Let’s face it. Are we weaker than our parents and grandparents? After all they managed to live through wars and did not seem to be in the state that so many of us are in today. True, but perhaps it was not that they were any tougher than us. Perhaps it lies in modern diets; all the “artificial” and genetically modified ingredients in our food. It might be a contributing factor for some people but eating to the healthiest of regimes is, alas, unlikely to remove stress from your life. Perhaps work is tougher for us today than it was in previous generations. Again there might be a vestige of truth in that people tended to work closer to where they lived and organizations were less subject to frequent change, but let’s not forget that our forebears had to deal with considerable work place stress. It’s only a relatively modern phenomenon to have employee rights, fair pay councils and tribunals. The simple facts are that for many people life was just as tough at work 50 yrs ago.
Some people are under stress for clearly identifiable reasons – a redundancy, bereavement, or ill health. Here the causes are obvious and to some extent cures become easier to identify. This doesn’t make the effect any more pleasant only that this type of symptomatic stress has been with humanity forever. When the problems are less easily pinpointed the causes can have as much to do with direction, roles and clarity. Many of the ill have experienced feeling “stressed”, anxious, and uneasy without a readily identifiable cause. It might even be on the contrary – good job, stable relationship, children, holidays and disposable income … and yet it still feels wrong.
STRESS AND HEALTH:
They both are closely linked. It is well known that stress, either quick or constant can induce risky body-mind disorders. Immediate disorders such as dizziness, sleeplessness, anxiety, tension, nervousness and muscle cramps can all result in chronic health problems the long run they may also effect our immune cardiovascular and nervous systems, for many people the word health is represented by images of highly fit people working out in a gym or competing in some kind of energetic sport. Mention the word lifestyle and people associate good lifestyle with accessories as cars, dinning in fine restaurants, going to exotic locations for holidays. Perhaps there is far more to health than just physical aspect. In addition there is mental, emotional and spiritual health which all be seen to work together and lifestyle is diverse and much more than car you drive and money you earn.
Stress is any change in your normal routine or health stress occur when bad things happen, as well as happy things. Getting a raise or promotion is a stress even just getting fired from your job is stress. Science is constantly learning about the impact that stress has on overall health. Stress is or may be a contributing factor in everything from backache, insomnia to cancer. More than 905 of doctor visits are due to health related problems nowadays.
MEN’S HEALTH IN PERSPECTIVE:
The experience of men in society has changed radically over the past few decades. Society is much more fluid and is characterized by shifting pattern of employment, relationship breakdown, highly varied family structures, intense workload, sometimes contrasting with prolonged periods of unemployment and reduced leisure time (for some). The role and lifestyle of men have changed just as rapidly. Nowadays people do less of exercise, physical work and take more of fast, junk food and due to family problems and stress, some get involved in criminal activities, which further increases stress and health problems.
There are various kinds of stress – Eustress, Acute stress, Episodic Acute stress and Chronic stress. Stress may further lead to various problem s like depression, diabetes, hair loss, heart disease, obesity, ulcers, cancer (possibly), sexual dysfunction , tooth and gum disease, etc.
STRESS REDUCING – IMPROVING YOUR HEALTH:
Eliminating stress completely from your life is impossible; however implementing some stress management techniques can subdue some of its effects. Stress management includes following a healthy diet, regular exercise and making time for uninterrupted relaxation, try and maintain a supportive network in the form of healthy social relationships (keeping a daily diary also helps), understand what it means to relax (deep breathing techniques medically helps). One last tip is to get organized. Things tend to be tossed everywhere and important items get misplaced, which adds more stress. Take the few minutes it takes to tidy up a bit.
Live a little bit for today and a little bit for tomorrow. Don’t take tremendous pressure worrying too much about what tomorrow might bring. Enjoy today and take what comes simply from being. Good health cannot be derived solely from a gym, workout, it is equally important to be emotionally fit and balanced.