Feng shui and stress management by decluttering your surroundings

Mess relief = stress relief
It seems strange but it is true that clutter or mess around our homes or work space makes our lives more stressful.
Feng shui says 'If your home is cluttered, that flow and balance is hampered and the feel of your home is less peaceful than you may desire. In fact, the more cluttered your home, the more stressed you may feel.'
                             

Decluttering our environment, home or office is a natural stress reliever. It is a surprisingly powerful way to regain simplicity and balance in our thoughts and our behaviors. It seems to clear away the extraneous so that the important and fundamental aspects of our lives can more easily shine forth. Even the simplest acts of cleaning and organizing can make a huge difference in how you feel about the space. Clutter eats away at the sense of peace and tranquility that can exist in the house, as it is a constant reminder of disorganization in life.

Clutter at your work space:

Clutter in your office is the number one blockage of positive energy as it disrupts your focus and concentration. Clutter is both a cause and a symptom of stuck energy. When using feng shui at work getting rid of clutter is the most essential step to creating a smooth, gentle, nurturing flow of chi (vital energy) through your office, and should be the first thing you do to improve the feng shui of your space .

How to start organizing?

Start Small:
Start with the cluttered, disorganized drawer in the side table next to the sofa instead of the entire room.  Start small and then move on to bigger projects. Another step to clearing out the clutter and making your house more feng shui oriented is to clean a little at a time.

Instead of tacking the entire room, start by spending five minutes each day picking up pieces, putting things away, and getting rid of trash.
By taking just a little bit of time each day, by the end of a month, your home will be significantly less cluttered and you will be excited to see what else you can clear out.

Closet Clutter
Another culprit of non-feng shui living is having cluttered closets. Clothing closets are usually the biggest culprits, because many people have trouble getting rid of old pieces of clothing. When you have less cluttered clothing closets, it takes a lot of the stress of trying to find what to wear out of the morning routine.

Start by going through every piece of clothing and determining if it is a piece that has been worn within the last year or will be worn in the very near future. If it has not been worn within the last year, donate it to charity. Your clothing that is no longer being worn, can be a treasure for someone else.

The Top Two Rules for Decluttering are:

1. Don’t add to what you already have.

2. Throw things out as MUCH as you can. (It feels great once you get the hang of it.)
If you can’t throw it away, BOX it and then, months from now, when you don’t even remember that box,you’ll see how much you don’t need that stuff – and you can then toss it out. (Label the contents of the box if it contains anything important.)


Useful links:

* A lot of decluttering tips at 'Declutter your space'


* Decluttering your home office

Acupressure Point CV 17 for getting relief from stress and anxiety

We know that Sea of Tranquility is the body of water located on the surface of the moon, but there is an acupressure point with similar name. Acupressure point CV 17 is called 'sea of tranquility' because it has an ability to quiet agitation and promote relaxation.

Acupressure point CV 17  is considered to be the best point to relieve anxiety and stress, especially to stop a panic attack before it has a chance to escalate.

Other names: The Sea of Tranquility, Conception Vessel 17, Chest Hall, Upper Sea of Qi, etc. "Chest Center" (dan Zhong) is named after it's location in the center of the chest.

Location: On the center of the breastbone three thumb widths up from the base of the bone.

Benefits: This magical point quiets emotional upset and deepens breathing, which promotes relaxation. And because of its location on a primary meridian that runs down the center of the body, it also balances the levels of yin (quiet, reflective) and yang (energetic, action-oriented) energies of the body and brings your emotional and physical selves back in to equilibrium.

It helps to get relief from post-traumatic stress disorder. Emotional stress can damage the small intestine and heart meridians, which can create emotional imbalances. CV 17  is an excellent point for balancing these meridians.

Relieves anxiety, anguish, nervousness, and depression; boosts the immune system and regulates the thymus gland.
Good for Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Depression, hormonal imbalances, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, trauma, fear, recovering from a injury or surgery and much more.

 It is a remarkable calming point which works in just a couple of minutes, and with practice can balance your emotions and alleviate hundreds of health disorders.

How to apply acupressure therapy?

An effective way to work with the this acu-point is to lightly place the middle fingertip directly on the point while allowing your index and ring fingertips to rest gently just above and below the point next to the middle finger. Try the gentle placement of your fingertips on the area of the Sea of Tranquility along with a few slow gentle breaths in and out, and see if this brings you into a calmer state.

You can also try gently tapping on the area with your fingertips. Working gently with it may be helpful in falling asleep at night, reducing stress while at work, and at any time when you need a gentle reminder to restore calm.

In prayer pose: Keep your hands in pray position with your spine straight, supported by a straight back chair. Close your eyes gently. Inhale, as your head slightly comes upward. Exhale slowly as you head relaxes downward.

Deep breathing during meditation heightens your senses and makes you more aware of your feelings. Holding the acupressure point known as CV 17 while you do slow, deep breathing in and out of your nose will regulate the amount of air you assimilate and is an excellent technique for calming anxiety and nervousness. Continue this healing movement breathing meditation for two or three minutes to discover the benefits. Practice this twice a day to reduce stress.

You need to keep-up this practice for a few months to see substantial health condition changes.

Caution: This acupressure information is not a substitution for qualified medical advice. If you’re unsure of the source of anxiety, pain or other symptoms, you may be best served to consult a medical doctor before you start treating yourself. 

Related: www.acupressure.com

First published at 'factoidz'


 Useful links:
* Acupressure and anxiety
* How to get Diagnose and Healing with Acupressure?

Reduce stress and relax with acupressure point

Acupressure therapy for relieving palpitations

Pal·pi·ta·tion means:  A trembling or shaking, irregular, rapid beating or pulsation of the heart.  The term heart palpitation refers to sensations that the heart is racing, pounding, beating irregularly or skipping beats.  Sometimes it can be due to anxiety, stress or nervousness. 


According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, in most cases heart palpitations are not serious and can be controlled by taking steps to lower stress levels and managing strong emotions. Practicing deep breathing and/or relaxation techniques, yoga or tai chi can all help to reduce the frequency and severity of heart palpitations.


 Palpitations Treatment with acupressure therapy:


 Acupressure therapy can be applied to get relief from palpitation. Acupressure can be very helpful for palpitations, but it's not for everyone. If your palpitations are part of a serious disease, acupressure may aid in healing, but it should not be your sole remedy. It may also be inappropriate if you suffer blood pressure problems, arteriosclerosis or bacterial infections.
Acupressure offers only symptomatic relief to angina and palpitations. Sit comfortably or lie down, close your eyes and breath deeply when massaging the active points.
  1. P6 :

Location: on the interior side of the arm, in the hollow between the bones of the forearm, three finger-width above the wrist crease.
Direction: apply firm deep strokes of pressure in the direction of the palm. The initial painful sensation will soon begin to subside. Repeat the acupressure therapy on both arms. Duration: 3 min or more

2. H7 :

Location: on the inside of the arm; in the hollow formed by the wrist, inside bone of the arm, and the tendon. 
To find the point: 
1. straiten the wrist; 
2. slide your thumb along the wrist crease until the thumb falls into a hollow formed by the tendon, inside bone of the arm, and the wrist. Direction: apply firm deep strokes of pressure in direction of the palm. The initial painful sensation will soon begin to subside. Repeat at other arm. Duration: 1 min

3. Yin Tang :
Location: Point between eyebrows higher than the nose bridge. Use of insomnia, tension headaches, calming a busy mind and sinus problems.

Direction: apply firm deep strokes of pressure in upward direction. The initial painful sensation will soon begin to subside

TW 15: Location: on the top of the shoulder blade. To find the point go directly up from the nipple, around the top of the trapezoid muscle, and down to the top of the shoulder blade.

Direction: apply firm deep strokes of pressure in upward direction. The initial painful sensation will soon begin to subside. 
Repeat the therapy at other side of shoulder. Duration: 1 min


Source: www.soundtells.com/AcupressureOnline

Remember: Seek medical treatment if any other symptoms that indicate a serious illness occur alongside the palpitations. These may include trouble breathing, sweating, dizziness, chest pain, confusion or fainting.


Useful links: 


 * Acupressure and Reflexology for Anxiety:
 * acupressure points to help release tension and anxiety

How to manage stress related weight gain?

 When depressed you loose the control over your eating habits. It results in more calorie count to produce high cholesterol and weight gain.  Studies prove that there is a link between our stress level and weight gain. So what are the techniques to manage stress related weight gain?

 Try these stress management techniques to combat stress-related weight gain:

• Recognize the warning signs of stress, such as anxiety, irritability and muscle tension.
• Before eating, ask yourself why you're eating — are you truly hungry or do you feel stressed or anxious?
• If you're tempted to eat when you're not hungry, find a distraction.
• Don't skip meals, especially breakfast.
• Identify comfort foods and keep them out of your house or office.
• Keep a record of your behavior and eating habits so that you can look for patterns and connections — and then overcome them.
• Learn problem-solving skills so that you can anticipate challenges and cope with setbacks.
• Practice relaxation skills, such as yoga, massage or meditation.
• Engage in regular physical activity or exercise.
• Get adequate sleep.
• Get encouragement from supportive friends and family. 
Source: How do I control stress-induced weight gain?

How to identify the sources of stress and manage it?

Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. To identify your true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses.
Do you explain away stress as temporary (“I just have a million things going on right now”) even though you can’t remember the last time you took a breather?

Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life (“Things are always crazy around here”) or as a part of your personality (“I have a lot of nervous energy, that’s all”).

Do you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely normal and unexceptional?

Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control.
How we become victom of stress?

There are many causes and reasons of being stressed among which may be:

Life Crisis: Research has proven that the experiences that we have encountered over the years are likely to cause diseases which do not manifest until later on in life.
The death of a spouse or a truly loved one causes the highest level of stress, followed by divorce and a marital separation.
The conflicts intertwined with relationships with people close to you cause you the most stress.
Occupational Stress: As humans, more of our time is spent working compared to any other awake activity.
Occupational stress is a result of a factor or a combinations of factors at work. It impacts the worker, disrupting their psychological or physical wellbeing. It can be caused by a number of factors including work overload and stimulus underload. Work overload results from the burden of excess work. It may also be caused by the ambiguity of the task required of the worker. Stimulus underload happens when there are not enough tasks for the worker to undertake. It can cause job dissatisfation, post traumatic stress syndrome, and increase the level of cholesterol and the heart rate.
Social Networks Disintegration:  Relationships have been proved to be one of the more important aspects of our human life, especially to our psychological and physical well being.
Thus if someone who you truly cherish passes away, your social network begins to disintegrate as feelings of loneliness start to take over. This is because as humans, we need the warmth and love that relationships bring to us and the removal of one of these relationships can be heartbreaking.


What happens to you when you are stressed?

Diseases - Stress has been the reason for 50-80% of diseases.


Insomnia - The inability to fall asleep.

Hypertension - High blood pressure, which can lead to lethal complications.

Aging - Research has proven that people age faster when they experience more stress.
 
Quotes: ~ to help you relieve stress in your life ~

"Blame is a senseless action. You are the master of your own destiny, you can achieve whatever you desire and the only force that stands in your way is your own fear. So utilise your power to decide and do it!"

Acupressure techniques for stress and relaxation

For general health maintenance, there are some acupressure techniques that you can do yourself for self healing. The techniques are simple and easy to learn. Acupressure is a no cost, easy and self help method of getting cure for common ailments and it doesn't have any side or after effects.

You just need to select an appropriate massage plan that suits your health need, perform it in the morning and evening and make it last 20-30 minutes each time.

In this article, you will learn some useful acupressure techniques for self-healing. We use a lot of alternative therapies to fight stress and depression which has become a part of our everyday life but acupressure offers a very good solution for this common ailment.

Acupressure for easing mental stress and relaxation

1. Sit still with eyes looking forward and teeth clenched, use the palm to pat evenly over the crown of the head, 20 times,
2. Press the thumbs on the inner sides of the eyebrows (Bl2) and knead 30 times.
3. Wipe the forehead with the middle knuckles of the index fingers, 30 times.
4. Press and knead the corners of the forehead inside the hairline (St8), 30 times.
5. Press and knead along the back of the head within the hairline with the thumbs, 30 times.
6. Knead the lateral side of the wrist (Ht7) on both hands, 30 times.
7. Knead 3-finger-breadths above the inner malleolus of each ankle (Sp6), 30 times.
8. Finish by rubbing the center of the soles of the feet (Kl1), 30 times.

The massage is helpful for insomnia, mental fatigue, absent-mindedness, drowsiness and listlessness. When kneading or pressing on particular points, there should be enough force to bring about numbness or soreness, while rubbing or wiping should create a feeling of warmth.

Source link for pictures and more information: 'Shen-nong'

* Download a slide show about the topic 'Acupressure for common ailments'

Foods help us in stress management

Today's fast going life gives us stress and depression, which we are used to face for hours, days, months and years. But prolonged and unnecessary stress can harm us badly. For stress relief we are usually suggested to keep our life simple, adopt technique to stay tension free and take medicines in some severe cases.

Eating can be a form of stress relieves and at the same time it aids in boosting our immune system. Stress relieving food is a way we can use to promote healthy emotional functioning of our immune system. Certain foods eaten can increase our stress levels whereas some foods can aid in relieving stress.
Food can help us stay stress free and healthy. We know that low-fat, high-fiber, carbohydrate-rich meals with plenty of fruits and vegetables are good for our health as they soothe us without sapping our energy and give us the nutrients we need to boost our immune system.

Foods to Include in your diet:
High-fiber, carbohydrate-rich foods: Scientists believe carbohydrates cause the brain to produce more serotonin, a hormone that relaxes us. And lots of fiber is helpful in preventing late-night binging. Some examples of healthy comfort food include baked sweet potatoes, minestrone soup, or sautéed vegetables over rice.

Fruits and vegetables: The vitamins and minerals of fruits and vegetables can calm the nervous system, control blood sugar levels and help the body cope with stress.
Chronic stress can weaken our ability to fight disease. By upping our intake of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, we can boost our immune system. Acorn squash and carrots, for example, are great sources of the antioxidant beta-carotene. And citrus fruits provide plenty of vitamin C, another stress-busting antioxidant.
You may add these foods in daily diet plan for stress relief: 
banana, nuts, Quinoa (Keen Wah)-A super food from South America, Brown rice and pasta, ginger tea, porridge, hot water(this might seem like a strange stress relieving tool but it works), vegetables, and salad (Salad can be a great way of giving the stomach a rest from rich food)
                                                                                       
Foods to Avoid for stress management

High-fat foods: Fatty foods such as meat or cheese dishes and many baked goods thicken our blood which in turn makes us feel tired, even lethargic. This is clearly not a good way to reduce stress! Even just one high-fat meal can increase our risk of a heart attack.

Caffeine: Many of us deal with a stress-induced lack of sleep by turning to coffee, tea, and colas. Unfortunately, caffeine stays in our systems longer than many realize. Cutting back on caffeine can help with both sleeping problems and jitters.

Sugar: As a carbohydrate, sugar tends to calm us. The problem with sugar is that it's a simple carbohydrate so it enters and leaves the bloodstream rapidly, causing us to, in effect, "crash." On the other hand, complex carbohydrates?such as pasta, beans, and lentils, the starchy parts of foods?soothe without bringing us down.


Useful sites and links:
* 'Stress reducing receipes'

* 'Nutrition MD'

* How to Reduce, prevent, and Cope with Stress

* Stress Management for Effective Ways to Manage Stress

* 7 foods to relieve stress

Tips to ease your stress/depression

Mostly, whenever we face a physical or mental problem, there is a pharmacological subscription suggested from the doctor. And in most cased, when the problem is related to mind or psychological, only anti-depressants are the first suggestion from the doctor. But we know that the antidepressant medication have many side effects. Moreover it is not the cure for the problem, only a temporary relief.

People are also looking for non-pharmacologic relief of illness, including depression. Unfortunately, the evidence to support the effectiveness of alternative therapies against the disease isn't strong. Alternative or complementary therapies probably won't do much to ease really serious depression, but for mild depression or anxiety, some tips can be helpful.
For any form of mild depression, all of these things can help:

One study released about five years ago, found that exercise could be a major weapon against depression.
"Exercise, at least when performed in a group setting, seems to be at least as effective as standard antidepressant medications in reducing symptoms in patients with major depression," said researcher James Blumenthal, a professor of medical psychology at Duke University.

His team's study found that 10 months of regular, moderate exercise reduced depressive symptoms at a rate equal to that of Zoloft.
Another study, this time by researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, found that 30-minute workouts done three to five times a week could cut depressive sy Even less vigorous activities, such as T'ai chi or yoga, may help lower blood pressure and ease stress, Marsh said. "People who exercise also tend to feel that they have more control over their life," she added. That's important, since a persistent feeling of helplessness is a hallmark of depression.

According to Marsh, the science is much less clear when it comes to the effectiveness of supplements and herbal medicines. For example, there's little good data to support the use of either foliate or the B vitamins in warding off the blues.
Perhaps the most talked-about herbal therapy for depression is St. John's wart, but "the evidence that it can help moderate-to-severe depression is very poor,"
Non-pharmacologic interventions such as massage therapy, acupuncture or aromatherapy are great at easing short-term stress, "but the real issue, when it comes to depression, is what the effect is over the long term?
One thing the science does show, however, is that contacts with others -- friends, family, clubs and group activities -- can boost mood and help ease depression.

These tips can improve your mental well being, as well as your physical well being.

I am including here 2 self screening tests, which are free to use, provided by Department of Psychiatry (NYU Medical Center/NYU School of Medicine)

The Online Anxiety Screening Test

The Online Depression Screening Test

KEEP IN MIND: that these preliminary screening tests are for depressive symptoms that do not replace in any way a formal psychiatric evaluation. It is designed to give a preliminary idea about the presence of mild to moderate depressive symptoms that indicate the need for an evaluation by a psychiatrist.

Related post:
Are you unhappy from your life?

Effects of stress and depression on our lives

Do you think that you are suffering from some kind of stress or depression?

If so, then you should seriously think about the worst thing which can heppen to you and effect the people around you. I have been a depressed person and after realizing the negative effects on my life I chose meditation and during that time of stress, I started teaching. Both worked like miracle to me and today I feel like a new person who is getting most out of its life. Let's see what happens when you are depressed or face stress for long time?

Few days ago, switching from one channel to another at T.V, I came across Oprah’s repeate telecast show.

I love to watch this show whenever I get free time and topic is appealing to me.
Oprah was talking to a good looking guy, inquiring about intentions behind the murder of his wife. And mentally disturbed person, who was sure a worse case of depression, told Oprah that he brutally killed his wife because he was suffering from the feeling of loneliness, nobody was to talk or share with him. And if there was a situation that he could talk with someone, the situation would be different.
According to a report from ‘National Institute of Mental Health’ “Serious depression can destroy family life as well as the life of the ill person.

Symptoms of depression:

It is not necessary that everyone who is depressed or manic experiences every symptom. Some people experience a few symptoms, some many.

Severity of symptoms varies with individuals and also varies over time.DepressionPersistent sad, anxious, or "empty" moodFeelings of hopelessness, pessimismFeelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessnessLoss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sexDecreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisionsInsomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleepingAppetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gainThoughts of death or suicide; suicide attemptsRestlessness, irritabilityPersistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic painManiaAbnormal or excessive elationUnusual irritabilityDecreased need for sleepGrandiose notionsIncreased talkingRacing thoughtsIncreased sexual desireMarkedly increased energyPoor judgmentInappropriate social behavior.

Most people with a depressive illness do not seek treatment; although the great majority evens those whose depression is extremely severe can be helped. Thanks to years of fruitful research, there are now medications and psychosocial therapies such as cognitive/behavioral, "talk" or interpersonal that eases the pain of depression.Unfortunately, many people do not recognize that depression is a treatable illness.If you feel that you or someone you care about is one of the many undiagnosed depressed persons, these in formations may help you take the steps that may save your own or someone else's life.In one of my articles, I have mentioned benefits of meditation, and with proud I can say that I have cured my depression by keeping me busy and regular practice of meditation. Keeping me busy was not a solution, unless meditation was there.

Dear readers! Did you come across to some stories, where depression or stress was cured by any other way? Why don’t we share with each other our experiences, as our discussion may save many families and lives?

To get the full report of the’ National Institute of Mental Health’,about “Depression” click here

Tips to reduce your stress

It is difficult to get rid of stress but there are ways to lower it. Every person has its own personality thus manangement of stress may be different for each one, but these tips can really help you in managing your stress/depression. These tips and ideas look very simple and may be you would think that these can not product good results, but believe me that these has worked like miracal for me.

* Learn better ways to manage your time. You may get more done with less stress if you make a schedule. Think about which things are most important, and do those first.

* Find better ways to cope. Look at how you have been dealing with stress. Be honest about what works and what does not. Think about other things that might work better.

* Take good care of yourself. Get plenty of rest. Eat well. Do not smoke. Limit how much alcohol you drink.

* Try out new ways of thinking. When you find yourself starting to worry, try to stop the thoughts. Work on letting go of things you cannot change. Learn to say “no.”

* Ask for help. People who have a strong network of family and friends manage stress better.

* Exercise. Regular exercise is one of the best ways to manage stress. Walking is a great way to get started.

* Write. It can help to write about the things that are bothering you. (I found blogging a great help in reducing stress for me)

* Let your feelings out. Talk, laugh, cry, and express anger when you need to. (Introvert persons suffer most, so cry or laugh like normal humans)

* Do something you enjoy. A hobby can help you relax. Volunteer work or work that helps others can be a great stress reliever. (It is the best remedy)

* Learn ways to relax your body. This can include breathing exercises, muscle relaxation exercises, massage, aromatherapy, yoga, or relaxing exercises like tai chi and qi gong.

* Focus on the present. Try meditation, imagery exercises, or self-hypnosis. Listen to relaxing music. Try to look for the humor in life. Laughter really can be the best medicine. (Meditation is the first effective strategy, which helped me to cope with depression and stress. I am still a regular meditator for more than 3 years)

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