When we are stressed we have higher levels of a chemical (cortisol) that damages our system. It’s like a little hammer chiseling away at our healthy insides. (Watch the effects of stress on the body with this cool graphic.)

The problem is that not everyone understands just how unhealthy this is on our physical health. Because of this, many people may be less likely to use stress management strategies that improve their health.

Have you looked at the recent findings of APA’s Stress in America survey? This survey highlights the negative impact of stress on physical health, and it shows that not all survey respondents were aware of the connection.

According to the survey,

“Although the majority of adults understand that stress has a strong impact on a person’s health,  a sizeable minority still think that stress has only a slight or no impact on their own physical health (31 percent) and mental health (36 percent).”

Notice that reference to mental health. Depression also comes into play. Research shows they are related, but it’s thought to be bidirectional. That means that the more depressed you are, the more you engage in unhealthy eating and physical activity habits; and the more you engage in these behaviors, the more depressed you become. It creates a vicious cycle from which it’s tough to break.

More from APA’s stress survey

Obesity and depression are often exacerbated by stress. Those who suffer from these conditions report that they are unable to take the necessary steps to relieve their stress or improve their health and, therefore, engage in maladaptive coping behaviors.

• People with depression (27 percent) or obesity (24 percent) are more likely than the general population (20 percent) to report feeling dissatisfied with their lives and less likely (76 percent for the general population vs. 69 percent for those depressed or obese) to report feeling satisfied with family relationships.
• Those with depression (33 percent) or who are obese (28 percent) are significantly more likely than the general public (21 percent) to say they do not think they are doing enough to manage their stress.
• As compared to the general public (11 percent), more people who are obese (34 percent) or depressed (22 percent) report that their disabilities or health issues prevent them from making positive changes in their lives (i.e., reducing stress and improving health).

The good news is that research shows that depression, obesity, and stress share common effective treatments. Each can be improved (i.e., increased positive mood, weight loss, and lower stress) by a variety of methods, including cognitive (the way we think) and behavioral (what we do) components.

Here are two techniques to help you started on the road to a happier, healthier, more relaxed life.

Rate your mood before and after an activity. Then, rate your feelings of accomplishment before and after this activity. Begin to recognize those that improve your mood (not just in the moment, but later on) and make you feel better about yourself.

You may find that some of your favorite activities (Friday morning trips to the donut shop or Tuesday night carryout pizza) may cause momentary happiness, but lower your self-confidence in making positive choices or decreased physical health that creates more stress and depressed feelings.

Move more and sit less. Research has linked higher BMIs (indication of overweight) with higher rates of screen time (time spent with TV, video games, cell phones, computer, etc). Make your goal simple. Say something like “I will get a few tasks accomplished before I plop down on the sofa and catch up on TV.” For kids, this could be as simple as having them pick up their belongings and engage in a productive, physical activity prior to watching TV or playing video games.

By starting with these two things, you may find that you are identifying activities that make you less stressed, help you get healthier, and improve your interactions with others. You’re putting down that stress chisel, and improving your mental and physical health.

Photo by practicalowl (via Flickr)

We look forward to reading — and sharing — your posts tomorrow. Who knows what kind of difference it can make in educating more people and changing perceptions and views about what it means to live a healthy life.

If you’re participating in the event, be sure we know about it. Here’s how you can let us know:

• Use the blog badge code (it helps us to track links)
• Post your link in the comments of this blog post.
• Send an email to blogparty@yourmindyourbody.org
• Mention it to @APAHelpCenter on Twitter. Use #mhblogday as a hashtag (mental health blog day, naturally)
• Add your link to our update on APA’s Facebook page (we’ll post a status update tomorrow morning, so you can start commenting and adding links.)

We’ll be updating our blog throughout the day with your links and posts. And if you write something late on Wednesday night, that’s OK too. We’ll share it on Thursday morning.

Thanks for joining us again this year. Words can change lives — let’s see how many we can change in one day.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday and many moms would love the gift of time. Time to be alone; time to be with family and friends; time for fun; time to read; and yes–time to exercise! 

Women hear the recommendations all the time– try to exercise 30 minutes to one hour per day four or five times a week. And many women readily acknowledge that after a walk, a run, cycling or taking a Zumba or yoga class, they feel better emotionally and physically.

Physical activity helps us with our weight, our body image, our stress, our sleep, our energy, our concentration, and for those in menopause, even hot flashes. These are just a few of the many positive benefits of regular exercise.  But a lot of women find it tough to add physical activity to their schedule in the face of so many competing responsibilities at home, at work and in the community.

So, how can you find time to exercise when you already feel maxed out with all that you have to do? Here are several strategies to help women find more time for exercise:

Capitalize on screen and play time.  If you allow your child who is a least two years old to watch a 30-minute video or television program or use the computer, consider using a stationary bike or elliptical machine while they are plugged in. If you have very young children, place the exercise equipment in the same room so that you can keep an eye on them while they are playing with toys. This may not be alone time, but you will still feel better after the exercise.

Claim waiting time. Exercise when your children are at after school sports, classes or lessons.  Instead of waiting for your child in the car or school, go for a walk while they are at practice – even for 30 minutes.

Negotiate exercise time.  Talk with your spouse or partner, another mom, a neighbor, friends or another parent about covering each other for 30 minute intervals during the week or over the weekend so that each of you can get exercise.  Everyone benefits! 

Invite other moms. Go with another mom to the local track or park and alternate walking and watching the children. There is a good bet the other mom would be delighted to have 30 minutes to herself and get a walk or run in as well!

Get moving at lunch. During lunch, go for a walk alone or with colleagues. You will return to the office more refreshed and focused. Trying eating lunch before or after you go out or consider walking to a park, eating and then walking back.  The sunlight will be good for you as well!

Get moving in your neighborhood. Consider talking with other women in your neighborhood about walking together at the same time a few days a week. Making a commitment to others can help us sustain exercise goals.

Take a child with you. Take a child on bike ride, out for a walk or a run, ice skating or on a hike with you. While this strategy will not get you alone time, you will get more physical activity than staying at home, and will help your child to develop an active lifestyle.

Get up and exercise. Consider using an exercise video, an online video, TV exercise program or exercise equipment for 30 minutes before your children get up in the morning.  Many women feel less stressed during the day when they get to bed earlier and start the morning with some time for themselves.

Remember: Even some exercise tends to feel better than none. If finding an hour is tough, 30 minutes is a great start.  Try to set realistic goals and put your physical activity on your task list! Start today and give yourself the gift of health and well-being.

However, some of Dr. Meeker’s suggestions may mislead parents in how to talk to their children about feelings of hunger. How we talk to our kids about hunger and help them understand it is not as simple as one may think. In fact, more harm than good might happen when people charge in and take total control over a child’s hunger without considering the child’s feelings, self-esteem or how the child thinks of herself.

Firstly, it’s important that ALL children understand hunger and the reasons we eat. In her post, Dr. Meeker focused the attention of hunger in the “chubby” ones.  (I hesitate to even type that word.)

This isn’t just a “chubby” kids’ issue. (Again, I cringe at typing that word.) This is an issue for all children. Not all children begin life overweight. Some have a decent metabolism and are active, but then they get older they may gain weight for many reasons like not moving enough and developing poor eating habits. Some start short and carry extra weight and then loose it after a growth spurt. Still others have physical or biological factors that contribute to their weight and size.

For all of these children, the similarity is they will experience “hunger” of some kind and need your help sorting out how to respond.

Secondly, validation of a child’s physical symptoms is important because they need to understand and respond appropriately to hunger. Among her recommendations, Dr. Meeker suggests telling the child to just let it go or learn that feeling hungry is just a part of life.

She writes:

“We can determine whether or not our kids are really hungry. All kids get the sensation they are hungry all day long, so take a hard look at your child’s weight. If she’s chubby, tell her that her hunger will go away and that feeling her stomach growl is just part of life. She perceives hunger as a problem, so tell her that it isn’t. It is trainable. She can make it go away by not eating until dinner time.”

But here’s the concern with that recommendation: If a child expresses a feeling that she is having and you tell her that her feeling is not OK or that it’s “just a part of life,” you invalidate that feeling or sensation. When children have their feelings invalidated,  it can lead them to mistrust their own emotions. That can then stop them from learning how to regulate their emotions, which is extremely important in successfully managing their lives, especially when stressed.

How can hunger feelings be dealt with? One option I’ve seen is caregivers restricting their children’s diet. But this often doesn’t work and it doesn’t teach children how to listen to their body and their feelings of hunger. When diets are restricted, the children still get food. They sneak it, hide it or lie about what they are eating. They still gain weight because they are concerned that when they are hungry, they won’t be allowed to eat. Food cannot be forbidden because guess what? That is all they will think about.

So. What do you do when children say they are hungry and it’s not meal time?

Talk to your children and pay attention to what they’re doing. Engage your son and daughters in problem-solving to determine if they are really hungry or experiencing something else. You could say, “Well, let’s see what your body might be telling you.”

If your child just ate, you could explain digestion and how this might be a sign that the body is digesting food. You can explain that our body needs a certain period of time to digest and no longer feel hungry. Or sometimes, when we think we are hungry, we are actually thirsty for water. Perhaps that is what the child really needs.

Suggest that if the child still feels hungry after waiting out the time needed to digest, he can select a healthy option like a fruit, vegetable or a small amount of almonds. This prevents your child from feeling as if he is being deprived.

Talk about food and hunger before children say they are hungry.  One of the things I help parents and kids develop together is a snack list. They work together to set limits on the kinds of snacks and sizes that are allowed. This works because the child knows they are in control of their food and eating. I have yet to see a child overeat apples, carrots or yogurts. Have you?

I like to tell kids that their body is their vehicle to the future. They need to take really great care of their “car” so it doesn’t break down and get in the way of their dreams. This is an example of encouraging  motivation, empowerment and achievement of life’s goals beyond food.

Food is necessary to life so we need to educate without judgment. When you partner with your kids to make eating a pleasant and enjoyable experience, it allows children to truly nourish their body and grow their mind.

Photos by Bruce Tuten and kali-ma (via flickr)

The fact that health is important may seem obvious, but what may be less known are the psychological, social and physical effects of carrying too much weight. Overweight children and teens are at a higher risk for depression, stress, social difficulties, bullying, teasing,  and being overweight adults (which increases the risk of multiple other physical problems).

No parents want their child to experience these things so emphasizing good health now can change lives — for the children and parents.

You may wonder why a psychologist would blog about eating, exercise and how families can get healthy. Isn’t that a job for other people, like fitness trainers or nutritionists? As I stated in the beginning of this post, if knowledge of good health was enough, there would not be an epidemic of child and adult obesity. Making a lifestyle change – and helping your family do it — is a lot of hard work. There are often things that get in the way of changing and making decisions for good health. That’s where psychologists help. Psychologists help take people from knowledge to action. We partner with people to motivate, teach, and problem-solve ways to better health.

By contributing to this blog, I hope to help people change their lives. That is why I get excited about this topic and plan to keep readers updated on tips, strategies, research, and information in an effort to pass along the excitement, knowledge, motivation, enthusiasm for being healthy.

Photo by mikebaird (from flickr)