Now I know what you’re thinking, but it is not that kind of adult coloring book…
Adult coloring books have gained popularity recently. As they should because they can be used as a stress release tool. We live in a nonstop world, stress is extremely detrimental to our health.
I used to draw all the time when I was younger. I couldn’t get enough! I would paint for hours and hours. There was this one time, I am not sure exactly how old I was, maybe ten years old; I stayed up all night painting! I was painting on the cold kitchen floor with my watercolors when my mom went to bed. Time flew by and the sky turned blue and then turned a beautiful orange, pink, and purple. Pretty soon it was brightly lit up by the full sun and my mom came walking out of her bedroom to find me still painting away with my paintings covering every square inch of the kitchen floor spiraled out around me.
I was so caught up in doing something I loved I didn’t even notice how long it had been. I had this fierce determination to create a book but I wasn’t good at writing or so I thought, so I went with painting. All the paintings I created when I stayed up all night overfilled a beautiful watercolor book that I weaved together with my twin and gave to my mom.
I was so carefree back then, coloring for me takes me back to that carefree child. Anyway that brings me back to now and how you can use coloring to make you feel carefree as well. I found a couple of cool coloring books one is a Thomas Kinkade coloring book which I absolutely love! I used these special oil coloring pencils too, in case you were wondering. I think an important key element is finding the right coloring book for you, that you enjoy coloring and turning into your own masterpiece. Everyone has their own style so embrace that, you do you!
Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from external or internal means that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous. Stress is your body’s natural reaction to a situation that requires immediate attention and is fine for a quick fix, it is actually quite helpful. However, long term stress is quite detrimental to you and your health. Physical symptoms of stress include:
- Low energy
- Headaches
- Digestive issues, upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea
- Aches, pains, and tense muscles
- Chest pain and rapid heartbeat
- Frequent colds and infections
- Trouble sleeping, or sleeping too much
- Change in sex drive
- High blood pressure
- skin problems
- Mental: poor concentration, forgetfulness, learning problems, frequent negative thoughts, speech problems.
- Increase in heart rate
- Elevated levels of hormones
This can take a toll on the body. This long-term ongoing stress can increase the risk for hypertension, heart attack, or stroke.
When I mentioned adult coloring books to a friend he took the idea a little more R rated, but hey the subject matter isn’t really important it’s whatever you enjoy. So enjoy yourself and relax. Here is a Grimm Fairy Tales Adult Coloring Book that I thought was kinda cool too.
By the way, another way to reduce stress is exercise and I just read a great article about exercise and doing what you enjoy by Varun Khadri .
He stresses the idea that doing the most effective exercises when you don’t enjoy them aren’t that effective because you are not likely to stick with it.
However, doing less effective exercises that you enjoy and will do come hell or high water is the way to go. You are more likely that you will achieve your desired goals because you will stick to it!
Varun Khadri also talks about willpower and how you only have so much of it. So why spend it all on getting yourself to do something like an exercise you don’t want to do! Instead push harder to do more reps or resist having an extra cookie.
I like this idea of saving up our willpower for the really important things! I think those that seem like they have iron-clad willpower are the ones who don’t put themselves in tempting situations all the time. So don’t put yourself in a tempting situation every day of not doing that exercise you heat.Enjoyment Is The Secret To Consistent Exercise
You don’t have to do things you hate to get your dream physique.medium.com
Another way to relax and reduce stress is having a glass of wine. I just read an article worth a mention about wine making and the benefits of its byproducts by Research Features. The benefits include “Overweight or obese individuals may have improved insulin responses when consuming a blend of Chardonnay grape marc and seed extract.”
There are beneficial health effects on the cardiovascular system as well. Also a probiotic component that helps improve gut health
“Chardonnay grape seed flour may benefit cardiovascular health in the management of obesity and obesity-related health effects that include improvements in cholesterol levels and gut health.”
“This grape seed flour can be used in commercially available flours to enhance bread and other baked goods”, and or dietary supplements.Wine not? Harnessing the health benefits of winemaking co-products
Researchers from Sonomaceuticals, LLC, the USDA-ARS, and UC Davis have collaborated to learn more about the ways in which a by-product of…medium.com
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-Life is sweet ;p