• Three Steps to Preparing Your Body for Summer

• 16 Tips to Looking + Feeling Great

•  Low Carb Diet Secrets Revealed!

• Stay Out of the Sun!

•  Protein - its place in your weight loss program.

•  How a Low Carb Lifestyle Can Help Your Entire Family

•  Stress In The Workplace

Three Steps to Preparing Your Body for Summer

Author: Marjorie Geiser

Summer isn’t too far away. It’s almost time for shorts, tank tops, and bathing suits. Time to prepare the body for not only looking good in such few clothes, but preparing the body for the effects of the heat and sun. Three important steps to this preparation include exercise, eating foods high in antioxidants, and drinking plenty of water.

The National Weight Control Registry and a Consumer’s Report survey of 32,000 people both show that people who have lost significant amounts of weight and kept it off have all followed some consistent guidelines, which has included regular exercise, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, following a low fat diet, and eating primarily healthy fats.

The advantage of regular exercise not only includes weight loss, but more important is that consistent exercise results in body fat loss and development of muscle tone, which shows most when clothes are skimpier. This improvement can be felt quickly, as the muscles are worked and get used to the demands made of them. When you feel more fit, you start to hold yourself up, stronger and prouder. Posture improves and you just look better, overall. For someone who has not been exercising regularly, after a quick checkup by your doctor, simple walking can be a great way to get started! But, in order for it to be effective, you have to do it on a regular basis; at least 3-5 days a week. When just starting out, 3 days a week of 20 minutes per walk may be plenty. It may even be a challenge at first! If you keep it up, though, shortly it will get easier. As it gets easier, progression to 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week will be more effective. If someone started walking 4 miles per hour (15 minutes per mile) for 30 minutes, 5 days a week, they will start burning roughly an extra 1500 calories a week. Although this will only result the loss of a few pounds in 10 weeks, the increase in your resting metabolic rate will also increase with regular exercise. Your resting metabolic rate is how many calories you burn at rest. The higher your metabolic rate, the more calories you burn when just sitting! So, without even changing the way you eat, you’re already working towards some weight loss.

This brings us to the second step for preparing the body for summer, which is making some changes to the diet by increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables. There are three advantages to a diet high in fruits and vegetables; 1) these foods are rich in antioxidants, which help protect the skin from the harmful, oxidating effects of the sun and toxic chemicals from the hot air, 2) they also have been shown to help fight against heart disease, cancer and obesity, 3) finally, they will fill you up on fewer total calories because they are high in fiber and bulk. If a person were to eat 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, which is the recommendation of many health organizations, today, they would feel fuller on fewer net calories by the end of the day. Theoretically, they could end up eating 200-500 fewer calories per day, which further helps with weight loss. Plus, you would feel better, your hair, skin and nails would look better, and you would become more ‘regular’.

The final important step to preparing for summer is to increase your intake of water. Sixty percent of our body is water. Studies have shown that a diet adequate in water helps with weight loss, helps moisten skin, decreases dryness, can help prevent the development of wrinkles, keeps the hands and lips moist, can help fight heat exhaustion, and even has shown to decrease bladder cancer in men. Although there is a lot of debate over just how much water each of us needs, a good individual rule of thumb is to drink enough water so that your urine is clear by the afternoon. Worry about staying up all night going to the bathroom? Then drink most of your water in the first half of the day. Don’t like water? Then experiment with various temperatures of plain water, or add a slice of lemon or orange to your water. Perhaps you can find a flavored (not sweetened) water. Even eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables and getting plenty of other fluids can be adequate for some, because these foods and other fluids also provide free water for the body’s needs.

Now is the time to start getting ready for summer! It’s not too late. If you start on these steps now, you’ll be well on your way to feeling great, looking great, and be prepared for a new you this summer, strutting your stuff in those brand new shorts that are sitting in your closet.

About the author:

16 Tips to Looking + Feeling Great

Author: Jesse Cannone

Article:

Do you want to improve the quality of your life? Do you want to look and feel better than you have in years – maybe better than you ever have before? Do you want to protect yourself from disease and injury? And do you want to live a longer, more vital life? I’m confident that you answered YES! to each of those questions, just as the hundreds of individuals I’ve counseled, coached, and trained in my career as a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer and Rehabilitation Specialist. I’m now going to reveal to you the 16 essential strategies that have enabled my clients to achieve the health and fitness goals they always wanted! 16 Essential Weight Loss and Fitness Strategies 1. In the beginning, your fitness program should not be overly aggressive. One of the biggest problems people encounter when starting a fitness program is rapidly depleted motivation after only a few weeks due to an overly ambitious fitness program. Attempting to do too much too fast is worse than doing nothing at all! Because then you feel like exercise is too hard and it’s just not for you. Start out slow, maybe just shooting for 1 or 2 workouts a week. Once you have successfully added that to your normal routine, then attempt to slowly add to your fitness program. Plus, most people don’t need to exercise more than 3-4 times a week. That doesn’t mean you can’t exercise more; it’s just not necessary. 2. Always have a detailed plan! In order to reach your health and fitness goals, you must have a road map to follow. I can’t stress this enough. If you are unsure of how to put together a fitness plan, or if you’re uncertain of the effectiveness of the one you have, I highly recommend you consult a professional fitness trainer. With a well thought out plan you are much more likely to be successful! 3. Set realistic, attainable goals. You must have tangible, quantifiable, short and long-term goals so you can measure and assess your progress. Too many people have totally unrealistic expectations of what to expect from an exercise and nutrition program. The best way for you to understand what is realistic and attainable is to talk with a fitness professional – not to buy into the “hype” of infomercials and diet and fitness products that are blatantly misleading. 4. Keep a journal! This is one of the most important things you can do. If you’re not tracking what you’re doing, how will you know what worked? There are quite a few great exercise and nutrition logs I’ve come across. You should keep track of all your exercise and also each day’s food intake. There’s a company called NutraBiotics that makes a great 90-day journal that can be used to track strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and daily nutrition. If you would like more information on this journal, please feel free to call me at 240-731-3724. 5. You must be accountable! Set exercise appointments with yourself if you’re not working with a personal fitness trainer. Use your appointment book to set aside times for exercise, just like you do for meetings or events. Don’t let things get in the way. Nothing is more important than your health! If you don’t have your health you can’t effectively do anything. I often have mothers tell me that they can’t find time to exercise because they have to take care of their children. I have 4 daughters myself, and a baby on the way, so I know exactly how hard it is. Whatever your situation is, making the commitment to exercise and your health IS possible, and very important. Plus, it sets a great example for the children! 6. Remember the benefits of exercise. Being physically fit affects every aspect of your life: you sleep better, eat better, love better, overcome stress better, work better, communicate better, and live better! Remember how good it feels to finish a workout, and how great it feels to meet your goals! 7. Exercise safely and correctly. So much time is wasted doing, at best, unproductive exercise, or at worst, dangerous exercise. Educate yourself on how to exercise correctly. The best way to do that is to hire a personal fitness trainer. It could be for just a few sessions to learn the basics, or it could be for a few months to learn everything. It’s completely up to you. But statistics prove that those who understand how to exercise correctly get better, faster results. And that’s what you want, right? 8. Enjoy your exercise! For example, if you hate doing strength training, try to find ways to make it more enjoyable. Circuit training might be a more fun and exciting way to fit this important part of fitness into your program. The key is you should enjoy it, and if you don’t you need to look for other exercises or activities to replace whatever it is you don’t enjoy. If you don’t enjoy it, how do you expect to stick with it? 9. Make time to stretch! It has so much benefit and takes very little time. So many people suffer from various aches and pains of which most can be eliminated by basic stretches! Try to spend at least 5 minutes after each workout stretching. For more information on stretching and how it eliminates aches and pains, please call 240-731-3724 to request a FREE copy of my special report “No More Back Pain”. 10. Don’t think you need to exercise 5 days a week! I touched on this earlier. Many people feel they’re getting fat because they’re not exercising. Totally not the case! Exercise is not the answer! It’s all in your eating habits. However, exercise can aid in burning body fat, plus there are numerous health benefits. Think of exercise as a bonus. How many people do you know who exercise 3-5 times per week, but still fail to meet their weight loss and fitness goals? I’ve met hundreds! First look at your eating habits, such

as: when you eat, what you eat, how much you eat, where you eat, and how often you eat. 11. Never skip breakfast, or any meal! If you want to maximize your fitness or fat-loss efforts you’ve got to eat breakfast! So many people skip breakfast, and it’s the worst thing you could ever do when it comes to fat-loss. Skipping meals throws your blood sugar all out of whack and it sets you up to store your next meal as fat, almost guaranteed! 12. Eat fat to lose fat. Healthy fats are necessary to your body for numerous reasons: regulating hormonal production, improving immune function, lowering total cholesterol, and providing the basics for healthy hair, nails, and skin. The key is to eat the right types of fats. The “good’ fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, and avocados, to name a few. The “bad” fats are partially hydrogenated oils, and trans fats. Most processed foods contain large amounts of these bad fats. For more information on the different types of fats, please call 240-731-3724 to request a FREE copy of my Healthy Eating Guidelines. 13. Drink plenty of fresh, clean water. Yes, I know that you have probably heard this one over and over again. But there’s a reason for that – it’s that important! The recommended daily intake of water is 8 glasses, or 64 oz. You should even be drinking even more if you are active or exercise regularly. And no, soda, juice, coffee, and tea DON’T count! Nearly every chemical process place in your body, takes place in water! Proper blood flow and digestion are both affected by how much water you drink, and poor blood flow and digestion can be linked to numerous health conditions. 14. Stabilize your blood sugar! If you want to burn fat and prevent your body from putting it back on, you must stabilize your blood sugar. In order to do this you need to eat small, balanced meals or snacks every 2-3 hours. Fasting, skipping meals, and overly restrictive diets will enable you to lose weight – in the short run. The weight you lose is primarily water weight and muscle tissue, and in the long run has opposite effect of what you want. When you restrict your diet, your body instinctively thinks it’s being starved and shifts into a protective mode by slowing down the metabolism and storing nearly all calories as body fat. Plus, losing muscle tissue is the last thing you want to do. Muscle burns calories, even while you sleep. You should be focused on increasing, or at least maintaining muscle tissue. 15. Focus on increasing muscle tissue. As I mentioned previously, muscle burns calories, so if you want to increase your metabolism, you have to increase your muscle. The best way to do that is with progressive strength training. That doesn’t mean you have to join a gym, buy expensive fitness equipment, or follow some bodybuilding workout program; it simply means you need to challenge your muscles! You can do that at home in just 15-20 minutes, 2-3 times a week. 16. Get the help of an expert! Obviously, meeting your health and fitness goals is important to you, so why not eliminate the guesswork and start seeing the results you have always wanted? With the help of a qualified professional you can! If your car breaks down, where do you take it? Mechanic, right? How about if you have a cavity? Dentist. So why is it that so many people attempt to solve their health and fitness problems without consulting an expert? I don’t know exactly, but I encourage you to make the investment in yourself- in your life- by hiring a professional to educate you and help you meet your goals. So there you have it. The 16 essential strategies for an effective weight loss and fitness program that will have you looking and feeling great!

About the author:

 Low Carb Diet Secrets Revealed!

Author: Jeff Smith

You may be considering a low carb diet program, but wonder if they really work, and if so, how well?

Let's take the mystery out of low carb diets by giving you the 3 most important elements to their success.

First, you need to bring your carboydrate cravings under control. Some diet programs argue that most of us are addicted to carbohydrates. Others take a more moderate approach and link it to the glycemic index.

All of the low carb diets are consistent on this one fact though

- you need to overcome short-term cravings to ensure long term weight loss success.

There is definite scientific proof linking simple carbohydrates, such as sugar, to cravings you have for more food.

Second, you need to focus on better carbs versus the worse carbs. What that means is simply that you must consider which carbohydrates result in more glucose spikes being created by your body.

Simple carbs are quickly absorbed and result in significant glucose spikes which, can result in more fat being stored in your body. Low carb diets balance overall carbohydrate input with the quality and type of carbohydrates.

Just by reducing the simple carbs in your diet such as sugar, milk, some fruit you can make a big difference in curbing your cravings for more food.

Third, you must gain confidence in the delicious foods you are able to eat on low carb diets so that you stick with the change. You cannot expect to achieve long term success with your diet program if you are not educated or satisfied with the amazing alternative foods at your disposal.

Low carb diets can lead to weight loss, health benefits and an entire lifestyle change - however you don't have to give up everything you enjoy in order to experience rapid weight loss.

By focusing on foods that trigger chemical and biological reactions in your body resulting in cravings, you can burn fat and increase your health at the same time.

About the author:

Stay Out of the Sun!

By Stephen Bucaro

Scientists believe life on earth started in the sea. That's because before the appearance of the ozone layer, the surface of the earth was bathed in life destroying ultraviolet radiation.

Ozone is a form of oxygen. Whereas, a normal oxygen molecule consists of two oxygen atoms bound together, ozone is three oxygen atoms bound together. Ozone is much less common than normal oxygen. Out of two million oxygen molecules, only three are ozone. Ozone in the stratosphere absorbs ultraviolet radiation, making it safe for life on the surface of the earth.

Ozone molecules in the stratosphere are constantly forming and breaking up. Industrial development has caused the release of chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs in the stratosphere act as a catalyst, breaking down ozone molecules. CFC molecules are extremely stable. One CFC molecule can destroy over 100,000 ozone molecules.

CFCs are causing ozone to be destroyed faster than it is created. This has caused the ozone layer to become thinner. In fact, a hole in the ozone layer has opened up over Antarctica. In 2000, the ozone hole measured 32.9 million square kilometers and extended over populated areas of Australia.

Exposure to the ultraviolet radiation in sunlight can result in a skin cancer called "melanoma". According to the American cancer Society, each year more than a million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed. Melanoma is a highly invasive form of cancer. Even after treatment, a melanoma can metastasize. Once a melanoma has metastasized, it rarely responds to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The life expectancy of an individual with metastasized melanoma is only a few months, and over 10,000 people die of skin cancer each year.

Many people like to take off their clothes and lay out in the sun for hours, thinking sunscreen lotion will protect them. They follow the recommendation of using a sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15. However, sweat will cause the sunscreen to wash off and become blotchy, allowing exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

Note: In 1998, epidemiologist Merianne Berwick of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York evaluated of several studies on sunscreen use. Her conclusion: There is absolutely no evidence that the use of sunscreen prevents skin cancer. In fact, five of the studies found that sunscreen users actually had an increased risk of melanoma.

A recent study suggests that 15 minutes of exposure to sunlight each day will cause your skin to produce all the vitamin D your body needs to remain healthy. Here in Arizona, 15 minutes of exposure to sunlight can kill you.

If you must go out in the sun, wear protective clothing regardless of how hot you feel. Even if you are sweating like Niagara Falls, always wear long sleeves and a hat. Don't forget to cover areas like your neck and hands. Don't walk over bright surfaces like concrete for long periods of time. Your face can be exposed to ultraviolet radiation reflected from the ground.

If you like to go outdoors, go out in the morning or evening when the sun is 45 degrees or less above the horizon. At this angle, sunlight is filtered through a thick layer of atmosphere. You know it's safe to be outdoors when objects shadows are longer than the objects are tall.

Before the appearance of the ozone layer, the surface of the earth was bathed in ultraviolet radiation making it impossible for life to exist. Unfortunately, modern industrial society has created ozone destroying CFC molecules, putting life on earth back in danger.

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 Protein - its place in your weight loss program.

Author: Kay Blackiston

Any food that we take into our bodies is composed of macronutrients, micronutrients and water. The macronutrients (macro = large) are protein, fat and carbohydrates; the micronutrients (micro = small) are vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Macronutrients provide the calories that provide energy for life; micronutrients have no calories but are an essential part of our diet. Without macronutrients we would starve to death, without micronutrients we would die from health deterioration. So, what exactly is protein?

Technically speaking proteins are any of a large group of nitrogenous (containing nitrogen) compounds of high molecular weight that are essential constituents of all living organisms. They consist of 22 biological compounds called amino acids. They provide the building materials for the basic cell structure of the heart, brain, blood, nails, hair, internal organs and skin – in fact for every living cell in our body. You would recognise proteins better if they were defined as red meat, fish, poultry, dairy products, eggs and soy.

To understand the importance of protein as an aid for weight loss we also have to briefly define what carbohydrates and fats

are: carbohydrates are basically sugars, usually referred to as either simple or complex. Simple or refined carbohydrates are the ones like sugar, honey, cakes, biscuits and white bread. Complex carbohydrates are whole grain breads and cereals, brown rice, some vegetables, beans and legumes, and certain fruits. Fats are technically triglycerides and are usually divided into two groups; saturated and non-saturated. Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature and include fats found in meat, dairy products, ice cream, milk and tropical oils. Unsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature and come in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated forms. Monounsaturated include oils from some nuts, olives and avocadoes. Polyunsaturated include oils from soybean, flax, sunflower, safflower as well as those fats that have been chemically transformed to make them solid like margarine.

But the most important thing to consider is what effect do proteins, carbohydrates and fats have on your body? Or more specifically what effect do they have on the production of insulin in your body. Insulin is essential to life, some of its many functions are to control the storage of fat, control appetite, regulate the retention of water in the kidneys and the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver and it also acts as a growth hormone.

Eating fat has little effect on your insulin levels, and it actually decreases your appetite. Also eating the right kind of fats can rebalance hormones and improve the way you look and feel.

When you eat carbohydrates your body produces digestive enzymes that break down the chemical bonds between the sugar molecules. These molecules stimulate the production of metabolic hormones including insulin and this is where the problems can start. If we have a diet too high in carbohydrates, particularly refined carbohydrates, the high levels of glucose cause high levels of insulin to be produced. This can cause insulin resistance, where the body’s cells become non-responsive to the insulin so the pancreas keeps producing more and more. It also means the body fails to burn the glucose as energy and instead it is stored as fat! If this happens constantly the build up of glucose in the blood can cause Type II diabetes. The high level of insulin also tells a gland in the brain, the hypothalamus, to send out hunger signals. So you could have just eaten a meal and you would still feel hungry, there will be nothing that satisfies that hunger.

Eating protein produces a moderate amount of insulin but also produces the hormone glucagon. This hormone stimulates the body to get rid of fat by burning it for energy; it also decreases the body’s production of cholesterol and stimulates the kidney to release excess salt and fluid. It also maintains your blood sugar level counteracting the effect of insulin, which lowers the blood sugar levels.

So, what should we be eating? Recent studies recommend 100g of protein for women and 150g of protein for men. An excellent way of getting the majority of your protein intake is by using a meal replacement product with extra protein powder if necessary. This takes all the guess work out of two thirds of your protein intake and when combined with a third meal of low fat protein (e.g. chicken or turkey) and low glycaemic vegetables gives the ideal diet to lose weight, gain energy, lower cholesterol and blood pressure and possibly reverse Type II diabetes.

About the author:

Kay Blackiston has had an interest in health and nutrition for several years. She is now a personal weight loss coach supporting anybody who wishes to take charge of their lives and lose their excess weight. http://www.from-flab-to-fab.com kayblackiston@msn.com

 How a Low Carb Lifestyle Can Help Your Entire Family

Author: Henri Schauffler

How a Low Carb Lifestyle Can Help Your Entire Family

The latest challenging fact to be learned about the great American obesity problem is that among children, the number of clinically obese children has doubled in the last two decades, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In fact, by 2002, NIH says that one in five children in the US is overweight.

Obese children are also developing diseases like Type 2 Diabetes that used to only occur in adults. And overweight kids tend to become overweight adults, continuing to put them at greater risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. Perhaps potentially more devastating is that children who are teased a lot can develop low self-esteem and depression.

There are many households in which not only one or more children are obese, but frequently one or both parents are also obese. Many parents are also at risk for Type 2 Diabetes. Even members of a household who do not have these problems will benefit from a low carb lifestyle because all Americans are far too dependent on processed sugar and carbohydrates, putting all of us at risk for obesity and myriad other health problems. Does any of this sound like you?

What’s a concerned parent to do?

Adopt The Five Keys to Low Carb Success for your whole family. I sincerely hope you know by now that the first is “Information.” Find ways for whole family learn the principles of health according to low carb, including even the members of your household who may not be obese. At least those needing a lifestyle change should learn as much as they can about low carb – and LowCarb-Lifestyles.Com helps us do that.

The Second Key is “Motivation.” We advise our members to find ways to motivate themselves when the going gets tough. Motivation helps us answer important internal questions for ourselves, such as, “Why am I really doing this – what’s the payoff?” “Why do I need to stay the course?” “Who benefits from my being healthy, trim and peaceful besides me – do I have a responsibility to anyone else?” In a household setting you can go through this process and then show your children how to do the same. Then the whole family can pledge their goals to each other at a special family meeting.

The Third Key is, “Nutrition.” While seemingly simple, keeping a varied menu that the whole family looks forward to eating every day is not easy. Many low carb recipe books are turning up these days; LowCarb.Lifestyels.Com has literally hundreds of recipes for members to choose from. Use them to entice your whole household into a low carb lifestyle!

The Fourth Key is, “Fitness.” We can exercise with our significant other and children – “the family that exercises together…” But it is a wonderful thing to exercise together, even just you and one child. You can go together for walking, jogging, bicycling, tennis, golf, basketball and so on. There are numerous possibilities. The best part is, while you are building a healthy low carb lifestyle, you are also building your relationship with your child.

The Fifth Key is, “Support.” While LowCarb.Lifestyles.Com helps our member to build a support network in online forums and by emailing each other inside the community, your family is a natural support base! Act on the previous four Keys in your family, and your home will become your support base. Fantastic!

If you implement even one of the Five Keys in your home life, your will see definite results in a very short time, for your physical health and also for the emotional and spiritual health of your family.

Resource Box:

------------------------------------------------------ Henri Schauffler is the founder and webmaster of http://www.lowcarb-lifestyles.com, an online community that gives low carb dieters the tools they need to succeed - for life. Visit http:www.lowcarb-lifestyles.com to grab your free 7 day trial.

 Stress In The Workplace

Author: Lisa Branigan

According to the Australian Council of Trade Unions’ (A.C.T.U.) 1997 survey, fifty per cent of workers had suffered some form of stress at work in a 12-month period. The statistics in care professions were even higher, with the Department of Education and Training in Western Australia reporting in its 2002 Attitudes To Teaching Survey that seventy per cent of teachers identified workplace stress as a cause for concern in their teaching positions.

Stress in the workplace is becoming a major concern for employers, managers and government agencies, owing to the Occupational Health and Safety legislations requiring employers to practice ‘duty of care’ by providing employees with safe working environments which also cover the psychological wellbeing of their staff.

One of the costs, for employers, of work place stress is absenteeism, with the A.C.T.U. reporting that owing to stress, nearly fifty per cent of employees surveyed had taken time off work. Other negative effects were reductions in productivity, reduced profits, accidents, high rates of sickness, increased workers’ compensation claims and high staff turnover, requiring recruiting and training of replacement staff.

While a certain amount of stress is needed to motivate individuals into action, prolonged stress can have a huge impact on overall health. More than two-thirds of visits to doctors’ surgeries are for stress-related illnesses. Stress has been linked to headaches, backaches, insomnia, anger, cramps, elevated blood pressure, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and lowered resistance to infection. For women, stress is a key factor in hormonal imbalances resulting in menstrual irregularities, PMS, fibroids, endometriosis and fertility problems. Stress can also be a factor in the development of almost all disease states including cancer and heart disease.

Each profession has its own unique factors that may cause stress; below are some causes of stress that cross many

professions:

· Increased workload · Organizational changes · Lack of recognition · High demands · Lack of support · Personal and family issues · Poor work organization · Lack of training · Long or difficult hours · Inadequate staff numbers and resources · Poor management communication · Lack of control or input

So what can be done to effectively manage workplace stress?

Organizations can:

· Educate their employees to recognise the signs of stress. · Where possible, give their employees the chance to be involved in decisions and actions that affect their jobs. · Improve employer-employee communications. · Provide employees with opportunities to socialise together. · Be understanding of employees’ personal and family responsibilities. · Ensure employee workloads suit their capabilities and resources (provide more training and resources if not). · Provide support (internally or externally) for employees who have complex stress issues.

Employees can reduce their overall stress by:

· Regularly exercising, as this releases ‘happy hormones’. · Eating a healthy diet, as stress depletes vital nutrients. · Getting adequate rest. · Using tea and lunch breaks to read, listen to a relaxation CD or have a five-minute power-nap. · If appropriate, playing relaxing music at work and burning aromatherapy oils. · Being more organized. Get up earlier to have more time. · Delegating responsibility where possible. Say no! · Taking time out to laugh by telling someone a joke. Start a laughter group: by standing in a circle and all forcing a big laugh, it will soon become real! · Avoiding caffeine and sugar. Although this may provide an instant lift it later depletes the body of energy and nutrients. · Taking time to do things that bring enjoyment and pleasure. · Making the work environment pleasurable. Have relaxing sounds in the form of music or a water fountain. Have enjoyable smells by burning candles or aromatherapy oils. Hang beautiful pictures or posters on the walls; have photos or flowers on the desk. · Taking care of their overall health and wellbeing by practising good self-care.

Sometimes trying to implement change (even for the better) can itself cause stress and prevent a person remaining motivated. In this case it’s important to get support for your stress from a counsellor, doctor, naturopath, friend, peer or life coach who specializes in stress issues.

The benefits of a systematic and joint approach to reducing work stress are:

· Increased productivity · Decrease in absenteeism · Improved morale · Decrease in workers’ compensation claims · Reduction in workplace accidents

The most important benefit in reducing workplace stress is that it will promote a pleasant work environment for all.

About the author:

Lisa Branigan is a Stress and Energy Life Coach working with busy women who are stressed, tired and overwhelmed. Her passion is to ensure her coaching sessions provide women the necessary support, encouragement and understanding needed to create changes and bring balance to their life and health. Lisa is the publisher of "Life Solutions" a free monthly e-zine providing tips, advice and information on self-care and wellbeing for women. Visit her website at www.quantumcoaching.com.au