• 1925 Hans Selye, a European physician, noticed that most of his patients displayed the same symptoms including aching bones and joints, fatigue, fever, and loss of appetite and weight.  From this developed the concept of “stress”  and the body’s adaptive reactions to any demand, or “the rate of wear-and-tear caused by life”

• Stress is the reaction of our bodies and minds to something that disturbs their natural balance, physical, emotional, or mental.  Stress occurs when there is an imbalance between he demands of life and our ability to cope with them.
• The body reacts to stress the same way it reacts to danger by going through a series of biochemical changes called the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS).
• The first stage, “the alarm reaction” is essentially the same as the “Fight or Flight response”: accelerated heartbeat, higher blood pressure, increased blood flow, dilated lungs.
• In the second stage “the resistance phase” the body continues to fight the stressor long after the effects of the fight or flight response have worn off.  If stress induced by ineffective agents, body’s immune system activity increases, if physical- neuroendocrine system converts protein to energy.  If psychological- combination of responses may occur, such as anxiety and shortness of breath.
• The third stage is “exhaustion.”  Glucocorticoid reserves become depleted and some body cells don’t receive a sufficient amount of glucose or other nutrients.
• Prolonged stress can overwork many organ systems, especially the heart, blood vessels, adrenals, and immune system.  When stress is overwhelming, leads to general depression, low blood pressure and heart rate, increased cortisol (natural steroid hormone), and low sex steroid hormone secretions.

•  Include:  intoxication, trauma, nervous strain, heat, cold, muscular fatigue, polluted air, and radiation

•  Physical symptoms may include headache, fatigue, insomnia, digestive changes, neck pain or backache, loss of appetite, or overeating.
• Psychological symptoms may include tension or anxiety, anger, reclusiveness, pessimism, resentment, increased irritability, feelings of cynicism, and inability to concentrate or perform at usual levels

•  Acupuncture; Alexander Technique; Aromatherapy; Art Therapy; Autogenic Training Therapy; Autosuggestion Therapy; Ayurvedic Medicine; Behavioral Therapy;  Bodywork; Exercise; Bach Flower Remedy; Bioenergetics; Breathing for Relaxation Therapy; Cymatic Therapy; Dance Therapy; Flotation Therapy; Herbal Therapies; Homeopathy; Hydrotherapy; Hypnotherapy; Massage; Mind/Body Medicine; Meditation; Music Therapy; Naturopathy; Reflexology; Rogerian Therapy; Shiatsu; Tai Chi Ch’uan Therapy; Visual Therapy; Nutrition and Diet; Sound Therapy; Yoga.

• You have prolonged or acute symptoms.  Excessive stress puts you at risk of other serious disorders, including immune problems, digestive disorders, diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, migraine headaches, and possibly cancer.
•  You have symptoms of stress and any of the following:  unusual patterns of sleep, appetite, and moods; physical movement that is unusually agitated or abnormally slow.  You may have clinical depression.

Here is a list of stress causing events that occur naturally in life. If an event has occured in your life within the past year, add its point value to the total points. If it has happened more than once, multiply it as needed.

• If you scored below 150, stress doesn't play a major role in your life. You only have a 30 percent chance of health problems caused by stress.
• Between 150 and 300, you have a 50 percent chance that a significant health problem will occur due to stress.
• If you have more than 300 points, you are at high risk. There is over an 80 percent chance that stress will cause a significant health problem.