4. Exercise. Move your body! Walking, biking, swimming or dancing all get the blood moving, carrying fresh oxygen to all parts of your brain and body. The "fight or flight" response shared by humans and animals is extremely helpful when you are faced with physical danger, like that grizzly bear in the first paragraph. If the problem can be solved by "fighting," taking action to scare the bear away, or by "flight," running away so fast the bear can't harm you, the solution itself dissipates the stress and bodily functions return to normal. When stress is caused by a problem, situation, or condition that can't be solved through such a response, the impact extends for a longer period. Exercise helps dissipate the hormones that accumulate in the body when it is stressed.

5. Be here now. Keep your thoughts focused on the present moment. It is really all that you have. Fretting about past events or worrying about what may happen in the future both sap your ability to enjoy where you are right now. Reviewing the past and planning for the future are two abilities of higher reasoning that humans have that differentiate us from other mammals. Don't let circumstances take over your opportunity to see the gift that this moment brings you—that's why it's called the "present!"

Our bodies are wired for health and vitality, not for illness and disease. Health is how our bodies function, not how they feel. Health comes from the inside out. And, importantly, the choices we make play a part in our health and well-being. For more information on health and wellness, stress management, weight loss, and releasing emotional blocks that may be sabotaging your health, go to www.drmichaelroth.com or www.rothwellnesscenter.com.

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