Stress Busters for Women

Research shows women with children have higher levels of stress related hormones in their blood than women without children. Does this mean women without children don't experience stress? Absolutely not!

It means that women without children may not experience stress as often or to the same degree which women with children do. This means for women with children, it's particularly important to schedule time for yourself; you will be in a better frame of mind to help your children and meet the daily challenge of being a parent, once your stress level is reduced.

Reducing stress also reduces your risk for heart disease, the number one killer of American women, and certain types of cancer. Many women who experience PMS and menopausal symptoms will find the severity of these symptoms improved dramatically, once a reduced stress level is achieved. Untreated stress leads many people to depression, anxiety, headaches, and a host of other complaints, making reduction of stress an important factor in improving your total health.

How you can beat stress in your life?

You can find many simple and inexpensive ways to reduce your stress level on your own, like:

• Cut out artificial stress reducers such as alcohol. Alcohol can mask symptoms and often make symptoms worse.
• Eat a well-balanced diet which includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as foods which are high in complex carbohydrates, moderate amounts of protein, and low in fat.
• Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine which has been shown to increase anxiety.

Excerpt from: http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/stress/a/stressbusters.htm
By Tracee Cornforth

Preventing Stress Eating in the Workplace

For working women, food can sometimes be the comforting buddy when one is stressed in the office. That is why women typing on their desktops, while munching on chips or cookies, or chocolates, or donuts (the fatty ones!) - are a common sight in the workplace. And does this make one fat?

Absolutely yes.

Studies show that eating due to stress can actually make one eat more. When there is a level of anxiety, the adrenalin push lets you do bolder actions, hence eating more heavily.

How can women prevent falling prey to this "stress-eating" drama? Check out our tips:

• Have a healthy lunch and breakfast just in the right amount. This will make you feel full in the stomach and should have conquered your appetite to eat more.


• Drink water instead of popping that bag of chips next to you. Drinking water relaxes and rejuvenates the senses.
  
• Pause for 5-10 minutes and try walking around or closing your eyes to relieve stress. Slowing down once in a while puts one in the right perspective (instead of overeating!)
  
• Get some air. Yup! You can go out, or open the windows to catch some fresh air. Oxygen fuels your blood, thus recharging your body systems.
  
• If you really can't help but eat, prepare a healthy snack in the morning before you go to the office. Make sure you pack them into portions so that when you feel like eating due to stress, you won't gobble up the whole thing. Sandwiches with lettuce, ham, and tomatoes (skip the mayo!), cut into quarters then packed individually are good for you.
  
• You can also replace thos junk foods with fruits, cereals, nuts, energy bars, or foods with plant components.