5 Warning Signs Of Chronic Anxiety You Should Never Ignore

June 26, 2016 by Power of Positivity

“Anxiety disorders are a category of mental disorders characterized by feelings of anxiety and fear, where anxiety is a worry about future events and fear is a reaction to current events.” – Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

Anxiety can easily take over your whole life if you don’t know how to effectively handle it.

Unfortunately, it affects approximately 18% of our population, and this figure only accounts for those who have actually reported their anxiety.

Anxiety feels like a neverending black hole. You might think you’ve been sucked in and can’t begin to search for the way out. You want to escape, but you don’t know where to start.

If this sounds like you, then you probably have some sort of anxiety.

However, you shouldn’t feel too discouraged, as we will suggest a few ways to combat anxiety before it gets too unbearable.

Of course, knowing the signs of anxiety is the first step to conquering it in the first place, so read on to find out more about the signals to look out for.

HERE ARE 5 WARNING SIGNS OF CHRONIC ANXIETY YOU SHOULD NEVER IGNORE

1. FATIGUE

The stress created from anxiety weakens the entire immune system, resulting in fatigue and lethargy. If you feel tired even after getting a full night’s rest, and this feeling occurs quite often, you might be seeing the early signs of chronic anxiety.

2. CRAVING SUGARY OR STARCHY FOODS

Many times when we feel stressed, we reach for a source of quick calories, usually in the form of sugary or fattening foods, in order to overcome this feeling. For someone with chronic anxiety, food often serves as a source of comfort during intense episodes or attacks.

If you find yourself reaching for sugary or starchy foods often, you may be developing a form of this disorder.

3. DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS

Anxiety can easily wreak havoc on the digestive system. This is because our gut is linked to our brain directly through something called the vagus nerve. This nerve sends signals to our brain based on the types of bacteria located in our gut. So, the better we eat, the better mental health we will have.

For someone with anxiety, their gut bacteria might not serve their mental health properly. This imbalance sometimes leads to feelings of distress and worry. Development of irritable bowel syndrome or other types of stomach issues can often stem from chronic anxiety.

4. SLEEPING PROBLEMS

People with anxiety have difficulty relaxing, and getting ready to go to sleep can feel like a nightmare when the mind just doesn’t want to quiet down. Those with chronic anxiety may have developed insomnia somewhere along the way and might resort to sleeping pills in order to get a good night’s rest.

Does this sound like you? Try alternative therapies such as meditation, yoga, relaxing music, a warm bath, essential oils, a cup of tea, or some other natural way to wind down before bed. These will help you to create lasting routines and cultivate real change in your life as opposed to relying on medicine.

5. FOCUS/CONCENTRATION PROBLEMS

Since anxiety wreaks havoc on the brain, focusing or concentrating on just one task can prove very difficult. The mind doesn’t know how to stay quiet and remain engaged during an activity, so it flits from one thing to another constantly. Neurons in the brain fire rapidly, leaving one feeling very depleted and frazzled after a particularly intense episode of distress or panic.

Although anxiety seems like a never-ending black hole at times, one can take certain measures toward preventing, or at the very least, lessening the effects of anxiety.

THESE TIPS CAN HELP WITH CHRONIC (OR GENERAL) ANXIETY:

Eat right – make sure to get plenty of raw fruits and veggies in your diet, as well as whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Get exercise – one of the greatest ways to combat anxiety is to get your body moving–just do something you enjoy.
Establish a schedule – try to stick to a regular routine; oftentimes, not planning or going blind into something can exacerbate anxiety symptoms.
Stress management – develop a mindfulness routine; get into meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, or something else helpful for stress and anxious feelings.
Sleep – get the recommended amount of sleep each night for your age group. Try melatonin, yoga, meditation, or breathing exercises before bed to help regulate and ensure adequate sleep.

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved

How To Train Your Brain To Stay Stress Free

June 26, 2016 by Power of Positivity

Stress is a shared life experience. Work, school, and family responsibilities produce a lot of stress, but when you add the adrenaline-producing events of the world, your stress levels can soar. Learning to deal with stress is critical to protecting your brain. Even amid your stressful life, there are ways to train your brain to deal with stress. Here are some valuable tips on how to train your brain to be stress free.

What events make a stress free life feel nearly impossible?

Many things make your life stressful, but specific life experiences trigger a high level of stress. These include:

Death of a child or spouse
Divorce
Moving
Major illness or injury
Marriage
Loss of a job
Retirement

How does long-term stress affect your body?

When you’re experiencing stress, you may not even be aware of how it affects your body. You may have physical symptoms that you don’t attribute to stress. It’s worth considering whether stress causes some of your physical problems. Stress can produce physical symptoms, such as the following conditions:

Stomach problems
Autoimmune problems
Inflammation
Insomnia
High blood pressure
Headaches

If you have any of these physical symptoms, talk to your doctor about the possibility of stress being the root cause. Practice some of these suggestions to relieve your stress.

Why a stress free life is essential to brain health

You may be familiar with the effects of stress on your body, but stress can harm your brain. According to studies, stress messes with the structure of your brain. Chronic stress can atrophy your brain and shrink the area of your brain that affects your memory and learning. These facts are compelling reasons to live a more stress-free life.

How to train your brain to be stress free

Stress harms your brain. Here are some suggestions on how to have a more stress-free brain and reduce the adverse effects.

1 – Get More Sleep

Getting enough sleep is known to be essential for you to function in daily life. But according to recent studies, lack of sleep can make stress worse. It also interferes with your brain’s ability to get rid of toxins such as beta-amyloid, which has been found to attribute to brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. One of the first ways you can train your brain to be stress-free is by getting a good night’s sleep. It’s recommended that you get anywhere from 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Try these things to help you sleep better.

Wind down before bedtime
Don’t exercise too close to your bedtime
Limit your caffeine during the day
Create a bedtime routine and stick to it
Keep your bedroom cool and dark
Limit your use of electronic devices a couple of hours before bedtime

2 – Yoga

Yoga uses a combination of physical poses and breathing methods to enhance relaxation. Studies reveal that yoga has mood-enhancing abilities, which slows down the physiological effects of stress. Yoga also can change the chemical reactions in your brain, so you feel less stressed. It’s thought to be as effective as taking anti-depressant drugs for anxiety and depression. Overall, if you regularly practice yoga, you can have a more stress-free brain and body. The five best stress-relieving yoga poses include

Child pose
Easy pose
Happy baby pose
Stand forward and bending pose
Seated forward bend

3 – Don’t procrastinate

You may not feel that procrastination is that big a deal but having a bunch of open-ended tasks attributes to brain stress. Procrastination makes you think you can’t catch up. You may not sleep, or you can’t focus during the day. Here are some ways to break your procrastination habit to relieve stress.

Make a to-do list and check off things as you accomplish them
Give yourself deadlines and stick to them
Create chunks of uninterrupted time to finish tasks
Set simple daily goals
Take breaks to clear your mind
Reward yourself when you complete a goal
Stop multi-tasking-stick to one thing at a time

4 – Find faith

According to studies, having faith in God helps you deal with stress. Researchers say people who profess to be religious have lower levels of depression. Having faith in God enables you to find peace even during stressful situations because you believe someone is overseeing your life and helping you get through tough times. Researchers say that faith has a buffer effect between stressful life events and depression in the same study. Devout people have fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression and can cope better with stress. It’s thought that some religious practices can change your brain to boost your mental health. How does faith help your brain deal with stress? Here are some ways, including

Faith gives you a sense of purpose for your life, giving you a sense of purpose that enhances your life.

Let go of trying to control it all: You can let go of those things that are out of your control when you cede to a higher power.
Network of support: Having faith gives you a sense of community. You don’t feel alone.

5 – Change how you view stressors

Another way to train your brain to deal with stress is to change how you think about it. Seeing pressure as all bad leads to unhealthy activities such as overeating, drinking too much alcohol, or lack of exercise to relieve the stress. Stress isn’t always harmful. It can motivate you, increase your focus, and help you be more productive. Embracing it strengthens you, happier and more intelligent. Viewing stress positively encourages you to find specific ways to cope with it. So, instead of getting rid of all stress, you can figure out how to have healthier responses to stress.

6 – Exercise for a stress free life

Regular exercise is a natural way to relieve stress in your life. Whether you take your dog for a brisk daily walk, play a game of tennis, or take an exercise class at your local gym, exercise has many benefits for your body and mind. People who regularly exercise are less prone to anxiety than those who don’t exercise. What happens when you exercise?

Release of stress hormones: When you get your body moving, stress hormones are released, which improves your mood.
Builds your confidence: Regular exercise boosts your confidence because you feel stronger.
Helps you slim down: If you incorporate regular exercise into your life, you’ll lose weight and trim down.
Sleep better: Exercise has been found to promote better sleep, which reduces your stress levels.

7 – Try supplements

Using certain supplements helps you train your brain to be stress-free and reduce anxiety. Here’s a list of some of the best stress-relieving supplements.

Lemon balm: This herb is a member of the mint family. Use lemon balm to make tea, eat in salads or add it to soups.
Green tea: Green teas contain antioxidants that help your body heal and reduce stress. Add it to your smoothies or drink it as warm.
Valerian: This herbal remedy might help you sleep and thus, lower anxiety. An NIH fact sheet found valerian to be helpful for some people but not for others. However, it is worth a try.

8 – Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is made of natural plant extracts or essential oils to enhance healing and a sense of well-being. They have proven it to promote emotional health and relaxation. It’s gained a lot of popularity over the past few years as people have found it helpful to reduce stress. Some of the health benefits include

Relieves anxiety and stress
Improves your sleep
Improves your quality of life
Can ease the effects of cancer treatment for things like pain and nausea

9 – Journal your way to stress free living

Writing your thoughts and feelings in a journal gives you a positive outlet for your senses. When you’re in a stressful situation, you must understand what you’re feeling, and writing your thoughts helps you sort out your feelings. Writing gives you clarity on details and enables you to decide your next move. Journaling can have a positive effect on your stress reduction.

10 – Learn to say no

Sometimes you need to say “no” to relieve the stress in your life. It’s easy to get pulled into commitments like being the parent who always brings snacks to your child’s class or the person at work who always helps when there’s a deadline. If that’s you, maybe you need to learn to say no. You may be your own worst enemy by over-committing or feeling guilty when there’s a need. It’s okay to refuse to help. Take control of your stress. Be selective about what you commit to, and you’ll be surprised how hit helps you train your brain to be more stress-free.

12 – Laughter

Laugher lessens your stress. It gets your focus off your problems, frees up chemicals in your brain that make you feel happier, and improves your view of life. Laughing is a simple way to train your brain to let go of stressful things. It doesn’t change your circumstances, but it gives you a break from them. You can laugh or cry when things turn stressful. So, why not choose to laugh?

Final thoughts on how you can train your brain to be stress free

Stress is a genuine part of life. It can be a helpful motivation to accomplish things or damaging to your brain and body. How you view stress and react to it determines its effects on you. As you train your brain to be stress-free, you can have a stress-free life. Whether you choose to relieve your stress through regular exercise, journaling, or growing your faith, you’ll feel more relaxed and happier about your life. Stress reduction isn’t hard, but it’s a choice you can make for a better life.

5 Differences Between Stress and Anxiety

June 26, 2016 by Chris Butler

Stress and anxiety are similar. People often use these two words interchangeably, but there is a difference between these two emotional responses. It’s time to eliminate the confusion. Here are five differences between stress and anxiety.

What is stress?

Stress is a normal emotional response to a demand put on your brain or body. When you experience a challenge at work or school or have a significant life change, you will feel stressed. Some people cope better with stress than others. Stress can affect your health, so you must pay attention to the cause and reduce it. Examples of stress include:

Stressors related to school, work, or your family.
Stress from a sudden negative experience or change such as a divorce, death in the family, losing your job, or illness.
Stress from an event such as an assault, war, major accident, or natural disasters like a hurricane, tornado, or earthquake. This type of traumatic event can produce physical symptoms and temporary emotional ones.

What is anxiety?

They describe anxiety as a natural response to stress. It involves feeling fearful or apprehensive about the future. You may feel anxious on your first day at work or when you have a job interview. Anxiety causes these emotional reactions:

Worry
Nervousness
Concern
Uneasiness

If your anxiety continues longer than six months and interferes with your life, you could have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders make you feel fearful all the time. Sometimes these fears are intense or debilitating. Everyday things can become difficult for you because of your constant worry about what could happen. Left untreated, your condition may get worse.

What are anxiety disorders?

Anxiety disorders are a widespread type of emotional disorder. They affect people of all ages. Common anxiety disorders include the following:

Panic disorder
Phobias
Social anxiety disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Separation anxiety disorder
Illness anxiety disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder

Who’s most at risk for an anxiety disorder?

Researchers suggest there are genetic and environmental factors that can contribute to who develops an anxiety disorder. General risk factors include the following:

Individuals who are especially shy or had inhibitions as a child
Exposure to a stressful or negative experience in early childhood or early adulthood.
Biological relatives who have a mental illness or other mental health issues
Physical conditions like thyroid problems, heart problems, or certain medications can cause anxiety disorders

Five differences between stress and anxiety

It may be hard to decide if you’re struggling with stress or anxiety. But there are noticeable differences between the two of them. Here are the five significant differences between stress and anxiety.

1 – Different in how long they last

Stress is a reaction to an external cause. It could be a test at school or your first day at work. Usually, your feelings of stress go away once you finish the test or complete your first day of work. Anxiety reacts to an external, but it doesn’t go away when you remove the stressor.

2 – Different in how they affect your body

If your conditionspersists, it can get so severe that it turns into an anxiety disorder. Anxiety can affect your body in a variety of ways, including

Having trouble concentrating
Your mind goes blank
Fatigued all the time
Muscle tension
Can’t control your worry
Sleep problems
Unsatisfying sleep

Stress is a physical or emotional response to the demands and pressures of your life. Some people don’t process stress well, resulting in health problems such as the following:

Digestive disorders
Headaches
Sleep disorders
Heart problems
Asthma
Overeating
Alzheimer’s disease

3 – Stress has a known cause, but anxiety may not have a noticeable trigger

You usually know what makes you feel stressed out. You know your job is a source of stress for you. But it may be hard to pin down where your triggers originated. You may not remember an unpleasant childhood experience or not know that you have a genetic tendency toward a specific mental health disorder. That’s why it’s essential to see a professional counselor who can help you find the cause of your anxiety.

4 – Stress is manageable, but anxiety may not be

Most of the time, when you have stress, you can figure out how to manage it or get rid of it. Long-term anxiety can become unmanageable, so that you can’t do your regular daily tasks.

5 – Different emotional responses

Anxiety and stress cause different physical and emotional reactions. Here are some differences and similarities between the two emotional responses.

Anxiety	Stress	Both
restless	moodiness	racing heartbeat
nervous	anger or irritability	fast breathing
tense	dizziness	diarrhea
sweating	unhappiness	constipation
feeling of dread	overwhelmed	higher blood pressure
uneasy	loneliness	fight or flight response

Primary causes of stress

There is a wide assortment of reasons for feeling stressed. These include the following triggers:

Unhappy at work
Too much responsibility at work
Working too long of hours
Unclear expectations of you at work
Dangerous work
Lack of security at work
worried about being fired
Death of a loved one
Divorce
Financial problems
Getting married
Moving
Illness
Emotional problems
Caregiving of elderly or sick family member
Causes of anxiety

Anxiety is part of your life, but after several months, if you’re still experiencing intense fear about everyday situations, you could have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety symptoms can start in childhood or teen years and can continue into your adulthood.

Causes of anxiety disorders

Stress from illness: Serious health conditions cause you to worry or worry about your treatment.
Trauma: If you experienced abuse or witnessed a traumatic event as a child, you’ll be at risk of an anxiety disorder.
Stress buildup: A big event or smaller stressful life situations can trigger your anxiety. If there was a death in your family, plus work stress plus financial problems-these can pile up on you. You may end up with extreme pressure.
Personality: Some personality types are more apt to experience this than others.
Drugs and alcohol: Misuse of drugs and alcohol and withdrawal can make your anxiety worse.
Having family members with mental illness: Anxiety disorders run in families.

How to manage problems of stress and anxiety

Anxiety and stress are normal reactions to difficult situations in your life. They provide the fight-or-flight response that keeps you safe if you’re in danger. Generally, stress is your body’s reaction to a threat. But this outcome is your body’s reaction to stress. You need to figure out what stressors are setting off your anxiety and stress. Then you can better deal with them. Here are some things to help you manage them.

Exercise

According to studies, regular exercise has a positive impact and heals your mind. Some activities that can help you with your stress or anxiety include:

Running
Biking
Tennis
Dancing
Swimming
Fast walking
Talking

Seek counseling for your anxiety

Talking with a trusted friend, your pastor, or a family member is essential to help you reduce overthinking. Talking about your worries, fears, and stressors can help relieve them.

Setting boundaries

Set boundaries for yourself on what you will take on at work, home, or school. Know what causes your stress or anxiety, and eliminate it from your life. Of course, not everything can be taken away, but there are many things you can do to find relief. Perhaps it’s time to find remote work instead of staying at a job where you need to commute to work. Maybe you need to pull out of some of your responsibilities at church or school.

Setting boundaries is just one positive management tool for reclaiming your mental health.

Relaxation

Relaxation techniques are another way to improve your mental health. Try some of these techniques:

Deep breathing exercises
Visualizing a tranquil scene or the beach
Practice yoga
Practicing Ta Chi
Slowly counting to 10
When do you need to see a doctor?
If you find you can’t deal with your mental illness, it could be time to see a doctor. Warning signs you need to see a doctor include things like
Excessive worry makes it hard for you to do your everyday daily life
Irrational fears
Significant changes to your sleep patterns
Important changes to your hygiene habits
Feeling moody and low
Thinking about self-harm

Other things you can do to deal with your stress and anxiety include these:

Accept the stuff you can’t control
Figure out what triggers your reaction
Limit your caffeine and alcohol
Settle to be good, but don’t aim for perfection
Eat nutritious foods
Get enough sleep

Final thoughts of beating stress and anxiety

Some stress and anxiety are typical in your life. You may have a hard time distinguishing the difference between stress and anxiety since they are similar. Stress typically has limits, and stressors cause it. Once the causes of stress are removed, your stress will go away. The reasons for anxiety are harder to nail down. Plus, if it continues, you may end up with an anxiety disorder. Fortunately, you can manage and improve your mental health by setting boundaries, exercising, and relaxation techniques. If none of this helps, or if your symptoms get worse, it could be time for you to speak to a doctor to get relief.

(C)Power of Positivity, LLC. All rights reserved

Doing This ONE Thing Makes It Easy To Eat Healthy

June 25, 2016 by Power of Positivity

When you know that healthier eating is easy with this one important thing to help you, better nutrition and a healthier body is within your reach. Whether your goal is to lose weight, get fit, or just have better nutrition this one technique can help.

Cravings for junk food, sweet treats, and unhealthy fats are common. Desire for these types of unhealthy foods is something that is almost unavoidable until you learn how your brain is preventing you from eating healthier.

Understanding what drives our food choices is something that can help us to have a healthier lifestyle. Each day we make many food decisions. Let’s look at how being informed about this one thing will make a difference in your future, healthier food decisions.

Doing This ONE Thing Will Help You Eat Healthier

So much of our behavior is driven by our brain, which we also have the power to control. Hacking into our brain to learn to control our behavior is the way to unlearn bad habits and build new ones.

A desire to eat healthy is a desire to make a positive change in your life. This article is designed to help you get that positive change with healthier eating.

Behavior change is your goal, and targeting your brain’s reward center is going to help you do it. Recent research is using behavioral modification techniques to help people reward good behavior like eating healthy and avoid harmful eating behavior.

In a study where consumers had a choice of purchasing a healthier grocery item with a future reward of 50 bonus points to use toward savings on a future purchase or receiving 50 cents off of the healthy food now, customers were more likely to choose a healthy food if they have the promise of a future reward.

Researchers studying consumer grocery habits say ‘Consumers who have poor eating habits and who are overweight benefit the most from long-term reward incentives than if they are offered price reductions of an equal value. However, among healthy eaters, price breaks lead to more purchases of less healthy items.’

If you are already a healthy eater, you appreciate the savings on your monthly grocery bill now, but in order for people to make the change to a lifestyle of healthy eating, they had to visualize a future self. This focus on future results is usually why we chose to make a significant lifestyle change in the first place.

Researchers say that this one finding is important because grocery stores can use it to help people choose healthier eating over junk food. We can also use the information to visualize our ideal future self-image, no matter what health goal we are working on, as a tool to help motivate us.

How to Use This ONE Thing to Eat Healthier

‘The study indicates “incentivizing with behavioral rewards is more effective for consumers who are either overweight or junk-food junkies. The points received for each healthy choice not only led to a reward (e.g., accumulated cash value or free food), but also signify the otherwise intangible benefits of an isolated act of eating healthy.”

For your own health goals, pick a reward that you can give yourself in the future that supports your goal. For example, you might choose a new juicer machine that supports your healthy lifestyle, or an outfit that you will be able to fit into once you have lost some weight by eating healthier.

Hang a picture of the item that you will reward yourself with near the fridge, in your wallet, at work or someplace where you have to make decisions about food. The image will remind you of the reward that is waiting for you if you make a healthy choice over an unhealthy one.

Set a timeframe to reach your goal of healthier eating, for example, a period of 4 weeks and then give yourself the reward if you have been able to uphold your desired new healthy eating behavior. Give yourself some forgiveness if you slip up once or twice during the goal timeframe.

Research Supporting How This Will Help You Eat Healthier

A program to influence healthier eating in schools was established to study if children would be able to maintain healthier habits over time. The program included education about healthier eating, goal setting, parent involvement and reinforcement.

The reinforcement that the kids received for engaging in healthier behaviors was only a simple heart sticker, but teachers and school administrators gave the stickers to kids when they saw them engaging in healthy eating or healthy activities on the playground.

Because the reward was given right away, the children knew that they had been caught in the act of showing positive behavior and were more likely to repeat it to get the positive recognition and reward.

Another study offered financial incentives to adults in a weight loss program over 16 weeks. Even if the monetary reward was small, like a chance to win $10, participants who had the promise of a future monetary reward lost significantly more weight than the control group.

Will this help you? Share with us in the discussion!

These Simple Yoga Poses Reduce Your Stress Hormones

June 25, 2016 by Chris Butler

Life’s everyday responsibilities produce a lot of stress. Add to that the stress-inducing events of the world, and before you know it, your stress levels are out of control. Learning how to manage stress is essential for your overall health. Yoga is a proven way to reduce stress hormones. It brings together physical and mental techniques to enhance a sense of peace. Yoga allows you to relax as you manage anxiety and stress. Here are fourteen simple yoga poses for you to start reducing stress today.

How you can reduce stress hormones with yoga

According to studies, yoga is an effective way to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. It also provides a lot of health benefits, including:

Better fitness: Yoga improves your range of motion, strength, flexibility, and balance.
Mental health: There are mental benefits of yoga. Regular yoga builds a sense of mental well-being and resilience.
Quit smoke: Yoga can help reduce your desire for a cigarette.
Weight control: Regular yoga helps you feel better physically. It gives you a sense of being in control of your appetite, so you’re less prone to overeating.
Chronic conditions: Yoga can help lower your chronic disease risks, such as higher blood pressure or heart conditions. Regular yoga can relieve back and neck pain, help control your arthritis and improve insomnia.

What does yoga involve?

Many yoga styles can reduce stress hormones. Depending on your yoga type, you’ll do different poses at different intensities. Yoga instructors, or yogis, are trained to teach yoga classes. Hatha yoga is the most common style of yoga. It’s a slower-paced style of yoga, with more accessible poses for beginners. The three essential components of yoga include:

Breathing techniques: This part of yoga teaches you to control your breathing. It helps you learn to control and calm down your mind.
Relaxation: Yoga may include relaxation or meditation to help you recognize movements. It enables you to increase your mindfulness.
Poses: Yoga postures or poses increase your flexibility and strength. They start simple and increase in difficulty.

Before you get started on a yoga routine to reduce stress hormones

When you first start yoga, be sure to follow these essential tips.

Find ample enough space: Create a place house to do yoga. Having a specific place can help you be more diligent in practicing daily.
Be gentle with your body: Start slowly, then build up your tolerance to prevent injury.
Move little by little: Don’t worry if you can get the pose the first few times. They take practice.
Don’t skip poses: Do all the poses, don’t skip to your favorite ones. Every pose has a purpose and works together with the other poses for a whole-body workout.

Here are 14 simple yoga poses that reduce stress hormones

Some instructors suggest you do yoga in a specific sequence, but it’s unnecessary. There is no wrong way to practice yoga to reduce your stress. Try these different poses to explore what works best for you.

1 – Easy pose

Get into a comfortable seated position. Cross your legs. Relax your feet and put your pelvis in a relaxed position. Think about how your body feels. Feel yourself breathing. Sit for a few minutes and concentrate on these sensations.

2 – Shoulder pose

Now roll your shoulders forward in a circular motion. Do this four times and do it back four times. After that, inhale and put your hands up above your head and exhale, lowering your hands to chest level. Let go and reduce stress hormones as you breathe out.

3 – Neck roll

Let your head fall toward your chest. Move your head around slowly in a full circle, first to the right three times. Then circle your head to the left three times. Let go of your stress as if it’s rolling off your head and neck. Return to the easy pose.

4 – Child pose

Get on your hands and knees. Put your hands out in front of you. Allow your body to relax. Your knees should be together. Reach forward and allow your bottom to touch the heels of your feet. You can use supports for assistance if you are starting to use yoga to reduce stress hormones. Don’t worry. That flexibility comes in time!

modified-supported-childs-pose-restorative-yoga — Modified supported child’s pose

5 – Cow pose

Put your stomach flat on the floor. Inhale. Life up your chin and chest and look up at the ceiling. Exhale and release stress.

6 – Cat pose

Inhale and pull your stomach to your spine. Round your back and look up at the ceiling. Exhale and let go of your stress. Gently allow the top of your head to go toward the floor.

7 – Downward dog

Put your toes under your feet. Press the palms of your hands on the floor and lift your hips up with your tailbone towards the ceiling. Push your heels back and down toward the mat. Stretch with your head dropping with a long neck. Think of your dog stretching-this is a classic downward dog. Stay in this pose, then breathe deeply. Exhale, letting go of any stress you feel.

8 – Tabletop position helps you reduce stress hormones

Get on your hands and knees. Place your wrists under your shoulders. Your knees should be under your hips. With your palms on the floor, and your fingers facing forward, your weight should be evenly distributed on the palms of your hands. Relax your head to gaze down and allow your stress to hit the floor.

9 – Standing forward bend

Sit flat on the floor with your feet out in front of you. Slowly stretch your hands toward your feet. Release the muscles in our neck and shoulders. Release your head while keeping your legs straight. Stay in this position and breathe slowly. Imagine your stress floating away.

10 – Mountain pose

Sitting on the floor, bend your knees and pull your stomach back toward your back. Roll your shoulders forward and relax your head. Inhale and exhale, letting go of the stress and anxiety you feel.

11 – Legs up the wall pose can help reduce stress hormones

Lie on your back with your legs up on the walls. Make sure your knees are straight up the wall. Put your hips up against the wall as much as possible. Your arms should be beside your body. Put one hand on your midsection, and your other hand is on your chest. Rest in this pose for 10 minutes, breathing slowly and feeling the stress leave your body.

12 – Corpse pose

Lie flat on your back with your feet wider than your hips. Allow your toes to be spaced out equally. Put your arms next to your body at a 45-degree angle. Your neck, shoulders, and head should align with your spine. Inhale deeply. Exhale and let your mind and body completely relax. Stay in this pose for fifteen minutes.

13 – Tre the tree pose to reduce stress hormones

Stand straight. Bring your hands together in prayer, then slide them over your head. At the same time, slide your left leg up your bend your knee while balancing on your right leg. Press your left leg into the inner thigh of your right leg. Hold for twenty seconds and then switch legs. Breathe slowly and relax, letting go of your stress.

14 – Baby pigeon pose

Get on your hands and knees, and move your right knee forward between your hands. Straighten your torso like you’re going to do lunges while you slowly straighten your left leg behind you. Keep your knee on the floor.

Turn your right knee toward your right wrist and bring it down to the floor so that your right calf is flat. Your right foot should rest under you. Slowly lower your upper body so it’s over your bent leg, rest on your elbows. Inhale and exhale. Push back onto your left leg, stretch your calf muscles, and then change sides. Repeat with your left leg bending, this time and your right leg extended backward.

What if negative thoughts come to your mind?

Sometimes when you’re doing yoga, you may think about all the negative things in your life. If this happens, let go of these thoughts. Instead, focus on the moment, how your breathing sounds or how your body feels stretching. If you continue to have negative thoughts, bring yourself back to your breathing and how your body feels. Maintaining this practice will help you create a habit of letting go of your negative thoughts and feelings.

If you enjoy doing yoga to reduce stress hormones, consider these practical suggestions when you get started.

Set up regular times to practice yoga at home or in class.
Discuss finding the best yoga routine to reduce stress hormones with your yoga instructor.
Talk to your doctor before starting a yoga routine, especially if you have health conditions or take medications.

Final thoughts on doing yoga to reduce stress hormones

Yoga is proven to help reduce stress, and anxiety and reduce depression. When you first start, consider trying some easier poses, then advance to harder ones. If you’re taking a class, be sure to tell your yogi if you have any medical conditions that could cause your injury while doing the poses. Most of all, enjoy learning these different poses and experiencing the benefits physically and mentally of reduced stress.

7 Signs of A Mold Illness

June 25, 2016 by Power of Positivity

When you aren’t feeling well, you usually assume it’s an allergy, cold, or the flu. However, that’s not always the case. In fact, we will share research that reveals how many times when symptoms don’t go away, it’s because of a mold allergy.

Mold can cause serious health problems when it’s in your living or workplace. Mold is more likely to occur in climates with a lot of humidity or rain because it is the moisture that makes a great growing environment for mold.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends drying any wet areas within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth. In addition to health problems, mold can destroy the surface that it grows on by deteriorating it as it might decompose if it was in a landfill left exposed to the elements. This goes for walls, flooring, ceilings, furniture, etc.

In your body, mold spores are most commonly inhaled. Mold grows by releasing spores. These are too small to be seen by the naked eye, so we, unfortunately, inhale them into our lungs.

We can also come into contact with mold through our skin. For example, you may touch a surface with unseen mold on it and then later touch your face or an open sore where the mold can get inside your body. Mold can also be in our food.

Once inside the body, mold causes health problems and can look like an illness.

What is mold?

Mold are tiny organisms due to the breakdown of animal and plant matter. Molds grow in damp, dark areas where plants and leaves are decomposing. Inside, mold will grow on any surface in your home where there is sufficient oxygen, moisture, or organic matter. Mold releases tiny spores in the air. You’re exposed to mold at work, school, work, and even outdoors. Mold is more common in humid climates because it grows so well in moist conditions.

The most common types of mold include the following:

Cladosporium
Penicillium
Aspergillus
Alternaria
Stachybotrys chatarum is also called black mold.

Besides breathing in mold, you can also come into contact with mold through your skin. For example, if you touch a surface that has mold on it, then touch your face or an open sore where the mold can get inside your body.

Foods that contain mold

You also come in contact with mold in some foods. Here is a list of the most common foods that contain mold.

Alcohol

A yeast called saccharomyces, or brewer’s yeast, is a fungus used to make beer. It makes mycotoxins other mold type fruits or grains. White wine has less mold than red wine. If you have mold sensitivity, it may be best to avoid your favorite beverage at the sports bar.

Peanuts

Peanuts are legumes grown in the soil underground, so they’re more susceptible to moisture and growing mold. The peanut shells can harbor molds and even a carcinogen that is harmful to humans. Consequently, most peanuts are sterilized before they are sold in the shell.

Coffee

Although coffee is a healthy energy drink we all love, there can be toxic fungus hiding in some coffees. Be sure to choose a name brand coffee that tests for myotoxicity in the beans.

Other foods that contain some mold include:

Rye
Barley
Corn
Sugar from sugar cane
Hard cheeses
Mushrooms

Most of the time, you don’t get sick from being exposed to mold in the air or foods, but sometimes it can cause health problems. One study found that if you’re exposed to mold during the first year of your life, you are at risk for developing asthma later in life.

7 Signs Mold Is Causing an Illness

After contact with mold, some people, especially those with chronic respiratory disease, can significantly react to molds. Here is a list of seven signs that you have a mold illness making you sick.

1. Muscle aches or pain not due to strain

Unexplained muscle aches and pains that aren’t due to strenuous activity is one sign of a mold illness. Muscle pain can be anywhere in the body, while some people experience sharp, intense pinprick pains along with muscle aches.

2. Twitching, tingling, or numbness

A sensation similar to the pins and needles you have when your hand falls asleep is the same tingling sensation people suffering experience from a mold illness. Mold spores get onto your skin and start to colonize. Some spores can seep into your skin, causing a rash or itchy red bumps along with a weird tingling sensation on your skin. Treatments include prescription strength, anti-fungal creams, or lotions to kill the mold invaders.

3. Being in a depressed mood

Mold in your home can affect you neurologically. There is a definite connection between home dampness, mold, and symptoms of depression. You may experience unusual mood swings or irritations mixed with feelings of elations. This is due in part because the mold interferes with your brain function. No doubt, some moodiness is from the stress of owning a home that is making you sick.

Researchers studying mold-related illnesses found that damp homes also impact the people living in them and their mood. Again, they proved there was a definite connection between home dampness, mold, and symptoms of depression. Mental illness and the connection to less-than-ideal living conditions is not surprising.

Psychological stress is normal when you have little control over your home environment and have poor indoor air quality that can affect your health. Take control of the stress by reducing moisture sources in the home, adding house plants to clean the air, and running a fan to keep air circulating.

4. Digestive problems

A loss of appetite, diarrhea, or stomach pains are symptoms common to a mold illness. If your body isn’t removing the mold from your digestive system, the spores spread, causing a mass invasion of your gut. People have reported digestive issues such as

Vomiting
Bleeding
Diarrhea
Nausea
Foul-smelling stools

Left untreated, the mold spores can cause an infection in your liver and cause toxins to enter your bloodstream. This is a life-threatening condition. So, see your doctor if you suspect you have a liver problem due to mold.

5. Breathing problems

Some of the most commonly reported signs of a mold illness are difficulties with breathing. In a recent review of mold and medical illnesses, researchers named some respiratory diseases that are associated with mold exposure, which include

Asthma
Allergic rhinitis
Allergic bronchopulmonary
Aspergillosis
Sinusitis
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis

Having a hard time breathing, coughing, wheezing, or sinus problems can all be due to mold illnesses. Consult a medical professional if you have a concern about your potential mold exposure.

6. Sensitive eyes and headaches

Redness in your eyes, itchiness, or blurry vision may be related to mold illnesses. Some people are sensitive to mold more than others. This causes their immune system to overreact, which in turn causes an allergic reaction.

If your symptoms are similar to hay fever or seasonal allergies and are accompanied by a headache and other symptoms of a mold illness, seek medical attention, and explain those concerns to your practitioner.

7. Less common signs of mold illness

Some of the more unusual symptoms or signs of a mold illness include

Shaking or dizziness
Prone to infections such as UTI
Metallic taste in your mouth
Chronic fatigue
Brain fog
Bacterial pneumonia
Chronic cough
Blurred vision

If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your doctor. They will do a blood test to see if you have a mold allergy.

What can you do to get rid of mold in your home?

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), you can prevent or get rid of mold in your house by doing these things.

Keep your house clean and dry.

Fix all water leaks or areas where moisture has crept inside immediately. Don’t wait until you smell mold. By then, it’s too late. You can immediately call a mold remediation team to help you get rid of the mold in your home.

Lots of ventilation

Keep your AC or heat on and set to low. Turn on your AC fan to circulate fresh air throughout your home all year round. If it’s rainy or hot and humid outside, don’t open the windows. Moisture from the humidity will get into your furniture, carpeting, and even the wood in your house.

Set plants around to clean the air

Plants remove toxins from the atmosphere in your home. The best plants to purify the air in your home include

Rubber plants
Boston ferns
Date palm
Philodendron
Peace Lily
Spider plants
Mums

Keep humidity low

Purchase a portable dehumidifier to remove any moisture in the air in rooms that are more prone to molds, such as the kitchen or bathrooms.

Don’t put carpeting in your basement, kitchen, or bathrooms.

The carpeting in these rooms will get damp and grow mold easier. Most houses are trending away from carpeting in these rooms, but many older homes still have carpeting.

Other tips from our friends who work in mold removal provide advice to keep your home mold-free include :

Add ventilation from an exhaust fan.
Have a regular circulating fan on all the time
Open your window to let a breeze in on dry weather days.
Frequently clean areas that are more susceptible to molds like the shower or the bathtub
Skip toxic chemical cleansers and clean mildew (not mold) with white vinegar. Just spray undiluted vinegar onto the impacted area. You do not need to rinse it.
Wear a face mask if you are cleaning small areas of mildew.
Certain types of mold require professional cleaning. Never try to clean black mold yourself–you can cause your illness to worsen.

Final thoughts on coping with a mold illness

Mold is something everyone lives with. It’s in your backyard, your house, and even in your food. Most of the mold you come in contact with is harmless and doesn’t cause health problems. But sometimes, you can end up with a severe mold allergy that causes symptoms. Keeping your house free from mold is a priority. IF you have a water leak, then fix it immediately. Provide good air ventilation in your house with fans and open windows on dry weather days.

Add lots of air-purifying plants around your home, especially in the rooms where dampness creeps in, like the kitchen or bathroom. Mold is here to stay, so learning to eliminate it or reduce its growth is the best option to combat a mold illness.

The Community

Our Free Community of Positively Powerful SuperFans

Every day is a day to shine. Shine on!