Eight Simple Ways to Reduce Stress and Improve Your Health

© 2011 Carol James, Founder of InspiredLiving.com

Your health and well-being is determined to a large extent by the care you give your body, mind and spirit. It’s your responsibility to treat your body in ways that nourish and enhance it – wholesome nutrition, movement and exercise, pampering, clean, fresh air, healthy environments, pure water, exposure to nature, etc. You feed your mind by focusing on thoughts that feel good and are uplifting. You nurture your spirit by taking care of yourself and following your heart. These can pay big dividends to your well-being and joy of life, because when you feel sick, weary, drained, burned-out and unhealthy, the quality of your relationships, productivity, attitude and motivation suffers.

Here are eight ways to take charge of your health and well-being:

1. Nurture yourself with kindness and love instead of abusing your body with excessive amounts of food, alcohol, drugs or overwork.
2. Rest when you are tired instead of pushing to exhaustion.
3. Eat nourishing and wholesome food instead of bingeing on junk food.
4. Get fresh air as often as possible instead of spending inordinate amounts of time in stagnant, artificial environments.
5. Breathe deeply and fully instead of shallowly and weakly.
6. Seek activities that bring pleasure and enjoyment instead of activities that are boring, tedious or exhausting.
7. Take frequent breaks to exercise and move your body instead of spending long hours glued to the desk or computer.
8. Seek an optimistic attitude (what's good and right) toward life instead of a pessimistic attitude (what's bad and wrong).

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