If we don’t have to run or fight like our caveman/cavewoman ancestors, the fight or flight chemicals don’t serve their original purpose. They can have andwill have a negative effect on your body. So while you stand at the check-out feeling angry and frustrated, or you fume at your spouse for leaving clothes on the floor, or you bellow at the grand children repeatedly to turn down the TV, or you lose it because the dog tracked mud over the carpet -we promise you - you are not doing your system any good. When these chemical reactions - like the adrenalin flowing- happen often, we can easily develop stress related diseases and complaints. There are many, many conditions likely caused by stress.

Far too many of us suffer from things like:

Medical research is seeing a direct link between diseases and stress. Some estimates say 40 - 80% of all visits to doctors may be directly related to stress. Ask yourself, where do you fit in this picture? Do you have illnesses or conditions brought on by stress or made worse by it?

While it is true we are now living longer than we ever have, are we living better, healthier, than before? Modern medicine with its wonderful pills and incredible technical advances for treatments and operations- means diseases and conditions are being dealt with incredibly well. But do we have a higher quality of life? Are we healthier than 100 years ago when the life expectancy was lower or are we just here longer? Is it quantity verse quality? Could stress management change that?

In bygone years, heart disease and cancer would kill us off quite quickly when they developed, are we now living much longer with these diseases? We can be treated now, cured sometimes. But is our health as good as it should be? Could lowering our stress levels have a direct impact on that? We believe it can. How many bottles of aspirin and other pain killers go over the counter and into your medicine cabinet? How many packages of Tums, bottles of Pepto-Bismol, laxatives, sleeping aids, allergy medicines, diet aids, tonics and supplements, cold remedies and immune boosters get bought yearly - not counting thebillions of prescribed drugs taken? Pain killers, barbiturates and mood altering drugs are frequently prescribed medications.

Yep, we are indeed living longer, but thanks to our reactions to negative stress, we may not be living better, healthier.

The good news is - each of us can live healthier- if we make a concentrated effort to invest in our health by learning to identify bad stress and choosing healthy strategies to overcome a lot of the negative side effects.

Ideally, stress management needs to begin when we’re young so that we don’t have battered, scarred trunks when we reach mid life and beyond. But, the reality is, most of us never consider stress as damaging …until we’ve been reacting to it for a long time. The good news about our amazing bodies is that once we identify the stressors and make some definite life style changes, we can often reverse a lot of the damage. Sort of like being able to get some wood filler, apply it to the nicks on the tree trunk, then sand it down to recreate a smooth finish on your trunk. Stress management can really promote better health.

What are some of the benefits of stress reduction?

A housewife named Elaine suffered from dreadful panic attacks. She would be in a state of great agitation. She was sure she was having a heart attack, terrified she would die, despite the fact that she had no heart disease and was just 45 years old. Twice she rushed to the emergency room for help. She was suffering acute chest pain, sweating profusely and nauseated. Her heart was pounding, her breathing was shallow and rapid, her hands shook and she had diarrhoea. Real symptoms. The emergency room medics examined her carefully and told her she was reacting to stress and suggested she see her family doctor.

Her family doctor checked Elaine over, sent her for a series of tests to rule out disease and prescribed . . . exercise. Whenever she felt acute anxiety symptoms, she was to jog or run or get on her exercise bike until the attack passed. His notion was that to get rid of the bad chemicals, it was imperative to replace them with good chemicals. After a few weeks of doing that …it worked. She was able to control the panic and anxiety with exercise. With a lot of practice, she also learned to do relaxation techniques and deep breathing so that Elaine can take control of anxiety whenever she feels over-whelmed at times when she’s unable to exercise. No pills or magic, just using the body and mind to cure itself.

Allen was a firefighter for many years. When he had been to a fire, he would come back to the fire station all keyed up and be unable to relax. The adrenalin he needed to fight the fire was still pumping - hours after he was out of the “fight” mode. The “tiger” was gone yet seeing flames destroy people’s property bothered him emotionally. When people were hurt or died in the fires, he was even more keyed up and anxious. He felt sad. Soon he had high blood pressure and was prescribed medication.

Realizing he had to take action, try to reverse what he was feeling, he started running on the tread milling once he got back from a fire. His family had a history of heart disease, he was determined not to sick. He gets on the treadmill for 30 - 45 minutes while watching TV or listening to relaxing music. He also learned to meditate which took weeks to master. He does tai chi several days weekly. Within just 4 month his blood pressure was under control and he was able to come off the medication. He actively changed his bad stress chemicals to good stress chemicals.

Put a check mark beside each of the following symptoms of stress that you have experienced in the past 2 weeks.

How many items did you put a tick beside? Perhaps you need to sit and evaluate how stressed you are.

Are you happy in your relationships, is your job right for you, do you have a solid friendships to turn to? What changes can you make in the short term, what changes might you need to make for the long haul? Look carefully at where your stress comes from and maybe make some beginning changes there.

This checklist will help you identify the where part. If for instance you are having symptoms because you are (unhappy at work) you may need to confront that issue. Ask yourself, is this something I can change? If so, get a plan to do that. If, on the other hand, it is caused by someone/ something over which you have no control and it’s temporary, you need to somehow put it on the back burner until the situation changes.

If a person is the cause and he/she is not going to go away and you aren’t in a position to get mediation - then ask yourself how long you are willing to put your health at risk? What price will you pay? The work environment can be emotionally toxic if you react negatively again and again. Sure, you need to earn a living but is it necessary to seriously jeopardize your total well being?

Put a check mark beside each of the following areas of stress in your life.

Becoming Stress Resistant

If you know you’re under a lot of stress and are experiencing stress symptoms, your first important step is a trip to your doctor for a thorough check-up. He/she will order some routine tests and do a full physical at your request. You may need to ask for extra time when you make the appointment. Make sure your doctor thinks it is ok for you to begin an exercise program, should you decide to do that.

Clear some time for yourself and take a long, hard look at how you are doing. You’ve taken the stress tests and quizzes. Now is the time to make a commitment to over-coming your stress symptoms and generally learning how to handle stress in a healthier way.

The strategies we teach, work. The more you use them, the more they work. Decide which ones are most likely to suit you and your lifestyle, then design your personal “de-stress” action plan.

It will mean putting yourself first, at least for a portion of your day, every day It may mean juggling tight schedules, setting you as a priority. It will mean saying no sometimes - to demands being made on you by others. Most likely you were brought up to believe being selfish was bad, get over it. When it comes to your health and well-being, selfish is not only good for you, it is exceedingly wise. You may need to have a critical look at cutting back on some of your responsibilities to create “me time”. Do it.

Learn to say no at work and at home.

If your standards of housekeeping dictate that you dust weekly and clean your entire house most weekends, rethink it or get some help. Nobody is ever remembered fondly as a great housekeeper, it’s not what they’ll put on your headstone after you’ve gone. Whether we choose to be cremated when we die, or are buried and take a slower route, we all end up as some version of ashes, as dust. What a pity to waste a lot of joyous living time on something as ordinary as dusting.

Lighten up, smell the roses, wear purple, dance with your husband, wife, friend, or your cat more often … while you leave the pots in the sink more often. Your time is valuable, investing in you is having self-savvy. Time spent de-stressing is worth a fortune. Your good health and longevity depend on it.

Most of us know exercise is important to staying healthy. Researchers at Duke University Medical Centre in North Carolina recently reported that the mental ability of middle aged and elderly people showed improvement after as little as 16 weeks on a regular 30 minute, 3 times weekly aerobic program. People in wheelchairs and others with disabilities likewise have been shown to benefit from exercise.

Research has also shown exercise can be as effective as drug therapy in treating depression. When you exercise at a level where you force your heart rate up and work up a sweat for thirty minutes or more, three days weekly or more, you are going to have chemical reactions that can act like an antidote for stress. You’ve heard of runners’ high - where endorphin, a chemical produced in the brain, flows when you exercise. Exercising gives you a terrific, empowered feeling. Exercise increases the release of endorphins - happy brain chemicals! Exercise also rids the body of by-products of stress, such as adrenaline. And because it exercise helps reduce fatigue, exercise increases the body’s capacity to cope with stress.

And we are not talking of training to run the Boston Marathon! We are talking a regular person walking fast or treadmilling or dancing, whatever, for 30 minutes three times a week or more to get healthy. Even if you are not fit, within a few short weeks, you’ll start to reap the benefits. You will feel healthier, you’ll handle stress better. In terms of general health, getting a good cardio work-out three or more times a week and doing some weight training to build and maintain muscles, makes great sense. If you are seriously seeking a way to reduce stress, exercising, with your doctor’s approval, is a very, very smart choice.

Note - make sure you get a decent pair of running shoes. It’s important that your feet be well supported.

Also, you may want to exercise with a friend, or a group of friends. It helps to keep motivated when you have at least one other person work out with. Once you get into exercising, your body will work better, feel better, be better. When stress happens, you’ll ward off the negative effects more rapidly. Your bounce back will be superior.

In addition to the aerobic workout, it is equally important to think of making the best of the rest of your body and limbs. If you are strong, toned, and well muscled, you will enjoy increased flexibility and not suffer the limitations that can prohibit your independence and mobility. An excellent book on strength training is by Dr. Miriam Nelson who researches at Tufts University. It’s called “Strong Women Stay Young”. It will give you scientifically proven, yet simple exercises that can reverse bone loss, improve energy and balance and replace fat with muscle. For men, these exercises are equally good for you.

Exercise is a key strategy in achieving and maintaining physical and mental well-being. When you’ve had an argument with your partner, been hassled by the bank, just driven 30 miles on an icy road, jump on the treadmill or a bike or go for a swim or a walk. The tension will lessen considerably. Every time you realize you are in a state of stress, exercise. Don’t say you don’t have time. Make time. It will stop the nicks being taken from your “tree trunk” it will retard the aging effect of bad stress, it will give you more energy, more focus, more health!

Finding the right exercise fit may take time. Some people do well in a gym or at aerobic dance classes, while others fare better at home. The key to finding your exercise niche is to look at your habits, your lifestyle and maybe try different things until you discover a good fit. Consider your body rhythms to fit exercise into the best slot for you - early in the day or later - depending on whether you’re an a.m. or p.m person. It may mean getting up an hour earlier or rearranging things at lunch or suppertime.

If you’re easily bored, you may need to vary the routine to maximize staying committed. However you manage, getting fit and staying fit is one of the best investments in self you’ll ever make! You need not spend a lot of money. Walking is free, gym memberships can be as cheaply as $2 a day. Second-hand treadmills and exer-cycles and other equipment are for sale in daily papers. Money spent to get healthy is a smart investment.

Many folks do Yoga. A form of exercise that is good for the mind while improving strength, flexibility and circulation, yoga is highly relaxing. Practised for centuries, yoga may be an exercise choice in addition to cardio/strength training. Tai Chi is another excellent type of work -out - it focuses the mind while exercising the body. People of all ages enjoy Tai Chi and Yoga. If you can’t get to a class to learn, there are excellent books and videos available in your library, bookstore or on the Internet.

In summary, try these ideas:

These days, people of all sizes and shapes are getting fit, there’s no magical right age either. If you are 45 or 65 or 80 and your physician says it’s ok, you can reap all the benefits. The days of the jocks and the spandex Barbies being the only folks in the gym are gone. You may look like Delta Burke or Dr. Ruth, it doesn’t matter one hoot. Fit makes everyone feel and look great. It’s an incredible weapon in your personal wager against stress.

Many times in our hectic lives we fall into the habit of taking things … life, far too seriously. We don’t stop and rate the real importance, we don’t take the time to put things that happen to us into perspective. We certainly don’t always stop and smell the roses or the lilacs or even the dandelions. We react. We stress our bodies, ourselves, we damage our essence. We don’t ask ourselves, when confronted with something stressful, will this matter 2 days from now, or 2 weeks or 2 months from now?

It is NOT worth getting your knickers in a twist, not worth straining your artery walls for. We can choose not to react, not to freak, not to worry, not to fret. The ball is always in our court. We must take the time to pause and put things into perspective.

Laughter is a good drug. The chemical benefits from smiling and laughter are the same, whether they are real or fake. Your body still pumps out the endorphin when you grin at yourself, or force a laugh. You reap what you sow, it’s amazing. Believe in laughter, it heals.

Problem is, we don’t laugh nearly enough….

How do you find laughter? What about if nothing feels funny? What do you do? Need some suggestions?

When you need to feel silly:

When was the last time you bought cracker jacks to get the little prize or acted like a kid or hung out with kids? Kids know how to laugh, how to be happy and giggle. They aren’t uptight and self-conscious about being silly. Bless them, they offer up an excellent example. Like zebras, little kids don’t get ulcers! Do something totally silly and out of character every once in awhile. Remember this quote:

“You don’t stop laughing because you get old …you get old because you stop laughing”

Learning to identify, rate and handle your stress is important. As we have stated over and over, it is critical to your good health. It is a vaccination against ill health and disease. As someone said, don’t sweat the small stuff cause … it’s all small stuff.

Here are more ideas for de-stressing:

Let’s try an exercise together. Begin by closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing. Are you:

Most people tend to breathe in a slightly abnormal way, they tend to hold in their stomachs, make little use of their diaphragm, and breathe using the muscles of their upper chest, neck and shoulders. This is not the most effective way to get the needed oxygen to our brain and muscles. If you watch babies or animals breathe, you will notice that they breathe with their whole bodies, their bellies rise and fall with each breath. For some reason, we stop doing this when we outgrow diapers. No one really knows why.

The good news is that we can relearn how to breathe properly - learning to breathe using our abdomens. This can help us control our feelings of stress. In fact, abdominal breathing is the single most effective strategy for stress reduction! A person’s normal breathing rate is 8-12 breaths per minute. But if someone is stressed, or having a panic attack, they tend to breathe faster (up to 20-30 breaths per minute) and more shallowly. Although we may seem to be breathing more when this happens, we are not actually get much oxygen in, and the breathing is not as effective as it could be.

Abdominal breathing means breathing fully from your abdomen or from the bottom of your lungs. It is exactly the reverse of the way you breathe when you’re anxious or tense, which is typically shallow and high in your chest. If you’re breathing from your abdomen, you can place your hand on your abdomen and see it actually rise each time you inhale. You’ll find that abdominal breathing will help you relax any time you are feeling anxious.

To practice abdominal breathing, follow these steps:

1. Place one hand on your abdomen right beneath your rib cage

2. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose into the bottom of your lungs. Your chest should move only slightly, while your stomach rises, pushing your hand up.

3. When you’ve inhaled fully, pause for a moment and then exhale fully through your mouth. Purse your lips and imagine that you are blowing on a hot spoonful of soup. As you exhale, just let yourself go and imagine your entire body going loose and limp. It should take you twice as long to exhale as it did to inhale.

4. In order to fully relax, take and release ten abdominal breaths. Try to keep your breathing smooth and regular throughout, without gulping in a big breath or exhaling suddenly.

According to the Oxford dictionary, to meditate is to engage in contemplation; to plan mentally. Meditating is sometimes referred to as a workout for the soul, a source of mental cleansing. It is a personal time out, an exercise in finding inner peace and quietude.

Meditating has been around a very long time and was practised in Eastern countries like India at least 5000 years ago. Traditionally, the purposes and benefits of mediation have been spiritual in nature - becoming one with God, attaining enlightenment, achieving selflessness. While many people practice meditation today for spiritual purposes, just as many practice simply as a way of relaxing.

Meditation was introduced into North America in the mid-1960s as Transcendental Meditation. In Transcendental Meditation, an instructor selects a mantra (Om). You are then instructed to repeat that sound mentally, while sitting in a quiet place. You must concentrate completely, but not forcefully, on the mantra while letting any distractions just pass through your mind.

In the 1970s, noted U.S. cardiologist, Hubert Benson conducted research on Transcendental Meditation, and published a book called the “Relaxation Response”. It’s an excellent read, we highly recommend it.

There are many benefits to be gained by meditating. People who meditate regularly report a lowering of their stress reaction, a feeling of serenity. They report it is a process where you feel healed mentally, while being rejuvenated. Just as a good night’s sleep has restorative powers, many people say meditating leaves you feeling rested and refreshed.

Immediate benefits of meditation:

Long-term benefits of meditation:

It is not difficult to learn. It gets easier and seems to have greater health effects, the longer and more regularly you do it. Benefits may be obvious right away or may take weeks or longer. Don’t put time lines on learning.

Next we will provide simple instructions. Or, you can purchase books, tapes or sign up for classes. Whilst you need a quiet environment to learn it, once you are well practised, you’ll be able to meditate, even in the midst of a crowd - when you have the desire to chill out and retreat into a place of quietude.

To practice meditation, follow these guidelines:

Have you ever caught yourself drifting off at a meeting or in church - reliving a pleasant episode - daydreaming about a happy event past or future? It feels good. Visualization, or imagining yourself to be someplace wonderful and free, is a method of stress relieving that can be very beneficial. The wonderful, peaceful scene can be anywhere you want it to be, a quiet beach, a calm lake, or a cozy fire on a cold winter night, for example.

To achieve tranquillity from visualisation exercises you need to perfect the exercise by practicing. You may choose your own scenario or change the imaginary scenes from time to time. The important part is to visualize the scene in sufficient detail so that it completely absorbs your attention. The more absorbed you are, the deeper your state of relaxation.

To practice visualization, follow these guidelines and try imaging the scene described below. You may even want to tape-record yourself reading the scene, so that you can play it back as you drift off to sleep.

Progressive muscle relaxation is a systematic technique for achieving a deep state of relaxation. It was developed by Dr. Edmund Jacobson more than 50 years ago, and he wrote a book entitled “Progressive Relaxation”. Jacobson discovered that a muscle could be relaxed by first tensing it for a few seconds, and then releasing it.

Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and relaxing, in succession, different muscle groups in your body. The idea is to tense each muscle for about 5 seconds, and then to let go of it suddenly. Then you give yourself about 10 seconds of relaxation, and notice how the muscle feels when it is relaxed in contrast to how it felt when it was tensed. Maintain your focus on how your muscles feel.

Progressive muscle relaxation is especially useful for people whose anxiety is strongly associated with muscle tension. These people may experience chronic tightness or tension in their neck and shoulders. Other symptoms that respond well to progressive muscle relaxation include tension headaches, backaches, tightness in the jaw, muscle spasms, high blood pressure and insomnia.

The following guidelines will help you make the most of progressive muscle relaxation:

Follow these steps to relax each major muscle group in your body:

If you have worked through this program, you’ll hopefully have committed to getting the stress out of your life, to putting more joy and peace back in. To rebuilding your health. There are many, many strategies to relieve stress. We’ve covered a large number of them, you may find others. While your resolution and enthusiasm is high, you may well practice stress relieving strategies and feel better, develop a better sense of calm and control. However, life today is fast paced, demands are high and it’ll be a challenge not to slide back into your old, stressed-out habits. To say it again, stress damage is not usually obvious right away, it’s a layering thing, it build up silently. It is bad for your well- being.

Take the date of your birthday each month to reflect inward, to revisit how you are looking after you. It’s hard to put self first, it’s difficult to pace yourself all the time, but it is critical to really work on an ongoing “health-for-me” plan. You’ll reap the benefits, all the people who care about you will too. You could well live significantly longer, certainly you’ll feel better. You can do this! You’re worth it! Don’t just be here for a long time, be here for a good and joyful time.