One hundred years ago, the pioneering endocrinologist Hans Selye first defined the way the human body responds to stress. He articulated three occurrences that develop when humans are under prolonged stress:

1. Multiple stomach ulcers develop.
2. The adrenal glands enlarge four or five times from their protracted effort to produce copious bursts of adrenaline.
3. The immune system (specifically the thymus, lymph nodes and the lymph tissue in the gut) atrophies.

None of which, is good.

When Selye refers to ‘prolonged stress’, he is referring to what is classified as Type 2 stress. There are two kinds of stress:

Type 1 is a prehistoric, hard-wired response to a simple stressor.

– The source of stress is definable.  An example: a tiger running towards you.

– There is a specific action that can be taken, from which there is an accompanying reaction. (Run away or kill the tiger; eliminate the stress)

Type 2 is our modern-day, complex form of stress

– The source is not always identifiable.

– A vague sense of worry

– Ongoing, multi-faceted

The sad thing is the body doesn’t know the difference!

If you want to learn a lot about the biology of stress, take a few minutes to watch this very informative video from biologist Dr. Bruce Lipton.

If you are a subscriber to Massage Magazine, you will have read the article I wrote for the October issue on Foot Care for the Massage Therapist. As an additional bit of information, I also wrote an online article on Tips for Buying Shoes That Fit.

I was inspired to write that piece after I read that the two advancements in civilization that have contributed the most to our chronic physical pain are the chair and shoes.

Apparently, though, it is those evolutionary developments that have led to the chronic back and foot pain that society lives with now.

Since we are rapidly advancing toward covering as much of Earth in concrete and cement as we can, I don’t see the demise of shoes in the modern world any day soon—and that means we must take counteractive, preventative measures to keep our feet healthy and strong.

Read The Steps to Choosing the Right Shoe

Longevity does not occur because one has dodged every disease out there. A long life, lived well, is the result of a life lived with intention and consistent healthy habits. That is what arms the body with the defenses it needs to fight off unwanted disease; to recover faster and better.

Reasonable steps culled from studying long-living populations around the world and cutting-edge scientific research point to these seven habits as making the difference between a long life of suffering or a long life lived with vitality:

1. Keep breathing! As the Chinese fortune cookie advises: ‘The secret to long life is to keep breathing’. Identify times in your day when you can consciously take three to five deep breaths. It’s that simple. Here are some ideas:

* first thing in the morning before getting out of bed

* in your car, whenever you are stopped at a red light

* standing in line at the grocery store

* before you start and end every reflexology session

* last thing in the evening before turning out the light

2. Move. The ability to exercise remains the single most powerful predictor of longevity. Movement encompasses cardio activities, strength training and flexibility activities. Together they strengthen your bones, your muscles and your heart, teach balance and combat depression.

3. Sun.15 minutes/day or 1000 IU of vitamin D. With the weakening of the ozone barrier that protects us from harmful rays, it’s best to avoid being out in the sun during the peak hours of 10 am to 2 pm. Try an early morning walk just after the sun has risen.

4. FoodEat food that looks the same when you eat it as when it came out of the ground. Whole, unprocessed food. Avoid the ‘dirty dozen plus’, if you don’t buy organic; they’re heavily laden with pesticides. They are strawberries, spinach, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, tomatoes, celery, potatoes, sweet bell peppers, hot peppers, Make half your plate fruits and/or vegetables.

5. Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity leads to systemic inflammation that leads to raised blood sugar, unhealthy LDL-cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, which all damage the lining of the arteries. Excess fat increases cancer risk, leads to joint pain, diabetes, peripheral neuropathy and an early death.

6. Sleep more than seven hours/night. Adequate sleep increases the growth hormone, a critical vitality booster. Regular patterns of four to five hours/night create a blood sugar level equal to that of someone above the legal level of alcohol, leading to impaired thinking and judgment, as well as other potential problems caused by a sugar imbalance.

7. Purpose. Find a reason to get up every day. A reason to be here. You have one life; it makes sense to love living it.

Resources:
TimeYour Body– Dr. Mehmet Oz
The Blue Zones, The Science of Living Longer– National Geographic