Although we use the word stress regularly, many of us do not have an understanding of this important issue.

What is stress?

Stress is a reaction, our inner response to those things that psychologists call 'stressors'. Recognising this difference between stress and stressor is critical to effective stress management.

Researchers have identified the 10 most powerful stressors in people's lives:

1. Major illness of a family member;

2. Serious concern about a relative (not illness);

3. Death of a family member;

4. Divorce or separation;

5. Forced to move home;

6. Forced change of job;

7. Being made redundant;

8. Insecurity at work;

9. Serious financial problems, and;

10. Legal prosecution.

We cannot avoid stressors. Our stress reaction, called the fight or flight response, is the body's built-in mechanism designed to help us deal with short-term danger. Short-term stress can be good and even make us stronger. Long-term stress, however, creates many problems.

How does stress affect us?

Our reaction to stressors (stress) activates the adrenal glands that sit on top of our kidneys. They produce adrenaline and cortisol. Cortisol is the major hormone of chronic stress. Many health problems are caused by or aggravated by chronic stress associated with abnormal levels of cortisol in the bloodstream.

Shortlist of stress-related problems:

Pain of any kind such as headache and back pain, heart problems like palpitations, blood pressure disorders, blood sugar imbalance, digestive problems like acid reflux, ulcers and colitis, sleep problems, depression, obesity, immune disorders such as infections, allergies, asthma and cancer.

All kinds of inflammation, auto-immune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Skin conditions such as eczema, hormonal imbalance like period problems and many forms of sexual dysfunction.

How can we manage stress?

Change your awareness of stress. Learn to watch your reactions to the stressors in your life.

Take one step at a time. Much of our stress is in reaction to the past or the future. Both exist only in our thoughts and are out of our control, so practice to be in the present moment.

Focus your energy on solutions and less on problems.

Practice gratitude. I strongly recommend keeping a gratitude journal: a notebook that you write in everyday about things that you are thankful for.

Stress-proof your nervous system

There are lifestyle changes that will balance your levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

DIET: Maintain adequate intake of healthy protein like fish, soy, beans, peas, nuts and eggs. Have lots of fresh vegetables and fruits while lowering your sugar and starch consumption. I strongly recommend a plan called the Cellular Nutrition Programme.

Avoid chemicals that excite the nervous system. These are called excitotoxins and include food additives like MSG and aspartame.

SUPPLEMENTS: Vitamins C, B Complex, B12, Niacin and D3 (from sunlight) all fortify the nervous system from stress. The omega-3 fats and magnesium stabilise our nerve reactions.

The herbs, St Johns Wort, valerian, Tang Quei and Ginseng have the ability to naturally calm and strengthen our nerves without the dangerous side effects of drugs.

SLEEP: Research strongly indicates that the quantity and quality powerfully influences how you handle stress. Eight hours of uninterrupted sleep is the ideal for most people.

CONTROL YOUR REACTIONS

Just as how there is a stress reaction, there is also a relaxation response. We can learn to induce the relaxation.

Relaxation techniques involving breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation and mental visualisation.

Yoga Nidra (a yoga exercise) and hypnosis are powerful tools I often use for stress management.

Physical exercise dissipates stress by fooling your body into feeling a healthy fight or flight experience. Try for half-an-hour exercise on most days of the week.

Music: Some types of music will trigger the relaxation response while other types induce a stress reaction. Classical and religious music are particularly useful in this regard.

Spiritual and emotional support: We all need to identify and use our support systems. Prayer and spiritual practices like meditation and reading of religious material, counsellors, friends and mentors are common examples of this.

You may email Dr Vendryes at vendryes@mac.com or listen to An Ounce of Prevention on POWER 106FM on Fridays at 8 p.m. The programme streams live on the Internet.