If you are overwhelmed by the thought of buying, cooking, baking and cleaning for the upcoming holiday, HealthSource has some shortcuts that might help.

• Make a list of what needs to be done. If you have family, get them on board to help and delegate the tasks.

• Do the basic housecleaning ahead of time – but remember that your house will need more cleaning after the holiday. On the big day, make sure the bathrooms are neat and supplied, and the rooms are clutter-free. Save the real clean up for afterward.
• Decide on your menu and make a shopping list. Get your coupons in order ahead of time.
•  Set the table and decide what serving dishes you plan to use the day before. Put sticky notes with the name of each dish to make things even easier when serving time comes.
• Make desserts ahead of time and freeze if possible.
• Prepare your turkey the night before and store it in the fridge. Just make sure it sits out at room temperature for two hours before cooking.
• If doing the whole dinner is too overwhelming given your amount of time, then ask people to bring a dish. Most people have Thanksgiving favorites anyway, so ask them to bring their favorite.
• Grocery stores have Thanksgiving dinners to go also. Enjoying the holiday is more important than making dinner from scratch. If buying Thanksgiving causes less stress then it is worth it.

            Current economic worries have our minds in enough of a tizzy, and cluttered surroundings can add even more clutter to the mind. Fortunately, HealthSource found a simple and inexpensive way to lower stress levels – de-clutter!

One easy way is to spend a few minutes each day getting your house or office uncluttered. You may decide to start with a room, part of a room or even a desk. The point is to pace yourself, set easy to reach goals and then reach them. The result might be less clutter and a less stressed mind for you.

            According to licensed psychologists Carol Lahey, Ph.D., who is in private practice on Park St. in Jacksonville, most people agree that they have a calmer feeling and less anxiety when their surroundings are neat and organized. “When you are in an organized, peaceful, and serene state it is easier to focus on what you need to do. When there are piles of things around you they can easily distract,” she says.

            Facing surgery can be stress producing on many levels, from worrying about the procedure itself to the possible pain and discomfort afterward. Along with those concerns, fear about life after surgery and the healing process may also pop up. There is a lot jumping around in your mind right now, and really, who can even consider relaxing when facing surgery no matter how big or little the procedure?

“Pre-surgery hypnosis may help to alleviate the fear and stress of a looming surgery,” says Life Coach and hypnotherapist Carol Waters, who specializes in stress management. She believes hypnosis is a powerful tool for change.

            “Most people are anxious before surgery,” says Waters. “They may already have an illness or be in pain, and their bodies are tense. The goal of hypnosis is to help relieve the anxiety, promote relaxation and hasten the healing time.”

            For many parents August means the ushering in of a new school year; for some that new school year might mean a child is leaving the nest and heading off to college.

While the empty nest is a milestone for parents, it can also be a difficult time, especially for the main caregiver. Feelings may range from feeling useless and left behind to fearing for the welfare of your child. You may wonder how to fill the extra time in your day, or you may worry about settling back into the couple relationship with your spouse as the child and family-centered home becomes couple-centered again.

            Give yourself time to mourn. It’s very healthy to cry and grieve and let your feelings out before you shift the gears to a new life. At the same time, this is also a good time to rejoice that you’ve raised healthy and functioning adults.

            For many, certain scents and smells give an immediate deep connection to something special in our lives. It may be the comfort smell of bread baking, the favorite perfume of your mother or the aftershave of an old boyfriend. So it’s no wonder that even in ancient times the scent of concentrated plant extracts, or essential oils, were used to soothe the body, mind and emotions. Today, the use of essential oils (called aromatherapy) strengthens the healing process, enhances health and improves quality of life.

            Essential oils are concentrated pure plant extracts that provide a range of relief from antiseptic to relaxation. Massage therapist, Rochelle Gildar, LMTM, of the White Orchid Spa in Flagler Beach, studied aromatherapy from a reflexologist in the United Kingdom. “I just love scents,” says Gildar. “They are very evocative and research says that scent affects the most prehistoric part of the brain. Essential oils and aromatherapy are very personal. They are empowering and something you can do for yourself.”