Shrink Your Stress Size This Year
A blank slate awaits – a new year, a new page on the calendar and opportunities to improve our lives in a variety of ways. Maybe you'd like to lose weight or eat healthier, or finally commit to an exercise plan. Maybe you've decided that you cannot let life's stress get the better of you anymore.
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We know that there is no shortage of potential stressors in life, especially with the economy these days. Instead of hoping to eliminate stress from your life in 2013, you could pledge to change your attitude toward it or the techniques you use to deal with it. This, experts say, can make a world of difference in your overall sense of well-being.
"There is really no way to avoid stress," says Natalia Belosloudtseva, MD, a primary care physician with the Center for Primary Care at Women & Infants Hospital. "But, there are lots of healthy ways to manage stressful situations. Most are not new, but people just need to be open to trying different things. Maybe it's a combination of ideas that will work. Maybe some techniques will work for work-related stress and others for family-related stress.
"The important thing is to recognize the stress and try something to relieve it in your life."
Lowering stress should be everyone's goal in 2013 to alleviate the negative effect it has on the body, according to Jessica Manyan, DO, director of the Family Medicine Residency at Kent Hospital.
"Stress causes your body to release hormones that have negative effects on all aspects of our health. Too much stress can cause high blood pressure, depression, poor sleep and weight gain, among many other issues," she explains.
An important first step in the stress relief process should be scheduling an appointment with your primary care provider who can help you understand how stress is affecting your health and recommend tests you may need.
"Your doctor can also help you develop a management plan for your stress and instruct you on how to safely start an exercise program," Dr. Manyan says.
For more information call 401-459-0230.
Resources for Sticking to Your Not So New Resolutions
Sticking to Your New Years Exercise Resolutions
Making New Years Resolutions Stick
Healthy Steps Program at the Care New England Wellness Center
Let's Get Real in the New Year
On the Menu: Realistic Goals
Set the Right Pace for an Effective Exercise Plan
