of a traumatic situation, because stress slows fat metabolism. In one recent study, Ohio State University researchers asked 58 women about their previous day’s stressors, and then fed them the fat-loaded equivalent of a double cheeseburger and fries; the stressed-out women burned 104 fewer calories. “If a woman had a stressful day at work


every day and ate a meal like this, she could easily gain seven to 11 pounds in a year,” says study author Jan Kiecolt-Glaser, a professor of psychiatry and psychology and director of the university’s Institute for Behavioral Medicine. Exercise, too, can help combat stress-


related illness. But Storoni attests that not all exercise is created equal. One recent study in the Journal of Physiology found that in animals daily moderate exercise (the equivalent of a light jog) can boost levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a critical brain protein diminished by stress and sleep deprivation, signifi cantly more than weight training or intense exercise. On the fl ip side, excess strenuous exercise (laps around the track or an intense gym workout) can boost infl ammation, whither brain cells, and aggravate the physical impacts of stress, says Storoni. “If you want to exercise to relieve the


stress you just experienced, keep it at low intensity,” counsels Storoni. If possible, work out in the morning, as it can boost melatonin levels at night, helping you get to sleep faster, she notes.


Stress-Proofi ng Our Mindset While diet and exercise can buff er our body from the impacts of chronic stress, a shiſt in mindset can keep it from becoming chronic in the fi rst place, says Greenberg.“T e goal is not to eliminate stress, but to put it in its place—to use its energizing and motivating


aspects to take care of what needs to be done, and then relax,” and stop paying attention to it. T is, she says, requires being mindful of what’s happening in the present moment. “When you feel your heart racing at the


sight of another urgent demand at home or work, stop what you are doing, take a deep breath and tune into what’s happening in your body,” advises Greenberg. She notes that when the highly reactive amygdala “hijacks the brain”, we oſt en say and do things in the heat of the moment that we later regret. Waiting just a moment (like counting to 10) allows the more rational part of our brain (the prefrontal cortex) to kick in. “It allows you to go from panic to, ‘I’ve got this.’” Greenberg observes that we oſt en feel


most stressed when we feel out of control. When faced with a daunting task, it may help to make a list of the things we have control over and a list of the things we can’t control—then make a plan to act on the manageable one and let the others go. “Mindfulness is also about keeping


our self-judging and ruminating mind at bay, which may keep repeating, ‘I’m not doing enough,’” she says. “Realize that you do not have to listen to every thought that comes into your head. Ask yourself, ‘What is the most important thing for me to focus on right now?’” Greenberg also says it’s important to


aim to broaden and brighten our view in tough times, explaining, “Feeling stress biases your brain to think in terms of avoiding threat and loss, rather than what you can gain or learn from the situation.” Start by jotting down three ways this challenging situation may be benefi cial in the long run; also make a list of things and people we are grateful for, she suggests. “Practicing gratitude helps you realize that you have a choice about what to focus


People with a stress-hardy


mindset may temper stress as an “excite-and-delight” challenge in adventurous situations. Others


“tend-and-befriend”, reaching out to help and comfort in times of


tragedy. Studies show that when participants are told, “You’re the kind of person whose performance improves under pressure,” it does— by as much as one-third.


~Harvard Medical School Healthbeat


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your attention on and you don’t have to let stressors take all the joy out of life,” according to Greenberg. As an added bonus, “You’re less likely to take your stress out on loved ones when you think about what they mean to you and how they have helped you,” she says.


Lisa Marshall is a freelance health writer in Boulder, CO. Connect at LisaAnnMarshall.com.


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