Madame M.

One day in July Madame M. appeared on our porch. She was skinny and skittish, but not too shy. She probably was too hungry to be really scared.

My husband gave her some left-overs and she did not even bother to touch the "food". We had no choice, but to run to a store and buy some cat food. We decided to buy some dry food first and see if she would touch it. She did. She also loved my organic, lactose-free milk.

She would come over, have her food. She would demand that we scratched her back. Then she would have some more food, roll in dirt, get some more scratches to finally finish her meal and get some rest in the rose bush.

She would disappear for hours only to come back in the evening to have her meal and the scratches. We are allowed to pet and to scratch her. Only then would she eat the food.

Few days later we decided to buy her the "wet" food. We both stood in the supermarket in front of the cat food shelf pondering what she might like. We got juicy chicken, juicy beef, and some fish. The cat almost lost her mind when she tried the chicken delight. She also loved the beef, but she wouldn't touch the fish. Not even the succulent giant prawns that we bought for our dinner. I gather, we spoiled the alley cat. She does not like the dry food anymore. she would eat it, but would scream for the juicy chicken.

She goes hunting and catches tiny lizards. She even caught a bird and brought it as a gift for my husband.

In no time she started to explore our house. At first she only took a few steps inside and would then run out as fast as she could. When she saw that it was safe to enter, she would go around and stay a bit longer. Now, she comes inside to have her breakfast and goes under the table to take a nap. On some days she does not even have the desire to go out again so we leave her at home. But when we come back for lunch, she dashes out like mad only to come back immediately to see if we give her something to eat. A really funny cat.

No cat in the neighborhood is safe. She chased away every single one. We belong to her. So does the porch. So does the house!

Madame M. is such a sweet creature. She is still very young and very playful. In no time she managed to leave her paw prints on our hearts. She is waiting patiently at the door every morning for us to wake up. She drops by for lunch sometimes and is back for dinner. If she is a bit late we worry that someone might have hurt her or that her wild instinct took over and she decided to abandon us. She is a free creature and we do not want to enslave her. But we both wish she stayed with us for ever.

The cold season is coming and we will have to figure out what to do with her. Hopefully she will be comfortable indoors at night and during the day when we are away...

Dominique Allmon

The Power of a Symbolic World

By Clay Routledge

Why burning the Quran is such a symbolic threat? 

Many philosophers, anthropologists, sociologists, and psychologists have pointed out that humans are uniquely symbolic creatures. We are chained to a physical reality, like all other animals. But we also have the capacity for imaginative and symbolic thought. The anthropologist Ernest Becker nicely illustrated this with the example of water. Water is part of the physical world and a critical component of our physical existence. But humans are the only animals that symbolize water with a chemical symbol of H2O and, critically, the only animals that magically empower water by blessing it and making it holy.

Look at the diverse tapestry of human cultural life. We go to great lengths to fashion a symbolic world. If you don't believe in the power of symbols, try attending a local sporting event wearing the jersey of a rival team. In certain places, this little experiment could be a rather painful lesson in how important the symbolic world is to humans.

But the question is still unanswered. Why is the symbolic world so important to us? Many scholars have argued that the symbolic world is critical to humans because we are smart enough to fully understand the implications of being physical beings. We understand that life is fragile, we often have little control over it (e.g., I could be hit by a bus tomorrow or a tumor could be growing in me right now), and, critically, it is finite. However, the same advanced intellect that allows us to contemplate the grim reality of physical existence also allows us to construct a symbolic world.

With the construction of a symbolic world we can ease the pain of understanding our physical limitations; that we are merely, as Becker asserted, worms and food for worms. That is, we create a cultural world of meaning in which humans are not merely animals, but are symbolic entities. We are part of something larger and more enduring than our physical existence. In other words, in the symbolic world we can be immortal. Each of us will die, maybe even tomorrow, but our religions will live on. Our nations will live on. Even our favorite sports teams will live on. If we are lucky, our names may even live on through enduring societal contributions. In short, we invest heavily in the symbolic cultural institutions and identifications, in part, because they help insulate us from basic fears about our mortal predicament.

As discussed in some of my previous posts, there is a very large body of empirical research in support of this basic position. When people are reminded of health vulnerabilities and physical limitations, they cling to the symbolic world. For example, they become more religious and patriotic, engage in efforts to feel more socially significant.

Considering the specific issues of the Quran burning, in 1995 Jeff Greenberg, a professor of psychology at the University of Arizona, and colleagues published a series of experiments testing specifically this idea that cultural symbols are important because they help us cope with our awareness of physical vulnerability. In these experiments, participants completed some questionnaires that they were told measured personality. In one of these measures, they were asked to write down their thoughts about death or a control topic (a non-death related topic). Then they were given a problem-solving task. Successful completion of the task required the inappropriate use of a cultural symbol. For example, in one task, participants had to hang a picture on the wall but the only object in the room that could be used to hammer in the nail was a crucifix. Participants who had previously been asked to write about death took longer to resort to using the crucifix as a hammer than participants who did not write about death. These participants also tried to come up with more alternative means of hanging the picture and expressed more reluctance about using the crucifix in that manner. In another study, similar findings were observed when participants had to damage an American flag to resolve the presented problem.

Cultural symbols provide psychological security. And when we feel insecure, we are more sensitive about these symbols. Thus, it is not surprising that when someone threatens these symbols, the people who value them take offense. This was the goal of Rev Jones. He wanted to take a symbolic stance against Islam. The problem is that too often wars fought in the symbolic world bleed over into the physical world, and real lives are lost.

About the author:

Clay Routledge, Ph.D. is a social psychologist at North Dakota State University. He studies the various ways people defend themselves from psychological threats. His research touches on many topics of social life such as prejudice, personal relationships, self and identity, social cognition, attitudes, culture and belief systems, and health and well-being. He regularly publishes in the top social psychology journals.

Article source here

Craddle to Craddle Ecological Home

Cradle 2 Cradle Home by Coates Design Architects

Roanoke, Virginia

The C2C Home takes "green" literally.

When Matthew Coates and Tim Meldrum won the 2005 C2C Home competition (judged by William McDonough, Daniel Libeskind, among others), they hoped to see their renderings develop into an actual residence. But three years later, the team is waiting for technology, and funding, to catch up to their vision of a home that is off-the-grid, thanks to the help of Popeye’s power: spinach. 

The C2C design reinterprets an age-old concept: the hearth. Made from concrete and steel, the 1,600-square-foot L-shaped home is topped with a tapered whirling chimney-like core that extends high above the roof plane. This core serves as a louvered skylight and temperature-stabilizing heat sink for the one-story home, and could one day support its revolutionary cladding: a conductive material that produces photosynthetic energy generated from spinach protein. 

Based on emerging technology and scientific research, spinach protein cells sandwiched between glass may have the potential to generate energy. This living facade would not only be photosynthetic, but phototropic too. It would grow to follow the path of the sun, generating electricity.  

c2c house interior

The facade is not the only green element of this home. Glass and metal panels insulated with soy foam comprise the exterior walls. A green roof absorbs and filters storm water through vegetation and soil while two large openings in the roof funnel rain to the building core. There, the rain is stored to serve for plumbing, flushing toilets, and other household needs. A bio-filtration system naturally breaks down and separates solid human waste from black water and then filters the black water under and alongside the house through a series of subsurface gravels and soils, from coarse to fine. Thus, the house does not require connection to a sewer or septic tank.  

Image and article source here & here

Architect Information:

Coates Design Architects
921 Hildebrand Lane
Suite 210
Bainbridge Island WA 98110 

The Sense of Wonder...

The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery. There is always more mystery. - Anais Nin 

Mid-Autumn Festival

 Traditional moon cakes

Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Harvest Festival or the Moon Festival, is one of the most popular Chinese Festivals.

It falls on the 15th day of the 8th month in Chinese lunar calendar. Since the new moon day is the first day of a Chinese Lunar Month, the Mid-Autumn Festival coincides with the full moon. In 2010 the Festival is celebrated on September 23. 

According to a folk legend, this is also the birthday of the earth god Tudi Gong  (T'u-ti Kung).

In the traditional China this festival indicated the end of hard work in the fields with only the harvest left to attend to. People used this opportunity to express their gratitude to heaven, which was symbolized by the full moon, and earth symbolized by the earth god,  for the blessings they have enjoyed during the year past.

 

The Chinese were praying to the Moon Goddess Chang'e for protection, good fortune and unity in the family. Mooncakes were used as offerings to the goddess.

Mooncakes were, and still are, exchanged as gifts and eaten on this festival. They symbolize the unity and closeness in the family. 

Pomelos that look like a full moon, are also eaten on this day. The Chinese word for "pomelo" yu, is homophonous with the word for "protection". The word play expresses the hope that the moon goddess will provide the protection they need.

Moon gazing is another essential part of this festival. On this day, the moon is at its roundest and brightest.  

To celebrate the light, homes and streets are decorated with lanterns of all shapes and sizes. The lanterns are also carried in processions.

Mid-Autumn Festival is also a time for lovers to tryst and pray for togetherness and unity which is symbolized by the perfect roundness of the moon.

Unlike most Chinese festivals, the Mid-Autumn Festival is a family holiday, characterized by peace and elegance, contemplation of nature and poetry writing.

The moon cakes giving tradition

Moon cakes have always played a central role in the Mid-Autumn Festival tradition. Once, according to a Chinese legend, moon cakes helped bring about a revolution. 

 

It was during the Yuan dynasty (AD 1280-1368), which was established by the invading Mongol tribes from the north. The Mongols subjugated the Han Chinese and expanded their rule over the vast territories of the Middle Kingdom.

According to Chinese folklore, a Han Chinese rebel leader named Liu Fu Tong, who wanted to bring an end to the oppressive rule of the Yuan dynasty, devised a scheme to arouse the Han Chinese to a rebellion against the Mongols . He sought permission from Mongolian leaders to give gifts to friends as a symbolic gesture to honor the longevity of the Mongolian emperor. Delicious moon cakes seemed to be a wonderfully auspicious gift for the occasion. 

The sweet pastry was a perfect way to circulate subversive messages. The Han Chinese were to begin their rebellion on the fifteenth night of the eighth month. The message was written on a piece of paper that was inserted into the cakes.

Avoiding suspicion of any kind, Liu was able to deliver this important message to his people who secretly prepared the rebellion to overthrow the Yuan dynasty and put an end the humiliating rule of the Mongols. 

Like in the past, moon cakes make a wonderful gift today. They are either filled with red bean paste or a lotus seed paste, with seeds and nuts, and often have one or two egg yolks within to celebrate the beauty of the perfectly round mid-autumn moon.

Wishing everyone a very happy full moon gazing - Dominique 

 

Dominique Allmon©2010

The Moon Cannot Be Stolen

Once upon a time there was a Zen Master who lived a very simple, one could even say austere, life in a little hut at the foot of a tall mountain. One evening, while he was away, a thief sneaked into the hut only to find there was nothing at all in it for him to steal.

When the Zen Master returned home he found the disappointed thief on his porch. 

"You have come a long way to visit me," he told the prowler, "and you should not return empty handed. Please take my clothes as a gift."

The thief was bewildered, but took the clothes and ran away as fast as he could.

The Master sat naked and admired the moon. "Poor fellow," he mused, " I wish I could give him this beautiful moon."

Quote of the Day

"The majority of us lead quiet, unheralded lives as we pass through this world. There will most likely be no ticker-tape parades for us, no monuments created in our honor. But that does not lessen our possible impact, for there are scores of people waiting for someone just like us to come along; people who will appreciate our compassion, our unique talents. Someone who will live a happier life merely because we took the time to share what we had to give. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have a potential to turn a life around. It's overwhelming to consider the continuous opportunities there are to make our love felt."

Dr Leo Buscaglia

Principles of a Free Society

From the page of the Ayn Rand Center for Individual Rights

What makes a society free? What does it mean for an individual to be free - free to pursue his rights to life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness? Just how free are we in the “land of the free and the home of the brave”? And most importantly, what must we now do to achieve the type of free society that our Founding Fathers envisioned? What did they miss that we must now fight for?

In a free society the government’s role is crucial but delimited: the government possesses only those powers delegated to it and necessary for the protection of each citizen’s individual rights against force and fraud. So long as men are voluntarily dealing with one another when they can reach agreement and going their separate ways when they cannot (i.e., exercising their individual rights), the state has no role to play in the affairs of men.

A free society is one where the government does not interfere (by penalty or reward) in thought, production or trade.

A free society requires a separation of:

• Church and State
• Science and State
• Education and State
• Economics and State

Consider the following questions: In a free society, should there be:

• regulations imposed on businesses in addition to objective criminal and civil laws?
• a public education system implementing state-influenced curricula and teaching methods?
• restrictions on free speech in the name of not offending others?
• an ability for the government to seize real estate in the name of eminent domain?
• a central banking system that holds a monopoly over the supply of money?

A free society requires a limited government that enacts and enforces objective laws for the sole purpose of protecting individual rights.

Explore the website to learn more about Ayn Rand’s answers to these and many more questions. Learn more about the principles necessary for a truly free society.

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Constitution Day and The Forgotten Man

 The Forgotten Man by Jon McNaughton, 2010

Constitution Day, also known as the Citizenship Day, is an American federal observance that recognizes the ratification of the United States Constitution and those who have become U.S. citizens. It is observed on September 17, the day the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution in 1787.

"All the American Presidents of the past gather around a man sitting on a park bench. That man, with his head bowed, appears distraught and hopeless as he contemplates his future. Some of the past Presidents try to console him and look in the direction of the modern Presidents as they exclaim, “What have you done?” Many of the modern Presidents behind Barack Obama seem to congratulate each other on their great success oblivious to the man on the bench. In front of the man, paper trash is blowing in the dust. Crumpled dollar bills, Amendments of the Bill of Rights and like a whisper - the U S Constitution beneath the foot of Barack Obama." 

Jon NcNaughton, Artist

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Please, watch the video

Claude Chabrol Dies at the Age 80

 Claude Chabrol June 24, 1930 - September 12, 2010

“Stupidity is infinitely more fascinating than intelligence. Intelligence has its limits while stupidity has none. To observe a profoundly stupid individual can be very enriching, and that’s why we should never feel contempt for them.” - Claude Chabrol

Au revoir, maître! Tu nous manques déjà...

The fabulous French film director Claude Chabrol died in Paris on September 12. He was 80 years old. In a filmmaking career which spanned more than fifty years and around seventy films for cinema and television, Claude Chabrol was one of the most highly regarded and prolific of French film directors.

Widely credited as the founding father of the French Nouvelle Vague movement, Claude Chabrol (June 24, 1930 - September 12, 2010) is responsible for a body of work that is as prolific as it is boldly defined. 

A master of the suspense thriller, Chabrol approached his subjects with a cold, distanced objectivity that has led at least one critic to liken him to a compassionate but unsentimental god viewing the foibles and follies of his creations. Inherent in all of Chabrol's thrillers is the observation of the clash between bourgeois value and barely-contained, oftentimes violent passion. This clash gives the director's work a melodramatic quality that has allowed him to drift between the realm of the art film and that of popular entertainment. 

One of the founders of the Nouvelle Vague (New Wave) movement, Chabrol began his filmmaking career in 1958 as the director, writer, and producer of Le Beau Serge. Modeled after Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt, the film charted the visit of an ailing city-dweller (Jean-Claude Brialy) to his hometown, where he is reunited with his childhood friend (Gérard Blain), who is now a self-pitying alcoholic. Their transference of personal guilt, and then, in the words of Chabrol scholar Charles Derry, "exchange of redemption," gave audiences an initial taste of the deeply-psychological situations Chabrol would continue to examine with chilly objectivity throughout his career, and established him as an important new talent.

Towards the end of his career, Claude Chabrol showed a late flourishing, returning to themes that are characteristic of his oeuvre: the insidious venality of the bourgeois milieu and the perversity of human nature.  His best films from this era include the trilogy that comprised La Cérémonie (1995), Merci pour le chocolat (2000) and La Fleur du mal (2003).  His last film was Bellamy (2009), a thriller featuring Gérard Depardieu.  During this period, Chabrol continued working for French television, his last work being episodes in the anthology series Au siècle de Maupassant. 

His legacy is an impressive body of work that has justly earned him the reputation of one of France’s finest and best-known filmmakers. Although Chabrol never received a César or a Palm d'Or, he was highly celebrated at various film festivals all over the world.

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Article source here & here

If I Know a Song of Africa...

"If I know a song of Africa, of the giraffe and the African new moon lying on her back, of the plows in the fields and the sweaty faces of the coffee pickers, does Africa know a song of me? Will the air over the plain quiver with a color that I have had on, or the children invent a game in which my name is, or the full moon throw a shadow over the gravel of the drive that was like me, or will the eagles of the Ngong Hills look out for me?" 

From "Out of Africa" by Isak Dinesen  (1885-1962) - a pen name of Karen von Blixen-Finecke

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The Choice is Yours

"We can always choose to perceive things differently. We can focus on what's wrong in our life, or we can focus on what's right."

Marianne Williamson
Spiritual Activist, Author and Lecturer

Love

People are starving for love, not knowing their heart is a magical kitchen. Open your heart. Open your magical kitchen and refuse to walk around the world begging for love. In your heart is all the love you need. Your heart can create any amount of love, not just for yourself, but for the whole world. - Don Miguel Ruiz, Mexican writer

Jobless in Seattle...

The government has embraced an arrogant ideology. They claim to know the key to prosperity. It’s analogous to communism. They thought the same thing. The clever ones - themselves - would run everything. That’s the analogy. The key to prosperity is to let things run themselves. We’ll liberalize everything, let everyone look after himself, let business, not the state, run the economy. The state should have no views, no policies of its own. Just open it all up, step back, let it go and you’ll see how well everything will work if we just leave things alone. - Vaclav Havel

According to the employment record for August 2010, the situation wasn't as bad as the economists previously feared. Speaking from the Rose Garden after the report was released, President Obama said the economy was moving in a “positive direction", but unfortunately exceeding low expectations and making progress are not the same thing. 

"The economy is moving in a positive direction, jobs are being created; they're just not being created as fast as they need to, given the big hole that we experienced," Obama said on September 3rd. "We're moving in the right direction. We just have to speed it up."  (...) “There’s no quick fix for this recession,” Obama said. “The hard truth is that it took years to create our current economic problems, and it will take more time than any of us would like to repair the damage.”

Meanwhile, the jobless rate in the U.S. is likely to approach 10 percent in coming months as the economy fails to grow fast enough to employ people rejoining the labor force. 

The government's stimulus package failed to bring the results that were hoped for.  President, who managed to triple  the national debt during his first hundred days in office, claims that more money is needed. How much more? 

President Barack Obama is proposing to expand tax relief for businesses and boost federal spending on transportation to help boost the economy. During his Labor Day appearance on September 6th in Milwaukee,  Obama called for $50 billion in the first of a six-year program to repair roads, railways and modernize the air-traffic control system. 

Another proposal will be laid out on Wednesday, September 8. The new proposal that amounts to $100 billion would increase and permanently extend research and development tax credits for businesses, rewarding companies that develop new technologies domestically and preserve American jobs. It would be paid for by closing other corporate tax loopholes. The proposal has yet to be approved by the Congress. The GOP which opposes the bill will, most certainly, have to take the blame for obstructing President's efforts to revive the stagnant economy. 

"The White House is missing the big picture. These aren't necessarily bad proposals, but they don't address the two big problems that are hurting our economy - excessive government spending, and the uncertainty that Washington Democrats' policies, especially their massive tax hike, are creating for small businesses."  - House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R, Ohio).

"The best that can be said about the new White House proposals is that they’re probably not as poorly designed as previous stimulus schemes. Federal infrastructure spending almost surely fails a cost-benefit test, but even bridges to nowhere carry some traffic. The money would generate more jobs and more output if left in the private sector, so the macroeconomic impact is still negative, but presumably not as negative as bailouts for profligate state and local governments or subsidies to encourage unemployment – which were key parts of previous stimulus proposals." - Dan Mitchell

Happiness...

The really happy person is

the one who can enjoy

the scenery, even when

they have to take a detour.

Sir James Jeans

Wandering a Deserted Beach at Dawn...

“While wandering a deserted beach at dawn, stagnant in my work, I saw a man in the distance bending and throwing as he walked the endless stretch toward me. As he came near, I could see that he was throwing starfish, abandoned on the sand by the tide, back into the sea. When he was close enough I asked him why he was working so hard at this strange task. He said that the sun would dry the starfish and they would die. I said to him that I thought he was foolish. there were thousands of starfish on miles and miles of beach. One man alone could never make a difference. He smiled as he picked up the next starfish. Hurling it far into the sea he said, 'It makes a difference for this one.' I abandoned my writing and spent the morning throwing starfish.” - Loren Eiseley

Loren Eiseley (September 3, 1907 – July 9, 1977) was an American anthropologist, educator, philosopher, and natural science writer, who taught and published books from the 1950s through the 1970s. During this period he received more than 36 honorary degrees and was a fellow of many distinguished professional societies. At his death, he was Benjamin Franklin Professor of Anthropology and History of Science at the University of Pennsylvania.

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A Memory of Arizona

Do you remember that dark night,

We met upon the Verde Trail,

And I was paralyzed with fright,

Occasioned by a weird wild wail.

Across the canyon to our right,

It seemed to come; and raise my hair,

And I would sure have taken flight,

If your Old Friend had not been there.

And I have never, to this day,

Been able to describe the fear,

When I first heard a Burro bray,

And thought a Mountain Lion near.

I've laughed, 'til I could laugh no more,

Your answer, it was such a dry one,

As I heard that appalling roar,

And asked "Was that a Mountain Lion?"

Your calm reply dispelled all fear,

And made me feel at once quite merry,

"That Mountain Lion that you hear,

Is just a lone Washoe Canary."

By Benjamin Peck Keith (1856-1927)

The Anti-Stress Program

What is stress?

Stress is the body's innate and natural response to unusual impulses coming from the environment. Our reaction is genetically programmed as a response to danger and has a self-preserving quality. It is a physiological reaction of the entire organism that helps us to make instant judgment about the danger of the situation and the possible consequences we might experience if we do not take immediate action. We react to unexpected challenges as well as the demands of daily life. Stress can be caused by both, positive and negative events and our emotional response to them. In this regard it is very much an individual affair. What one person experiences as a positive challenge and motivation to action may be very stressful and overwhelming to another.

Some stress in life is necessary for us to enjoy life and perform optimally. We feel motivated and find balance between our work and leisure. Lack of challenge leads to boredom and lack of motivation. Our performance is mediocre and we feel frustrated. Too much stress, on the other hand, is counterproductive. We feel overwhelmed, lose motivation, become chaotic and disorganized. Our performance lacks quality. We make mistakes and get sick more often. We might become chronically stressed.

Research shows that stress is the leading cause of disease in the civilized world. Stress is not only a direct cause of many disorders such as heart disease, but it also influences our response to life pressures. To cope, many people under stress often chose health damaging strategies. They consume more coffee or alcohol, they smoke more, overeat, eat unhealthy food, resort to tranquilizers, sleeping pills, and painkillers thus even further weakening the body's ability to cope with external and internal stressors. 

Physiology of stress

Stress response is a mind-body phenomenon. It is a very complex process that involves the nervous system, the endocrine system, and the immune system. When we perceive a situation as stressful and decide that we cannot cope with it, a series of physiological reactions in the body takes place. Information from the cerebral cortex which is the seat of our thought processes, is sent via neurons to the hypothalamus. Hypothalamus produces sympathetic arousal of the Autonomic Nervous System or the ANS. ANS controls the heart, lungs, stomach, and blood vessels. It regulates blood circulation, respiration, digestion, and the body temperature. The ANS consists of two systems:

• the parasympathetic nervous system
• the sympathetic nervous system

The parasympathetic nervous system maintains homeostasis in the body through the release of acetylcholine. It is responsible for energy conservation and relaxation. Sympathetic nervous system, on the other hand, is responsible for the arousal through the release of epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) by the adrenal glands, and prepares the body for action. Among others, our heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, sugar and lipid levels in the blood increase, digestion slows down, perspiration increases. We become alert and ready to "fight". The stress response also involves the activity of the thyroid and the pituitary glands. Pituitary gland releases oxytocin and vasopressin as well as hormones which stimulate the adrenal cortex to produce cortisol, and the thyroid gland which releases thyroxine. Among others, cortisol increases the blood pressure and mobilizes the release of lipids and glucose from the adipose tissues. Thyroxine increases the metabolic rate, rises blood sugar levels, increases heart rate, and the blood pressure. Our whole body is ready to either fight or flight. When we consider that the situation is no longer threatening, the parasympathetic nervous system helps to restore the equilibrium in the body. We can relax. 

In our modern world however, we often perceive daily situations as stressful. Consequently, the body constantly releases cortisol. Increased levels of cortisol over a prolonged period of time lower the efficiency of our immune system and we are more susceptible to infections. The adrenal cortex releases hormone called aldosterone which is responsible for the re-absorption of sodium and water and the subsequent release of potassium from the kidneys. This increases the blood volume and, consequently, the blood pressure rises. On the long run, this causes hypertension. A wide variety of other health problems such as headache, pain in the back, heart disease, and even cancer, may be related to chronic stress. The worse we feel, the more difficult it is for us to handle stressful situations.  

How to deal with stress?

As mentioned before, response to stressors is very individual. Even an objectively dangerous situation will be interpreted as stressor only when a person recognizes the danger and decides that he or she cannot cope with it. A person may feel immobilized. The belief that there is no solution and that one is powerless, determines the level of stress. On the other hand, a person who feels empowered and believes that he or she can cope, will not feel stressed, but rather challenged to take action.

Our personal disposition and experience influence our reaction to stressful situations. In order to successfully deal with stress in daily life one must

• become aware of what stresses us - identifying stressful factors in life may help us reduce daily stress through better organization and time management. 
• what are our beliefs about stressors and our ability to deal with them - when we become aware of our thoughts and beliefs associated with stressful experience, we will be able to take a better control over our lives and learn to better deal with stress. We may learn to develop resilience to stressful situations.
• what strategies do we apply to cope with stress - taking an honest look at the strategies we developed to deal with stress will help us understand that we may not be supportive of our bodies and minds and are rather on a way to a chronic disease. Relaxation, adequate sleep, moderate exercise, and healthy nutrition will help us develop a strong and healthy body that will be more resistant to emotional and physical stress. Learning some relaxation techniques such as the Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique, or Relaxation Response, for instance, will help one to relax instantly in a stressful situation or at the end of a long work day.

Nutrition and nutritional supplements

We can support our behavioral strategies with balanced nutrition and nutritional supplements. Chronic stress depletes the adrenal glands and may lead to adrenal exhaustion. We may develop range of stress-related symptoms and disorders such as:

• chronic fatigue
• headache
• back pain
• irritability
• insomnia
• depression
• anxiety
• gastrointestinal problems
• nutritional deficiencies
• diabetes
• skin problems and allergies
• frequent infections
• addictions
• PMS
• libido and fertility problems
• systemic inflammation
• cancer

 A diet rich in nutrients and high quality protein is essential for people who are exposed to chronic stress. Nutrients such as vitamins, especially vitamin A, C, E, and the B vitamins, and minerals, especially magnesium, calcium, selenium, potassium, and zinc, are quickly depleted under stress and must be replenished. The more stressed we are the more quickly we become deficient. Vitamins and minerals are also helpful to restore immune system weakened by chronic stress. The alkalizing minerals help us to take care of the hyperacidity resulting from stress. One may also want to supplement with a free form of amino acids to balance energy and deliver protein in times when digestion and absorption of nutrients is compromised by stress. Some amino acids, like taurine for instance, are natural relaxants. To enhance digestion and ease digestive problems associated with stress, a good digestive enzyme and probiotic formula should be taken with meals. To better cope with stress, one should also supplement with omega-3 essential fatty acids. Studies show that people consuming high amounts of fish and fish oil are more resistant to stress and recover much faster from emotional traumas. 

Adaptogens 

Adaptogens are herbs with remarkable healing properties. They are able to restore and balance our bodily functions, to strengthen the body, and to relax the mind. When we are under extreme pressure, adaptogens help us relax. When we feel lethargic or fatigued, adaptogens give us energy and help us build up stamina and resistance. The best known adaptogens are:

• ashwaganda (Whitania somnifera)
• eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
• Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng)
• reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
• rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea)

Adaptogens can boost the energy levels and treat mental fatigue. They are best taken in a concentrated capsule form or as a tincture. To restore the adrenal balance it is sensible to take the adaptogens for at least three months. 

Conclusion

Stress is an inevitable fact of daily life, but it can have serious consequences. It can negatively affect not only our mental and physical health, but also our relationships. We can learn to alter our responses to physical, mental, and emotional stressors and develop strategies to better deal with stressful situations. Learning how to relax and devoting some time to peaceful, quiet activities is essential. Moderate exercise, hatha yoga, qi gong, or tai qi quan, help restore flexibility to the body and relax the mind. Supporting the body with wholesome foods will further increase our capacity to face life's challenges.

By Dominique Allmon

*This article was written for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat a disease.

The Anti-Stress Program by Dominique Allmon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Quote of the Day

 Icarus, 1930 by Lewis W. Hine

A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have. - Gerald R. Ford, 38th President of the United States