www.doctoroz.com
Can you imagine my total excitement when I found out that I’d have the opportunity to speak personally with Dr. Mehmet Oz ! His syndicated award winning television program, The Dr. Oz Show, is extremely well received, and the daily “buzz” in many households across the country.
A few other correspondents, including me, had a full hour to spend with Dr. Oz via a conference call. The questions were diverse and he spoke individually with each of us. Always referring to us by name , and in a relaxed conversational yet informative manner, made it easy to understand how this charismatic cardiac surgeon is so popular.
Thinking of how busy we all are, I asked Dr. Oz about multitasking, daily obligations, no downtime, and preventing ulcers.
His response was very interesting ~ I’m including his answer directly from the transcript of the interview so you don’t miss one word!
Dr. Oz’s reply :
Well you know stress is part of the human condition and it’s not the stress that bothers us it’s our response to stress. A thousand years ago chronic stress was primarily defined by famine, so you would biochemically respond to stress by eating more ,and eating things you don’t even like, which is what we do today when we feel chronic stress! So it’s not the ulcers that worry me it’s the fat that we put around our bodies.
When I see someone whose waist size is large, well let’s say more than twice the general rule of thumb for their waist size, I usually interpret that as someone who is not able to cope with stress as well as they should, and that becomes one of the metrics that we use. ( Measure at the bellybutton, and it should be less than half your height.)
So then the question becomes how do you cope with the stress?The number one coping tool that has been used for most of human history is deep breathing and deep breathing which is part of a foundation of yoga, it’s part of Christian, mystic elements, it’s part of Islam, it’s part of Judaism.
Deep breathing exercises which came in the form of prayers or meditation are common in the human condition and it’s for a good reason. You take deep breaths with your belly, your diaphragm, so you’re using that big thick muscle to inhale with, so that you are actually pushing your belly button out as you breath in and then pull your belly button towards your spine, tucking in your belly to push your diaphragm up to exhale. You’re moving a lot of nitric oxide in your sinuses. Nitric oxide is a very short-lived gas.
There was a noble prize awarded, actually for the identification of the role of nitric oxide in the body. That’s a tool that most people can use!!
You could be in a crowded room with people you don’t know and take a deep breath in and out and then go on with depiction that you’re having a good time, but at least the stress is not affecting you.
I don’t know about you, but I often have a number of places to put this great advice to use.
I had a couple of other questions that I’ll post in the upcoming weeks.
For now , you can visit : www.doctoroz.com for tons of great information, and The Dr. Oz Show weekly programming schedule.
Now take a deep breath, ahhhh!!!! Exhale, SMILE , and have a GLAM DAY!!
