Doctors offer ways to manage symptoms of mental stress

The foremost researcher and authority on stress, Hans Selye, MD, defined stress as the rate of wear and tear on the body. More

han 1,200 hormones are released

nto the blood stream during the stress response, putting excessive demands on the body.

It's been well documented that prolonged stress compromises the

mmune system which fights off disease. The more times the body experiences the stress response and the more prolonged it is, the faster the body ages.

Staying productive, healthy and emotionally fit depends on how well stress is managed.

Recently scientists have identified a direct link between stress and aging. In a pioneering study, researchers have shown that chronic stress speeds up the shriveling of the tips of the bundles of genes inside the cells. This not only shortens the life span of the cells, but also deteriorates them.

Symptoms from this stress related accelerated aging emerges in the form of skin wrinkles, weakened muscles, diminishing hearing, eyesight, cognitive processes and even organ failure. Most of the stress dealt with today is self generated by the mind in the form of worry, anger, fear

of the future, thoughts of negative experiences, relationship problems, money problems, traffic and more.

By realizing that thoughts create the stress response, persons can develop awareness and learn not to focus on and be controlled by stress-producing thoughts. Make the time each day to relax, let go of stress, lighten up, feel peaceful and create the balance needed in life.

Author and stress management expert Jeff Gero, PhD, is offering a stress mastery program from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat., Aug. 26 in Agoura. For further information, call (818) 879-1373.