Who has time to worry about stress? After all, if we had time to manage our stress, we would not be stressed in the first place! This retort, unfortunately, is often our first response to the subject of stress. Yet no matter how busy we become in our daily routines, we cannot afford to ignore our reactions to stressful circumstances.

Stress has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, immune system disorders, certain cancers, alcoholism, obesity and more. In fact, recent research has strengthened the link to heart disease, suggesting that the way we handle stress may be a factor in whether we develop injured blood vessels or blocked arteries, two conditions that lead to heart attacks and strokes.

Stepping Back From Your Stress
You cannot be in a state of stress and a state of relaxation at the same time. However, you can control how your body responds to stressful situations by adopting relaxation practices, such as meditation. To date, more than 1,300 studies have documented the effectiveness of meditation as a health practice, including lowering heart rate, muscle tension, stress hormone secretion, and resting blood pressure. Many hospitals and medical clinics use meditation in stress management and other health promotion programs.

Though many forms of meditation exist, they generally produce the same healthful benefits. Meditation costs nothing, requires no special equipment and takes little investment in time. Research has shown that just 15 to 20 minutes of meditation twice a day is enough to produce beneficial results, and some experts believe even shorter sessions can be effective. What matters most is consistency--meditate every day, if possible.

How does meditation work? Learning to observe your thoughts and feelings as they happen allows you to step back from them and control your responses, rather than automatically reacting and getting caught up in the constant activity of your mind. Just as you train your body through a consistent program of exercise, you train your mind through a consistent practice of meditation.

Easy Ways to Get Started
Michele Hebert, international mind-body health and fitness presenter and owner of Higher Health and Fitness in La Jolla, California, offers the following three tips for beginning your own meditation program:

1. Seek a quiet environment. Find your own space where you feel calm, such as a secluded room, a park or a place of worship.

2. Sit with your spine erect. Be seated in a chair or in a simple cross-legged position on the floor or on a pillow.

3. Let go of control. Instead of restricting your meditation experience, try to maintain a receptive attitude.

Once you become oriented, Hebert suggests the following three commonly used techniques to focus your meditation:

1. Watching Your Breath. This technique simply means observing your breath as you sit quietly. Follow your breath as it flows in and out, and notice the space between the in breath and the out breath. When your mind wanders, which is natural, bring it back to your breath. Approach this process as a calm observer.

2. Object Concentration. Focus your gaze on an object, such as a flower, a candle flame, or a favorite setting. The goal is to bring your mind to one point of focus in the present moment.

3. Mantra Meditation. In mantra meditation, repeat a word or series of words to yourself to gain control of your restless mind. Your mantra does not have to be of foreign origin; use words that represent health and serenity to you, such as joy, peace, and harmony. Once again, as your mind naturally wanders, bring it back to your mantra.

At first, you may have difficulty meditating for very long. Do not give up. Setting aside your thoughts, however brief, may be one of the most important things you do for your health today.

There's No Time Like the Present!

Some people assume they are too old, or too frail, or too out of shape to begin exercising. Not true! In fact, research shows you will derive benefits from a fitness program whether you're nine or 90. It really doesn't matter what kind of activity you do to start with. When you are just beginning, anything is better than nothing!

What is important is choosing activities you enjoy—walking, dancing, yoga, working out to exercise videos, tennis, cycling . . . the list is endless. The ideal program should include a combination of aerobic exercise, strength training and flexibility (stretching) routines. However, you may not be able to add all of that at once. To begin making active living a habit, your emphasis should be on thinking about and planning your activity, making sure it fits you, enjoying it and rewarding yourself for meeting your goals.

Definitions of Fitness Terms

Aerobic Training. This occurs when you achieve and maintain a heart rate of 65-85% of your maximum for at least 20 minutes or more. Also known as cardiovascular training. Examples: walking, cycling, group fitness classes, swimming, cross-country skiing.

Strength Training. This occurs when you apply force or resistance to a muscle or set of muscles. The resistance can be in the form of gravity (using weights), bands or tubing, or machines that employ weights attached to cables. Examples: bench press, biceps curl, sit-ups.

Flexibility Training. Otherwise known as stretching, flexibility training prevents strains and pulls and helps you stay loose and limber. Examples: toe touches, neck rotations, hurdler's stretch (now considered unsafe by the fitness industry).

Tips on Starting—and Sticking With—Your Fitness Program
You already know that regular exercise is good for you. How much is enough and how can you find time in your busy schedule for fitting fitness in?

The good news is, experts recommend that you accumulate as little as 30 minutes of activity a day most days of the week in order to achieve health benefits such as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. These can be split up into two or even three separate sessions—a 15-minute walk to and from the bus station or subway is as good as 30 minutes of continuous exercise! Of course, you can increase the health benefits by working out for a longer time, at a higher intensity, or both.

As for time, it has been estimated that the average American spends four hours watching television every day. Substitute just 30 minutes of walking for TV watching four times a week, and you'll see positive benefits. Good habits take time and effort to form, but by following the steps below, you will be on your way to an active lifestyle in no time.

STEP 1— Plan Exercise Into Your Day
Once you plan fitness into your day and make it a priority, you will have a much easier time sticking with it. Find a day planner or calendar that lists the hours of the day, make appointments to exercise, and keep those appointments religiously.

STEP 2—Establish a Support Network
You'll be much more likely to stick with exercise if you have support from two different groups: people who will work out with you regularly or from time to time, and people who will support you even though they don't exercise with you. Those who exercise regularly will probably be happy to help you get started. Those who don't can help you through roadblocks.

STEP 3—Set Your Goals
Are you trying to lose weight? Get stronger? Improve your quality of life? By writing down specific, measurable goals, you will be able to identify which direction to go in and chart your progress. Create both short-term and long-term goals, and make sure they are realistic. Do not expect to lose 30 pounds in 30 days!