Melissa Pheterson has some great insights on how to Master Your Emotions. Click HERE for the full article.

#1: Feed Your Brain

• Look for low-calorie foods with lots of “crunch,” suggests Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom, director of the UPMC Weight Management Center. It’s like a vigorous workout for your teeth — a sweet release that helps deflect the binge of “stress-eating.” We suggest carrots, celery and apples, rather than tortilla chips or the eponymous “Crunch” bar.

• Don’t use food to “self-medicate”; while it can bring comfort, remember that it’s mainly a source of fuel. Brush your teeth, take a walk, and think it through, says Fernstrom. An extra slice of cake won’t solve anything.

• Avoid excessive stimulants like caffeine or guarana.

• Nutrients like folate, vitamins B6 and B12 play a role in proper brain function, and might stave off depression. Find them in calcium-fortified OJ, kidney beans, acorn squash and bananas.

#2: Breathe Right

“Everyone needs a lesson in breathing,” says Mark Liponis, M.D., author of UltraLongevity: The Seven Step Program for a Younger, Healthier You. The immune system responds instantly to any change in breathing because it signals a threat. Shallow, rapid gasps — the “hyperventilating” stress response — sends the immune system into overdrive.

How to pass Breathing 101:

• Slow it down — allow your diaphragm to fully contract.

• Feel the breath through your entire lungs.

• Remember to breathe out — many people don’t! Exhale the air completely.

#3: Know Thyself

Everyone’s got a different way of letting off steam. “Discover which relaxation methods work for you, and tuck them in your toolbox,” says psychiatrist, columnist and best-selling author Gail Saltz, M.D. “For some, it’s deep breathing; others thrive on exercise.” And for others, it might be a heart-to-heart followed by a steaming-hot bath.

Still wound-up? Try these:

• Go steady: Studies suggest that rhythmic exercise is healthiest for the immune system. “Rhythms are built into the body’s mechanism, and moving to a rhythmic beat is therapeutic,” says Liponis. Think swimming, rowing, tango, or walking to your iPod playlist.

• Get pinned: The National Institute of Health endorses acupuncture — the ancient Eastern practice of inserting thin needles at specific points in the body — for improved sleep, reduced levels of pain and a greater sense of well-being. And you thought needles were for spinsters…

#4: Step out of the “Same Old Story”
Do you déjà vu? Many women find themselves unwittingly and maddeningly repeating behavior that stymies their growth, development and fulfillment — at the office, in relationships, around their family. Do you find yourself caught in the same trap, over and over? Try the three R’s:

• Review

• Reality-Check

• Re-evaluate

“The most important thing really is self-knowledge — recognizing patterns and understanding what lies beneath,” says Saltz. “We’re often living an old story of something that happened long ago.” To break the repetition, step out of the story to review it from an outsider’s perspective. Give yourself a reality-check to find the root of the problem. And remember, the best vantage point can often be found on the therapist’s couch, where you can get help re-evaluating the situation.

#5: Get Your Vitamin “L”

That’s Liponis’ tag for love and laughter as antidotes to fear, anger and despair — “emotions that signal the body is threatened, in danger,” he says. “The solution is to cultivate a deep emotional connection.” That doesn’t just mean romance. Adopt a pet, call your parents, throw yourself into your garden. Or discover a new activity that might sweep you into a new circle of friends.

Among new friends or old, reach out to others. Support them in their own personal endeavors, and project a can-do attitude; the good vibes will come full-circle to reward you, too. If you feel responsible to show up for your weekly exercise-walking group, you’re more likely to commit.