On Writing Release Yourself: 52 Lifestyle Ways to Conquer Stress

Stress less. Live more. As a survivor of complex post-traumatic stress disorder, I know a thing or two about stress. More importantly, I know even more about perseverance and triumphing over traumas/chronic stress. I intimately know the trauma psyche, the physiological embodiments of chronic stress, and stress-induced behavioral consequences. Most importantly, I know how to get out of this morass with natural, simple, inexpensive lifestyle strategies. 

My philosophy as a writer is to write the books I want to read, so I do… “Release Yourself: 52 Lifestyle Ways to Conquer Stress” is an alarm call, highlighting the prevalence of chronic stress and detailing the significant deleterious impacts of this contagion psychologically, physiologically, and behaviorally. Chronic stress is killing us literally and figuratively as a society. I don’t think most of us fully appreciate the far-ranging negative implications of chronic stress, and I think most of us also assume we more or less just have to live with it as a fact of life. Although I lived almost the entirety of my life operating within the constraints of those thoughts, I’m now happily here to beg differently… 

“Release Yourself” is also a comprehensively-researched lifestyle guide, offering simple, proven strategies to stop the scourge of chronic stress to help prevent/treat the countless mental and physical ailments, disorders, and diseases for which chronic stress is a significant causative or contributory factor. The incredible news is that there are several things we can do that have demonstrated efficacy to prevent or reduce chronic stress, adapt to it, and increase our resilience. Tried and true, personally, anecdotally, observationally, and scientifically. This is extraordinarily empowering as it gives us the ability to proactively prevent/redress the various stress-induced/related undesirable behaviors and negative mental and physical consequences. 

I used the “power within” (that we all have) to stop chronic stress from wreaking havoc on my body, my mind, my spirit, and my life. It’s my mission now to help transfer that “power without” by sharing my insights, consistent with my “K.I.S.S.” philosophy to “keep it simple, sweetheart”. Healing should not be a luxury; it should be accessible to all. Healing doesn’t happen in silence or solitude. This

belief is the genesis of this book, indeed, of all my books. My unifying goal reflects self-care made simple. 

As those of us familiar with chronic stress know all too well, virtually no aspect of life is untouched by the detrimental ravages thereof. Sadly, chronic stress also often leads to chronic anxiety and depression, debilitating conditions that are becoming increasingly commonplace even in children, tragically. Stress manifests psychologically (e.g., as constantly worrying, being anxious, feeling on “edge”, or having difficulty concentrating or remembering things); emotionally (e.g., as feeling irritable, moody, easily frustrated, or even angry); physiologically (e.g., as fatigue, high blood pressure, difficulty losing weight, frequent colds or infections, headaches, general aches/pains, and even chronic degenerative diseases); and behaviorally (e.g., as withdrawal, sleep disturbances, not prioritizing self-care, never feeling like you can truly relax or have time to do the things that you enjoy, or relying on food, alcohol or drugs to cope). 

Chronic stress is also a primary risk factor for becoming overweight or obese that doesn’t seem to garner the attention it deserves. We hear ad nauseum about insulin resistance, but are you familiar with cortisol resistance? In addition to several other detrimental impacts, cortisol resistance is a risk factor for developing insulin resistance as well. I think most of us tend to think of the consequences of stress as psychological or emotional and don’t appreciate the link between chronic stress and our physical health or our behavior as much. 

You’ve likely heard about how chronic inflammation underlies virtually all ailments and diseases, both mental and physical. Did you appreciate though that one of the primary causative factors of chronic inflammation is chronic stress? Chronic inflammation is a primary pathway between chronic stress and the development of a lot of health challenges. We often think of these mental and physical health issues as inevitable consequences of aging, but they are absolutely not inevitable; oftentimes the culprit is chronic stress and it is within our power to address it. 

As a society, we are overwhelmed, overweight, overloaded with toxins, over-drugged, sleepless, and sedentary, and suffering physiological, psychological,

and behavioral consequences. It does not have to be this way. I’m confident that when we truly appreciate the profoundly negative and pervasive consequences of cumulative lifestyle habits, we can collectively start down the path of preventing and treating these degenerative issues and improving our overall quality of life. It’s a fact that lifestyle factors account for the vast majority of chronic physical and mental conditions. It’s a fact that there are innumerable positive lifestyle changes that can positively change that sobering tragic reality. 

Addressing chronic stress is one of the best steps to take to optimize mental and physical health and lay the groundwork for other important healthy lifestyle habits. My fervent hope and mission is to help make others a little happier, healthier, and more in harmony via my “KISS” philosophy. Thank you for joining me in this mission; it has become my life’s passion. I hope you get as much benefit from the “keep it simple, sweetheart” philosophy as I have. Be a “Stress Conqueror” and rule your world. Self-care made simple. Shall we?…

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Sophia Elan, a University of Chicago Law School alum and retired corporate lawyer, traded her professional career to feed her soul. She is a full-time author and freelance writer on a mission to make others happier, healthier and more harmonious. Armed with her passions, a master’s in natural health and fitness/nutrition certifications, Sophia enthusiastically shares her “self-care made simple” insights to making the rest of life the best of your life. An insatiable foodie, seasoned traveler, and avid wellness enthusiast, she considers herself blessed to be traveling the world with her unquenchable zest for life in quest of simple pleasures.

Sophia resides along the exquisite Turkish Riviera, and travels throughout Europe extensively, finding endless inspiration for her writings and her Mediterranean Me lifestyle brand. Sophia warmly invites you to follow her on her blog, www.mediterraneanbliss.blogspot.com, and social media to join her escapades at https://linktr.ee/mediterraneanme. Sophia’s books are available at https://www.amazon.com/author/mediterraneanme.

Release Yourself: 52 Lifestyle Ways to Conquer Stress: The “KISS 52 Plan”: Free Your Mind & Body. Keep It Simple, Sweetheart

An illuminating, practical guidebook on why and how to conquer destructive chronic stress.

Stress less. Live more…

In this well-researched, engaging book, Elan shares 52 simple, life-changing, proven strategies (based on holistic therapies and neuroscience) to help guide you to a path toward health, happiness, and harmony.

“Release Yourself” is the first book in Elan’s “K.I.S.S. 52” series, a collection of self-care made simple books, utilizing Elan’s trademark “keep it simple, sweetheart” philosophy. The “K.I.S.S. Plan” is designed to inspire and empower you to achieve optimal mental and physical well-being, via simple, natural, accessible lifestyle routines.

Chronic stress, directly and indirectly, impacts mood, energy, appetite, weight, sleep, digestive health, immunity, and the risk of developing mental disorders and physical diseases, as well as aging in general. It manifests itself psychologically, physiologically, and behaviorally in innumerable ways. Chronic stress is a primary causative or contributory factor associated with anxiety, depression, fatigue, inability to lose weight/obesity, sleep disturbances, digestive disorders, insulin resistance/diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic inflammation, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, certain cancers, and substance abuse and eating disorders. These debilitating conditions are plaguing us with no end in sight; Elan enthusiastically shares a path to conquer stress to help achieve that elusive end.

The epic rise in chronic stress parallels the epidemic rise in mental and physical health challenges, including dementia, neurodegenerative diseases, obesity, and autoimmune diseases. Elan contends that this parallel is far from coincidental and that you have the power to be the master of your health destiny.

Elan documents the connection between unabated, prolonged stress and the development of virtually every mental and physical health challenge. She offers practical, evidence-based, transformative strategies to successfully reduce and manage stress and prevent/resolve the wide-ranging negative physiological, psychological, and behavioral consequences thereof.

The majority of doctors’ visits are for stress-related symptoms. Conventional medicine fails to appreciate the causative/contributory factor that chronic stress (including trauma-induced stress) plays in health issues. Conventional psychotherapy is often cost-prohibitive and fails to recognize/address the vast potential physiological impacts of chronic stress. Conventional therapies primarily rely on drugs to superficially make the patient feel better. Drugs are generally ineffectual at resolving issues long-term, are often counterproductive, and frequently cause significant negative side effects. Conventional approaches treat the body and mind separately, failing to appreciate and capitalize on the interconnectedness of mind and body and failing to realize the cumulative psychological and physiological manifestations of chronic stress. Time to get unconventional, according to Elan. Manage your stress so it doesn’t ravage your mind, body, and spirit.

A survivor of lifelong traumas, Elan preaches what she practices and shares an insightful toolkit for resolving chronic stress and overcoming the destructive emotional, behavioral, physiological, and psychological impacts she knew all too well from a lifetime of misdiagnoses and mistreatments. By resolving her traumas, employing her “KISS” philosophy, Elan found the key to ending her physiological challenges, her mental anguish, and her maladaptive coping mechanisms.

In her compassionate and relatable voice, Elan encourages us all to be our own best health advocate/“insurance” via simple, empowering natural habits and practices to live the rest of our lives as the best of our lives. Be your own “stress conqueror” and keep it simple, sweetheart…

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Category: On Writing