Breathe Deeply

When you feel harried, the baby is crying, your toddler is tearing up the house or your boss is having a tantrum you find yourself feeling helpless, there is one thing you can do for yourself … breathe! When you’re stressed there is a tendency to hold your breath. Your heart speeds up and your blood pressure goes up. But worst of all is that your capillaries constrict and you don’t get adequate blood flow and oxygen to your skin and your face. So what happens? You age! This is one of the many ways that stress causes rapid aging. So what can you do? Think “Breathe” and take consciously take a very deep breath, as deeply as you can, and then breathe out slowly and completely. Then do it again and again. You’ll be surprised that the influx of oxygen to your brain suddenly brings calm and often the ability to think more clearly, besides the added benefit of relaxation of your facial muscles and a glow to your skin.

Dr. Ifeoma Ikenze, MD

Your Child Reflects You

Did you know that your connection to your child is much deeper than a physical heredity of the DNA? The connection between you and your baby is physical, emotional and spiritual already before birth and into the first few years of life. You must have noticed that when you are stressed, anxious, angry or depressed, your baby does not sleep as well and often cries for no apparent reason. That is because your mood, emotions and thoughts affect your baby or your young child.

Once you know, this it helps to look at what is going on with you that you may not be consciously aware of when your child is irritable or moody for no good reason. Taking the time to work through your own angst will often bring immediate relief to your child. Try it and see for yourself how well and quickly it works!

Dr. Ifeoma Ikenze, MD