Everybody experiences stress at one time or another. Some people would even say that the environment today is more stressful than it has ever been. With the advent of technology and the complexity of today’s world stress seems hard to escape.

The key to not experiencing the negative effects of stress are related to how you handle stressful events. Short term stress can be handled easily by most people. In fact, a certain amount of stress is actually good for your body. It keeps you energized and alert, and can fuel the creative process. However, when events occur that cause you long term stress, or when many difficult events occur simultaneously, your body may have a hard time coping and begin to break down.

Stress has been linked with many symptoms including headaches, muscle pain, and anxiety disorders. It aggravates most every condition and can rob your body of much needed nutrients, such as the B-complex vitamins. Researchers at the University of Texas have shown that when the brain is under stress, it produces an excess of the hormone ACTH, the hormone that inhibits the manufacture of the white blood cells that are necessary in fighting disease.

It is crucial to slow down and respond positively to the events of our times. You can’t prevent stress, but there is much you can do to deflect its effects. A good start is a good massage.