Did you know that after Christmas, Valentine’s Day is the largest seasonal card sending occasion of the year?  Surprisingly, to me was that women send more cards than men (85%).  I thought it would be men because it is easy and the card can say how you feel better than you can many times.  An interesting take on Valentine’s Day can be found here:

• Another IVID: the truth about Valentine’s Day! (judithsmarkworld.wordpress.com)

Even if you have not decided on what to do or get someone for valentine’s day, a card that is bought or sent is always a good idea and not difficult to to.  You can have a stress free valentine’s day without a great deal of time.  Did you know that sometimes just knowing that you took the time to pick a card or even make one is all you need to do to make someone feel special.

You can read poems other people have submitted at stvalentinesday.org to get ideas for your own poem or verse.

• Free Ecards From GotFreeCards.com Capture Valentines’ Hearts (prweb.com)

This article has a great idea for valentine’s day as well as other special days.

• Last Minute Valentine’s Day Gift from YourCover That’s Unique Yet Won’t Break the Bank (prweb.com)

Interested in some fun Valentine’s Day facts?

Parents receive 1 out of every 5 valentines.

Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day are the biggest holidays for giving flowers.

Consider exercise as a means of reducing pent up energies and lowering your levels of stress.  Incorporating exercise into your daily routine will give you an opportunity to increase your fitness and release endorphins into your body. Endorphins trigger feelings of relaxation in your body and will assist you in relieving your symptoms of stress.  You can even exercise at your desk or work station to help manage your stress!

You should also reduce or completely eliminate caffeine from your diet.  Caffeine increases your heart rate and can contribute to feelings of stress.  If you must drink tea or coffee, consider switching to a caffeine free variety. You should also avoid energy drinks that are high in caffeine and other substances designed to stimulate your body.

Examine your other habits to see if you are contributing to your stress through poor choices.  Manage your stress by getting adequate sleep? Do you keep a regular schedule or are your hours erratic? Is your diet high in sodium?  Do you smoke cigarettes?  Do you use mind or mood altering chemicals?  All of these risk factors can contribute to your overall feelings of stress.   Eating the right foods at the right time will help manage your stress.

You might be interested in trying relaxation techniques.  Learning some deep breathing exercises could benefit you when you feel stress coming on.  Taking long deep breaths slows down your heart rate and increases the amount of energy available in your body.  You may find that taking a course in meditation helps you to learn proper breathing and how to focus your mind.

Make time in your schedule for relaxation and pleasure.  Spending some time away from the things that increase your stress will improve your ability to cope with them when you return.  What you choose to “get away” is really dependent upon your own tastes and interests.  Your choices may be as simple as taking a bubble bath or reading a good fiction novel.  On the other hand, you may opt for spending a weekend camping with your cell phone turned off. The idea is to give yourself time for your mind and body to truly wind down in order to manage your stress.

You may find it beneficial to start a personal log.  In your journal, write down the things that are running through your mind.  See if you begin to notice recurring incidents and determine if there are other ways of handling the situation that do not cause the same level of stress in your life.  In the journal you may also record what relaxation techniques you attempt and how they make you feel.  This will help you decide which methods are most effective for you and which you should eliminate due to their ineffectiveness.

You can reduce your stress by taking these steps. It is your responsibility to find what works best for you.  Change your diet and fitness patterns to reflect the lifestyle you wish to lead.  Eliminate those products and situations that contribute to your feelings of stress.  Make the choice to treat your mind and body well.  Many times you just have to use humor to manage your stress.

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Traditionally Thanksgiving has largely about the food, although more importantly its about family, togetherness, happiness and peace.   If this is the first Thanksgiving you will have a  vegetarian,  try some of these ideas to incorporate healthy food preparation into your meal that your vegetarian guests will be thankful for this Thanksgiving.  You may find that you will be able to eat this Thanksgiving with less stress .

• Bake some stuffing outside of the turkey.
• Make a small portion of vegetarian gravy.
• Keep cooking utensils separate to prevent cross-contamination between meat foods and vegetarian foods. Many recipes are adaptable, use substitutions like vegetarian broth, soy margarine, soy milk, and kosher marshmallows which are made without gelatin.
• Use vegetable oils instead of animal fats for frying, and vegetable shortening like Crisco for pie crust.
• Read ingredients lists carefully on pre-packaged foods, being aware of terms like gelatin, whey, and natural flavors that can be animal-derived.
• Prepare plenty of vegetable and fruit side dishes, but leave them plain.
• Offer plenty of breads, beverages, fresh fruits, and non-gelatin desserts, which are suitable without modification for most vegetarians.
• Invite your vegetarian guest to prepare a Tofurky or vegetarian turkey equivalent entre to share with you the rest of your guests.   Your meat-eating guests might just be curious enough to want to try it

• Ask your vegetarian guest for help,tips for a tasty vegetarian Thanksgiving, or recipes that would complement their vegetarian choice.   You may find that your guest offers to help out in the kitchen or bring a dish from home. Don’t take a dish from someone as an insult to your cooking.   Take it as a desire to share traditions at Thanksgiving.  Every meat-eating family can benefit from a healthy, nutrient-dense vegetarian recipe idea any time of the year

• Most importantly make a lot of new, delicious (not overly cooked) vegetables that are perfectly in season like squashes, sweet potatoes, and green beans, etc.

Hopefully, these tips for a tasty vegetarian Thanksgiving will help you to avoid stress this Thanksgiving!

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Migraine headaches can be a particular pain for anyone who has experienced one, usually described as a throbbing or pulsating in one area of the head. The throbbing is often accompanied by an extreme sensitivity to light and sound, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The exact causes of migraines are unknown, although they are related to changes in the brain and as well as to genetic causes. People with migraines may inherit the tendency to be affected by certain migraine triggers, such as fatigue, bright lights, weather changes, and others.

Migraine Relief

Some simple ways to cope with normal headaches are:

It should not be discouraging to know that migraines cannot be cured because they can be relieved to the point that they become diminished in severity and frequency.  As you find new ways to get rid of migraines and decrease stress, you will able to find a more enjoyable life.

There are so many distractions and things to do that it is difficult to start to even take the time to identify what is the main cause of our stress.

Dr. Phil has recommended the relaxation program developed by Dr. Frank Lawlis called The MindBodySeries Relaxation Solution which uses a very easy, proven system to “train” your brain to relieve stress. Living stress-free will improve all aspects of your life – health, relationships and career and to eventually say “no stress here”

This proven program shows you how to finally help put an end to stress and anxiety.

What’s best, is that once you do the program as it is recommend, it will work on “auto-pilot” for you. You will find yourself fundamentally reacting differently to the world and circumstances around you. You will feel empowered and you will know that nothing that comes your way is too much to handle and then “no stress here” becomes your mantra.

You can start today and feel better immediately! You will get INSTANT ACCESS to the MindBody Stress-Relief Solution in minutes and begin to have no stress here.

This is the easiest method to minimizing Stress and Anxiety and the very serious illnesses and life challenges that are caused by them.

It’s easy to use and extremely effective… Start by listening to the program as you drift off to sleep at night!

Having little or no stress here will improve other areas of your life automatically – including health, finance and relationships.

The only consolation is that stress and anxiety are manageable using these techniques, and by using this program, you will not only improve your chances of enjoying good health, you will find that with your new found stress management abilities nearly all areas of your life will improve and then “no stress here”.