Stress- How do you work with it?

[Matthew]

Hey All-

I’ve been back and forth to help my brother in Cheyenne for a week or so and only have time to lurk but noticed several posts about stress and how it effects IBD’s and IBS and MC.

So I am interested in any ways members actively work with stress on a regular basis.

The drive to Cheyenne is a straight shot north but the speeds quite regularly reach 80 to 90 miles an hour with any thing from semi trailer trucks to SUV’s coming up so close before changing lanes that you can read the manufactures imprint on licenses place bolts . Yikes!!!!!!

At times like that I just try to remember to breath but still when i got home tonight and prepared dinner found my hands shaking. YUCK! So lay on the floor and stretched for about twenty minutes while my dinner heated up. Haaaaaaa what a relief. Made it possible to enjoy dinner. Being relaxed while eating makes a big difference in how I digest.

Found a little book a few years ago entitled “8 Minute Meditation” by Victor Davich. WOW! Remarkable how taking 8 minutes out of your day to STOP can make such a difference.

Also love to walk. To the grocery store, the post office to the hardware store or just to the park. Hard to bicycle this time of year with Ice, Snow and Wind but any and all exercise is a great stress reliever for me. I feel it balances appetite, improves digestion and just feels good and for that short time I can quit thinking and then, remarkably, come up with my best ideas .

Would love to hear any other good ideas or what you do to relive stress in your life. As simple as they may be.

To Your continued recovery -

Love

Matthew

[Gabes-Apg]

*sigh* when i had a bath in my house i would put on relaxing music, and have a bath. (and treat myself natural bubble bath bomb things) Pre MC when i drank i would have a glass of red wine....

Lately - if i get home and feel tired or have cramping pains in the tummy region (mostly both), ditch the work clothes, have a shower, put my pj's on and lay down i dont necessarily stop thinking but resting for at least 30 mins seems to do the trick. If i do stop thinking then a 30 - 45 min nanna nap as i call them is the ideal....
i always sleep better if i have had a nanna nap in the afternoon

typing this reply i realise the common theme for me is the process of 'cleansing away' the stress toxins via water.....
(which is probably why i am always relaxed if i am by the ocean or a lake)

Being relaxed to eat is very very important. an important part of the digestion process is the body and mind looking forward to the meal to ensure that a thorough digestion process occurs.

[harma]

my answer to stress, difficult situations, facing problems is meditation, I meditate twice a day, if possible, for one hour. I started 2,5 years ago to meditate. I don't follow a certain tradition or rules, I just sit and concentrate on what is. It is my everything, going through the day, my prayings, in my meditations I have found god, solving problems.

number 2, stop watching tv (quitted that at the same time when I started to meditate)

number 3: listening to classical music, my favorite radio station is classic fm.

[Polly]

What a great thread, Matthew!

My stress "fixes" are exercise, meditation, and anything to do with nature. I have found that it makes such a difference if I can practice stress some relievers every day. And like harma, I find that meditation really helps me to think more clearly, to solve problems more effectively.

Love,

Polly

[JLH]

My Mom always recommended this: http://www.relaxationresponse.org/steps/
I never really did it but I certainly should.

[rbks321]

That is an excellent question. Prior to dx, my PCP kept telling me that my issues were stress. She even recommended that I consider quitting my job, "because it is stressful". I love what I do, and yes it would be considered stressful to some, but when you enjoy what you are doing it makes a huge difference. She was stressing me out, so I quit her instead!!

I have a cassette tape with relaxing music on it that I listened to during my pregnancies. I'm thinking I should dust it off and try to find something to play it in. I took way better care of myself back in those days. If I relax too long, I fall asleep (especially lately). My family has woken me up sitting at the computer doing paperwork. I guess that's not really relaxing as much as it is boring, but anyway....

I haven't posted much, but please know that I check in here quite frequently and have found the information on this site extremely helpful. My GI doc probably thinks I'm nuts when I call him with new question or to inform him what is working and what's not. He's not a pill pusher, but I'm still struggling with convincing him that diet makes a huge difference. I only keep on him about this in hopes that he will consider this with other patients.

Thanks to all of you. The positive attitude here is infectious (one thing I don't mind catching) and reminds me that if others have been able to survive with this, I can to.

-Rebecca

[ant]

going for a walk; hot bath; turn off TV and read book (not mag or newspaper); get into loose clothes and turn off phone; cook and eat with no deadline; listen to classical music.

These are all stress free for me.

Love ant

[adelie]

A walk helps, especially if the gastroparesis is flaring up. It just helps to move things along a little more smoothly. I also do Iyengar yoga. Chances are if you've gone to a physical therapist after an injury, you've done some Iyengar yoga poses. It helps me relieve the stress from wherever it might be held on any given day. I've also dabbled a bit with accupressure points. I've seen some references to acu-yoga and have been intrigued, but haven't tried it yet.

Karen

[MaggieRedwings]

Absolutely great thread.

Breathe deep; meditation (seems to work for a lot of us); birding; cooking; being outside in nature (Polly you and I have a good bit in common); reading; listening to music; just spacing out and letting the tension go.

Guess I have had way too many years to try and perfect what to do with stress.

Love, Maggie

[Ginny]

Lots of good answers! I have a high stress job and an adult mentally challenged daughter at home so I use a lot of the above and a couple of other things. I read daily and evening prayers; psalms and I keep a jigsaw puzzle going all the time. It is mineless but, you are not thinking about anthing else but that little piece of puzzle you are looking for.

Ginny

[Dee]

I listen to soothing music.
Meditate sitting comfortably or lying down and I say the word, "nothing" repeatedly.
Take a nice relaxing bath.
Love the outdoors and have found that to be my best therapy.
I can spend hours, upon hours, outside when the weather cooperates.
Walking.
Lately, I have been under a tremendous amount of stress, but I have found that I have really accomplished alot within the last year from seeing a therapist and following her every direction and advice. Felt sooooooo good when she complemented me on my progress and how I reached the goal I had initially set out to acheive..

Love
Dee

[mbeezie]

Matthew,

It's ironic that you talked about meditation and 8 Minute Meditation - I just blogged about that very subject and recommended that book.

http://captassociates.com/blog1/2010/03/

Mary Beth

[Bifcus16]

Clean the house.

It sounds dumb, but it really does help me relax. I think it is a combination of factors.

Firstly, a messy environment makes me feel stressed, and a clean environment is more relaxing.
Secondly, the process of cleaning has a repetitive, meditative effect - sweep, sweep, sweep.
Thirdly, it makes me feel I have achieved at least one thing positive in the day, even if everything else has gone wrong.

It doesn't have to be a top-to bottom clean to have this impact - it can be as simple as ironing or folding a load of laundry.

Exercise, yoga and just being outside are also good.

Lyn