Another View Magazine Orillia Winter 2014 Edition | Page 17

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4102
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Stress

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More Than Just a State of Mind

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By Kristy La Bute

...taking charge of how you perceive and manage
stress.

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In today’s fast-paced world there are many forms of stress,
and although our civilization has greatly evolved, your
physiological response to stress has not changed much.
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When you sense danger pSwhethertaW real orbimagined P
– the body’s defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight”, or stress
response.

The stress response is the body’s way of protecting you.
When you perceive a threat, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including
adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones ar the aN
ssenlleW & htlaeH lrouse utbody
for emergency action. To prepare for the danger at hand,
your heart rate increases, muscles tighten, blood pressure
rises, and breath quickens.

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Unfortunately, the body doesn’t distinguish between
physical and psychological threats. Financial stress, a hectic work schedule, or family responsibilities, all cause your
body to react just as strongly as if you were facing a life-or:eussi siht edisnI
death situation. If your emergency stress response is “on”,
most of the time, it will eventually cause lasting damage
to your physical health and well being, in addition to your
mental/emotional health. Chronic stress disrupts nearly
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every system in your body, including the cardiovascular,
the gastrointestinal, and the musculoskeletal systems, as
well as our cognitive and emotional functioning.

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The key to preventing these and other stress-related
health conditions is in taking charge of how you perceive
and manage stress. There are healthy ways of dealing with
en ci can reduce se toll on body and mind, includstressithatdeM ethe nihC lanoitidarT
ing exercise, eating a healthy diet, connecting with others,
and making time for you; relaxation and enjoyment. This
includes massage. Massage Therapy eases tense muscles,
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balances the stress response, increases circulation to muscles and organs, flushes out toxins, increases tissue repair,
and lowers blood pressure and excess cortisol levels.

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These healthy, positive changes will help you to live a
healthier, more fulfilling and meaningful life.

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■ Kristy La Bute, RMT
Road to Relief Registered
Massage Therapy
Valley Road Health Centre
213 Horseshoe Valley Rd.
Oro Station, ON
www.RoadToRelief.ca

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