How to handle stress

It’s the beginning of November, and that means the holidays are right around the corner. And that means draining your bank account to buy unappreciated gifts for your significant other, your children, your great uncle, your neighbor, your coworker, your boss, your pets…Then there’s the long hours (days?) of holiday cooking only to result in a dry turkey that nobody touches. And then there’s the stress of feeling your gut oozing out over your waistline and then the dilemma of trying to finish that dry turkey yourself since you hate wasting food, which leads back to the muffin-top issues. Sigh. The insanity. The stress.Stress is a huge no-no when it comes to having an autoimmune disease like NMO. I’ve noticed from my medical history that I experience most of my exacerbations during the holidays when I get the least sleep and incur the most stress. Stress, I believe, is a leading factor in the cause of disease in America. As Americans, we have some of the best healthcare and technology in the world, but we are constantly dying of diabetes, heart attacks, and so on.My hubster sent me an article from the Harvard Business Review last year entitled ”9 Ways Successful People Defeat Stress”. I’ve read the piece a couple of times and found the provided tips valuable. I recall using #7 on the list during my time at “MasterChef”, and it helped me succeed my way to the top. So next time you find yourself ready to pull your hair out, take a deep breath and read this article. Don’t let the holidays (or life, for that matter) get you blue.