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TAKE CARE

A Health & Wellness Column by Kristin Duare McKinnon

STOMPING OUT STRESS (S.O.S., Part 2)
March15, 2008

In this part of S.O.S., I share strategies for coping with chronic stress.

  1. Ask for help. Every problem has a solution. A fresh perspective can make a world of difference.


  2. Be aware of your expectations. Stress is often caused by our own unspoken expectations. See Tackling Your To Do's and New Year's Revolution for tips about recognizing and tackling yours.


  3. Learn to say 'no'. Don't think of it as letting someone down. You are being mature and responsible about your commitments.


  4. Only own YOUR stress. When you feel the stress level rising, take a moment to figure out the source of your anxiety.


  5. Eat well. Avoid processed foods - especially sugar and 'white' carbohydrates. Include more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, complex carbohydrates and other whole foods in your diet. (And don't skip meals - the more you skip, the more junk food you'll eat.)


  6. Exercise regularly. To make success more likely, choose activities that you enjoy. If you need extra help to stay motivated, exercise with the friends who you'd otherwise never find the time to see.


  7. Schedule an annual physical. No doctor? There are many family doctors taking patients in Toronto. (One trip per year to Toronto is worth it to take care of YOU!) Click here for a list of available physicians.


  8. Explore alternative care. Massage, chiropractic, aromatherapy, reflexology and acupuncture are but a few examples of alternative care options. Don't consult the yellow pages - ask family and friends what and who they recommend.


  9. Do what feels good. Pets are proven to calm anxiety and bring down blood pressure. Listening to music, touch and laughter lift us emotionally. Pay attention to what makes you feel better and do it more often!


  10. Revisit something you love. You will gain confidence, meet new people and feel great.


  11. Try something new. Don't be limited by fear, geography or your own comfort level. Explore and learn. Be daring.


  12. Take time to be alone (doing nothing, quietly). Sit in the sun, watch the clouds - do nothing. Being alone will help you get a handle your life and priorities.


  13. Spend quality time with family and friends.


  14. Get out of destructive relationships - Not all relationships are good for us. For more information about harmful relationships, click here.


  15. Gravitate towards positive people. You'll feel all the better for it.


  16. Get away. Take a break. Go away for a vacation, a weekend away, or even just a Sunday drive.


  17. Practice your faith. Being involved in a church or faith community can provide you with hope, purpose and human connection.


  18. Remember, time heals all wounds. Whatever is eating at you now won't seem as bad tomorrow or a few months from now. Keep life in perspective.


  19. Most important of all: Remember that you are only human. Take care of yourself!


 


 

Learning about Harmful Relationships
Although it can be hard to accept, not all relationships are good for us. Sometimes they can be very destructive.

It takes a great deal of courage to recognize when you are being harmed in a bad relationship, and even more courage to get out of one.

Following are links to resources that I hope you may find helpful if you are in a harmful relationship and want to get out. If you are at risk right now, please contact the police in your community.

Children & Youth

Bully Online
Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone Bullying Links
Teen Dating Abuse - Fact Sheet
Teen Dating Abuse - Information from Oprah
Teen Health - What is Abuse?
What is child abuse?
What should I do if I suspect child abuse?

Spousal Violence

Domestic violence against men
Domestic violence and abuse - help, treatment, intervention & prevention
Domestic violence toward women - recognize the patterns & seek help
Emotional abuse assessment guide
Help for battered men
How do I respond to a woman who is being abused?
Signs to look for if you are becoming or already are a victim of abuse
What is emotional abuse?
What is violence against women?

Other Family Relationships

Sibling abuse
Sibling rivalry or abuse?
Toxic parents
What is elder abuse?
What is known about the abuse of older adults?

Work Bullies

Bully Online
Tactics against Bullying at Work
Workplace bullying

 


What is Take Care?

"Health and wellness" is one of those phrases that, while popular, is becoming a bit of a cliché these days. While overused, "health and wellness" is often misunderstood and can have different meanings for different people.

I like to simplify things. So rather than calling this just a "health and wellness column," I have decided to call it, Take Care. I have chosen Take Care because that is what I will be writing about - how you can take care of yourself.

Don't worry. I won't be throwing facts and statistics at you - although I may occasionally share the title of a great book or the link to an awesome website. Neither do I claim to be a great guru with all of life's answers. What I can offer is the experience that I have gained from 43 years as a human being, 20 years in human services and almost a decade of living with chronic illness.

Let's face it; we live in a crazy world these days. We are constantly barraged by the demands on our time, attention and energy. Many of us are working full-time, managing a home, raising children and taking care of our parents … in some cases even our grandparents (or grandchildren…). We never seem to get away from the ringing of cell phones, the beeping of text messages and the growing pile of email messages in our inboxes - not to mention the old fashioned paper way of communicating.

Just when we think we are on top of it all, we decide to do something crazy like take a vacation … and we have to work twice as hard to get ready before we go away and three times as hard to catch up when we get back.

The body isn't made to be under constant stress. Constant stress leads to physical changes in the body and the mind that can contribute to serious illness. So don't tell me you can't afford the time to take care of yourself because I'll tell you that you can't afford NOT to take care.

Think of "Take Care" as a place to start … a place to start thinking about some very basic ways that you can take better care of yourself.

Why not start by visiting our website each month and reading this column?

Take care,
Kristin

About the author
Kristin has two decades of experience in the not-for-profit and social services sector, ten of those years spent running her own business - KDM Program & Management Services. Through KDM, Kristin provides contract, short-term and recurring program and management support to the not-for-profit sector. Services include - but are not limited to - public relations and marketing, website planning and content development, proposal writing, program evaluation and development, and project management and coordination. To reach Kristin, click here.

Copyright
The column, Take Care, and its contents are copyright, Kristin Duare McKinnon, all rights reserved. You may download, display, print and / or reproduce this material in single, unaltered form only - retaining copyright notice and author information - for your personal, non-commercial use. You must not change any of the material or remove any part of the article or notices that follow. For further information or to use the information contained in any Take Care column outside of the parameters indicated here, please contact Kristin.

Disclaimers
The information provided in the Take Care column is of a general nature only and is not intended as a substitute for professional health advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any personal medical and health questions that you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website or any other website.

We have made reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained in the Take Care column is accurate and up-to-date. To the extent permitted by law, Kristin Duare McKinnon and Community Living Kawartha Lakes accept no liability for any injury, loss or damage caused by reliance on any part of this information.

Please also read our external website disclaimer.

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