Relax it's as easy as a cup of tea - Healthcare & Well-being

Latino Leaders: The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino, April-May, 2003 by Charles Dews

What does the CEO have in common with the secretary? What do they have in common with the office geek? The movie star, the musician, the cop, the waiter, the architect, the politician, the chicken rancher, and the poor struggling writer: What do they all have in common? Stress. It's the feeling of being pooped. High blood pressure, backaches, flab around the beltline, a sickening headache: You get the picture.

Everyone knows that stress is killing us. It's making our lives, already tough, even tougher, leaving us tired and cranky, out of shape, and ill-nourished. The remedies, oz supposed remedies, for these discomforts are as varied as the health reports in lifestyle magazines.

There are those who advocate joining a gym, swimming laps, sipping wheat grass, popping vitamins, or sniffing essence of lavender. Assuredly, all these remedies bestow benefits.

But some of these activities burn up more time than the average Latino leaders and readers have to spend. So, let's pare it down.

Diet comes first, sad to say for those of us who love good steak. The human digestive system, versatile as it is, is basically suited to processing a vegetarian diet. Our gut is long, like other plant eaters, because getting nourishment out of plants is a lengthy process. However, a meat-eating lion has a very short gut. He processes his meat fast, almost as fast as he can eat it. The longer meat stays in the gut, the more time it has to create powerful carcinogens. Although you don't have to be a strict vegetarian--who doesn't love broiled chorizo alongside their eggs?--cutting down on meat will make you healthier.

Forget about carbohydrates being bad. You can live well on the right ones, such as rice, potatoes, pasta, beans, corn tortillas, and squash. Also, eating greens, lightly cooked, will reward your body richly. Fats of all kinds are hard on you, so stick to the tried and true: olive oil and com oil. (And treat yourself to a little dab of butter every now and then.) Learn to read labels on processed food before making your purchase. If the ingredients take more than a second or two to read, forget it. To bring all this up short, eat what you love. but lightly.

Gyms are good. Where better to meet other health-conscious beauties in Lycra like yourself? It doesn't have to be a fancy gym, either. Just be sure the equipment works. Ask how long the gym has been open to get an idea of how long it might endure; longer is better. Note the other clients. Is everyone flabby and panting; or are some lean and fit? Try it out before you sign up. Is there professional help available, or are the "trainers" mostly twinks? Believe me, there is no better feeling than a set of muscles that glow from within for a while after you use them. And no surer sign of progress than a bigger bicep or a firmer glute.

While you are developing bigger and firmer muscles, remember that being lithe is an important part of the whole picture. Think ballet dancers. Think birch trees. Think yoga. Hatha yoga, to be more exact, especially as practiced in the West, is about physical control and body posture. It is universally believed that yoga leads to higher consciousness and liberation from ignorance, suffering, and rebirth (reincarnation is negative in this system of thought).

There are many different forms of yoga and a veritable host of teachers all claiming to have just the right one. To highlight just one teacher, Yogi Dharma Mittra, based in New York City, is said to embody "kindness, patience, humility, fortitude, righteousness, humor, selfless service, ahimsa (non-killing), and unlimited hove, compassion, and understanding for all." That's the kind of teacher you need. Whomever you choose and whatever the particular method, you will find yourself down on the floor (on a nice, soft mat, don't worry) and twisted into positions you never imagined you could attain. Bottom line, it feels really good. Really.

Having your body feel good helps your mind feel good. After all, it's not as if the body and the mind are two separate things. One of the best ways to bring about that feeling is to get yourself a great massage. Here again, there are many forms: from deep-tissue massage, which slowly strokes and rubs muscles five layers deep into your back to ease away all those accumulated tensions, to Trager. a gentle, rocking massage that is said to release tensions and harmful "holding patterns" you have carried around with you since birth. For most of us in this strange and alienating world, simple touch is healing enough. Practitioners of this homespun method can be found as close al hand as a loving spouse, a gentle friend, or a cuddling pet; and the cost can be as minimal as a reciprocal session. People in the business of massage run the gamut from cheap to expensive, but find out about the masseuse or masseur before you decide. Get a referral from a friend.

But if massage isn't your cup of tea, well then, how about a cup of tea? Hispanic tradition, especially Mexican Hispanic tradition, has a teashop full of delicious options to tempt and tame you. The teas range from the simple and soothing chamomile, good to calm frayed nerves, to tila tea, which brings on blissful sleep, spearmint tea, a delicious refresher that calms digestion.