Lunch & Learn Program—

Advice On How To Stay A Step Ahead Of Stress

By Kaaren Valenta

A Time magazine cover story more than 20 years ago called stress “The Epidemic of the Eighties” and referred to it as the nation’s leading health problem. There can be little doubt that the situation has progressively worsened since then.

When the Family Counseling Center (FCC) recently surveyed 289 Newtown businesses for a topic for the agency’s inaugural Learn@Lunch presentation, stress topped the list.

Surveys confirm that adult Americans perceive they are under much more stress than a decade or two ago. It has been estimated that more than 75 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related problems.

“Society has never been busier, at home and at the office,” said Terry McMorrow, a licensed clinical social worker at the FCC. “Stress is a part of life.”

Ms McMorrow was the speaker at the first Learn & Lunch program held on May 18 at The Taunton Press. About 30 people from businesses throughout town met in a conference room at the local publishing company’s headquarters on South Main Street, where they were treated to lunch and a program, “Reducing Stress at Home and Office.”

“Name some of the things that cause stress at work,” Ms McMorrow said, prompting the audience to quickly respond “deadlines,” “meeting goals, “interruptions,” and “distractions.” Pressures at home include house and yard work, juggling schedules, children, spouses, and, in some cases, a dependent older adult.

“There is new attention in the medical field on what is called the cortisol level, a hormone produced in the body that will increase under stress,” Ms McMorrow said. “That causes weight gain, loss of sleep, and the body takes a characteristic apple shape. Have that hormone level checked by your doctor.”

Always get a physical examination annually and talk to your doctor before you take any over-the-counter drugs including herbal supplements, she said. “Not getting a physical is another way that we don’t take care of ourselves — we keep delaying it.”

Medical sources now say that it is not necessary to drink 8–10 eight ounce glasses of water a day if you are getting fluid in other sources such as soup, fruit, and beverages like tea, she said.

“There’s no clinical evidence of the benefits of green tea but many people swear by it and it can’t hurt.”

The best diet for good health is the American Dietetic Association diet, which many know as the basis of the Weight Watchers program, she said. “Eat less red meat, watch the fat, read food labels. Having control of what you eat at work will make you feel better.”

“Most people were born and bred to believe that three meals a day are proper, but five small meals actually is better. But be sure to stop eating two to three hours before bedtime.”

Try to take two 15-minute breaks at work each day, and get out of the building if possible, she advised.

“Get out in the sun, but be sure to wear a sunscreen every day with a rating of at least 15 SPF (sun protection factor); a rating of 30 is fine. And don’t forget to put it on your hands, and your neck and shoulders if you are driving.”

Limit caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol, she said. “One or two glasses of red wine a day for your heart may be good, three or four glasses are not.”

If you cannot sleep because of stress, talk to your physician, she said. “Many over the counter drugs should be taken for only two weeks, and supplements like melatonin may have doses that are inappropriate.”

Be honest with yourself about exercise — what you can accomplish in a week, she said. Walking is free, it can be done any time. “Take your dog — borrow a dog if you don’t have one,” she said. “Or take a friend or your spouse. If you take a friend, you tend to take a longer walk.”

Having friends at work is good, but people also need to have friends outside work that they can “bounce things off and confide in,” Ms McMorrow said.

Walk at the high school track or at Fairfield Hills if there are no places to walk in your own neighborhood, she said. Weight training also is good because it builds muscle and helps bone density. Swimming and yoga, especially deep breathing and meditation, also are excellent for reducing tension and stress, she said. “Exercise with your kids — it’s a good lesson for life for them.”

“People who practice yoga feel younger and are perceived as being younger,” she said.

Some people say they love to shop when they are stressed (men, too, especially at Home Depot), but overspending just causes more stress, she pointed out.

“What felt so good at the mall may be horrible stress 30 days later when the bills come in.”

“If you buy a self-help book, make sure it has footnotes and a bibliography that lists sources you can go to for more information,” she recommended.

Managing and resolving conflicts at work also is possible if you follow several steps, she said.

“Determine what it is. Write it down on paper. Hide it — put it away for a day or two. Then take it out and review it. Often the issue won’t seem as big as you originally thought,” she said. Rehearse what you want to say — what parts are good, what parts you should leave out. Use a mirror if possible to practice.

“You know your job, your role at the office, and at home. Be confident about yourself, but have respect for your co-workers and your family,” she said. “Use the ‘I feel’ statement to open conflict resolution, not ‘I am’ which is inflexible. You will earn respect even if you are wrong.”

Upcoming Learn@Lunch programs, tentatively scheduled for next fall, may focus on the subjects of children and aging parents. For more information, contact Kevin Roche at the Family Counseling Center at 426-8103, ext 789.