Recapture Your Health

Excerpt - How to Start Practicing Skilled Relaxation

(This article is an excerpt from our book Recapture Your Health that has been adapted for use on this website.)

To begin Skilled Relaxation, first choose a relaxation practice with which you feel comfortable. You may use a relaxation technique that you already know, or obtain a copy of The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook by Davis, Eshelman, and McKay (any edition) for some suggestions. Here are some suitable relaxation practices:

Applied relaxation
Audio tapes/ CDs
Autogenics
Biofeedback
Breathing techniques
Guided imagery
Imagination
Light goggles (mind machines or sound and light machines)
Meditation (all forms)
Progressive relaxation
Self-hypnosis
Silva Mind Training
Thought stopping
T'ai chi chuan
Visualization
Yoga

Begin doing one or more of the above practices for 20 minutes, two times a day. The best times for most people are in the morning after waking or rising, and in the evening after returning home from work, at least 2 hours before retiring for the night.

Your goal in each of your sessions is to reach a deeply relaxed state of body and mind (alpha brainwave), and stay in that deep state for at least a few of the 20 minutes.

Please note that if you have any kind of severe psychopathology or seizure disorder, do not use any kind of biofeedback machines, entrainment devices (such as sound and light machines), or other mechanical devices without the supervision of a professional. You may safely use any of the methods that use no mechanical devices. (See the chapter about SR for more information.) If you have a history of psychiatric disorders, work with or consult a professional before beginning any relaxation practice.

This is enough information for you to get started doing the practice of Skilled Relaxation immediately. For further specifics about doing the practice, and to know if you are reaching the relaxed state, visit Dr. Stoll's website www.askwaltstollmd.com or read our book, Recapture Your Health.

There is also a special page of products carried by Internatural which are relevant to the practice of the 3LS Wellness Program.

Please remember that the three legs of the 3LS Wellness Program -- Skilled Relaxation, Whole Foods Diet, and Right Exercise -- work synchronically. Each practice supports and helps the other. Thus, whether you are healing a chronic condition or wishing to maintain good health, doing all three practices simultaneously will help you the most. Thus to receive the greatest health benefits, it is recommended that you learn about and do all of them.

To order Recapture Your Health,

visit the website of Sunrise Health Coach Publications: www.sunrisehealthcoach.com

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