by Karon Brandt

Created on: November 14, 2008   Last Updated: April 20, 2010

A "whole" person is a healthy person: body, mind, and spirit. Mental stress from worry, tension, and anxiety tears down the physical body in measurable ways.

A little stress can put the body into high gear and cause one to be focused and efficient; too much stress causes chemicals (corticosteroids and adrenaline) to flood the body and harm it over long-term.

Daily stress produces tense muscles and a rapid heart rate. Chronic stress causes high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, and, eventually, depression.

Traffic jams, ringing telephones, constant noise, crying babies, long to-do lists, overwork, overextending oneself all add to life's
expected stresses.

Combat stress with countermeasures.

By understanding the mind-body connection, which western medicine is beginning to recognize, we can gain valuable insight on how to cope with stress, or prevent it in the first place.

A "healthy," fit person not extremely over- or underweight - eats right, avoids further stressors like smoking and excessive alcohol, and sleeps at least 7 hours at night.

Physical exercise includes a huge variety of choices. Would you prefer to exercise alone, with a partner, or with a group? Walking is wonderful for all ages. Adapt the degree of exertion, the mileage, and time to your age and physical abilities. Take a solitary Nature walk, walk with your dog and/or a friend, or go for a group hike.

Trapped in a desk job for 8 hours a day? Does your workplace offer a gym? Some employers recognize the health benefits for their employees and realize it makes for better production. (If not, place the idea in a suggestion box.) If the idea of going to a gym is exciting and motivating to you, join one.

If you're stuck in a traditional, "old ideas" job, plan to exercise before or after work. At work, take a longer walk from your car than usual (park further away), use the steps, walk to co-workers' offices instead of using the phone or computer.

Do you have any privacy? Could you do jumping jacks, use a hula hoop (becoming popular again), run in place? Can you keep a treadmill or exercise bike in your private office?

If your job involves a lot of sitting, get up for a few minutes every hour stroll to the water cooler, walk to a co-worker's desk, walk to a bathroom about 3 times farther away than usual. Build in a plan for forced exercise.

Use good posture at your desk: while sitting, the back of your knees should not be pressed into your chair, which hinders circulation; you should actually

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