imom minute.... 6 Signs You are Stressed

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You're stressed. We're stressed. Everyone's stressed. No big deal, right? Because it's so common, you might think that if you're not lying on the floor from exhaustion, you're probably fine. But stress has an insidious way of creeping up on you, and it's not just a mental or emotional issue—stress symptoms can impact the body in some very visible (and bizarre) ways.
"One of the biggest problems I see in my practice is women coming in with multiple physical signs of stress," says Nancy Molitor, Ph.D., a psychiatry professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. In fact, a new study found that stress and other negative emotions were consistently linked to poor physical health in more than 150,000 people in 142 countries. That's because the mind and body are intrinsically connected:
"Emotional stress alerts the body to produce stress chemicals such as cortisol, which—if produced on an ongoing basis—begin to break down the immune, gastrointestinal, neurological, and musculoskeletal systems," says Molitor.
What's worse, those physical symptoms you end up with (um, bald patches) can bump up your emotional angst even more. If you don't break the cycle, you're left with an ugly feedback loop that increases your chances of serious issues such as obesity, depression, and heart disease.
The best ways to reduce your overall stress is to get enough sleep (seven to nine hours a night for most people), eat healthful food, exercise, reach out to supportive pals, and focus on things within your control. You can also learn to read your body and recognize the not-so-obvious signs that you're overstressed before it all snowballs into a long-term health condition. Keep an eye out for these red flags.
Stomachaches:
The brain's nervous system is linked to the gut's, so mental stress can wreak havoc on your GI tract, says Bincy Abraham, M.D., a gastroenterologist at Baylor College of Medicine. Depending on your situation, your doctor may treat your tummy troubles with over-the-counter drugs (stool softeners), prescriptions (such as antinausea meds), or dietary changes (fiber can restore your gut's stress-ravaged helpful bacteria).
In the meantime, the best natural remedy for stress-caused constipation, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting is. . .exercise. It may sound like the last thing you want to do when your stomach is aching, but heading out for a run can boost endorphins that make the mind and gut feel better.
Hair Loss:
Roughly three to six months after a majorly stressful event, like getting axed from a job or ending a big relationship, you might notice more hair on your brush or in the drain than usual (shedding around 100 strands a day is normal). Super-high levels of sex hormones called androgens, which zoom up during stress, could mess with hair follicles to prompt temporary hair loss, says Roberta Sengelmann, M.D., a dermatologist in Santa Barbara, California.
There's no one food or supplement that's proven to restore your locks, but eating a balanced diet can help cell growth and healing.
Eyelid Twitching:
These annoying muscle spasms typically occur around one eye and last for a few minutes. Stress is one of their most common causes, though doctors aren't quite sure why.
When a twitch strikes, close your eyes, try to relax, and breathe deeply. Inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, then exhale for eight seconds. Repeat this four times while using a fingertip to put mild pressure on the lid that's twitching.
Over-the-counter artificial tears can also help ease the spasms, which dry eyes can exacerbate, says Anne Sumers, M.D., of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. If the twitching spreads to other parts of your face, see a physician—it could be a more serious type of spasm.
Stress can short-circuit your immune system, causing dormant skin issues to act up.
Acne:
Just like your hair, your skin is sensitive to those higher-than-normal androgens, which can bring on breakouts, says Sengelmann. Talk to your dermatologist if your zits keep coming back—the chronic inflammation can lead to scarring. (As hard as it is, resist the urge to pop the suckers, which only adds to the inflammation. And you're more likely to end up with scarring when you're stressed and your body's ability to heal isn't at its peak.)
Oral and topical prescription meds, as well as certain soaps, can help unplug pores and wipe out the bacteria that cause acne. Your dermatologist might also suggest you go on birth control, or switch up what you're already on, to balance out your hormones. And be sure to stick to noncomedogenic (i.e., non-pore-clogging) makeup, moisturizers, and sunscreen.
Back Pain:
The hormones your body pumps out when you're stressed produce a fight-or-flight response, which—along with raising your blood pressure and heart rate—tightens up your muscles. "If you're trying to outrun a predator, that's good," says Joanne Borg-Stein, M.D., of Harvard's Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. "But if it's all the time, that sort of chronic stress response can lead to pain." Plus, muscle aches are par for the course if you're hunched over at your desk all day worrying about deadlines.
Movement is the best remedy, so if your back is in knots, stand up every hour and do some stretches, such as reaching your arms over your head, touching your toes, and rolling your neck and shoulders. Also try to get in a 10- to 15-minute walk around the office or outside once or twice a day.
Rashes:
Stress can bring on mysterious rashes or flare-ups of preexisting conditions. That's because it can throw your immune system—not to mention your skin's defenses—out of whack. When these are lowered, you could become susceptible to rash-causing skin infections caused by staph. On the flip side, if your immunity goes into overdrive, your skin will become more sensitive, making a dormant issue like eczema act up.
In either case, bland emollients, including gentle OTC moisturizers, can help you heal. "If that doesn't help, or if the rash is accompanied by a fever or other flu-like symptoms—chills, sweating—see your doctor right away," advises Sengelmann.

The information provided in this article by Women’s Health is news that iMOM thinks you need to know.  Recommendations are the opinions of the CDC and not necessarily those of iMOM.
Medical information within this site is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of any health condition. Please consult a licensed health care professional for the treatment or diagnosis of any medical condition

Happy First Day of October!

Who loves this time of year????? There are so many fun things going on and fun things to do! We wanted to share a cute little craft that is super easy to make, and a fun way to start of October for someone. These make great teacher gifts! Teachers do not expect gifts in October, so this would be a great way to make their day!

Here are the supplies you will need:
 Scissors
Hole Punch
 Ribbon
 Hand Soap
"Germs are Scary" Printable (link at the end of the post)

Here is what you do:

Print the "Germs are Scary" printable that we are providing for you at the end of this post.  Cut out the tag and punch a hole in the corner.  Tie the tag onto the hand soap with your ribbon, and Tada!  You have a cute gift with very little work! 

We found the Halloween soap at Bath and Body Works.  Here is the link for the tags for you to print!

CLICK HERE FOR THE DOWNLOAD FOR THE TAGS!

{The original idea for this craft came from a fun craft blog called eighteen25.blogspot.com, but we designed the tags on this blog so that we could share them with you!}

Happy Crafting and Happy October!!

Welcome To The Improved Blog!

We have been working hard to improve our blog and are happy you are here to check it out!  It is still a work in progress.  Get ready for some new posts coming soon!

May Calendar

Here is the May Calendar. Now that the weather is getting cooler there seem to be a lot more events happening in Cookeville. Again, just click the icon on the right. The Calendar is created in Google Calendars, so there is a slightly different layout. Hope you are able to use the calendar and plan some fun events for your family!

New Calendar

Hello again Cookeville and Blog World! We are back and ready to start blogging. We have added a new gadget to the side of the blog page. It is a monthly calendar that highlights many different events and happenings in Cookeville and the surrounding areas. There are kid related events, family events, and even some adult only events:) We will be publishing a new calendar each month. Our hope is to help all of you busy moms discover new things in Cookeville. We have scoured the internet and have talked with local business to put together this calendar. We would like this to be your go to spot for things to do in Cookeville. To get more information about an event, hover your mouse over the words and you will see information pop up along with a website. Be sure to look at the bottom of the calendar for links to the Art Mill's calendar and The Kiwanis Children's museum calendar.

Mom Management Home: 3 Things to Simplify Family Life

The following post is taken from imom.  For more great articles, click here.

Your life is not about being a juggling act. It's about choosing what is most important to you and toning down everything else. Even the enjoyable things in our lives can distract us from what is truly important.

Life Is All About Relationships

And what is important? Relationships. Relationships with God, your husband, your children, your family and your friends. As you look back one day, it will be your time with your loved ones that you will truly treasure. And again, it's not that you should shun all other activities or careers or community organizations. But put your focus on your relationships, with everything else coming behind that as your time and energy levels permit.

1. Enlist Some Help Around the House

Are you the only one who bothers with housecleaning or cooking in your home? Maybe now is the time to discuss household responsibilities with your husband and children. If your kids don't have any weekly chores, start giving them tasks. Not only will that help your burden, but it will teach your kids how to be responsible.

• [Chore Chart]
• [Clean-Up Cards]
• [Home & Property Department]

2. Letting Go of Obligations

Perhaps you're a mom who loves to help others. You volunteer at your church, at your children's schools and even at the local nursing home. And volunteering is great -- people in this world need help. But if you find yourself spending more time helping people in the community than your own family, or if you find yourself feeling "obligated" to help and not enjoying it, perhaps it's time to cut back on some of those activities.
So when the PTA calls you up to lead a fundraising event that you know you don't have time for, don't feel obligated to put in the hours. It's OK not to help with every project that comes up. You know the phrase, "Just say no" -- repeat those words to yourself whenever you feel pressured or obligated or guilted into doing yet another activity you don't have time for.

3. Managing Your Hobbies

Having time for yourself is critical. You need that time away from your family to relax, to bond with friends and to stay physically fit. But if you find that you are over-committing yourself to spinning classes, tennis lessons and scrapbooking groups, you may find that your family time is suffering.
So if you find yourself always wanting to try something new -- a sport, a hobby or learning a new language -- tackle one new project at a time. Sometimes we get so excited about trying new things that we want to do them all at once. Unfortunately, there's just not enough time in the day. So choose one activity for now, and come back to the others later.
 The point of this article is simply: not overscheduling your family starts with you. Choose those relationships and activities which are most important to you and don't feel guilty about the rest of it.
© 2011 iMOM. All Rights Reserved. Family First, All Pro Dad, iMOM, and Family Minute with Mark Merrill are registered trademarks.

Mom Management Home: 3 Steps to Dig out of Clutter

The following post is taken from imom.  Check out more great articles here.


Expert organizer, Sandra Felton, says you can stop the clutter cycle.  How?  Start with these three steps.
How to Begin
Sure, you feel overwhelmed. That's the way we all start. Let's simplify this into three powerful steps. You can start out easy, but you do need to start by doing something every day. If you follow these steps consistently, you will notice that little by little your life and your house will change.

Step One

Make a strong take-off every day. A good take-off sets the tone of the day. When you:

WAKE UP JUMP  UP MAKE UP EAT UP WASH UP BRUSH UP DRESS UP LOOK UP

set a time don't lie in bed, there's a wonderful world waiting the bed immediately, automatically something nutritious bathe body or wash face take care of your teeth completely from head to toe including hair, shoes and makeup of some kind on your face somewhere during the day you need to turn your ear upward to God

And any other steps you may need to add to your flight plan, like TAKE A WALK. They don't have to end with UP.

Step Two

Change habits one at a time. Let's start with The 30-Second Rule. "If it takes thirty seconds or less to do a job, do it immediately." This applies to putting up packages when you come in, putting the scissors (or whatever) back where you got them, hanging up the clothes you take off and other things like that.
The second powerful habit is this: when you get something out, put it back — and here's the kicker — right away.
Remember STOW AS YOU GO!
Commitment to these two habits will change the condition of your house immediately.

Step Three

Attack the mess — bless the house! We don't attack the house. We attack the mess that is hiding the wonderful possibilities of our house. Use one of the two methods below to get rid of the junk and organize the house.
Mt. Vernon Method
Get three BankerBoxes™, about 12 X 18 inches. Label each box, GIVE AWAY, THROW AWAY, STORE SOMEPLACE ELSE. Starting at the front door, go around the inside periphery of the room from drawer, to cupboard, to nook or cranny emptying the contents of things that don't belong in that area into one of these boxes. Organize neatly what does belong in that area and move on to the next area.
Mt. Vesuvius Method
Use if your house is a shambles, your marriage is in trouble because of it, you fear the health department or your landlord, your adult children are distraught about your place, or you face some similar emergency. Like Mt. Vesuvius, this is a quick and powerful method. It avoids the hang-up of decision making and clears the clutter quickly. What do I do with all of this stuff?
Go here for details on the Mt. Vesuvius Method.

Used with permission from Sandra Felton.