What Every Woman Should Know About Stress

BAM VP - Be A More Vibrant Person in 2012

A daily energizing routine of Breath, Affirmations, Meditation, Visualization and Progressive Relaxation will help you feel your best every day: Bold, Awesome, Motivated, Vibrant and
Powerful. 
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What Every Woman Should Know About Stress

"We can do whatever we wish to do provided our wish is strong enough.  What do you want most to do?  That's what I have to keep asking myself, in the face of difficulties". - Katherine Mansfield

Last week's horoscope read, "The biggest threat to you is stress - and that's something you can manage if you put your mind to it".  Finding ways to manage stress is wise advice for all of us.  But when it comes to women's health, practicing some form of stress relief is crucial.

Stress exacerbates a woman's cycle from pre adolescence to post menopause.  That is because hormones like estrogen rule our cycles.   Add to it the stress hormone cortisol, which is produced in abundance when we become overwhelmed juggling the responsibilities of home, family and career.  These hormones make a volatile mix that affects balance, mood changes, changes in metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and memory.

Stress also makes PMS symptoms worse.  Extreme levels of stress trigger psychological and physical symptoms during ovulation and menstruation such as cramping, mood swings, fatigue, insomnia, rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath.

Menopause symptoms such as night sweats and hot flashes are far more intense for women under chronic stress.

According to Dr. Susan Lark and other authorities on women's health, the underlying cause of eighty percent of doctor's visits is stress.  Chronic stress can increase one's susceptibility to virtually every major disease.

Studies now link urinary infections, postpartum depression, acnes, psoriasis, diabetes and autoimmune illnesses with chronic stress symptoms.  Studies show an indirect link between stress and cancer because chronic stress weakens the immune system - the body's natural defense to contain and destroy cancer cells.  Recent research from the Association for Cancer links stress to an aggressive form of breast cancer in African American and Latino women.

The problem is that many women don't hear the warning message their bodies send out.  Partly because women are too stressed out to listen.  They don't connect the symptoms to stress.  But the irritability, insomnia, appetite changes, tense muscles they experience are signs of stress.

The good new is there is something you can do today to relieve stress in your life.  Try several relaxation techniques to find what works for you.  Yoga, meditation, deep breathing, journaling, walks in the park, a hobby, pampering spa treatments, etc.  Reassess your to-do list and cross off all non essentials.  And ask for help when needed. 

• Make a commitment to yourself to practice some form of relaxation every day.
• Find a routine you can stick with that fits your lifestyle.
• Practice daily, consistently until managing stress becomes your habit.
• Monitor your self-talk when tempted to skip out.  Make an affirmation like, "I am doing this everyday...for me and my health" to keep you motivated.

We now know that taking time to relieve the stress and tension in our lives is not just a "guilty pleasure".  Managing stress is vital to our emotional and physical fitness.  So start now and dedicate time for relaxation and relieving stress, knowing you are contributing to your health and wellness.

Remember the biggest threat to you is stress.  An that's something you can manage if you put your mind to it.

How Do You Relieve the Stress In Your Life? Take the Stress Quiz

  BAM VP - Be A More Vibrant Person in 2012

A daily energizing routine of Breath, Affirmations, Meditation,Visualization and Progressive Relaxation will help you feel your best every day: Bold, Awesome, Motivated, Vibrant and Powerful.
_________________________________________________________



How Do You Relieve the Stress in Your Life?  Take the Stress Quiz
"Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it." - Dennis P. Kimbro

We can't go through life without some stress.  But when stress is chronic, unrelenting, ongoing, it can affect your health and compromise your immune system.

There are people who see stress as a challenge and take it in stride.  And there are others who become overwhelmed and end up physical wrecks.  Since unrelieved stress is detrimental to your health, it is helpful to understand exactly how you handle stress.  are you making yourself more vulnerable because your coping strategies are less than resourceful?

Below is a list of some common ways people cope when faced with stressful situations.  Take the stress quiz and check all that apply to you.

When Under Stress

1. _____I withdraw emotionally and do nothing.

2. _____I confront the problem and work to resolve it.

3. _____I eat or sleep more than I should.

4.  _____I engage in physical activity to "blow off" the pressure.

5. _____I drink and/or smoke too much.

6. _____I unwind with a hobby or creative interest or other relaxing  pastime.

7. _____I worry to the point that I can't sleep nights.

8. _____I talk with family and friends for input and support.

9. _____I become irritated and take my anger out on those around me.

10. ____I practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, etc.

11. ____I ignore my needs and try to please others.

12. ____I get away from it all periodically to rejuvenate.

Your Score:  Did you check more of the even-numbered answers or more of the odd-numbered answers?  The even-numbered answers represent the more constructive coping strategies.  Take a look at the odd-numbered strategies you checked.  Those are the areas you need to work on.  Recognize them as opportunities to take charge of an aspect of your life that you are not handling to the best of your ability.

Focus on what is possible and set your sights on accomplishing it.  Begin by drawing from the self-assertive (even-numbered) answers.  Adapt those strategies to fit your specific needs.  When you believe you are in control, you are better able to handle stressful situations.  That's empowering.

The lesson to learn from the Stress Quiz is this: it is not the stress but the way you handle it that is most important to your physical and emotional health.


For an in-depth look at life events that raise your stress levels, Google "Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory".