What Causes Stress Ulcers?

It is a fact that everybody experiences stress once in a while although the level of stress each one is going through varies. But did you know that there is such a thing as "stress ulcer"? There are two kinds of stress: one is physical stress, and the other is emotional stress. Emotional stress makes ulcers more painful and difficult to heal, however, the concept that emotional stress causes stress ulcers is wrong as stress does not cause ulcers.

It was assumed that chronic emotional stress causes stress ulcers. Before, people and even doctors tend to believe this fact. Doctors used to advise their patients to lessen stress in their lives to prevent ulcer or rather to cure it. However, all of them have not gained any improvement in their situations. To object from this belief, studies have shown that emotional stress does not cause the ulcers or stress ulcers, but could make ulcers worse.

Stress

The cause of stress ulcer is being linked to a certain kind of bacteria called H. pylori. About 15 years ago, Dr. Barry Marshall discovered that stress ulcer is not caused by stress but instead is caused by bacteria though this discovery is only known to about 28% of Americans and the rest still believes that stress can cause ulcer. With this information you just read, now you have a way of being treated with the use of antibiotics.

What Causes Stress Ulcers?

Little do people know that some known brands of oral medication may, in one way or another cause ulcer. These drugs are said to cause great damage to your stomach lining, and it, in turn, allows gastric juices to harm your stomach and create an ulcer.

Now that you know that stress does not cause ulcers or stress ulcers, if you are suffering from an ulcer that does not respond to antibiotics, you might want to relax a bit to reduce the stress. This would prevent your ulcer from getting worse. Do something worthwhile like read a book, cook your favorite dish or watch a movie to loosen up. Exercise and move around to reduce stress. It is one of the best ways to lose weight, feel good, and reduces cortisol levels.

There is no sense in living a greatly stressed life or having ulcers. You should enjoy the best of life. As what Wolfgang Puck said, "Live Love Eat!"

What Causes Stress Ulcers?

Remember, the best way to avoid or relieve stress induced ulcers is to cure the root of the problem...the stress and anxiety. Check out www.Stop-Anxiety-Panic-Attack.com to learn ways to relieve anxiety and prevent stress for good.

Recent Health News Articles on Stress

The people today are more active than the people before. But with more activities that must be done, the people also suffer from stress too much. The recent health news articles on stress reveal that people suffering from stress are actually changing. There have been researches that the stressed people increases and their situation are worsening.

The type of people today is changing by the means that they move and live their lives and so this also goes with the way that stress affects these people. The number of stressed people is actually increasing and the effects of stress in a person are also adding up. With more people feel stressed, there are others that consider stress as a common situation in their life but they do not see that they are risking their health too much when they simply let stress take over their body.

Stress

With recent changes in the way that we live our life, every individual must be careful not to let these situations affect him too much. With the many tasks that must be accomplished, this must not always make him feel stressed. Coping up should still be done and having a clear mind should be maintained. There can be many ways that a person can do to manage his life better and to avoid stress to take in control.

Recent Health News Articles on Stress

With the changes in the way that we live, we must learn to adapt and make our body suit it. If not, then it would be better to change our lifestyle to suit our body's needs.

Recent Health News Articles on Stress

Don't let Panic control you! It's possible to overcome: http://panicattacks-away.blogspot.com/

7 Leading Causes of Stress

In 1967, Thomas H. Holmes and Richard H. Rahe, from the University of Washington, did a study on the connection between significant life events and illness. As part of that study, they compiled a chart of the major causes of stress. That chart, which contained 43 causes of stress in 1967, was updated to 55 causes in 2006. Apparently, society is finding more causes to feel stressed.

If you knew the leading causes of stress in your life, would you take action to eradicate them? Can you eradicate stress - or is it an inoperable condition that will be with you all of your life, possibly causing your eventual death?

Stress

Which Is Your Leading Cause of Stress?

7 Leading Causes of Stress

1. Finances

Most studies agree that finances are a leading cause of stress. In an online poll conducted in 2005 by LifeCare, Inc., 23 percent of respondents named finances as the leading cause of stress in their lives. Financial stress has led the list in many modern polls.

Some who name finances as the leading cause of stress cite major purchases they have to make, such as a home or car. Others are stressed by a loss of income, or mounting credit card debt. For some, financial stress will eventuate in bankruptcy. While college students stress over paying for an education, Baby Boomers and older senior citizens find that retirement income can be a major cause of stress.

2. Work

Closely tied to finances as a cause of stress is work. Our jobs or careers seem to cause constant stress. In the LifeCare poll, 21 percent of those responding listed this as the leading cause of stress in life.

How is the workplace a cause of stress? We worry about getting and keeping adequate employment. We worry about new types of work or new responsibilities. We struggle to climb a career ladder, overwhelmed by the demands. Work conditions may change, or we may have interpersonal trouble at work. Students, especially teenagers and college age students, cite school work as a cause of stress. Sometimes, work stress is brought on by others. Sometimes, we bring it on ourselves.

3. Family

Family, wonderful though each member may be, is also a leading cause of stress. Arguments erupt with a spouse or other family member. Parents divorce. Children marry. The ebb and flow of family life is filled with stress. A child moves out - an aging parent moves in.

Family health is also a leading cause of stress. A sick family member, a serious injury, pregnancy, miscarriage, or abortion all cause stress. Family changes of other kinds bring stress, too. Adoption, relocation, and job changes for just one family member can cause stress for all.

4. Personal Concerns

Personal concerns that are only indirectly created by others are another top cause of stress. Lack of control tops the list of personal concerns. Every human has a deep-seated desire for control over his or her own life. When control is weak or missing in a given area, we experience stress. To many people, a lack of control over their own time is a leading cause of stress. We want to determine when we do tasks around the home, or at work. Holding a job, participating in the children's carpool to school, driving family to soccer practices, shopping, and scout meetings while trying to keep the household running can create major stress. You would like to control your time, rather than let others' demands control it, but that is not always possible.

We may be involved in legal proceedings that cause stress. We may be wrestling with a bad habit. We may be going through changes. Personal change of any kind can be a cause of stress.

5. Personal Health and Safety

Most people find that personal health is a leading cause of stress. For some, the stress is linked to obesity, and a desire to lose weight. For others, the stress is a personal bas habit that affects health and must be changed. For example, smoking, abuse of alcohol or other drugs. Illness or injury, whether less or more serious, can be a leading cause of stress for many people. Incontinence can be an ongoing concern. Personal health is more or less stressful according to the degree of seriousness and our personal outlook on health.

Personal safety is also a leading cause of stress. Women, more than men, tend to stress about their own and others' safety. Adults tend to stress more than young people, who may act invincible. Crime is a factor, as is

6. Personal Relationships

Whether it is a friendship, dating, separation, marriage, divorce, or re-marriage, a relationship can be a leading cause of stress for many. We all want love, and that is potentially available in relationships, but getting from A to B can be very stressful. Some resort to online relationships that are easier to handle. Others withdraw and become recluses. Either way, the demands on time, finances, and emotions can cause ongoing stress.

7. Death

Probably the most wrenching cause of stress is the death of a loved one or close friend. Even the death of a pet can be stressful. Children are always a source of stress for parents, but when a child dies, the stress is overwhelming. The same is true when a lifetime spouse passes on.

Win or Lose

Causes of stress change as we age. The stressed child who threw tantrums becomes a young student, stressed by the school bully. The young student becomes a teenager, stressed by acne, hormones, and dating. The teenager becomes a young adult trying to handle the stresses of leaving home, adjusting to college life, and managing finances. Life progresses to first jobs, marriage, children, and so on. Even if you move to a secluded cabin in the woods, stress will follow you.

Gaining knowledge of the leading causes of stress is important. Using that knowledge to win over unhealthy stress is vital.

7 Leading Causes of Stress

©2007, Anna Hart. Anna brings to her writing her professional training and expertise as an educator. When she writes at http://www.stressmanagementblog.com about a leading cause of stress, she does so from well-conducted research. Anna invites you to read more on her blog about the causes of family stress.

Physical Symptoms Of Severe Stress

It is believed that stress comes in two forms. Acute or sudden stress, that by definition, is brief and has an endpoint. The body's response to this is to change the biochemistry in the blood to give the body a sudden boost of energy. This energy gives the body more strength, heightened senses and an awareness that imminent action is likely. In situations like this, if action isn't taken to rectify the stressful event, the body might use this energy on itself. So it is not uncommon for people experiencing sudden stress to clench their fists, clench their jaw or grind their teeth. In some cases they may get headaches, blood will pump faster through the body and veins may bulge. Other symptoms might be cramps or bloating of the stomach. On the whole, however, sudden stress is an inevitable consequence of living and the body's response is appropriate and necessary.

Stress becomes a problem when it is severe stress. Commonly described a chronic stress, it is stress that is prolonged and unrelieved. It is often a consequence of the person not dealing with small stressors that overtime become bigger or combine with other stressors to snowball into something that is uncontrollable.

Stress

Severe stress might be overworking - spending long hours at the office doing something that has an unrealistic deadline. This could cause the person to develop an unhealthy lifestyle, where they eat fast food and rarely exercise. This, in itself, would cause symptoms of ill-health if it continued for any length of time, but it would not be stress related unless the person involved was reacting to it in a stressful manner.

Physical Symptoms Of Severe Stress

By this, I mean, the body's response to the situation would be to trigger the release of hormones like adrenaline, cortisol and oxytocin into the bloodstream for a prolonged length of time. These hormones are agreed to be the bodies common response to something that is perceived as stressful. They are what gives the body it's boost of energy. This response has been dubbed the 'fight or flight' and more recently the 'tend and befriend' response.

Simply put, these hormones put the body on high alert. You could use the analogy of a fire alarm going off. This works to wake people up and escape from a burning house but can you imagine if this fire alarm went off for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It would soon become intolerable to live in the house.

The hormones cause a number of changes in the body. They increase the blood pressure. This is bad for the health of the heart over a long time. The increase in adrenaline and cortisol is also thought to increase the chances of heart disease. The blood becomes thicker, in preparation for an injury, and this can lead to blood clots that lead to strokes. Blood is diverted from the stomach and this can lead to cramps, diarrhoea, constipation or bloating.

The stress hormones overstimulate the immune system which over time starts to work against the body or is unresponsive to real threats to the body. This means people suffering from severe stress catch colds, flu's and possibly worse far easier than people who are not as stressed.

Severe stress gradually becomes debilitating because it works on all of the body's systems. All types of complaints could be a consequence of stress ultimately. The key is to be responsive to the changes in your body and determine if this could be stress related. Then take action to defuse this stress or find an outlet for the pent up energy.

Physical Symptoms Of Severe Stress

If you would like more detailed symptoms of stress or find out how to relieve stress using relaxation techniques then visit http://www.stressmanagementreview.com Adrian Whittle writes on issues related to stress including work related stress and dealing with stress in college.

How Does Stress Affect Sports

Stress can be good or bad for a person engaged in a sporting event. Good stress can improve a performance whereas bad stress can cause them to, in sporting parlance, not be at the races. This article will examine these two types of stress, what causes them, how they affect sports and how they can be combated.

Sport is a fairly general term for a range of activities that require varying mental and physical skills. For example, archery and ice hockey have many skills in common but probably more skills that are disparate. Physical exertion may be more intense in ice hockey than archery but mental pressure and judgement would be more in archery.

Stress

The body's response to stress is to change the bio-chemistry in the blood. The hormones adrenaline and cortisol are pushed into the bloodstream which passes through the body. This gives the body an energy boost. The muscles will become tighter and prepared for some exertion. The senses will become more attuned; pupils will dilate to allow more light to enter the eye and thus improve eyesight. This response is known as the 'fight or flight' response. It is triggered when the person, through their nervous system, senses a stressful event about to occur. In this way the body can overcompensate for a stressful event by putting too much adrenaline into the blood stream or not enough.

How Does Stress Affect Sports

There seems to be two ways to affect this response. The first is the actual event that is causing the stress. The second is the perceived amount of stress that the person places on the stressful event. They are, obviously, closely related.

In the first instance stress could be caused if the person is new to the sport and does not have the skills or knowledge of the sport. They will feel overwhelmed and worried about things like the rules of the game, what position they should be in, what are their responsibilities or how to do a particular activity. On a physical level, they may not have developed the physique to do certain activities.

In this instance it is important not to take the sport too seriously. If the sport is a form of relaxation or stress relief then this should be clarified each time anything becomes overwhelming. Remember that it is supposed to be fun. Remember, also, that making mistakes is a part of learning. You can only improve by making these mistakes and you will be better for them.

The second way to influence the body's response to a stressful event is more to do with people that are experienced in the particular sport. In this case, we are talking about fine-tuning a performance. It is often said in professional sport that the difference between two competitors is not their fitness or skills but their mental preparation because the physical skills are virtually identical.

This is true. Many top sportspeople use mind techniques and sports psychologists to give them an edge. Simply put, the mind techniques are a way of putting the right amount of stress on a particular event, in the mind of the sportsperson, so that he or she peaks at the right time.

For example, a stirring speech by the coach can have two results. It could inspire the person to a great performance or it could put too much pressure on the person and limit the performance. This is a highly personal issue for people. Knowing how to mentally agitate the stress responses in the body to peak at the right time is a rare skill or talent. Generally, it comes through knowing the person involved.

Music is also used to 'calm nerves'. In this, we mean mediate the stress response in the body. The relaxing music can help the person forget about the stressful event. On the other hand, high energy or dance music is often used to motivate and get the 'blood flowing'. The music is often personal and different music can elicit different responses in people.

Stress is crucial to obtain a peak performance in any sports. Attaining the perfect level of stress for the individual at the right time is often harder than attaining the peak physical condition. From a stress management perspective, knowledge of the persons stress levels and how to alter these levels is the only way improve the individuals performance.

How Does Stress Affect Sports

Adrian Whittle writes for http://stressmanagementreview.com. If you are concerned about the effects that stress may have on your life, the common symptoms of stress and ways to defuse your stress levels then visit the site.

Stress and Heart Attack - Can Stress Cause a Heart Attack?

Over a million people have heart attacks every year in the United States alone. The startling fact is that it's no longer restricted to people over 65. Reports of heart attack among women and even younger people are on the rise in recent times. While various factors are responsible for heart attacks like high cholesterol, lack of exercise, obesity and blood pressure, the contribution of stress seems to be the most.

In one research, when a group of people with past history of heart attack where given stressful tasks, blood pressure and heart rate increased in all of them. However, in the group who had suffered an attack due to stress, it took a significantly longer time for the blood pressure to return to normal compared to the group whose cause of previous attack was not stress. Also, the former group had higher number of clot forming platelets in their blood. Platelets are formed to stop the bleeding when tear occurs in the heart vessels due to an attack. However, these clots can also cause a blockage restricting the blood flow to the heart.

Stress

Another group of researchers have also found that ambitious, aggressive, critical, self-demanding people are more susceptible to heart attacks than less ambitious and less competitive people. When one understands how stress is caused, it becomes clear why the research holds true. We get stressed when things go out of control or when we get too much attached to the outcome of our actions. Ambitious and aggressive people are often critical and demanding of themselves and others. This attitude puts a lot of stress on oneself. On other hand, less-ambitious and contented people do not have high expectations. Therefore they are much more relaxed.

Stress and Heart Attack - Can Stress Cause a Heart Attack?

One thing is clear, when it comes to managing stress, relaxation is the key.

Stress and Heart Attack - Can Stress Cause a Heart Attack?

For free advice and strategies on managing stress, visit Stress Management Forum.

Common Causes Of Stress Among College Students

College is a wonderful opportunity to, not only further your education, but experiment with life before it gets too serious. Having said that, college life is not without it's stressful situations. Here are a few common causes of stress amongst college students.

Possibly one of the biggest stressors for some college students is the considerable debt they will have to take on, in order to afford tuition fees, campus accommodation and textbooks. Quite often this is a source of great concern for a kid that is straight out of high school and may not be financially literate.

Stress

Whilst the debt alone is stressful, the need to service this debt can cause the student to over-extend themselves. This might mean that they have to take on a second job or work long hours as an employee and a student at the same time. This could have knock on effects with the ability to concentrate on their studies which could lead to failure of their course. This scenario would prove stressful.

Common Causes Of Stress Among College Students

Another common cause of stress is adapting to the new life they have suddenly landed into. In many ways this new found freedom can be a source of great joy and motivation, but it can also be stressful.

For many it will be the first time they have lived outside the nurturing and protective security of the family unit. Their parents will have provided for them materially and will have set down boundaries on how to live. This no longer applies in college and one of the first tasks a student undertakes is to find an identity and effectively test the rules that were set out by their parents. The uncertainty and lack of identity is a common cause of stress.

As a student becomes more established in college the stresses that affect them are related to succeeding in their educational objectives. There will be particularly stressful periods when they have to complete papers or cram for exams. Other causes of stress could be giving presentations and seminars on their subject. This could lead to spending long hours concentrating on the subject and letting other aspects of their lives slide. This loss of harmony in their lives could be stressful.

As they get to the end of their college careers, the inevitable stress of preparing for the real or adult world is apparent. Such considerations like, finding a job, preparing and taking job interviews, potentially relocating, leaving their college friends can be stressful.

While most of these concerns are well negotiated by most students, they can often create problems for some. A great way to deal with these problems is to have a support structure to help the student through these times. This structure could be part of the college, be a network of friends or be their family. The importance of being about to talk through these issues cannot be overlooked.

Common Causes Of Stress Among College Students

Adrian Whittle writes for http://stressmanagementreview.com The site features a comprehensive review of stress management techniques. How does stress affect health and common ill-health symptoms related to stress are discussed and a range of stress busting solutions are given.

Can Stress Cause Memory Loss?

You may be staring at your computer screen, knowing perfectly well that the article due to be written needs to be completed and sent within the next hour. But as soon as you start typing the words out, your brain stops functioning, the words don't make sense, and your fingers don't move around the keyboard anymore. Your first instinct is to get up and run out of the door. This is known as the "fight or flight response" that every human being faces in case of impending danger. Although it is devised to save us from any imminent mishap, it is also responsible for slowing the brain down and memory loss.

If you are wondering about can stress cause memory loss you are not the only one thinking of the same question. In case of a situation of stress, our body starts reacting in order to take actions accordingly. Stress hormones such as cortisol are secreted by the brain, which provides energy to our limbs and the will to take action immediately.

Stress

Since the hippocampus is robbed of its energy in such conditions, there are high possibilities of creating new memories at this point of time. If the hippocampus is exposed in such a way for a long time, then there are chances of short-term memory loss. The functions of the brain are deterred and loss of memory occurs in such times. Repeated exposure of the hippocampus damages it, and this is one of the earliest causes of Alzheimer's at a later stage.

Can Stress Cause Memory Loss?

Can stress cause memory loss? Yes, it can. Therefore, it is important to control the degree of stress that you allow your body and brain to be subjected to. Sustained subjection of the brain affects the brain cells negatively and causes memory loss in the long run. It is crucial to try to keep the mind and body free of stress as much as possible. Sometimes it may be possible to recover the memory loss and repair the brain damage caused by continuous stress. However, if the damage is too severe, then there is no way that the brain can go back to its normal functions or regain the lost memory. Therefore, take note of how your body and brain is being affected by stress every day.

Still wondering if can stress cause memory loss. It is important that you take this seriously in order to avoid irreparable damage to the brain. However, it is natural for all of us to forget things when we are in the middle of a lot of work. Too much pressure tends to make us forget a few things here and there. But if you are always working under pressure and stress then this may become a chronic ailment. Therefore, it is necessary to work under normal conditions. Misplacing things and not remembering where you kept them is a sign of normal forgetfulness. But stress related memory loss diseases include Alzheimer's, dementia, and other related illnesses that cause trauma to the brain.

Can Stress Cause Memory Loss?

Find out What Causes Memory Loss [http://www.causesofmemoryloss.com/what-causes-memory-loss/] and learn how to cure it. The Causes Of Memory Loss can be stopped before you completely lose your ability to remember.

Eat For Stress Relief - 5 Foods to Calm You Down

If you're jittery bundle of nerves, start eating for stress relief. The following five foods will calm you down and make you feel fit enough to handle whatever life can throw at you.

1. Avocados Lower Your Blood Pressure

Stress

Stress is a great excuse to indulge in creamy guacamole. Not only will you get instant stress relief from this green marvel, you'll also do your heart good. Avocado contains both monounsaturated fat, and potassium, which can lower your blood pressure.

Eat For Stress Relief - 5 Foods to Calm You Down

2. Oats, Your Serotonin Enhancer

Just like your mother told you, porridge is good for you. Oats contain carbohydrates which are absorbed slowly, and this enhances the serotonin-producing abilities of your brain. Serotonin is your body's own stress-relieving chemical.

So if you know you'll have a busy, high-pressure day, take a few moments to eat a bowl of porridge or muesli before you leave the house.

3. Oranges - Fast Stress Relief

Oranges for stress relief, who knew? It turns out that vitamin C relieves stress by returning your blood pressure and levels of cortisol (a chemical produced by the body when you're under stress) to normal quickly.

4. Salmon Keeps Cortisol and Adrenaline in Check

Salmon is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, and they keep cortisol and adrenaline (another chemical your body produces when you're under stress) in check.

If you hate fish, you can buy capsules of omega-3, but fresh salmon is better for you.

5. Skim Milk, Calms You and Relieves PMS

Do you turn into a fire-breathing dragon at that time of the month? Skim milk not only calms you down at any time, but it's especially useful when you're suffering the irritability and mood swings of PMS.

Here's an added tip: if your stress is giving you insomnia, a glass of skim milk will help sooth you to sleep.

Everyone suffers from stress. The above five foods will not only help you to manage stress, but will also improve your general health, so that you're calm and serene, even in the midst of the chaos of your life.

Eat For Stress Relief - 5 Foods to Calm You Down

Want more stress relief tips? You'll get more information on stress management on the Just Stress Relief Blog at http://www.juststressrelief.com/blog/, and at the Easy Fab Yoga Blog at http://www.easyfabyoga.com/blog/

What Is Psychological Stress?

Stress is a complex term to define. It's simplest definition might be that it is an event or situation that forces a person to adapt to the event. Stress is the event itself and the reaction to that event within the person experiencing it. Thus stress is completely subjective. What may be stressful to one person might be pleasant or fun to another. Flying, for example, can cause some people to develop anxieties and panic attacks while others love to fly and look forward to the flight. What is more, everyone's body responds in the same way to a stressful event, or any event for that matter, but the people that suffer from stress related illness and problems find it hard to turn their body's response off.

Psychological stress is more to do with the turning off of the body's stress responses to a situation.

Stress

The body's stress response is to increase the flow of hormones adrenaline and cortisol in the bloodstream. This has the affect of raising the heart rate, redirecting blood from the extremities and stomach to the vital organs, changing the consistency of the blood for potential injury and making our senses more aware.

What Is Psychological Stress?

You could liken this to the charge in a battery. The body charges itself up to a high voltage ready for discharge. In the analogy of the battery, if we were to keep on charging the battery without a chance for it to discharge it would eventually explode. If our body's continue to be flooded with adrenaline and our heart rate is constantly high we will develop health problems which could be fatal.

Psychological stress may have evolved from a real event that caused an emotional disturbance in the past. This event may have been the messy splitting up from a relationship that lead to emotional pain. As the event recedes into the past other sentiments within the persons psyche tend to cause anxiety and stress. So the person might feel unattractive to the opposite sex or lose confidence in socialising with people. These issues will cause stress for the person and can lead to other behaviours that induce stress. They may find it hard to stay focussed or feel that their personality is disintegrating or get anxiety attacks.

All these issues are, effectively, in the mind of the person. They will cause the body to react as if it was under some form of stress when in fact it is not. If this continues for any length of time the person could suffer from ill-health.

Through counselling the person can understand that these issues are not important because there is nothing that the person can do to change the event. Counselling can help people to accept the initial stressful event and rationalise the subsequent stress inducing thoughts. The biggest problem with psychological stress however is that the average person cannot identify psychological stress let alone trace it back to a source. This is why some form of counselling or group sessions can help but many people are reluctant to do this because they feel uncomfortable admitting something is wrong.

What Is Psychological Stress?

If you are concerned about your own stress levels and want ways to manage stress then visit http://stressmanagementreview.com . Adrian Whittle writes on stress related issues, including how stress affects your health and common symptoms of stress.

7 Simple Ways To Decrease Stress

Stress is often the end result when people react to certain events. In fact, it's the way of the body to handle challenges and meet tough situations with stamina, heightened alertness, strength, and focus.

Enough amount of stress can be good. But, stress overloads are not good. For example, small amount of stress regarding an upcoming examination can inspire you to study but too much stress can entirely make your concentration poor. Too intense or chronic pressures or troubles that are handled alone can result to stress overloads.

Stress

The stress overload signs are panic or anxiety attacks, constant feeling of being pressured, hurried, and hassled, moodiness and irritability, physical symptoms including chest pain, headaches, or stomach problems, sleeping problems, allergic reaction like asthma or eczema, depression or sadness, and too much drinking, smoking, doing drugs, or overeating.

7 Simple Ways To Decrease Stress

What are some ways to decrease stress?

1. Be realistic. Nobody is perfect. Never expect other people to be perfect. It will just heighten your stress. For example; you are doing a difficult school project, it is much better if you ask help from other people to lessen your stress.

2. Decide properly on excessive scheduling. Cut down some activities which are not very important to you.

3. Never forget to relax. Relaxation response is one of be the best and natural stress antidotes. Try doing simple breathing exercises in stressful situations.

4. Always have a good night's sleep. This can keep your mind and body in good shape and prepare to handle negative stressors.

5. Always maintain a positive outlook, thoughts, and attitude. A healthy dosage of optimism helps in making the most of stressful circumstances.

6. Good body treatment. Regular exercise and proper diet helps in proper stress management instead of running or eating fast food or junk food, and turning to substance abuse.

7. Solve little problems. This can build your self-confidence and control.

These ways are simple yet can help you manage stress successfully. But, skills on stress-management work best if regularly used.

7 Simple Ways To Decrease Stress

To learn more stress relieving ways, visit my stress reducing tips site

7 Tips to Relieve Stress At Work

Do you feel stress at work? Do you carry your stress home with you at night?

Here are some tips that will help you achieve success over stress. You can reduce stress on the job.

Stress

1. When making phone calls, as you pick up the phone and dial, take three slow deep breaths. Concentrate on pushing tension out of your lungs as you exhale.

7 Tips to Relieve Stress At Work

2. Sit down to eat. (Do not eat while standing or driving in your car) Focus on relaxing and enjoyable talk at lunchtime. If co-workers only insist on rehashing all of the negative stuff at work, insist on eating alone.

3. When you drive your car to your business or your job, listen to something enjoyable or motivating.

4. On the way home from your business or your job, listen to enjoyable or relaxing music.

5. Take a few minutes each day to thank God, in whatever form is consistent with your belief system, for the glorious sunrise. At sunset, do the same. If you are at work while the sun is setting, take a quick break to watch the sun set and again, thank your concept of "God" for the glorious sunset.

6. Take a few minutes at work to think of people who may have harmed you in any way. Breathe deeply, relax, and push out all of the tension surrounding those thoughts. Fill your hear and your lungs with forgiveness for the person or persons who have harmed you. Wish for them the same success and happiness you wish for yourself.

7. Live today as if it where your last day. Make your last day, your best day!

Summary:

Use the seven tips to relieve stress at work and enjoy your job and your life.

7 Tips to Relieve Stress At Work

Wayne F. Perkins, Stress Annihilator and author of "How to Achieve All of Your Goals All of the Time" Phone: 602-647-4280 FAX: 928-637-0008 Stress Annihilation Website

http://www.stressannihilation.com

"Annihilate Stress and Propagate Hope."

Overcome the Top 10 Causes of Workplace Stress

Workplace stress is on the rise and it's costing corporate America a fortune. Some estimate that 80% of health care costs are stress related, and these expenses go right to the bottom line.

According to CNN-Money.com, Americans spent more than billion for anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs in 2002, up 10% from the year before and nearly 30% over a two year period.

Stress

The Institute for Management Excellence reports that American industry spends more than billion each year for medical bills and disability payments with another billion for executive's lost workdays, hospitalization, and early death.

Overcome the Top 10 Causes of Workplace Stress

In addition to these staggering figures, stress takes its toll through the added costs of quality control, legal challenges, lost opportunities, poor performance, bad attitudes, and training.

We cannot do much about the skyrocketing costs of medical care and prescription drugs, but we can take immediate action to control the top ten causes of stress as identified by The Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health.

The countdown is:

10. "Workload" - Employees report that they are often stressed when they have too little or too much to do. Managers need to divide responsibilities and help employees prioritize work that must be done. Make sure you understand the impact before shifting responsibilities. Take into account the cost of stress before you increase anyone's workload or hire more people.

9. "Random interruptions" - Telephones, pagers, walk-in visits, and spontaneous demands from supervisors all contribute to increased stress. Time management, delegation of responsibilities, and clarification of expectations can reduce these stressors. 8. "Pervasive uncertainty" - Stress levels increase rapidly when people are confronted by new requirements and procedures. Keeping people informed controls stress and increases productivity. Put details in a memo so they can review the facts following your explanations.

8. "Pervasive uncertainty" - Stress levels increase rapidly when we are confronted by new requirements and procedures. Finding out what's going on and keeping staff informed helps control stress and increases productivity. Write out the information in a memo so you can review the facts. Staff members will appreciate the written analysis.

7. "Mistrust and unfairness" - These situations keep everyone on edge, create bad attitudes, and lower productivity. It is important to keep an open line of communication to avoid misunderstanding and know what people are thinking about your decisions. Managers must consistently build trust and give equal treatment - just do the right thing.

6. "Unclear policies and no sense of direction" -Lack of focus causes uncertainty and undermines confidence in management. You need more than a well-written policy manual. Enforcement of policies and clear communications are essential.

To make sure everyone gets the message, you can repeat your explanation in a variety of ways -repetition and feedback are important. Reinforce policies through memos, articles, bulletin board postings, personal meetings, and small group discussions.

5. "Career and job ambiguity" - If people are uncertain about their jobs and careers, there is a feeling of helplessness and of being out of control. In addition to the trusted job descriptions and annual personnel reviews, people need to understand a broad range of issues that affect the company.

News of mergers, consolidations, plant closings, and restructuring contribute to a feeling of helplessness. Management must keep people informed about situations that will affect their jobs, or the rumor mill will add to an already stressful situation.

4. "No feedback - good or bad" - People want to know whether they are meeting expectations. Consistent, written and verbal, personalized feedback is required. Some people need more attention than others, but everyone's performance is enhanced if leaders frequently affirm individual efforts.

3. "No appreciation" - Failure to show appreciation generates stress that endangers productivity throughout the company. There are many ways to demonstrate appreciation, but the most effective is a sincere comment about how much the person means to you and the company.

2. "Lack of communications" - Poor communication leads to decreased performance and increased stress. Management memos and announcements work well for distributing information, but two-way conversation improves communication and solicits ideas and suggestions while reducing stress and complaints.

1. "Lack of control" - Workplace stress is at its greatest when employees have no say regarding things that affect them. You can decrease sensitivity to all the other stressors and give a sense of being in control by involving employees in operating and administrative decisions and acting on their input. Frontline employees know what they are talking about. Listening to what they have to say reduces stress and increases productivity.

Effective managers understand that stress control is a leadership responsibility and give it just as much attention as any other management function.

Grasping the concepts and reducing stress one step at a time can have an amazing impact on your bottom line --and on the lives of those who do the heavy work.

Overcome the Top 10 Causes of Workplace Stress

Dale Collie - professional speaker, former US Army Ranger, CEO, and a Fast Company top 50 innovative leader. Author of "Winning Under Fire." (McGraw-Hill) collie@couragebuilders.com

Teacher Stress - 5 Stress Relieving Techniques For Teachers

With nearly 90% of all teachers experiencing moderate to high levels of stress it is very important that teachers use stress relieving techniques to improve both their career and their health. While stress is evident in any job, teachers seem to face increased levels of stress due to their unique circumstances. Think about what a teacher must deal with day in and day out...high stakes exams, overcrowded classrooms, grading tests, grading homework, grading classwork, administrative paperwork, meeting with parents, department meetings, faculty meetings, challenging students, angry parents, an unsupportive community, and the list goes on...

Without using stress relieving techniques, teacher stress can manifest itself in many ways including headaches, back pain, frequent illness, heartburn, anger, impatience, depression, eating disorders, and insomnia. If not addressed, these manifestations may likely turn into heart disease and hypertension. Stress can even damage memory and cognitive skills.

Stress

What's worse is that teachers often don't know how to handle their stress and therefore it comes as no surprise that nearly 50% of all teachers quit within their first five years.

Teacher Stress - 5 Stress Relieving Techniques For Teachers

Fortunately, there are many simple stress relieving techniques that teachers can use that will help improve both their health and their career.

Here are five stress relieving techniques:

1. Get exercise! Do NOT use the excuse that you don't have time. You must make time. Make it part of your routine everyday. While it may be tough at first, you'll quickly find yourself with more energy and you'll be much more efficient at work.

2. Learn to say no. This can be quite difficult...especially as a new teacher. New teachers think they must say "yes" to everything in order to keep their job, but this can quickly lead to teacher burnout.

3. Join teacher discussion boards/forums. There are many teacher forums on the internet where teachers can not only vent their frustrations, but get real advice from real teachers who have experienced the same problems.

4. Think positive. In fact, don't just think positive thoughts, but actually say them out loud. In the morning, or on your way to work, say positive things about your job, about your students, about your colleagues. You'll be amazed at the impact that saying these things out loud can have on the rest of your day.

5. Cool down and take breaks. Teachers have a tendency to go straight through the day (and night) without taking a break. This is unhealthy and only adds to your stress level. Make sure to NOT work through lunch. Take that time to eat a healthy meal and talk to colleagues about things other than school. In other words let yourself take a mental break from the job during the day. Also, at the end of the school day, make a to-do list for the next day and then take ten minutes to relax and cool down with some other stress relieving techniques such as deep breathing exercises, stretching, or visualization.

Teacher Stress - 5 Stress Relieving Techniques For Teachers

There are many stress relieving techniques you can use to improve your health and your career.

To get 21 free stress relieving techniques and a free copy of "How to Win Your War Against Stress" visit http://www.1-800-Stop-Stress.com

Stress Management Consultants

Medical centers and clinics provide quality service by experienced stress management consultants. Stress management consultants serve individuals, organizations, public agencies, small businesses and insurance companies. The aim of the consultants is to give advice, support and guidance on stress management. Stress management consultants conduct individual programs and organizational stress management programs and executive stress programs. These programs include stress prevention, stress management, managing performance and risk assessment.

Various corporate offices conduct stress management programs for their employees. Consultants act as mediators between the management and employees. In this program, consultants collect referrals of employees from personnel departments. This data is also used in the treatment of stress related symptoms and problems. Consultants develop an on-going stress management program for employees. They also conduct training programs in stress management for organizations and implement effective stress management strategies.

Stress

Stress management consultants organize stress management lectures and conferences for individuals and groups. They assess the individuals or groups and determine the need for stress management services. They discuss with individuals to determine stress related problems. The consultants treat stress related conditions like migraine, headaches, hypertension, alcohol or drug abuse and muscle problems. The aim of individual consultation is to improve memory, performance, concentration and immunity.

Stress Management Consultants

Executive programs offered by consultants include presentations, seminars and stress management workshops. They conduct training seminars from one week to six weeks. The seminar program includes introduction of stress, strategies, awareness and a personal stress management program. Objectives of the seminar include better performance, increased efficiency, improved morale and greater productivity.

Stress management consultants also conduct structured professional development programs for health care professionals. They conduct employee assistance programs which consist of professional counseling and consultation services. Some consultants organize specialized seminars that include nutrition programs, exercise programs and sleep programs. Some stress management consultants also provide advice on workers' compensation claims.

Stress Management Consultants

Stress Management provides detailed information on Stress Management, Stress Management Tips, Stress Management Techniques, Stress Management Training and more. Stress Management is affiliated with Stress Relief Games.

Simple Ways To Prevent Stress

Stress is often lurking in the background when an illness strikes. Maybe you have caught the flu that has been floating around work and you notice that you always seem to catch the latest thing that is doing the rounds, be it the flu at work or the cold at your daughter's kindergarten. It could well be that you are stressed out and this has affected your immune system and made you more susceptible to these types of complaints. And while it is easy to take cough drops or an honey-n-lemon drink for the cold it is not quite so obvious how to treat stress.

The secret to treating stress is that prevention is better than cure. Staying on top of stress is the best solution to beating stress. The good news is that techniques for preventing stress are easy to learn.

Stress

Here are some simple ways to prevent stress :

Simple Ways To Prevent Stress

Don't take on too much - remain realistic about what you can do. Don't be afraid to turn things down because you think you may miss out on a promotion.

Have some down time - allow yourself to switch off from everyday reality. Take on a hobby. Do some exercise. Play a game of squash. Go out for a meal and a movie. Have some fun, life is not always serious.

Treat yourself - if you have had a hard day, why not run a hot bath and spend a few hours soaking your weary body and reading a trashy novel

Keep in touch with friends - your true friends will look out for you. They will know when you are down and how to pick you up. Often talking to your friends is the reality check you need when stress is making you depressed.

Laugh - see something funny or see the funny side in something. Having a sense of humor will never allow stress to make you take things too seriously.

For people that are chronically stressed out take up meditation or yoga. These types of activities can help you to change how your body responds to stress and can help you to relax more completely.

Where people fail in combating stress is that they are not disciplined enough to follow through with common stress management techniques because they are lazy, get in a rut or don't believe the techniques work.

Or, worse still, they don't listen to their body when it is telling them that they are getting stressed out and never try to reduce stress. They don't listen, out of some sort of pride, or they justify enduring stress because they have a duty to provide for their family. Whilst this is an understandable reaction, in the long run they will be worse off and so will their family. Listen to the warnings your body gives you.

Simple Ways To Prevent Stress

Get more informed about the how stress affects health or find out if you may have any common symptoms of stress by visiting http://www.stressmanagementreview.com

Adrian Whittle writes on issues related to stress including how stress affects the immune system and dealing with stress for older people and retirees.

Stress, High Blood Sugar Levels and Belly Fat!

People who have type 2 diabetes should approach stress as an enemy to be eliminated. Why? Because in addition to the normal array of stressors, type 2 diabetes adds more stress. It takes a lot of emotional energy to simply handle normal daily events such as: your job, your family, your finances and, let's face it... getting older.

Add to that a medical condition like type 2 diabetes, now you you dealing with additional stresses like:

Stress

• high blood sugar levels
• obesity
• working out a healthy eating plan
• fitting in physical exercise
• if and when to take medications

How do those stress feelings affect your health? Your mental health does affect your type 2 diabetes, here's how:

Stress, High Blood Sugar Levels and Belly Fat!

• stress increases the secretion of insulin and the stress hormone, cortisol. These hormones promote the formation of belly fat
• when stressed you often delay or skip meals... you guessed it... then processed or fast foods are eaten
• when you feel stressed you will not sleep well. Your cortisol level is triggered, as is your risk of developing belly fat. When you are tired during the day, it is not unusual to drink coffee or energy drinks to help pick you up... unfortunately the caffeine then increases your stress level, and you will not sleep well again. It can keep going around in circles

Hints to help or prevent stress:

1. Shrug if off... a quick stretch can help you shrug off stress, especially if you find it builds up in your body.

2. Soak stress away ... it is amazing how a warm bath can help get rid of more than just dirt.

3. Let it go ... you cannot change the past, yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not here yet. The old cliche that today is the first day of the rest of your life is so true... that is all you can deal with, the here and now.

4. Get organized... daily chaos of missed appointments, and the can't-find-it syndrome are easy to fix. Use an organizer and make lists; don't cramp your style.

5. Identify your goals... work out what you need to do to achieve them... then get started.

Your body responds to physical and mental stress by raising your blood sugar levels. When it does, don't worry about a one-time high reading or a reading that is slightly different to your normal blood sugar range. Enlist friends to help you... ones that will help you not ones that will add to your stress.

Stress, High Blood Sugar Levels and Belly Fat!

Are you looking for effective ways to manage your type 2 diabetes?

To download your free copy of my E-Book, click here now: Answers to Your Questions... its based on questions many diabetics have asked me over recent months.

Beverleigh Piepers is a registered nurse who would like to help you understand how to live easily and happily with your type 2 diabetes.

http://drugfreetype2diabetes.com/blog

Stress - Social Issues

A day at the end of which you fall weary and try to collect your powers as the next morning to start again. Even if you do not intend to give up this pace of life that is not encouraging at all, have you ever thought that your body can fall?

Modern society gives us many advantages, but also it gives us so many sources of stress, which sooner or later they will show negative effects.

Stress

Stressors are very variable. May be of a psychic (professional or family complaints, fatigue, etc..) Socio-cultural or physical (pain, infectious states, etc.).. We will give details of psychological stressors: occupational stress and fatigue.

Stress - Social Issues

Occupational stress is the second in the hierarchy of professional health issues in the EU. Studies show that occupational stress affects over 40 million employees from EU countries According to a large number of studies, occupational stress affects about one-third (28%) of employees of the fifteen EU Member States. Women reach higher levels, but for both women and men, stress can be a problem in all sectors and at all levels of an organization. One of the most common cause is lack of control over work. 35% of employees say they have no word to say about their tasks and 55% complain that they have no influence on labor duration. Monotonous work, tight deadlines (29% of staff said that are working in these conditions), inappropriate treatment at work are other factors that cause occupational stress. Stress is a complex emotional reactions, cognitive, behavioral and psychological aspects. Positive stress (healthy) stimulates and causes employees to meet the demands of work, the negative stress (excessive) can not be controlled and can cause adverse health effects. Stress affects the health of the organism causing the emergence of diseases such as: ischemic cardiomyopathy, mental disorders (anxiety, depression, suicide), muscalo disorders, gastrointestinal disorders.

Fatigue and drowsiness are the result of perpetuation wakefulness during periods biologically programmed for sleep, the insomnia extended and systematic reduction of hours of sleep. It is undeniable that such situations lead to lower levels of human performance. Even moderate reduction of sleep duration for short periods of time (about two hours a night over a week) accumulate and manifest itself through an irresistible tendency to fall asleep during inappropriate situations.

And do not forget! If daily stress can not be mastered by the several methods presented above, do not hesitate to consult your doctor.

Stress - Social Issues

Avinash Bikumalla

Author and founder of Shovel Garden and Online Gardening Tools

Stress, High Blood Sugar Levels and Belly Fat!

People who have type 2 diabetes should approach stress as an enemy to be eliminated. Why? Because in addition to the normal array of stressors, type 2 diabetes adds more stress. It takes a lot of emotional energy to simply handle normal daily events such as: your job, your family, your finances and, let's face it... getting older.

Add to that a medical condition like type 2 diabetes, now you you dealing with additional stresses like:

Stress

• high blood sugar levels
• obesity
• working out a healthy eating plan
• fitting in physical exercise
• if and when to take medications

How do those stress feelings affect your health? Your mental health does affect your type 2 diabetes, here's how:

Stress, High Blood Sugar Levels and Belly Fat!

• stress increases the secretion of insulin and the stress hormone, cortisol. These hormones promote the formation of belly fat
• when stressed you often delay or skip meals... you guessed it... then processed or fast foods are eaten
• when you feel stressed you will not sleep well. Your cortisol level is triggered, as is your risk of developing belly fat. When you are tired during the day, it is not unusual to drink coffee or energy drinks to help pick you up... unfortunately the caffeine then increases your stress level, and you will not sleep well again. It can keep going around in circles

Hints to help or prevent stress:

1. Shrug if off... a quick stretch can help you shrug off stress, especially if you find it builds up in your body.

2. Soak stress away ... it is amazing how a warm bath can help get rid of more than just dirt.

3. Let it go ... you cannot change the past, yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not here yet. The old cliche that today is the first day of the rest of your life is so true... that is all you can deal with, the here and now.

4. Get organized... daily chaos of missed appointments, and the can't-find-it syndrome are easy to fix. Use an organizer and make lists; don't cramp your style.

5. Identify your goals... work out what you need to do to achieve them... then get started.

Your body responds to physical and mental stress by raising your blood sugar levels. When it does, don't worry about a one-time high reading or a reading that is slightly different to your normal blood sugar range. Enlist friends to help you... ones that will help you not ones that will add to your stress.

Stress, High Blood Sugar Levels and Belly Fat!

Are you looking for effective ways to manage your type 2 diabetes?

To download your free copy of my E-Book, click here now: Answers to Your Questions... its based on questions many diabetics have asked me over recent months.

Beverleigh Piepers is a registered nurse who would like to help you understand how to live easily and happily with your type 2 diabetes.

http://drugfreetype2diabetes.com/blog

Stress: Daily Self-Care Habits to Manage Stress

Today we have more stress in our lives than ever before - good stress, bad stress, red stress, blue stress (my little ode to Dr. Seuss). No matter what kind of stress it is, a real crisis or an imagined one, stress is incredibly harmful to our body, mind and soul.

Here are my favourite self-care habits for dealing with stress:

Stress

1. Get in the habit of noticing.

Stress: Daily Self-Care Habits to Manage Stress

Take an inventory of all the things that just don't feel right in your life or that you know are causing you stress. For example, when you approach certain people, places or situations do you feel more stress and tension? Once you have your list in place, look at what you can change yourself, and do it. You can also use this list to predict stressful situations before they occur.

2. Get in the habit of asking for help.

For what you can't change yourself, you need a team. Build a team of experts to handle your list. A coach, at the top of the list, will help with the big picture and will keep you honest about your efforts. Other team members might be a family doctor who listens to you, a financial planner, a massage therapist and an exercise partner.

3. Get in the habit of bouncing back.

Think of Plan A as your basic self-care plan while stress is under control. Now imagine something happens and you are under stress. Instead of abandoning all self-care because you can't do it all, have a Plan B ready beforehand.

4. Get in the habit of relaxing.

If you practice relaxation techniques (breathing, meditation, imagery, music) every day, then when stressful situations come up you'll have the tools at your fingertips.

5. Get in the habit of gratitude.

Our attitude comes from our emotions and our emotions come from our thoughts. Thinking about what we're grateful for and what we're good at can keep things positive. It's not about shying away from what's challenging you - it's about approaching life from a place of strength and not as a victim.

6. Get in the habit of creating.

Experiment with a new recipe in the kitchen, write a poem, bang a drum, do a craft, take a dance class or do something else that feels creative to you.

7. Get in the habit of putting your stuff away.

Physical clutter can really impact on mental, emotional and physical health. Get rid of things that don't make you happy when you look at them. Organize your stuff. Find a place for everything and keep it there.

8. Get in the habit of breathing.

This is the simplest and quickest way to relax yourself in a stressful situation. The minute you focus on your breathing it automatically gets slower and deeper.

9. Get in the habit of daydreaming.

Take yourself away on an imaginary holiday. Just close your eyes and go! Picture somewhere you've been or somewhere you've dreamed of.

10. Get in the habit of giggling.

Laugh out loud every day.

Don't let your stress get the better of you! Which one of these strategies can you apply this week to manage your stress?

Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services. All rights reserved.

Stress: Daily Self-Care Habits to Manage Stress

Linda Dessau, MTA, CPCC, is a self-care expert, accredited music therapist and certified life coach. Learn more about using singing for stress management, personal growth and spiritual development at http://www.singoutyourstress.com, where you can download the FREE report, "Top 10 Ways to Sing Out Your Stress".

Stress - The Number One Risk Factor

"If stress is half as bad for you as we currently think it is, it's time to stop treating the side effects. It's time to go after stress itself."

--Robert Sapolsky, Stress Researcher

Stress

Stress is all around us. That's a simple fact. Our bodies and brains are hardwired to deal with it. However, the wiring was done when we lived in caves and had to worry about "lions, and tigers, and bears...oh my!" The systems which still exist within our cells are incapable of discriminating between a hungry lion, an angry boss, an irate driver, a displeasured spouse, and an IRS tax auditor.

Stress - The Number One Risk Factor

Also, where the cave person of yesteryear could at least retreat to a cave for some solace from the immediate, and very real, threats which were a part of daily life, our "threats" tend to follow us home. Where Alley Oop used vast amounts of physical activity to ameliorate the potentially destructive outcomes of a physical and mental reaction to daily dangers, we pop open a beer to wash down our high fat, fast-food meal, and go to sleep in a bed a cave person would probably find way too soft, but only get a fraction of the quality sleep we need.

Like it or not, stress plays a huge role in modern life, and modern life does not normally provide the outlets and conditions conducive to easing its burden.

Stress is not fun. It does not feel good. Even if there were nothing more to say about it, chronic stress would be something we would be happy to avoid. However, more than simply being a nuisance, chronic stress has been linked to many very serious health conditions, including, but not limited to, lower back pain, heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, Alzheimer's, and even the common cold.

It is slightly paradoxical that, despite the sentiment in the opening quote, treating the symptoms of stress can actually go a long way towards not only reducing its risks, but can also be a step in reducing stress itself!

Stress reduction is incredibly important to health, well-being, quality of life, and the length of life itself. We devour article after article, watch documentary after documentary, all of which inform us that eating properly, and getting enough exercise are crucial to good health - now and in our later years - which will be longer and more enjoyable if we exercise and eat properly.

We don't even bat an eye when we are reminded that heredity will still be a major factor in the ultimate outcomes of our lives, speaking from a health point of view. After all, we can override a lot of genetic negatives with a positive lifestyle.

However, research is showing that chronic stress can trump not only the benefits of exercise and proper nutrition, but those of heredity itself. Genetics and lifestyle choices are not powerless against the effects of stress, but, like a laser weapon, choices must be made which directly and indirectly reduce the stress before the full benefits of positive lifestyle choices can be received.

Fortunately, despite the prevalence of stressors in our society, and in ourselves, there are positive steps which even the most negative of us can take to reduce the impact of chronic stress on our bodies and minds...and on our futures.

Exercise: While "working out" has great possibilities in helping reduce stress, forcing yourself to work out if you simply do not want to, will only increase the levels of stress you are already experiencing. Even so, acknowledging the need for some activity to help release tension and finding some pleasant and enjoyable activity will do you a world of good...if you want to.

Face Reality: Much stress comes from not really knowing what it is we are facing. Sometimes looking the beast in the face helps you reduce it to a manageable size. At the worst, facing your enemy seldom makes the stress worse and can make it lessen in intensity. An old trick I learned long ago is to imagine the absolute worst thing that could happen. Live it in your mind, feel it in your body, and then imagine what you would do if your worst fears actually came to pass. I find that this usually immediately produces feelings, not of ease and relaxation, but of stress reduction as the problem itself becomes more manageable simply by being directly addressed.

Widen Your Social Links: Friends and family help us stay grounded and give us a sense of support. Studies show that people with broad networks of friends tend to have less stress.

Avoid Confrontations: Daily life can offer plenty of chances for confrontation as it is. These situations can increase stress levels if we let them. There is a multiplier effect if we allow ourselves to be sucked into the situations and participate in the confrontation. Pick your battles. There are some definitely worth fighting, but most are not. If another driver cuts you off, allow yourself a moment or two of righteous indignation and then shrug it off. It's not worth ruining your health over. Feel sorry for the other driver who has to live with himself or herself.

Cut Out Unhealthy Habits Such as Alcohol, Drugs, and Cigarettes: While these can give a momentary burst of pseudo-relaxation, in the long run they can raise blood pressure, cause you to act in ways that increase stress, and just plain give you more to worry about.

Be Good to Yourself: No matter what is happening in your life, you are a good person...if you choose to be. Find the good and live with that. Downsize if necessary. Start over again. Do it better the next time. Learn from your mistakes. Be prepared to forgive yourself, especially if you make some of the same mistakes again. You need somebody on your side, and the best person to have there is you. Dump the negative self talk.

Relax: Easier said then done. However, there are simple meditation techniques that can help you "go away to a happy place" for a few minutes each day. Done regularly, they can actually not only ease some of the symptoms of stress, but can reduce stress itself.

Stress - The Number One Risk Factor

Donovan Baldwin is a 65-year-old amateur bodybuilder, freelance writer, certified optician, and Internet marketer currently living in the Atlanta, Gerogia area. A University Of West Florida alumnus (1973) with a BA in accounting, he has been a member of Mensa and has been a Program Accountant for the Florida State Department of Education, the Business Manager of a community mental health center, and a multi-county Fiscal Consultant for an educational field office. He has also been a trainer for a major international corporation, and has managed various small businesses, including his own. After retiring from the U. S. Army in 1995, with 21 years of service, he became interested in Internet marketing and developed various online businesses. He has been writing poetry, articles, and essays for over 40 years, and now frequently publishes original articles on his own websites and for use by other webmasters. You can find more information about stress at http://nodiet4me.com/stress/.

How to Recognize Stress Before it Turns Into Anger

After a stressful day as a computer programmer, Jim pulled into his driveway. The children's toys were scattered on the walkway to the house.

He immediately began noticing slight tension in his muscles and apprehension in his stomach. Entering his house, his wife ignored him while she talked with her sister on the telephone. His heart started beating a little faster.

Stress

Looking around, he noticed disarray; nothing was picked up, the house was a mess. Irritation and frustration started to settle in. Finally, as his feelings grew, he exploded and began yelling at his wife and children.

How to Recognize Stress Before it Turns Into Anger

Stress may trigger anger:

Stress is often the trigger that takes us from feeling peaceful to experiencing uncomfortable angry feelings in many common situations such as the one described above.

Stress is most easily defined as a series of bodily responses to demands made upon us called stressors.

These "demands" or stressors can be negative (such as coping with a driver who cuts in front of you on the freeway) or positive (such as keeping on a tour schedule while on vacation).

Stressors may be external to you (like work pressure) or internal (like expectations you have of yourself or feeling guilty about something you did or want to do).

Whether the stressor is external or internal, scientists have discovered that the major systems of the body work together to provide one of the human organism's most powerful and sophisticated defenses; the stress response which you may know better as "fight-or-flight."

This response helps you to cope with stressors in your life. To do so, it activates and coordinates the brain, glands, hormones, immune system, heart, blood and lungs.

Avoid Jim's destructive behavior toward his loved ones. Before your stress response turns into anger or aggression, use these strategies to get it under control:

Read your personal warning lights: Becoming aware of your stress response is the first step to managing it. This means listening to your body, being aware of your negative emotions, and observing your own behavior when under stress.

For instance, notice muscle tension, pounding heart, raising voice, irritation, dry mouth, or erratic movements.

What you see is what you get: For a potential stressor to affect us -stress us out - we have to first perceive it or experience it as a stressor.

Gaining a new perspective on the stressing situation can often drastically change the effect it has on us. Our stress response can indeed be a response (something we can control) instead of a knee-jerk reaction (which is automatic).

Examples: Cut off on the freeway? "It is not personal. That guy has a problem. I will stay calm." Bullied by a co-worker? "If I react, he wins. Later, I will privately let him know how I feel about what he did. If that doesn't work, I'll discuss it with our manager."

Stress-Guard your life: You can also make many life-style changes to reduce or minimize feeling stressed-out, even if you can't change some of your actual stressors

For instance, manage your time better, establish priorities, protect yourself from toxic relationships, and find a way to manage your money better, or consider changing your job or occupation.

Other stress-guards include those you have probably heard before, but maybe need to do more frequently such as:

getting adequate rest,
eating a healthy diet,
avoiding excessive alcohol intake,
living in a way consistent with your core personal values,
developing social networks of friends and support.

Stress is most easily defined as a series of bodily responses to demands made upon us called stressors. It's important to recognize these stress responses and develop techniques to lessen the impact.

How to Recognize Stress Before it Turns Into Anger

Dr. Tony Fiore is a So. California licensed psychologist, and anger management trainer. His company, The Anger Coach, provides anger and stress management programs, training and products to individuals, couples, and the workplace. Sign up for his free monthly newsletter "Taming The Anger Bee" at www.angercoach.com and receive two bonus reports.

Stress: Common Causes and Treatment Options

We've all felt stress at many points in our lives. For many it is dismissed as simply a part of our existence, but when it becomes too much it can help to aggravate feelings of anxiety and diminish our well being. When that happens, the stress that a person is feeling needs to be dealt with effectively, either through home remedies, or possibly with the help of professional care. In either case, the first step is to recognize some of the common causes of stress. That way, if treatment becomes necessary, you can more easily chose the correct one.

Causes of Stress

Stress

Unfortunately the specific causes of stress can vary widely from person to person and situation to situation. For example, some medications, or recreational drugs have side effects that include anxiety. Other causes of stress include a demanding workload, underlying health problems, and even relationships. Whatever the causes, they certainly need to be addressed for any treatment option to work effectively.

Stress: Common Causes and Treatment Options

Perhaps the most effective first step in discovering the causes of your stress and anxiety is to take a personal inventory. Start by sitting down and taking a deep breath. Then ask yourself a series of questions, and be prepared to give honest and complete answers.

• What is constantly on your mind?
• What worries you the most right now?
• Does something in particular make you sad or have feelings of depression?
• How is your workload? Has it become too much?

Ask yourself these questions, and also try to keep a diary or a journal of thoughts or actions that seem to be associated with your anxiety or increase in stress levels. While these exercises may seem pointless at the time, soon, you'll begin to see a pattern. Soon you'll be able to link the triggers of your increased stress with various thoughts, actions or situations. By knowing the root causes of your stress and anxiety, you'll be able to better treat them.

Treatment Options

Perhaps one of the easiest ways to help alleviate stress is to talk with someone. Often have a good conversation with a friend or a loved one is all that is needed to relieve anxiety and help put your world into perspective.

In addition, there are a number of different ways to cope with the stress you experience in your life. For starters, take a look at your diet. Eating a well-balanced diet can help to maintain your blood pressure, reduce your cholesterol, and help to alleviate feelings of indigestion, which is a common symptom of too much stress. Also, consider trying to get more rest. In today's world, very few of us get the sleep that we need on a regular basis. The normal adult needs somewhere between seven and ten hours of sleep a night to function well. How much are you getting? Also, try to eliminate or at least limit your consumption of alcohol, nicotine, or other recreational drugs. Often these substances will cause more harm than good, especially if you are under a high stress situation.

Finally, consider learning how to meditate or perform relaxing breathing exercises. You would be surprised how much you'll relax once you start to meditate on a regular basis.

When to Call the Doctor

Of course, there might be situations where all these home methods are simply not as effective as you wish them to be. Sometimes in order to deal with the underlying causes of stress, you might need to call in professional health. There is absolutely no shame in doing so; millions of people a year ask for help with wonderful results. The stigma of asking for help in regards to your mental and physical health is lifting rapidly, and with good reason.

Often, making the choice to talk to your doctor isn't so much about the symptoms of stress, but rather how they are affecting your life. If your levels of stress and anxiety have become so overwhelming that you can no longer function at the same level you were before, a call to your doctor is in order. Another reason to call your health professional is when you cannot pinpoint the cause or source of your feelings, or if you have a sudden, uncontrollable feeling of panic. Together the two of you should be able to plan a method of dealing with your stress and anxiety. Be sure to discuss any medications you are already taking, including over the counter ones. There are a number of anti-anxiety medications that will often interact with other medicines - so knowing what's in your medicine chest is extremely important.

Once you are at your doctor's office, you can expect a review of your medical history, a physical examination, as well as a detailed conversation with your doctor concerning your life in general, as well as the symptoms that you are experiencing. This is done not to waste time, but rather so that other medical causes for your symptoms can be ruled out. Once this is accomplished, your doctor will determine if you do need to see a mental health professional and can often offer a recommendation.

The causes of stress and anxiety can certainly vary from person to person, and treatment options can very just as widely. Finding the most effective ways to treat your stress and anxiety can be a long process, and often a combination of different ideas will work the best.

Stress: Common Causes and Treatment Options

Are you overworked and pulled in every direction? Let me help you get on track. Join my inner circle and get your FREE Achieving Balance Workbook at http://beyondburnout.com. You also get a subscription to my Sanity Saver Newsletter.

Stress and Student Success - 7 Key Sources of Stress For College Students

Many new students are quite surprised to discover just how stressful college life can be. The brochures all picture happy young people leisurely chatting in small groups, sitting under trees with open books, and enjoying thoughtful conversations with their professors. Oh, and having fun. But behind all this, there's a lot of pressure, which can cause a lot of stress.

In recent studies of college students around the country, researchers have identified several key sources of stress. While many of the conclusions in these studies were no surprise, the researchers also discovered several new sources of stress. Whether you're a student, a teacher, a friend, or family member of a student, you'll find it helpful to know and understand the things that cause the most stress.

Stress

1. Time Management

Stress and Student Success - 7 Key Sources of Stress For College Students

Problems with time management are among the biggest stressors among students. Many newcomers to college don't have the skills it takes to schedule their time in a way that allows them to fulfill all their obligations. Some of them spend too little time with their studies, while others are distracted by personal problems or other issues that take up their time and interfere with their studies.

2. Setting Priorities

One of the reasons for the time management problems is that many students find it challenging to balance their many obligations. Setting appropriate priorities is something that can take time to learn. Many students have a hard time balancing what they want to do with what they need to do, often leaving little time for academic pursuits. Many of the students in the studies commented that they felt as if they were always "on the run" and couldn't settle into any one thing comfortably.

3. Financial Stability

Worrying about money and financial stability was another key source of stress for many students. The cost of attending college is constantly increasing, which is especially burdensome to students without homes and families to support them financially. Most students found it very difficult to handle all of these obligations without feeling at least a little bit of stress.

4. Family Expectations

A great deal of stress comes from family expectations. Many students are simply attending school to please their parents, while others study subjects their parents don't approve of. Either of these situations - as well as other family-related stress - can add to the burden of coping with a heavy schedule and other pressures.

5. Personal relationships

Intimate relationships, while adding joy to life, can also add stress. It's often challenging to maintain a high academic average while also nurturing a serious relationship - or trying to find one. On the other hand, having a supportive significant other who appreciates all the hard work can actually lower stress.

6. Campus Crime

While not directly related to academia, crime on campus, whether real or hypothetical, can also add to student stress. Many students fear for their belongings as well as for their lives in unsafe neighborhoods and campuses. Living in a place that doesn't feel safe can make focusing on academic work very challenging.

7. Future Uncertainty

Uncertainty about the future also adds a great deal of stress to students' lives. Changing career prospects and shifts in personal interests make many students question their choice of majors. Coupled with potentially high student loan payments after graduation, this can add quite a bit of pressure to an already stressful student experience.

Stress and Student Success - 7 Key Sources of Stress For College Students

And if you recognize yourself or the student in your life in this article and wonder what to do about it, you are invited to get your FREE ebook with seven mood-boosting and stress-reducing strategies at http://www.myfavoriteselfhelpstuff.com/freebie/FBQFreebie1.html

If you want Elisabeth Kuhn's full-sized version instead, with lots more strategies, you can get it at http://www.InstantStressReliefStrategies.com

Stress - Types, Causes and Treatment

Stress is an unavoidable aspect of everyday life. Every person suffers from one form of stress or another at some point in their lives. The word "stress" is often associated with bad feelings, depression and fatigue. What many are not aware of is that there are good forms of stress, as well as bad. Stress can make one more productive, or it can cause sleeplessness, irritability and anxiety.

Eustress is the kind of stress felt before a big event, after winning a trophy, or in anticipation of a big promotion. This type of stress never lasts long, but the effects of this type of stress are positive rather than negative. Eustress gives us strength when we need it most. Most people do not regard that anxious anticipation as a form of "stress", but that is exactly what it is. Eustress is a positive stress. It gives us strength, motivation and inspiration.

Stress

The most common form of stress is called acute stress. In moderation, this form of stress can be exciting. Many people feel this type of stress before an important event. However, too much of this stress can be exhausting. This stress is brought on by the pressure of everyday life, be it a report to do in a short time, or an exciting event just past. Too much of this type of stress can cause very discomforting symptoms, such as tension headaches, nausea, anxiety, irritability and depression. Most people can recognize these symptoms of stress by just taking the time to look at how hectic their life has been lately. This type of stress is easily manageable and usually results in no serious long-term affects.

Stress - Types, Causes and Treatment

Chronic stress is possibly the most dangerous type of stress, along with post-traumatic stress disorder. Chronic stress is also a common illness and is often crippling to the mind and body. Unlike acute stress, chronic stress is long lasting. This type of stress can continue affecting lives for weeks, months, even years. People suffering from chronic stress think negatively about almost everything. They often believe that disaster waits around every corner. Nothing good ever lasts very long and there seems to be no end in sight for the bad. Individuals suffering from chronic stress often lose hope and stop trying to find a solution for their problem.

Individuals suffering from chronic stress often learn to live with it. They get used to feeling horrible all the time. Chronic stress becomes almost comfortable and sometimes unnoticeable. Chronic stress, if not properly treated, can become fatal. Health risks caused from chronic stress include heart attack, stroke and maybe even cancer. Some people suffering from chronic stress resort to taking their own lives. Often, in order for the symptoms of chronic stress to be controlled, medical treatment is needed, as well as psychiatric treatment.

Sometimes stress can be decreased by making simple changes in our everyday lives. Other times, extensive psychotherapy is necessary to treat the symptoms. Set back some "alone time" to unwind. Read a book, listen to music, or just take some deep, soothing breaths every day. Many people have found that setting aside time for themselves has increased the overall quality of life. Try to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night to allow your body to recuperate after a busy day. Eat a healthy, balanced diet and be sure to get enough exercise. This will give you more energy and help heighten your mood. If you feel that changing your lifestyle will not suffice and that you need more help, talk to a health professional.

Stress - Types, Causes and Treatment

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Stress