by Неизвестный
Step Two: Listen to Your Body
All of us at times get so caught up in the busyness and stress of life that we ignore clear warning signs of impending illness. For many people these warning signs are never heeded, and they end up in the hospital or funeral home. You’ve heard the phrase “Listen to your body,” but you might be wondering exactly what that means. For me, it means taking an inventory a few times each week of how I’m feeling, both physically and emotionally.
I suggest you do this in a quiet place when you have a few minutes you can spend alone. Pay careful attention to any tightening in the chest, tension or pain in the stomach or solar plexus (your “gut” feelings), any clenching or pain in the jaw, tremor in the fingers or legs (restless leg syndrome), and involuntary twitching in limbs, eyelids, or face. These are all signs of accumulating stress, danger signals that need to be dealt with while they are still minor.
Watch your breath rising from the solar plexus up to your lungs. Feel the rib cage expand and the collarbones rise. Then watch the exhalation, feeling the relaxation and letting go of the breath and body. Take time to feel the sensations that come and go, and in a few minutes, you will have a clear connection to your emotional state.
If you’re feeling anxious or worried at all, ask yourself what is the source of your discomfort or anxiety. Is it something you can resolve, and if so, what course of action needs to be taken? For many people, the source of discomfort and anxiety is vague and unclear. It’s been described as “background stress,” and I suggest that caffeine is at the core of such feelings.
It’s important to understand that stress and anxiety affect every part of you.
I’ve described in detail the impact that stress has on the body and mind, but on a more subtle level, it affects who you are. The sage advice to “know thyself” is an important part of self-mastery. It helps us tune in to what is truly important and meaningful. Life is short, and we really don’t want to be “spinning our wheels,”
or wasting precious time on matters that do not enrich us.
I believe it is nearly impossible to gain this perspective when you’re amped out on caffeine. Scores of people have told me over the years that the most significant change they noticed when they got off caffeine was in their personality, how they related to their family, friends, and colleagues. This is the very essence of who we are as individuals and how we act together as a society.
Step Three: Start with What’s in Front of You
In my clinical practice, I saw people who were for the most part highly motivated to improve their health and their lives. Often they were seeking guidance on exercise, nutrition, stress management, and human performance. I learned an important lesson in those years. When I sent them home with lots of things to do, they were often overwhelmed, and so, out of frustration, they did nothing. But the people who left with one or two changes to employ often made those changes and came back for more. These were the people whose lives were changed, who got on the upward spiral and never got off. Today, they are living proof that health and vitality can be enjoyed at any age, that life can be a wonderfully exciting and deeply fulfilling adventure.
So when it comes to change, I recommend you start with what’s in front of you. Start with a single step that will improve your physical, mental, and emotional health in myriad ways. Get off the caffeine drug, and find out who you really are.
APPENDIX A
Fifty Proven Stress Reducers
1. A lot of things are “stressful” simply because we don’t allow ourselves enough time to get them done. Look for ways to take the hurry out of your everyday tasks and responsibilities.
2. Get out of bed fifteen minutes earlier to avoid the morning rushing around.
3. Prepare for the morning the evening before. (Set out clothes, breakfast, sack lunch, etc.)
4. Write things down; don’t rely on your memory. (Trying to remember not to forget is stressful.)
5. Ask questions, repeat back directions, repeat back what you heard the other person say, etc. Taking an extra minute to be sure you understand what was said can save time and prevent aggravation.
6. Keep a duplicate car key in your wallet; bury a duplicate house key in your garden.
7. Practice “preventive maintenance” on your car, appliances, teeth, personal relationships, etc., so they won’t break down at the worst possible moment.
8. Add an ounce of love to everything you do.
9. Eat healthful foods. Don’t overeat (always leave the table feeling a little hungry).
10. Procrastination is stressful. Whatever you want to do tomorrow, do it today; whatever you want today, do it now. Hard work is simply the accumulation of easy things you didn’t do when you should have done them.
11. Organize your home and work area so that everything has a place. You won’t have to go through the stress of losing things.
12. Plan ahead. Don’t let the gas tank get below onequarter full, keep a
well-stocked “emergency shelf” of supplies at home and at work. Buy postage stamps and bus tokens before you need them, etc.
13. Schedule a realistic day. Allow ample time between appointments.
Make a “to-do” list and cut it in half.
14. Relax your standards. The world will not end if the grass doesn’t get mowed this weekend.
15. An instant cure for most stress: thirty minutes of brisk walking or other aerobic exercise.
16. Make everyday purchases by cash or check; save credit cards for major planned purchases.
17. Make friends with nonworriers.
18. Every day, find time for solitude and introspection. Seek out quiet places.
19. Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and erring—for sometime in life you will have been all of these.
20. Simplify.
21. Say “No, thank you” to projects you don’t have time or energy for.
22. Always carry reading material to enjoy while waiting in lines or for appointments.
23. Remind yourself that Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times.
24. For every one thing that goes wrong, there are 50 to 100 blessings.
Count them.
25. Do nothing that, after being done, leads you to tell a lie.
26. Put brain in gear before opening mouth. Before saying anything, ask yourself if what you are to say is (1) true, (2) kind, and (3) necessary. If it’s not all three, K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut).
27. If an unpleasant task faces you, do it early in the day and get it over with.
28. Do one thing at a time.
29. Donate extra belongings to your favorite charity. Getting rid of what you don’t need will make what you do need easier to find.
30. Write your thoughts and feelings in a journal. This can help you clarify your ideas and put things in their right perspective.
31. When someone cuts you off in traffic, stops suddenly in front of you, etc., instead of getting mad, think of all the driving mistakes you’ve made in your life—and give the other guy a break.
32. Remember that everyone around you is carrying some kind of burden.
32. Remember that everyone around you is carrying some kind of burden.
33. Get enough sleep. Use an alarm clock to remind you to go to bed, if necessary.
34. Set up contingency plans. “If either of us is delayed, here’s what we’ll do.” “If we get separated in the mall, here’s where we’ll meet,” etc.
35. To relax instantly, breathe as if you were trying in inflate an imaginary balloon in your stomach. Inhale slowly to the count of 10; then exhale slowly to the count of 10. Repeat.
36. Turn “needs” into preferences. Our body’s basic needs are food, water, and keeping warm. Everything else is a preference.
37. Don’t put up with things that don’t work right. Get things fixed or replace them.
38. Stop worrying. If something concerns you, do somethi
ng about it. If you can’t do anything about it, let go of it.
39. Practice labeling situations differently. Are you really “furious” about something, or are you simply feeling angry or annoyed? Are you “crushed,” or are you merely let down or disappointed? If World War II was “terrible,” can you describe your flat tire as “terrible”? No, at worst, it was an inconvenience. Resisting the temptation to exaggerate situations, and labeling situations with the appropriate word, can reduce stress.
40. Live in the present.
41. Every day, do at least one thing you really enjoy.
42. Be kind to unkind people—they probably need it most.
43. Unplug your phone or switch on your phone answering machine while you take a bath, have dinner, etc.
44. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
45. Laugh! It puts distance between you and your problems.
46. Make promises sparingly and keep them faithfully.
47. Remember that the best things in life aren’t things.
48. Buy clothes and shoes that are: (1) comfortable, (2) easy and inexpensive to maintain, (3) easy to match with other clothes you have.
49. Using the TV or radio for background “company” can be surprisingly stressful. Learn to enjoy quiet.
50. Forget about counting to 10. Count to 100 before saying anything that could make matters worse.
Reprinted with permission. Hope Publications, Kalamazoo, Michigan.
www.hopepublications.com
APPENDIX B
Resources
PRIMARY RESOURCE
www.caffeineblues.com
OPTIONS AND ALTERNATIVES
Herbal Coffee
Teeccino Caffé, Inc.
P.O. Box 42259
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
800-498-3434
www.teeccino.com
e-mail: [email protected]
Teeccino caffeine-free herbal coffee is available in seven flavors. The company sends out literature and a 50¢ discount coupon for free. They offer a Teeccino sampler consisting of four different flavors for $5. Teeccino is distributed to natural foods stores in the United States, Britain, and Canada.
The company sells directly to consumers via catalog.
Instant Coffee Substitutes
Postum Instant Hot Beverage
Maxwell House Coffee Company
Kraft General Foods, Inc.
Box PR7
White Plains, NY 10625
1-800-432-6333
Instant grain beverage made from wheat bran, wheat, molasses, and maltodextrin. Available in grocery stores.
Kaffree Roma Roasted Grain Beverage
Worthington Foods, Inc.
900 Proprietors Rd
Columbus, OH 43805-3194
618-885-9511
www.wfds.com
Instant grain beverage imported from Germany made from roasted barley malt, barley, and chicory. Available in natural foods stores and some grocery stores.
Pero Instant Natural Beverage
Unifranck of Germany
Distributed by Alpursa
P.O. Box 25846
Salt Lake City, UT 84125-0846
Instant grain beverage imported from Germany made from malted barley, barley, chicory, and rye. Available in natural food stores and some grocery stores.
Herb Teas, Tea, and Organically Grown Tea
The Republic of Tea
8 Digital Drive, Suite 100
Novato, CA 94949-5759
800-298-4TEA
www.republicoftea.com
The Republic of Tea distributes its full line of teas, including eleven organic teas, to specialty stores and natural food stores nationwide. They sell direct to consumers via their catalog, which also features tea wares. Annual donations are made from the sales of their Rainforest Tea to local, nongovernmental organizations in Mexico that work to preserve the rain forest and improve the quality of life for people who live in fragile rain forest regions.
Seelect Herb Tea Co.
P.O. Box 1969
Camarillo, CA 93011-1969
888-273-3532
Seelect distributes single and blended herbal teas, including some organic herbs, to natural food stores in the United States and Canada. Upon request, the company sends out a sample and literature.
Traditional Medicinals
4515 Ross Rd
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2250
707-823-8911
Traditional markets its line of teas through natural food stores and some grocery stores in the United States and Canada. Call to request a free sample and catalog. The company adheres to socially and environmentally responsible business practices.
Long Life Herbal Teas
111 Canfield Ave, #B-6
Randolph, NJ 07869
800-645-5768, ext VT 1296
An environmentally conscious tea company offering many organic herbal blends. Sold in healthfood stores nationwide.
Celestial Seasonings
4600 Sleepytime Dr
Boulder, CO 80301-3292
800-351-8175
www.celestialseasonings.com
Celestial Seasonings distributes its full line of teas through grocery and natural food stores worldwide. You can order merchandise and teas from their mail-order catalog.
Yogi Tea Co.
1616 Preuss Rd
Los Angeles, CA 90035-4212
800-YOGI-TEA
www.yogitea.com
Yogi Tea has made a commitment to source organically grown herbs whenever available for all of their teas. Call to request a free natural products catalog and a sample of Yogi tea. Yogi Tea is distributed in the United States, Europe, and Canada in natural food stores and some grocery stores.
Tazo
P.O. Box 66
Portland, OR 97207-0066
800-299-9445
Tazo distributes its full line of teas and microbrewed bottled tea and juice to
Tazo distributes its full line of teas and microbrewed bottled tea and juice to specialty and natural food stores. They also sell direct to consumers via catalog.
Silk Road Teas
P.O. Box 287
Lagunitas, CA 94938
415-488-9017
Silk Road Teas offers a rich variety of white, green, oolong, black, and puerh teas, some of which are unavailable from any other source. Most importantly, they work with established tea gardens in China and help to develop organic practices. Call for catalog.
Brew Ware
French presspots, gold-tone filters, and loose-leaf brewing filters can be purchased at department stores, specialty coffee shops, and gourment food stores or directly from some mail-order catalogs. The following brands are recommended:
• The People’s Brew Basket from the Republic of Tea. Fits ten-ounce mugs.
• Swiss Gold Cup o’Tea Permanent Tea Filter. Fits any size mug.
• Swiss Gold One Cup Drip filter for coffee or herbal coffee. Great for making a single cup of coffee.
• French press pots and tea pots from Bodum
• Krups, Swiss Gold, and Mr. Coffee gold-tone filters for both cone and flat-bottom coffeemakers
Organically Grown Shade Coffee
Allegro Coffee Company
1930 Central Ave
Boulder, CO 80301
www.allegro-coffee.com
800-277-1107
Supports Coffee Kids, a nonprofit organization working to improve the life of the families and communities who harvest coffee beans. Distributed in natural foods stores and sells direct to consumers via mail-order catalog.
Cafe Altura
Clean Food Inc.
760 East Santa Maria St
Santa Paula, CA 93060
800-526-8328
Organically grown estate coffee. Biodynamic certification. Supports Natural History Chapter of Chiapas, Mexico, and private conservation endeavors in Mexico. Sold in natural food stores.
Equal Exchange
250 Revere St
Canto
n, MA 02021
781-830-0279
www.equalexchange.com
Follows fair trade principles, member of Fair Trade Federation. Offers preharvest financing to small-scale farmer cooperatives that are democratically run. Sells under brand name Equal Exchange Coffee in retail.
Sells direct to consumers via mail-order catalog.
Frontier Cooperative
P.O. Box 299
Norway, IA 52318-0299
800-669-3275
Frontier organically grown coffee is purchased from co-ops.
Thanksgiving Coffee Company
Box 1918
Fort Bragg, CA 95437
800-648-6491
www.thanksgivingcoffee.com
Supports American Birding Association programs, which help fund Partners in Flight, a neotropical bird conservation project.
NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT AND INFORMATION
MaxCell Bioscience
100 Technology Drive
Suite 160
Broomfield, CO 80021
1-800-MaxCell
www.MaxCell.com
President: Stephen Cherniske
Bioenergetic nutrition, exercise and deep relaxation audio tapes.
Advanced Physicians Products
831 State Street
Suite 280
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
800-220-7687
President: Kenneth Frank, M.D.
TOOLS FOR RELAXATION, STRESS MANAGEMENT, AND
CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Preventive Medicine Research Institute
900 Bridgeway #1
Sausalito, CA 94965
800-775-PMRI
415-332-2525
President: Dean Ornish, M.D.
Ojai Foundation
Education Retreat
9739 Ojai Santa Paula Road
Ojai, CA 93023
805-646-8343
School of Lost Borders
Box 55
Big Pine, CA 93513
760-938-1177
Attn: Virginia Coyle
The Association for Applied Psychotherapy and Biofeedback (AAPB) 10200 W. 44th Ave #304
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
303-422-8336
Institute of HeartMath
P.O. Box 1463
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
831-338-8700
YOGA AND EXERCISE