Five Simple Ways to Decrease Stress and Take Control, from BlogTalkRadio’s Fitness Director, Peter K. MS, PT

September 26, 2008
Hear Peter K talk about these powerful strategies and more on The Peter K Show every Thursday at 3pm EST
FOOD
See if you can add one of these foods today:berries
  • Salmon (omega 3’s for heart disease), green tea (catechins for cancer), berries (anthocyanins for cancer), beans (low fat protein source), brown rice (b vitamins for stress), avocado (mono-unsaturated fats- good fat), dried cherries (decrease inflammation in joints) , and/or yogurt (calcium for bones and muscle function).

FITNESS

Ask PT Pete- Where does your body hold your stress?

  • Most of us hold it near our shoulders and neck.  Try this to relax.  Shrug your shoulders up and tighten your neck muscles.  Now relax your shoulders and neck completely.  Use this in conjuction with the breathing exercise below.

shoulder shrug

  • Pay attention throughout the day to your shoulders and neck tightening up, especially when driving, on the phone/computer or while thinking about stressful thoughts.

Have a physical therapy question?  Send it to me at livebetter@peterkfitness.com

Breathing for stress release:

  • Stand tall in a quiet place and lift your chest up.  Take a deep breath through your nose and exhale through your mouth.  Repeat this 5 times.  Do this during your most stressful times, before a meeting, every hour and at the end of your day.

MIND/BODY

Identify your stressors:
  • Work, family, finances, health;   What causes you harmful stress?  It could even be something as subtle as a voice,  place, or time of day.  The next time you feel stressed ask yourself why you are feeling this way.  You can decrease stress the following way:
  1. Identify when you are stressed and why
  2. Relax your shoulders, and breath
  3. Decide whether this is worth being stressed about
  4. Break down the stress into tiny pieces, then choose one simple action you can take to decrease the stress
  5. Listen to my radio show for more information about stress, your flight or flight response and how to prevent stress from getting out of control

Music to soothe the savage beast within:

norah jones

  • Artist; Norah Jones, Album and song; Come Away With Me. This is a mellow song that invites you to drift away with someone you love, away from the grind, the responsibilites, the stress.  Go ahead and drift away for a few!

Be well!

Peter K. MS, PT

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Acting Surgeon General Leads Battle Against Childhood Obesity

September 26, 2008

Acting Surgeon General Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson

Rear Admiral Steven Galson, the acting Surgeon General, is promoting a massive campaign against childhood obesity. The Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future (HYHF) Initiative is hoping to educate children, parents and educators regarding healthy eating and exercise habits.

Through the HYHF, multiple organizations all over the country are putting together specific programs geared towards individual communities. In addition to community campaigns, public service announcements such as one entitled “Can Your Food Do That?” Are specifically geared towards educating children into making informed, healthy choices.”It’s fun, interactive information about both healthy eating and physical activity.” Said Rear Admiral Galson.

According to the acting Surgeon General, it’s really no mystery why so many children in America are overweight or obese.  “It’s fairly straightforward,” he said, “it’s a combination of our young people not getting enough physical activity and then not eating right.” One of the ways Rear Admiral Galson suggests getting kids to be more active is by limiting time spend in front of electronics. “Across the U.S. our young people spend an average of six hours in front of the computer or TV screen. So if our kids are leading a sendtary lifestyle, which means not that much exercise, and taking in more calories than they burn off, they’re at risk of becoming overweight or obese.”

Rear Admiral Galson talks in depth about the HYHF Initiative and offers tips to parents for ensuring good health and nutrition in their children in his BlogTalkRadio interview with Dot Mil Docs. Tune in for this short, but enlightening interview. It may save a child’s life.

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Posted by Deborah Ng