Good, Bad, and What can we do about them?  

It goes without saying that long winters and tough times can be stressful, but our bodies and minds are subject to stress even in joyful times.  We need to take time to be mindful of those stresses and learn ways of coping with them before they catch up with us and impact our health for the worse.

• Physical Stress: Adequate movement and exercise helps maintain metabolic rate. Correct posture influences breathing, muscle function, joint health,circulation and internal organ support.
• Chemical Stress: Our body naturally produces chemicals that are essential for health. For example when the sun hits the skin it produces vitamin D and regulates melatonin and cortisol. Synthetic chemicals including pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers: the body does not have a mechanism to neutralize them. Choosing to eat organic foods and using non-toxic cleaning products will help to avoid exposure to such chemicals.
• Electromagnetic Stress: Too much sunlight, medical x-rays, computers, cell phones, microwave ovens, electric blankets, and proximity to power stations all create magnetic stress. Excessive magnetic stress causes dysfunction to the hormonal and nervous system. Be aware of your surroundings.
• Psychic or Mental Stress: Taking on more work or responsibility than you can manage, being rushed, taking verbal or emotional abuse from others are some examples of negative mental stress. Positive mental stress includes using your mind productively, asking your brain good questions etc. Be conscious of your thoughts and try relieving stress with meditation, yoga, tai chi etc.
• Nutritional Stress: Not eating or eating too much. Chewing your food less than 20-40 times before swallowing. Drinking water dilutes your stomach acid.  Choose organic foods, eat more water-rich foods.
• Thermal Stress: Try to maintain your body temperature near 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit and avoid being cold or hot for an extended period of time.

Stress is linked to all sorts of health ailments, and it impacts the quality of our lives even before we notice that our blood pressure is elevated and our joints are sore.  Take a few minutes every day to think about what’s going on in and around your body and take action to care for yourself.

Be well, drink lots of water.