Everyone feels stressed at some point in life. Stress is a part of the lives of millions of people. It is beneficial to a certain extent, because it makes us react in potentially dangerous situations, both physically and emotionally. But too much stress can overload our body and have negative consequences for our health.   

Your type of exercise

There are many ways of managing the effects of stress. From getting proper nutrition to finding internal emotional balance by using techniques such as meditation and relaxation, but one of the most effective ways is to exercise regularly on a daily basis.

In order to obtain the benefits of exercise on stress it is not necessary to get involved in an Olympic sport, nor embark on specific sports such as running or weight-lifting. The most important thing in this case is to be consistent with the practice of that physical activity.

Choosing a physical activity with which you feel completely at ease and that is also pleasant is the best way to guarantee that you will practice it regularly. You may enjoy taking walks in the park to look at the birds, or rowing across the lake, or perhaps letting off steam with a punching bag after a long day at the office. Taking dance classes, skiing, swimming or roller-skating can all be beneficial and stress-reducing. Practicing an activity at least 30 minutes, five days a week is a fantastic way to keep stress at bay, as well as improving other aches and pains.

Practice with a strategy in mind

The aim of physical activity against stress is to liberate your body and also your mind, of all the negative effects. If you work in a crowded office, or you have to talk and interact with people all day, choose activities in which you can have time to be by yourself. Signing up to a crowded aerobics class may not be too relaxing, but walking at a brisk pace around the park may be.

On the contrary, if y0ur job implies a certain extent of isolation or if you work from home, make your exercise time serve as social time. Make a commitment with a neighbor, friend or your significant other to take a brisk walk together or sign up to a class in which you can socialize with other people.  

A good way to keep your commitment to exercise daily is to prepare, on your own or with a buddy, for a specific event. This could be a 5k run, a marathon or a bike race. Winning may not be in your agenda, but you can set your own goals: getting through half the race, making it to the finish-line or any other objective. Start a few months before the event and then find another event in which to compete as soon as that is over. You will soon feel the benefits of the physical activity of your choice!

Amongst the most efficient ways of combating stress are oriental techniques such as yoga or meditation, as well as relaxation techniques. These are simple methods within everyone’s reach, and with very satisfactory results.

Escaping stress

Preventing or eliminating the sources of stress in your life is undoubtedly the best way to end it. But this, under the circumstances that most of us live in, is practically impossible.  For that reason, the best alternative is to try and offset the negative effects it has on our body.  

Stress is the way in which your body responds to a situation it perceives as being dangerous.  It is a mechanism that has enabled us to evolve by keeping us safe from predatory animals, but that has now turned against us to a certain extent. When there is a stressful situation, the body cannot distinguish whether we are escaping from a lion, or simply dealing with a driver who cuts us off on the road. The surge of adrenaline causes a chain hormonal reaction that, if repeated over and over day after day, has negative effects on the body.  

A way of keeping the effects of stress in check is to escape from it during certain periods during the day, entering a state of inner emotional calm and relaxation. Meditation and yoga techniques can help you to achieve it.

Yoga

The word "yoga" means “union” in Sanskrit and it refers to the union of the mind, body and spirit. But the most popular in the Western World is the aspect that involves physical postures combined with relaxed breathing techniques.  Each of the yoga postures has specific benefits and these can be done at a faster pace or more slowly.

There are several schools and styles of yoga, and if you decide to start to practice it you will have to research and find which one is more attractive to you.  But for beginners, yoga classes that are described as “Hatha” are the most appropriate because they involve slow movements and postures and simple breathing exercises. But if you enjoy a more active style of yoga, you should try “Vinyasa” yoga.

When you attend one of these classes, speak with the instructor about the reason why you want to practice yoga, and she will most likely recommend the best avenue for you. If there are no classes available in your area, there are many videos and books with which you can get started, although it is always best to have a yoga instructor.  

The benefits of practicing yoga are many, but amongst the most important are increased flexibility, the lubrication of your joints and tendons and a massage of the internal organs.  The result is a reduction in the negative stress charge on your body.  

Meditation and relaxation exercises

Meditation is an Eastern technique to obtain a time of communion with oneself and relaxation and, depending on the type of meditation, with the universe and God. Traditional prayer in the Western World may be considered a form of meditation. There are many religions that use meditation as a part of their practice:  (Buddhist, Taoist, etc.), others that are not affiliated with any religion (transcendental meditation) and some that are offered as simple relaxation exercises.

Some of the benefits of the practice of meditation are lowered blood pressure and lower stress levels. Many people who practice meditation do so as a part of their daily program, and they dedicate ten, twenty or more minutes to meditating.  

Although each school of meditation has its own method, a simple and effective way of starting to meditate is to simple sit on a chair or comfortable sofa with your back straight. Close your eyes and start to breathe slowly, focusing on an imaginary point in between your eyes. Inhale and exhale deeply and try not to become involved with your thoughts, but simply breathe.

It is very difficult not to think about anything or leave your mind blank, as some meditation manuals suggest.  The most effective methods involve observing your own thoughts as if you were observing a fish in a tank, without becoming involved with them.

Concerning relaxation exercises, one of the most effective is to lie down on the bed and focus your attention on one foot, then another, a knee and so on, until each one of them is completely relaxed, as if floating, until you carry the feeling over to the rest of your body. Relaxation exercises are easier to practice individually, and there are many DVDs in the market that will guide you to learn these exercises.

One of the effects of stress is the tendency to isolate, with the negative consequences that both situations have on your health. On the other hand, being subjected to high levels of emotional stress without the proper social support increases the mortality rate, according to certain studies.  

Stress and isolation

Stress affects physical and emotional health, but if these consequences are added to the lack of a social network, the physical problems can worsen. In a recent study, 50-year old men subjected to high levels of emotional stress, were three times as likely to die in the following seven years as those people who did not experience the same level of stress. In fact the men who were subjected to the same emotionally stressful events but that had the support of family and friends were not at such a high risk.  

On the other hand, during times of stress, it is frequent for sufferers to isolate, because stress causes the person to focus on the problem that is causing the stress. This in turn generates more stress, and this turns into a catch-22 situation.

Open your lines of communication

Some people, when they are undergoing a stressful problem that has no easy solution, tend o ruminate. Although it is a very human reaction, this type of obsession can increase the feeling of anguish and narrow the person’s perspective.  

Breaking free from isolation and speaking with someone can help you considerable in these moments. Perhaps the person cannot solve your problem, but just talking about it will make you break the pattern of ruminating.  That person may be able to at least provide a point of view you had not thought of. Make it a rule to speak with a loved one or a friend when you find yourself in a stressful situation.

A good place to share your worries and concerns is your church or religious congregation. The people who gather there are usually eager to help in some way and you will find support amongst them.  

Another way to break away from your isolation is to have regular social gatherings at home, under any pretext. You could commit to hold a dinner at your place on the first Saturday of each month, or once every six weeks. Besides the fact that the preparations will take your mind off of your obsession, you will have a steady source of contact with other people.  You may also sign up to a club that meets monthly and in which your involvement is required.

In the event that your source of stress is constant, keep in touch with support groups where people such as yourself may offer solutions. For example, if you are a single mom, you have just divorced, or if you are in charge of caring for an elderly or handicapped person, there are many organizations that can give you information and support for these particular circumstances.

Do not underestimate the power of being in contact with other people although you may think there is nothing they can do to solve the cause of your stress.

If stress is a part of your life, one of the ways to combat its effects is to have proper nutrition. Although the ideal scenario is to eliminate the cause of your stress, that is not always possible. For that reason, taking the necessary steps to offset its effects will be very beneficial.  

Reinforcing the immune system

One of the most common effects of stress on our body is that it weakens our immune system. That’s why during periods of stress, people are a lot more vulnerable to colds and infections that usually don’t affect them. One way of offsetting those effects is to help the functioning of the immune system.  

Vitamin C is an essential component of a healthy diet, especially if you live with stress. Vitamin C reinforces the immune system. The problem is that our body does not produce vitamin C so we have to obtain it from external sources. That’s why it is important to make sure you are eating foods rich in vitamin C in these times. These foods include citruses such as oranges, lemons, kiwis or grapefruits and also beiges such as broccoli, green peppers or cabbage.

Vitamin A will also help you counteract the effects of stress. In general, red, orange or yellow foods, as well as dark-green ones contain beta-carotene, which enable us to synthesize vitamin A. Examples of foods rich in beta-carotene are: red pepper, spinach, broccoli, apricots or tomatoes.

Foods you should eliminate or cut back on

Just like there are foods that help you manage stress, others do not help at all and contribute to make matters worse.  

Caffeine, due to its stimulant action, worsens these effects. Caffeine is not only found in products such as coffee, but also in sodas and Latino beverages such as guarana or mate. Although the natural reaction when one feels fatigued or must be alert is to drink a cup of coffee, it is not a good idea, because you will then need to drink more to get your energy up when the effect wears off.  

On the other hand, an excess of sugar is not recommended for the proper functioning of the body. Foods rich in refined sugars create an exaggerated response to insulin, in order to process them. Sweets, sodas with sugar, or sugary foods cause an insulin discharge or an insulin peak. Although at first it may seem that they provide energy, the sugar levels can decrease sharply and reach below normal levels, thus promoting a feeling of hunger and fatigue.  

It is much healthier to eat food that liberates insulin slowly but consistently. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates, such as whole-wheat breads, cereal, fruits and beiges can cause a greater sense of satiety and provide energy during longer periods of time.  

It is also important to space meals properly. Three meals a day with three snacks are the best way of keeping your blood-sugar levels stable.

Stress is the response of our body to change or pressure and, who isn’t under pressure nowadays? Stress is a part of the lives of millions of people and its consequences on health are not beneficial. Although it is difficult to eliminate stress completely, there are ways of reducing it and making it less harmful.

Stress: a personal matter

Although stress is a universal response of our body to a situation of pressure or danger, the response to change and pressure is very personal. Some people tense up while driving, especially in heavy traffic, while others find it relaxing. For some people, horseback riding is a pleasure, while for others it can be a reason for tension. Also, the pressures of work and family may not affect certain people too much while others may feel stressed and overwhelmed by them.

Our body reacts to this pressure by tensing up and this can cause headaches, backaches or stomachaches. But besides, some people use substances such as alcohol, cigarettes and even overeating in order to deal with stress-related anxiety. It is also common for stress to cause mood swings, and experience fear or depression.  

Something obvious is that we cannot control the events of daily life: a job change or a different boss, a move or the death of a loved one. However, there are ways of managing our response to stress.  

A sound mind in a sound body

“Mens sana in corpore sano” or a sound mind in a sound body is a well-known Latin quote that shows that thousands of years ago they already knew of the importance of caring for the body in order to have mental stability.

In order to keep stress in check, one of the first things you must do is lead the healthiest possible lifestyle with a balanced diet and exercise.  A balanced diet will enable your body to obtain the required minerals and vitamins in order to adequately carry out its functions. Regular exercise, besides helping to keep your weight in check, is one of the best remedies for stress, as it relaxes the tension accumulated in the muscles.  

Relaxation exercises

Besides routine exercise, there are other forms of exercise and practices which will help you manage stress naturally.  

• Breathing exercises: deep and relaxed exercise is one of the best ways of telling your body that all is well and that it doesn’t have to go into “stress mode”. A simple and effective exercise is to practice abdominal breathing. Lie down on a bed or sofa, or even on a comfortable seat. Inhale all the air you can and when you feel your lungs are full, picture an imaginary string pulling your belly button outward, and filling that space too. Then, exhale very slowly and repeat that breathing between ten and twelve times.  

• Exercises for the neck and shoulders. The upper part of the back, along with your neck, is one of the spots where tension tends to accumulate most. If you work sitting or at the computer for long periods of time, this accumulation of tension will worsen. Practicing these simple exercises every half an hour or 45 minutes, you will be able to release a considerable amount of tension accumulated during the day. Standing up with your legs apart, let your neck fall back and in that position, circle your head towards one shoulder and then the other.  Practice this exercise around ten times and then add five complete neck rolls. Then, roll your shoulders forwards and backwards, with your hands to your sides.  Do it 2o times in each direction.

• Visualization exercises: sit down comfortably on a chair or couch, relax, close your eyes and picture the ideal place where you would like to be at. Walk around that landscape visualizing all the details and feeling the sensations of being there. Feel how the water splashes your face under a waterfall or the scent of those beautiful flowers that you are imagining.

In general, any method that serves to escape the stressful situation for a few minutes is a good method to offset stress. It could be doing a crossword puzzle, playing a game on the Internet, calling a friend to chat or taking a walk.  

It’s common to avoid facing the stress-producing situation, such as cleaning the house, making work calls, etc. The problem is that this approach increases the level of tension and the effects of stress are even worse.  Making pauses in the middle of these tasks may take longer, but it enables to offset the negative effects of stress.