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    As a doctor I hear many New Year’s resolutions at this time and I always listen and encourage my patients.  However, as we all know, too few are willing to commit to what it really takes to complete those goals, especially for their health.  

    Why is that?  Sometimes it can be painful to change a lifestyle; or we use the excuse that we have too much going on, or that we are too busy.  In today’s fast-paced life that is often true.

    One thing that we should all consider, however, is to work on reducing stress.  There are three common types of stress: Physical, Mental/emotional and Chemical.  Stress is the number one cause of disease in our bodies.  So if we work to create healthy outlets by creating “stress relief,” so to speak, the potential for being healthier is increased.

    Some easy outlets to remember to do this year to help reduce stress in your life are as follows:

    Remember to breathe.  Stop once every hour and do a series of deep breaths.  This helps expand your lungs and get oxygen into the tissues of your body, which is needed for optimal function.

    Create a positive outlook on your world.  Negativity can increase your stress load and make things much more difficult then they need to be.  Besides, everyone enjoys you better when you smile and laugh.  

    Get moving. Stand up, move around, and stretch your arms and legs especially if you are stuck at a desk all day.  Movement stimulates your brain and refreshes your body, which will help keep the creative juices flowing.

    Drink plenty of water every day.  Water is cleansing and nourishing and necessary for body function.

    Sleep or rest well.  Meditation or creating quieter and softer environments before sleeping will help.  Avoid watching negative shows and news before you sleep.  Your brain will continue to work on those things that you last see at night and that can really pull you down.

    There are of course many other things that you can do like diet, exercise and chiropractic to help balance the body and help to deal with stress.  The “big idea” here, though, is that you begin to create balance in all aspects of your life, and that will allow you to cope with the stressors in your life, large and small.