LiveWorld Transcripts

CosmoGIRL! presents

Gotham Chopra

January 6, 2000

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Harrison56: What's the best way to deal with stress?

Gotham Chopra: The best way to deal with stress is probably whenever you are feeling stressed or feeling stress coming on, to take a step back. To be quiet. To focus your attention on yourself. I'll say the word "meditate" but even meditation is just a moment of witnessing and removing yourself from whatever the stressful situation is. The most stressful thing is when you are tied into something and you can't remove yourself.

AbaCCCa: Aromatherapy is wonderful.do you recommend any particular herbs?

Gotham Chopra: Aromatherapy is a very subjective thing. Different people have different aromas that they enjoy and that are better for their body type. I love Sandalwood, Jasmine, Cinnamon, but those are the best ones for my body type. The best way to find out what is the best thing for your body type is to go online and search under "aromatherapy" and you will get a lot of information.

Emilia: How much is stress related to overall health?

Gotham Chopra: I am not a physician so I don't know the exact figures but stress has a direct result in our physical health. Everything from great diseases like heart disease to cancer to other serious ailments all have a direct relationship to levels of stress. More people die in our civilization on Monday mornings at 9 AM than at any other time of the week. And one assumes that is because they are stressed about their lives, their jobs, school, etc., so there is definitely a strong connection between stress and health.

Daphne: Do you recommend any supplements (vitamins) for dealing with stress?

Gotham Chopra: I'm not sure that there is a single vitamin that you can take to deal directly with stress. I know in my own life, I take everyday multi-vitamins, vitamin C, and vitamin E, because they help me maintain physical well-being. That keeps me less stressed. So I suppose there is some sort of relationship between that and my level of stress.

Goodone: I get really stressed out during exam time. Anything I can do to relieve that sort of spot stress that isn't ongoing?

Gotham Chopra: I would say break up your study habits. Whenever you are studying for an exam and you really feel the stress coming on, take a break. Go for a walk. Do something you know gives you a lot of enjoyment, even if it is eating chocolate or something like that. Make an effort to "chill out". Also, focus your attention on bigger things - that even the exam that you are studying for is just a means to a larger end.

Kidfears33: I'm going through a definite growth stage, it's different this time; very solitary. How do I enjoy this time to get to know myself without spending most of the time trying to figure out the big pic.

Gotham Chopra: I would say not to worry about the big picture so much. It's great to spend time with yourself. One thing I like to do when I'm feeling in a mood like that, is I write a lot, either in a journal, or I write poetry. I just enjoy being in that creative phase and I don't worry so much about big questions. I think about them, but I don't worry about whether or not I have the right answers.

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