Stress Anxiety

Stress and anxiety go hand-in-hand, because anxiety is a natural, biological reaction to stress. Under normal circumstances, meaning those of actual physical danger and similar to what our ancestors faced, anxiety helps our bodies prepare for reacting to stress properly, including such “flight or flight” reactions as running from predators, where we need extra strength and speed instantly.

However, in modern society, stress and anxiety are much less healthy than they have been historically, as a rule.

This is because not only are they happening in reaction to situations that do not require them (in that these situations are not life-threatening, but our bodies react to them as they were biologically geared to anyway), but because stress is so pervasive in today’s society.

Biologically, humans simply were not built to constantly be exposed to stimuli 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and unfortunately, in today’s 24-hour lifestyle, this is exactly what happens, all too often.

Therefore, it is imperative that in order to reduce or alleviate excessive stress and anxiety, we must incorporate changes in our lifestyles that help us live healthier, longer lives, without the “running on empty” that so many of us do.

First of all, we must realize that if we are to live our healthiest lives, we have to build relaxation, adequate sleep, rest, and nutrition into our days, along with what can be the very healthy stress of our very active lifestyles, as long as the stress is experienced in moderation.

Secondly, we have to get enough exercise, and in today’s “commuter” society, most Americans simply don’t do that. Therefore, what health experts have begun to tout is not a complicated exercise program, but simply, walking.

Most of us can easily get 10,000 steps per day of activity in if we make a concerted effort to do so.

We can take the stairs instead of the elevator, park farther away from where we’re going and walk a certain distance if we have to drive, or dispense with driving altogether, as long as we are within walking or biking distance of our destination and it is safe to do so.

An inexpensive pedometer can click to one’s belt, unobtrusively under clothing, and help you keep track of the number of steps you take in every day, so that you can “fill in the gaps” if you see you are falling behind.

To alleviate the symptoms of stress, you need to make sure that you get adequate nutrition, with enough B vitamins, calcium and magnesium, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, complex carbohydrates for stable blood sugar (low blood sugar can actually cause feelings of anxiety and stress in and of itself), plenty of vegetables and fruits, legumes and beans, and moderate amounts of animal protein, dairy and “good” fats, such as fish oils.

Medication and behavioral therapy can also help alleviate stress and anxiety to help begin the process of overcoming them, but over the long haul, lifestyle changes must be incorporated to include the above “basic” components of a healthy lifestyle; these, of course, are not to be found in any therapist’s office or drugstore.