[Fwd: Fitness Buzz: Is Your Body in a Recession?]

[Guest guest]

i thought this email from kathy smith was relevant since you were

discussing the USA economy.... maybe you will find it helpful?

:*carolyn.

--- Fitness Buzz: Is Your Body in a Recession?

Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 05:08:31 -0700

<http://email.kathysmith.com/c.html?rtr=on & s=ljsm,9hvh,7zq,19ic,8wm6,2rxk,7m1d>

*Fitness Buzz: April 23, 2008*

*Is Your Body in a Recession?*

If you think about the cycle of " getting depressed, " there's

almost a

standard procedure: Having a rough day. Then, feeling a little low.

Eventually, anxiety, deep-rooted fears, and thoughts of

inadequacy creep

in. Meanwhile, as negative events take place in our country, it

seems to

affect our collective consciousness: When the dollar starts to fall,

housing prices bottom out, groceries and everyday living gets more

expensive, the stock market begins to crash...and so do our

emotions.

The moment we turn on the news, we're flooded with stressful

noise about

the state of affairs in the world. And as we attempt to digest

current

events, our own personal lives are often just as hectic: keeping

up with

bills, staying attuned to the needs of our families, and having

no time

to relax.

When stress levels being to elevate, we can quickly become our

own worst

enemies. When it comes to finding a little bit of relief, the first

solution to come to mind is most likely not " I need to get a workout

in. " Chances are good that it's probably something

escapist – watching TV, eating comfort foods, drinking heavily, or

going on a shopping spree. We often latch on to something that

helps us

avoid reality – and in theory, that's not such a bad thing. Let's

face

it – tuning the world out for a moment helps us process stress.

It can

be a valuable survival skill. The problem, however, is that if we

" check

out " too often or too much, our health begins to suffer, which often

makes things much worse. We can emerge from that " comfort zone "

only to

find that we're heavier, more tired, and maybe even further in

debt –

both physically and financially.

The reason I bring up debt and money issues is because they're the

source of so much of the " doomsday " news we hear on a daily

basis. This

naturally induces a stress response in all of us, but there may be a

light at the end of this tunnel. I recently spent an enlightening

weekend retreat at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur for their Annual

Benefit, " A Time For Solutions. " There I met Spencer Sherman, one of

America's top financial advisors and authors. We discussed how

closely

connected our emotional health is to our physical health, and the

toll

it takes on our bodies when either of them suffer. His insights on

" fiscal fitness " are very relevant to this discussion.

On the physical side, there's no greater sense of contentment,

release,

and joy than the one you can gain from feeling healthy. That's

why I've

used exercise as a form of escapism since my teenage years. I

learned

the lesson after both my parents died unexpectedly and I was left

feeling lost and out-of-control. It was a pivotal moment for me:

Instead

of going down that dark road of depression, I turned to exercise

instead. I started running regularly, and quickly found that the

process

was a powerful antidote to the pain I was feeling.

It's common knowledge now that too much stress can have dire health

consequences, such as increasing your risk for cardiovascular

disease

and obesity. The stress hormone that gets a lot of ink here is

cortisol,

and research shows that it can lead to central body fat and high

food

intake. High cortisol levels are also associated with increased

insulin

levels, which throw blood chemistry off-balance alongside your

mood and

motivation. Even after a stressful moment has passed, the increased

cortisol levels in the body can cause us to eat more than usual.

And we

all know what that means: potential weight gain.

The solution, of course, is to make stress management a higher

priority.

That means getting plenty of sleep, limiting caffeine and

alcohol, and

staying hydrated (since studies show that dehydration may raise

cortisol

levels). Also keep in mind that B Complex formulas can help

manage your

stress levels and boost your energy.

If you haven't tried exercising during difficult time periods,

see what

happens when you put it at the top of your agenda. I bet you'll be

pleasantly surprised to find that life's obstacles suddenly become

doable: solutions surface more naturally, and that incessant

noise you

hear from your television - or your bank account - will become

much more

manageable. The mind has the ability to take a small problem and

expand

it until it becomes completely out-of-control...but it also has the

power to keep it in check.

Breaking a sweat can help you gain a clearer, brighter

perspective on

everything, including those money woes. No doubt the endorphins that

flood your bloodstream during exercise having something to do

with that.

But don't forget about the more practical side of the matter.

Spencer

Sherman has some excellent tips to help you to make peace with money

while getting the most of your workouts:

*Spencer Sherman's 5 Tips for Keeping Stress Off Your Body*

* Know your numbers and develop clear intentions for fun

spending

categories, like entertainment, dining out and vacations.

* Save something –even if it's a dollar a day in a shoebox.

It will

turn around your " can't save " mentality.

* Know your childhood money stories and how these early stories

still run your life today. This will reduce much of your money

madness.

* Speak up when your friend asks you to join for dinner at a

restaurant you can't afford.

* Use cash instead of credit cards for all non-essential

purchases

when feasible.

~ For more about Spencer Sherman and his financial fitness ideas,

and to

take his " Money Madness " quiz, go to www.curemoneymadness.com

<http://email.kathysmith.com/c.html?rtr=on & s=ljsm,9hvh,7zq,bvw,fat7,2rxk,7m1d>.

Remember, the economy may be headed toward a recession, but that

doesn't

mean your body has to follow it!

Check out Kathy's NEWEST PRODUCTS! Available online at

Kathy.com