Dealing with stress

MOST people don’t realise all the stessors they experience on a daily basis.

Cooking a meal, the kids needing attention, issues at work, finances - every little bit of stress changes our chemical make-up and can potentially lead to serious health problems.

With that in mind, Bega kinesiologist Sharon Hooker is preparing to share some simple tips and strategies about how to deal with stress in a free public talk next week.

Mrs Hooker said kinesiology is the study of the body’s mechanics and movement and deals with the body’s energy system.

“Stress creates chang-es in the body’s energy system and chemical make-up and untreated stress can lead to significant health problems such as anxiety, depression and many other serious health problems,” she said.

During next week’s talk, Mrs Hooker will speak about the three stages of stress and how they affect a person’s chemical make-up and blood flow.

“Proper understanding of stress reassures people that they do not have a physical illness and are not going crazy,” Mrs Hooker said.

“At the ‘overwhelmed’ stage the body just wants to shut down and rest to eradicate the stress hormones.

“I want to educate people on what they can do with what they experience on a daily basis.

“If people can help themselves, that positive result then radiates out to your family, to the community and to society in general.”

Mrs Hooker will be discussing the three stages of stress found by Dr Hans Selye, which are Alert, Response and Overwhelm.

In the Alert stage, as soon as we realise something needs to happen or change in any given situation, adrenaline pumps throughout the body to prepare us for the next stage.

The Response stage is about choice - am I going to fight, flight or accept the change. 

Depending on our answer our blood will flow to different parts of the body.

“It’s the body’s natural process, but it is good to identify what is happening,” Mrs Hooker said.

“If you can realise ‘I’m feeling a bit edgy’ it makes dealing with stress a lot easier.”

Mrs Hooker said the Overwhelm stage is where we get rattled, don’t know which way to turn and can’t think straight. 

“The body just wants to rest and relax - people really need to take time out, but society doesn’t always allow that.”

Mrs Hooker hopes her talk will help people avoid this stage.

“The body needs time to recoup after stress.”

Mrs Hooker said her free one-hour talk will give people ideas and strategies on how to deal with stress, including stretches and pressure points that can help.

“These strategies are safe and easy to do at home - and even out and about without other people knowing that you are relieving stress.

“People have a lot of power in their own hands.”

The free one-hour talks will be held on Wednesday at Club Bega from 1.30-2.30pm and again at 5.30-6.30pm.

Call Sharon Hooker on 0420 924 452 if you require more information.