Stress management for optimum health and fitness

This is the fifth in the six-article series New Millennium New You, providing practical tips on how to stay healthy. The weekly column is written by Clare E. Urwin, a nutrition, fitness and health adviser based in Surabaya.

SURABAYA (JP): What a great start to the year 2000. It has now been a month of eating healthy, exercising regularly and taking supplements. This new lifestyle seems like second nature now.

Well almost! A self-satisfied grin is allowed and deserved. What is the next step for the new you? Stress management is the fourth requirement for optimum health and fitness in the new millennium.

So what is stress? We hear the word everywhere these days, but what exactly does it mean? Stress is bodily or mental tension. It is actually just our body's reaction to new situations. Good or bad circumstances trigger the same physical responses, allowing us to "cope".

Historically, stress has always been a vital element in human existence. During caveman times, if one of our ancestors was suddenly threatened by a saber-toothed tiger, mere seconds would be all that stood between life or death. His body would immediately snap into survival mode. Various chemicals would instantly flood into his bloodstream to activate defense mechanisms.

The hormone adrenalin would be pumped from the adrenal glands. His heart would pound, while muscles tensed, blood pressure rose and eye pupils dilated. With digestion stopped, extra blood cells would rush more oxygen to his muscles. He would breathe heavily, sweat more and his body hair would stand on end. This "flight or fight" reaction was necessary to concentrate all his body's systems on the danger.

Eat or be eaten!

Today, in a true emergency, this response to stress is still essential.

Frantically grabbing a child to stop him from running across a busy road for instance. The appropriate chemicals released to deal with this situation would soon be used up by the body, and after the emergency a proper balance would return.

Stressful

Of course, most stressful events are not so acute, dramatic or worthy! Yet, in normal circumstances, some short-term stress is certainly beneficial. It helps us perform to our maximum ability. We can win that race, pass that exam and knock them dead at our presentation.

Stress is all around us. Clearly, major happenings in our lives are stressful. Sad events like the death of a partner or even happy events such as a family wedding involve stress.

But usually it is just the tedious, frustrating, day-to-day hassles that make up the bulk of our stressful experiences. Things like traffic jams, busy telephone lines, lines at the supermarket, Internet failures, transportation delays or simply not having enough hours in the day.

For women, stress often occurs when trying to juggle a career while looking after a family and taking care of a spouse. In the workplace an overdemanding job, an unrewarding job or the loss of a job can all contribute to stress.

Individuals tolerate stress differently. Some people love it and are highly productive under pressure. Others hate it, falling to pieces and performing poorly as a result of it.

The problems arise with chronic long-term stress. Our bodies become continually "wound-up" and prepared for an emergency. This response is not needed and we cannot relax with all those unused chemicals sloshing around in our bloodstream. The "balance" has gone and now it gets dangerous, because prolonged exposure to these chemicals is damaging to our health.

Stress must not be regarded as merely a nuisance, or something that occasionally makes people anxious. Consider the following: perpetual stress can eventually disrupt the body's immune system, increasing vulnerability to illness and disease.

New research links stress with heart disease, ulcers, certain kinds of cancer, diabetes and arthritis. Amazingly, stress can even make you fat! Recent studies have associated long-term stress with increased fat deposits around the belly.

Unrelieved stress may cause numerous symptoms, including depression, insomnia, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, overeating, increased irritability, resentment and the inability to concentrate or perform at usual levels.

By now, everyone will be stressed-out from reading this article about stress! Nevertheless, it must be made clear that long-term stress can wreak havoc on our bodies. But the good news is that there is a solution. We are not doomed! Stress can be "managed".

Because stress is a part of our daily life, learning to live with it is a necessity. Also, stress reduction is possible; to a certain degree. We can avoid traveling during rush hour, start shopping during quiet periods and take frequent breaks. Staying in bed all day would do the trick too! However, living a stress- free life is just not realistic, so learning how to cope with stress intelligently is the answer. Reaching your optimum level of health and fitness in mind and body requires proper stress management.

A common-sense approach is best. For instance, balance unavoidable stressful experiences with periods of relaxation. Avoid becoming upset with events over which you have no control. That red traffic light does not hold a grudge against you! Stay cool. Fortunately, there are several proven strategies available to calm mind and body.

Not surprisingly, regular exercise, stopping smoking and practicing sound nutritional habits assist in slowing down the damaging stress-related processes. Aerobic exercise can actually help the body use up excess stress-induced hormones.

Meditation may sound like a throwback from the 1960s; all beards, beads and hand-knitted sandals. In fact, it is a very effectual and popular stress-management technique. During meditation, the constant chatter of thoughts are made quiet, allowing a deep state of relaxation. Yoga, combining aspects of both exercise and meditation, is a functional and fashionable antidote to stress. Massage, biofeedback and autogenic therapy are also options.

Perhaps you want the benefits of stress relief without the mystical New Age connotations? Try more down-to-earth methods like taking a break from tension by practicing five minutes of stretching or deep breathing. Also, working at a hobby, reading a good book, listening to music, soaking in a hot bath or talking to friends can all help, so use what works best for you.

Living in such a fast-paced, digital world is stimulating and exciting, and newer technology which thrills and exasperates will be developed in the 21st century. So get smart and take the time to manage your stress load; it does make a difference!

Next week, the final factor: attitude.