98A - Fit and Well Column for November 20th, 2004

TITLE: "Holiday Stress Relief"

Dear David and Trish,

Every year around this time (between Thanksgiving and New Year), I start getting overly stressed! This seems odd. I know that the holiday season is supposed to be full of happiness and joy. Yet the pressure that I feel is overwhelming, and real! Pray tell, what is WRONG with me?

Anxiously,

Annie in Odenton

Dear Annie,

You're not alone, and you're CERTAINLY not wrong. Higher levels of stress and pressure are inherent in the holiday season (along with joy, happiness, and fulfillment). So why the stress? And what can one do to lower it? Ahhhh, 'tis the season to get even healthier… body, mind and spirit!

Self-imposed and externals demands are typically the source of stress, especially during this holiday season. Dealing with the Thanksgiving rituals… shopping in crowded grocery stores; cooking loads of special foods all day; driving or flying to the place where you celebrated the big feast. Stuffing yourself to discomfort, vowing not to eat or drink as much next year -- all the while eyeing that other piece of pumpkin pie.

The day after Thanksgiving you have one of the biggest shopping days of the year. Millions of people rushing around looking for just the right gifts for everyone on their lists, spending more money than they could afford in hopes of making their family happy. Or because they felt it's expected of them. Or because it really IS expected of them.

Then the pressure of Christmas… recalling forgotten friends and relatives to send cards and present, CHOOSING presents, sending presents, receiving presents… YIPES! Christmas parties, dinners, receptions, and great expectations. And New Years… taking inventories, making new plans and commitments, etc. GEE… I'm stressing out just WRITING about these experiences!

Are there ways to reduce the level of stress, or even eliminate it? In a word, YES!

One of the first tasks in reducing the inherent stress that the holidays bring is to acknowledge that many of the "stories" or images that we try to recreate in our lives are truly unrealistic, or at least unobtainable.

We all can visualize idyllic scenes from stories and movies that seem to show what the holidays should look like, and feel like.

The number of tasks and responsibilities that we face over the holiday season are huge. And they seem to keep growing every year. How can one deal with so many obligations and pressures at one time? The answer, DON'T! Step Two… make a WRITTEN list of holiday things to do, and go through the list one task at a time. That's manageable.

Start your holiday gift shopping really early. Pick up things earlier during the year and put them away in the closet. Use "e-commerce" (do some shopping on the Internet). This will save you the trouble of driving to stores, fighting crowds, gift wrapping, and mailing packages at the post office. Shopping earlier also helps because you don't have to pay for everything all at once. This may even allow you to stay within your budget.

Use relaxation techniques to stay calm. Slow, deep breathing will keep your stress responses to a minimum. Take little relaxation breaks frequently.

Try the following body relaxation techniques:

Tense up the following body parts and then release them completely until these parts hang from your body like a rag doll's would.

1. Tighten, but not strain, the body parts in the order listed below for a slow count of five.
2. Release completely (rag-doll feeling) for a count of ten. Breathe deeply and slowly.
3. If you are not sure a body part is relaxed, then tighten it and then release it.

• feet, ankles, calves, thighs, and buttocks

• lower back, stomach, and chest

• shoulders, biceps, forearms, and hands

• neck, scalp, forehead, and mouth

When you can relax the different parts of your body separately, try to relax all of them at once. Start with the feet (including the toesies) and end up with the mouth, nose, eyes, and scalp.

Yes, 'tis the season to be jolly, and eat and drink and be merry (See, I how cleverly I put those two cliches together!), BUT… some moderation, please!

There are two major consequences of overindulging in the eating and drinking realm. One is the wide range of blood sugar shifts that usually equate to moodiness, fatigue, and sometimes downright depression! The other is feelings of guilt and remorse after over-doing it. Since you are reading this column, you ARE concerned with your health and fitness. Beware of sabotaging it during holiday parties and celebrations!

AND, as if that's not enough, excess cortisol released during the holiday stress tends to encourage fat storage… "so if you eat it, you'll probably wear it!".

Don't wait until New Years to begin acting on your resolution to develop and engage in a healthy lifestyle. Do it now! Exercise is a great stress reliever, and will promote physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.

What a great time to join a gym. Tell the sales counselor that David and Trish sent you. They may give you a great discount, or at least know that you have great taste in reading!

The holiday season is one of joy and celebration. Join in! Next time you're shopping at the mall, and hear those familiar Christmas songs playing, stop what you're doing and sing along! If the song has a great rhythm, feel free to dance a bit, also.

And if you need inspiration, look for Trish, Angelica, and myself (you'll know me by my "retro" tie-dye T-shirt) doing exactly that. Feel free to stare, suggest that we "don't quit our day job", and then join in. If we make enough noise, we may just start a new movement. Or at least bring a smile to a stranger!

Eat your beans! Nutrient compounds called 'flavonoids' have been found to be effective antioxidants that help protect against heart disease and cancer. These flavonoids are found in the coating of such beans as navy, pintos, kidney, great northern and black beans. Also, in dark chocolate! See, we always KNEW it was healthy!

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