Speaker : Kathy Gruver, PhD

Presentation Title :Conquer your Stress for Enhanced Productivity and Improved Safety

Who am I?

• PhD Natural Health • Studied Mind/Body Medicine at Harvard • 5 award-winning books • 250 + radio and TV shows • Host my own TV series • Lectured around the world on stress and mind/body • Hip hop dancer, trapeze artist

What is Stress?

What is Stress?

• "a condition or feeling experienced when a person perceives that demands exceed the personal and social resources the individual is able to mobilize."

• “a threat, real or imagined”

• It can be A PERCEPTION

Hans Selye

• The term “stress”, as it is currently used was coined by Hans Selye in 1936, who defined it as “the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change”

The only way to avoid stress is to be dead.

Signs of stress

• Headaches

• Dizziness

• Racing Heart

• Restlessness

• Insomnia

• Smoking

• Over drinking

• Drug use

• Performance change

• Compulsive eating

• Teeth grinding

• Crying

• Anxiety

• Boredom

• Anger

• Tardiness

• Road rage

• Memory loss

• Loss of humor

• Forgetfulness

• Thoughts to run away

• Lack of joy in activities

• Addiction

• Absenteeism

• Bossiness

Statistics about Stress

• One million workers miss work everyday from stress

• Employers spend $602/employee/year due to stress

• 1 out of 4 workers admit to taking a day off to cope

• Stress-related illness accounts for 14% of Workers Comp Cases

• 70-80% of doctor’s visits are from stress-related illness.

Disease and stress

• Ulcers

• High Blood Pressure

• IBS

• GERD

• CFS

• Aggravates Auto-immune

• Skin Conditions

• Depression

• Cancer

• Asthma

• Insomnia

• Headaches

• TMJ

• PMS

Diseases associated with stress:

Fight or flight response

• Digestion slows

• Cognitive function and decision making decrease

• Heart and lungs increase

• Bowels and bladder empty

• Shot of adrenaline and a cascade of hormones

• Immune system increases temporarily

• Feeling of invincibility (or fear as we run)

• After the danger has passed everything goes back to normal, you sleep

What fails when we’re stressed

• Memory

• Reason and logic

• Cognitive function

• Digestion

• Immune system

• Sexual response

• Rational risk taking

• Sleep

• Patience

• Tendency to accept responsibility if something goes wrong

• Ability to respond rather than react

What to do about stress?

• Meditate (do a mini)

• Take a walk

• Get a massage

• Play games

• Go to dinner and spend time w/friends

• Pet your pet

• Visualizations

• Affirmations

• Exercise

• Mindfulness

• Learn to “relax”, whatever that means to you

Who is breathing?

According to Psychology Today Positive thoughts:

• Stimulate the growth of nerve connections.

• Improve cognition by increasing mental productivity

• Improve your ability to analyze and think.

• Affect your view of surroundings.

• Increase attentiveness.

• Lead to more happy thoughts.

Affirmations

• Make them short

• Make them positive

• Put them in the present

• Repeat them often

Daily Affirmations – reinforcing beliefs

• I am healthy and well

• I am surrounded by loving and supportive friends

• I easily accomplish my goals

• I am calm

• I am in control

• I have plenty of time

• I accept money from unexpected sources

• I am beautiful and fabulous

1. Focus on something repetitive like your breath, a word, a sound, a mantra

2. When thoughts move through, dismiss them without judgment and return to the breath

To Meditate

Go about each activity with awareness, curiosity, focus and non-judgment. If you don’t have time for formal meditation you can turn any activity into a meditation by staying present and mindful. Use all your senses

Daily Mindfulness

Looking at something pretty

• Less risk taking

• Calmer demeanor

• Better cognitive function

• More in control

• Helps balance all the negativity

Options for stress at work

• Know that the event is not you

• Leave work at work

• Find a way to not allow other’s stress to affect you

• Eat enough protein

• Drink enough water

• Find a distracting activity

The Power is in YOU!

You have a choice as to how you deal with stress

You have tools to use for stress

You have the power

and the control!

And most importantly…

YOU HAVE OPTIONS

Feel free to reach out.

Kathy Gruver, PhD

Po Box 3184

Santa Barbara, CA 93130

805-680-1984

www.TheAlternativeMedicineCabinet.com

www.corporatestressprograms.com

DrKathyGruver@gmail.com