71%   reported decreased levels of depression after the green walk

22%   felt their depression increased after walking through indoor shopping center

45%   only experienced a decrease in depression when walking indoors

71%   felt less tense after the green walk

50%   felt their tension had increased after shopping center walk

90%   had an increase in self-esteem after the green walk

44%   said their self-esteem had decreased after window shopping indoors

90%   said the combination of nature and exercise had the greatest impact on them

94%   said that green activities had benefitted their mental health, especially lifting

www.who - World Health Organization

Eating a healthy diet, increasing physical activity and avoiding tobacco use can prevent:

• 80% of premature heart disease,

• 80% of type 2 diabetes cases, and

• 40% of cancers.

www.ourjourneyofhope.com

Despite any debate, studies have proven spirituality's legitimacy as a complementary therapy. A study on the use of complementary and alternative medicine published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that spiritual practices, such as prayer, were used more (80.5%) than any other complementary approach, including vitamins and herbs (62.6%) and movement and physical therapies (59.2%). Other studies have found similar results.

Researchers have also found that people who have regular spiritual practices, such as church attendance, tend to live longer. A study of 1,700 older adults found that those who attended church were less likely to have elevated levels of interleukin-6, which is associated with an increased incidence of disease.

www.nida.nih.gov  

Statistics:  Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States. Between 1964 and 2004, cigarette smoking caused an estimated 12 million deaths, including 4.1 million deaths from cancer, 5.5 million deaths from cardiovascular diseases, 2.1 million deaths from respiratory diseases, and 94,000 infant deaths related to mothers smoking during pregnancy.¹ According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cigarette smoking results in more than 400,000 premature deaths each year—about 1 in every 5 U.S. deaths and an additional 8.6 million people suffer with a serious illness caused by smoking. 

www.apa.org - ©  American Psychological Association

powertochange.com - Copyright ©  Power to Change Ministries

Why do I exist? - That’s the most fundamental question of life. What on earth am I here for?

Well, you need to understand God to answer that question. You see, the bible says, “God is love.” It doesn’t say He has love, it says He is love. It’s part of His nature, His character, it is the essence of His being. God is love. Now, love isn’t very valuable unless you bestow it on something and the bible says, “God made you to love you.” You were created as an object of God’s love. If you want to know why you’re taking breath right now, why your heart is beating, it’s because God made you to love you. It’s the sole reason. You were made to be loved by God and to bring Him pleasure.

Now God wants you to learn to love Him back and that’s the first purpose of your life, to get to know and love Him back. One day Jesus was walking down the street and a man came up and said, “What’s the most important command in the bible?” And Jesus said, “I’m going to summarize the entire bible in one sentence. Love God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength.” That’s called the great commandment. And God wants you to get to know and love Him back. So that means when you get up in the morning, you should sit on the side of your bed and say, “God, if I don’t get anything else done today, I want to know you a little bit better and I want to love you a little bit more.” Because if at the end of the day you know God more and you love Him more, you have just fulfilled one of the purposes of your life.

If, on the other hand, you’ve accomplished all kinds of things and achieved many, many successes in life, but at the end of the day you don’t know God better or love Him more, you have missed the primary purpose of your life. Because God didn’t put you on this earth just to mark things off your to-do list. He put you here to know Him and love Him. That’s why you exist.

What is my purpose in life? - Well the truth is, God created you for five purposes. You see, you were made by God and you were made for God. And until you understand that, life isn’t going to make sense. When you come to this question, what is my purpose, you only have three alternatives.

First is what I call the mystical approach, and that is look within. You find this in a lot of talk shows, a lot of new age books a lot of seminars. They say, “look within to discover your purpose.” The only problem is that doesn’t work. We’ve all looked within and I didn’t like what I saw. It’s quite confusing. In fact, if you could know the purpose of your life by looking within, we’d all know it by now. It doesn’t work.

The second way you can try to discover your purpose is called the intellectual or philosophical approach. And that’s where you go to a seminary class or university class and you sit there with a pipe and your latte and your coffee and you ask questions like, “Why am I here? Where did I come from? Where am I going?” I once read a book by professor John Morehead, the Head of the Department of Philosophy at Northeastern University in Illinois. And he wrote to 250 well-known intellectuals and asked them, “What is the meaning and purpose of life?” These were novelists, scientists, well-known intellectuals, and I read the book, it’s now out of print, it was quite depressing because most of the people said, “I have no idea what the purpose of life is.” Some of them admitted they just made up a purpose. And some of the admitted they guessed. And some of them said, “If you know the purpose, please tell me.”

You see, there’s a better answer to speculation and that’s revelation. If I were to hold up an invention that you have never seen before, you wouldn’t know its purpose. The only way you’d know its purpose was either talk to the inventor, the creator who made it or read the owner’s manual. The owner’s manual of life is the bible and your Creator is God. And it is only as you get to know God you will discover his five purposes for your life. I hope you’ll begin that journey today.

The Purpose-Driven Life is a manifesto for Christian living in the 21st century...a lifestyle based on eternal purposes, not cultural values. Using biblical stories and letting the Bible speak for itself, Warren clearly explains God's five purposes for each of us:

• We were planned for God's pleasure - so your first purpose is to offer real worship.

• We were formed for God's family - so your second purpose is to enjoy real fellowship.

• We were created to become like Christ, - so your third purpose is to learn real discipleship.

• We were shaped for serving God - so your fourth purpose is to practice real ministry.

• We were made for a mission - so your fifth purpose is to live out real evangelism.

In Day 39 of The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren introduces the concept of a spiritual health assessment. He says that to maintain our physical health, we need regular check-ups with a doctor who can assess our vital signs—blood pressure, temperature, weight, and so on. For our spiritual health we need to regularly check and balance the five vital signs of a healthy Christian life:

• Worship: You were planned for God’s pleasure.

• Fellowship: You were formed for God’s family.

• Discipleship: You were created to become like Christ.

• Ministry: You were shaped for serving God.

• Evangelism: You were made for a mission.

The Spiritual Health Assessment and Spiritual Health Planner measures your health at a particular point in time. It is not a tool to see how you measure up against other people; nor is it a tool to see how close you are to perfection. We all know we’ll never be perfect this side of heaven.

Rather, this is a tool that will help you evaluate your spiritual health, and give you direction for developing a plan to bring God’s five purposes for your life into balance.

Support System: A community of faith can provide more than support when we are in need of help. The members of a faith community can strengthen our resolve to heal, can link their prayers to ours, and can restore us to faith. They can envelop us in caring and love.

Link to The Power of Prayer Therapy

Good Habits:  The Power 9 is a concept that stems from Dan Buettner’s research in the BlueZones (the longest-living cultures in the world), and describes nine 'secrets' to a longer, healthier life. The Power 9 emphasizes making changes to your environment that will influence your habits. It's much easier to promote good habits through environmental change than it is to force changes to long-standing behavior.

World Health Organization  (WHO) - pdf  

Diet, Nutrition and The Prevention of Chronic Disease - In order to achieve the best results in preventing chronic diseases, the strategies and policies that are applied must fully recognize the essential role of diet, nutrition and physical activity.

Physical activity has great influence on body composition --- on the amount of fat, muscle and bone tissue.

To a large extent, physical activity and nutrients share the same metabolic pathways and can interact in various ways that influence the risk and pathogenesis of several chronic diseases.

Cardiovascular fitness and physical activity have been shown to reduce significantly the effects of overweight and obesity on health.

www.nida.nih.gov

Tobacco addiction is a chronic disease that often requires multiple attempts to quit. Although some smokers are able to quit without help, many others need assistance. Generally, rates of relapse for smoking cessation are highest in the first few weeks and months and diminish considerably after about 3 months. Both behavioral interventions (counseling) and medication can help smokers quit; the combination of medication with counseling is more effective than either alone.

Where To Find Help To Quit Smoking

Phone Quit Lines:  Individuals who call this National Quit line number will be forwarded to their state’s quit line for cessation services: 1-800 QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).

Speak with a counselor at National Cancer Institute Smoking Quit line: 1-877-44U-QUIT (1-877-448-7848).

www.cdc.gov/tobacco

Internet Web Sites:  The Office on Smoking and Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides information for quitting both smoking and smokeless tobacco.

smokefree.gov is intended to help you or someone you care about quit smoking. Different people need different resources as they try to quit smoking cigarettes. The information and professional assistance available on this website can help to support both your immediate and long-term needs as you become, and remain, a non-smoker.

Smokefree.gov allows you to choose the help that best fits your needs. You can get immediate assistance in the form of:

• Information about a wide range of topics related to smoking and quitting

• LiveHelp, the National Cancer Institute's instant messaging service

• National Cancer Institute's telephone quitline, 1-877-44U-QUIT

• Local and state telephone quitlines, 1-800-QUIT-NOW

• SmokefreeTXT, the National Cancer Institute's text messaging service

• Smokefree apps, quizzes, and materials to download

• Publications to download, print, or order

www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Nicotine Anonymous is a Non-Profit 12 Step Fellowship of men and women helping each other live nicotine-free lives. Nicotine Anonymous welcomes all those seeking freedom from nicotine addiction, including those using cessation programs and nicotine withdrawal aids. The primary purpose of Nicotine Anonymous is to help all those who would like to cease using tobacco and nicotine products in any form. The Fellowship offers group support and recovery using the 12 Steps as adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous to achieve abstinence from nicotine.

Local Community Support: 

Nicotine Anonymous – Find a meeting: Phone -  (415) 750-0328

American Lung Association community-based group support – To locate where Freedom From Smoking® classes are being held in your community call 1-800-LUNGUSA.

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Importance of Sleep 

Reference - healthscience.org - ©  National Health Association

Rest-Relaxation-Sleep: The National Health Association (NHA) believes that to reach an optimum level of health, physical activity must be kept in balance with other health-promoting factors, particularly rest and sleep.

Healing and body repair occur mostly during sleep. The anabolic hormones, the hormones that promote repair of muscle tissue and other tissue, are released during sleep. If you are not sleeping properly, you can’t initiate that healing process. The proper amount of sleep varies with your state of health, your level of stress, and your degree of fitness.

Weight Gain: Sleep deficiency is perceived by the body as a major stressful event. As a result, cortisol levels are increased, thereby increasing the circulation and stores of body and belly fat. Sleep deficiency also worsens the problem of insulin resistance, provoking the overproduction of insulin, and increasing the craving for fat and refined sugar.

The Harvard Women’s Health Watch suggests six reasons to get enough sleep:

Learning and memory: Sleep helps the brain commit new information to memory through a process called memory consolidation. In studies, people who’d slept after learning a task did better on tests later.

Metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.

Safety: Sleep debt contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses may cause falls and mistakes such as medical errors, air traffic mishaps, and road accidents.

Mood: Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you like to do.

Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.

Disease: Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the activity of the body’s killer cells. Keeping up with sleep may also help fight cancer.

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How Much Sleep Do I Need? 

www.sleepfoundation.org - © National Sleep Foundation.

What the Research Says about Sleep Duration: The first thing experts will tell you about sleep is that there is no "magic number." Not only do different age groups need different amounts of sleep, but sleep needs are also individual. Just like any other characteristics you are born with, the amount of sleep you need to function best may be different for you than for someone who is of the same age and gender. While you may be at your absolute best sleeping seven hours a night, someone else may clearly need nine hours to have a happy, productive life. In fact, a 2005 study confirmed the fact that sleep needs vary across populations, and the study calls for further research to identify traits within genes that may provide a "map" to explain how sleep needs differ among individuals.

Though research cannot pinpoint an exact amount of sleep need by people at different ages, the preceding table identifies the "rule-of-thumb" amounts most experts have agreed upon. Nevertheless, it's important to pay attention to your own individual needs by assessing how you feel on different amounts of sleep. Are you productive, healthy and happy on seven hours of sleep? Or does it take you nine hours of quality ZZZs to get you into high gear? Do you have health issues such as being overweight? Are you at risk for any disease? Are you experiencing sleep problems? Do you depend on caffeine to get you through the day? Do you feel sleepy when driving? These are questions that must be asked before you can find the number that works for you.

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Sleep Recommendations 

Reference - www.sleepfoundation.org -  © National Sleep Foundation.

1. Maintain a regular bed and wake time schedule including weekends. Our sleep-wake cycle is regulated by a "circadian clock" in our brain and the body's need to balance both sleep time and wake time. A regular waking time in the morning strengthens the circadian function and can help with sleep onset at night. That is also why it is important to keep a regular bedtime and wake-time, even on the weekends when there is the temptation to sleep-in.

2. Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine such as soaking in a hot bath or hot tub and then reading a book or listening to soothing music. A relaxing, routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep, get sound and deep sleep or remain asleep. Avoid arousing activities before bedtime like working, paying bills, engaging in competitive games or family problem-solving. Some studies suggest that soaking in hot water (such as a hot tub or bath) before retiring to bed can ease the transition into deeper sleep, but it should be done early enough that you are no longer sweating or over-heated. If you are unable to avoid tension and stress, it may be helpful to learn relaxation therapy from a trained professional. Finally, avoid exposure to bright before bedtime because it signals the neurons that help control the sleep-wake cycle that it is time to awaken, not to sleep.

3. Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet, comfortable and cool. Design your sleep environment to establish the conditions you need for sleep – cool, quiet, dark, comfortable and free of interruptions. Also make your bedroom reflective of the value you place on sleep. Check your room for noise or other distractions, including a bed partner's sleep disruptions such as snoring, light, and a dry or hot environment. Consider using blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs, "white noise," humidifiers, fans and other devices.

4. Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows. Make sure your mattress is comfortable and supportive. The one you have been using for years may have exceeded its life expectancy – about 9 or 10 years for most good quality mattresses. 

5. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex. It is best to take work materials, computers and televisions out of the sleeping environment. Use your bed only for sleep and sex to strengthen the association between bed and sleep. If you associate a particular activity or item with anxiety about sleeping, omit it from your bedtime routine. For example, if looking at a bedroom clock makes you anxious about how much time you have before you must get up, move the clock out of sight. Do not engage in activities that cause you anxiety and prevent you from sleeping.

6. Finish eating at least 2-3 hours before your regular bedtime. Eating or drinking too much may make you less comfortable when settling down for bed. It is best to avoid a heavy meal too close to bedtime. Also, spicy foods may cause heartburn, which leads to difficulty falling asleep and discomfort during the night. Try to restrict fluids close to bedtime to prevent nighttime awakenings to go to the bathroom, though some people find milk or herbal, non-caffeinated teas to be soothing and a helpful part of a bedtime routine.

7. Exercise regularly. It is best to complete your workout at least a few hours before bedtime. In general, exercising regularly makes it easier to fall asleep and contributes to sounder sleep. However, exercising sporadically or right before going to bed will make falling asleep more difficult. In addition to making us more alert, our body temperature rises during exercise, and takes as much as 6 hours to begin to drop. A cooler body temperature is associated with sleep onset... Finish your exercise at least 3 hours before bedtime. Late afternoon exercise is the perfect way to help you fall asleep at night.

8. Avoid caffeine (e.g. coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) close to bedtime. It can keep you awake. Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it can produce an alerting effect. Caffeine products, such as coffee, tea, colas and chocolate, remain in the body on average from 3 to 5 hours, but they can affect some people up to 12 hours later. Even if you do not think caffeine affects you, it may be disrupting and changing the quality of your sleep. Avoiding caffeine within 6-8 hours of going to bed can help improve sleep quality.

9. Avoid nicotine (e.g. cigarettes, tobacco products). Used close to bedtime, it can lead to poor sleep. Nicotine is also a stimulant. Smoking before bed makes it more difficult to fall asleep. When smokers go to sleep, they experience withdrawal symptoms from nicotine, which also cause sleep problems. Nicotine can cause difficulty falling asleep, problems waking in the morning, and may also cause nightmares. Difficulty sleeping is just one more reason to quit smoking. And never smoke in bed or when sleepy!

10. Avoid alcohol close to bedtime. Although many people think of alcohol as a sedative, it actually disrupts sleep, causing nighttime awakenings. Consuming alcohol leads to a night of less restful sleep.

11. If you have sleep problems...Use a sleep diary and talk to your doctor.

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Natural Remedies to Help You Sleep

Retrieved From  - mercola.com

Before you rush to the drugstore to buy an over-the-counter sleep medication, try one of the following natural sleep remedies. They are safer and have fewer side effects. Many of these can not only help you fall asleep and stay asleep, but they can also promote muscle relaxation.

Magnesium and calcium are both sleep boosters, and when taken together they become even more effective. Plus, by taking magnesium you cancel out any potential heart problems that might arise from taking calcium alone. Take 200 milligrams of magnesium (you can lower the dose if it causes diarrhea) and 600 milligrams of calcium each night.

Wild lettuce: If you've suffered anxiety, headaches, or muscle or joint pain, you might already be familiar with wild lettuce. It's also effective at calming restlessness and reducing anxiety, and may even quell restless legs syndrome. When using a wild-lettuce supplement, take 30 to 120 milligrams before bed.

Hops:  Beer fans are already familiar with the calming effect of hops, the female flowers used in beer making. For sleep purposes, this extract has been widely used as a mild sedative for anxiety and insomnia. Take 30 to 120 milligrams before climbing under the covers.

Aromatherapy: Lavender is the trick here, as studies have proven that it aids in sleep. It's also an inexpensive, nontoxic way to slip into a peaceful slumber. Find a spray with real lavender and spritz it on your pillow before bedtime, or buy a lavender-filled pillow.

Melatonin is the hormone that controls sleep, so it's no wonder that it naturally induces sleep. Studies show that lower doses are more effective -- plus, there's concern that too-high doses could cause toxicity as well as raise the risk of depression or infertility. 

Yoga and Meditation: Choose gentle yoga or stretching, not vigorous power or ashtanga yoga, which could energize you instead. Try easy yoga stretches in bed followed by simple meditation. Close your eyes and, for 5 to 10 minutes, pay attention to nothing but your breathing.

L-theanine: This amino acid comes from green tea, and not only helps maintain a calm alertness during the day but also a deeper sleep at night. However, green tea doesn't contain enough L-theanine to significantly boost your REM cycles, and might make you wake up to go to the bathroom. Instead, buy pure, active L-theanine (some brands have inactive forms of theanine that block the effectiveness), and take 50 to 200 milligrams at bedtime.

Valerian is one of the most common sleep remedies for insomnia. Numerous studies have found that valerian improves deep sleep, speed of falling asleep, and overall quality of sleep. However, it's most effective when used over a longer period of time. Keep in mind that about 10 percent of the people who use it actually feel energized, which may keep them awake. If that happens to you, take valerian during the day. Otherwise, take 200 to 800 milligrams before bed.

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Importance of Stress & Energy Support 

Reference Source - brown.edu  - Brown University

What Is Stress? Stress generally refers to two different things: situations that trigger physical and emotional reactions (stressors) and the reactions themselves (stress response). Stress is the body's response to environmental demands. In general, when environmental demands exceed your ability to cope, it creates stress.

The body responds to stress by what is called the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS). The GAS occurs in three stages - alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. The fight or flight response is the most common type of alarm stage. This is when the sympathetic nervous system releases the chemicals epinephrine and norepinephrine, which prepare the body for action by increasing heart rate, breathing, alertness, and muscle response, and the hormone cortisol, which speeds up the body's metabolism. These actions get the body ready to confront a threat such as an alarming sound (fight) or escape from it (flight). The body usually adapts to a prolonged stressor, such as an upcoming final, by entering the stage of resistance. During resistance, the body's systems return to normal, but remain alert. Following resistance, the body enters exhaustion, at which point it can no longer resist the stressor. Repeated exposure to this response can cause mental and physical damage.

How do I know when I'm stressed? Here's a quick test - place your hand on the back of your neck. If it feels cold against your skin, you're probably stressed out. Blood rushes to your muscles when you're under stress, leaving your hands cold. Other warning signs of stress include:

• Out-of-proportion anxiety

• Excessive moodiness

• Withdrawal from responsibility

• Constant insomnia

• Poor emotional control

• Marked change in appetite or sex drive

• Chronic fatigue

These short-term physical symptoms mainly occur as your body adapts to perceived physical threats, and are caused by the release of epinephrine (adrenaline) during the alarm stage of the GAS. Long-term physical symptoms occur when your body has been exposed to adrenaline over a long period. Adrenaline works by diverting resources from the areas of the body, which carry out body maintenance (such as your liver, kidneys and other organs) to the muscles… This stress may cause your health to deteriorate and it is common to experience frequent colds and infections, sexual disorders, aches and pains, feelings of intense and long-term tiredness, or a change in appetite.

What are warning signs I should get help to deal with my stress? Signals that you are experiencing an overload of stress can range from a general feeling of the "blahs" to serious physical pain. Although most stress can be managed, it is important to obtain professional help before the situation is completely out of control. If you experience the following situations or feelings, you should seek professional support.

Behavioral symptoms:

• Overreacting to minor problems

• Inappropriate anger or impatience

• Overeating or loss of appetite

• Increased use of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs

• Unable to relax

• Constantly feeling anxious

• Experiencing long periods of boredom

• Disrupted sleeping patterns

• Problems with sexual activity

• Decreased school or work performance

• Diminished ability to set priorities and make decisions

• Prone to make errors or be accident prone

Physical symptoms:

• Increased headaches

• Cold hands and feet

• Indigestion

• Aching neck or back

• Ulcers

• Nausea

• Diarrhea or constipation

• Shortness of breath

• Heart palpitations

• Teeth grinding

• Muscle spasms

• Skin conditions like acne and psoriasis

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Stress Management  

Managing your physical and psychological well being:  The art of stress management is to keep yourself at a level of stimulation that is healthy and enjoyable - to create a balance of positive and negative stress that will motivate but not overwhelm you.

• Have a positive attitude! Reversing negative ideas and learning to focus on positive outcomes helps reduce tension and achieve goals. If you catch yourself thinking negative criticisms like -- "I'll never get this assignment done! I'm a failure!" -- change your inner dialogue. Tell yourself "I'm intelligent and fully capable of getting this assignment done.

• Tap into your support network. It can be a relief to realize others have had similar experiences - it helps us feel understood, capable, and nurtured. If you can't discuss your feelings with your support network, express them some other way - write in a journal, write a poem, or compose a letter that is never mailed.

Avoiding extremely stressful situations:  Stress results when you feel overwhelmed by many things that need to be done at the same time.

Solutions -  

• Planning:  Plan around the things you find stressful to lessen the effects of stress. Managing your time effectively will even out your workload.

• Prioritize:  Make a list and prioritize the things you need to get done.

• Time Out:  Don't be afraid to take a break. Schedule it in! A 20-minute power nap can re-energize you for hours.

• Focus:  When working, focus on one thing at a time. Switching from one task to another without fully completing the first task allows for variety, but usually wastes time and causes confusion.

• Realism:  Know and accept your limits. Don't over-commit - learn to say no. It is better to disappoint a person up front than with a last minute cancellation because you find yourself short of time.

Relaxation Techniques 

Relaxation is the natural unwinding of the stress response. Relaxation lowers blood pressure, respiration, and pulse rates. Combining several techniques, for example deep breathing exercises, muscle relaxation, meditation, and massage therapy can significantly lower stress levels. Yoga or tai chi can be very effective, combining many of the benefits of breathing, muscle relaxation, and meditation while toning and stretching the muscles. They also elevate mood and improve concentration and ability to focus.

Visualization involves the imagining of scenes that are relaxing and peaceful - this can help the body relax. Imagine yourself in a setting that is pleasantly relaxing. Guided relaxation (listening to relaxation tapes or having someone read a relaxation exercise to you) can be a pleasant way to relax.

Reference Source - www.healthy.net

Coping, Emotions, and Health:  Researchers have identified how the ways we cope with emotions and stressful situations—our coping styles—can influence our physical health. Most firmly established are the links between coronary heart disease and the Type A behavior pattern. Type A is a way of coping characterized by constant hurriedness, intense competitiveness, and free-floating hostility.

A more recent concept is the Type C pattern, which in many ways is the polar opposite of Type A. It involves the non-expression of anger and other unpleasant emotions such as fear and sadness, unassertive and overly appeasing behavior in relationships with others, and a preoccupation with meeting the needs of others, often to the point of extreme self-sacrifice. The theory of the Type C pattern was put forward by Lydia Temoshok, Ph.D., a leading health psychologist and PNI researcher. She has found compelling evidence for a link between emotional expressiveness and the progression of cancer.

The middle ground, or Type B. is considered a more balanced way of coping that involves appropriate expression of all emotions and the ability to meet one's own needs while responding to those of others. People who cope in this more balanced way tend to be less at risk for serious illness. The cultivation of these behaviors is often a goal in mind/body medicine programs, especially for heart disease and cancer.

The Stress Response is a set of changes in the body that result when the person experiences what they perceive to be a challenging or threatening situation. This matter of perceived threat is important because the effects of the stress response on the body are the same whether the threat is real or just imagined in the mind.

The magnitude of these changes is influenced by how serious the person thinks the situation is and what they think about their ability to handle the threat effectively (their appraisal of their ability to respond). Of course, the more confident the person is in their ability to handle a challenge easily, the less stress is involved. The more the person appraises the challenge as a threat—even at the subconscious level—the more intense will be the stress response.

Commonly called the fight-or-flight reaction, the stress response has the beneficial effect of preparing the body to function at a higher level of efficiency, which of course enhances the likelihood of survival. The physiological changes include:

• Increased blood pressure

• Increased respiratory rate

• Increased heart rate

• Increased oxygen consumption (burning of fuel)

• Increased blood flow to skeletal muscles

• Increased perspiration

• Increased muscle tone

While all these changes clearly contribute to one's ability to fight or flee in an emergency, they also have a downside. If the person is experiencing the stress response regularly and for extended periods of time, these physiological changes have the effect of weakening the body's resistance to illness and lowering the effectiveness of its mechanisms of self-repair.

The Relaxation Response:  Another key principle is the relaxation response, which was discovered and named by Herbert Benson, M.D., and his colleagues in 1974.^7,8 They were studying a pattern of physiological changes that occurs in people practicing transcendental meditation (TM).

This pattern of changes has been found to represent a very beneficial state, one that is virtually a mirror image of the stress response. The relaxation response includes the following changes:

• Reduced blood pressure

• Reduced respiratory rate

• Reduced heart rate

• Reduced oxygen consumption (burning of fuel)

• Reduced blood flow to skeletal muscles

• Reduced perspiration

• Reduced muscle tension

The relaxation response is an antidote to the effects of the stress response and it has also been found to enhance the effectiveness of the body's defenses and self-repair mechanisms. Regular practice of techniques that elicit this response also brings improved emotional well-being and better handling of stressful life events.

The relaxation response is a physiological state, not a technique as such… learning to do this is at the heart of mind/body medicine.

Link to Mind-Body-Spirit Therapy For Additional Support Topics

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Stress Reduction Techniques & Programs  

www.healingchronicpain.org

Practice stress reduction/ relaxation techniques daily. Here is an example of one you can access from the Internet.

www.umassmed.edu - Center For Mindfullness featured by the University of Massachussets Medical School

Mindfulness is a way of learning to relate directly to whatever is happening in your life, a way of taking charge of your life, a way of doing something for yourself that no one else can do for you — consciously and systematically working with your own stress, pain, illness, and the challenges and demands of everyday life.

The course schedule consists of eight weekly classes and one day-long class on a Saturday or Sunday. Morning or evening courses are available. This highly participatory, practical course includes:

• Guided instruction in mindfulness meditation practices

• Gentle stretching and mindful yoga

• Group dialogue and discussions aimed at enhancing awareness in everyday life

• Individually tailored instruction

• Daily home assignments

• Four home practice CDs and a home practice manual 

www.wellpeople.com

This online program offers dynamic interactive tools to improve wellbeing. You determine your personal wellness priorities and achieve your goals by considering all aspects of your life, represented in the 12 key dimensions.

Reduce stress, lose weight, improve relationships, gain better work-life balance, maintain optimal health and live life more fully.

Here's what you gain:

• Deepen your sense of personal responsibility for your health.
• Discover the areas of life you are most motivated to change.
• Learn how to use small steps for continual improvement.
• Connect to a deeper sense of meaning in your personal life.
• Maximize your innate potentials as a whole person.
• Create more balance in your personal and professional life.
• Discover a higher level of personal health and wellbeing.

www.guidetopsychology.com

Progressive Muscle Relaxation Instructions: Through repetitive practice you quickly learn to recognize—and distinguish—the associated feelings of a tensed muscle and a completely relaxed muscle. With this simple knowledge, you can then induce physical muscular relaxation at the first signs of the tension that accompanies anxiety. And with physical relaxation comes mental calmness—in any situation. Features step by step online techniques.

www.heartmath.org

IHM is a recognized, global leader in emotional physiology, stress management and the physiology of heart-brain research.

Mind/body medicine (also known as behavioral medicine) is of course nothing new. The influence of the mind in healing is addressed in virtually every medical tradition, from the ancient teachings of Ayurveda to modern Allopathy. What is new is the legitimization of research in this field to the point of government funding and the incorporation of mind/body programs into the offerings of major medical institutions, many of which are noted for their conservatism and scientific bent. 

HeartMath has been researching heart intelligence, stress and emotional management for more than 16 years and applied its findings to practical, easy-to-use tools that have been scientifically developed and tested. Scientifically developed and tested products help people in all walks of life transform stress, manage emotions and get in touch with their heart selves so they can think more clearly, perform better and feel more balanced, energized and in control of their lives.

You’ll find powerful applications on this Web site such as an online Stress and Well-being Survey that provide personalized, life-changing solutions to help you experience the physical, mental and emotional benefits of heart-based living.

 View Online Products Here

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Lifestyle Changes - Resources 

healthylifestyle.upmc.com

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Healthy Lifestyles site is intended to help you take an active role in your healthcare and adopt beneficial behaviors. Stress coping, weight management, physical fitness, smoking cessation and lifting your spirits…

www.americanheart.org

Better lifestyle habits can help you reduce your risk for heart attack. Learn what you can do to help prevent heart disease and stroke.

www.bluezones.com

We’ve developed a program to help you feel better, look younger, and avoid 70% of the diseases that will kill you before your time. Our work has been funded by National Geographic and the National Institutes on Aging, and our findings have appeared on Good Morning America, Anderson Cooper 360 and the ABC Nightly News.

To help you model your habits after the Blue Zones centenarians, we’ve created several tools, beginning with Vitality Compass™. This is the most accurate online longevity calculator available; it will tell you how long you’re expected to live, how old your body really is, and how you can improve your odds of living younger, better.

The Vitality Coach™ uses the best behavioral science available to guide you in getting the most good years out of life. Six seconds a day for six weeks can add up to four years to your life expectancy, effectively making you biologically younger.

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Healthy Lifestyle Tip Sheets

www.helpstartshere.org

• Establishing Healthy Eating Habits in Families
• How Stressed Are You and Your Family?
• Three Questions About Women as Health Experts in Their Quest to Health and Wellness
• New Year's Resolutions That Work
• Surviving Diets and Preventing Eating Disorders
• Five Ways to Get Moving - Fifty Ways to Keep Moving
• Understanding Tobacco Addiction
• Quitting Smoking - Where to Get Help

www.helpguide.org

Helpguide’s mission is to empower you and your loved ones to understand, prevent, and resolve health challenges:

• Domestic Violence & Abuse
• Substance Abuse
• Grief & Loss
• Eating Disorders
• Healthy Lifestyles
• Mental Health
• Relationships & EQ
• Children & Parenting
• Stress & Trauma
• Depression…and more…

win.niddk.nih.gov - Changing Your Habits.pdf

Old habits die hard. Changing your habits is a process involving several stages. Sometimes it takes a while before changes turn into new habits. You may face challenges along the way. But adopting new, healthier habits may protect you from serious health problems, such as diabetes. New habits may also help you look better and feel more energetic. After a while, if you stick with these changes, they may become a part of your daily routine.

This fact sheet offers strategies to help you improve your eating and physical activity habits and outlines four stages people may experience when changing a health behavior which include:

• Contemplation

• Preparation

• Action

• Maintenance

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A Proven Prevention Program