Keep stress levels in check to maintain a healthy body

The equation for good health includes variables we can control, and others, not so much. With diet and exercise, we can make choices to enhance health. But when it comes to the everyday stresses in life, the triggers may be primarily out of our control. Life happens!

Despite lack of control, we can do things to help handle stress and reduce the impact of that stress on health. Here is a sampling of what we think are the most important things to do to maximize "stress resistance." Think of it as boosting your immunity to stress.

» Stay nutritionally unstressed. A limited supply of any essential nutrient can reduce stress resistance. Some nutrients are more directly related to stress management than others. For example, vitamin C is especially important for both brain and adrenal gland function. A shortage of vitamin C would be expected to hamper normal brain function and disrupt the proper handling of stress hormone production in the adrenal gland. B vitamins also play a variety of unique roles in both brain function and stress hormone balance.

A variety of minerals — from iron and iodine to copper and zinc — is needed to keep the ship of stress sailing straight through choppy seas. The brain also requires omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, found in fatty fish and fish oils.

So, along with eating well, the nutritional first defense for stress management could include a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement along with consuming fish a couple of times a week.

Without fish in the diet, a fish oil or high-DHA algae oil supplement would make sense.

Avoid mega-dose multisupplements. Nutrient excess also can stress the body over time. One common brand that we like is the Nature Made Multi versions that generally have reasonable levels of the key nutrients without going overboard on anything.

» Stay active. Keeping physically fit is well known to promote mental and emotional fitness. However, just like excessive nutrient intake, taking exercise to extremes can become a stressor itself. Athletes learn that overtraining can take a toll on their ability to handle stress and avoid getting sick. It is important to find the dose that is right for you and pick activities you enjoy.

» Sleep well. Sleep can be compromised when stress is high, and poor sleep adds greatly to the stress. Falling into this vicious cycle can seriously damage health. Tricks to improve sleep vary greatly from one person to another. For some, soothing music or a radio talk show (with a timer set to turn the radio off) can pull the brain away from thoughts of nagging stressful problems and trigger sleep.

Depending on the person, well-timed exercise, stretching, relaxation breathing or meditation can work well as anti-stressors that enhance sleep.

Sharon Melnick, business psychologist and author of "Success Under Stress," describes a simple breathing trick she claims will quickly trigger the slumber response. Cover your right nostril and breathe through your left only. Within three to five minutes of this, you should be snoozing. We haven’t tried it yet.

» Keep a good mindset. Most stressful events need to be put into perspective to help to determine the right course of action. Try to avoid knee-jerk reactions that internalize stress. Step back a bit, let it go by and take some time to "digest" it.

Alan Titchenal, Ph.D., C.N.S., and Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S., are nutritionists in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii-Manoa. Dobbs also works with University Health Services.