All women have stress.

You can be a corporate woman who has to deal with the big boys. You have stress.

You can be a woman who is in school dealing with financial pressures. You have stress.

You can be a Mom who works outside the home and cannot be with your children as often as you like. You have stress.

You can be a homeschool Mom who has to deal with the stress of what that entails. Uh…you have stress too!

No matter what your story is, if you are a woman, you are most likely stressed out or at the very least stress is no stranger to you.

Women are more likely to die of heart disease than man and women have more stress than men. This is simply a fact of life. We can either let it get the best of us or we can fight it and win!

Stress Busters for Every Woman:

Mental Vacation. Find a quiet spot. Even if it means leaving the house once in a while to sit on a park bench (with some mace on hand, of course…LOL!). Close your eyes and see yourself somewhere wonderful and spectacular. Relax there for a few and take some long deep breaths.

Fitness. Exercise is a huge stress buster and heart healthy. We all have time if we make time. Even a 15 minute walk around the mall will work! Get some physical activity going on  in your everyday life.

Eat Right. Too much sugar and caffeine is not good for anyone. Drink more water and eat more fresh fruits and veggies. You will feel better and maybe even lose some unwanted blubber. Oh, and drink lots of H2O! Nothing is better for a woman’s body, skin and aging than water! Oh, and do not rob yourself of the wonderfulness of chocolate!

Just Say No! Limit alcohol. It is not good for you in regular large quantities. Yes, a glass of red wine a few times a week is heart healthy…but not a bottle. LOL! Also, quit smoking if  you do. It is a sure fire way to a shorter lifespan for a women. Kick those nasty money robbing, health stealing sticks to the curb! Your lungs will thank you!

Find a Hobby or Sport. Do something just for you. Something that you like and you enjoy. Do something for no one else but you! We all have something we “wish we had time for.” Make the time. You only live once. You better make the time. Life is not worth living if you never get anything for you!

Women, make the most of your lives. You have one life to live and it’s not a soap opera! It’s a gift and you should be enjoying it! Just say NO to stress!

Copyright © Lara Velez, All Rights Reserved

Copyright © Lara Velez

Water Facts:

• 70% of the earth…that’s right two thirds of the earth is made up of water.
• Only 3% of it can be used as drinking water!
• Most of the water on earth is permanently frozen or salty.
• Water is the only substance that is found naturally on earth in three forms: liquid, gas, solid.
• If all the earth’s water were fit into a gallon jug, the water available for us to drink would only be about a tablespoon!

Women Should Drink Water for Better Health

Water is one of the healthiest things a woman can put into her body. We cannot live without it. A woman’s body is about 55% water. Water moves nutrients and oxygen through the blood stream. Water has no calories. Drinking more water can help a woman retain less water! Water helps your skin stay healthy and glowing. Water can even help a woman with weight loss!

Unfortunately, most women hardly ever drink pure…plain…no frills WATER. We cover it up with sodas, teas, coffees, and all sorts of unhealthy substitutes. When we dehydrate our bodies by not drinking enough PURE water, it can lead to to excess body fat, poor muscle tone, a decrease in digestive efficiency, and muscle pain.

A woman, well anyone, should be drinking half of our body weight in ounces of PURE water every day. Example: If a woman weighs 180lbs she should be drinking 90oz of water a day!

Sound like a lot of water? Well, if you fill a 20oz bottle of water up before bed, and calculate how many of them you need to drink the next day, then divide that throughout your day, you will find success on your journey to drinking more water.

Application: Drink 1 bottle of water as soon as you wake up…BEFORE you even think about that cup of java! Then drink another bottle of water during your morning routines. Drink water before and after all meals. Drink water when you feel hungry between meals, instead of a fattening snack. Drink water every chance you get!

Soon you will be well on your way to better skin, better sleep, and better health! All because of pure fresh water!

Copyright © Lara Velez

About the Author: Lara Velez is a published writer, web publisher, business owner, wife and Mother of two. You can find some of her work at: http://homebusinessresourcedirectory.com

Secret No 1 Do Relaxation Checks

Stress causes us to lose energy through the unnecessary tensing of muscles. Unfortunately whenever we feel pressured or distressed over something this is the first thing we do. The most common ways to carry tension is to clench our jaws or tighten our shoulders. Do a physical check on unnecessary tension in the body throughout the day and purposely relax any tense muscles. This will take an extra effort to begin with, but over time you will find that eventually habit will take over and you will no longer have to give any thought to staying relaxed

Secret No 2 Limit Caffeine Intake

Over stimulating our nervous system with caffeine can make us unnecessarily nervous and tense. I recommend no more than three cups of coffee a day for the average person with a minimum of two hours between each cup. However, I know some people who become agitated if they have even one cup of coffee a day. So regulating caffeine intake needs to be a personal judgment call. Just keep in mind that tea and colas can contribute to caffeine jitters as well.

Secret No 3 Do Weekly Exercise

Exercise is a great mood lifter. It releases tension and fills the body with feel good chemicals. Aerobic exercise where the heart gets pumping is an especially effective in relieving stress. Three, 30-minute exercise sessions a week would be ideal. It would be enough to relieve stress without causing exhaustion and further stress trying to cope with a dwindling energy supply. However, any exercise done even just once a week that is not too exhausting would be helpful.

Secret No 4 Take Slow, Deep Breaths

Taking slow deep breaths when particularly anxious about something is an effective way to calm down. When we are under extreme stress our breathing becomes shallow and rapid. By slowing down and deepening the breath we are forcing ourselves into a more relaxed state. It’s not good for a car to run on high revolutions and nor is it for the human machine. Taking slow, deep breaths during stressful situations forces our physical self to slow down and puts pressure on our mind and emotions to follow suit.

Secret No 5 Deal with Stress Issues

Going through life with personal or relationship issues niggling at us will cause underlying tension. Sometimes we need to have a heart to heart with ourselves and look at what it is in our lives that is causing underlying tension. We may need to take some action to remedy a situation or we may just need to just change our attitude toward it. Either way we need to face anything that is bothering us and stop it from robbing our life and energy any further.

These five secrets to a stress free life take little effort and can be easily incorporated into your day. Remember, you need not be at the mercy of a high-pressured society because living a stress free life is your natural birthright.

For more helpful health news articles go to:
http://top5offers.com/healthnews.html

Women today work hard and play hard. Their strenuous and demanding lifestyles often leave very little room for rejuvenation. Career women strive to balance stressful jobs with a fulfilling personal life. Stay-at-home moms cope with parenting and running the household while also trying to find time for their husband. Some women, both single and married, actually juggle both professional lives and parenting, stretching themselves thinner yet. At the end of the day, many are lucky to still be standing. Who has the time or energy to devote to themselves?

According to some research, you need to find some time for yourself or you could face burnout, anxiety, depression and a host of physical ailments as well, including cardiovascular disease. So what can you do to help reduce your stress that doesn’t take up a huge amount of time or energy? There are several things, actually. Some are more time consuming than others and some do require more energy, but many can be accomplished in under ten minutes with minimal effort.

Instant Relaxation

1. Take a few deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth, holding your breath in between the inhale and exhale for a count of three seconds, then letting the breath out smoothly and completely. This helps the flow of oxygen to your brain and for a moment puts your focus on something other than the problem at hand.

2. Stop and have a cup of tea. Especially at the end of a long day, a cup of tea can be very relaxing. Herbal teas are often recommended, such as chamomile or ginseng, but honestly, any tea will suffice. Find a favorite, then when you are feeling stressed, stop, take five minutes to make a cup and savor its flavor. Let each sip wash away your worries.

3. Soak your feet. This is a nice treat, especially if you spend any amount of time on your feet. An inexpensive foot bath can be used, some even have built in vibrators to help stimulate the nerve endings. Fill the foot bath with warm water and soak your feet for five to ten minutes. You can sit and enjoy the peace and quiet or take the time to read or watch your favorite television program.

4. Stretch your muscles. Many stretching exercises can be found online and can be completed while sitting at your desk, while waiting for the traffic light to turn green or while at home at the end of the day. Taking a few moments during the day to stop and stretch will give your body a fresh feeling.

5. Take an imaginary vacation. Close your eyes and picture in your mind someplace you love to go that is stress free. Try to imagine every possible detail using all of your senses. See the scenery vividly, smell the air or fragrances, feel the warmth or coolness surrounding you, hear the soothing sounds, taste the delectable food or drink. Make it as real as possible, even it it’s only for five minutes. The more you do this, the easier it becomes to transport yourself to your stress free environment.

6. Play with a pet. Don’t underestimate the value of spending a few quality minutes with your pet. Petting an animal is very relaxing and you can even tell your pet about the stress of the day. They listen attentively and still love you unconditionally.

7. Play a game. Be it a board game with your family or an online video game, play helps relax you. It takes your mind off of your worries and allows you to release some of your built up tension.

8. Practice smiling. Smiling gives us an instant feel good moment. If you don’t feel like smiling, try holding a pen in your teeth (horizontally). This will automatically put your face in a smile. Next, make your eyes smile along with your mouth. Smiling doesn’t just reduce stress, it can give you a more positive attitude in general.

This is just a short list to provide you with a starting point. Beating the stress monster is a difficult task, but with a little practice, these small items, while unable to free you from all the stress you face, can certainly provide you with a few moments of relief, which is often enough to get you through the rest of your day, or prepare you for the day ahead. The trick to remember is to incorporate as many of the items into your life as possible and use them frequently. Not everyone can find thirty minutes to an hour for exercise, but anyone can find five to ten minutes to stretch your muscles, take an imaginary vacation or have a cup of tea. Go ahead, try a couple today and see if you don’t feel better.

About the Author: Terry J. Coyier is a 37-year-old college student studying for an Associates of Applied Sciences degree. She is also a freelance writer who writes about bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. Terry was diagnosed with bipolar ten years ago. She lives with her son in the Dallas / Ft. Worth Metroplex. Terry is an author on www.Writing.Com which is a site for Writers and her personal portfolio can be viewed here.

CHOCOLATE BUBBLE BATH 1

1 cup of unscented bubble bath
1/3 cup of unsweetened soy milk
3 oz. of grated or powdered dark chocolate

Heat the soy milk and add in the grated or powdered chocolate. Stir well until melted and blended, but do not boil. Allow to cool. Mix well again just before adding to your bubble bath.

CHOCOLATE BUBBLE BATH 2

1 cup of unscented bubble bath
1/2 cup of dried milk powder or soy milk
3 oz. of powdered unsweetened chocolate

Mix the powdered milk and chocolate well, until blended. Stir into bubble bath until well mixed. Add to your bath in the amount desired.

Courtesy of spaindex.com

Chocolate Facial Mask

This decadent chocolate mask is actually an excellent moisturizer — it leaves your skin baby soft. Recommended for normal skin.

1/3 cup cocoa
3 tblsp. heavy cream
2 tsp. cottage cheese
1 cup of honey
3 tsp. oatmeal powder

Mix all ingredients together and smooth onto face. Relax for ten 10 minutes, then wash off with warm water.

Courtesy of spaindex.com

Girls Night. Let’s face it, women NEED good old fashioned girl time! Make a point to set up a weekly or at least monthly night for the girls. Go see a chick flick, paint some pottery, go shopping, or whatever else floats your boat. The point is to get out and have some good clean fun with the girls!

Walk Away. When someone ticks you off, walk away. If you stick around and allow yourself to get stressed out, you are harming your body more than you realize. Your heart and organs can be affected over time. So, take a walk, or a run. Just be sure and leave the situation until you have time to cool it.

Write it Down. This is a great way to get out your anger and lower your stress level. Buy a pretty journal and a nice pen for it. Keep your journal in a private place, and write in it as often as you feel the stress building. After you write it all down, you will feel a weight lifted off your shoulders…or at the very least, you didn’t keep it all bottled up inside…which would lead to more problems in the future!

Copyright © Lara Velez

About the Author: Lara Velez is a Woman, Wife, Mother of two, writer, web publisher, and entrepreneur. You can read more of her work at; Moms of Faith

I was very interested by my findings when I looked up stress in the dictionary and thesaurus. Let me share them with you…

Stress – A specific response by the body to a stimulus, as fear or pain that disturbs or interferes with the normal physiological equilibrium.

Big words, I know. It basically it means that your body gets out of whack!

And, the Thesaurus says; strain, tension, anxiety, burden, pressure, oppression.

When we get to the point of being Stressed-Out, we are; afflicted with or incapacitated by stress.

WOW!

Stress is a part of everyone’s life. We all have to deal with it in one form or another. Below are just a few areas that a woman may be trying to cope with stress in her life:

-Fear
-Loss
-New Job
-Marriage Problems
-Being a Parent
-Financial Pressures
-Difficulties at Work
-Relational Issues

The list can go on and on…You know where there is stress in your life. Now, let’s discuss ways that we can prevent becoming Stressed-Out!

Stress Buster Tips for Women:

Walk Away. When someone ticks you off, walk away. If you stick around and allow yourself to get stressed out, you are harming your body more than you realize. Your heart and organs can be affected over time. So, take a walk, or a run. Just be sure and leave the situation until you have time to cool off.

Write it Down. This is a great way to get out your anger and lower your stress level. Buy a pretty journal and a nice pen for it. Keep your journal in a private place, and write in it as often as you feel the stress building. After you write it all down, you will feel a weight lifted off your shoulders…or at the very least, you didn’t keep it all bottled up inside…which would lead to more problems in the future!

Relax. Take a break from the craziness. Light some aromatic candles, fill your tub up with some hot soapy bubble bath, get a good book, a refreshing drink…and RELAX!

Start a Hobby. Find something that you love to do. Maybe you like to sew, write, do crafts, scrap book, gardening, cook, etc. It does not matter what it is, as long as you will enjoy doing it. We need things in our lives that are not “required.” We need to have enjoyment. Hobbies can give us that. I encourage you to find a hobby that you will enjoy and begin to reduce stress in your life.

Musical Therapy. De-stress while your are driving home from work or house cleaning with a cd to fit your mood. Find several types of music you enjoy for your different “stress moods,” and play the appropriate cd for the day you had or are having. Play it loud and sing along…or play it soft and mellow out. You know what you need…This will give you the time needed to get it all out! Trust me, your better half and/or family will LOVE you for it!

Make Time for Fitness. We all know that life gets busy. However, a little fitness goes a long way in creating a stress free environment. It gives you the opportunity to get it all out. Use the stress to your advantage and work it out. Not only will your heart be healthier, you will be coping with stress the healthy way!

Spirit. Making time for God is something that we all need in our lives. When we meditate on Scriptures that are up lifting, we are allowing God to help us de-stress on a much deeper level. Take time for your Inner Woman.

Tickle Your Funny Bone. Laughter is not only good for the soul, it is good for your whole body. When we laugh, we are stimulating the chemicals in our bodies that kill disease causing cells. Now that’s something to get laughing about. And, don’t just giggle. Get a good belly laugh going at least a couple times a day.

Another wonderful thing about laughter is that it has anti-aging powers! Every woman on the planet has stress about the aging process! Let’s Laugh our way out of stress land, ladies! The worst thing that can happen is that we have more laugh lines than frown lines!

In closing, find what works for you and do it. If you do not get a handle on the stress in your life, you will be a very unhappy and unhealthy woman. Why let that happen when there are many ways to prevent it!

Copyright © Lara Velez

About the Author: Lara Velez is a Woman, Wife, Mother of two, writer, web publisher, and entrepreneur. You can read more of her work at; www.wivesoffaith.com

Spa Moments:

OH, My Aching Feet

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp. of Aloe Vera
1 teaspoon wheat germ oil
20 drops of peppermint Essential Oil
20 drops of eucalyptus Essential Oil

Mix together and massage feet gently with this soothing ointment, or, add to a basin of very warm water, and soak. Finish by lightly dusting the feet in corn starch.

Overnight Foot Masque

1/4 cup Almonds
1/4 cup Dry Oatmeal
3 tablespoons food grade Cocoa Butter
2 tablespoons Honey

Process almonds in a blender or coffee grinder until finely ground. Set aside. In the same blender, pulse your oatmeal until of the same consistency. In a bowl, combine ground oatmeal, cocoa butter, honey and ground almonds. Rub into your clean feet, step into cotton socks, and leave on overnight. The next morning, remove the socks and rinse feet in cool water. Pat dry. We recommend you not remove the socks until you’re standing in the tub!