California Center of Longevity Medicine
Office: 818-346-1440 | Fax: 818-346-9356
Follow Us On:


Los Angeles Longevity & Functional Medicine Doctor

Dr. Allan Kurtz

Board Certified Internal Medicine
Fellowship in Functional Medicine

Heart Attack and Stroke
Prevention Center of Southern California





Health Tips Blog


Recommendations for Relieving Stress and Taking Control of Your Life Once Again

By: California Center of Longevity & Functional Medicine on September 18, 2015


Successful stress relief is making a decision to make stress management an important and ongoing goal, and to monitor your stress level. By learning to identify issues and implement solutions, you can begin to achieve successful stress reduction.


Our 10 Steps:
  1. Relieving StressIdentify Your Stressors. Becoming mindful of daily stressors and stopping negative thought patterns in their tracks is a commonly used practice in cognitive behavior training.
     
  2. Simplify things. Identify the things in your life you can change or eliminate that would make life simpler. This will greatly reduce your stress level. This goes very well with Step 3.
     
  3. Learn to say no. People who can't say no often have a high degree of stress in their life, as they try to juggle the demands and requests of everyone around them.
     
  4. Find a healthy balance. Increase time spent doing activities that you find (or once found) enjoyable. Scheduling down time for yourself is extremely important. What do you find fun or relaxing: stretching, getting a massage, playing golf, painting, taking a hot bath, reading an inspiring book? Scheduling this time every week will not only help you reduce your stress level, it will help you change your outlook.
     
  5. Avoid isolation when stress is high. Many people tend to become isolated, as well as physically and mentally inactive after a stressful event, which can really depress your mental outlook. Connecting with friends, family or community groups that offer emotional support, or engaging in activities that you find enjoyable can help turn potentially harmful isolation patterns into a positive event.
     
  6. Laugh often. Laughter provides a release for tension and helps take your focus off of the worries and frustrations of the day. Laughter also lowers cortisol levels and heals the immune system.
     
  7. Stop procrastinating. Procrastination can create a lot of stress because tasks that remain uncompleted tend to accumulate in your mind. If you are prone to procrastination, learning ways to overcome this tendency will reduce stress in your life.
     
  8. Exercise regularly. Go for a brisk walk or run. Exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, allows your body to release tension and forces you to breathe much more deeply. Aerobic exercise also causes the brain to release endorphins and neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, which enhance your mood.
     
  9. Spend time in nature. The modern, hermetically-sealed lifestyle isolates people from the therapeutic effects of nature often leading to depressed spirits and increased risk of illness and disease. Nature deficiency includes decreased exposure to fresh air and sunlight, which is important for maintaining vitamin D levels and a healthy immune system. Get outside as often as you can. Take a few deep breaths to fill your lungs with fresh air, listen to the calming and peaceful sounds of nature and let your eyes soak in the natural colors of the world while you reduce stress and reenergize your mind and body.
     
  10. Keep a gratitude journal. Record five things you experienced in the past week for which you are grateful. From the warm morning sunshine to the generosity of a friend, take time to elaborate on the detail; this has more impact than quickly jotting down a superficial list.
     
Dr. Allan Kurtz specializes in creating optimal health and wellness longevity plans for his patients. He is fellowship trained in Integrative Medicine as well as Functional Medicine. He is also a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and The Institute for Functional Medicine. He founded the California Center of Longevity & Functional Medicine in Woodland Hills, CA in order to help you to maintain, and/or restore your optimal health.

To schedule a consultation and begin planning for integrative wellness & longevity health, contact us today at 818.346.1440