Hello guys!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday break and you are all back to your everyday routine with little to no stress involved.

However if you are like me, nothing could be farther from reality.
Let’s talk a bout the elephant in the room: stress. We know it causes anxiety, high blood pressure, obesity, headaches, divorces, breakups, arguments, people losing their jobs (over lashing out at their bosses)… And the list goes on.

In my case, being a single mom is extremely challenging: ranging from the financial hardship for not having a steady income to the time management skills, to feeling guilty when you in fact can do something for yourself and not have your family involved.

You need some “ME” time.

I have found throughout the course of time that I need help dealing with stress. Here are some ways I cope with it:

1. Meditation
   
   Now, before you all roll your eyes, let me explain. There are many meditation techniques out there and I have tapped into several but the one I have enjoyed the most (and fallen asleep the first few times) was the one by Dr. Brian Weiss. Dr. Weiss is the author of many best sellers, my favorites being Many Lives, Many Masters and Only Love is Real. In both books, Dr. Weiss explores the reincarnation aspect through an skeptical point of view and in the video below he shares his meditation techniques to get to a past life in the comfort of your home. Just be careful not to be too tired because you will fall asleep with the sound of his voice.
   
   See more from Dr. Weiss HERE
   
2. Walking
   
   In a recent article publishes on Mark’s Daily Apple we find 17 reasons to walk more this year. One of them of course, being to cope with stress.
   Many people have all these excuses for not being able to walk. Believe me, I know them and I am perhaps one of them. It is always either too cold or too hot or “who’s got time for that?” Well, you should.Do you enjo0y reading? Invest in an audio CD or listen to a Podcast as you are walking.
   Do you have pets? Take them out for a stroll.
   Ate too much at dinner? Go for a walk around the block and you will feel better.
   Concerned about weight loss and cannot make it to the gym or cannot afford it? Take a walk.Stressed out of your mind? Take a walk. I personally like walking at my local park where I see lots and lots of trees and I feel like I can breathe much better. It’s amazing what oxygen can do to your brain and hence your thought process! You will be more relaxed, have more energy, benefit from the Sun’s natural Vitamin D, burn some calories and look prettier! That’s right, people notice when you’re healthy and it does reflect in your face.
3. Ginkgo Biloba 
   Ginkgo Biloba It is termed a living fossil and the oldest living tree species, has survived for 200 million years. The Chinese have used it for over 500 years to treat asthma and other breathing ailments.
   Guess what? Works for memory and stress too.

   In a recent publication titled Ginkgo biloba: Mind, Mood, and Memory we can read about the benefits Ginkgo Biloba has on the brain. It can even reduce the possibility of Alzheimer’s Disease!
   Ok, back to our point: stress… Remember when I talked about oxygen in the brain and all that good stuff? Well, Ginkgo hooks up your brain in other ways: with blood flow. Once your brain is receiving the right amount of blood, your thoughts will become clearer. Maybe even making the solution to your problems more evident.

In my personal and mundane opinion (not a Doctor’s standpoint) I find that stress can intertwine with other monsters and affect your everyday life in ways you never knew could. Ranging from headaches to mood swings to depression and even suicidal thoughts…. We do not want any of that, do we?

Go for a walk, breathe and remind yourself it will all be ok.

What is one way you battle stress? What is your excuse for not dealing with it?

Thank you for reading and buenos días.