You may use this image in your ezine or website if you choose to publish my article. Click here to see the picture full-sized.--- Kamau Austin

Today's hectic pace of life has not been kind to our bodies. 
In fact, modern day city life seems to add more and more 
stress to the mix. We run ragged from one thing to another 
and sacrifice our mental peace in the process. But what 
exactly is this entity called stress?  

Medically, stress is a psychological and physical response 
produced by our body when the demands faced by it are more 
than what it can cope with. It manifests itself in fatigue, 
insomnia, general irritability, hypertension and in some 
cases, even depression. Prolonged nervous tension is 
especially harmful to the body as it can lead to heart 
disease and even neurologicall damage. 

The reasons for stress are many. They can be related to your 
work or your personal life. This kind of anxiety can lead to 
a poor job performance and even impair your ability to cope 
with daily life. Most patients have been found to suffer 
from work related stress disorders. 
 
The sources of this kind of tension are many – downsizing, 
looming deadlines, strained relation with co-workers or your 
boss etc. job security has become a worrying issue and the 
recent recession in the economy does not help. Also, we are 
now forced to cope with increased productivity targets. 
This, more often than not leads to more time being spent at 
the office.  

The 1997 National Study of the Changing Workforce (NSCW) 
reported that in comparison with other industrialized 
nations, the average American worker spends more time on his 
job.  

Family conflicts can also add to this kind of tension. A 
recent divorce or death of a loved one can push people into 
depression. Anxiety related with financial matters is enough 
to give any body sleepless nights.  

Also, generational clash between parents and their children 
can escalate the stress potential. Not only this, the city 
which is chock full of people never allows a moment of 
respite to its inhabitants. Who among us has not experienced 
long traffic jams on the freeways or some modicum of road 
rage – all induced by our hurry to reach someplace on our 
time. This constant game of catching up with time – be it a 
professional deadline or your child's soccer practice – 
frays our patience. The result is a crabby disposition and 
loss of patience with those around us. 

You need to approach stress with a systematic change in your 
lifestyle.  

Take deep breaths when a panic attack threatens to overtake 
you. This will help you to control your anxiety. This is 
merely the first step. You need to identify the source of 
this tension and then work towards dealing with it in a 
helpful and not giving in to depression or anxiety.  

Also, avoid ingesting stimulants like coffee. They merely 
'key' you up and are a source of unwanted anxiety. A healthy 
diet, chock-full of nutrients, helps your body maintain its 
balance and cope with stress. 

You might want to consider adding supplements to your daily 
medication. It has been seen that a diet deficient in 
minerals and vitamins imbalances our nervous system. A good 
product, which can help make up for some of these kinds of 
dietary requirements, is Anxietol 7™. This is an all 
natural, anti stress product, available at Amazon and the 
www.bodestore.com . A regular exercise regimen should become 
an essential part of your less stressful lifestyle. This is 
also quite essential for the establishment of a regular 
sleep pattern. However, any physical activity should be 
performed in moderation and after consulting with your 
doctor.  

Kamau Austin is a health and fitness enthusiast and advocate. 
He writes on a regular basis on timeless health and fitness 
tips at the Fit After Forty Blog. See more useful health and 
fitness news and tips at...
http://www.healthandfitnessvitality.com/blogs/fitnessblog.htm