12 Ways To Manage Stress For Weight Loss, Sleep & Health

Stress is the #1 enemy of millions of people today. This is due to our hectic lifestyles, as well as the demanding reoccurring responsibilities at work and home. The problem is that many of us don't realize how stressed we are in “normal” daily life. Unfortunately, increased health and wellness issues prove just how much stress affects us as a society. If you are struggling with obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, insomnia, depression or other chronic health issue, these are all directly related to stress. In addition to those specific health problems, stress can also create rifts in personal relationships, cause you to function poorly at your job and bring financial hardships at any point in time. Stress isn't something that you can’t simply ignore – it builds up and does not go away on its own.

Here are 12 ways to manage stress, so that you can start losing weight, sleep better and achieve a healthier way of life! Please SHARE this post to save and give friends!

Connection Between Stress, Sleep & Weight Loss

Sleep and stress go hand in hand for weight loss. If you struggle to get a full 7 to 8 hours of sleep, it is more than likely that stress is causing the sleep issues, and vice versa because lack of sleep causes stress on your body. Both sleep issues and stress affect hormones in your body (cortisol being a major one); both can cause chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and depression. The following suggestions can help you:

How to Manage Stress for Weight Loss & Sleep

Exercise Stress Away

Regular exercise has HUGE benefits for reducing stress that affects weight loss, sleep and health. Two of the most popular methods are meditation and yoga. These remedies not only address the mental and emotional symptoms of stress, but can also alleviate the physical manifestations of stress depending on the style of yoga and routines. If you want to completely manage stress, you can take a more aggressive physical stand against it by adding even more activity. Running, Swimming, Tennis, Biking, Basketball or other type of cardiovascular exercise will help ease stress and contribute to better sleep, too.

If you are already walking or doing lighter workouts, though are still experiencing sleep and stress issues, then you may need to increase how much you workout (exercise for an hour instead of 30 minutes) or how often you work out (increase to 5 days a week instead of just 3 days). You will most certainly see improvement for weight loss by exercising more. It also helps to switch up the types of exercise you’re doing (day one = walk or run, day 2 = yoga or weight training, day 3 = cycle or stair climb, etc.). That variety doesn't let the body get too comfortable with any certain form of exercise, thus keeping it a challenge and helping the body manage stress.

Drink More Water

You will notice that I constantly recommend drinking at least 1/2 your weight in ounces of water each day. It is more than a simple case of not feeling thirsty; water and stress go together just like sleep and stress are connected. This is because dehydration causes stress on the body. Water is essential for your brain and other organs to function properly. It can help maintain your heart rate, cortisol level and flushes harmful toxins from your body. Staying hydrated means that you should never feel thirsty and is essential for weight loss, stress reduction and good health in general.

Start Eating Healthier

Yes, food and stress are connected, too. A healthy diet is less stressful on the body. Some stress
relieving foods include vegetables, fruits, fish, soups, yogurt and herbal products. Some stress increasing foods include caffeinated coffee, tea, cocoa and energy drinks. Additionally, fast food, alcohol, soda / pop, sugar / foods with sugar, dairy, nuts and meats. I am not saying that you have to give up all of those foods, but if you may want to test certain ones through an elimination process if you are dealing with health complications due to stress. Food is another culprit for stress, weight gain and health issues.

Massage Stress Away

I know this may sound crazy, but body massage can also become an important part of distressing and weight loss. Stress causes the muscles in the body to tense up, slowing down blood circulation and leading the way to more serious health complications. You can avoid these problems by getting a massage once a week or once a month, depending on your budget and how much stress you are exposed to in your daily life. Certain massage also detoxes the body. Detoxing is directly related to relieving you of stress and toxins for weight loss, sleep, and mental health.

If your sleep problem does not improve with proper diet, water and exercise, then you should consult with your doctor for help. He or she may recommend something natural like melatonin, chamomile or other natural remedy. There are prescription sleep aids, too. If weight loss does not improve, try Skinny Fiber to increase your dietary fiber, stamina and enzymes.

Why You Are Stressed & How To Manage It

You're Relationship w/ God | Prayer & Meditation

Unnecessary distance from God can create a tremendous amount of stress in your life. You can avoid this through sincere prayer and taking time to study your bible daily. Most importantly the scriptures are filled with what to do and what not to do when stressed, anxious and unhappy. "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 4:6-7 - All we have to do is come to Him. "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 and so on. Read your bible and open your heart to the Lord; his lessons, love and comfort can help you conquer anything!

Your Clothes Don’t Fit Right

Wear properly fitting clothes. Did you know that many people are stressed out not because of their environment but because of their clothes? Stress can be the offshoot of wearing clothes or shoes that are too tight, thus constricting blood circulation.

Your Purse, Backpack or Case Is Too Heavy

Reduce the contents of your purse, backpack, computer or briefcase. Carrying heavy bags, especially when you have a long commute wherein you have to stand in the subway, for instance, can cause a lot of stress on your body. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel if you get rid of all the unnecessary items from your purse. Your shoulders and back muscles will thank you.

Smoking For Stress Adds More Stress On The Body

Quit smoking! Smoking is bad for the health and causes a multitude of illnesses and diseases. Stress is just one of the many nasty consequences you can avoid if you quit smoking as soon as possible.

Holding In What Bothers You

"Getting it off your chest" is an important quote to remember. Expressing your feelings and concerns is one of the best ways to manage stress. Holding in what bothers you can cause even more physical and mental stress. If you do not have someone that you feel comfortable sharing with or are at fear for stressing others out with your problems, then you can talk with your doctor, find an anonymous hotline, support group or a therapist. They can help you verbalize and release what is bothering you; plus, offer suggestions for how to manage stress better, too. Please do not forget that YOU CAN ALWAYS turn to God in prayer and the scriptures to help deal with stress.

Alone Time (Pray, Enjoy Nature, Read, Bathe, Nap, Movies, Etc.)

Constant interaction with other people can take a toll on you for sure. We all need a little alone time to think, pamper and rest. For some people, exercising or driving provides that time. Some people need different activities to fulfill that need for alone time and to manage stress. For example, leaving the kid(s) with your spouse or a sitter so that you can go to the park to pray, meditate, read, think, etc. Other examples include reading, going to the beach, fishing, playing golf, taking a bubble bath, going to the movies, napping, computer games, etc. There is nothing wrong with taking the time alone to do things that make you happy. It is also a way to manage stress overload.

Recognizing / Admitting What Stresses You & Dealing With It

This is probably the hardest of all. It is pinpointing what is stressing you and dealing with it. I know this seems impossible in some cases, but try to keep an open mind. If driving to and from work stresses you out to the point of physical or anxiety issues, then you either have to find a closer job, move closer to your job or work from home. If dealing with certain people is damaging to your health and wellness, then you need to deal with it. If you can't do it on your own, then relationship therapy can help if the other person is willing to do this with you. On the other hand, sometimes, certain relationships have to go. They are far more toxic than talking, exercise, food, drink or alone time can resolve for you. Whatever or whoever is contributing to making you sick, fat, stressed and / or unhappy ... You have to deal with it because you deserve a better quality of life.

De-Stress To Age Gradually, Sleep Better, Live Longer & Healthy

Some other affects of stress include aging more quickly, chronic muscle pains (back, neck, etc), GERD (gastrointestinal reflux disease), IBS (irritable bowl syndrome), asthma and DYING younger than you should --- STRESS CAN KILL YOU!

The consequences of stress are so vast that I have been motivated to share these 12 ways to manage stress for your weight loss, sleep and health. I hope that you will try your very best to put into action these simple but effective strategies and also realize that there are many other ways to deal with stress like counting, breathing techniques, music, crafts, taking vitamins and magnesium, etc. I have just shared those I know work from experiences.

Please make sure to click the share buttons to give this article to people you care about, so they can learn some other ways to manage their stress, too!

GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU ALWAYS!


Your Friend,

Lea
Join me at Facebook for encouragement, weight loss tips and support!

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Top 7 Health Benefits of Losing Weight - Skinny Fiber Weight Loss

Losing weight and keeping it off is extremely difficult. One major contributing issue is food addiction / emotional eating. You can use Skinny Fiber to help with appetite control and cravings for reasons. On the other hand, lack of motivation is another main problem that makes weight loss hard. Fortunately, there are several health benefits to make your primary source of motivation. Here are the top seven incentives to lose weight and get fit:

Seven Health Benefits of Weight Loss

1. Helps Decrease Joint Pain

Losing weight can decrease joint pain. Research has shown that extra weight places additional stress on your joints, especially in your knees and hips. This added stress can damage not only your joints, but also the cartilage in these areas, leading to osteoarthritis. When you lose weight, the pressure is relieved, which prevents the breakdown of the cartilage and relieves stress on the joints.

2. Gallbladder / Gallstones

The next benefit is a healthier gallbladder. According to studies, having too much body fat increases your risk of developing gallstones. Individuals who are overweight also tend to have larger gallbladders than individuals who are at a healthy weight. This can affect how the gallbladder functions. Losing even a small amount of weight can significantly improve the health of your gallbladder and decrease your risk of developing gallstones.

3. Lower Blood Pressure

You can also experience a significant decrease in your blood pressure by losing weight. High blood pressure means that the blood vessels are under too much pressure. An individual with too high a blood pressure is at risk of getting heart disease, having a heart attack, and even having a stroke. Fortunately, losing just five or ten pounds can greatly reduce your blood pressure and your chances of developing heart problems.

4. Control, Reverse Or Prevent Diabetes

Dropping the pounds also reverses or prevents diabetes. Being overweight is one of the main risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Individuals who have type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of developing kidney disease, stroke, heart disease, and eye damage. Luckily, studies have found that losing five to ten percent of your body weight can greatly reduce your blood sugar levels and reduce your chances of developing type 2 diabetes. In addition, losing weight can return insulin secretion to normal and reverse type 2 diabetes.

5. Cholesterol / Heart Disease

Weight loss has been proven to lower cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is a type of fat in the blood. Having high cholesterol levels can block your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease and having a heart attack. Similarly to diabetes, losing as little as five percent of your weight can significantly decrease your cholesterol levels and improve your overall health.

6. Decrease Risk Of Cancer

Studies have shown that losing weight prevents the development of cancer. Being overweight is linked with an increased risk for several types of cancer, including breast, liver, ovarian, colon, kidney, and pancreatic cancer. However, research has shown that losing weight reduces the levels of certain hormones that have been proven to cause cancerous cells to develop.

7. Improved Sleep & Weight Loss

Finally, losing weight can improve your quality of sleep. Excess weight increases your chances of developing sleep apnea. Individuals with sleep apnea often have difficulty getting to sleep and are frequently woken up. In addition, they often experience daytime fatigue. Losing weight can reduce the likelihood of experiencing sleep apnea and help you to have a restful and undisturbed sleep.

More Benefits of Losing Weight

There is no doubt that weight loss can be an extremely challenging process. However, being overweight can have several negative effects on your health. Being aware of the benefits of losing weight can be a great motivation for dropping the pounds and getting healthy. Additional benefits of weight loss include increasing confidence, decreased clothes size, feeling more energetic, looking more attractive to yourself, as well as the potential of a more emotionally abundant and healthy future.

Please take a few minutes to Learn More About The Benefits of Skinny Fiber and how it can help with your weight loss goals.



Lea
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Does Weight Loss Cure Diabetes? Gastric Surgery VS Natural Loss

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Since a great number of Skinny Fiber customers are people with diabetes, high blood pressure, digestive and other health issues, I want to share this information with you. This is not your average list of diabetes symptoms and statistics; nor do not promote any type of bariatric weight loss surgery. I obtained this information through research and still believe that natural weight loss is the best route for most people. This is why I chose Skinny Fiber for natural appetite control and weight loss. On the other hand, the following information on gastric surgery has opened my eyes to the benefits of bariatric surgery for people suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease cause by obesity; especially type 2 diabetes symptoms. If you agree after reading this article, please make sure to click the SHARE buttons under the title of this article so that you can post this information for others to read.


Karen lost 102 pounds and no more insulin shots since losing weight naturally with Skinny Fiber.

Correlation Between Obesity & Diabetes Cure

About 35% of Americans were considered obese in 2012. At the same time, more than 20 million of these people had diabetes (more than 90% of obese people with Type 2 Diabetes). This shows an obviously correlation between obesity and diabetes in America; high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, cancer and diabetes are all conditions / largest symptoms of obesity to date. This why researchers have been working for years to find out just what the relationship is between obesity and diabetes as it is estimated that obesity statistics will climb to 42% by 2030 with 11% morbidly obese in the population. This places people with obesity even more at risk for diabetes and other diseases including the 17% of obese children in the nation.

A breakthrough came and has been built upon since in 2007. It stems from a study and treatments over the years so that Bariatric Surgery is #1 on the list of Top 10 Innovations for 2013. Results since the study have been placed in Diabetes Care in 2013 and the New England Journal of Medicine in 2012. The Cleveland Clinic researchers discovered that gastric bypass surgery helped to cure type 2 diabetes instantly in some people and that gastric sleeve surgery helped cure diabetes over a short amount of time; some patients getting off medications for 2 years and others reducing the amount of medications or off diabetes medication completely. Prior to this discovery, researchers were focusing on curing diabetes using medications. This is pertinent because about half of the people who take medication for diabetes are now able to control their disease. The problem is that the other half live with diabetes symptoms almost daily. If this is you or someone you care for, then you understand why it was so important for researchers to find a cure to diabetes or how to reverse it.

Is Weight Loss The Cure To Diabetes?

To make their findings, the Cleveland Clinic enrolled 150 people who suffered Type 2 diabetes into their study in 2007. They conducted gastric bypass surgery on 50 of them. Gastric bypass surgery is usually conducted as a last minute resort, when all other weight loss methods have been tried and have failed. It is usually done when the life of the patient is in danger because of the extra weight that they are carrying. Relatively speaking, the procedure involves reducing the stomach bag from the size of a football to the size of a golf ball. This means that the patient is not able to eat as much as they used to. Sounds like an amazing change, though there are complications from gastric bypass surgery. Regardless, the second group of 50 patients was given sleeve gastrectomy surgery (gastric sleeve surgery). It is similar to gastric bypass surgery but it reduces the stomach from the size of a football to that of a banana. These last 50 patients were offered better nutrition and counseling and they were kept on their medication. The results were more than a little surprising.

The patients who had gastric bypass surgery were cured of their Type 2 diabetes as soon as the next day. When doctors checked their insulin levels, they were normal. Insulin is what the body uses to burn the glucose that you need for energy. When one is obese, the production of insulin increases which means that they are not able to burn glucose. This was instantly corrected in the 50 patients who received gastric bypass surgery. The patients who received gastric sleeve surgery were also cured of their Type 2 diabetes although in some, it took a little longer. In both types of surgeries, patients were also relieved of high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. Overall, they had their lives handed back to them. The connection between weight loss and the curing of diabetes was obviously of benefit from the surgeries. Yet, one must keep in mind that not all type 2 diabetics are cured by weight loss because it is a progressive disease. The longer you have it and the damages from, the least likely a cure for diabetes. It is a sad reality and another reason for why early detection of diabetes is essential for long term health. This clinical trial did confirm that bariatric surgery should not be a last resort, but as an early solution for those with diabetes. This Cleveland Clinic also has proven that “obese patients with type 2 diabetes continue to improve or reverse their diabetes, as well as reduce their cardiovascular risk factors, nine years after the procedure.” *

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE MORE DIABETIC WEIGHT LOSS PICTURES & READ THEIR TESTIMONIALS!

Costs of Diabetes & Cannot Afford Gastric Surgery?

The cost of diabetes was estimated at $245 billion in 2012. This is a 41% increase from $174 billion in estimated costs of diabetes in 2007. With these figures at an all time high one would presume that bariatric surgery would be available to all that need it. This is not the case. Gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery is expensive and with the economy as it is today many people are just not able to pay their medical bills let alone undergo surgery. Some insurance companies will not pay for the gastric surgery even with doctor recommendation, therefore what is left for a person that is obese with Type 2 diabetes and trying to lose weight? Is it possible to lose weight on your own if you need to lose 100 pounds or more? You see this all of the time on TV and with weight loss pictures on the Internet. People get tired of being over weight with symptoms from bad health and choose to do something about it on their own. Is it possible for people that are obese with diabetes to lose weight and reverse this issue on their own? Yes, though surgery increases the likeliness because of how it decreases the size of the stomach, therefore decreasing the risk of weight gain again. With natural weight loss there are factors like how long you have had the disease, how much weight you need to lose and whether you can keep it off long term that affect whether a person with obesity can reverse or cure diabetes through weight loss.

Can I cure my diabetes with weight loss?

Shows like The Biggest Loser give hope that you can shed hundreds of pound through hard work and commitment. These are real people that are fortunate to get the help they need to lose weight. The first thing they change is diet and portion control; eating the right number of calories of healthy food every day. Exercise is also the key to weight loss when you are obese. It is hard work and there may be tears along the way, but a necessary option. It is very difficult to manage the kind of exercise needed to lose more than a hundred pounds alone. Most people find it beneficial to hire a personal trainer. This will cost money, though it is definitely a lot cheaper for a personal trainer than to pay for gastric surgery. Yet, you can lose a lot of weight with commitment and help from family, friends and your doctor! As you lose weight, let the doctor measure your insulin levels; it will encourage you to exercise even harder when you see them dropping.

Can you cure type 2 diabetes with weight loss?

The study determines that it is possible to cure type 2 diabetes through gastric surgery and at least reverse it; both scenarios dependent on the person. It is not easy to confirm a cure or ability to reverse diabetes through weight loss because most obese people do not keep the weight off long enough for the long term benefits. Bariatric surgery helps keep the weight off and therefore puts those people at benefit. Yet, different complications can result after gastric surgery. In both cases there is also the factor that it is harder to cure diabetes in people that been dealing with it longer.

Diabetes & Skinny Fiber. Can Diabetics Take It?

How does all of this relate to Skinny Fiber and diabetes weight loss? Many people ask if diabetics can take Skinny Fiber. Although I always suggest that it is best to consult with your doctor first, we so have many distributors and customers with Diabetes taking Skinny Fiber. They share their success and improvement to diabetes using Skinny Fiber for weight loss opposed to gastric bypass surgery.

Here are some results from Diabetics taking Skinny Fiber:


Lana had her thyroid removed and struggled to lose weight. She no longer on diabetes medicine since her weight loss. Here's her Skinny Fiber results.


Michael lost 74 pounds, 36+ inches and takes off 3 diabetes medications as well as others. Read his weight loss journey!


Sonya is a mother that lost 40 pounds taking Skinny Fiber for over a year; she is no longer at risk for diabetes and no more meds for high blood pressure and acid reflux. Read her Skinny Fiber weight loss story!


Siddett was a diabetic for 16 years. She lost 25 pounds with Skinny Fiber and off her diabetes medication as of October 2013. This is her story!


If you would like to learn more about Skinny Fiber and how it can help you with weight loss, here is an article on how Dietary Fiber Helps The Body and then visit What Is Skinny Fiber for details on all of the ingredients.


To Your Health,

Lea

References:
Defining overweight and obesity. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/defining.html. Accessed November 2013
Understanding Adult Obesity. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/understanding.htm. Accessed November 24, 2012.
2013 Medical Innovation Summit. Top 10 Innovations for 2013. http://www.clevelandclinic.org/INNOVATIONS/SUMMIT/topten/2013/one.html#.UpIfM8Trz1o. Accessed November 2013.
Cleveland Clinic Study Shows Long-Term Metabolic, Cardiovascular Effects of Bariatric Surgery in Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. http://my.clevelandclinic.org/media_relations/library/2013/2013-09-19-cleveland-clinic-study-shows-long-term-effects-bariatric-surgery-obese-patients-type-2-diabetes.aspx. Accessed November 2013.
The Costs of Diabetes. http://www.diabetes.org/advocate/resources/cost-of-diabetes.html. Accessed November 2013.
The Journal of the American Medical Association. Bariatric Surgery for Weight Loss and Glycemic Control in Nonmorbidly Obese Adults With Diabetes. http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1693893&resultClick=3. Accessed November 2013.
Skinny Fiber Weight Loss Success. http://www.pinterest.com/healthyfoodlife/skinny-fiber-weight-loss-success-stories. Accessed November 2013.

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