When people feel stressed they usually carry anxiety in their body. We often say that people who are anxious are tense people. They usually report a variety of aches and pains including headache, sore neck, back, and shoulders. When you carry anxiety in your body, you feel tense and sore. Feeling tense and sore creates more stress and anxiety…more fuel for the downward spiral of depression. Fortunately there are ways in which you can download tension. Box breathing is one way to reduce anxiety and tension. Progressive muscle relaxation is yet another.
We often don’t notice the tension we carry. What you do in practicing progressive muscle relaxation is simple. Try tensing all of your major muscle groups at once, and then relax. As a result you really notice the feelings of tension and relaxation. Progressive muscle relaxation allows you to relax one muscle group at a time. As you do this you’ll learn to notice which parts of your body are tense, and how to relax them.
To do progressive muscle relaxation you’ll need a half hour or so. You also need to sit or lie down.
In progressive muscle relaxation we tense a muscle group for 10 seconds, and then relax it for 20 seconds. Tense a muscle group and count to 10, relax and count to 20, then tense the next muscle group. The trick is to tense up for 10 seconds and then really let go. Don’t relax the muscle slowly; relax it all at once, so that you can really feel the muscle go from maximum tension to maximum relaxation.
If you have any kind of muscle or joint problem, take it easy. Don’t tense too hard. If it hurts, back off a bit. Use common sense and do not tense any muscle group that causes you pain.
Start with your feet and legs, then your back, chest and stomach, shoulders, hands and arms, move to your head and then finish with a body scan. To get the most out of this exercise you’ll need at least half an hour and a quiet room.
Faryal - Health Educator
Your Back: Gently arch your back to tense the muscles of your lower back. If you have lower back problems skip this part. Hold for a count of 10 then relax for a count of 20.
Your Chest and Stomach
Take a deep breath and tense all of the muscles of your chest and stomach. Hold for a count of 10 then breath out and relax to a count of 20. Repeat.
Your Shoulders
Try to touch your ears with your shoulders to tense the muscles of your shoulders. Squeeze the muscles for a count of 10 then relax for a count of 20. Repeat.
Stretch your upper arms backwards, as if you were trying to touch your shoulder blades together. Hold for a count of 10 then relax for a count of 20. Repeat.
Faryal - Health Educator
Autumn is a great season with its crisp mornings and brilliant afternoons. It also a time of transition between summer and winter and is the season of the harvest.
This allows for nutrient-packed produce and healthy eating. The bright colours of autumn produce reflect high amounts of vitamins and antioxidants.
As we leave behind the celebration of thanksgiving and prepare for the fun of spooky treats and jack-o-lanterns, consider the goodness packed in pumpkins – the emblematic symbol of fall. They are loaded with Vitamin A and beta carotenes, Vitamins C, K and E, potassium and magnesium. This means it helps to keep skin looking younger, aids in vision, protects from sun damage and helps with prostate problems (especially the seeds).
Other fall offerings include apples, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and greens (also high in Vitamins A, C and potassium) and onions, garlic and beets which provide a host of immune-boosting nutrients strengthening us in preparation for cold and flu season.Members, share with us other ways of enjoying fall produce…… one example is a hearty autumn soup packed with all these powerful nutrients?
Faryal - Health Educator
