STRESS

Stress ...

Probably the very last thing you want to do when you are stressed is read a book ...

Wouldn't you rather: Scream, Yell, Throw Things, or Punch a Wall?

Maybe you'd rather: Run Away, Act Out, have Crazy, Wild Sex; or Eat All the Food in your Fridge.

What if that one book could change your life? What if even one page could offer you the tools, secrets or the key to an astonishingly happy and carefree life?

Then you would read it right? Lucky for you this book is in your hands! You are already half way there!!

First let's look at Stress: is it your boss, your job, your spouse, financial strain, a health issue or are you just plain having a very bad day?

We love the line from "Crimes of the Heart" when the police ask the main character why she shot her husband she replies, "I was having a bad day ... it was a very bad day!"

The line always makes us laugh — obviously we are not going to kill our perpetrators; yet, we can kill Stress.

We've sectioned this book up into easy, fun, informative and eye opening pages. So if you don't have a two-year old that is running like a maniac thru the aisles of Toys 'R Us, you can turn to the page that's written just for you. That's right! We know what is going on in your life. We're kind of like a Santa Claus. We can see the good and the bad; and we can bring you a gift that can change your life. Today, Tomorrow and Forever. Yes!!! You can be, Stress Free!!

Our lives have been an action adventure movie, some people run from virtual tigers and demons. We've lived a life of amazing stories, scenarios, changes and events. And we've made it our life's passion to take all that knowledge and wisdom and to share it – with you.

Many people laughed at our title ... "Stress makes you Fat, Wrinkled and Dead" — only guess what? It does! We have lived a life of wonder and excitement; and we have faced death, square between the eyes. We've traveled the world and we've learned a lot along our pathway to the human experience and healthy living. We've picked up enough breadcrumbs along the way to know that "Fat, Wrinkled and Dead" lives on the road and the pathway to Stress. There are other roads. So many beautiful ways to live this life and to enjoy this journey, we spent years slaying dragons and like David, the lessons were too great not to share. We realized as a doctor, and as an educator, that we could write the ultimate book that contains all the secrets and the pathway to Wellness, Health and Stress-Free Living. Periodically you'll find that we'll open the window to our own journey. This vulnerability allows us to uncover truths that have never been shared in a book before.

To learn how to: face and vanquish death, stay fit and trim, live joyously, and how to slay your own dragons, Read on.

There is a wealth of jewels waiting for you in these pages.

The Stress Epidemic

Did you know that studies show elevated levels of stress in over 1/3 of Americans? We live in a free country and we're told we can be and do whatever we dream, and still we are stressed. Not only stressed, our relationships are deteriorating, our divorce rates are through the roof and our work productivity has dropped to drastic rates. That's insane!

We're told the leading two causes of this wide-spread epidemic are Financial Stress and Job Stress, creating stress levels that are rising off the charts. Remember when our ancestors came over on a boat (with people were dying around them)? They forged new roads and new avenues of living, with only pennies in their pocket, while carrying just their hopes and dreams. And today, we are more stressed – can that be true?

Looking at our news and community papers, we learn that it's commonplace to fight with those around us, even if it is family members and people that we love.

We've seen the increasing emphasis in the medical world has changed its focus to the whole person. That means your emotions are linked to your illnesses; and today, rapid deadly diseases are killing our spirits along with our bodies, and our future like never before.

Studies as far back as 1950 conducted by acclaimed researcher Thomas Holmes, suggested that people undergoing stressful situations such as: divorce, death of a spouse, or loss of a job, were more likely to develop tuberculosis, and less likely to recover from it, than those leading and living a stress-free life. The study showed the direct correlation between the culmination of hardship, and emotional havoc, and how it directly affects our health and wellbeing.

Recent studies from advanced immunology, and bio-statistics, suggest that stress may lead to decreased immune function and what we've come to know as clinical disease (diseases that are identifiable by chemical, hematological bio-physical, microbiological or immunological means: e.g. air-borne disease, functional disease, immune complex disease, etc.).

Could this be you?

Do you know that studies show:

* 47% of people report lying awake at night Are you tossing and turning? Walking your hallways? Jumping on your computer? Taking meds to fall asleep? Is this you?

* 43% report irritability or anger

Have you snapped at: your children, your spouse, your employees, coworkers, or even the waiter or waitress, or salesclerk? Have you found yourself short-tempered, grumpy, or downright mean sometimes?

* 43% report fatigue

Ah ... this is a big one. How many times have you felt like: you haven't had enough sleep, or that you were too tired to work out, or have sex, or be motivated to start a new project, or even a new day?

* 40% report lack of enthusiasm: Are the sidewalks in your neighborhood cracked or uneven, has your car dipped into potholes, have they taken away the grass in your child's school, or are you eating fast or processed food all because it's easy, and just there. If you haven't stepped up in your life to make a difference, or to make a change for the better, this may be you!

* 34% report headaches. This is so prevalent in today's world. If you look at commercials on television from the 50's 60's 70's 80's 90's etc, it is rare to find a commercial for a headache. Now we have multiple products to stop the pain wracking our brain, and our mind from thoughts that are caused, you bet, by stress.

* 34% report feeling sad or depressed — even our kids today have a melancholy and sadness. The teen rate for suicide is at a frightening high. And bullying, peer pressure and just disconnection from others – whether by computers, or electronic devises that split families, or the fast-paced society of today is tearing our kids and adults apart.

Loss of a job, money, a child, or an illness can cause a wave of sweeping sadness that some people never recover from.

* 32% report feeling as if they could cry, but why don't they? What holds back our emotions and our hearts? Is it our emotional shutdown, or a disconnecting from others, or our society's ever-increasing depression?

* 27% report upset stomach or indigestion. I actually think this should be a much higher statistic from: Acid Reflux, Crohn's Disease, Lactose Intolerance, Glutton allergies, and on and on. Not to mention the emotional distress that our stomachs take as the brunt of our unhappiness, failures, pain, sadness or duress.

From over-eating obesity or under-eating anorexia, bulimia, or just plain commercial fast food, our digestive tracts are on a rollercoaster of emotional chaos and stress.

This book covers the gamut of the whys — the problems and the solutions to the growing and widespread stress epidemic today. We're sharing with you the best and most effective tools to overcome any type of stress. May this book be your guide and your own personal roadmap to wellness, health, freedom and emotional, success.

To Your Health and Happiness,
Dr. Eliezer Ben-Joseph
Richard Lewis, M.A.

Stress ... what does it mean? If you were little and you had trouble with your S's, and you've hated this word since you were small yet, what does the dictionary say Stress is?

1. Stress is a Noun. so is a chair, or a table, or whipped cream. Stress is something we create.

The dictionary says that it is mental, emotional or physical strain, tension, or discomfort resulting from adverse conditions or very demanding situations.

Does that mean: a snow storm, slick city streets, bearing a child, opening a jar, taking a test, raising our hands to answer a question, or saving a life is stressful? Is every firefighter stressed? Every boxer? Every pilot? No! Of course not! We don't all live in the pool of stress. So when does it happen and how can we eliminate it from our lives?

This book will unravel the mystery and shed light on the truth of the evil we've come to know as Stressful Living.

Did you know that statistics show that 47% of people report lying awake at night? Of course, those "people" referred to in this book, are not scared by Lions and Tigers; it's all about "You."

When you were little, you would lie awake thinking there were monsters under the bed or in the closet. As adults we still have our monsters and demons, only now they are in our life and in our head.

If you flip and turn to: watch TV, read a book, play solitaire or video poker on your computer, or wake up generally exhausted, or irritable – jump immediately to page xyz. If you sleep like a baby and wake up crying or hungry, or need to relive yourself, or wake up in the middle of the night just wanting love; then page xyz is for you.

For the rest of you who are sure you are just looking for the answers this book is your "Golden Chalice" and can change and save your life. First let's start with one of today's leading cause of Financial Stress: "Identity Theft"

One woman who we know had her identity stolen, and her Mother said gently, "Honey you should take it as a compliment, that someone wanted to 'Be' you."

As sweet as that sounds, her life was turned upside down in turmoil: her accounts were emptied, her credit was damaged, and she was called into court for traffic violations that were in her name, while she wasn't even in town during the time of the problem.

How many people today have had their identity tapped into or their computers hacked? How many commercials advertise products, companies or programs to protect or to clean up your credit, or identity problems? Just reading about it makes one completely stressed out. So what can you do?

Immediately we are frightened and our bodies freeze, almost immobile; or we run as fast as possible to escape our fear. If you were running from a hungry lion, that would make sense. However, because someone has your Bloomingdales account number, your life is not in danger. First breathe; next make a plan of who do you call: the card companies, the credit bureaus, or credit protection agencies? Help is available. Unfortunately this is a true dilemma of the modern technological world today.

Never give out your information on the phone, or on the computer — protect who you are. You are precious and strong. Don't let anyone steal: your life, your happiness, your freedom – or twirl you into a stressful ball of nerves. Take a class in yoga or tai chi: swim, exercise, take a walk outdoors, or even have a good cry to release the stress. Know that holding stress in, and feeling frustrated at the world, will not change the situation. However, it might change you, your health and your happiness. For hints and secrets to immediately relieve stress: from creditors, collectors, government agencies, and little surprises like identity theft, you can easily dive into our chapter of 2-minute techniques for stress free living.

Another leading cause of stress is Financial. Have you lost your job? Have you lost money in the stock market? Sent a kid to College, or just met the prettiest girl in town and want to sweep her off her feet?

Financial Stress, (especially in divorce, loss of job, loss of income, or bankruptcy), has been known to cause: heart attacks, personal injuries, weight loss, or weight gain, or even death. Remember how excited you were to put a penny in your piggy bank? That feeling of accumulation, saving, financial gain or growing our wealth can be freeing and make you feel alive. Is there somewhere you are growing right now? Are you adding to your dreams?

Let's talk for a minute about the downfall of financial stress – let's lift up your spirits and your life with easy solutions and ways to live a better and a much happier life.

Does talking about or thinking about money make your brain freeze? Migraines are a modern-day phenomenon. Do you think Moses stopped before picking up his staff and parting the Red Sea and said, "Wait I can't do this today, I have a migraine?" Or that Mother Teresa stopped helping the poor, because there wasn't enough money in her pocket to feed the towns she visited? No!

So how can you relive financial stress? The first step is time ... that's right, good old Father Time. Every one of us was born with a life. A life represents time. We had time to teethe, time to roll over, and time to walk. We had time to learn and time to grow. And you too, our dear friends, were given the gift of time.

Are you watching TV? Reading your e-mails? Tinkering with your car? Or are you spinning your wheels with unnecessary chores, imagined worries, video games or mundane routines? As they say in Moonstruck,"Snap out of it!"

One of the Secrets to Success in any Millionaires arsenal is time management.

Did you know that a home-based business could take less than 4 hours a day? Home-based businesses not only boost your income, they also offer tax discounts and write offs in almost every area of your life.

Just leaving your soap out, or the dishwasher detergent can be a write-off. Food on: your flights, your vitamins, your travel, your car, your phone, and Internet cable can all be business expenses, when you create a business from your very own home. Imagine giving sample products to neighbors, family and friends. How much fun would that be?

You my friend, could even deduct 25% of your rent and for 5 entire years, you need only make an "attempt" at a home based business to be able to write off major and minor expenses in your life.

Then of course there's the budget. We know, budgets are like eating your vegetables, you know, they are good for you. Just sit down honestly; no one is looking. No budget God is deducting points if you draw on it, forget things, and then draw arrows when you remember them and ask yourself; how much does it cost me to live?

What are my monthly expenses, my yearly expenses, play expenses? And how about my emergency expenses like a tire blowing, or the dog or cat going to the vet, or a work injury, etc? See how much money you actually need to breathe easy and have a great, fabulous and stress-free life.

Now go to the end of the year and see where you traveled, what you bought: a new car, clothes, a flat screen TV, etc, and project your year. Okay, how much did you spend on your desired year? Did that match the budget on the crazy sheet in front of you? Even it out, so you know honestly how much do you need for your year, and from here let's plan how to get there. What don't you need? What apps don't you use in your phone? What clothes have you never worn? What restaurants could you have simply lived without? Just fill in what you really do want. Create a master plan to watch your dreams come true.

Another fabulous way to be financially stress free is to hire an advisor. A Certified Financial Planner, Accountant, Stockbroker or Bookkeeper can change your life. We can't possibly know everything!

As much as we'd love to rule the world there are people that specialize in everything: singing, composition, health, and fitness. Eye doctors do not know what knee doctors know, and divorce lawyers and trademark lawyers know entirely different facts to help their clients. You may be the brightest bulb in the room and still need someone that specializes in IRS resolution, estate planning, wills; etc. Don't be shy, get help and you will immediately feel the financial stress melt away!

A clock is on a wall; a watch is on your wrist. They both tell time ... so does your phone these days. What device you use to manage your time is up to you, yet it is crucial in a Stress-Free World to Master Time Management and to make time your ally, your compadre and friend. At the end of every life people say; I wish I had more time. No one ever says, "I wish I watched one more episode of Game of Thrones, or could check my e-mails once more, or I wish I could play with my Xbox one more time." Use your time wisely and Financial Freedom is yours.