Manage Stress for a Healthier, Happier Life

You hear it all the time: “Just eliminate the stress in your life and you’ll feel much better and be much happier.”

Easier said than done! But stress can be managed and reduced and you will feel better as a result, says Dr. Victoria Leiphart, a Washington Hospital gynecologist and Lifestyle Medicine physician.

“Stress management is key to a healthy life,” Dr. Leiphart adds. “We all live crazy lives and we seldom take the downtime we need to recharge our batteries — an essential step to staying well over the long term.”

“You can learn to fit stress management into your daily life using successful techniques such as mindfulness and meditation,” Dr. Leiphart explains.

Dr. Leiphart will discuss stress management techniques at a June 23 seminar at the Washington Women’s Center conference room, 2500 Mowry Ave., suite 145, in Fremont. The program will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and the participation fee is $10.

The class size is limited to 25 persons; call 510.608.1301 to register for the program, or for more information.

Titled Women Empowering Women, the seminar will include a 30-minute presentation by Dr. Leiphart, followed by a one-hour discussion with those attending the program. Dr. Leiphart will share successful strategies for meditation and mindfulness, and a brief discussion of the science that supports these practices.

Along with meditation and mindfulness, Dr. Leiphart recommends a variety of activities for stress management which can include prayer, knitting, yoga and/or spending time with women friends on a regular basis.

“I see many mature women in my practice,” Dr. Leiphart says. “What the ones who are energetic, vital and engaged have in common, is that they exercise, watch their weight and manage the stress in their lives.

“Our lives are filled with stress from having too many balls in the air: ageing parents, work, children, civic engagement, household responsibilities,” she adds. “Taking care of ourselves goes to the bottom of the “to-do” list, just after cleaning out the cat litter box.

“If women made themselves a higher priority on that list, if we took care of ourselves, we could manage everything else much more efficiently and with much less stress. Women are programmed to be caretakers of others in our lives, but not of ourselves.”

Women Empowering Women is held on the third Thursday of each month from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Washington Women’s Center. Future programs will focus on a range of subjects:

• July 21: Osteoporosis, including an informative discussion of treatment options
• August 18: Sleep
• September 15: Vitamins and Supplements
• October 20: Mindful Eating
• November 17: Brain Health, including cognitive exercises and health food
• December 15: Holiday Blues

To learn more about the Washington Hospital Healthcare System, visit www.whhs.com. To find out more about the Washington Township Medical Foundation, visit www.mywtmf.com.