Is your hectic lifestyle making you sick?

We all have many commitments and obligations. Too many of them, however, can lead to severe stress and affect our mental and physical well-being.

-Stress results in the production of hormones and nerotransmitters / chemicals that negatively alters certain cells of the immune system making us weaker.

-Stress can lead to heart disease, anxiety disorder, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, respiratory disorder, cirrhosis of the liver and accidental injuries.

There are different types of stressors; not all of them are bad:

*Acute Stressors. This is a time-limited and temporary response when the body releases adrenalin chemicals, intensifying our awareness, sharpening our sight and quickening our impulses.
*Sequential Stressors. These are major life events like the loss of a spouse or the occurence of natural disasters.
*Chronic Stressors. These are persuasive and on-going demands that force people to restructure their social roles and identity.

-Strengthening the immune system through good nutrition and plenty of sleep is very important to combat stress. To relieve stress, however, you should engage in exercise, meditation, acupuncture and massage therapy.

Source : American Wellness Network ;

Tags: chronic stress, la parent, oc family, oc parents, stress

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Leslie on March 29, 2009 at 8:17am: This is a great topic. For our family, it is imperative to avoid being over-scheduled, which adds unnecessary stress to our lives. My husband and I have learned that this takes a great commitment on both our parts. It is so easy to get sucked into the whirlwind of events, especially when you have kids. A couple of things that keep us grounded are:

*Committing to eat at home, at the table at least five nights a week, more if possible. Not only do we tend to eat healthier at home, but we also keep our family time as a priority. This isn't as easy as it sounds! We have to stay on top of meal planning and getting dinner started by a decent time everyday.

*Allowing our children to be involved in one sport and one social group at a time only, for example, swimming class meeting twice a week and scouts meeting once a week. If the kids want to try something new, then we sit down, plan it out and decide what activities will change and when.

*Including "cushion time" on the daily calendar. Cushion time is down time and it is a must for us.

*Learning and knowing how to say "No" to friends and family, when we are already booked to capacity. This is difficult for me, but my family and close friends have learned that it's not personal, it is simply a lifestyle choice that we have committed to following.

The big area that we still need practice is summer activities. We plan vacations, road trips, summer camp, etc... and get caught up in wanting to fit it all into those "golden three free months" and before you know it, summer is over and we are all exhausted. We're still learning, as everyone does.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by RachelApop on March 31, 2009 at 12:32pm: Great post, this is very informative. Stress is a major factor for many things we don't even think about, like headaches, teeth grinding, weight gain, muscle soreness and depression. It is imperative that we all take time out everyday to be thankful for what we have and kick back & relax.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by MomsMinuteBlogger on August 3, 2009 at 3:48am: Jennifer Leslie said:
This is a great topic. For our family, it is imperative to avoid being over-scheduled, which adds unnecessary stress to our lives. My husband and I have learned that this takes a great commitment on both our parts. It is so easy to get sucked into the whirlwind of events, especially when you have kids. A couple of things that keep us grounded are:

*Committing to eat at home, at the table at least five nights a week, more if possible. Not only do we tend to eat healthier at home, but we also keep our family time as a priority. This isn't as easy as it sounds! We have to stay on top of meal planning and getting dinner started by a decent time everyday.

*Allowing our children to be involved in one sport and one social group at a time only, for example, swimming class meeting twice a week and scouts meeting once a week. If the kids want to try something new, then we sit down, plan it out and decide what activities will change and when.

*Including "cushion time" on the daily calendar. Cushion time is down time and it is a must for us.

*Learning and knowing how to say "No" to friends and family, when we are already booked to capacity. This is difficult for me, but my family and close friends have learned that it's not personal, it is simply a lifestyle choice that we have committed to following.

The big area that we still need practice is summer activities. We plan vacations, road trips, summer camp, etc... and get caught up in wanting to fit it all into those "golden three free months" and before you know it, summer is over and we are all exhausted. We're still learning, as everyone does.

I like the idea of 'cushion time' instead of having appointments and commitments back to back.; ▶ Reply to This