When Stress Strikes
by Shubhra Krishan
Slicing huge chunks of stress out of your life can actually be quite
easy. But let's face it: Sometimes no amount of planning and organizing
can keep stress away. "Down days" are part of life, and there are times
when we feel truly blue.
What to do when that happens? Plenty! Here are
some soft-and-sunny suggestions to help you sail away from stress.
Drink Water
Next time you feel tired, drink a tall glass of water. I know
of no simpler way to feel better in an instant. Those eight fluid
ounces of water seep into your system to:
Replenish moisture in your body,
Flush away accumulated debris and waste from your cells,
Assist your digestive process,
Rejuvenate your organs and help them function better,
Put the glow back in your skin, and
Help you resist the urge to eat; we often mistake thirst for hunger.
Binge on Healthy, Satisfying Snacks
When we're stressed, we like to eat. Let me amend that: We
have to eat. But over time, I've discovered some delicious alternatives
to chips and doughnuts. Here's my list of foods that comfort body and
mind without adding up empty calories:
Fresh fruits and vegetables: carrots, corn, beans, greens, bananas,
apples, peaches, grapes, oranges, melons, and berries. Add spice and
flavor to your bountiful platter of fresh produce by sprinkling it with
a spice called Chaat Masala (snack spice). You'll find it in
stores that sell foodstuff from India. Made from powdered raw mango,
black pepper, rock salt, and coriander seeds, this spice is absolutely
delicious rubbed on grilled corn-on-the-cob, too.
Nuts: almonds, cashews, pecans, peanuts all raw or roasted but
unsalted, and preferably whole. These are all good sources of protein,
which boosts energy and gives a feeling of satisfaction even if you
don't eat a big amount. For added taste and energy, you can stir a few
of these nuts into a small bottle of honey (all except peanuts, which
don't taste great with honey).
Pappadums: The Indian store again! Pappadums are crunchy snacks
served before a meal in India. Made from lentils and spices, they can
be quite addictive. You can buy a packet of raw pappadurns in many
flavors, then either deep-fry or roast them. I recommend roasting, for
better flavor and less fat. It takes less than five minutes to roast a
few pappadums on your stove: Hold them with a pair of tongs and roast
them directly over the flame, turning them quickly; they take only a
few seconds to fluff up and become crunchy. If you have an electric
range, you'll need to be slightly quicker in turning them over, since
resting the pappadums directly on the coil can cause them to become
charred within seconds. Though delicious on their own, these roasted
pappadums can be pepped up with a generous topping of sprouted mung
beans, finely chopped tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers on them.
Whole-grain bread: Rub it with juicy garlic, then dip it in warm
olive oil that has been seasoned with freshly ground black pepper.
Don't limit yourself to plain olive oil, though; you'll find a bounty
of herb-infused oils in good stores, so try out different varieties.
A glass of refreshing iced tea with a bowl of fresh sliced fruit: In
the summer months, a cooling watermelon slush is a special treat. Just
slice watermelon, add a few ice cubes, and blend in a mixer. Stir in
some cinnamon and dust sugar on it if you like.
Five whole-grain crackers, each topped with a smidgen of cream
cheese: Fresh celery with cream cheese or carrots dipped in sour cream
with dill weed is a healthful and delicious treat.
A small box of raisins. A great source of natural energy, raisins
contain disease-preventing plant chemicals and contribute toward
fulfilling your daily quota of fruit consumption.
Send Stress Packing with a Touch of Love
When your are tired after a long day and you need some tender
loving care, your body craves warmth and touch. So what if you can't
afford a spa massage? Here are some terrific do-it-yourself ways to
heal your body:
Moisten a flat cotton pad with warm water and place it below your
eyes; it's wonderfully soothing. Cool slices of cucumber over the eyes
are greatly comforting, too.
After you make tea, soak the used tea bags in chilled water for a
few minutes, then place them over your tired eyelids for an immensely
relaxing experience. The tannin in the tea does the trick. You can also
use the tea bags warm, allowing them to cool down to a comfortable
temperature before placing them on your eyes.
Rest a hot water bottle on your belly, chest, or back -- ah, so comforting!
Soak a large fluffy towel in warm water. Then wring it out well
and wipe your face and arms gently with it. For an even more exquisite
sensation, infuse the towel with your favorite essential oil. I love
lavender and rose, but you could try chamomile, bergamot, or peppermint.
Rub warm, herb-infused oil into your scalp. Then wrap a warm, damp
towel around your head for thirty minutes. Take a shower afterward.
Fill a foot bath with warm water, and add two to three drops of
mint essential oil. Soak your feet in this bath, and feel the tension
drain away.
Pour two teaspoons of olive oil into a small bowl and add two
drops of rose, neroli, or peppermint essential oil. Massage the soles
of your feet with this aromatic blend for a supremely calming
experience.
WHEN YOU PLAY, STRESS RUNS AWAY
Once in a while, be a child again:
Jump on a mini-trampoline! It is energizing and uplifting, and it
makes you happy like a child. Or, if you're lucky enough to have one
around, try a full-sized trampoline. Do all the tricks you did as a
kid. Ask a friend to jump with you and fall together. Jump opposite
each other and see how high you can go. You'll fall in a pile of
giggles. My friend Katie Farnam Conolly says, "Recently, we were
visiting with friends who had children and a trampoline. After all
the kids went to bed, we adults got on the trampoline; I became a child
again! So did our friends. It was a blast!"
Get wet! In India, we have a festival called Holi, which is
celebrated in a riot of color. Men and women, rich and poor, old and
young everyone is out on the streets throwing handfuls of red, blue,
yellow, green, and pink powder on each other, dropping water balloons
from terraces, and chasing each other with Super-Soakers. The air is
vibrant with energy and laughter. It's a time for letting your hair
down, forgetting your grudges, and shedding your shyness. Bring out the
child in you: Play super-soaker with your kids today!
Tie both ends of a good-quality bed sheet to two sturdy tree
branches. Once you've tested its security to hold your weight, snuggle
up in your hammock with a delicious book. Or curl up with a good
magazine, such as Organic Style, Natural Home, or Real Simple. Each
issue of these magazines is filled with ideas that will inspire you to
live healthfully, naturally, and happily. You'll feel like a child
again sitting in your homemade hammock-fort.
Do a spot of fun gardening with your kids. If you don't have your
own, enlist your neighbors' energetic child for an hour or so!
Together, prepare a soil-bed or container with soil-mix and water, then
get your hands dirty digging holes, looking for worms, pulling weeds,
sowing seeds and planting saplings. Reveling thus in the joy of nature,
childlike, will nip your stresses in the bud!.
Do a rumba. Or invent a dance of your own and call it "Funba."
Try Vitamin S
"S" Is FOR SMILE. A popular Canadian television show for
children called Today's Special defines a smile as "just a frown upside
down." The simple act of relaxing your face into a smile is an
affirmation of hope, a message to yourself saying, "Things happen, and
I'm ready to sail through them." Try it the next time you're in a
traffic jam or a tough meeting. Take a long, deep breath and smile. Let
the smile begin with your lips and spread across your entire face, your
whole body, your very being. It takes seconds to practice, it's free,
and it makes you feel immediately, infinitely relaxed. Besides, it
takes only seventeen muscles to smile, but forty-three to frown so
smiling is far easier to do!
Get Close to Someone
WALK UP TO SOMEONE YOU LOVE, put your arms around them, and
ask them to do the same to you. This is called a hug, and it is the
warmest, most comforting feeling in the world.
If something is bothering you, phone a friend and have a
heart-to-heart. Between picking up the receiver and putting it down,
your problem will shrink many sizes. The saving "multiply your joys and
divide your sorrows" is the basis of friendship. After unburdening your
heart to a friend, you'll feel lighthearted and bright.
Feeling friendless and alone? No problem. Find comfort in a crowd.
Popcorn at the movies, plays, concerts, magic shows with so many
irresistible options, you really needn't feel alone. Click on
www.citysearch.com for a listing of local events, and get yourself a
ticket to smile.
Get Some Comic Relief
They don't call laughter "the best medicine" for nothing. Feelings of mirth and moroseness cannot coexist; when you're laughing out loud, you simply can't be sad.
Yes, it isn't easy to burst into laughter when you're about to burst
with anger or tension. But that's not the idea. Laughter works when you
use it to provide little outbursts of mirth so that stress never gets a
chance to build up. Seek laughter therapy, not when you're distressed,
but when you're already happy. On a day when you feel energetic and
creative, take time to make room for more laughter in your life:
Take some old issues of Mad Magazine to work. During your tea
break, clip out the most giggle-inducing cartoons and put them up on
your bulletin board or your door. Change them around often so that you
aren't stuck with stale jokes that no longer evoke laughter.
Tote along a fun photo frame to the office. Print out a funny
quotation and tuck it into the frame. Place this at your desk to
entertain yourself and others. (I've put up Robert Benchley's words
"A freelance writer is a man who is paid per piece, or per word, or
perhaps" to keep my sense of humor alive as I type those query
letters by the dozen.) These days, you can buy "talking photo frames"
that will let you record a joke or funny saying. This can be especially
fun if you and a friend both have talking photo frames; you can sneak
in and record new jokes on each other's frames so that they never get
old.
Surf the Internet for good, clean jokes then mail a couple of them to your colleagues.
You can start a humor file, into which you jot rib-tickling
one-liners and jokes. When they start feeling stale, you can always
give your file to a friend who's feeling blue.
If you have a few moments to yourself, think back to a really
funny incident from your life. Then entertain your colleagues with it
at lunch. Instant popularity, too!
When you go to the library, stop by the humor section and borrow a hilarious book or movie.
Do your visits to the bookstore always follow the same pattern:
Head for "Religion and Philosophy" or "Fiction," grab a latte, settle
down for two hours, move out? Next time, take a detour: Spend a few
minutes in the humor section. You'll find it refreshing.
Keep comic books by your bedside.
Create a comic-book-filled "basket of laughter" by the fireplace.
On snowy evenings, cozy up in a rocking chair with cocoa and kids, and
laugh the evening away.
Change the message on your answering machine to an upbeat, humorous one.
Give playful captions to your family photographs.
Learn to laugh at yourself. If your stress has caused you to be
less than friendly, organized, or creative lately, explain your
behavior to your colleagues or family with a fun quote on a placard,
such as the often-quoted anonymous poem:
Roses are red,
Violets are blue;
I'm schizophrenic,
And so am I.
Lighten up. You'll brighten up.
Feel Better with Verse
Let's face it, sometimes fun and laughter feel just "too
chipper" for comfort when you're stressed. Does this mean you should
delve into a depressing piece of literature? Yes and no.
Experts say that reading a poignant, emotional poem when you're
feeling low is actually a good idea because it "agrees" with your mood
at the time. However, do choose verse that has a note of optimism and
hope a comforting, positive one. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Ph.D.,
author of several books on creativity, said, "Sometimes, even one word
is enough to open a window on a new view of the world, to start the
mind on an inner journey." At the end of a tiring day, a poem can rock
you into relaxation.
To find inspirational, healing poems, turn to poets such as Robert
Bly, Rita Dove, or Elizabeth Barrett Browning, or look up recent
Pulitzer Prize-winning poets on the Internet, for example, Maya
Angelou. The following verse by Emily Dickinson is also quite uplifting:
"Hope" is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul
And sings the song without the words And never stops at all
If a poem stirs something in you. try to write or paint your
emotions. Don't think you "can't write" or are "not an artist." Write
from the heart, and the words will come. Let your pen or paintbrush
move freely on the paper or canvas; the beauty of your own creation
might take you by surprise.
Beat the Blues with Jazz
A melody floating through the air is unseen, intangible. And
yet it triggers a definite, concrete response in the human body. In
rhythm with the melody, we start to release "happy chemicals" called
endorphins, which have a profoundly healing effect on the mind. That is
why spiritual teachers such as Dr. Deepak Chopra are collaborating with
musicians to create music that heals. As I write this, I'm listening to
light, fluid tunes from The Magic of Healing Music, an album created by
Bruce BecVar for Dr. Chopra.
While Western music is generally designed to build to a crescendo
then bring release, "new age" or spiritual music doesn't have a
frenzied feeling; it is slow and gentle. So when you're in the mood for
relaxation, listen to laid-back notes; they heal.
I remember a cold, rainy evening when I was in a mood as gray as the
weather. On impulse, I went out for a drive. For a while I listened to
a CD, but even that didn't help; I was just too restless. Suddenly, I
knew what to do. I rolled up the windows, switched off the CD, and
began to sing first softly, then boldly. What came out wasn't Celine
Dion, but the simple act of opening my lungs and my heart and singing
for my own pleasure was immensely therapeutic. I returned home humming.
To me, music isn't simply about listening to songs or singing them.
It is about creating harmony in your living spaces. Take alarm clocks:
Aren't they the very antithesis of harmony? Do you relish their harsh
trrrring or persistent beep in the morning? To me, those sounds feel
shocking, as if I've jumped straight out of bed into a lake of icy
water. An excellent way to set the tone for a lovely day is to buy an
alarm clock that wakes you up to a sweet melody, or the gentle sound of
wind chimes, or a simple bird song. Then stretch, like a satisfied cat
on a lazy afternoon. Savor the pleasure of lying in bed just a minute
or two before you plunge into another day.
Incidentally, a poll on the popular Website www.wordsmith.com
revealed that "mellifluous," which means "sweet-sounding," is the most
loved word in the English language.
When All Else Fails, Give Thanks
Sometimes life seems so unfair that you can't stop asking,
"Why me?" "Why this?" "Why now?" Usually there are no satisfactory
answers to these questions, and nothing seems to be able to pull you
out of the depths of depression. When that happens, turn inward and
become your own source of solace.
Breathe deeply and give thanks for being alive. Feel grateful to
have the use of your limbs and vital organs. Say "happy me, lucky me"
even if you feel exactly the opposite of happy and lucky. Say, "I am
thankful..."
For the tax returns I have to file, because it means that I am employed.
For the mess I have to clean up after the party, because it means that I have the gift of friends.
For a floor that needs mopping and windows that need cleaning, because it means I have a home.
For this difficult situation, because it is an opportunity for me to make a wise decision and emerge stronger.
In her book Undress Your Stress, Lois Levy reminds us to "stop and
give thanks whenever we are feeling low.'' Be grateful for something.
one thing. I don't care what it is: eyesight, sunshine, ice cream,
e-mail, breathing. Try it; it works.
Let me leave you with some healing thoughts on Aikido, a Japanese
martial art that teaches harmony. Kicks, punches...and harmony? Sounds
paradoxical, doesn't it? But the explanation is beautiful: An Aikido
master moves to protect not only himself but also his attacker,
redirecting the latter's energy so that he loses the desire to fight.
The Aikido principle, I think, can be more than a martial art; it
can be a way of life. Without donning a uniform or lifting a leg to
kick out, we can learn to beat back stress an enemy that torments us
all. How? The key is that Aikido teaches gentleness and compassion. It
helps you mobilize your energies in such a way that you empathize with
the enemy; you begin to understand why an unpleasant situation has
arisen. And to understand, said a wise sage, is to forgive.
To bring home this point, let me tell you the story of Lord Buddha
and the drunken elephant. Legend says that Lord Buddha's cousin,
Devadatta, felt extremely jealous of the Buddha's rising popularity and
plotted to kill him on several occasions. Once he forced an elephant to
drink alcohol, beat it until it was crazed with anger, then let it
loose toward the Buddha. Everyone around the Buddha ran away in panic,
but the Buddha, seeing this drunken, crazed animal, felt nothing but
pity and love for the creature. So strong was this feeling that the
raging elephant could feel its power. To the amazement of all, the
elephant stopped charging and lay down humbly at the Buddha's feet.
Fast-forwarding many centuries to the present day, I understand that
it takes far less than a raging elephant to throw us into a state of
panic. But if we remind ourselves that we're all blessed with the
ability to understand and forgive, we'll be able to deal much better
with the fiercest of stresses.
I wish you peace.
THOUGHTS FROM LYNN SMITH, INTERVENTIONIST FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS, 40
I am a very blessed individual who has had a fulfilling and
purpose-driven life. I work outside of the home as an interventionist
for college students, performing a form of counseling called
Motivational Interviewing. Our main focus is the drinking habits of
eighteen to twenty-four year olds, helping them to see how their habits
can negatively affect their lives. My passion is to make a difference
in someone's life each day, and this job allows me to do just that.
Since I have such a rewarding and fulfilling career, I believe my
stress level at work is kept to a minimum.
I am also a very busy mother and wife. My husband has an hour and a
half commute each way to work. I try to take as much on as I possibly
can family-wise, so he doesn't have to. With that said, I am the one
who worries about each person's appointments, school functions,
extracurricular activities, and social schedule as well as the general
running of the home. I may be blessed in the limited amount of stress
in my career but the stress for the home life and trying to juggle both
a career and loving family life more than makes up for it.
Normally, my time to de-stress is after the family is in bed. That's
the only period of time I have to reflect on myself, my day, and my
life. The one thing that allows me to have the most inner peace is to
brew a pot of naturally organic loose tea, it's called comfort tea.
It's a wonderfully sweet aromatic, spearmint type tea. As soon as I
smell the minty aroma, my troubles instantly begin to melt. I am a
candle person and have several different types of aromatic groupings
through out my home. To add to my calming environment I love to light a
few, smell the aroma, and watch the flames flicker. I put on CDs that
are instrumental, such a George Winston (piano) or Kenny G (jazz).
These add to my calming environment. This de-stress time allows me to
get "my house" in order. I try hard to have a clean and organized home
for my family and have noticed over the years that, more importantly,
my personal "spiritual house" has to be in order so that I can be the
best person possible for all those around me.
These things together allow me to reflect on all the wonderful gifts
and joys of my life. Once I begin to realize just how much I have, my
stresses just don't seem to be important anymore and slowly disappear.
I have always felt that attitude about life is very important and once
I have complete control over that, then I can face even the hardest
situations with a smile, and the faith that the problems really aren't
problems after all.
Chapter Summary and Resources
Life's small discomforts can add up to create big stress. Don't let stress build up!
Cut down on your commitments.
Don't procrastinate. To help you do this, there's a popular
Website, www.flylady.com; the everyday wisdom you'll find there will
help you do your chores in a systematic and organized manner.
Make life comfortable. Shop for essential items that make daily
living easier. Good starting points: Home Depot, the Container Store,
or even the yard sales in your neighborhood.
Tame the time monster. Ask friends to share their successful
time-management tips. Attend a workshop on the subject of managing
time. Visit www.stresstips.com for scores of resources on dealing with
various aspects of stress.
Calm stress with good nutrition.
Rub stress away with a healing massage. A good book to read is Instant Calm: Over 100 Easy-to-Use Techniques For Relaxing Mind and Body, by Paul Wilson (Plume, 1999).
Smile. The moment you smile, you start to heal. For inspiration, read All Smiles, edited by Bruce Velick a feel-good book that features smiling people from all over the world (Chronicle Books, 1995).
Get close to someone. Catch up with a friend and go out to the
movies. Think about joining a group where you'll meet people. "The Art
of Living" is one such class. Inspired by the teachings of spiritual
master Sri Sri Ravishankar, the Art of Living Foundation is a
non-profit organization that aims to eliminate the effects of stress
from your system. The six-day Art of Living workshop promises: "More
energy, more clarity, more love, more happiness, more celebration, more
depth, more silence." Offered in more than 140 countries, there is sure
to be a course near where you live. For more information, visit
www.artofliving.com.
Laugh. It really is the best medicine! In addition to the gentle jokes in Reader's Digest, you can find a treasure house of laughs on Websites such as www.cleanjokes.net and www.ahajokes.com.
Heal with art.
Give thanks.
This
article was excerpted from:
 Radiant Body, Restful Mind
by
Shubhra Krishan.
Reprinted with permission of the publisher, New World Library. ©2001.
www.newworldlibrary.com
Info/Order this book.
 About the Author
Shubhra
Krishan was a news correspondent for India's biggest network and an editor at
Cosmopolitan (India) before moving to the United States with her family. Her
articles have appeared in many national magazines. Shubhra works in the marketing department of Maharishi Ayurveda, a
company in Colorado Springs that produces and markets ayurvedic
products, including their popular Rajas Cup (a coffee substitute).
More articles by this author.
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