Hyland's Kids' Kit, Homeopathic Medicine, 1 kit Sale Price: $20.60 Average Rating:
	Every parent needs. Kids' Kit Contains: Aconite 30X, Arnica 30X, Belladonna 30X, Chamomilla 30X, Ferrum Phos. 30X, Hepar Sulph. 30X, Bumps 'n Bruises Ointment.

	Hyland's Remedy Chest,30-Count Package Sale Price: $89.99 Average Rating:
	30 Homeopathic medicines.

	Boiron HomeoFamily Kit, 32 Multi Dose/12 Unit Dose Osillococcinum Sale Price: $105.99 Average Rating:
	HomeoFamily is a convenient kit from Boiron, world leader in homeopathy. Filled with a special selection of single homeopathic medicines, these kits keep you prepared for common acute conditions such as allergies, coughs, colds, flu, stress, arthritis pain, muscle pain, insect bites, motion sickness, apprehension, heartburn and more...

	Boiron My Home Kit Sale Price: $29.99 Average Rating:
	Convenient Storage. Capacity: 48 tubes (18 doses). Organized homeopathy for every day needs.

	Boiron HomeoTravel Kit Sale Price: $59.75 Average Rating:
	HomeoTravel for trouble-free trips is a convenient kit from Boiron, world leader in homeopathy. Filled with a special selection of single homeopathic medicines, these kits keep you prepared for common acute conditions such as allergies, coughs, colds, flu, stress, arthritis pain, muscle pain, insect bites, motion sickness, apprehension, heartburn and more...

	Boiron Homeopathic Medicine Camilia Teething Relief Single-Use Oral Doses, 20-Count Boxes (Pack of 2) Sale Price: $7.92 Average Rating:
	All Natural, Convenient Single-Use Oral Doses.30 Doses - .033 fl. oz. Each Painful Gums Restlessness Irritability No preservativesSterile Homeopathic Medicine Made in France by Boiron® *The letters HPUS indicate that the components in this product are officially monographed in the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the United States

	Teething Tabs 125 tabs Sale Price: $3.82 Average Rating:
	A homeopathic combination for the temporary relief of symptoms of simple restlessness and wakeful irritability due to cutting teeth.

	Homeopathic hCG - Oral hCG Drops - Natural Weight Loss Diet - 2oz Bottle Sale Price: $9.99 Average Rating:
	Buy Oral HCG - Oral HCG Diet - HCG Weight Loss Program 2oz Bottle - 1 Month Supply Buy Oral HCG Drops Now HCG is a hormone naturally produced in the body. It has many functions and is used medically to treat a variety of conditions...

	Boiron Homeopathic Medicine Cocyntal for Colic Symptom Relief Single-Use Doses for Infants, 20-Count Boxes (Pack of 2) Sale Price: $8.32 Average Rating:
	Use Cocyntal for natural relief of colic symptoms associated with colic, including gas pain and irritability.

	Hyland's Homeopathic Calms Forte 4 Kids (125 Tablets) Sale Price: $3.80 Average Rating:
	For years, American households have relied on the natural calming effect of Hyland's Calms FortéTM. Now the maker of America's #1 homeopathic sleep aid introduces Hyland's Calms Forté 4 KidsTM - an all natural, non-sedative, non-habit forming medicine that offers children temporary relief of nervous tension and restlessness that lead to occasional sleeplessness...

Stress Management: Is Necessity The Mother of Good Inventions, Bad Inventions Or Whatever Gets You Through The Night

“Stress” and “stress management” are terms that roll off our tongues as if understanding them is second nature to us all.  To make sure we are all on the same page let’s start with a working definition of stress courtesy of Dictionary.com.

1)An applied force or system of forces that tend to strain or deform the body, 2) The resisting force set up in a body as a result of an extremely applied force and 3) A physical or psychological stimulus that can produce mental tension or physiological reactions that may lead to illness.

If  you can’t relate to the language used in these definitions just pay attention to the fact that all three definitions speak define stress in negative terms.   This is as far from the truth as me telling you that coins have one side to them.  Stress exists along a continuum.   There is for each individual and each activity an optimum level of stress that enhances performance and stimulates growth producing adaptations.  One person pushed to perform in school may respond with excellent test scores.  Another may either become anxious and have difficulties concentrating,  go blank or even worse get so anxious as to not to show up for the test.   Due to the interplay of genetics, learning, and accidents of fate different people may respond very differently to levels of stress applied in different situations.

For instance, Tiger Woods is more likely than most professional golfers to perform at his best when internal and expectations rise during the major golf championships.  He is now playing for his ranking in golf’s pantheon of immortals.  Many of his peers will be his equal for 1, 2, or maybe 3 rounds only to lose their cool on Sundays during the final rounds of major tournaments with victory on the line.  If they are playing in The Hartford Open instead of The Masters many will manage the stress of the moment very differently.  Others depending on their longevity on The PGA Tour might have identical degrees of difficulty no matter what the prestige level of the tournament.  How Tiger Woods was trained by his father to compete under pressure has been widely publicized.  Was he blessed with extraordinary athletic gifts?  This is probably a safe bet.  Clearly, his competitive fires burn at just the right temperature.  If  Tiger and his peers get themselves worked up into a frenzy like football players getting ready to wage their proverbial Sunday wars, their fine motor skills that translate muscle memory to well executed shots might very well abandon them.  They would not have the violent outlets to modulate and control their states of heightened readiness.  Football players and golfers have different levels of optimum stress to ready themselves to perform at their bests.

Optimum levels of stress promote optimum performance.  To illustrate this accepted notion let’s take for example, aerobic exercise. This stressor to our systems is known to be a mood elevator, and an anxiety reducing activity.  Whether your activity of choice is swimming, cycling running, dance or time on the step master in the gym, there are countless health benefits of a sensible exercise regimen.  Your heart and lungs, bones and muscles will grow stronger if the stress to your body is such that during intervals of rest and repair, the organ systems responsible for physical performance grow stronger.  This will translate to being able to perform more work at lower levels of exertion.   Other benefits include being more resistant to muscular skeletal injuries.  Studies have indicated that people who exercise regularly have healthier immune systems that are more resistant to illness, and a healthier cholesterol profile that points to a lesser likelihood of a premature build up of plaque in their arteries.  Exercisers tend to lose excess weight as exercise burns calories during exercise and at a higher than normal rate for hours after the exercise has stopped.  The rise in the blood sugar is also an appetite depressant.  I’m not just air brushing the warts on this profile of stress, I am emphasizing that optimum levels of stress are catalysts for growth and development.  The complete absence of stress would severely curtail our abilities to succeed.  We would not evolve and actualize our potential as people as quickly as we do if we would do so at all.  Necessity is the mother of invention.

Too little stress on our bodies during exercise will not stimulate growth in our capacities to perform work.  To much stress may produce a host of negative consequences to our health and well being that are every bit as worrisome as the aforementioned benefits were wondrously encouraging. Too much exercise combined with and/or too little rest may strain our bodies and or minds setting off a cascading deterioration of mind/body level of functioning.  I have been around enough runners in my time to have learned first hand that this activity not unlike a pack of cigarettes should come with the warning: “Running may be hazardous to your health.”  If we are tired or sick and have become too dependent on the release of endorphins from the pleasure center of your brains to feel good,  you may continue this activity long beyond the point of diminishing returns and become deaf to your bodies screaming to you that you need to rest.

Over use syndromes can lead to a host of muscular skeletal injuries, and fatigue syndromes that leave people feeling like they have the flu.  A immune system compromised by physical exhaustion may lead to symptoms of depression which may in turn further compromise the immune system and leave the door open to a host of physical maladies.  To feel compelled to exercise to discharge stress from our bodies and experience “the runners high” may leave runners anxious and over time depressed.  When we feel out of control of ourselves the potential to lose our cool and engage in mindless and impulsive actions is a strong human tendency.   Furthermore, in addition to the potentially shame producing, self esteem eroding reactions to losing control of ourselves, we may begin over time to feel hopeless and helpless to steer ourselves as we see fit unless, we can consciously connect with and exercise authority over these impulses, feelings and beliefs.  Teaching people how to regain control of themselves is what psychotherapists like myself do.

Negative stress is compounded by an over reliance or unhealthy dependence on unhealthy stress management strategies; activities that may cause us to ignore our needs to address stressful problems in our lives.  We call such unhealthy dependencies addictive relationships.   If a loved one is pressuring us with expectations that feel overwhelming or are simply expectations we do not wish to meet we may choose to address the matter directly or we may seek to escape our dilemma and go for a long run or bike ride hoping to feel significantly different about the problem.  We may “feel better” temporarily discharging tension in our bodies however, we will not have moved any closer toward the resolution of our problem.  In fact, the more we run away from any problems the bigger the albatrosses they become around our necks.   Look what happens to those of us who do everything they can to rationalize staying away from the dentist’s office.  That intermittent tooth pain we wish to minimize may actually disappear for awhile and at some point resurface only to express itself one morning as a raging infection that blows one side of our face up to the size of a grapefruit.  The more we minimize and deny the existence of the necessity to cope with rather than to pursue temporary band aids on problems, the less capable we feel to cope with the problem and the more stressful the problem becomes.  This is both due to allowing a small problem to become a larger problem due to neglect, and also because like muscles that go unused and are permitted to atrophy; stress management strategies that we don’t use we lose.

Energy is neither created nor destroyed. It simply changes form.  This concept of energy conservation elegantly explains why energies trapped in our bodies lead to illness.  If we are able to think about emotional energies that may get trapped in our systems and make us sick then, we can channel these energies creatively and/or harmlessly discharge them like environmentally friendly steam by talking them out.  “Go ahead and let some steam off responsibly”  is far more desirable than holding it in so that you get a back ache or a stomach ache.  The logic that explains why some people’s vulnerabilities to stress leave them anxious, depressed, substance dependent or headache sufferers is a complex and sometimes impossible mystery to unravel.   We have learned nonetheless, that if the stress is discharged in constructive ways the symptoms will lessen if not disappear.

We know that energy dynamics is the physical principle that governs these processes.  Whether or not an environmental pollutant stresses a body to the point that the inhabitant develops a form of cancer is determined by many factors some of which have to do with their willingness and ability to manage the impact of such a stress on their systems.  If such a person is overweight, depressed, and sedentary he may be more vulnerable to an environmental toxin however, we don’t know for sure why he will or will not develop a life threatening disease.  We do know however, that how he manages or defends against the environmental toxin and other environmental stresses will have an impact on the body’s vulnerabilities to disease producing processes.

If you take yourself seriously then, you will take stress in your life very seriously as the levels of stress in your life and how you manage them will go a long way to determine your health and welfare.  Stress management strategies complement each other.  After reading this article you may consider managing stress on your own and/or in combination with professionals like myself to modulate your levels of stress and learn to discharge stress in healthy ways so to keep your mind and body in balance and to have the energy available to achieve meaningful results in your lives.

	Hyland's Kids' Kit, Homeopathic Medicine, 1 kit Sale Price: $20.60 Average Rating:
	Every parent needs. Kids' Kit Contains: Aconite 30X, Arnica 30X, Belladonna 30X, Chamomilla 30X, Ferrum Phos. 30X, Hepar Sulph. 30X, Bumps 'n Bruises Ointment.

	Hyland's Remedy Chest,30-Count Package Sale Price: $89.99 Average Rating:
	30 Homeopathic medicines.

	Boiron HomeoFamily Kit, 32 Multi Dose/12 Unit Dose Osillococcinum Sale Price: $105.99 Average Rating:
	HomeoFamily is a convenient kit from Boiron, world leader in homeopathy. Filled with a special selection of single homeopathic medicines, these kits keep you prepared for common acute conditions such as allergies, coughs, colds, flu, stress, arthritis pain, muscle pain, insect bites, motion sickness, apprehension, heartburn and more...

	Boiron My Home Kit Sale Price: $29.99 Average Rating:
	Convenient Storage. Capacity: 48 tubes (18 doses). Organized homeopathy for every day needs.

	Boiron HomeoTravel Kit Sale Price: $59.75 Average Rating:
	HomeoTravel for trouble-free trips is a convenient kit from Boiron, world leader in homeopathy. Filled with a special selection of single homeopathic medicines, these kits keep you prepared for common acute conditions such as allergies, coughs, colds, flu, stress, arthritis pain, muscle pain, insect bites, motion sickness, apprehension, heartburn and more...

	Boiron Homeopathic Medicine Camilia Teething Relief Single-Use Oral Doses, 20-Count Boxes (Pack of 2) Sale Price: $7.92 Average Rating:
	All Natural, Convenient Single-Use Oral Doses.30 Doses - .033 fl. oz. Each Painful Gums Restlessness Irritability No preservativesSterile Homeopathic Medicine Made in France by Boiron® *The letters HPUS indicate that the components in this product are officially monographed in the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the United States

	Teething Tabs 125 tabs Sale Price: $3.82 Average Rating:
	A homeopathic combination for the temporary relief of symptoms of simple restlessness and wakeful irritability due to cutting teeth.

	Homeopathic hCG - Oral hCG Drops - Natural Weight Loss Diet - 2oz Bottle Sale Price: $9.99 Average Rating:
	Buy Oral HCG - Oral HCG Diet - HCG Weight Loss Program 2oz Bottle - 1 Month Supply Buy Oral HCG Drops Now HCG is a hormone naturally produced in the body. It has many functions and is used medically to treat a variety of conditions...

	Boiron Homeopathic Medicine Cocyntal for Colic Symptom Relief Single-Use Doses for Infants, 20-Count Boxes (Pack of 2) Sale Price: $8.32 Average Rating:
	Use Cocyntal for natural relief of colic symptoms associated with colic, including gas pain and irritability.

	Hyland's Homeopathic Calms Forte 4 Kids (125 Tablets) Sale Price: $3.80 Average Rating:
	For years, American households have relied on the natural calming effect of Hyland's Calms FortéTM. Now the maker of America's #1 homeopathic sleep aid introduces Hyland's Calms Forté 4 KidsTM - an all natural, non-sedative, non-habit forming medicine that offers children temporary relief of nervous tension and restlessness that lead to occasional sleeplessness...

Every health and lifestyle magazine contains articles claiming stress is bad for us. They list dozens of ways to relieve stress, from exercise to eating healthy foods. A wide range of relaxation techniques have also been proven to help manage stress in our crazy-busy world, especially for people who take care of others and tend to neglect themselves.

But stress is not always as bad as these cautionary articles insist. In fact, some stress is actually necessary to keep us going and growing.

Our individual responses to different types and levels of stress can either drain or energize us. It is how we perceive and process both ongoing and unexpected stressors that intensifies or reduces their impact on our bodies, minds and emotions.

The term "stress" was first used in the mid-1950s by endocrinologist Dr. Hans Selye in his book "The Stress of Life." In his research experiments, Selye discovered that we experience stress not only when we hear bad news but also when we receive good news. He differentiated these two types of stressors by calling negative stress "distress" and positive stress "eustress" (the Greek prefix "eu" means well or good).

The idea that we naturally feel stressed by positive experiences -- like getting married, having a baby, graduations, promotions, winning awards or races -- is echoed in the Social Readjustment Ratings Scale. Devised by University of Washington medical researchers Holmes and Rahe, the SRRS ranks the impact of good stress-events as well as bad stressors like death, divorce or losing a job.

They discovered it is the accumulation of minor plus major changes over a period of time that increases one's chances of developing stress-related ailments like heart disease, cancer or a weakened immune system. Stress effects also intensify when several changes occur without enough time between them to recharge our physical and mental resources.

When dealing with normal life changes, Holmes and Rahe also concluded that a single event is rarely stressful enough to cause significant illness if we have some control over the situation and are able to view it as a challenge or opportunity instead of a threat.

So stress is not always bad or unhealthy. It can actually keep us from becoming complacent or staying too long in jobs, relationships or environments which are not good for us. When bad stress builds to the "breaking point," it usually forces us to make choices and change our behavior or environment with positive and healthier results.

Stress is also necessary to keep us moving forward while working toward a goal -- like a creative or business project -- or training for athletic events like championship games or marathons. This type of eustress prevents us from slowing down or giving up too soon and helps us build momentum in the early stages to empower us to reach the "finish line."

So positive stress management can actually give us a Competitive Edge via increased focus and drive. As we move forward on what researchers call the Performance Stress Curve, eustress helps us make choices, take actions and communicate more clearly.

When it comes to managing stress, there are two basic approaches: Defensive or Offensive. If we take a Defensive approach, we subconsciously distort reality by hoping the situation will change without having to do anything about it. But this keeps us in a state of denial and often amplifies the internal impact of distress, contributing to disease or depression.

Taking an Offensive approach, however, enables us to manage stress by using it to our advantage. By consciously changing or adapting, we adjust to life-changes organically and can view things in perspective that at first feel like problems. Then we can reframe these "problems" as opportunities or challenges and take appropriate action.

Offensive ways to manage stress include:
1.Changing our situation whenever possible
2.Increasing our ability to cope with the situation as it is
3.Changing our perception so the situation looks and feels different
4.Changing our behavior, as this is truly where we have the most control

Whenever we feel stressed, it can be useful to first determine whether it's Distress or Eustress. Then we can decide whether to become Offensive by utilizing or adjusting it, or remain Defensive and wait to see if the situation changes on its own. Sometimes choosing to live with stress is appropriate, like when it energizes our Competitive Edge.

We can also balance our stress levels to avoid being thrown off-center too easily or often. Ongoing stress management techniques for creating balance include sleeping well, eating healthy foods, exercising, meditating &/or focusing on the positive things in our lives. These are simple and inexpensive ways to relieve pressure, especially when we're faced with unexpected events or must manage stress over a long period of time.

While the bad news is that it's nearly impossible to avoid stress in our crazy-busy world, the good news is that using stress management techniques and being mindful can actually make stress empowering instead of draining. This puts us in control of the stressors in our lives so they can't stop us from continuing to go forward and grow more joyfully empowered every day.