Stamp Out Stress

“Lord, help me be the person my dog thinks I am.”

I muttered this to myself several times this week as I visited with an aging relative who is known for leaving a scorched-earth trail of stress wherever he goes. I kept telling myself to stay calm and avoid emotional traps and land mines that were ready to explode.

I managed to survive the visit without regretting my choice of words, and without elevating my stress beyond my ability to cope.

I think I made my dog proud.

However, my experience caused me to think once again about the relationship between stress and health.

A few months ago, Linda and I gave a lecture at a local library. We touted the benefits of friendship in helping women cope with stress. We were fortunate to have many women’s health experts in the auditorium  that day including physicians, psychologist and psychiatrists.

One of the audience members was Dr. Jane Dimer,  an OBGYN who is also the Womens Health Service Line Chief at Group Health in Seattle, Wash. In her practice, Dr. Dimer counsels her patients to limit stress as an important part of their overall wellness and health. She points to Dr. Robert Sapolsky as a pioneer in this field.

To continue reading about the rest of Dr. Sapolsky's startling findings, click through to the latest blog entry at Permission Slips, (http://permissionslips.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/stress-silent-killer/) a blog I alternate writing with my friend and colleague