How to Use a Stress Journal and 5 Tips for Stress Management

We all know that stress can be a negative influence. But sometimes it can feel like there is nothing we can do about our stress level. Not true! There will always be more to do, more decisions to make, and more situations to mediate, but---how we manage our stress is something we can control.

The trick is to be proactive. To be proactive we have to take charge of what we can control (our environment, our attitude, our thoughts, our choices) and stop worrying about what is out of our control. In other words, balance. The long-term goal is to create balance in our life (balance between work, home, and relaxation) so that when stressful situations arise, we are better equipped to mediate and neutralize them.

To create balance, we must first know what causes us stress. Simple, we know. Yet, many people know what it feels like when they are already stressed out but cannot identify how they got stressed out, the actual trigger. One tool you can use to identify what causes you to stress out and why is a stress journal.

Like a food journal, a stress journal helps you to look at your habits and your choices. It does not need to be fancy. A simple notebook will work. Every time you feel stressed, write it down in your journal. Include the date, what you feel caused the stress, how you felt, how you responded, and whether or not you felt better.

Then at the end of every week or month (whatever time period you set for yourself), review your journal. Over time patterns will emerge: patterns in your stress triggers and in your response. If how you are dealing with stress no longer works for you, it is time to try some healthier strategies. Document these in your stress journal, too, and take note of when you start to feel better.

Here are 5 tips for stress management:

1. Simplify your to-do list.
2. Express your feelings as they arise.
3. Adjust your expectations and focus on the positive.
4. Let go of what you cannot control.
5. Relax—take an aromatherapy bath, enjoy a fresh mug of herbal tea, go for a walk, laugh.

For more health and wellness tips, download the ACHS Wellness Guide HERE.

For current studies on the use of complementary alternative medicine (such as herbs) with stress, visit the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine website HERE.

Walnuts and Walnut Oil May Be Useful with Stress

Do you love walnuts? We do! They have such a velvety texture and rich flavor. Plus, walnuts are a heart-healthy food. Walnuts (almonds, hazelnuts, and many other nuts too) have the "good" fats— both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—thought to lower bad cholesterol levels and also are a good source of omega-3s, fiber, and vitamin E.

So, we thought you would want to know that new research from Penn State University suggests a diet rich in walnuts and walnut oil may also help a person's body to better manage stress.

Penn State recently release the statement "Walnuts, walnut oil, improve reaction to stress" explaining researchers' findings that "walnuts and walnut oil in the diet lowered both resting blood pressure and blood pressure responses to stress in the laboratory," and that, "average diastolic blood pressure—the "bottom number" or the pressure in the arteries when the heart is resting—was significantly reduced during the diets containing walnuts and walnut oil." Their findings have been reported in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

Here's a link to a healthy recipe for Beet Walnut Salad you can make in minutes. In addition to walnut and beets, this recipe also includes apples, celery, and salad greens. Some fresh herbs may make a nice addition, too! What do you think, rosemary? Dill?

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You can read more about this research on EurekAlert! HERE.

New Definition of PTSD Creates Greater Access for Veterans

According to a recent article on the website Military.com, there is a new process for service members to claim post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veterans who may not have engaged in combat, but are experiencing symptoms of PTSD no longer have to cite a specific incident on their claim. Rather, "the new policy recognizes that living with the fear of death and injury may be enough for troops to develop mental health issues," said Bryant Jordan in "New PTSD Rules Relax Definition".

Veterans are no longer required to cite specific incidences of stress--or support their claims with documentation. Veterans are now only required to show that they served in a combat zone and performed a job "consistent with conditions related to their PTSD symptom." And "many more veterans will now be able to file claims for PTSD, including troops who did not have direct contact with the enemy," Michael Walcoff, acting undersecretary for benefits for the VA, said during a press conference in Washington DC.

Women, Walcoff said, will be among the major beneficiaries "because their military records often did not reflect combat experience." In addition, doctors, nurses, and troops working in medical care who witnessed trauma, and other troops who found themselves working in a stressful role, will also benefit.

For more information about using aromatherapy to help ease symptoms of PTSD, click here for the ACHS article Aromatherapy Can Help PTSD.

"When treating chronic challenges like PTSD, a consistent routine is important. The recommended solution is a combination of wellness protocols such as holistic nutrition and aromatherapy." Click here to learn more about aromatherapy and wellness protocols for PTSD.

> Click here to read New PTSD Rules Relax Definition: http://www.military.com/news/article/new-ptsd-rules-relax-definition.html?col=1186032310810&ESRC=dod.n