How to release buildup stress - peacefulmindbody

We often read articles about harmful effects of stress on our health. We are well-aware that being stressful can create havoc on our physical and mental health but such knowledge increases our stress level even more as it produces pressure on us to remain stress free.


Whenever we find ourselves in stress, we start judging ourselves for being stressful, for not taking care of our well being. This creates a cycle of never ending tension. In my opinion it is better to focus on ways to release stress in a productive way then to obsess over its impact on us.


None of us choose to stay stressful, atleast consciously. In many circumstances stress is inevitable, we can't run from it. Let me explain you more, if you are having busy days at office, in the midst of that you are asked to prepare a presentation in a short time because a person who is supposed to do it having some emergency and the task needs to be done. Now what can you do? Can you say no to your boss? You can explain your situation but what if there is no other person suitable for doing this task. If you keep on stressing, it will suck energy out of you, making you unable to perform well. Acknowledge that you are in stress then look for ways to release it. We can not avoid stress every time we can learn to manage it effectively.


There are certain things you can do to avoid building up unnecessary tension. Sometimes we fail to focus on small things which are creating discomfort. We are giving attention to the bigger things which can't be solved instantly but what if we start changing small things of discomfort in our lives, usually they are easy to solve and lessen your build up tension more than you think.


Here are few things you can do to make your life more peaceful. These might look simple but they have the potential to calm your inner world. Choose what works for you and make it an outlet to release stress.


TAKE A BREAK AND NOTICE BREATHING:


Whenever you feel stressed out, try to move away from stressor, if possible. If you are working at office, take a break of few minutes from work. This will not only shift your mind and help you to relax but you also become more focused when return back. During this short break just close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Take a deep breath through your nose, hold it for sometime then release it through the mouth. While inhaling air your abdomen should protrude out, this is abdominal breathing. It helps in relaxing and make you feel grounded.


PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION:


You can try progressive muscle relaxation technique. For this lie down straight on a comfortable couch or bed. You have to tense each group of muscles then relax. Start from your toes, tense muscles around it hold it for few seconds then release. Moving from toes up to the scalp, tensing and then relaxing each part. This technique works best for most people, it might work for you too.


DE-CLUTTER YOUR LIFE:


Remove clutter from your life, give away your extra stuff to someone in need. Studies show that keeping minimum things at home help you to calm down. Environment free of excess objects reduces stress and make you feel relaxed. The added benefit, you feel good by handing over spare things to the needy.


SURROUND YOURSELF WITH NATURE:

Nature has healing tendency. The calm lake and the lush green forests have soothing effects on the nervous system. It is always a great idea to take a break once in a while from the hustle and bustle of city life and spend some time at a hill station or a village.

Apart from these, physical activity such as a brisk walk or jogging, a well balanced diet, a good night sleep and cut down on caffeine help to manage stress in a healthy way.

Eight Ways To Love Yourself - peacefulmindbody

If you get to know the benefits of self-love, you would like to treat yourself differently from now onwards. Most of us believe that we will progress more in life if we are critical towards ourselves. The truth is, we should be honest about ourselves , our weaknesses and mistakes but not critical. You can improve when you accept yourself fully. To accept ourselves fully we need one necessary thing and that is self-compassion.


Self-compassion is accepting your authentic self with kindness and deeper understanding , to accept yourself as a human-being, who is imperfect. You can consider self-compassion as a building block of self-love.


Studies show that people having self-compassion are more compassionate towards others as well, they don't find it hard to accept others for who they are.


People who are abundant in self-love report fewer episodes of depressive mood , they are less stressed out , having a more positive attitude towards life.


To love yourself unconditionally may seem difficult at first but by taking little steps you can break your old pattern of unloving behaviour. On your journey towards self-love you may fall back to your old pattern of harsh critical thinking towards yourself. Be gentle and kind if it happens. The key is not to give up.


There are few simple steps which can make you more compassionate and loving towards yourself which in turn make you more loving towards others as well. You can not share love with others if you are empty from inside, firstly you need to fill yourself up with love and then you can be loving with others too without resentment or expectations.


LET GO OF THE PAST :


Do you feel pain whenever you think of your past mistakes, heartache, failures. So why do you want to think about it then? Just learn the lesson and move on, you don't need to stand at this place forever. It's gone, its history now. You are not living in your past, your life is right here in this moment. Stop torturing yourself by reminiscing over past, stop analysing again and again . You have done exactly what you felt right at that moment. If you would have known that it would turn out to be a bad decision you would not have taken it in the first place. Forgive yourself.


STOP COMPARING YOURSELF WITH OTHERS:


You can give yourself a big favour by not comparing yourself with others. There is no comparison between you and others. You are a different individual, having different priorities, aims, challenges and sufferings. Why would you like to compare your life with someone who had not been through all those circumstances you had faced? You are unique. Don't try to blend in with the crowd. Discover your own path and stand out.


THANK YOURSELF FOR BEING YOUR BEST SELF:


Whenever our loved ones do any thing good for us ,we thank them as a gesture of appreciation then why don't you thank yourself for being your best self. Next time when you do something nice thank yourself. Being nice can be anything like preparing meal on time, helping someone in need, forgiving someone, taking care of kids. You are human and that's why you need appreciation to feel motivated and loved. Don't wait for others to appreciate you, do it yourself.


STAY AWAY FROM NEGATIVE PEOPLE:


Keep yourself at a distance from people giving you bad vibes. Be aware of your feelings when interacting with someone, do you feel drained, angry or agitated or simply feeling low. Is there any pattern whenever you meet a particular person you feel this way? If yes then no need to find a reason just stay away from that person. I know its difficult if that someone is from your family. But try to interact minimum. No need to get trapped in the drama created by them. Surround yourself with people who gives you positive vibes, you deserve a circle of supportive and understanding people who make you feel uplifted.


GET SOME TIME FOR YOURSELF:


It is not selfish if you get some time for yourself, it is necessary. You can't be your best self if you are feeling empty from inside. You can fill that emptiness by spending some time pursuing things which make you happy. You can read a book, or cook your favourite meal, watch your favourite show or hangout with your friends. We all need to take a break from our day to day task, so that we can return back with more energy and positive attitude.


MAKE HEALTHY BOUNDARIES:


You need to make healthy boundaries to avoid people taking advantage of you. No one wants to be treated like a doormat. Be nice but don't allow others to use you. If you find someone offensive to you stand up for yourself, you deserve to be treated respectfully. You are allowed to express your views and perspective. People treating others badly are reflecting weakness in their own self rather than in you. Avoid taking it personally but don't let them treat you less than you deserve.


TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH:


Take care of your health by eating healthy meal, our food choices have a great impact on our mood and overall fitness. I prefer a balanced diet over crash courses for dieting, make sure you are having all the nutrients; carbs, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Make exercise a part of your daily routine. Walk, jog or hit the gym, move your body the way you like. Have a good sleep routine, go to bed early and wake up early. Having 7-9 hours of peaceful sleep is a must.


STOP BELIEVING EVERY THOUGHT YOU HAVE:


Do you ever notice when you are spending ample time in your head,  judging your every move and action, you start feeling bad about yourself. What will happen if you judge your friend all the time, his each and every move? It might be possible he don't want to spend time with you. Then why are you treating yourself in a way you don't want to treat your friend? To be aware of your mistakes is a good thing, it helps you to improve but incessant criticism can lead to disappointment. You feel that you are not good enough. You don't feel comfortable with yourself. So challenge your negative thoughts by keeping a reality check, you will find most of them are not true. Thousands of thoughts pass through our mind in a day, each one of them can't be true. Stop believing your mind made fake world without any evidence from your real world. Treat yourself as you would like to treat a friend.


Try to include these simple acts of self-love in your life. I am saying without a doubt you will soon notice rise in your self-esteem and confidence. When you are full with love from inside you don't have to seek it outside. You become self-sufficient. There is nothing more attractive than a person who is happy with his own self. Stop waiting for others to love you and start loving yourself now.

How To Believe You Are Lovable - Peacefulmindbody

What is unconditional self-love ? It's your ability to love and accept yourself without putting any demands or conditions on yourself ,to love yourself right in this moment ,to love yourself for who you are.


Self-love is not dependent on attainment of certain goals or wishes. It is already there inside you. It does not mean that you should not strive to get success or don't go after your dreams. You should work towards your goals and first step in getting what you want from life is to start loving yourself unconditionally, only then you can face the vulnerability and fear of failure , you know that you will not abandon yourself even if you failed , you treat yourself with compassion when you are loving yourself. Self-love reduces unnecessary stress of failure because you are accepting and loving yourself fully no matter how things unfold for you.


                                                         It is not selfish to love
                                                         yourself, take care of 
                                                         yourself and to make
                                                         your happiness a priority.
                                                        It's necessary.
                                                                             ....Mandy Hale


All living-beings deserve love, it is vital for survival. You can not function well if you are lacking love in your life. There is no one who can fill you with unconditional love than your own self. Nothing outside you can make you feel lovable if you are insufficient in loving yourself.
Yes we do appreciate someone's affection and love towards us but to receive love from others you have to feel that you are worthy of love by loving yourself. If you don't consider yourself lovable how do you expect from others to consider you worthy of love? Always remember , people will treat you the way you treat yourself.


                                                      The quality of love you
                                                      receive mirrors the value
                                                      you place on yourself .
                                                                              ...Barbara


The excessive desire to be loved by others comes when you are not giving yourself well-deserved self-love, you are not self-sufficient in taking care of your needs, you think you are not lovable or not good enough. You seek love from others ,trying to get their approval to convince yourself that you deserve love. Your worth depends on people's validation and if they fail to give you the love you desperately want you become judgemental ,believing you are not lovable.


The truth is you are worthy of love, care and respect because you exist therefore you matter. We all need love and care in order to live a healthy balanced life. Why searching for love from others when you are capable of loving yourself and taking care of your needs.


Nobody owes you anything ,its your job to fill yourself up with ample amount of love so you don't have to mould your true self to get love from someone else. What you get, when you are trying to fit in someone else idea of who you should be, is not love ,love is unconditional. If you find yourself trying to hide your authentic self, making efforts to be someone you are not , if you are striving hard to win someone's approval then you are abandoning yourself, this is due to absence of self-love.


Now you understand that self-love is vital for living and growth, then why it is difficult to love oneself unconditionally.The main cause behind unloving behaviour towards self is your false negative beliefs, you might develop those beliefs when you were a child. We all have baggage of unpleasant memories from the past, none of us grew up unwounded, if our primary care givers treated us in a non loving way, kept high expectations from us, judged us if we failed to fulfil their expectations or just projected their own failure onto us, blamed us when we were not to be blamed,withheld love and care as a punishment then as a child we started believing that we are unlovable because they made us feel that way.


We believe that if we make mistakes , don't achieve our goals ,having flaws then we are not deserving of love. It's impossible that we always get things done in a right way, all our goals can't be achieved ,making error is unavoidable. It's human to be imperfect.
Start giving yourself the love and compassion which was missing in your life as a child. I am not saying your care givers didn't love you, mostly they failed to express their love, to make you feel loved ,they failed to recognise your need at that time, or they were having hard time loving themselves unconditionally so how could they love you unconditionally, may be they were brought up in unloving way.


First step towards unconditional self-love is to forgive your care givers ,clear your heart from resentment and anger, let go of your false negative beliefs which you developed as a child. Own yourself fully, even your mistakes and weaknesses with compassion, accept that you are lovable. We all are work in progress, self-love makes it easy to acknowledge your weaknesses and work on them.
Challenge your negative false beliefs .Ask yourself why you think you are unlovable ? Just because you make mistakes , having weaknesses or lacking some qualities ,whatever the reason just go deep and your wounds will be healed. Stop beating yourself up for not feeling loved as a child ,forgive your close relations for not taking care of your needs when you were dependent on them, they are imperfect too. We as a living being can feel and we all deserve to feel loved.


Let me give you an example if a mom disowns her child, withholding love and care  just because child is flawed, imperfect then how do you see that mom? You may label her as mean or cruel. After all she should own her child .What if mother demands other people to love her child and only then she will love the child. Sounds strange ! Right. Why would people love the child if child's own mother doesn't consider her child worthy of her love. In the same way why would people love you if you are not loving yourself first.


In order to be at service to others you have to serve yourself first. Like tree can't give fruits if you don't  water it regularly, put fertilizers, make adequate sunlight available . Same goes with human ,to love others you need to love yourself , to help others you need to help yourself. Even machines need care and maintenance ,they can't function for long without proper care.


Self-love doesn't make you sit all day, ignoring your responsibilities and taking care of yourself only ,it makes you selfless, its a balance between giving love to yourself and sharing it with others .Only those who are filled with love can share love with others .Loving action towards others can be done by people abundant in self-love , it makes you feel good , you are affectionate towards others because you know you are capable of loving others.

Don't confuse self-love with narcissism .Self-love makes you self sufficient ,you are not in need to get love from others , you are capable of filling your love reserves. You don't mask your true self to get love, you don't put responsibility on others to take care of your needs, you know people don't owe you anything. Narcissism may look like self-love but actually its opposite of it, narcissists can't take care of their needs, they are not self-sufficient , they demand love from others ,they dislike their true self so they keeping hiding it, they are people pleaser ,they try to get people's approval even at the cost of sabotaging their own true self, they live on love from others. They don't have unconditional self-love so they can't give love to others. They are their own worst critic so they are having difficulty accepting others as flawed human beings.


Self-love opens your heart , makes you more susceptible to give and receive love. It is good for you well-being. It makes you comfortable in your own skin, helps you to achieve more, take more risks and let you live your life to the fullest.

Boost Your Mood - Sixteen Simple Ways To Feel Uplifted _ Peacefulmindbody

We all have days when we feel low or gloomy. But it doesn't mean that you have to stay in this state throughout the day. Being sad is just the emotional state and you don't need to allow it to dominate your life. You have heard this many times that happiness is a choice , you have the power to focus on things which you don't like about your life or to focus on good stuff in your life , believe it or not we all have something good in our lives ,its never all black or all white.


Human mind is hard-wired to focus on negative aspects of life in order to fix it , it can easily forget the blessings in life but this can do more harm than good. There are many things which are beyond human control. You can break this habit by deliberately doing activities you enjoy and choose to focus on positive aspects of life. This will not lessen the challenges of life but it will surely make you feel more empowered, you can deal with your issues with positive mind-set. Following are certain habits which can boost your mood


1- Stand straight and tall, let your shoulders drop down and backward and your back maintaining the natural s-shaped curve. When we are feeling sad we slouch a little bit, our heads hang down and shoulders move forward. Our minds and body are linked so when you stand tall your mind gets signal that you are happy and confident and soon you will feel sudden boost in mood.


2- keep a pet , studies shows that people who pet an animal are more open and compassionate towards others . Furry animals like cats and dogs can decrease the depressive symptoms and uplift your mood.


3-Inhale a calming scent like that of  lavender oil or whatever makes you feel calm and relax. You can take a warm bath with few drops of lavender oil.


4- Exercise or go for a long walk in a park or along the beach , stay connected with nature. It has a powerful affect on your mood and enables you to relax.


5- Have your favourite meal, I am not saying to start binge eating but eating your favourite food can instantly make you feel good. Be careful not to over do it as it can make you feel addicted to that particular food ,having it once in a while is fine to cheer you up.


6- Talk to an old friend , reminiscing good old memories make you feel you have enjoyed your life. Its always good to reconnect with your old buddies.


7- Help someone in need, by helping others we bring peace to ourselves .Do some act of kindness it can be anything , buying a meal for a hungry person, give some of your excess stuff in charity, help an old person to cross the road or give your seat to elderly person in a bus.


8- Count your blessings. Make a list of all the things you are grateful for. Show gratitude by sending a thank you letter or e-mail to someone who has helped you. Being grateful surely makes you feel happy and peaceful.


9- Pursue your passion. Start doing things which you enjoy as a hobby like painting, singing, gardening etc. Stay in touch with your creative side. Don't wait for the ideal time, set aside some hours from your schedule for yourself ,for your well-being.


10- Smile or laugh often, watch a funny video, read some hilarious jokes or go for a comedy movie, allow yourself to laugh and enjoy like a child.


11- Buy flowers. Keep flowers at your work place or home. They make you feel refreshed and happy.


12- Do something new. You can change your hairstyle , dress up differently, change setting of your room or plant a new tress. People get bored of the same routine ,any good change can uplift your mood.


13- Seasonal changes in the amount of daylight affect your brain, lowering serotonin ( happy hormone), make sure you are having enough exposure to daylight .


14- Eat more fish, evidence says that omega -3 fatty acids ( found in fatty fish such as tuna, sardines, salmon, herring) may help ease depressive symptoms. Add vitamin C rich fruits like oranges, strawberries ,grape fruit in your diet, they help to produce endorphins which makes you feel good.


15- Drink green tea. Polyphenols which give green tea its bitter taste are powerful anti-oxidant. Recent research has shown that polyphenols may help maintain positive mood states.


16- Keep yourself well hydrated. Not drinking enough water can make you cranky, just a small change in state of hydration is enough to affect mood, ability to concentrate.


Theses simple habits can add peace and happiness in your life , boost your mood and beat depressive symptoms.

                                   Research has shown that the best way to be happy
                                   is to make each day happy.
                                                                             ...Deepak Chopra

High Blood Glucose Levels - What you need to know about diabetes _ Peacefulmindbody

 

In order to have better control of your blood glucose  (blood sugar) you need to know about diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus is a disorder of endocrine ( hormone) system, occurs when blood glucose levels stays consistently above normal in the body. In this condition body is unable to properly store or use glucose.


You get glucose in blood from the food you eat and it is also made in your muscles and liver. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas which helps glucose to enter cells of the body. If pancreas is not making enough insulin or insulin is not functioning properly then glucose starts building up in the blood ,unable to enter the cells, rising blood glucose levels resulting in pre-diabetes or diabetes.


When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can cause two problems.
-Your cells may get starved for energy
-Overtime, high blood glucose levels may affect your eyes, kidneys, heart and nerves. It can even lead to lower limb amputation.
But keeping blood glucose on target can help prevent or delay problems


According to National Diabetes Statistics Report 2014
Diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes in the United States

TOTAL: 29.1 million people or 9.3% of the population have diabetes. That's about 1 out of every 11 people have diabetes.

DIAGNOSED: 21.0 million people

UN DIAGNOSED: 8.1 million people with diabetes are undiagnosed. 1 out of 4 do not know they have diabetes.


TYPES OF DIABETES:

They are of three types

*Type 1 Diabetes
  
*Type 2 Diabetes

* Gestational Diabetes


TYPE 1 DIABETES:


It is also called Juvenile diabetes or insulin dependent diabetes. It occurs mostly in children and young adults. In this type of diabetes body's immune system attack and destroy pancreas (insulin producing cells), resulting in decreased or no production of insulin. About 5-10% of people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.


TYPE 2 DIABETES :


It is also called adult onset diabetes or non insulin dependent diabetes.In this type of diabetes there is insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to respond to insulin properly. As the disease progresses a lack of insulin may also develop. It is the most common type of diabetes.


GESTATIONAL DIABETES:


It occurs when a pregnant women without previous history of diabetes develop a high blood glucose level. It usually subsides at the end of pregnancy, but such women are at higher risk to develop diabetes later in life.


Who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes?  Since it is the most common type , one should know about the risk factors. There is a combination of factors which can lead to insulin resistance , the leading factors are genetic susceptibility, being overweight and physical inactivity.Other risk factors are high risk race/ethnicity, women who delivered baby >9 Ibs or were diagnosed with gestational diabetes, hypertension (blood pressure greater than or equal to 140/90 mmHg or patient is on therapy), high blood cholesterol levels (triglycerides greater than or equal to 250 mg/dL or HDL less than 35), pre-diabetes.


What is Pre-diabetes? It is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. People with pre-diabetes are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, but moderate physical activity and weight loss can help them to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes.


SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES:


Increased thirst (polydipsia)
Increased hunger (polyphagia)
Increased urination (polyuria)
Dry mouth
Unexplained weight loss
Feeling tired and weak
Blurring of vision
Recurrent infections
Delayed healing of wounds
Numbness of hands and feet
Itching of the skin
Male sexual dysfunction


CRITERIA FOR DIABETES DIAGNOSIS:
According to American Diabetes Association following four options are the criteria for diagnosis of diabetes.

A1C :   greater than or equal to 6.5%

Fasting Blood Glucose :  greater than or equal to 126 mg/dL ( 7.0 mmol/L)
Two readings of fasting blood glucose greater than or equal to 126 mg/dL is considered diagnostic for diabetes

2-hr blood glucose greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL ( 11.1 mmol/L) during OGTT
OGTT (oral glucose tolerance test) is performed as described by WHO, using glucose load containing the 75g of anhydrous glucose dissolved in water

Random Blood Glucose : greater than or equal to 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L)


Categories of Pre-diabetes:

 A person having fasting blood glucose between 100- 125 mg/dL
                                                  OR
A person having 2-hr blood glucose in 75g OGTT , 140-199 mg/dL
                                                  OR
                                       A1C  5.7%-6.4%


Who should be tested ?
Type 2 diabetes testing should be done in all adults who are overweight or obese (BMI greater than or equal to 25 or greater than or equal to 23 in Asian American) or who have one or more than one diabetes risk factor.


TARGET RANGE OF BLOOD GLUCOSE FOR DIABETICS:


American Diabetes Association suggests the following targets for most non pregnant adults with diabetes
A1C  7%
Blood glucose before meal should be between 80-130 mg/dL
Blood glucose 1-2 hrs after beginning of meal should be less than 180 mg/dL

What is hypoglycemia? Hypoglycemia is a condition characterized by abnormally low blood glucose levels, usually below 70 mg/dL. Common signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia includes nervousness, anxiety, chills,sweating, confusion ,dizziness, nausea, sleepiness, fast heart beat, weakness, headache, fits, unconsciousness. If you are having any of the above mentioned signs and symptoms , get your blood glucose checked immediately.If hypoglycemia present take 15-20 gms of glucose or simple carbohydrates ( 1 tablespoon of sugar, honey or corn syrup or half cup of juice), recheck your blood glucose after 15 minutes. If hypoglycemia continues , take another 15-20 gms of glucose. If left untreated hypoglycemia can lead to fits and unconsciousness (coma)


MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES :


It can be managed through diet, exercise and medicines according to American Diabetes Association


EATING HEALTHY:


Many people think that having diabetes means you can't eat your favourite foods. You can still eat the food you like ,its the amount that counts. Ask for a referral to a dietitian, so together you can design a meal plan that can help you reach your goals. These steps can help you manage your diabetes.

Count Carbohydrates : carbohydrates ( bread, rice, crackers, juice, milk, yogurt, potatoes, corn, peas, sweets)  raise your blood glucose levels the most. Keep the amount of carbohydrate in your meal about the same from day to day to help you reach your blood glucose targets.

Choose food low in saturated fats : food high in saturated fats include meat, butter, whole milk, cream, cheese, many baked goods, palm and coconut oil.

Lower portion sizes: cutting back on food portions at meals and snacks can help with weight loss.

Eat more fibre: eat more high fibre food such as fruits ,vegetables, dried beans, oatmeal ,whole grain bread and cereals.


PHYSICAL ACTIVITY:


Being active throughout the day
Examples: Gardening, taking the stairs instead of elevators. Work up to about 30 minutes each day.

Aerobic exercise
Examples: Brisk walking, dancing, rowing, swimming or riding a bicycle. Get up and move every 90 minutes if you sit for long periods of time.

Strength training:
example: Lifting light weights a few times a week.


MEDICINES:


Some people can manage their diabetes with diet and exercise while others may need to take pills or insulin. Commonly prescribed drugs for diabetes type 2 include metformin ,generally it is the first medicine prescribed for type 2 diabetes, sulphonylureas, meglitinides, thiazolidinediones, DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonist, SGLT2 inhibitors, insulin therapy. 


The purpose of this article is to provide awareness and to improve lives of people affected by this disease. By having knowledge about your condition you can manage it more effectively and prevent or delay serious complications.