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Stress Reduction
While stress is a part of everyday life, heightened levels of stress depresses the immune system and increases the incidence of infections and a variety of more serious health problems. Although stress can’t be eliminated, it can be controlled.
Reduce stress by:
Exercising
Regular exercise is a great way to reduce stress. As an added bonus, regular exercise improves immune function; promotes normal sleep; prevents depression;  lowers blood pressure and serum cholesterol; reduces the risk of osteoporosis; assists with weight loss; and averts many types of cancer (including prostate cancer). Adjust your schedule so you can exercise before or after work. Find an exercise that you enjoy. Try the following stress-busting exercise techniques:
Aerobic exercise not only improves cardiovascular function. Try the following exercises at home and at work.
At home
Walking is a safe bet, but do more than just stroll. Shake the lead out. Exercise should make your heart beat faster; it should make you break out in a sweat. Exercise for 30 minutes or more at least three days a week.
If you’re a bicycle enthusiast, be aware that bikes with narrow seats increase the risk of prostatitis (and impotence) by compressing the prostate and the pudendal nerve. The pudendal nerve controls erections. Therefore, select a well-padded seat that is designed to minimize pressure on the perineum (area between the scrotum and anus).
At work
If your job requires prolonged sitting, get up and stretch every hour or so. Walk around. Get off your duff. Use the stairs rather than the elevators. Park at the far end of the parking lot and walk. Enjoy the out-of-doors. Take a walk during your lunch break. Resistance exercises, such as weight lifting, should also be a regular part of your fitness program. Resistance exercises increase muscle mass. (Men start to lose muscle mass once they reach the age of forty.)
NOTE: Be sure to consult with your physician before embarking on a new exercise program.
Meditating
Meditation is a form of mental relaxation, a form of contemplation. There are many meditation techniques to chose among. Experiment and pick a technique that feels comfortable to you. If you need help getting started, join a meditation class, attend a retreat, buy a self-help book, or purchase an instructional audiotape on meditation (they’re available in most bookstores).
Practicing Diaphragmatic Breathing
Begin by placing your hand on your belly. Take a deep breath and cause your hand to rise first. Continue drawing the rest of the breath into your lungs from the bottom, up. Pause. Then, reverse the process. Finish by depressing your diaphragm to expel the last bit of air from your lungs. Pause. Then start over again. Reduce stress by practicing diaphragmatic breathing frequently throughout the day.
Dr Andrew Weil suggests trying the following variation of diaphragmatic breathing:
(1) Start by placing your tongue just behind your upper front teeth and keep it there for the entire exercise.
(2)Take a deep diaphragmatic breath, and then exhale through pursed lips, making a whooshing sound.
(3) Next, with your mouth closed, inhale through your nose to a mental count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven.
(4) Finally, slowly exhale through pursed lips, to a mental count of eight. (The amount of time spent in each phase is not as important as the ratio of 4:7:8.)
(5) Repeat this scenario three more times for a total of four breaths. Practice this exercise at least twice daily (and anytime you’re under stress).
Avoiding violent movies, books and music
Violence in any form increases stress by jarring the emotions. Violence revs-up the immune system by causing the adrenal glands to release adrenaline (the “fight-or-flight” hormone). Repeated jump-starting of the immune system causes unnecessary wear-and-tear, which depresses immune function.
“Just say no” to violence. Say “yes” to uplifting music, books, and movies. Try a ‘news fast’ - stop reading the newspaper and listening to the news on the radio and television. Start by fasting one day a week, and then increase the number of days. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you lose your appetite for the daily menu of doom and gloom.
Practicing Yoga
Originating in the Far East, Yoga is an ancient tradition that combines stretching and breathing exercises with meditation. Having practiced Yoga for years, I can attest to its benefits. I routinely recommend it to my patients.
Getting enough sleep
Try to get at least seven hours of sleep daily. Relaxing sleep improves immune function, reduces depression, prevents fatigue, and enhances pain tolerance.
Practicing forgiveness
Of all the lessons I’ve learned over the years, perhaps the most valuable lesson is the healing power of forgiveness. I’ve come to understand that forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves. It sets us free. Start with yourself. Tell yourself that you love and appreciate yourself. Learn to mean it. Accept yourself as you are. Learn to laugh at yourself and with others. Come to terms with your strengths, and your weaknesses. Appreciate your uniqueness.
Forgive others.
Once you’ve forgiven yourself, rectify any existing relationship problems. Release any grudges. It takes a lot of energy to hold a grudge. Releasing a grudge frees energy for better things - healthier things.
Love others.
Tell people you love that you love them. Take time to really listen to people. Careful listening is an expression of love. I’ve observed that patients who learn to forgive and love themselves and others are happier and healthier people. It’s never too late (or too soon) to start. So why not start today?
Taking time to smell the roses
Although life can be a rat race, it doesn’t have to be. The choice is yours. Become an expert at living. Live each day to the fullest and discover it’s many miracles. At the end of each day, (in your mind’s eye) review the day’s events. Learn the lessons. Congratulate yourself on your successes. Forgive yourself for your failures (and learn the lessons).
Once you’re completed your daily review, release any negative thoughts. As you drift into dreamland, visualize the day ahead. Anticipate each day as a new beginning. Visualize wonderful happenings.
Practicing Gratitude
Make a list of ten things that you are grateful for every day. Carry the list with you. Pull it out and read it anytime you start to feel sorry for yourself.
Beautifying your environment
Plant a garden. Bring home some flowers. Light some candles. Play beautiful music. Do something special everyday.
Finding a purpose in life
Volunteer. Shift the focus away from your problems. Help others. Practicing random acts of kindness and senseless acts of joy is a wonderful way to reduce stress.
Learning new coping skills
I’ve often wondered why patients with the same condition behave differently. Why do some people heal quickly; others more slowly; and some don’t heal at all? I believe the answer can be traced to differences in their coping skills – the tools we use to smooth out the bumps in the road of daily living.
People with healthy coping skills heal faster. They have more flexibility, a sense of control. Their immune systems are more resilient. Conversely, people with poor coping skills, feel helpless, out of control. The stress of daily life throws them for a loop. They’re often depressed and their immune systems are out-of-whack. They suffer symptoms more acutely than people with healthier coping skills.
Fortunately, coping skills aren’t inherited – they can be learned. The following healthy coping skills can put you back in control of your life.
Mental Conditioning
What we think and say influences the health and healing of every cell in our bodies. The spoken word embodies sound energy. It bridges the inner subjective and the outer objective world. It makes manifest our inner thoughts. Our thoughts are an inner dialogue we have with ourselves. They form the dominant energies we communicate to our bodies. Hence, the healing or destructive power of the mind (speech and thoughts) upon the body, profoundly influences the quality of life.
Practice healing speech and thoughts.
Start on the road to recovery by asking yourself the following questions:
“What can I do to beat this condition?” Become informed by doing your homework. Learn all you can about your condition. Quit thinking of yourself as a victim. Quit asking “why me?”
“What is the lesson that I need to learn? What is my body trying to tell me?”
Symptoms - sensations we feel – pain, for instance - are the language our bodies use to get our attention. Our bodies are saying, “STOP AND PAY ATTENTION. LISTEN TO ME. NOW!”
Consider the following insights:
“Are there any ulterior motives?”
In other words, are your symptoms being used as an excuse to get extra sympathy, avoid a job you don’t like, or as a ploy to avoid dealing with deeper relationship problems? While this is the certainly an exception to the rule, before you answer too quickly, mull this question over in your mind for a moment or two. If it’s possible that secondary gain is an issue, look for healthier alternatives. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Next time people ask you how you’re doing, think of something positive to say – and mean it.
“What can I say that is positive?”
Stop negative self-talk. Replace negative statements such as, “I’ll never get rid of ________,” with positive affirmations (statements). For instance, silently or verbally, repeat the following affirmation to yourself: “Everyday, in every way, I’m getting better and better. (Pause) My _________is getting healthier and healthier. (Pause) My _________ is gone.”
Repeat these and other healing statements that have special meaning to you. Jot them down on a piece of paper and paste them on the mirror in your bathroom. Make an extra copy and carry them with you everywhere you go.
Any time a negative thought surfaces, or your symptoms start to flare, replace negative thoughts or feelings of despair with positive affirmations. You’ll be surprised at how quickly your body learns how to respond to your new, healthier dialogue.
Prayer
Finally, prayer - a means of communicating our inner thoughts with the Divine - can have a positive effect on every aspect of your life. I routinely use prayer in my practice of medicine. I’ve discovered that prayer is an integral part of the healing process.
Taking Bach flower essences
Dr. Edward Bach, an English medical doctor and homeopathic physician, discovered that flower essences could reduce stress and a number of other ailments. Dr. Bach discovered that every flower has its own unique healing properties. By using a process of trial and error, he uncovered the healing qualities of thirty-eight different flower essences. Bach flower essences are available in most health food stores. I recommend trying a combination of five different Bach flower essences called rescue formula. Apply four drops under the tongue, any time you’re under stress. I’ve taken it. It works.
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Natural Ways To Reduce Stress
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Eliminate caffeine.
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Avoid violent movies, books, television programs, etc.
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Go on a “news fast” by not reading the paper, listening to the radio or watching the news on TV for a week. Then try extending this for a longer period of time.
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Exercise regularly.
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Associate with calm people.
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Practice yoga and meditation daily.
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Learn biofeedback and guided visualization techniques.
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Try natural relaxants such as the herbs kava kava, chamomile, or passionflower.
Try using Bach flower remedies such as rescue formula or dandelion, or try taking flower essences such as elm, lavender or yarrow, (available in health food stores).
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Get a least 7 hours of deep sleep daily. Try taking either valerian, skullcap or kava kava either individually or in combination if insomnia is a problem.
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Practice forgiveness and understanding, starting with yourself. Release any grudges.
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Rectify any existing relationship problems.
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Beautify your environment. Plant flowers. Appreciate nature.
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Slow down and smell the roses!
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Tell yourself you love and appreciate yourself. Learn to mean it. If you can’t, get help understanding why.
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Tell others you love them.
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Take time to really listen to others.
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Find a purpose in life. Volunteer. Do something good for others. Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of joy.
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Practice saying positive affirmations daily. Subscribe to The Daily Word, a treasure trove of positive affirmations, by calling 1-800-669-0282.
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Make a list every day of ten things you are truly grateful for.
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Listen to uplifting music. Skip music with depressing lyrics.
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Cultivate your inner life through reading quality literature, reflecting on it, and keeping a journal of your higher thoughts.
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Control your thoughts and speech. Speech and the thoughts and attitudes you hold are energies. The dominant ones become the main energies you communicate to your body. Negative energies such as habitual dissatisfaction, depression, despair, ill-will, resentment, hatred, and aggression disrupt the body’s harmony and depress the immune system. Positive energies such as truth, gratitude, patience, harmlessness, generosity, respect, honesty, and peace restore the body’s energy, promote harmony, and strengthen the immune system.
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Try the following breathing exercise at least 4 times a day. (adapted from Dr. Andrew Weil):
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Place the tip of your tongue just behind your upper front teeth and keep it there throughout the entire exercise.
1)Exhale completely through your mouth (with your lips pursed), making a whoosh sound.
2)Next close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
3) Hold your breath for a count of seven.
4) Exhale completely through your mouth, making a sound to the count of eight. The absolute time spent on each phase is not as important as the ratio of 4:7:8. Repeat the process for a total of five times, at least twice a day and anytime you feel under stress.
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