How To Use Stress to Stay In Shape.pdf

HOW TO USE

STRESS TO

STAY IN SHAPE

by VARY BYRAU

How To Use Stress To Stay In Shape

Contents

Do You Know How To Use Stress? .......................................................... 3

The mechanism of stress ........................................................................... 4

Phase 1 ....................................................................................................... 4

Phase 2 ....................................................................................................... 5

Phase 3 ....................................................................................................... 5

Managing Your Stress Properly Makes All The Difference! ................... 6

Exercise 1 .................................................................................................. 6

Exercise 2: Taxes and the dentist! ............................................................ 7

Exercise 3: Vacation time at last! ............................................................. 7

How To React To Negative Emotions ...................................................... 8

Do You Generally Have Good Posture? ................................................... 9

Summary .................................................................................................. 10

How To Use Stress To Stay In Shape

Do You Know How To Use

Stress?

“He who allows himself to be broken by exhaustion will surely

never achieve success. But he who bends with adversity and gathers

strength to act will surely see the light in time.” 1

Everyone is subject to stress on a daily basis. Just think about

what happens during the course of a normal day. The weather is

either too hot or too cold. You may be bothered by a craving for

something you know you shouldn’t eat. You have too many

responsibilities, your boss will get angry if you are a few minutes late

for work, some unexpected expense arises that throws your budget out

of balance, etc. All these little things are likely to cause stress.

In fact, any stimulus that you perceive as a threat to your physical

or psychological equilibrium becomes a stress factor. Causes of stress

are so numerous and varied that it is all but impossible to avoid them.

Stress, however, does not have to be negative. In fact, some

measure of stress is necessary for survival, and for the evolution of

the species. Moderate stress incites you to overcome your limitations.

Under the right conditions, even intense stress can stimulate your

physical and psychological development. It is often when confronting

1 The I Ching or Chinese Book of Changes, German Edition by Richard Wilhelm,

Medici Library, Paris, 1973.

How To Use Stress To Stay In Shape

excessively stressful situations that people reveal the best

of themselves.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that stress too often has negative

repercussions. A body that is allowed to become stiff with stress

finds it more and more difficult to relax.

Chronic tension sets in. Blood circulation is impeded. Muscles,

tendons, joints and the spine suffer. The body starts showing signs of

wear, in the form of more and more intense aches and pains. Sooner

or later the internal organs are affected, and your health deteriorates.

Managing stress properly is one of the keys to staying in shape.

To do this, you first have to learn the difference between good and

bad stress.

The mechanism of stress

In order to understand the difference between the two types of

stress, let’s first take a look at what happens in the body when you are

subject to stress.

This biochemical process has three main phases.

Phase 1

“When first exposed to stress the body is immediately placed on

the alert by a number of biochemical changes which initially trigger a

‘flight or fight’ response, and then eventually aim to re-establish the

body’s internal balance. At the same time the body’s resistance

diminishes...” 2

2 Coping With Stress, F. Boucher and A. Binette, Mortagne Publications, Montreal.

How To Use Stress To Stay In Shape

This is the alarm phase.

The intensity of the organic reaction is, of course, determined

by the degree of danger perceived. Mild stress produces a benign

biochemical reaction. In situations of immediate danger, on the other

hand, the entire body enters into a state of intense activity.

Phase 2

Resources permitting , the body now enters the second or

resistance phase. Here... “reactions characteristic of Phase 1 continue,

but in a way that is more adapted to defence. The organism’s resistance

increases to above normal levels.” 3

Phase 3

Phase 3, which represents the culmination of the preceding 2

phases, can develop in two ways:

1. The organism finally adapts to the situation. This is what is termed

positive stress. The challenge has been met, resulting in an enriching

transformation. The next time a similar situation arises it will not

produce the same state of alert.

2. In an effort to adapt, the organism exhausts all its resources but still

fails to cope with the situation. Alarm signals characteristic of Phase 1

reappear, causing organic lesions and sometimes even death.

It is generally recognized that a number of diseases - cancer,

arthritis, cardiovascular disorders, hypertension, asthma, headaches,

fatigue - can be caused or aggravated by mismanaged stress.

3 Ibid

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