Talking of Heart and Hardships

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
~William Henry Davies

Modernization is a double edged sword; it brings with its fruits some mighty thorns. We are worse than our great-grandfathers; they toiled their muscles and body while we strain the finer and the more vital nerves. At least they had their day’s rest while we lie and think about the yesterdays and the tomorrows. The constant competition and struggle to which modern man is subjected to makes him weak and prone to diseases. Are we not more susceptible to diseases? Yes, off course the every day stress is burdensome.

Stress is a biological term which refers to the consequences of the failure of a human or animal body to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats to the organism, whether actual or imagined.
Stress is a normal part of life. But, if left unmanaged, stress can lead to emotional, psychological and even physical problems, including coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, chest pains or even irregular heart beats. Several studies have documented that people without spouses die earlier than married people. Other studies have shown fairly conclusively that people who have had recent major life changes (loss of a spouse or other close relative, loss of a job, moving to a new location) have a higher incidence of death.
Stress can be caused by a physical or emotional change, or a change in environment that requires adjustments or response. Things that make us feel stressed are called "stressors".  Stressors can be minor hassles, major lifestyle changes or a combination of both. Most people will have been stressed at one time or another and for a number of different reasons. It might be because of excessive demands from work or home, relationship problems, moving house, bereavement, financial pressure, caring for a family member or exams to sit.

Its not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it. - Hans Selye

People vary in how they respond to stress and how they cope with it. Some stress can be a good thing, helping us to perform better, concentrate and keep motivated. However, if this stress is continuous (chronic) and not controlled, research shows that it is linked to poor health and heart disease.

STRESS AND HEART DISEASES

The relationship between stress, heart disease and sudden death has been recognized since antiquity.  Napoleon's favorite physician, Corvisart, wrote that heart disease was due to "the passions of the mind", among which he included anger, madness, fear, jealousy, terror, love, despair, joy, avarice, stupidity, and ambition. Coronary heart disease is also much more common in individuals subjected to chronic stress.
Prolonged stress can wreak havoc on your cardiovascular system. Elevated stress hormones increase the odds of developing heart disease.

 There is a fair amount of circumstantial evidence that chronic emotional stress can be associated with heart disease and early death. Studies have found an increased frequency of sudden cardiac death and MI in relation to catastrophes such as an earthquake or war, suggesting that psychological and emotional stress brought on by such disasters can trigger cardiac events. Subjective 'stress' perceived by the person can increase adrenergic output, alter the coagulation system, increase blood viscosity and promote the development of arrhythmias. These are postulated to contribute to the role played by psychological stress in initiating acute coronary events.
People who are quick to anger or who display frequent hostility have an increased risk of heart disease. A half century ago, Stewart Wolf described what he called the "Sisyphus" reaction". (Wolf, 1955) In Greek mythology, Sisyphus, the king of Corinth, was doomed by the gods to a life of constant struggle by being condemned to roll a huge marble bolder up a hill, which, as soon as it reached the top, always rolled down again. Wolf characterized people who were coronary prone as constantly striving against real but often self-imposed challenges, and even if successful, not being able to relax or enjoy the satisfaction of achievement.

COPING WITH THE STRESS

Now, having identified the problem one should search for the way out. The culprit is STRESS but the solution is not just avoiding it. We cannot mould the situations according to our will, it is practically impossible to live in a world without stress. So the next solution is changing your response to it. You cannot change the world so better change your outlook. It does not mean wearing pink glasses to change the color of the world.
Reducing stress levels in these cases requires not an elimination of stressful situations (which is impossible), but a change in the way stress is handled.  Actually, quite a bit of evidence suggests that it may be the individual, and not the stress itself that is the problem. People with Type A personalities (time-sensitive, impatient, chronic sense of urgency, tendency toward hostility, competitive) are at higher risk for coronary artery disease than people with Type B personalities (patient, low-key, non-competitive). In other words, given the same stressful situation, some will respond with frustration and anger, the rush of adrenaline and the fight-or-flight mode, and some will react serenely. So the Type A’s should learn to be more like Type B’s if they want a long and healthy life.
We can also inculcate stress management programs in our daily routine. They encompasses techniques intended to equip a person with effective coping mechanisms for dealing with psychological stress Responses to stress include adaptation, psychological coping such as stress management, anxiety, and depression. Being able to identify stressors in your life and releasing the tension they cause are the keys to managing stress
Stress management programs often consist of breathing exercises, stretching exercises, Yoga, meditation, and/or massage. There are probably several useful approaches, but they all aim toward the same goal – to blunt the adrenaline response to minor stress.
These techniques may be quite helpful in reducing the risk of coronary events, and have the added benefit of being risk-free. Thus, there seems to be little reason not to recommend some form of stress management in people with heart disease, or with risk factors for heart disease.
Coping up with the Stress also demands some minor changes in your life style. They will help you avoid stressful situations and also to deal with it.

10 Golden tips to Reduce  Stress are:

With these tips to de-stress your distressed life style I present to you the February Issue of Homeopathic Horizon Ezine.