Unit 7 Jeffrey Meyers - Hw410-Final

KA P L A N U N I V E R S I T Y
Stress Management and Prevention

Program Resource Guide
By
Jeffrey Meyers
Kaplan University
HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention
Table of Contents
UNIT
THE
NATU RE
OF
STRESS
Information to Remember..........................................................................
Resources: Exercises..................................................................................
Tools: Journal Writing.................................................................................
UNIT
THE
PHYSIO LOGY
OF
STRESS
UNIT
PSYCHOLOGY
OF
STRESS
UNIT
PERSONAL ITY
TRAITS
AND
THE
HUM AN
SPIRITUAL ITY
UNIT
DEAL ING
WITH
STRESS:
COPING
STRATE GIES
UNIT
AND
REL AXATIO N
M ENTAL
TECHI QUES
1 :
BREATHI NG ,
M EDITATI ON,
IM AGE RY
UNIT
NUTRITI ON
AND
STRESS
UNIT
PHYSIC AL
EXERCISE
AND
ACTIV ITY
UNIT
AND
APPLYING
PREVE NTIO N
STRESS:
CRITICAL
TO
PROF ESSI ONAL
YOUR
ISSUES
F OR
M ANAGEM EN T
L IF E
1
Unit
Unit 1: The Nature of Stress

Information to Remember:
Stress is a perceived threat (real or imagined) to our mind, body, spirit, or

emotions. (Seaward, 2009). Everyone has to deal with some type of stress in their life time.
How you deal with it is what makes the difference. We all handle it very different.
Types of stress:
Eustress (good stress), Neustress (neutral stress), Distress (bad stress). (Seaward, 2009). Out of all
these stresses, I believe that I fall under the neutral stress. Stress can make us feel all types of ways.
Types of Distress:
Acute Stress (short in duration; minutes, but intense), Chronic Stress (much longer in duration; days,
weeks, etc., but nowhere near as intense). (Seaward, 2009). Sometimes I believe that I deal with
mostly chronic stress, but I dont. Even though it feels like it lasts forever, it doesnt. Thats why I
believe acute stress is more accurate for me.
Resources: Exercises:
EXERCISE 1.2 My Health Philosophy
To me, health and wellness means, the help or improvement of your bodys physical fitness,
mental state. Also improving your bodys overall health with exercise, movement and knowledge of
what you are doing to make this happen without injury. The overall health or your body is very
important. Your health state is like a guideline of your future, the better you maintain and improve the
health and wellness of your body, the more chances you have to fight off infection and diseases such
as heart disease and diabetes.
Right now, the state our economy is in affects my ability to maintain a healthy diet. I am able
to eat healthy but not as healthy as I was able to when the economy was better. This also causes a lot
of my stress. With a bad economy, its harder to provide food, child support, and even clothes for my
family, but like any parent I make it happen. The stress I get from that carries over to my work, and
the stress I get from work I carry back home. I do all I can not to take the stress out on my family
because they dont deserve that. So I hold it in and start everyday even more stressed. Within the next
25 years, if I stay with this current path, the stress would probably kill me. At the moment I have a
plan to change everything around. With this plan, in the next 25 years, I see myself as a well-known
track and field coach, getting ready to retire in Belize where my family is from living a stress free life
living off the land.
My military leadership influenced a lot of my decisions made within the last 4 years and Ive
2
Unit
lived a very stressful life since. Now Ive been making all my decisions with my wife and I will say it
has been a lot better.
Tools: Journal Writing:

EXERCISE 1.1 Are You Stressed?
After doing this exercise, now realize the amount of stress Im in every day. This was a great
exercise for anyone to do to see what can cause their stress levels to increase or decrease. I believe, since
this was able to show me what causes my stress, I can keep improving my stress levels.
Unit 2: The Physiology of Stress

The Central Nervous System (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal column while the peripheral
nervous system (PNS) comprises all neural pathways to the extremities (Seaward, 2009).
The Central Nervous System consists of the neocortical level - (The conscious power to override the
stress response is here.), the limbic system - (Fight-or-flight is activated here!), and the vegetative
level. This is where I believe most people activate the fight or flight theory in them. To protect
themselves.
Stress and Disease According to the American Institute of Stress:

43% of all adults suffer adverse health effects due to stress
7590% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related complaints or
disorders (Seaward, B. 2009).
EXERCISE 2.2 Immediate, Intermediate, and Prolonged Stress Effects
This exercise showed everyone what you feel when immediately threatened. Tingling
sensations, sweating, muscle tension, rapid heart rate, and rapid breathing are some of the symptoms
people endear when threatened in any way.

EXERCISE 3.3 My Health Profile
This exercise showed me where my health is and how healthy I am. It also showed me what I need
3
Unit
to work on and how much I need to work on it. Doing this made me a much healthier person.
Unit 3: Psychology of Stress

Healthy Emotions
Given this definition of emotional well-being, all emotions are considered part of the spectrum, yet
the question begs to be asked: "What constitutes a healthy emotion?" From a holistic perspective, the
expression of all emotions is considered healthy, because to deny. The ability to feel and express any
emotion suggests a serious emotional imbalance. Each sensation in the spectrum of human emotions is
[embedded] in the software of the human mind for a reasonto feel and express ourselves in every
possible way. The expression of each emotion also allows a release of feelings, or what is more commonly
known as a "catharsis." (Seaward, 2006, page 44, para. 2)
EXERCISE 5.9 Emotional Well-Being
Emotional well-being is best described as the ability to feel and express the entire range of
human emotions, and to control them, not be controlled by them. Sounds like a pretty tall order, huh?
Well, it doesnt have to be. What is the range of human emotions? Everything from anger to love, and
all thats in between. No emotion is excluded, meaning that it is perfectly all right to feel angry,
jealous, giddy, sad, depressed, light-hearted, and silly. All of these feelings comprise the total human
experience, the complete spectrum of human emotions.
A well-accepted theory suggests that early in our development, we spend the greatest amount
of time trying on and exploring emotions. But if you are like most people, you were told at an early
age one or more of the following expressions related to your behavior: Wipe that smile off your
face, Big boys dont cry, Dont you ever talk back to me, or Ill give you something to cry
about. Perhaps our parents had good intentions, or perhaps they were just at wits end. Regardless of
what prompts such comments, most youngsters interpret the message altogether differently than
intended. Instead of relating such phrases only to the moment, most children take the meaning of such
messages globally and think it is never all right to laugh or to cry. If we hear these messages enough,
we begin to deny some of our feelings by stuffing them down into our unconscious mindsonly to
meet them head-on later in life.
The second half of the emotional well-being equation says that to be emotionally well, we
must control our feelings, not let them control us. Our feelings control us when we refuse to feel and
express them or when we linger too long in the moods of anger, anxiety, depression, grief, or
boredom. The result is stagnation, not dynamic living. (Seaward, 2008).

EXERCISE 4.1 The Psychology of Your Stress
The following questions are based on several theories from Chapter 4 to help you become
more aware of your perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors during episodes of stress:
1. In hindsight (because Freud said people are not aware at the time that they are doing it), do you find
that you use one or more defense mechanisms to protect your ego? Reflecting on your behavior,
which of the following do you see as common behaviors in your psychology of stress profile?
a.
Defensiveness (I didnt do it)
Yes
No
b.
Projection (She did it)
Yes
No
c.
Repression (I dont remember doing it)
Yes
No
d.
Displacement (He made me do it)
Yes
No
e.
Rationalization (Everyone does it)
Yes
No
f.
Humor (I can laugh about this now)
Yes
No
2. Carl Jung was adamant that we need to listen to the wisdom of our dreams. Please answer the
following questions based on Jungs theories related to stress.
a.
Do you often remember your dreams?
Yes
No
b.
Do you make it a habit to try to understand your

dreams and dream symbols?
Yes
No
c.
Do you have any recurring dreams?
Yes
No
d.
Have you ever had a dream of an event that later

Yes
No
came to pass?
10
3. Kbler-Rosss stages of grieving are not just for cancer patients. These same stages occur for the
death of every unmet expectation. What recent expectation was unmet that brought you to the door of
the grieving process? What stage of Kbler-Rosss progression have you currently reached with this
stressor?
My aunt died from cancer a few years back. Last year her son and an uncle on my fathers side killed
themselves. So the highest stage I got to was depression.
4. Refer to your Unit 1 Journal Writing Assignment, Exercise 1.5 (Personal Stress Inventory: Top
Ten Stressors). Please list your stressors as predominantly anger-based or fear-based stressors.
Anger-Based Stressors
a. chronic pain.
b. tension and/or migraine headaches
c. kids
Fear-Based Stressors
a. Kids growing up
b. Finances
c. Family Health
(Seaward, 2008).
11
Unit 4: Personality Traits and the Human Spirituality

Unit
4
Stress and human spirituality, Stress and Spirituality are NOT polar opposites. Stress
provides the opportunity for spiritual growth... when we learn from the experience! (Seaward,
B. 2009).
Spirituality, It would be fair to say that human spirituality has been the focus of countless
conversations dating back to antiquity. Yet despite the millions of words and hundreds of
philosophies exploring this concept, human spirituality is still a phenomenon for which no
one definition seems adequate, (Seaward, B. 2009).
EXERCISE 7.6 Your Meaningful Purpose in Life
Knowing that your purpose in life may change many times in the course of your life, for this exercise,
first write down (in a few words to a sentence) what you consider to be your life purpose now, at this
point in time. Then take a moment to briefly describe what you considered to be your purpose in life
at the start of each decade of your life (e.g., at age twenty it might be or have been to graduate with a
college degree, at age thirty it might be or have been to raise a family or start a business).
Age 60: Play with grand kids. Retire.
12
Age 50: Watch kids graduate college. Maintain my own business.

Age 40: Receive my masters. Watch kids grow up.
Age 30: Complete my contract with the US Army. Complete my undergrad. Start a business.

Stress-Prone Personality Survey
The following is a survey based on the traits of the codependent personality. Please
answer the following questions with the most appropriate number.
3 = Often
1.
2 = Sometimes
1 = Rarely
0 = Never
I tend to seek approval

(acceptance) from others (e.g.,
3
friends, colleagues, family

2.
members).
I have very strong perfection
3.
tendencies.
I am usually involved in many
4.
projects at one time.

I rise to the occasion in times of
5.
crisis.
Despite problems with my
6.
family, I will always defend them.

I have a tendency to put others
7.
before myself.
I dont feel appreciated for all the
8.
things I do.
I tend to tell a lot of white lies.
13
9.
10.
I will help most anyone in need.

I tend to trust others
11.
perceptions rather than my own.

I have a habit of overreacting to
12.
situations.
Despite great achievements, my
13.
self-esteem usually suffers.

My family background is better
14.
described as victim than victor.

I have been known to
manipulate others with acts of
15.
generosity and favors.

I am really good at empathizing
16.
with my friends and family.

I usually try to make the best
17.
impression possible with people.

I like to validate my feelings with
18.
others perceptions.
I am an extremely well-
19.
organized individual.
Its easier for me to give love
and much more difficult to
20.
receive it.
I tend to hide my feelings if I
know they will upset others.
Total score: 44
Score: A score of more than 30 points indicates that you most likely have traits
associated with the codependent personality, a personality style known to be stressprone.
14
Unit 5: Dealing with Stress: Coping Strategies

Unit
5
Affirmations - assertion of support or agreement, a positive statement or declaration of the truth or
existence of something, a positive statement or declaration of the truth or existence of something;
psychology a positive thought or statement affirming that a desired goal has been reached or is within
reach
Assertion declaration, statement, claim, allegation, contention, affirmation
Boundaries limits, limitations, borders, restrictions, margins, precincts
Empowerment a sense of personal energy or vitality (Seaward, 2007, page 120, 3)
Humor - The quality that makes something laughable or amusing; funniness; the ability to perceive,
enjoy, or express what is amusing, comical, incongruous, or absurd, that which is intended to induce
laughter or amusement
15
Mindfulness-based stress reduction the technique employed by the University of Massachusetts

Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society, Stress Reduction Program providing
intensive training to participants in engaging their own individual resources to reduce stress.
Mindset state of mind, beliefs that affect somebody's attitude: a set of beliefs or a way of thinking
that determine somebody's behavior and outlook
Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) NLP was begun in the mid-seventies by a linguist (Grinder)
and a mathematician (Bandler) who had strong interests in (a) successful people, (b) psychology, (c)
language and (d) computer programming (Skeptics Dictionary, 2008).
Reframing - revisiting and reconstruction of a patient's view of an experience to imbue it with a
different usually more positive meaning in the patient's mind.
The Three Pillars of Human Spirituality
I. Relationships
All life is relationship. In simple terms, there are two categories of relationships: internal
(your domestic policy)how you deal with yourself, how you nurture the relationship with
yourself and your higher selfand external (your foreign policy)how you relate, support,
and interact with those people (and all living entities) in your environment. How would you
evaluate your internal relationship and what steps could you take to cultivate it? Moving from
the aspect of domestic policy to foreign policy, how would you evaluate your external
relationships?
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II. Your Personal Value System

We each have a value system composed of core and supporting values. Core values (about
four to six) are those that form the foundation of our personal belief system. Supporting
values support the core values. Intangible core values (e.g., love, honesty, freedom) and
supporting values (e.g., education, creativity, and integrity) are often symbolized in material
possessions. Quite regularly, our personal value system tends to go through a
reorganization process, particularly when there are conflicts in our values. What are your
core and supporting values?
I chose this exercise because relationships and personal values should be a great topic
for anyone. Talking about your core values and supporting values lets you see where you stand.
When your values are strong your confident, when your confident your strong, and when your
strong you can accomplish anything.

Value Assessment and Clarification
Valuesthose abstract ideal[s] that shape our livesare important constructs. They
give the conscious mind structure. They can also give countries and governments structure.
The U.S. Declaration of Independence is all about values, including life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness. Although values are intangible, they are often symbolized by material
objects or possessions, which can make values very real. Some everyday examples of
values are love, peace, privacy, education, freedom, happiness, creativity, fame, integrity,
faith, friendship, morals, health, justice, loyalty, honesty, and independence.
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Where do values come from? We adopt values at a very early age, unconsciously,
from people we admire, love, or desire acceptance from, such as our parents, brothers and
sisters, school teachers, and clergy. Values are often categorized into two groups: basic
values, a collection of three to five instrumental values that are the cornerstones of the
foundation of our personalities, and supporting values, which augment our basic values.
Throughout our development we construct a value system, a collection of values that
influences our attitudes and behaviors, all of which make up our personality. If you are not
sure what your values are, look to see where you spend your time and money.
As we mature, our value systems also change because we become accountable for
the way we think and behave. Like the earths tectonic plates, our values shift in importance,
causing our own earth to quake. These shifts are called value conflicts, and they can cause
a lot of stress. Classic examples of value conflicts include love versus religious faith or social
class (Romeo and Juliet), freedom versus responsibility, and work versus leisure (the
American Dream). Conflicts in values can be helpful in our own maturing process if we work
through the conflict to a full resolution. Problems arise when we ignore the conflict and avoid
clarifying our value system. The purpose of this journal theme is for you to take an honest
look at your value system, assess its current status, and clarify unresolved issues
associated with values in conflict.
The following are some questions to help you in the process of values assessment and
clarification.
1. Make a list of the core values you hold. (Values come from things that give you meaning
and importance, yet they are abstract in nature.)
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God, Wife, kids, family, cars, and finances

2. See if you can identify which of these values are basic, or instrumental, at this point in
your life and which support or augment your basic values.
God - Basic
Wife - Basic
Kids - Basic
Family - Basic
Cars Instrumental
Finances - Instrumental
3. How are your values represented in your possessions? (For example, a BMW may
represent wealth or freedom.)
Im use to not having anything and being in debt, so the vehicles I do have represent
honor and wealth to me.
4. Describe how your values influence your dominant thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs.
Im use to not having anything and being in debt, so my thoughts and attitude towards
material things are very laid back, but my beliefs are that GOD will make everything
better.
5. What do you see as the best way to begin to resolve this conflict in values? Ask yourself
whether it is time to change the priority of your values or perhaps discard values that no
longer give importance to your life.
I dont believe that its time for me to change the priority of my values, I believe that I
need to deliver more time to my values to make them work to benefit me.
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Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques 1: Breathing, Meditation, and

Unit
6
Mental Imagery
Centering the focus of attention; the point that is the focus of attention or interest
Contemplation a final stage where the meditator becomes completely one with the object of
meditation. This brings about an expansion of consciousness that lifts one out of the little self into a
greater Self. There is no longer an "I and an "it" being meditated upon (The Theosophical Society of
Australia, n.d.).
Concentration -- Concentration is necessary to discipline the "monkey mind''. We must learn to hold
the mind steady on a physical object an idea, or a revered figure, and bring it back when it slips away.
The mind tries to take control, but by carefully watching the process of our thinking we can learn to
ensure that we and not the mind, determines the content and activity of our consciousness. (The
Theosophical Society of Australia, n.d.)
Ego the sense of self, opinion of yourself
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Mantra Mantras are words that by their special vibrational qualities, link us with the spiritual levels
of consciousness. Chanting a mantra like the ancient Indian "Om'' (amen is the English equivalent) is
a powerful aid in meditation. (The Theosophical Society of Australia, n.d.)
Mindfulness actively attentive, or deliberately keeping something in mind
Meditation emptying of concentration of the mind; the emptying of the mind of thoughts, or the
concentration of the mind on one thing, in order to aid mental or spiritual development,
contemplation, or relaxation; the act of thinking about something carefully, calmly, seriously, and for
some time, or an instance of such thinking
Monkey Mind It is that stream of consciousness that keeps flitting from one thing to another like a
monkey jumping from branch to branch Even when you are concentrating your mind drifts off to
fantasise about something you are going to do next weekend or an unresolved problem you must face
tomorrow (The Theosophical Society of Australia, n.d.)
Relaxation engaging in a form of activity that provides a change and relief from effort, work, or
tension, and gives pleasure; the process of becoming or making something less firm, rigid, or tight; a
lessening or weakening of something that was previously concentrated or intense
Bridging the Hemispheres of Thought
In 1956 a researcher named Roger Sperry conducted some experiments on a handful of
patients with grand mal epileptic seizures. In the procedure he created, he cut the corpus
callosum, the bridge of neural fibers that connects the right and left hemispheres of the
brain. Not only did the operation reduce the number and intensity of the grand mal seizures,
21
but it also soon gave credence to a whole new concept of how the mind, through the brain,
processes information. Roger Sperrys research led to a Nobel Prize in medicine and to the
household expressions right-brain thinking and left-brain thinking.
Left-brain thinking skills are associated with judgment, analysis, mathematical and verbal
acuity, linear thought progression, and time consciousness; right-brain functioning is
associated with global thinking, holistic thinking, imagination, humor, emotionality, spatial
orientation, receptivity, and intuition; Western culture grooms and rewards left-brain thinking.
It is fair to say that judgmental thinking is one of our predominant traits. Although it is true
that Western culture is left-brain dominant in thinking skills, the truth of the matter is that to
be dominant in one style of thinking is actually considered lopsided and imbalanced.
1. How would you describe your dominant thinking style? Would you say that your left brain
or right brain dominates?
I believe I mostly think with my left side of my brain because Im always at work. Just
when at home I start to think with my right.
2. If you were to make a guess or assumption as to why your thinking skills gravitate toward
one direction or the other, what would be your explanation?
My job would keep me thinking with my left side. I have to stay very judgmental and
analyze everything while at work.
3. One of the basic themes of wellness is balancein this case, balances of the right-brain
and left-brain functions. Based on your answer to the first question, what are your
dominant thinking skills and your non-dominant thinking skills? What are some ways you
22
can balance your patterns by bridging between the right and left hemispheres of your
brain?
Judgment, analysis, and intuition are my strong suites where you can see are mostly my
left side. When with my family I tend to think more balanced.

Too Much Information
If no one has officially said this to you yet, then you are overdue to hear these words:
Welcome to the information age! Satellite television, cable television, the Internet,
cell phones, and embedded computer chips are just a few things that inundate us
with a tsunami of information. As if this werent enough, there are more things looming
on the horizon, all of which are begging for our attention. If you are like most
people today, most likely you are drowning in information. There is even a new name
for this: information stress.
Although we take in information through all of our five senses, over 80 percent
of all the information we take in is received through the senses of sight and sound.
Well before the term information age was coined, it was very easy to experience sensory
overload from too much information taken from the eyes and ears, such as from
watching too much television to pulling an all-nighter to cram for an exam. The consequence
of sensory overload is becoming numb to it all and walking around like a
zombie. Its no stretch to say there are people who fit this description.
23
Living in the information age, discernment is essential. Discernment means being

able to distinguish truth from non-truth. Perhaps more accurately, it means discerning
news from marketing, news from entertainment, and truth from hype and spin.
There is a solution to information overload. It is a practice called meditation: cleaning
the mind of all the clutter and useless information that bombards your attention span.
1. List five ways to successfully decrease the quantity of information with which
you are barraged every day.
a. Delegation of duties
b. Communication with others
c. Time Management
d. Getting help
e. Going to get the information before its brought to me
2. People tend to mirror behavior, often not even knowing that they do this. In terms of too
much information, or TMI, people who take in too much information often talk to their friends
and share too much information (e.g., how much they make, how many times they have sex
per week, or how often they clean their bathroom). There is a real art to sharing information
without revealing everything. As a rule, people who share too much information about
themselves have acceptance problems. Are you the kind of person who volunteers too much
24
information? If so, what can you do to filter out the less important facts and perceptions and
still get your point across?
My wife always tells me that I speak to much, that I give out to much information. It
might be a bit late but Im really starting to notice that I dont have to say everything. The
way I filter myself is by thinking. When I think before I speak I tend to filter what I say.
3. See if you can come up with a handful of ways to bring balance back into your
life by taking time to quiet your mind and explain them here.
The easiest way for me to give a handful of ways to bring back balance is to say what
I do. When I was in college from 2003-2006 at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore,
when I was stressed out, I would go to the beach and just sit on the sands or rocks and just
stair into the open ocean listening to the water hit the rocks and the waves hit the sand. To
me that was the best way to bring balance back into my life. Another thing I do is drive my
car to a park and lay on the hod of my mar or bed of my truck and just stair into the sky just
clearing my mind of all problems and worries.
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Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress

Unit
7
Body Work a term used by practitioners of health practices involving the use of muscle
massage therapy
Energy Work includes therapeutic touch, healing touch, Reiki, polarity healing, zero
balancing, qi gong and bio-energy
Massage a modality used to manipulate, rub, knead, work, press or apply pressure to body
muscles
Mental Imagery a flow of uncensored thoughts originating form the unconscious mind
Music Therapy the use of sound for healing
Reflexology a form of massage in which pressure is applied to parts of the feet and hands
in order to promote relaxation and healing elsewhere in the body
26
Rolfing a service mark for a therapy using vigorous massage to alleviate physical or
psychological tension
Sports Massage the use of muscle massage to aid in recovery and muscle restoration
from extends bouts of arduous athletic training
Swedish Massage a system of massage employing both active and passive exercising of
the muscles and joints
Shiatsu a form of healing massage in which the hands are used to apply pressure at
acupuncture points on the body in order to stimulate and redistribute energy. Originating in
Japan, it is used to treat various conditions such as back pain, migraine, insomnia,
depression, and digestive problems.
Thai Massage a series of complex sequence of soft tissue pressure combined with
st4eching, twisting, and joint manipulations
Visualization to create a vivid positive mental picture of something such as a desired
outcome to a problem, in order to promote a sense of well-being
Yoga a system or set of breathing exercises and postures derived from or based on Hindu
yoga
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Checking the Bodys Pulses
If you have ever checked your pulse, taken your temperature, or watched yourself blush in
the mirror, then you have done biofeedback. With the rapid advancement of high technology,
the state of the art of biofeedback has changed dramatically since the first use of the lie
detector test, which relied on galvanic skin response. By the time you read this workbook,
advances in technology will probably have established sensors in clothing, computer
mouses, and perhaps several more items that can regularly monitor various physiological
parameters and tell you exactly how you are feeling at every moment. Welcome to the age
of the biofeedback society.
Biofeedback, however, doesnt necessarily require expensive equipment or fancy high-tech
gear. Some types of biofeedback can be done quite simply, such as monitoring your own
breathing and checking your pulse before and after a relaxation session. This workbook
assignment invites you to do just that.
Assignment
Count the number of breaths (breathing normally) you take in a one-minute period. If you are
like most people, you will range between 14 and 16 breath cycles per minute. Next, check
your resting heart rate. In a normal resting state it should be somewhere around 60 to 70
beats per minute.
28
By doing all this, you can see and monitor youre breathing techniques before and
after the exercise. You really realize how much of a difference the breathing techniques
actually works.

Self-Assessment: Nutritional Eating Habits
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Do you regularly consume caffeine?

List the foods that you ingest that contain caffeine
Yes
Type of Food
No
Amount
(e.g., coffee, tea, sodas, chocolate) and the
with Caffeine
per Day
estimated amounts you consume per day.
a. Coffee
b. Tea
Do you take vitamin supplements? If yes, what

kinds?
Do you frequently use table salt?
Do you eat one or more meals that are prepared
6.
outside the home daily?

Do you consume junk food (from vending machines
7.
8.
9.
or convenience stores) regularly?

Do you eat cereals that contain sugar?
Do you drink a lot of soft drinks?
Do you find that when you are stressed you tend to
10.
eat more?
Do you find that when you are angry you tend to eat
11.
12.
more?
Do you eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables?
Do you eat foods (e.g., fish and nuts) with the
13.
essentials oils (omega-3 and omega-6)?

Do you tend to eat quickly (e.g., to wolf down your
food)?
29
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
14.
15.
Do you tend to drink alcohol as a means to relax?

List your top five comfort foods:
Yes
a. Fruit Smoothie
No
b. Steamed Fish
c. Avocado
d. Breaded Chicken Brest
e. BBQ Ribs
16.
Describe any other eating habits that you associate

with a stressed lifestyle:
Paramount Wellness Institute. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.
30
Unit 8: Physical Exercise and Activity

Unit
8
Autogenic produced or created within something itself, without external help or influence;
(medicine) produced in, or with tissue from, the body of the person to whom it will be given
Circadian Rhythm describes a pattern repeated approximately every 24 hours
Cortisol a steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex, involved in carbohydrate
metabolism and the stress reaction
Exercise physical activity and movement, especially when intended to keep a person or
animal fit and healthy
Hypnosis an artificially induced condition; a condition that can be artificially induced in
people, in which they can respond to questions and are very susceptible to suggestions from
the hypnotist; the technique or practice of inducing a state of hypnosis in people
31
Regulation the adjusting, organizing, or controlling of something, or the state of being

adjusted, organized, or controlled
Target Heart Rate To increase the strength and efficiency of the circulatory system, a
person performing aerobic exercise should reach 65 to 75 percent of their maximum heart
rate, known as the target heart zone. This target heart zone is determined by subtracting
age from 220 to find the maximum heart rate. Multiply this number by 0 .60 and 0.75 to
determine the target heart zone. As the circulatory system becomes more efficient with
regular exercise, higher levels of activity will be required to reach the target heart zone.
My Body's Rhythms
The body has an internal clock that runs on a 24- to 25-hour day. If you were to lock
yourself away from all the natural elements (sunlight, temperature fluctuations, etc.) and the
grip of technology (TVs, radios, computers, etc.), as some people have for research
purposes, your body would fall into a natural pattern, its circadian rhythm. To a large extent,
these rhythms are based on and are strongly influenced by the elements of the natural
world: the earth's rotation, the gravitational pull, the earth's axis, and several other influences
of which we are probably not even aware.
Other rhythms influence our bodies as well: infradian rhythms (less than 24-hour
cycles) such as stomach contractions for hunger and rapid eye movement cycles, and
ultradian rhythms (more than 24-hour cycles), such as menstrual periods and red blood cell
formation.
32
As we continue to embrace the achievements of high technology and separate

ourselves even further from the reach of nature, we throw off our body's natural rhythms.
When these rhythms are thrown off for too long a time, various organs that depend on the
regularity of these rhythms go into a state of dysfunction.
College life holds no particular order for body rhythms. You can eat dinner one day at
6:00 p.m. and the next day at 9:30 p.m. We won't even talk about sleep! Perhaps at a young
age your body can rebound from these cyclical irregularities. More likely than not, though,
regular disruptions in the body's rhythms will manifest quickly in various ways such as
irritability, fatigue, lack of hunger, restless sleep and insomnia, low resistance to illness, and
lowered mental capacities.
I enjoyed doing this exercise because I strongly believe that everything and anything
can play a role in determining your bodies rhythm. Being in the military and taking care of a
family defiantly threw off my bodies rhythm.

Physical Exercise
In simplest terms, we are physical animals with a human spirit. As human beings we
were never meant to sit behind a desk for eight to ten hours a day. Human anatomy and
physiology were designed to find a balance between motion and stillness, stress and
homeostasis, exercise and relaxation. Some would say that the mounting incidence of
disease and illness is a result of being out of physiological balance.
In this day and age, in which stress is at an all-time high, our bodies kick out several
stress hormones, which, if not used for their intended purpose (to mobilize the bodys
33
systems for fight or flight), circulate throughout the body and tend to wreak havoc on various
organs and constituents of the immune system. Physical exercise is considered the best
way to keep the physiological systems of the body in balance, from stress hormones and
adipose tissue to the integrity of bone cells and macrophages of the immune system.
Exercise doesnt have to be all that hard or time consuming. Perhaps the more important
thing than what you do, is just making the time to do it. Mark Twain once said, Oh, I get the
urge to exercise every now and then, but I just lie down till it goes away. This may be
humorous, but the truth of the matter is that physical exercise is what we need to promote
the balance and integrity of our physiological systems. Although there is no doubt we seem
to have a certain magnetic attraction to the couch and TV, this pattern of behavior has
proved to be hazardous to our health.
1. Describe your exercise habits, including the formula for success (intensity, frequency,
and duration of exercise).
Every morning from 6:30a.m until 7:30a.m I do physical training with my military unit. We
do different workouts that range from push-ups, sit-ups and runs to cross-fit. We always
start off slow and work our way to a greater intensity.
2. What are your favorite activities? If for some reason you were injured and couldnt do
your favorite activity, what would be your second option for exercise?
34
My favorite activity to do is plyometric workouts. I was brought up as a track and field

long jumper, and hurdler. My best and favorite workouts that worked for me were always
plyometric workouts.
3. What do you do to motivate yourself when you are less than inspired to get up and out
the door? What are some additional incentives to maintain a regular exercise regimen?
When Im not motivated to work out, I turn and look at my family. In the military, if you
dont work out, you get put out. So everything I do is for my family, there my motivation.
4. Most people say that they cannot find the time to exercise. Considering classes,
studying, work, social obligations, and the like, it is hard to fit in everything. So the
question of priorities comes to mind. What are your priorities in terms of your health? Do
you see your perspective changing in the course of your life? Right now, what can you do
to find (make) the time to get physical exercise every day?
I dont because I really dont have a choice but to work out. They make time at work for
us to work out every day.
5. Sketch out a quick weekly program of exercise, including days to work out, time of day,
and activity.
35
Unit
9
Sunday Rest
Monday - 5 mile run/ 7 min mile pace
Tuesday Upper body weight program/ 1 mile run 6 min mile pace
Wednesday 8 x 3 min run
Thursday Lower body weight program/ 1 mile run 6 min mile pace
Friday 5 mile run/ 7 min mile pace
Saturday Pool work out
Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical Issues for Management and

Prevention to your Professional Life
Biofeedback physiological control technique; the use of monitoring devices that display
information about the operation of a bodily function that is not normally consciously
36
controlled, e.g. heart rate or blood pressure. This helps a patient to learn to control the
function consciously.
Clinical Biofeedback physiological control technique of feedback based on or involving
medical treatment, practice, observation, or diagnosis
Progressive Muscular Relaxation a technique known as (PMR) created by an American
physician Edmund Jacobsen to deal with muscle tension among his medical patients
Tai Chi a Chinese system of exercise; a Chinese form of physical exercise characterized
by a series of very slow and deliberate balletic body movements
Getting Things Done: The Execution of Tasks
Are you lacking motivation to get some things done? One way to fan the fires of
inspiration is to provide some incentives to accomplish big or arduous tasks by giving
yourself a reward. Although the real reward is the accomplishment of the deed, a little
incentive may be just the thing needed to get it done on time. Remember, not all rewards
have to be material possessions. A phone call to a close friend at the end of the day can be
as rewarding as a vacation to Tahiti in some cases. Also remember that rewards are meant
to decrease stress, not increase it (e.g., food is not always considered a healthy reward).
When I get home every day, I find it very difficult to get up and get things done. I am
usually so exhausted that I just want to sit down and let things just happen, but things just
have to get done. When you reach the goals of completing your tasks, you rewards of selfaccomplishment is always great.
37

My Personal Budget Worksheet
After doing the personal budget worksheet, I realize how much I spend when I dont need
to. When I see my monthly income and then look at my monthly deductions, I notice I should
have more money to play with. So I really need to buckle down and figure out a great budget
plan.
References
1. Seaward, B. (2009). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being
(6th ed.). Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
2. Seaward, B. (2008). The art of peace and relaxation workbook. Boston, MA: Jones and
Bartlett Publishers.
3. Sapolsky, R. (2004). Why zebras dont get ulcers: The acclaimed guide to stress, stressrelated diseases (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Holt, Henry & Company, Inc.
38

Unit 7 Jeffrey Meyers - Hw410-Final

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KA P L A N U N I V E R S I T Y

Stress Management and Prevention

PROF ESSI ONAL

Unit 1: The Nature of Stress

Stress is a perceived threat (real or imagined) to our mind, body, spirit, or

Tools: Journal Writing:

Unit 2: The Physiology of Stress

Stress and Disease According to the American Institute of Stress:

Tools: Journal Writing:

Unit 3: Psychology of Stress

Tools: Journal Writing:

Defensiveness (I didnt do it)

Projection (She did it)

Repression (I dont remember doing it)

Displacement (He made me do it)

Rationalization (Everyone does it)

Humor (I can laugh about this now)

Do you often remember your dreams?

Do you make it a habit to try to understand your

Do you have any recurring dreams?

Have you ever had a dream of an event that later

Unit 4: Personality Traits and the Human Spirituality

Age 50: Watch kids graduate college. Maintain my own business.

Tools: Journal Writing:

I tend to seek approval

friends, colleagues, family

projects at one time.

family, I will always defend them.

I will help most anyone in need.

perceptions rather than my own.

self-esteem usually suffers.

described as victim than victor.

generosity and favors.

with my friends and family.

impression possible with people.

Unit 5: Dealing with Stress: Coping Strategies

Mindfulness-based stress reduction the technique employed by the University of Massachusetts

II. Your Personal Value System

Tools: Journal Writing:

God, Wife, kids, family, cars, and finances

Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques 1: Breathing, Meditation, and

Tools: Journal Writing:

Living in the information age, discernment is essential. Discernment means being

Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress

Tools: Journal Writing:

Do you regularly consume caffeine?

(e.g., coffee, tea, sodas, chocolate) and the

estimated amounts you consume per day.

Do you take vitamin supplements? If yes, what

outside the home daily?

or convenience stores) regularly?

essentials oils (omega-3 and omega-6)?

Do you tend to drink alcohol as a means to relax?

Describe any other eating habits that you associate

Paramount Wellness Institute. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

Unit 8: Physical Exercise and Activity

Regulation the adjusting, organizing, or controlling of something, or the state of being

As we continue to embrace the achievements of high technology and separate

Tools: Journal Writing:

My favorite activity to do is plyometric workouts. I was brought up as a track and field

Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical Issues for Management and

Tools: Journal Writing:

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