Stress: A Silent Killer

What is stress? We hear a lot about it. How too much is age-inducing and how it is the number one cause of disease today. But what is it really?
Most people consider stress to be caused by highly disturbing events that are isolated to a sudden event like loss of a job, a car accident, a death or a marriage break up.  Of course, these events are major sources of stress but it is the daily chronic stress in people's lives that has a more detrimental and eroding effect on our health.

So what's so bad about stress? 

• Cortisol, the adrenal hormone your body releases in response to stress, is toxic to neurons in the limbic system of the brain, specifically the hippocampus.  This area is involved with emotion and memory! 
• Chronic over stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, caused by stress, can cause cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, metabolic disturbances, endocrine dysfunction, imbalances in immunity and gastrointestinal ailments.
• It can cause weight gain due to metabolic changes.

What is chronic stress?

What is stressful to one person may not be to another.  Some people seem to thrive on stress while others get overloaded, still others seem to be unaffected until they suddenly develop debilitating autoimmune diseases or chronic fatigue.  This is why any good stress management program must consider not just the problems and situations that cause you stress but also how you react to it.  Your response could save your life.

Stress Management Techniques

• Breathwork with yoga-Breathing techniques through yogic practices have been used for centuries to help calm and focus the mind.
• Visualization-Use your imagination to create an image of the perfect you in the perfect setting.  Imagine yourself in a situation from the past where you felt powerful, happy, successful or peaceful and stay there until to feel relaxed and renewed.
• Choose relaxing hobbies-Needlework, specifically cross stitch has been found to lower blood pressure.  Plus it's fun and creates great gifts!
• Bodywork-Ever had a massage that wasn't relaxing?  What about a reflexology treatment that didn't put you to sleep?  Both forms of bodywork are incredibly relaxing and healing.  Have you got one lately?
• Use your olfactory system to lower cortisol levels.
• Meditation-The magic bullet of stress management, nothing beats meditation at minimizing the negative effects of stress. It can reduce stress, improve sleep and help you achieve a deeper level of self awareness and personal insight. Many women though have no idea where to begin. The goal of any de-stressing meditation session is to help your brain move into a deeper state of consciousness and attain a profound state of relaxation. This isn't easy for most women. There is a new technology however that helps. Not only does it significantly reduce stress and anxiety but it can take your inspiration and motivation to new levels, help you experience a higher level of consciousness, dramatically increase your self awareness, reach deep into your subconscious for life solutions and help you attain a profound state of deep meditation and relaxation. I encourage you to check out the information on the Immrama institute webpage.

Now available!  Taming the Stress Dragon Meditation CD.

• Focused Meditation
• Guided Healing
• Breathwork and more

Narrated by Beth Yim, author and speaker