Keep Stress at Bay Every Day

“Stress is now considered the foremost contributor to our modern chronic maladies. Recent medical research by well-known clinicians has shown that stress is a major factor in causing heart disease, cancer, and a myriad of chronic and acute diseases of today’s world.”
-Nischala Joy Devi*

Stress is a huge factor in our everyday lives – it doesn’t matter if you’re naturally a chronic worrier or if you are a yoga meditation master – stress is still there. The world is naturally stressful now – just the physical noise of modern-day life alone is enough to send your body into overdrive, but add on financial worries, career pressures, family life, terrorism & increasing societal violence in general, constantly changing technology, sedentary jobs – the list can go on and on. These factors all add to a stressful environment. And stress – both physical and mental – can lead to a whole host of problems.

While there are some things we can do to lower the stressors in our environment, unfortunately, many of these factors are now a part of everyday life and we just can’t avoid them. So what do we do? How do we avoid unavoidable stress from taking over our lives?

“Physical and mental stress accumulate. This can lead to fatigue, a drop in performance level, and a feeling of anxiety. If not checked, stress creates more serious problems and disease occurs. Mental and physical dis-ease OR well-being can be fundamentally improved by acquiring a few simple tension-lowering techniques…. While stressful events around us may not change, we can learn how to respond skillfully to life’s difficulties, maintaining our equilibrium and a sense of well-being.”*

HERE ARE 10 TIPS TO HELP YOU KEEP STRESS AT BAY AND ESTABLISH CONTROL AND BALANCE FOR YOUR OWN WELL-BEING:

1. Accept that there are many things in our lives that we can’t control.
Sometimes you have to just make yourself let go and let it be.

2. Make time to exercise.
Although this may seem like added pressure to your day, it is proven that exercise not only helps you to mentally feel better, but the more fit and strong your body is, the better it can fight stress. Activities like walking, hiking, bicycling, swimming, the gym, yoga, Zumba, etc. all help to instantly lower your stress level. Don’t feel like you have an hour or so for a “full workout”? Try to at least work in 20-30 minutes of one of these activities – you can still gain full stress-relief benefits even in a shorter amount of time.

3. Add in extra time whenever possible.
Give yourself extra time to do things. Perhaps leave a few minutes earlier or start that upcoming project a week in advance. When you are able to give yourself those few extra minutes, it takes away the stress of the impending deadline, or that unexpected traffic jam. Work is stressful enough – you don’t need to start the stress process just by trying to get there!

4. Avoid the “quick fixes.”
Things like alcohol, caffeine, smoking, and recreational drugs may seem like they help, but the effect is just a short-term mirage. They actually add to the stress level in your body and will exacerbate anxiety. Keep your use to an extreme minimum, or better yet, not at all!

5. Take a break.
Hitting a freak out level? Stop yourself and walk away. Even just a 5-10 minute break will help (Heck, even 2 minutes can help!). Take a walk. Go someplace quiet and do some deep breathing – anything to just slow you down for a moment.

6. Watch your breath.
It is amazing how much the breath affects both the body and mind. Most people today naturally take shallow, fast breaths from their chests.

“When you breathe mostly from your chest, the part of your nervous system that increases your arousal and heart rate gets stimulated. Plus, you use mostly your chest muscles to do the work. Your chest muscles are not really designed for breathing the way that certain abdominal muscles are. In instances of extreme chest breathing, people will even feel sensations of tightness or pain in the chest as these muscles get tired. On the other hand, taking deep breaths from your belly stimulates the branch of your nervous system linked to slowing the body down, resting, and relaxing.”**

Many times our inhalation is longer than the exhalation. However, long exhalations give our heart time to relax, since the heart only rests in between beats. A long, slow exhalation will activate your parasympathetic nervous system and allow you that much-needed feeling of relaxation. Not sure how to breathe with your diaphragm instead of your chest? Try this trick –

Lie flat on your back on the floor. Place a book on your stomach just under your rib cage. Take a deep breath and send all the air down to your stomach. Your stomach should expand and naturally lift the book up in the air. Slowly breathe out, allowing the book to go back down. Once you get the hang of breathing into your stomach, concentrate on slow breaths – four counts in, four counts out.

Anytime you feel your anxiety level rising, turn your attention to your breath. Is it all in your chest? Take a minute to pull a few slow breaths down into your diaphragm and you will feel an instant calming effect and a clearer mind. Try to use at least a few minutes each day to sit and just focus on breathing.

7. Eat healthy.
Regular wholesome foods allow your body to work smoothly, without the added stress of trying to process junk. Like exercise, it also allows your body to be in strong physical condition to more easily fight off the effects of stress.

8. Use imagery.

“Imagery, our inner guidance, allows us to create and experience. It is the language of the mind…. We practice positive imagery as a means to allow the mind and body to mobilize all available resources that assist in the healing process. This creates an intention that brings about positive physiological and psychological responses, such as lowering of blood pressure, boosting of immune function, clarity of mind, calming of brain waves, decreased heart rate, production of a feeling of well-being. Through positive mental imagery, signals are sent to the body to help it repair and sustain energy.”*

There are many forms of imagery, but if you use even a basic method, imagery can help calm and focus the system and make your stressors more manageable. Here’s an easy method of imagery:

Picture yourself relaxed, feeling good, full of energy. Everything is done that needs to be. Picture your body strong, healthy, healed. If you are worried about a particular task – picture it completed in your mind. “See” it done the way you want it to be – in its “perfect” state.

9. Sleep.
Our bodies heal themselves when we sleep, as do our minds. Sleep allows us to process the events of the day and the worries stuck in our heads. It allows the brain to “clean” itself and let go of everything we don’t need. Sleep heals the mind just as much as the body. Force yourself to go to bed at a decent hour every night to allow the body to recharge so you can approach the day from a calm, “clean” slate, and be stronger and ready to fight off the rest of the stressors of the day as they come.

10. Attitude adjustment.
“Fake it till you make it.” That phrase can be so annoying sometimes, but is so true. Try to keep a positive attitude. Instead of saying things like, “Nothing ever works right for me,” say, “I’m doing my best.” “This will work right.” Instead of, “I feel so tired and crappy all the time,” tell yourself, “I feel great. I am strong. I am capable. I can do this.”

It takes work to remove stress, or at least the effects of stress from our lives. There are many methods out there – some more complicated and time-consuming than others – but these few tips are ones that you can easily work into your everyday life to get started.

Deep breath in. Slow breath out.

 

*From The Healing Path of Yoga: Time-Honored Wisdom and Scientifically Proven Methods that Alleviate Stress, Open Your Heart, and Enrich Your Life, by Nischala Joy Devi

**From Women Who Worry Too Much by Holly Hazlett-Stevens, Ph.D.

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Warming Up to Workplace Wellness

EVERYONE WITH A JOB OR WITH AN EMPLOYEE – IT’S TIME TO PAY ATTENTION!

At least 68% of adults and 17% of children in the US are obese or overweight.* Physical inactivity and poor diet cause more than 400,000 deaths each year.** Health care costs are reaching peak numbers in US history, and employers are the ones shouldering the burden.

Are poor diet and not enough gym time causing these high numbers? They both certainly play a big factor, but studies are showing that a large part of this country’s weight gain may in fact have more to do with our jobs. We went from a nation of farmers and manufacturers – people who worked with their hands – to a nation that is often found sitting behind a computer for the majority of the day. Even desk jobs have become more sedentary with the increased use of internet, email, and online chat tools. You never really need to leave your desk at all anymore.

Besides the obesity issue, sitting alone can harm your body and well-being in several different ways. “Sitting is the worst thing you can do for your body,” says Nuhar Jaleel, owner of The Pilates Principle in Latham, NY. “Our bodies are not made to sit. They are made to move.” And sitting hunched up in front of a computer, on the phone, or at the steering wheel can cause aches, pains, and chronic disorders you might not even think about.

This puts even more added pressure on businesses. Employers are realizing that it’s time to pay more attention to the health of their workers and step up their efforts for health initiatives among their employees. Ross C. Brownson, an epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis says that as a society, “We need to think about physical activity as a more robust concept than just recreational physical activity. In many ways we’ve engineered physical activity out of our lives, so we’ve got to find ways to put it back into our lives, like taking walks during breaks or having opportunities for activity that are more routine to our daily lives, not just going to the health club.”

Employers are slowly starting to listen and are looking for ways to cut their employee health care costs. One study from the Omaha, NE-based Wellness Council of America reported that a company that contributed about $100-$150 per employee on wellness initiatives can actually generate about $300-$450 in return in reduced medical care costs. In other words, it’s worth it.

The simple measure of setting up the structure of the office differently is one easy way to encourage some movement:

• Move printers and copiers as far away from people’s desks as possible
• Make the designated smoking areas not so convenient by placing them a ways away from the building
• Keep the food area separate so employees have to walk a little to get their lunch
• Offer healthier choices in vending machines

These are simple tools to add a few extra steps and some healthy messages, but still are not enough for today’s sedentary lifestyles.

Many workplaces are adopting full wellness programs, offering incentives for their employees to participate and add some extra health back into their lives. Some companies offer competitions, no smoking incentives, and health screens. Others offer fitness programs right at the office, nutrition coaches, stress relief programs, ergonomic training, and instructional workshops on many topics.

The key to finding a lasting and successful program for your work is to not fall in the trap of modeling a program after another company. Each business, and each employee population is different. Employers need to consider the set up of their building and the health needs of their employees, before deciding what kind of program will work for them. It’s also important to show that management is behind this, supporting them, and willing to participate themselves. Initially, it may seem like a lot of work to set up a program, but in the long run, a successful program has proven to lower health care costs and make for happier, less stressed, and more productive employees.

The New York State Public Employees Federation is one local business that decided to run a trial to see how implementing a wellness program in their office might work. They started with an after work exercise class right in the office building. The response was tremendous and they even had to start a waiting list due to space issues. “We were pleasantly surprised and overwhelmed by the number of people interested in this first session,” says Nancy Holford, one of the coordinators. “It was an exciting beginning to the program.” The participants were also excited by this new opportunity and are hoping that management will agree to continue the program. They were amazed not only at how much better they felt even after just the first class, but also by the great night’s sleep each participant had that night, and by those that were pain-free from chronic conditions for the first time in years.

Most of us cannot change what we do for jobs, or what we need our employees to do, but with a few simple life or organizational changes, we can change how these jobs affect us. A workplace wellness program is one simple measure that can benefit everyone involved!

*According to one Department of Health and Human Services Study
**Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistic

Sources:
-“Getting Well: Addressing worker health with wellness programs”, Thomas J. Bukowski, National Safety Council Safety + Health, April 2012
–“Less Active at Work, Americans Have Packed on Pounds”, Tara Parker-Pope

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Beginning Ballroom Dance Class Openings

Jenna’s Beginning Ballroom class is back at the Saratoga Savoy Center of Dance!

Register today and receive a 10% DISCOUNT!

Class runs for 8 weeks, every Tuesday night 7:00-8:00pm, and will cover a variety of dances – both smooth and Latin style.  For more information, contact info@silverpenproductions.com

Register online at: http://www.saratogasavoy.com/July2012.html

What Is This Zumba Thing??

Have you heard about this Zumba thing yet?  If you haven’t, you might want to check to see if you’ve been living under a rock lately, because Zumba seems to be EVERYWHERE these days!

This Latin-inspired dance fitness program actually was created over 10 years ago, but it wasn’t until the last couple of years that it’s become an international phenomenon and is now the world’s most successful dance fitness program.  Hearing that it burns about 700-1000 calories in one 1-hour class, needless to say, my curiosity was piqued.  I needed to find out more than just what I was seeing on the infomercials.  And knowing that I was going to soon need to lose the “after baby” weight, I was looking for something that could help me get back in shape without the torture of “standard” workouts.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always hated “normal” exercise.  I love how I feel when I workout, but the repetitive and boring task of walking on a treadmill, lifting weights, aerobics – BLECH!  I guess that’s part of the reason why I had gravitated toward ballroom dancing.  It’s a fabulous workout that’s fun and never actually feels like a “workout.”  Plus, it has the added benefit of learning to dance, enriching my mind (dance is a great tool in fighting Alzheimer’s, among other things) and being out in a social atmosphere.  But ballroom has 1 big problem – you need a partner.  And once my regular partner moved away, I was not out dancing as much as I used to.  So for the first time in several years, I needed to implement a fitness program for myself that would compliment my dancing and keep me in shape, despite not dancing as much as I used to.

Zumba looked like the answer.  Combining aspects of many of the dances that I already loved and/or wanted to try (like various Latin styles, Tango, Swing, Bollywood, African, Belly Dance, HipHop) with cardio moves and exercise technique set to blood-pumping music, Zumba provides a full body workout that sheds pounds, tones muscles, strengthens the heart, releases stress, and lifts the soul.  And the cool part? No partner, no experience, no grace required!  I was in.

I went to my first class taught by local instructor, Carla Schlist, at the Ballroom on Sunset in Latham.  I walked into the gorgeous ballroom and was greeted by about 80 other people (the class now easily goes over 100!) all lined up and ready to go.  There were people of all ages and all fitness levels there.  Despite the reputation for being such a high-energy workout, this Zumba really did seem to have universal appeal.  But not really knowing what to expect, I snuck in the back row so I could be as unobtrusive as possible.

Then the music started.  And the energy in the room instantly rose to an electrifying height that I had never felt in anything that even remotely resembled an exercise class before. I was hooked and I hadn’t even stumbled through the first song yet.  I quickly realized that the back was not the best place to be.  There was no one in front of me to watch when the choreography required us to turn around.  Not to mention, it was hard to see the instructor.  So by class 2, I quickly moved up to the front of the pack and parked myself a couple of rows back.  Much better.

As a dancer, my first inclination was to try to get each step perfect.  And as a ballroom dancer that is usually in a frame hold and doesn’t normally have to do a whole lot with her arms, I suddenly felt very uncoordinated and a little overwhelmed with the concept of all the arm movements in conjunction with the feet.  But I quickly realized that it wasn’t about knowing the choreography perfectly.  It was about the movement (shake those hips, baby!).  It was about letting your body move to its fullest potential without restriction.  It’s about letting go and in the process becoming a leaner, stronger, more confident, less stressed, better version of you that carries through long outside of the class.

Zumba is not just a fitness program.  It has become a community.  Internationally, it’s a group of over 12 million people that are connected through the pulsating rhythms across over 125 countries.  Locally, it’s a supportive group that encourages, uplifts, and cheers each other on not only in class, but in life, during the work day, on Facebook, through our kids, and at the many local fundraisers that Zumba helps support through “Zumbathons.” Schlist explains it very well.  “Zumba is the world’s most successful dance fitness program because it changes lives far beyond losing weight.  The universal appeal of music and dance, combined with the party atmosphere nurtures a social aspect that empowers its participants and creates a bond that is constantly striving to do good for their respective communities.  It’s electrifying, addicting, contagious, and rewarding.”

Zumba Fitness is constantly expanding, adding to its popularity.  Besides exploding on the video game and DVD market (good for getting you through on a day you can’t go to class, but doesn’t even come close to a live class experience), Zumba also offers Zumba Gold (great for beginners, those with physical limitations that would require modification, and active seniors), Zumbatomic (for the kids), Zumba Toning (uses toning sticks for extra strength training), Aqua Zumba (in the pool), Zumba in the Circuit (at Curves locations as part of a strength training circuit), and recently Zumba Sentao (coming soon – an intense sculpting class using chairs).

For more info on Zumba or to find a class near you :  www.zumba.com
For info about Carla Schlist and her classes in the Capital District: https://www.zumba.com/en-US/profiles/50755/

I’m addicted, so I’m sure you’ll be hearing more about Zumba from me.
Check out my tips on Surviving Your First Zumba Class.

Related article: Find Your Zumba

National Dance Day

Executive Producer of Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD), Nigel Lythgoe, has started a grassroots initiative to encourage the nation to move. Declaring July 31st as National Dance Day, Lythgoe hopes that individuals, communities, organizations, and families will come together and express themselves through dance.  However, this grassroots experiment is quickly turning into a big deal!

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) is planning on introducing a National Dance Day resolution at a press conference this Saturday in Washington, DC to promote not only dance education, but physical fitness across the U.S.  No stranger to the healthy lifestyles scene, Norton introduced the Lifelong Improvements in Food & Exercise (LIFE) Act this past January to help promote exercise and diet changes to fight the sedentary lifestyles and obesity epidemic that are creeping through our nation. Norton comments that, “More than 30% of Americans are obese, and childhood obesity has tripled in the past 30 years.  Television shows such as SYTYCD are not only entertaining but are also encouraging people to live a physically active lifestyle.  Holding a National Dance Day in the nation’s capital is a terrific way to promote fitness and fight obesity.”

Lythgoe is excited that the effort is taking off and encourages everyone to come up with their own activities for their community.  He has even set up an arena to submit your plans to SYTYCD and they will pick several venues to send their cameras to while covering the event.  Dancers can also upload their videos to share on the Facebook page as well.  Lythgoe makes it clear that, “National Dance Day does not ‘belong’ to any single corporation, television show, or charity.  It belongs to the people.  It will be up to the individuals, corporations, and charities of this country to come up with ways to take part – wherever they may be and whatever their motivation: whether it’s to lose weight, raise money for a non profit, or just have fun.  It is my hope that countless exciting dance ideas will come to fruition on National Dance Day, like the world’s longest conga line in Miami or the world’s longest kick line in front of Radio City Music Hall or scores of breakdancers taking over the Venice boardwalk.  The sky is the limit.”

Not sure what you can do to celebrate? Nap&Tab, two of SYTYCD’s choreographers, have created a short hiphop routine that anyone can try at home or with a group of people. Learn the dance below or make up your own routine!

Although the day is to generate a national awareness for dance – a medium that can bring together all individuals regardless of culture or society’s boundaries into a “positive platform” in which we can all share a moment of peace, expression, and passion – but more than anything, the day is meant to promote health and wellness, so the goal is just to get moving.  Lythgoe hopes to “prove that the ‘Power of Dance’ can MOVE an entire country.”  So throw on some comfy shoes and join the country in moving this Saturday!

Source & for more info, or to upload your videos:  http://dance.blogs.fox.com/tag/national-dance-day/

Albany Dance Examiner

If you would like to share what you and/or your community is doing for National Dance Day, click on comments and we’ll start a list!

Studio Spotlight: The Saratoga Savoy Center of Dance

Photo Courtesy of the Saratoga Savoy Center of Dance

There are many great dance studios throughout this country. If you are in the upstate NY area, keep checking back here for periodic local studio spotlights.

This week’s spotlight: The Saratoga Savoy Center of Dance.  Located in the heart of historic Saratoga Springs, NY, the Savoy is a sophisticated oasis in the social dance world. Offering the most versatile ballroom experience in the….   (Read full article here.)

A Timeless Tradition

The Current Ballroom Dance Craze and the Surprising Health Benefits

Ballroom Dancing – passion, blinding sequins, skimpy outfits.  That’s what most people think of when they hear “Ballroom.”  Well, that and the Hollywood and sports stars that have traded in their Italian leather soles for a sleek pair of dance shoes.  If you caught yourself pausing the remote on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, you’re not the only one.  Millions of people have tuned in to watch the stars go from bumbling idiots to the graceful Fred and Gingers of our day gliding across the dance floor.  Even the professionals on the show went from no-name dancing wonders to being a part of everyday conversation (“Did you hear that Maks and Karina are engaged?” “How about Julianne’s new album?”)  Spawning several spin-off shows, Dancing with the Stars has firmly found its way into American culture.  And with the rise in dance movies, Ballroom dancing has become an unprecedented multi-generational trend.

Dance is obviously not new, but something we keep coming back to.  As Don Dworkin, a musician known for his work with the toe-tapping groups Doc Scanlon’s Rhythm Boys and Reggie’s Red Hot Feetwarmers, says, “…in almost 30 years of playing dance music, I’ve noticed that the music runs in cycles and always comes back to the great standards of the ‘30s and ‘40s.  The music of George Gershwin, Glenn Miller, and Louis Jordan will always connect with something deep down in the American dancing psyche.”

A New Trend for All Ages

It is no surprise that Ballroom dancing offers an elegant and passionate alternative to the gyrating we’ve been seeing on the dance floor, but the real surprise is that this timeless tradition once called “your grandmother’s dancing” is now also being embraced by a much younger audience.  In explanation to this new infatuation by the younger generations, Brian McDonald, president of the National Dance Council of America said, “Young people like it because it’s different, artistic, and has a great competitive attitude about it.”  Not only that, but surprise – it has many health benefits too!

Health Benefits of Ballroom Dancing

Studies have shown that a competition Ballroom dancer has an equal breathing rate and muscle exertion as an Olympic level, 800-meter runner.  Billions of dollars a year are spent on exercise equipment and gym memberships that many people never even really use.  It seems too much of a chore to workout in the “traditional” sense.  It’s not very motivating to get on a treadmill and walk/run to nowhere for an hour.  But when exercise is fun, we’re more likely to do it.  And if it doesn’t feel like exercise – even better!

A Popular Alternative

Dancing is fast becoming a popular alternative to mainstream fitness.  Just like the other low-impact, weight-bearing exercises, dance is suitable for everyone – any age, shape, or size.  On top of burning calories, dance can also help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease.  The New England Journal of Medicine published a 2003 study demonstrating that Ballroom dancing at least twice a week helped ward off dementia.  And for people who already have Alzheimer’s, dancing to familiar music has been shown to help patients remember some forgotten memories.

Other Health Benefits

• Tones Body
• Fights Osteoporosis and Arthritis –
  Assists the body to build and maintain strong bones, while also lubricating joints.
• Raises Good Cholesterol Levels–
  At the same time, stabilizes blood sugar levels.  More stable blood sugar means less energy crashes, stabilized appetite, and also can be an aid for those with diabetes.
• Strengthens Muscles and Protects the Crucial Core Area –
  Shields us from injury in our day-to-day lives by forcing our bodies to balance in a variety of ways.  In conjunction with the muscular system, the nervous system also works extra hard to keep the connection between the mind and body, and strengthen our reflexes and coordination.
• Endorphin Highs –
  Once our endorphin levels rise, our stress significantly falls.  This allows our immune systems to work at full potential and we feel more fit, confident, and happy – an important aspect in fighting depression.
• Social Benefits –
  What better way to get out and meet new people than on a dance floor, whether in the classroom or out on the town!

Dave Wolf, owner of The Saratoga SAVOY Center of Dance in Saratoga Springs, NY, has seen many of these benefits in his students.  “One of our students lost 30 pounds when he started with us.  And just the other day another student came in all excited that she had lost two dress sizes.”  With an extensive background, Dave has developed dance programs that have been endorsed by the American Heart Association and has instituted programs in schools for ages 11 and up.

Whether just for the health benefits, enjoyment of a night out, a new competitive sport, or to get ready for that special first dance on your wedding day, social dancing allows everyone to be part of this classic American tradition that is disguising itself as a hot new craze.