Health and beauty

How to beat the stress beast


29/10/2004

Asalamu alaykum readers. Ramadan Mubarak to you all.
With festivities going on such as this, it is very easy to become stressed. The word 'stress' is increasingly being used as a blanket term for every conceivable state of emotional disharmony.
The classy definition of stress, however, singles out the instinctive 'fight or flight' response.
When our early ancestors were faced with a ferocious beast they had to make a split second choice between fighting the animal or running for their lives. Exposed to any unpleasant stimulus, the body reacts by producing a chemical called adrenalin, which increases the heart and pulse rate and causes blood pressure to rise.
Extra blood sugar is released into the blood stream, the muscles tense and breathing becomes rapid - a response designed to give added speed of thought and action in the face of adversity.
In modern society we may never encounter a ferocious beast, but whenever we find ourselves feeling fearful or pressurised, the same physical changes take place.
For most part it is socially unacceptable to put up a fight or run away, and so we bottle up our true feelings. As a result, there is no direct outlet for the physical and emotional effects of adrenalin.
The longer the 'stressed out' feeling remains, the more potentially harmful it can be to our long term health.
Not all stress however is bad. We actually need a certain level of stimulation to motivate us and keep us going.
Indeed, without the 'spice of life' we become despondent, depressed or apathetic. Stress only becomes a problem when it develops into distress, especially if the feeling is over a period of time.
Whether we are suffering from the strain of living in the fast track or from the despair of a monotonous existence, in either situation we feel we have no control over life and we fear there is no way out.
It is also true that our physical and emotional responses to stress are blown out of proportion. It is not so much the outside pressures and problems which impinge upon us, but rather how we react to those things.
We all know people who remain cool, calm and collected under the most trying circumstances, and we know others who collapse under the strain of minor difficulties.The trick is to maintain the right level of stimulation to make life interesting and fulfilling and of course this balance is different for all of us.
But there are a few changes we can make to our daily routine which will help us cope that much better. For instance, Ramadan is a blessed time as well as a stressful time. There are so many deadlines to meet, so much to prepare, the family usually want to eat dishes which take time to prepare - I am sure many of you will identify with this scenario. So the question is, what can you do to keep and maintain your stress at a low level?
Bear in mind the following stress buster techniques to beat Ramadan blues.

  • Ask the family in advance what they would like to have prepared, and rotate the choices on different days - it's all in the planning.
  • Give your self time to prepare and do your shopping in advance.
  • Now is a good time to prepare the likes of fresh ginger, garlic, and onions in advance (preferably freeze them). This saves time.
  • If possible, try to get out for a brisk walk for 30 minutes. The cool wind will oxygenate the skin, the brisk walk will burn up calories. You will feel much more refreshed and stress free afterwards. Do deep breathing exercises whilst walking. releases stress levels too.
  • Now is a good time to take advantage and eat as much fruit as possible. Nutrients and vitamins from fresh produce will do wonders for your body and give you that 'feel good factor'.
  • Replenish your daily intake of water (8 glasses) throughout the day. To make it easier, you can drink 2 glasses whilst preparing to keep fast, 2 glasses an hour afterwards, and every hour later until you make up eight glasses.

Try these simple tips for a stress free Ramadan. I wish ll readers Eid Mubarak. If you would like to share your Eid/ Ramadan stories, tips or news, please write to me at Asian News, Observer Buildings, Drake Street, Rochdale, OL16 1PH.


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