"I need a vacation!"  How many times have we all heard that line?  The fact is, they probably do!

Our society is achievement-based.  We are evaluated on 'how hard we work', 'what we produce' and 'what we have to show for it'.  This may not seem fair, but it is a part of our American culture.  Other countries may not emulate our ideals, but often ask for our help BECAUSE of them!  

Our focus of achievement does however, have a penalty....stress!  Stress does some unique things to the body:  

• The heart rate and blood pressure skyrocket.  This improves blood flow to the brain to make sharp, quick decisions.
• Blood sugar rises to provide potential, need energy.
• Blood flows to the muscles of the extremities and readies your body to 'fight or flee'.
• Blood clotting factors increase.  This initiates the healing process should you be cut or injured.
• Nerve synapses are 'hyper-polarized' and preparing to 'depolarize' and fire.   

These processes may not seem all  that novel when you read them, but let me put some reality to the 'stress state'.

When true stress is unrelieved, the hyper-excitation of the body actually begins to tire and fatigue the nerve junctions (synapses).  This alters the firing of  nerves that allow nutrients to be absorbed, blood flow to organs and muscle systems, 'clean-up' and healing properties to the whole body.

Taking this into consideration, it is  clear how stress can relate to heart disease, diabetes, neurological disorders and yes, even psychological disorders.  Stress affects nerve transmissions and altered nerve transmissions affect our health and longevity!

I hope you enjoy this issue of ENews.  I have tried to keep it interesting and informative, without trying to bog you down with too much technicality.

"I Want a Puppy!"

For every youngster that has made this statement, there are usually two parents trying to invent a good excuse why getting a puppy is not possible!

• "We don't have the room"
• "Who's going to take care of it"
• "It will just make a mess of the yard"
• "Not in the house!  It will pee all over everything!"
• "It's your son, you take care of this!"

For all of the excuses given, I don't think anyone really hates dogs.  They do, however, dislike added responsibility to their day.  When did our lives become so busy and absorbed that we interpret such small chores as large sacrifices?

I suspect that with the technological advances in the 20th century (automation, transportation, computerization) and the lifestyle stress of the 'working couple', personal stress levels are at an all time high.  One comment made during a recent symposium on aging was:

• " You have 100x's more physical and psychological stress than your grandparents did at the same age you are right now." (Activator Methods, Inc. Research Facts, 2002)

That is very significant considering the human body has not changed all that much in the last one hundred years!  What then, is contributing to our increasing stress levels at work and home?  It is best described as an 'accumulation' of stress.  Think of it as an  empty gas tank.  The gas that fills the tank would be the stress, but since we move around all day (drive) and find outlets like exercise to relieve and dissipate that stress, the stress tank should be empty at the end of each day.  So, why isn't it? 

Stress, both physical and psychological, causes chemical and neurological changes in the body.  Without getting into the boring details of transmission rates and transference, I will simple state that long-term stress that is unresolved will alter how you think and how your body works!

Stress is not  life's simple irritations.  True stress is continuous exposure to an event or situation that causes continued, noxious, physiological change within the body.   There are many types of stressors, but for our purposes let's work with these three common models.

WORK

• Work stress results from the day-to-day 'demands' that aren't resolved or can't be resolved.  This may include, but is not limited to:
• TIME demands.  Unrelenting work and never being 'caught up'. 
• PHYSICAL work demands that are exhaustive on a daily basis 
• EMOTIONAL work interactions with others (pleasant and unpleasant) as well as a general dissatisfaction with your job 

HOME

• Home stress is not the day-to-day irritations and aggravations.  Home stress involves:
• Home Demands of TIME.  This includes time spent with spouse and children as well as simple lack of time 'at home' and a needed sense of belonging.
• The PHYSICAL demands of maintaining a home, paying the bills, etc.
• The EMOTIONAL fear of losing your home and possessions, as well as trying to preserve what you have.

PERSONAL

• Personal stress is not the co-worker who keeps 'snapping' his or her gum all day, but rather, the physical and emotional anxiety that accumulates and is unrelieved through daily life.  This not only affects how we act and respond to normal daily routines, but directly affects our health and longevity.

With these three aspects of life in mind (there are more), what do we do to recognize stress, deal with it and insure that it does not return?

In the following pages I will give some statistical data regarding stress, expose may of the culprits involved and, hopefully, give you some tools to use to begin immediately reducing your stress levels.  Life can be difficult enough, let's make it a little easier!

(p.s. "I still want a puppy!")

STRESS SCALE

As I discussed above,  stress is a distinct entity.  As such, it can be measured and evaluated.  The effects of stress can and do take as long as 2 years (sometimes longer) to resolve 'within your nervous system'.  The physiological 'carryover' ripples within your body for a long time, both physically and psychologically.

This stress scale has been around for many years.  I still feel that it is valid.  Not just because you are able to rate stress, but it also gives you an idea of WHAT categories are contributing to your stress levels.  It gives you a starting place for change.

As you take this test, consider the LAST 12 MONTHS of your life as being pertinent.

(Adapted from the "Social Readjustment Rating Scale" by Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe. This scale was first published in the "Journal of Psychosomatic Research", Copyright 1967, vol.II p. 214.)

     STRESS                                          EVENT VALUES
 
1. DEATH OF SPOUSE                                           100
2. DIVORCE                                                    60
3. MENOPAUSE                                                  60
4. SEPARATION FROM LIVING PARTNER                             60
5. JAIL TERM OR PROBATION                                     60
6. DEATH OF CLOSE FAMILY MEMBER OTHER THAN SPOUSE             60
7. SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY OR ILLNESS                         45
8. MARRIAGE OR ESTABLISHING LIFE PARTNERSHIP                  45
9 .FIRED AT WORK                                              45
10.MARITAL OR RELATIONSHIP RECONCILIATION                     40
11.RETIREMENT                                                 40
12.CHANGE IN HEALTH OF IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER                40
13.WORK MORE THAN 40 HOURS PER WEEK                           35
14.PREGNANCY OR CAUSING PREGNANCY                             35
15.SEX DIFFICULTIES                                           35
16.GAIN OF NEW FAMILY MEMBER                                  35
17.BUSINESS OR WORK ROLE CHANGE                               35
18.CHANGE IN FINANCIAL STATE                                  35
19.DEATH OF A CLOSE FRIEND (not a family member)              30
20.CHANGE IN NUMBER OF ARGUMENTS WITH SPOUSE OR LIFE PARTNER  30
21.MORTGAGE OR LOAN FOR A MAJOR PURPOSE                       25
22.FORECLOSURE OF MORTGAGE OR LOAN                            25
23.SLEEP LESS THAN 8 HOURS PER NIGHT                          25
24.CHANGE IN RESPONSIBILITIES AT WORK                         25
25.TROUBLE WITH IN-LAWS,OR WITH CHILDREN                      25
26.OUTSTANDING PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT                           25
27.SPOUSE BEGINS OR STOPS WORK                                20
28.BEGIN OR END SCHOOL                                        20
29.CHANGE IN LIVING CONDITIONS (visitors in the home,
   change in roommates, remodeling house)                     20
30.CHANGE IN PERSONAL HABITS (diet, exercise,
   smoking, etc.)                                             20
31.CHRONIC ALLERGIES                                          20
32.TROUBLE WITH BOSS                                          20
33.CHANGE IN WORK HOURS OR CONDITIONS                         15
34.MOVING TO NEW RESIDENCE                                    15
35.PRESENTLY IN PRE-MENSTRUAL PERIOD                          15
36.CHANGE IN SCHOOLS                                          15
37.CHANGE IN RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES                             15
38.CHANGE IN SOCIAL ACTIVITIES (more or less than before)     15
39.MINOR FINANCIAL LOAN                                       10
40.CHANGE IN FREQUENCY OF FAMILY GET-TOGETHERS                10
41.VACATION                                                   10
42.PRESENTLY IN WINTER HOLIDAY SEASON                         10
43.MINOR VIOLATION OF THE LAW                                  5
 
                                      TOTAL SCORE:_________________
 
 
                    STRESS SCALE FOR YOUTH
 
     STRESS                                               EVENT VALUES
 
1. DEATH OF SPOUSE, PARENT, BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND              100
2. DIVORCE (of yourself or your parents)                       65 
3.  PUBERTY                                                    65
4. PREGNANCY (or causing pregnancy)                            65
5. MARITAL SEPARATION OR BREAKUP WITH 
   BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND                                        60
6. JAIL TERM OR PROBATION                                      60
7. DEATH OF OTHER FAMILY MEMBER
   (other than spouse, parent or boyfriend/girlfriend)         60
8. BROKEN ENGAGEMENT                                           55
9. ENGAGEMENT                                                  50
10.SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY OR ILLNESS                          45
11.MARRIAGE                                                    45
12.ENTERING COLLEGE OR BEGINNING NEXT LEVEL OF SCHOOL
   (starting junior high or high school)                       45
13.CHANGE IN INDEPENDENCE OR RESPONSIBILITY                    45
14.ANY DRUG AND/OR ALCOHOLIC USE                               45
15.FIRED AT WORK OR EXPELLED FROM SCHOOL                       45
16.CHANGE IN ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE                               45
17.RECONCILIATION WITH MATE, FAMILY OR
   BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND (getting back together)                40
18.TROUBLE AT SCHOOL                                           40
19.SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEM OF A FAMILY MEMBER                   40
20.WORKING WHILE ATTENDING SCHOOL                              35
21.WORKING MORE THAN 40 HOURS PER WEEK                         35
22.CHANGING COURSE OF STUDY                                    35
23.CHANGE IN FREQUENCY OF DATING                               35
24.SEXUAL ADJUSTMENT PROBLEMS (confusion of sexual
   identify)                                                   35
25.GAIN OF NEW FAMILY MEMBER
   (new baby born or parent remarries)                         35
26.CHANGE IN WORK RESPONSIBILITIES                             35
27.CHANGE IN FINANCIAL STATE                                   30
28.DEATH OF A CLOSE FRIEND (not a family member)               30
29.CHANGE TO A DIFFERENT KIND OF WORK                          30
30.CHANGE IN NUMBER OR ARGUMENTS WITH MATE, FAMILY
   OR FRIENDS                                                  30
31.SLEEP LESS THAN 8 HOURS PER NIGHT                           25
32.TROUBLE WITH IN-LAWS OR BOYFRIEND'S OR
   GIRLFRIEND'S FAMILY                                         25
33.OUTSTANDING PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT
   (awards, grades, etc.)                                      25
34.MATE OR PARENTS START OR STOP WORKING                       20
35.BEGIN OR END SCHOOL                                         20
36.CHANGE IN LIVING CONDITIONS (visitors in the       
   home, remodeling house, change in roommates)                20
37.CHANGE IN PERSONAL HABITS (start or stop a habit
   like smoking or dieting)                                    20
38.CHRONIC ALLERGIES                                           20
39.TROUBLE WITH THE BOSS                                       20
40.CHANGE IN WORK HOURS                                        15
41.CHANGE IN RESIDENCE                                         15
42.CHANGE TO A NEW SCHOOL (other than graduation)              10
43.PRESENTLY IN PRE-MENSTRUAL PERIOD                           15
44.CHANGE IN RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY                                15
45.GOING IN DEBT (you or your family)                          10
46.CHANGE IN FREQUENCY OF FAMILY GATHERINGS                    10
47.VACATION                                                    10
48.PRESENTLY IN WINTER HOLIDAY SEASON                          10
49.MINOR VIOLATION OF THE LAW                                   5
 
                                      TOTAL SCORE=_________________
 

Stress is physically and psychological significant at two extremes.  A stress level OVER 250 points is in the unhealthy range.  A stress level UNDER 150 points also is in the unhealthy range.  Scores of over 250 points and under 150 points are OVERLOADING your system and will result (if not reduced) in physiological and psychological change from normal.

STRESS FOODS

These foods may be a part of your diet. Even if you enjoy them, be aware that they are stressors to your nervous system:

• Sugar
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Chocolate

Stress Relievers:

• Water
• Vegetables
• Fruit
• Fish
• Chicken
• Baked Potatoes
• Green Leafy Vegetables

Additional Stress Relievers:

• B vitamins
• Calcium
• Potassium
• Sleeping 8 hours per night.  This is 'down-time' for your body.  This is when cells regenerate and your body  'takes out the trash'!  Sleeping 8 hours not only rejuvenates the body, but balances brain centers for neurotransmitter release.
• The bed you sleep on is paramount to a restful and regenerating sleep.  Most beds allow your body to 'HAMMOCK' and sag in the bed.  Research shows this to be an 'irritant' to your nervous system during the night and not allow you to enter the deep, restful sleep states.
• Two beds that do not allow the 'hammock effect' to occur are the i-sleep system and the tempur-pedic system.  Other bed companies  make claims about sleep states and nervous system 'calmness'.   But, they can't support their claims with research.  
• If you would like to investigate these two bed systems further you can go to:

www.isleep.com         1-800-219-3151

                   www.tempurpedic.com          1-877-828-3318

   I receive no compensation for this endorsement, but I feel these are the best beds on the market at this time.  Should something better be developed, I will let you know! 

Don't be fooled by frequent or slick advertising.  If you question the salesperson about the 'hammock effect' and he or she doesn't know what you are talking about..... buy at your own risk!

Eileen's Corner

Eileen has the month off.  These wings are mine!  Dr. Frisch

"No Stress Wings"  

This recipe is for the grill and is so simple you won't believe it!  You can also bake them in the oven if you choose.  It makes a nice summer appetizer.

3 lbs. of chicken wings and/ or a combination of wings and drummies.

1 cup of brown sugar

1 - 16ounce bottle of Coca-Cola (I have even used diet coke for a lighter glaze!)

• Garlic salt
• Mustard 
• Soy sauce
• Worcestershire
• Paprika
• Salt
• Pepper
• Red Pepper flakes 
• Hot sauce of choice (optional)

Wash the chicken thoroughly and layer in a disposable 9x11" aluminum pan.  Make sure that the pan has 'high sides'.  You can purchase several of these pans for a couple of dollars in any grocery store and throw them away when your done. (It eliminates clean-up!)

Generously sprinkle garlic salt and the paprika over the chicken. Salt and pepper the wings and finish with about a teaspoon of red pepper flakes.  Pat the spices into the chicken and let it 'rest' for at least one hour. (Overnight is fine)

When you are ready to cook, combine the brown sugar and the Coca-Cola in a bowel.  Blend this together well so that all of the brown sugar is dissolved.

Next, add a liberal dash of mustard, salt and pepper, soy sauce and Worcestershire.   You will want to make sure that each added spice is blended. If you like hot sauce, add it now or wait until 1/2 of the way through cooking.

This is the easy part.  Pour the brown sugar and Coca-Cola mixture OVER the chicken..... THAT'S IT!

Place the pan on a heated grill (approximately 300 degrees) or in the oven, uncovered.  Your done!

For the next 2+ hours you can periodically look at them and basted them when the sauce begins to thicken and glaze the chicken.   Don't put too much thought or effort into the glazing.  If the chicken 'looks good' your doing fine. 

You will know when the chicken is done. It will have a nice glaze ( the Coke reduces) and pulls away from the bone with no effort.  It is up to you whether you want 'crispier' wings (leave on longer) or 'soft style'.  After 2 hours, the chicken is thoroughly cooked, the texture is up to you!

After you remove the chicken from the grill, let the wings cool a bit. Take the chicken out of the aluminum roaster and place on a plate or non-stick surface.  If you leave the wings in the aluminum pan too long, they will stick to the bottom when they cool.

This basic recipe is so simple that many variations are possible:

• Add chopped Garlic and ground Ginger 
• Add orange juice to the brown sugar with a little water (omit the Coke)
• The possibilities are as endless as your imagination and they ALL will turn out fine! 
• Serve with blue cheese, ranch or any other dressing.  Eating them plain is fine as well!

Remember to always wear protective cooking attire when grilling and handling hot foods.  Also remember that the chicken will be deceptively hot when it comes off the grill.  Wait a few minutes before taking that first bite!

                     Enjoy!

                  Dr. Frisch

Help Them Out!

If you have friends or family that you think would like to receive ENews each month,  let us know.

You must ask them first if they would like to receive our monthly notice.  That way we aren't seen as spam or solicitors.  They must provide us with their e-mail address.  That way they will also receive our 'emergency' notices (news, legislative changes, etc) that all ENews readers will get when appropriate.  I intend for this news letter to give you helpful information, but also to provide you with a voice that you may not realize you had.  

Give Me Some Relief!

You  now know more about stress than most people ever consider.  The more you learn, the more involved it seems to get.  So let's break stress into some core components and see if we can't help you lessen your load!

SIMPLE GUIDES TO STRESS CONTROL

WORK:

• 'Work is work' and 'You are not Work'.  You must put your daily work demands in perspective.
• List three reasons why you work where you do.  Are they positive?  If so, use those positive attributes of work to guide you through your day.  'Play off' of the benefits to put things into perspective.  During the difficult times, remember the positives and they will carry you through.  It will also make the enjoyable times even better.
• If you hate your job, you have two simple decisions to make:

                     1. Will your dislike of the job change if you do nothing?

                     2.  Will the financial gains of your job outweigh the unhappiness?

   If these are both "NO", you may want to seriously consider a career change.

HOME:

• Home stress usually involves a spouse and possibly children.  The demands of raising children are different than those of maintaining a marriage.  Don't confuse the two!
• Spousal stress often results from 'forgetting' what marriage is about.  Your spouse is your partner.  If they are not your partner in choices and decisions, you have a co-habitation, not a marriage.  Co-habitation is stressful and needs direction and rules of behavior or it will stagnate.  'Demanding' relationships are not healthy either.  Both partners need to contribute to the relationship.  When you are both contributing, neither has time to worry if they are 'doing more' than the other.  Finally, do not talk badly of your spouse.  It shows a lack of moral character and conscience and it WILL come back to haunt you at some point. 
• Home stress is often created by us.  To lessen the stress load, there is an old phrase that still holds true.  "Listen before you talk and think before you act."
• Counseling is no longer a 'taboo' subject.  Sometimes an INDEPENDENT, third party can be of great benefit in exposing unrecognized problems that can repair a strained relationship.  An independent party is not someone at the bar or in a sewing circle.  They should have training and a license.  If counseling is used, be open and honest or you are just wasting your time.
• Children raise interesting problems and stress levels.  What seems like common sense to you may seem foreign to children/teens because they do not have life experiences to know right from wrong.  That knowledge needs comes from you!  Political correctness does not apply to children.  They need guidance from you or they begin making their own rules from their limited knowledge base.  These invented rules will often lead to problems in adulthood because they were wrong from the start.  Even if  children do not  'like' the rules they are given, at least they know there are rules.  Rules are reassuring to children, even if they constantly push the limits of those rules!  What children are really after is 'independence' and 'belonging' at the same time!  You on the other hand, just want everyone to get along and bring some 'peace and quiet' to your world.  If you as a parent, want everyone to get along, YOU SET THE RULES, make them fair, and then stick to them yourself.  I think you will be pleased with the natural reduction in your stress level.

Personal:

• "GET OVER YOURSELF, ALREADY!"
• Personal stress results from you taking yourself too seriously.  Take what you do and how you treat others seriously, but stop thinking that you are super-human and the world can't survive without you.
• Plan on failure.  It is going to happen!  Do NOT plan to become a failure, but recognize the difference between having a failure and being one.
• Laugh at yourself first!  When you do something stupid (and you will) it relaxes everyone around you when you are the first to laugh.  People will open up, and you will find that you are someone others enjoy being around!
• I can't stress this one strongly enough..... DO NOT LIE!!!  Be honest.  When you lie to people it layers and builds upon itself.  Soon, you will have excess stress from worry about being 'found out'.  Correct the problem, apologize or do what ever it takes to resolve the issue, immediately!  Taking this approach allows you to remain emotionally stable.  The emotions involved with lying do affect brain neurons and nerve transmission.  It can actually change who you are!  Also, remember that allowing others to lie to you can be just as bad as lying yourself.  Letting others lie to you means that you must share their secret and the associated guilt that goes along with it!  Expect and demand the truth from others.  You are not being 'rude', 'pompous' or even 'condescending' by expecting the truth from those around you.  You may find that your circle of friends changes a bit with this attitude, but then again, your new circle of friends will be what you wanted in the first place! 
• Lose your prejudices.  This is not an issue of racism (although, it could apply).  Prejudices are biases that we establish to avoid doing something or associating with someone else.

1. Most prejudices are established out of fear and/or ignorance.  When you learn and experience something or someone, you have a knowledge base to work from.  Knowledge relieves stress, ignorance increases stress!
2. To dislike someone or something is not a prejudice.  You may truly not like someone because of what they do, how they act or how they treat YOU.  Your dislike is founded on fact.  No one says you have to like everything or everyone.  Political correctness is ridiculous! 
3. Political correctness is ridiculous! (I know, it's not politically correct to repeat myself, but then again, it isn't politically correct to make this statement either!)  Being politically correct in today's society means that you are letting someone else 'steal and stifle' your opinion!  The politically correct crowd has an agenda and it is not to your benefit.  You already know the difference between right and wrong.  Why would you allow someone else to force you to be more sensitive to THEIR needs, feelings and wants?  You are being conned, while at the same time, they are walking out of the backdoor of your store with their arms full.  If you would like to add stress to your life, try to be politically correct.  Your actions will be wrong and the end result will make you miserable.  BE YOURSELF!  If you are being honest and doing the right things for the right reasons and someone doesn't like you, SO WHAT!  They are being dishonest, not you! 

                                                      HINT

•  "You can always tell who your enemies are.  They will be the people accusing you of doing and saying things that they already are, or would if they had the chance."

I realize that these 'Personal' statements may seem quite strong.  That is a good thing!  You should look to yourselves first for changes.  Do not wait for others to make positive changes in your life.  You set your own rules of conduct.  When your PERSONAL RULES are clear and concise, the world around you gets easier to live in!  Your happiness level and productivity will likely surprise you!

I hope that you have enjoyed this issue of ENews and that it has some 'take home' value for you!  As always, I am easy to reach with any questions or concerns you may have.

See you next month,

Dr. Frisch