STRESS - yuk

Stress—Controlling It Before It Controls You, Part 1
The Better Life Experts | September 23, 2008


Stress – what is stress?
We think of stress in basically two ways — the pressure we experience from external sources, and the internal experience that we feel when pressure is placed upon us. For our purposes in this series, we will be referring to stress as the way we experience pressure and how we respond to it.

Stress, as we experience it, is a common physiological reaction to pressure, strain, anxiety, constant worry and tension. Everyone experiences stress – it is part of our biology. The human nervous system is complex and many factors affect the ways in which the parasympathetic (relaxation) and sympathetic (fight or flight) structures interact. We can quite literally make ourselves sick from stress, especially if it remains uncontrolled and untreated. Your body cannot force you to deal with stress in the most obvious sense, but it can make you aware of “system errors” through varied means.

Stress in the workplace and stress at home. . . . It is important to recognize and acknowledge your stress before you lose your job or personal relationships due to major health issues or inappropriate behavioral responses.

What are some physiological reactions to stress?

Headaches
Fatigue
High Blood Pressure
Weakened immune system (increase in colds, flu, etc)
Heart attacks
Strokes
Blood sugar fluctuations

What are some common behavioral responses to stress?
Throughout this series on stress, we will “lump” behavior into three categories and discuss some characteristics that are commonly found in each behavioral category. We will examine coping strategies and find ways to modify and improve responses through the use of lifestyle change.

The Aggressor, the Denier, the Withdrawer – which one are you?

Characteristics of the Aggressor:

Tends to take stress/anger out on others
Can be physical – throwing things, hitting objects (or people/animals), slamming doors
Verbally attacks self and others; finds fault and blames others
Extreme irritability
Shows poor judgment under stress

Characteristics of the Denier:

Fails to acknowledge there is stress
Experiences increased energy, activity and restlessness
Has racing thoughts, jumps from one idea to another and talks fast
Denies that anything is wrong; only sees the positive side to a situation
Uses poor judgment
Engages in thrill seeking behavior
Intrusive behavior (doesn’t respect other people’s boundaries)
Keeps a tight lid on feelings; reactions are often not in line with what other people reveal or admit to feeling

Characteristics of the Withdrawer:

Attempts to reduce or remove stressful feelings through escapism
Tends to feel depressed
Shuts down and retreats from people, activities or relationships
Retreats as a means of control and establishing a safety net
Assumes passive role
Becomes sedentary and secretive

for those of us GETTIN'healthy

Cravings
The Better Life Experts | September 18, 2008


Most of us think about craving as a call to action – stuff something (preferably salty, sweet or fattening) into our mouths. But, as we see from the Miriam-Webster Dictionary definition below, craving is a noun (a person, place or thing) and not a verb (action word).


Main Entry:
crav•ing
Pronunciation:
\'kra-vi?\
Function:
noun
Date:
1633
:an intense, urgent, or abnormal desire or longing

Sometimes a craving will occur when the body requires certain nutrients that our diets are not providing and we need to pay attention to this valuable hard-wired signal that alerts us for dietary deficiencies. Many times, however, what we perceive as craving is really habit. We may feel an intense desire to eat chocolate, but our bodies do not need chocolate to function properly. Learn to separate your nouns and verbs: desire or longing is a thing; eating chocolate is one of hundreds of possible things we can do to satisfy craving, not the only one.

TIP to add to HFPE in September

The Kitchen Sponge
The Better Life Experts | September 15, 2008


According to the USDA Department of Agricultural Research, the average kitchen sponge is saturated with mold, bacteria and yeast, giving food pathogens free range to roam on kitchen countertops, dishes, small appliances and eventually enter your mouth. The result is often downright distasteful – stomach pains, cramping, and diarrhea.

Should a sponge be used once and thrown away? Not if you have a microwave or dishwasher. The USDA team who investigated different methods to clean dirty sponges found that microwaving sponges for one minute or running them through a dishwasher on a heated dry cycle killed more than 99% of bacteria, yeast and molds. Bleach solutions, lemon juice or deionized water killed an average of 37-87% of these pathogens.

So give your sponge a second chance. I can’t wait to get home and test out this study.

Reference: Sharma, M., Eastridge, J.S., Mudd, C.L. 2007. Effective disinfection methods of kitchen sponges [abstract]. Institute of Food Technologists. Control No. 3310.

DAYtrip

Come one! Come all!
We are meeting at the church @9:30 Saturday morning and then going to the Shaker Forest Festival.

The Shaker Forest Festival is annual 18th century arts and crafts event that features a wide variety of crafts with demonstrations of wood crafts, porcelain and pottery, quilt making, toy making, jewelry design, painting, stained glass designing, metal crafting, musical instrument making and much more.

The highlight of the Shaker Forest Festival is interacting with the craftspeople who are dressed in Shaker-period attire. Enjoy live entertainment, a petting zoo, pony and horse-drawn wagon rides, pumpkin decorating and lots more. Be sure to sample and take home an assortment of foods from the Shaker Kitchen.

Dates and Times:
September 13, 14, 20 & 21, 2008.
10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Location:
Seneca Creek State Park
11950 Clopper Road.
Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Admission:
$6 in advance, $7.00 regular admission
Children 10 & under are free

For more information, visit the official site or call (866) 972-1244.

HAPPYbirthday

BIRTHdays

8th Tina Benhaim

8th Sue Matthews

11th Laura Robinson

12th Reeshemah Williams

13th Catherine Watson

14th Suzanne Moulton

16th Cathryn Ballou

16th Katy Childers

20th Alison Hearne

25th Aida Ancheta

2 more CHOICES

Interfaith SHAREprogram

ppl buy voucher w/ cash $19 (approx), donate 2 hours of service
receive $40-$45 (approx) worth of groceries

approximate dates:
order 9/15 pick up 9/27
order 10/13 pick up 10/25
order 11/10 pick up 11/21
order 12/8 pick up 12/20

we will confirm exact info.

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November 29

Day trip

Allenberry Theatre
Boiling Spring, PA

ALL families invited

Dinner and a Christmas Show

*Further details, cost and time to follow

contact person: HELEN HARVEY

introducing MIDweek as a CHOICE

We are 'hearing you' - We would like to experiment between now and the end of the year by offering you the choice to come, associate, and develop yourself in a positive and uplifting environment - free of gossip and complaining!

Starting the first week of October we have filled the calendar with things that we hope will be of interest to many of you.

We will meet on Thursdays - from 9:30-11:30.

Each week will have a consistent agenda so if you want to come once a month or every week you can develop your personal calendar so that you fill your bucket with the things that would add value to the season of life you are in.

MIDweek
1st week - develop a talent
2nd week - field trip
3rd week - round table discussion
4th week - exercise
5th week - play group/round table/talent/you decide

Keep your ears open because there will be more to come. You will see that once a quarter the "WISE AND WONDERFUL" will have the opportunity to invite a date with them to dinner - could be their spouse.

You will also see more wonderful day trips as a 'choice'.
Thank you for your feedback... please keep it coming.
we love you!

Old Age, I decided, is a gift

I am now, probably for the first time in my life, the person I have always wanted to be. Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken aback by that old person that lives in my mirror (who looks like my mother!), but I don't agonize over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.

I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be mes sy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?

I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60&70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love ..... I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old.

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be.

And I shall eat dessert every single day. (If I feel like it)

A List To Live By

The most destructive habit,..................................Worry
The greatest Joy,............................................Giving
The greatest loss,...........................................Loss of self-respect
The most satisfying work,....................................Helping others
The ugliest personality trait,...............................Selfishness
The most endangered species,.................................Dedicated leaders
Our greatest natural resource,.............................Our youth & our elderly
The greatest “shot in the arm",..............................Encouragement
The greatest problem to overcome,............................Fear
The most effective sleeping pill,............................Peace of mind
The most crippling failure disease,..........................Excuses
The most powerful force in life,.............................Love
The most dangerous pariah,...................................A gossiper
The world’s most incredible computer,...................The brain
The worst thing to be without,...............................Hope
The deadliest weapon,........................................The tongue
The two most power-filled words,........................“I Can”
The greatest asset,.............................................Faith
The most worthless emotion,..................................Self-pity
The most prized possession,..................................Integrity
The most powerful channel of communication,...........Prayer
The most beautiful attire,.....................................SMILE!
The most contagious spirit...................................Enthusiasm
Our Greatest teacher..........................................Experience
To the world, YOU may be one person; but to one person, you may be the world!!
- anonymous

a 2DO List for Life

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
12. Its OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don’t compare your life to others’. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14 If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years will it matter?”
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone for everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your family will.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
35. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
36. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
41. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
42. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
49. Yield.
50. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

The author is unknown.