STRESSED

Who isn't these days?

The pace of life is hectic...even if some of that is self-imposed and not mandatory. We are all juggling many responsibilities in our personal and professional lives. Unfortunately, our stress management skills or coping mechanisms may not be adequate to protect us from the ravages of the stress in modern day life.

Like everything else, change comes only when we decide we want to change. The first step in successful stress relief is deciding to make a change in how we manage stress. Then it helps if we recognize what our stress buttons are and some aren't so obvious.

Stress isn't going to disappear even if we pretend it doesn't exist or that we are handling it just fine! And like any new skill, it will take some practice to perfect once we have chosen a tactic for our own stress relief.

Most "experts" rank meditation as one of the top five relaxation techniques. All agree that everyone can benefit from learning a relaxation technique. The choice is ours. It doesn't matter which one we opt for as long as it works for us and we practice it regularly.

To that end, Legacy Performance and Integrated Wellness Center has developed a few things we think are of tremendous help in dealing with stress that may cause loss in vibrancy and health.

Simple as 1•2•3 Stress Management:

Step 1: Be sure to eat clean, nutritious food. This is essential in building a body that can handle stress. We have created The Training Table at our Center. Our clients can come pick up an organic meal prepared by From Seeds To Table for take home or to enjoy after a training session. We also offer Recovery Shakes and Protein Smoothies along with Purely-B Grapefruit Juices (stress destroys the vitamins in the body, especially the B vitamins).

Step 2: Use the highest quality, most complete whole food supplements during times of extreme stress. This helps your body deal with the destructive aspects of stress until you are less stressed and your body can manage on its own. As crazy as life has become, everyone needs a good B vitamin, vitamin C, adrenal support and some help in blood sugar stabilization.

Step 3: Create some stillness in your life! DiscoverHealth says "Every day, devote a little time to take yourself out of the 'busyness'game. First, eliminate all forms of intrusion. Then close your eyes, breathe deeply and let your thoughts float downstream like a log carried by the river. You can practice meditation or relax in a hot bath with aromotherapy. When a thought comes up, just watch it float away."

To that end, The Legacy Center now has a Relaxation Room. This is a soothing, quiet space that encourages meditation. Relaxing tapes specifically for calming the mind are available as are pillows, throws, soft lighting...all for your use as you seek to calm and relax.

In addition, for almost a year, we have been sponsoring Guided Meditation evenings. This is usually planned for once a month and we bring Trudy Evans, C. H., into our Center to teach and lead participants through meditation techniques. These evenings have been extremely popular and Trudy will come to the Center to do a private session, if a client so desires.

Stress doesn't have to be a constant companion. Learn how to enjoy the moment, live in the now, control a mind that is running at 100 MPH. Learn how to maintain health and well-being while repairing the toll that stress can take on mind and body.

If you would like to experience how calm feels, contact us for an appointment. Our email is legacyperformwell@gmail.com or 214-843-1184.

www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress-management/MY00435/DSECTION= relaxation&2Dtechniques

http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/stress-management/eight-ways-to-beat-stress2.htm