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Tag: balance

Try Tai Chi For Stress Relief

SUCCESS OVER STRESS

Tai chi and qi gong are mind-body practices. They have been used for thousands of years. Tai chi is one type of qi gong, but they’re not the same. Both focus on the energy of the body, traditionally called “qi” (pronounced “chee”), by using special breathing and movements.

What are tai chi and qi gong?

Both practices are low-impact exercises. You work through a series of poses that are designed to help energy flow through your body. And you can adapt them to work for you. Don’t stretch yourself to the limit. These poses shouldn’t hurt.

You don’t need special equipment or athletic ability to start tai chi or qi gong. You can take a class or use videos to learn. The American Tai Chi and Qigong Association has recommendations.

Relaxation power

Tai chi and qi gong can help you relax. They are a healthy way to lower stress. Studies have shown that these practices can:

* Lower symptoms of depression

* Decrease negative thoughts

* Lower stress levels

* Boost brain function

Better sleep

By using gentle exercise, healthy breathing and deep relaxation, tai chi helps people sleep better. Some evidence shows that tai chi improves sleep quality in healthy people as well as those with chronic diseases.

Wellness in spirit and soul

When you practice tai chi, you work on graceful, flowing movements that move through the body. Over time, tai chi feels like a flow that combines your body, mind and spirit. This can help you feel more connected to your spiritual health.

Less stress about health

Tai chi and qi gong can boost your health, help you feel energetic and strong. If you do them regularly, it can improve your balance and flexibility, which can reduce your risk of falling and getting hurt. They may even help with chronic pain. Ask your doctor if tai chi or qi gong would help you.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Assertiveness Inventory

Systematic Stress Management Program

Step 7: Communication & Stress Section

Introduction

What is Your Ear-Q?

Ten Blocks to Effective Listening

Listening Blocks in My Life

Skills for Active Listening

Improving Your Ear-Q

Assertiveness

Assertiveness Inventory

Assertiveness with Other People

The Benefits of Assertiveness

Assertiveness Training – The L.A.D.D.E.R. Technique

My Practice L.A.D.D.E.R.

Using the scale below, place the appropriate number in front of each statement. Answer how you would honestly feel, not how you “think” you should feel.

Scale

1. At ease, very comfortable

2. Slightly ill-at-ease

3. Uncomfortable

4. Extremely uncomfortable

I AM…

1. Returning merchandise at a store

2. Making a business call or appointment

3. Asking favors from others

4. Speaking in public

5. Speaking to a very attractive person

6. Complaining about poor restaurant service

7. Being evaluated on my performance

8. Disagreeing with my boss or co-worker

9. Responding to strangers

10. Handling personal criticism

11. Questioning someone’s judgement

12. Venting my anger

13. Speaking up when I’ve been cheated or ignored

14. Dealing with uncooperative people

15. Declining an invitation

16. Declining to buy an item from a salesperson

17. Asking someone to stop talking while in a movie theater

18. Beginning a conversation with a stranger

19. Returning to school or taking a class

20. Refusing an unreasonable request made by a friend

21. Receiving a compliment

22. Offering constructive criticism to a friend

23. Reprimanding someone

24. Making a job change

25. Making or accepting a date or social appointment

26. Praising a friend

27. Sharing intimate feelings with someone

28. Offering a loan

29. Expressing my opinion publicly

30. Feeling angry towards my parents

TOTAL: __________

Tally your score. The range is 30 – 120. Evaluate your score on the following scale:

30 – 65: You are generally assertive.

66 – 85: You need practice to become more assertive.

86 – 120: Your lack of assertiveness is probably producing unnecessary stress

Regardless of how you scored, you should go back and star any situations which you find stressful. The assertiveness training techniques offered later in this book should help you deal with the stress these situations produce.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

Step 1: Understanding Stress

Step 3: Type A & B Behavior Patterns

Step 5: Thinking Differently

Step 7: Communication & Stress

Step 2: Stress Management at Work

Step 4: Biofeedback Training & Relaxation

Step 6: Time Management

Steps to Systematic Stress Management™

RELATED ARTICLES

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine – All Rights Reserved.Disclaimer|www.HealthyLife.com

January 23, 2026
Healthy Eating 4

Nutrition

Choose foods that help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol. Medicines have a big impact on improving blood cholesterol (lipid) levels. Follow your doctor’s advice for taking medications.

Action Step:Take a walk at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Lose weight. Weight loss and moderate physical activity raise HDL (good) cholesterol.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Match The Self-Talk To The Theory

Systematic Stress Management Program

Step 5: Thinking Differently Section

Introduction

Match the Self-Talk to the Theory

Catch Questionable Comparisons

Thought Habits Become Language Patterns

How to Dispute a Belief

Thought Control Techniques

The Power of Creative Imagination

Steps for Developing the Most Effective Creative Imagery

General Stress Management Guidelines

The point of this quote is that it is not an event by itself that results in stress or distress. What you tell yourself about an event will determine your feelings – positive or negative. Here are some examples of how statements in our mind can result in emotions:

The words we use in our mind to define and describe a person, place, or thing are called self-talk. A well-known clinical psychologist by the name of Dr. Albert Ellis supports this theory. He came up with ten types of self-talk that he suggests are in conflict with reality. His theory tells us that when we choose to repeat to ourselves statements or language that are not in line with reality, we experience distress and emotional upset that may not be necessary.

Match the Theory to the Self-Talk

Answers:

1-E, 2-H, 3-D, 4-I, 5-F, 6-J, 7-G, 8-B, 9-A, 10-C

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

Step 1: Understanding Stress

Step 3: Type A & B Behavior Patterns

Step 5: Thinking Differently

Step 7: Communication & Stress

Step 2: Stress Management at Work

Step 4: Biofeedback Training & Relaxation

Step 6: Time Management

Steps to Systematic Stress Management™

RELATED ARTICLES

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine – All Rights Reserved.Disclaimer|www.HealthyLife.com

January 23, 2026
Prevent Falls

Home Safety

Do This, Not That

* Falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries for children ages 0 to 19. Every day, about 8,000 children are treated in U.S. emergency rooms for fall-related injuries.

* Almost 86,000 fall injuries each year are linked with dogs and cats. This includes falling or tripping over the animal or its toys and/or being pulled down or pushed by a dog.

* One out of 3 people age 65 and older takes a bad fall every year. And in this age group, falls are the leading cause of death by injury.

Older Adults

People with Special Needs

General Guidelines

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Move For Mental Health

BE FIT

Movement doesn’t just strengthen your body. Your mental health and well-being benefit from regular exercise, too. When you move your body, every part of you feels better. This includes your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. What’s good for the body is good for the brain. While exercise is not a replacement for mental health treatment, it is a tangible way to impact your mind for the better.

Reduced stress

We all experience stress on a regular basis. It’s a normal and unavoidable part of life. But how we manage stress can mean the difference between a peaceful mind or one in turmoil.

Exercise is a great stress management tool. When you get your blood pumping, it releases feel-good hormones called endorphins that counteract the effects of stress. Exercising also reduces tension and fatigue, giving you more energy to manage stressful situations.

Better sleep

When you don’t sleep well, it’s challenging to manage your body’s stress response. And when you don’t manage stress levels well, your body’s stress response makes it difficult to sleep.

Exercise can interrupt this frustrating cycle. By positively influencing your natural circadian rhythm, movement makes it easier to fall asleep and sleep deeply. And a healthy dose of movement helps you feel comfortably tired at the end of the day.

Improved mood

Most people report they feel happier and in a better mood after exercise. And you don’t have to be a runner to feel the benefits. Whether you lift weights or take a brisk walk, the benefits are the same. Even getting up to do some chores can shake off the “blahs.”

By increasing blood flow and alertness, movement helps you feel more confident, capable, and positive. In turn, this boost in mood supports your overall sense of well-being.

Brain Health

Mental health is directly related to brain health. A well-functioning, healthy brain thinks, feels, and copes better.

Regularly getting your heart pumping is good for the blood vessels in the brain. Exercise also protects against the build-up of plaque in the vessel walls. This helps protect the brain from damage and declining function.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Assertiveness With Other People

Systematic Stress Management Program

Step 7: Communication & Stress Section

Introduction

What is Your Ear-Q?

Ten Blocks to Effective Listening

Listening Blocks in My Life

Skills for Active Listening

Improving Your Ear-Q

Assertiveness

Assertiveness Inventory

Assertiveness with Other People

The Benefits of Assertiveness

Assertiveness Training – The L.A.D.D.E.R. Technique

My Practice L.A.D.D.E.R.

Behaviors vary in different situations and with different people. Because of relationships and other influences, assertive behaviors may or may not be communicated. This listing will help to identify where passive or aggressive behaviors need adjustment.

Determine whether you behave assertively, aggressively, or passively with different people. (Review characteristics chart.) Record A, B, or C in front of each.

(A) Assertive

(B) Aggressive

(C) Passive

1. Parents

2. Employees

3. Strangers

4. Relatives

5. Spouse

6. Business clients

7. Co-workers

8. New acquaintances

9. Classmates

10. Friends

11. Boss

12 .Phone or door-to-door solicitors

13. Sales help

14. Children

15. Elders

Review your responses. Do you see a pattern of more A’s, B’s, or C’s? How can you change interactions with others to achieve more A’s? Star the B’s and C’s that you consider to be stressful. Now review and label those 3 – 5 people with whom you want to improve your style of communication.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

Step 1: Understanding Stress

Step 3: Type A & B Behavior Patterns

Step 5: Thinking Differently

Step 7: Communication & Stress

Step 2: Stress Management at Work

Step 4: Biofeedback Training & Relaxation

Step 6: Time Management

Steps to Systematic Stress Management™

RELATED ARTICLES

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine – All Rights Reserved.Disclaimer|www.HealthyLife.com

January 23, 2026
Healthy Weight

Weight Control

In a culture where “thin is in,” it can be a challenge to focus on being healthy at any weight.

Healthy weight is not just about weight in pounds. It includes being physically active, eating nutritious foods, and following a mindful and healthy lifestyle.

Persons at a healthy weight have a lower risk for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other chronic diseases.

If you are overweight, losing 10% of your weight will help lower your risk for many

chronic diseases.

(Your weight in lbs) ÷ 10 =

(lbs to lose 10% of your weight)

Not getting enough sleep can change the body’s metabolism, making it harder to lose weight. Less sleep leads to less energy to exercise and more time for snacking. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep a night.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Skills For Active Listening

Systematic Stress Management Program

Step 7: Communication & Stress Section

Introduction

What is Your Ear-Q?

Ten Blocks to Effective Listening

Listening Blocks in My Life

Skills for Active Listening

Improving Your Ear-Q

Assertiveness

Assertiveness Inventory

Assertiveness with Other People

The Benefits of Assertiveness

Assertiveness Training – The L.A.D.D.E.R. Technique

My Practice L.A.D.D.E.R.

To improve listening skills, become a more ACTIVE listener. Three techniques that help are: paraphrasing, clarifying, and giving feedback.

Paraphrasing

This is simply saying back in your own words what you think someone has said. Example: “Do you mean…”

Clarifying

This is like paraphrasing, but questions are asked in order to gain more information. Example: “Would you tell me more about…”

Feedback

This technique is used following paraphrasing or clarifying. Feedback is sharing some thoughts by the listener as a result of understanding what was said. An example of an opening phrase is, “It sounds like…”

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

Step 1: Understanding Stress

Step 3: Type A & B Behavior Patterns

Step 5: Thinking Differently

Step 7: Communication & Stress

Step 2: Stress Management at Work

Step 4: Biofeedback Training & Relaxation

Step 6: Time Management

Steps to Systematic Stress Management™

RELATED ARTICLES

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine – All Rights Reserved.Disclaimer|www.HealthyLife.com

January 23, 2026
Use Ladders Safely

Home Safety

Follow safety tips to keep you from an injury sustained on a ladder.

* Make sure your ladder is long enough for you to reach the job without standing on the top three steps or overextending your body.

* Check the ladder for cracks or weak spots before you use it. Metal ladders should have nonskid steps and footings. (Don’t paint a ladder; you’ll hide defects.)

* Make sure the soles of your shoes or boots are dry and have enough tread to prevent slipping.

* Always steady a ladder on firm ground or a flat board.

* Never place a ladder in front of a door that someone may open.

* Wear tools on a belt or keep them in your pocket so you can keep your hands free when climbing up or down a ladder.

* To avoid losing your balance while standing on a ladder, don’t lean too far back or to the side.

* Don’t use a ladder outdoors on a very windy day.

* To avoid electrocution, don’t use metal ladders near power lines.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026