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Ifind it rather ironic that I am writing an The body reacts to stress in healthy and unhealthy ways. Exercise, meditation
article about stress because, according and massage therapy are all helpful tools you can use to manage stress.
to my husband, I am probably one of
the most stressed folks in Sun City Texas. All Stressed Up
But then again, that would make me an By Diane Klutz
expert on the subject. And if a diamond
is just a piece of charcoal that handled can be catastrophic to property, life or in guilt which then stresses us even more.
stress exceptionally well, I must be at least limb. Think about being stuck in traffic It’s like a dog chasing its tail.
40 carats. on Interstate 35, being put on indefinite
Even though the word stress has several hold when calling a service company or So, how do we deal with this stress? I would
meanings, this article’s focus is on that talking to a computer technician who’s suggest remembering why we moved to
awful jaw clenching feeling of pressure in first, second or even third language is not Sun City Texas in the first place. While
our brains from thought, worry and/or fear English. Yep. You get the picture. sitting in the house watching reruns of
overload. Technically, this type of stress is “Walker-Texas Ranger” or “Marcus Welby,
defined as a state of mental or emotional The body’s flight response to stress is a MD” is probably not the answer, neither is
tension brought on by adverse or very little less dramatic than beating your being so busy with projects and such that
demanding circumstances. Un-technically, telephone or the driver in the car ahead we don’t take time to “smell the roses” or
it is that gut wrenching emotion that sends of you into a bloody pulp. However, it walk leisurely along one of the beautiful
us immediately to the liquor cabinet, is just as important. Suppose you are paths in our neighborhood.
refrigerator or medicine cabinet. walking at night and someone jumps
Science tells us that experiencing stress from an alley and demands you to hand The best bit of advice I received when my
has benefits. In response to an internal or over your wallet. Your first thought is to husband and I moved to this beautiful
external threat, specific hormones (such run - a natural, self-protecting response. environment was this:
as adrenaline) trigger the protective fight
or flight response within the human Remember the Calgon commercial? A “Don’t join any groups or clubs your first
body. Consider those persons who, in harried mother is soaking in a bathtub year. Experience the lifestyle, visit those
crises situations, perform feats that they repeating the phrase “Calgon, take me clubs and activities that appeal to you, but
otherwise would not be able to perform. away” while her children are running don’t commit. Do what you like to do. It’s
Also consider how the human body heals rampant around the house, destroying not the quantity, but the quality. Most of
itself when cut by creating a scab. Or how everything in their path. Again, flight all, learn to say no.”
in extreme cold exposure the body can response.
maintain blood flow and body temperature Therefore, when life gets overwhelming
to vital organs by shutting down blood flow Unfortunately, we are our own worst and you want to scream, take a slow deep
to non-vital organs. These are all good, enemies. We take on too many projects cleansing breath. And then tell yourself
healthy responses to stress. and try to please everyone. Heaven forbid to relax because you are enough, you
On the other hand, negative fight responses if we say no because doing so only results have enough and you do enough.
Fitness Center Suggestions AUGUST 2016 SUNRAYS | 33
for Stress
Yoga for Strength • CC
Wednesday 8 a.m.
Pilates • TD
Tuesday, Thursday 5:45 p.m.
Tai Chi • TD
Thursday, 12:50 p.m.
ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG
