Be Well & Stress Less

Living in one of the GCC countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE & Oman) is a boring & stressful drama. However, I personally feel that one could ride out of this lull by positive actions. The 6 tips mentioned below have been very useful in creating happy endings to my life on a daily basis.

Pamper with a massage; Massage is a great way to de stress a distressed body. It is the best mode to relax the mind and allows the body to have some much needed rest. Moreover, massages increases the amount of blood flow in the body & feel good hormones endorphins which is a big energy booster, akin to doing exercise. If not in a position to book for a massage, one can easily learn a few self massage techniques.

Breathe control; While at work, being bombarded with various chores is the norm and this can easily make one go hyper. In such situations try to breathe in deeply and exhale slowly. Unfortunately due to our super sonic life style, we have programmed our body to use the rib cage, to force the chest to breathe in and out where as that ideal function belongs to the diaphragm. Diaphragmatic deep breathing greatly calms and reduces anxiety symptoms.

Calming effects of the sea; GCC countries are blessed with an excellent coast line. Chill out by sitting on the sea side. The vast expanse of sea is very soothing; moreover the salty air from sea is anti inflammatory and treats a host of diseases from asthma to bronchitis to eczema. A dip would be even better.

Quit smoking; Lack of constructive activities in this part of the world has created a sea of smokers. Nicotine dependency eventually creates stress & anxiety along with a host of preventable diseases.

Cut down on refined sugar & white breads; The public here loves junk food which is basically well processed and refined foods. They are devoid of nutrients and are unhealthy compared to whole or brown foods. Glucose from these foods directly gets in to the blood stream giving a quick high and a quick low; creating lack of energy, stress and negative emotions.

Learn Arabic; An expatriate at one stage or the other has to deal with government & public sector while living in any of these countries; and unfortunately very few officials in these areas can speak English. For some one in need this is frustrating and stressful. The best option; learn Arabic. Learning a new language is the best form of exercise one can give to the brain.

My final word is 'life is what you make it'. Place your attention on being in perfect health, having a good relationship with people around you and being grateful for every day on this planet and you will see yourself successful and stress free.

As Freddie Mercury said; who wants to live forever? So while living; be well & stress less.

***An exception among GCC countries is Dubai (part of UAE). The place rocks.