WISE WORDS by Lynda Wise
37 Rockland Dr Toronto, Ontario M2M 2Y8 416-225-3535 lyndawise@yahoo.com http://www.wisecoaching.ca	Lynda Wise B.Sc.  , C.P.C.C.   Certified Professional Co-active Coach Helping women reshape their bodies and their baggage! Weight Loss and Well-being Coach	March 2008 Issue 35
Welcome! What's in it for you?  A connection, some challenges, a few questions to encourage you to simply reflect about how you live your life versus how you want to live your life.   Feel free to share the answers with me:  I'd love to hear from you.   This is an invitation to focus on where you'd like to change and grow.   IN THIS ISSUE:   1.  PERSONAL LIFE COACHING: Life without stress isn't living. 2.  IF YOU DON'T LOOK AFTER YOURSELF WHO WILL? Managine stress can be stressful - or not! 3.  FOOD FOR THOUGHT AND THOUGHTS ON FOOD.   Really?  Eating your way out of stress? 4.  THOUGHTS FROM MY SWING: More walking my talk.   1:  Life without stress isn't living.   Everyone who's alive experiences some stress at some time!   One reaction to stress is an increase in cortisol production.   Cortisol is a hormone that the body produces, to regulate certain normal body functions - such as maintaining insulin levels, proper blood pressure and some immunity functions.   A small increase in cortisol levels can be temporarily positive:  a burst of energy, better memory, and a greater tolerance for pain.   However, when a high stress level perseveres, the production of cortisol becomes excessive and the impact can be harmful and long-term.  Some of the effects are as follows: greater belly fat:  often associated with heart attacks and strokes and abnormal cholesterol levels limited brain function lower thyroid activity blood sugar problems increase in blood pressure lowered bone density reduction in muscle tissue slowed healing; and less immunity It's often said that "life happens" and consequently "stress happens".   Establishing a lifestyle that anticipates stress and plans for stress management will significantly up your potential for good health and happiness! Please read on for some ways to deal with stress both preventatively and head-on when it appears. 2:  Managing stress can be stressful - or not!   Preventatively speaking: sorry - not all new:  but it's sometimes helpful just to hear it once more!   You can engage in a regular exercise routine - including stretching make sleep your priority 7 1/2 - 8 1/2 hours/night or what you know your body needs meditate eat a healthy diet write in a journal daily spend time on activities which feel soothing or which are physically demanding i.e.   gardening, listening to music, cleaning (not my personal favourite) or decluttering your environment have sex learn self-hypnosis to get you into an extremely relaxed frame of mind Head-on tactics when stress hits hard include guided Imagery:  Take a few moments in a quiet place.   Close your eyes, breathe deeply and imagine the stress leaving your body deep breathing:  Close your eyes in a quiet (if possible) place and breath in, extremely slowly through your nose, right into your stomach.   Hold the breath for 10 seconds or so and then very slowly breathe out through your nose.  Repeat 3 or 4 times. Meditate Journal try to take regular breaks to simply chill or refocus on a pleasurable activity play a game; and/or sing really loudly It can often be said that by reducing stress levels and living life in a more relaxed state, you enable yourself to really enjoy life............and what could be better? 3:  Really?  Eating your way out of stress? Not quite the panacea we'd like them to be but certain foods can definitely help reduce your stress!   The list includes: Oatmeal - complex carbohydrates and fibre stimulate the production of serotonin - the brain chemical that creates happiness Spinach - namely its magnesium, helps to reduce fatigue.  Other foods with magnesium include whole grains, beets and raisins Pistachio nuts can help reduce stress-induced blood pressure increases and also help reduce certain types of stress (specifically oxidative stress).   For more info please visit http://www.genox.com/what.htm Oranges' vitamin C can regulate blood pressure and normalize elevated cortisol levels - and reduce stress!  Other fruit that is high in vitamin C - grapefruit Bananas, avocados and yoghurt are rich in potassium and also lower blood pressure Tomatoes, blueberries and other high coloured fruits and vegetables are high in anti-oxidants and are great for boosting immunity - thus counteracting an important effect of stress 4:  More walking my talk   So, writing this newsletter has got me thinking.   Consider handling stress on a scale of 1 to 10.  1 means one falls apart when even tiny things go awry and 10 means one can handle it all with pizzazz while feeling calm inside.  Where are you?   Where am I?   And far more importantly.........what can we do this month to get closer to 10 - even by a little bit? Me first.   I think I'm about a 7 1/2.   I try not to sweat the small stuff (when the airline lost my luggage for almost 3 days I really did stay cool).   However, at crunch times I will generally hold together on the outside while experiencing internal organs gymnastics.   My mind seems to manage life's complications while my body totally betrays me.   How about you? And what can we do this month to get closer to 10?   As I peruse the "Preventatively speaking" list above, I see some suggestions in which I'm well established (not telling which!).   And, the foods in section 3 are all part of my diet.   So, my new commitment for this month is journaling.   Every day! So what about you?   One of the beauties of coaching is accountability.   Change is much more likely to happen if one shares intentions with someone else, thus becoming accountable.   Here's my invitation to you:  email me where you are on the stress scale and what you're committing to in order to bring you closer to a 10.   Please click on lyndawise@yahoo.com and I'd gently suggest that you do it now!  Next month I'll ask for a progress report if you give me permission to do so. Now, I wish you inner calm.   And I wish for you what you wish for yourself. Warmly, Lynda It will be my pleasure to treat you to a gift certificate for each referral who becomes a client! To arrange for a complimentary coaching consultation, an interactive coaching workshop, or a speaker for a meeting or a conference, contact Lynda Wise at Wise Coaching 416-225-3535 or lyndawise@yahoo.com Please visit http://www.wisecoaching.ca All individual and group Coaching is done by telephone.   Workshops and speaking engagements are done in person.   If you wish to share this ezine please forward it in its entirety.   If you are not on this subscription list and wish to subscribe, please email lyndawise@yahoo.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.   Wise Coaching | 37 Rockland Dr.  | Toronto | Ontario | M2M 2Y8 | Canada