleeplessness
• Decreased sex drive
• Mood swings
• Headaches
• Vaginal dryness

Combining healthy diet and lifestyle with appropriate nutrient and botanical support can facilitate and ease these imbalances caused by hormonal fluctuations and life cycle changes, promoting metabolic and hormonal harmony. During the course of my research and in my clinical practice, I have had good success with herbal remedies for premenstrual syndrome and menopause symptoms.

Black cohosh is a phyto-estrogenic herb that has been shown in some studies to reduce many menopause related symptoms, including hot flashes, vaginal dryness, anxiety, and depression. It has been shown in at least one randomized double-blind study to reduce menopausal symptoms.  In the double-blind study, researchers compared black cohosh to estrogen over a 12 week period and found that black cohosh performed better than estrogen or placebo in reducing hot f lashes, night sweats, depression, and increasing vaginal lubrication (Stoll, 1987). It is important to note, however, that black cohosh is for reducing symptoms such as hot flashes and other menopause related symptoms, but it has not been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease or osteoporosis.

Ginkgo biloba can help increase mental clarity and concentration (May, 2009), and circulation to parts of the body such as the feet, with people who have cardiovascular disease and cannot walk very far without pain. Poor circulation can also be a problem for many women.

May BH, et al. 2009. Biogerontology 10(2):109-23.

Importance of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is an extremely significant vitamin that affects several systems and organs throughout the body, and is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. It helps to prevent skeletal diseases (such as rickets), maintains levels of phosphorus and calcium in the blood and supports immunity.

Today, many Americans suffer from Vitamin D deficiency. Due to work and lifestyle changes over the past few decades and increased knowledge on the dangers of UV exposure, many people do not get enough Vitamin D from unfiltered sun exposure. People living in northern climates, work indoors and the elderly have an increased risk of developing Vitamin D deficiency due to their decreased sun exposure. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a number of health problems including several types of cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin D and Eye Health

The eyes are an essential part of your overall health. For doctors, they are the windows to the body. Multiple systemic health problems can be diagnosed with an eye examination. Vision is a vital part of learning at any age, and good vision will help you to continue to lead a healthy and active lifestyle in your later years. You can help keep your eyes healthy the same way you keep the rest of you healthy, with diet and exercise.

We all know the food we eat and the lifestyle choices we make affect our overall health and wellness. However, what we put into our bodies may have a greater effect than you think. Healthy eating habits and a diet with the recommended amount of vitamins and nutrients can help reduce the risk of eye disease and vision problems. Vitamins that are especially important for your eye health include: Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Lutein, Zeaxanthin and Omega-3 essential fatty acids.

Studies have suggested that Vitamin D is associated with a lower risk of macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss in adults over fifty.  The disease affects central vision by attacking the macula, the center of the retina located at the back of the eye. The macula helps us to see colors and detail. Symptoms of AMD include gradual loss of the ability to see objects clearly, vision distortion, loss of color vision and dark spots in vision.

Research has also linked Vitamin D deficiency and diabetes, because there are vitamin D receptors on insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Diabetic Eye disease, including Diabetic retinopathy, is extremely common among those living with type 2 diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy, the main cause behind blindness in American adults, causes the blood vessels in the eyes to swell to become blocked.

How to Supplement your Vitamin D Intake

To mitigate your risk from these and other health problems associated with vitamin D, it is crucial to get the recommended amount per day (the USDA Recommended Daily Allowance of vitamin D is 200 IU for adults under 50 and 400 IU for adults over 50). There is no substitute for vitamin D synthesis, so it is best to get a few minutes of unfiltered sunlight every day (No more than a few minutes. UV rays are harmful to your skin and eyes). Vitamin D can also be supplemented by diet. A few great food sources that include high levels of vitamin D are: milk, salmon, sardines and orange juice fortified with vitamin D. A supplement or multivitamin can also increase your vitamin D level.

Talk to your Eye Doctor

If you have questions about Vitamin D and your eye health, ask your optometrist. Adults should visit their optometrist once a year for a comprehensive eye exam. To find a California Optometric Association doctor in your neighborhood, visit eyehelp.org.

There’s a good reason I talk about vitamin D so often. It’s because new research emerges every day showing this critical compound can save your life—if you’re getting enough of it.

In fact, there were a slew of studies published in the first few months of 2014 alone. So I’d like to take some time to share them with you. And to tell you how much D you need to be taking to get—and stay—healthy.

Tack decades onto your brain’s lifespan—and your own

A team of New York researchers compared cognitive function among 253 very elderly subjects—ranging from 95 to 109 years old—to 2,451 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) participants over the age of 70.

Tests showed low levels of vitamin D correlated to mental decline in both groups. But the exceptionally long-lived group had insufficiency rates comparable to NHANES subjects, despite being as much as 25 years older.¹

These results suggest that longer-lived people have higher levels of the sunshine vitamin on average—and better cognitive function well past the age of 90 because of it.

And that’s not all vitamin D does for your neurological health. Yet another study showed that higher levels of D can help stem the progression of multiple sclerosis.²

And as two more new studies show, it can also dramatically boost your odds against another lethal condition…

Double your odds against deadly cancers

A recent meta-analysis looked at data from more than 4,000 breast cancer patients. Researchers categorized women with D levels around 30 ng/ml as subjects with “high” levels. (Not nearly high enough, in my opinion. But I’ll get to that in a moment.)

Women categorized as “low” on vitamin D had levels of 17 ng/ml. (This number represents the vitamin D level of the average American breast cancer patient, by the way. And it’s woefully deficient.)

Results showed that breast cancer patients with the highest vitamin D levels had better odds of survival than women with the lowest levels. And I mean much better. In fact, the women with “high” vitamin D levels were half as likely to die from the disease.³ (Now just imagine the protection they would get if their levels were truly optimal. Again, more on that in just a minute.)

But women aren’t the only ones who can benefit from higher levels of D. Another recent study looked at veterans with prostate cancer. And they found that over five years, men with vitamin D deficiency were six percent more likely to die of the disease.⁴

Ward off heart disease, chronic pain, and pregnancy complications all at once

So when I tell you that getting enough vitamin D can save your life, I mean it—literally.

But just for good measure, here are some more recent findings to add to the pile:

• Seniors with vitamin D deficiencies have significantly higher levels of inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), the deadly calling card of heart disease.⁵

• Pregnant women who don’t get enough vitamin D are 40 percent more likely to suffer from preeclampsia—a lethal rise in blood pressure that puts both mother and baby’s life at risk.⁶

• On the other hand, pregnant women who have higher levels of vitamin D during pregnancy give birth to stronger, leaner children.⁷

• Vitamin D supplements can take on fibromyalgia, too—improving pain, quality of life, anxiety and depression, and physical impairment in sufferers with low levels.⁸

So let me say it again. Vitamin D is really is that important.

Why you still need more D than you probably think

If you haven’t had your 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels tested recently—or ever—make an appointment with your doctor to get it done ASAP. Especially if you’re suffering with a chronic or life-threatening disease like diabetes or cancer. Once you’ve established your current vitamin D level, you should be re-tested every six weeks, until your levels are where they should be.

And speaking of vitamin D levels… A level of 30—like the one considered “high” by the researchers in the breast cancer study above—might be sufficient. But it’s certainly not optimal. You want to aim for closer to 80 ng/ml instead. Unfortunately, most people don’t have levels that high right out of the gate.

That’s why I make vitamin D status a top priority at my office. I regularly test every single one of my patients to assess their blood levels. And I almost always prescribe a daily supplement.

To reach an optimal vitamin D level, most people need more than the maximum 2,000 IU per day most doctors will recommend to their deficient patients. (That is, if they even test for D in the first place—much less recommend vitamins.)

To effectively restore healthy D levels, I generally prescribe 10,000 IU of vitamin D3 on a daily basis to my patients. And a lot of times, they’re shocked (and a little nervous) to take a dosage this high. But as long as your blood levels are screened regularly, there’s no reason to take any less.

I take 10,000 IU every day myself. And I feel better than ever. After following this protocol for a few weeks, my patients say the same. Frankly, this dose might be “high”—but it’s the amount many people need to keep their blood levels between 80 and 100.

Of course, you may be wondering if the arrival of summer—and more sunshine—means you can reduce or even eliminate your vitamin D supplement. Well, it depends.

As I’ve mentioned many times before, sunshine is an effective way to boost your vitamin D levels. (The best way, actually.) But this strategy comes with some critical caveats.

You can supplement with lower doses of D during the summer IF you get full mid-day sun exposure over most of your body. Without sunscreen. For 20 minutes per day. Every day.

But in order to eliminate it altogether, you’d also have to live in South Florida or the very Southern part of Texas. If you don’t, you absolutely must take your vitamin D. Every day of the year.

My minimum recommendations are 2,000 to 5,000 IU of D3, regardless of the season. And if you don’t get outside much thanks to long days at the office, you may still require 10,000 IU—even in the dog days of summer.

You won’t know for sure until you get tested. So, once again, if you haven’t had your levels measured lately, ask your doctor to check them today.

References:

1. “Individuals with exceptional longevity manifest a delayed association between vitamin D insufficiency and cognitive impairment.” J Am Geriatr Soc 2014; 62(1): 153-158

2. “Vitamin D as an early predictor of multiple sclerosis activity and progression.” JAMA Neurol 2014; 71(3): 306-314

3. “Meta-analysis of Vitamin D Sufficiency for Improving Survival of Patients with Breast Cancer.” Anticancer Res. 2014; 34(3): 1163-1,166.

4. “Vitamin D and prostate cancer survival in veterans.” Mil Med 2014; 179(1): 81-84

5. “Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated With Inflammation in Older Irish Adults” J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Feb 25:jc20133507.

Some people, no matter how hard they try to meditate, can’t escape the thoughts in their head. Sound familiar? This constant babble or noise can be extremely inconvenient when you are trying to find your Zen. Having meditated for over 25 years I can tell you, you are not alone. This is the number one reason people tell me they don’t meditate yet these are the people who need it the most. So how do you overcome this?

Overcoming the Mental Chatter:

The babble in your head can be overcome in the same way you have overcome every temporary obstacle you have in your life. That is practice, determination, and discipline. You were probably terrible the first time you played soccer, worked out, or the piano, so why do you think you would be great at quieting your mind the first time you have ever tried to? The answer is because most people think you are doing “nothing.” And doing nothing should be easy, until they try it and find out it is nearly impossible. The important thing to know is that it is like a muscle. Your minds ability to become quiet gets easier the more you do it, and there is no person who can’t achieve calm in meditation with practice.

Here Are a Few Tips to Make it Easier

• Have a pen and paper (write down anything too pressing to let go).
• Use a guided meditation to kick off, then sit quietly afterwards. (You can find guided meditations at www.TheArtofUnity.com/meditations)
• Before you start, raise your vibration by thinking of one to five things you have gratitude for.
• Schedule the time to do it. Twenty minutes before sleep or when you wake up is best.
• Go easy on yourself, just as you did the first time you started any new hobby.
• Listen to the noise.

This last one is important “listen to the noise.” When you are not on a fulfilling path for your soul, your soul will give you constant reminders of this by letting you know that that aspect of yourself is unsatisfied. Taking drugs, drinking, prescription medication, eating too much ice cream, watching too much TV, and other distractions is just a form of escaping from that voice. When you finally sit down to mediate, this voice that you have been avoiding is the first one that shows up, along with your fear/ego telling you not to listen to it. This is the constant battle going on that will continuously build until you do something about it. Hence the cause of so much anxiety, depression, and sadness in our “superpower” culture.

How to Meditate

The easiest and often most powerful meditations are just sitting quietly having an awareness of your body, and breath. Problem is, this is difficult for people and becomes un-motivating to continue if you can’t quiet the thoughts. That being said I have developed a practice of incorporating your inner energy to get what you want out of your meditations. You can see how to do it in this video:

Once you are able to feel your “Chi” in the energy ball, you can add things to your energetic system that you want and remove those you don’t want. This is a way to bring your vibration high enough to attract better things in your life as well as all of the other benefits of meditation that you have heard about, such as: stronger left and right brain connection, lowered stress, more compassion, better memory, better sleep, increased IQ, lowered fight or flight, and sooooo many more.

Stress is a culprit in almost every health problem. Chronically heightened levels of the stress hormone cortisol are the number one cause of chronic disease and accelerate premature aging. For fitness enthusiasts and athletes, high cortisol levels harm their athletic performance due to inadequate recovery and tissue regeneration.

Each time we experience stress, adrenals are stimulated, cortisol levels are heightened, and we feel a short-term burst of energy, which is followed by fatigue. Often we try to stimulate the adrenals with a cup of coffee or refined sugar. We get another burst of energy, yet again followed by even deeper fatigue. The vicious cycle repeats and the signs of adrenal exhaustion show stronger. It begins with increased appetite, which turns into cravings later. You experience difficulty sleeping, followed by irritability, mental fog, and eventual lack of motivation. You gain fat, lose muscle, and start showing signs of premature aging followed by the first signs of disease.

Active stress reduction and decreasing cortisol levels should be one of the main goals in your life. When you are able to maintain low stress levels, you won’t need the adrenal stimulation and you will avoid the perpetual rollercoaster of highs and lows, energy and fatigue. On the contrary, you will have endless abundant energy.

Self-stimulating your adrenals with coffee, energy drinks, or drugs to increase your energy to handle stress is not a good way to handle your stress. Your body will always adapt to the stimulants and you will need to increase the doses to get the same effect. Who knows how this could finish? One of the better outcomes is the chronically exhausted adrenals and disease, but it can get much worse. Don’t take the chance.

Try these few simple ways to reduce your stress levels first:

Deep breathing

An easy technique that you can practice anywhere and anytime during the day is deep breathing, similar to one that is performed in yoga: deep, slow, diaphragmatic. Deep breathing triggers signals to your nervous system to lower blood pressure, slow heart rate, and decrease cortisol. When you find yourself stressed out, take 10 deep breaths, and feel how your entire body and mind relaxes.

Physical exercise

Regular physical activity simulates the “fight and flight” response without hurting anybody, and burns up the excess of cortisol. Any form of exercises that you enjoy will work: walking, aerobics, strength training, tennis, yoga, dance… physical movement for 20–30 minutes will decrease the cortisol levels substantially. Be aware that if you are a high performance athlete, high intensity exercise for prolonged periods may increase cortisol levels, because of excess physical stress on your body. You need to find the right balance between too much and not enough training, and also implement other stress reduction techniques.

Sleep

The stress hormone cortisol is positively affected by sleep. It follows the circadian rhythm: cortisol levels are high during the day and low while you sleep. If you have problems with your sleep, your cortisol levels rise. To get a good night sleep, practice visualization or meditation techniques described below. Sleep in a quiet, cool, dark environment with no distractions. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Do not use any electronics in your bed and do not watch stressful or action filled TV programs before sleep. Read a relaxing book or listen to peaceful music, take a hot bath, or enjoy pleasant moments with your loved ones.

EFT

EFT, also known as Emotional Freedom Technique, is a noninvasive technique where you physically stimulate (tap) specific points on your body’s meridian channels, while recalling certain emotional and stressful memories and upsets. Many studies and review articles have documented twice as much stress and cortisol reduction compared to other techniques such as rest or talk therapy. EFT is easy to learn and you can do it only for a few minutes daily with great results. More research studies and information about how to do EFT can be found on eftuniverse.com.

Plant based diet

The function of cortisol in the body is to provide energy to overcome all the stresses and challenges of the day, and it happens through raising blood sugar, mobilizing fat stores, breaking down muscle proteins for energy, reducing inflammation and suppressing the immune system. All the unhealthy, sugary, fatty, and processed foods that increase blood sugar and inflammation also stimulate production of cortisol. The best foods to reduce inflammation and cortisol are plant-based whole foods. Eat large amounts of vegetables and fruits, preferably raw. Add some legumes and grains that are sprouted rather than cooked, and tiny amounts of nuts and seeds. Plant-based whole foods are shown to prevent many chronic diseases and improve your energy and well-being.

Meditation

Meditation is something that everybody should master. Many people feel like they don’t have time to meditate, but these are the people who need it the most. A few minutes a day is a good start. Don’t feel pressured that you have to do twenty minutes or more. Maybe you will one day, but for now, every minute counts. Do not hesitate to meditate just because you don’t know how and think it has to be something fancy. Meditation is one of the most powerful things you can do. It also is one of the simplest things, because you can do it anytime and anywhere. Paradoxically, it also is one of the hardest things to do, because until you learn how to do it, you will feel discomfort with your own thoughts and you will want to quit.

You will feel benefits of meditation immediately. The instant results show as relieved stress and feeling relaxed; the long-term benefits are improved focus, improved patience, stronger willpower, lowered stress levels, feeling more present and aware in your daily activities, more focused or in the zone during your sport training, improved happiness and self-control, improved memory and academic achievement. Research suggests that improved metabolism, heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure are among the many benefits of meditation.

There are many ways to meditate. A few simple techniques are focusing on your breath, or on a mantra. Another way is focusing on being grateful for things in your life. Or you can count your steps when you run in the nature, or observe and focus on the birds or flowers when you sit in the park. Just remember that even a few minutes a day will bring great results.

Visualization

Visualization and guided imagery are great for reducing stress and cortisol. Just like meditation, you can practice it anywhere and anytime. It is often joined with physical relaxation techniques and it will bring you into a pleasant state of total relaxation and an imaginary, beautiful, peaceful, and relaxing world. Guided imagery distracts you from your stresses and redirects you toward pleasant things in your mind, and you will feel like the peaceful environment is real. The more you practice, the pleasant scenes become a trigger to recalling the pleasant sensations from the previous practices, and you will be able to reduce your stress much faster.

Laughter

Laughing, having fun, and enjoying life reduce cortisol levels according to Dr. William Fry, who has been researching the benefits of laughter for many decades. Watch funny movies, enjoy funny friends, play with happy pets, or find other ways to bring joy and laughter into your life.

Social connection

Human interactions and bonds with family, friends, or romantic partners, seem to relax your parasympathetic nervous system, increase oxytocin hormone and thus reduce cortisol levels, according to recent studies. Make an effort to spend as much time as you can with your loved ones, preferably face-to-face, but even phone calls or Facebook interaction will help, if you feel a genuine connection.

Music

According to your mood, listening to music that you enjoy at the moment is known to reduce your cortisol levels. Listening to great music improves your mood and reduces your stress. It can also inspire and motivate you to do great things in your life and such bring more happiness.

If you would like to learn more about transitioning toward plant-based diet and how to exercise effectively without any gym memberships, feel free to visit and browse through www.TennisFitnessLove.com for many additional ideas and information.

This simple exercise only takes 5 minutes – and when practiced for just one week, it has been shown to improve happiness up to 6 months later.

There  is scientific research behind it that shows it improves one’s life for the better.  This ” What Went Well, the Happiness Intervention,’ is based on Martin Seligman’s work, who is the father of Positive Psychology.

Here’s what you do:

1. At the end of today, sit down with your journal, iPhone or any piece of paper. Write down 3 things that went well during your day and why. You might write that you had a nice visit with a girlfriend, or that you had fun singing the latest will.i.am song with your child.

2. Repeat this every night for one week.

That’s it. Simple, right? But the data from Professor Seligman shows that when you do this for one week, it raises your happiness levels. Happiness stays with you — people in his study were still happier 6 months later!

So… what went well today?

We all have those days that we just aren’t quite all there. You know those days, you don’t really feel like doing anything, but you know you need to get things done. What can you do to get refocused, re-energized and back in the game? Luckily I have gathered a few of our best ideas and go to methods to help you in getting back to your day and ready to take on the world.

1. Move

That’s right, use your body and get the blood pumping. You don’t have to run a mile or even leave the house. Something as simple as turning on your favorite music and dancing for a song or an entire play list can really help adjust your mood. Have kids at home? Get them moving with you. I have yet to come across a young child that doesn’t enjoy a spontaneous dance party.

If you aren’t the dancing type, go for a walk. It is not written anywhere that going for a walk has to be 30 minute or longer. 5-10 minutes moving about can sometimes be just what you need to tackle the day.

2. Outside In

I find that on days that I am not quite feeling right, it shows in my appearance. Try a facial scrub or mask. If you don’t have any in the house, look in your cupboards. My friend, who is an esthetician, swears by a raw honey mask. Simple place honey on the skin and 20 minutes later your skin will feel softer and look simply glowing.

If you don’t want to mess with lotions and potions, put on something bright and unexpected from your wardrobe. I have a large crystal necklace, that is classified more as evening jewelry than daytime, which I rock regularly during the day. It makes me feel a little bit glamorous and helps put me back in the mindset to take on the day.

3. Laugh

We have all heard the saying ‘Laughter is the best medicine’ and who hasn’t felt a little better after a good laugh? When I need a good laugh I call on some of my best friends who always have a good story or two up their sleeves that can leave me laughing so hard I have tears in my eyes. If your friends are not the stand up comedian type you can always find a good clip on the Internet that will make you crack a smile.

My favorite go to when I am in need of a laugh and no one is available, is reading a quick chapter from Jenny Lawson’s book “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened”. While her humor is not for all, she makes me laugh out loud every time I read it!

4. Get Out

If you have 10 minutes, get outside and smell the fresh air and take a moment to see what you have around you. Better yet, take your camera, phone or whatever device you have and take some pictures of unexpected beauty. You will be surprised at what you find.

5. Treat Yourself

This one is not along the lines of buying those gorgeous Brian Atwood heels you have been eyeing, but more like purchasing a book you having been wanting to read. If you have been cutting back and not heading to the nearest coffee shop for your daily cup of Joe, splurge and get that Pumpkin Spice Latte you have been craving. Sometimes it is the little things that truly make you feel better. Plus you won’t have any major retail regret later!

One of my favorite ways to get back on track after a rough day is to sit down with some good friends and enjoy their company. If there is a glass of champagne involved, even better, but there is definitely something special about having some girl time. It can turn around even the darkest day.

What’s your go to pick me up?