Release Your Stress

21 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Body

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Calm Your Nervous System, Handling Stress, Healthy Body, letting go of stress, Mental health, Release Your Stress, Shake It Out, Stress, Stress Management, Wellness

A baby’s way of handling stress is to cry, a toddler’s way is to have a tantrum, and then as we get a bit older, we are taught that it’s not socially acceptable to use these behaviors, especially in public. A dog’s way of letting go of stress is to shake it out. Sometimes it’s just their head, and other times it’s with their full body.

Take some time today to use your body to release stress, shake it out; shake out your hands, arms and legs, you might also try bouncing in place, like young kids often do.

Have fun with it, even if you choose to do it privately!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Finding My Way Home

18 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Mind

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Creating a Happier Experience, Doing it Differently, Frustration, Happiness, heading in the right direction, Health, Healthy Mind, Honoring Yourself, Love, Mental health, Robert Holden, second guessing, Self-Love, Stress, Uncertainty, Well-being

Last night I was leaving San Jose where I had just heard Robert Holden, the author of Happiness Now speak. I was feeling happy, peaceful and filled with love. I got in my car and expected to be home in just over an hour.

I had confidence in being able to follow the freeway signs and navigate my way home. After 15 minutes I realized I wasn’t traveling on the same freeway I took to get there. I followed signs to San Francisco, knowing I was heading in the right direction, yet 30 minutes later I still was second guessing if I was on a route that was going to get me home to the East Bay.

Then, I had an epiphany. Recognizing that my feeling of happiness was being gradually taken over by stress, frustration and uncertainty, and wanting to get back to feeling happy, I had I asked myself, “What could I have done differently that would have been loving to myself?”

The answer was clear. The most loving thing I could do for myself when unfamiliar with an area would be to get out a map or turn on the navigation in my car or on my phone BEFORE driving.

I eventually made it home, as I always do, and I’m looking forward to creating a different experience for myself next time. What’s one area of your life where you could be more loving towards yourself?

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Sleep and Your Fat Cells

06 Wednesday Mar 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Body

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Difficulty Losing Weight, Fat Cells, hormone leptin, Hunger, Hunger Regulation, Insulin, Insulin resistance, Leptin, Losing Weight, Metabolism, Overeating, Sleep and Fat Cells, Sleep and Hunger, Sleep Deprivation, Sweet Dreams, University of Chicago, Weight Gain

Sleep has been shown to affect our fat cells! A new study from the University of Chicago, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, determined that four nights of sleep deprivation reduced insulin sensitivity in fat cells by a whopping 30 percent.

The less sensitive our cells are to insulin, the less our body produces the hunger-regulating hormone leptin. The less leptin we produce, the hungrier we are, and our sensors that tell us when we are full or satisfied don’t work properly. This can lead to overeating and weight gain or difficulty losing weight.

The following are links to previous posts on sleep:

Increase Your Metabolism, Part 2

Why Overcome Sleeplessness

Have You Found The Lifestyle That Works For Your Body?

Sweet Dreams

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Overwhelmed By Choices

04 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Healthy Mind

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Appeals to Me, Choices, Decisions, Healthy Mind, Including Self in Decision Making, Overwhelmed by Choices, Something For ME

I was looking for a new lamp for my office last week and found myself overwhelmed by all of the choices. I started to question whether it was just about that there were too many choices or if there was something else going on.

I approached my lamp search like I do most things for me. Find something practical, that will do the job, and not cost too much money.

What if I started my search for a lamp by looking for something that was appealing to me, and that I would want to look at daily? I realized that what was missing in MY lamp search was ME.

The new lamp, although nice, is going back. I decided to keep the one I have, even though I have to plug it in every time I want to use it, because I like the way it looks and the amount of light it provides.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis

Stargazing, Sunrises and Sunsets

01 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by creatingahealthylifestyle in Family Fun

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awe, Family Activity, Family Fun, looking at the sky, Moon, Night sky, Notice the Sky, Sense of Wonder, Stargazing, Stars, stars and the moon, Sunrise, Sunset

When is the last time you looked at the night sky, I mean really took the time to notice the stars and the moon? Or marveled at a beautiful sunrise or sunset? Stargazing and watching a sunrise or sunset are activities that adults and children can enjoy together.

There is something magical about looking at the sky by day or by night. It can put us in a feeling of awe or in touch with our sense of wonder.

Take some time this weekend to notice the sky!

Love, Health and Happiness,

Phyllis

Creating a Healthy Lifestyle

Monthly Archives: March 2013

Release Your Stress

Finding My Way Home

Sleep and Your Fat Cells

Overwhelmed By Choices

Stargazing, Sunrises and Sunsets