STRESS OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD IMPACTS ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

by Elena Chobanian

When you face very difficult moments in life, such as losing someone dear, illness, war, it seems that there is no way out, and that high level of stress and suffering seem to continue forever. But, take a deep breath and remember, that the sun will soon come out and shine on you.

Gina Gardiner is a three-time number 1 international best selling author, motivational speaker, empowerment coach. She has supported many individuals and couples to develop a greater sense of self-worth, the confidence to challenge and change limiting beliefs in order to become more loving towards themselves and others.

Gina learned to walk twice as an adult whilst running an award-winning school, for the most part from a wheelchair. The gift of this experience was the development of a unique approach to life and developing leadership. The author believes that disability is a metaphor for life. She says "If you believe that you lack the time, money, expertise, if you fear you are not you are not good enough, pretty enough, that you are too old, too young, too fat or too short, too poor or too uneducated to achieve your dream the chances are you will fail." But,... are you?

We present an exclusive interview with the author herself, GINA GARDINER.

-        Which are the first best working steps and actions to get rid of the stress caused by different factors, especially during war?

-        Stress is the body’s natural response to a threat both real or perceived. It is a designed to help us escape from the danger so the body releases adrenaline, cortisol and hydrocortisone (stress hormones). These are designed to increase heart rate in order to get oxygen and glucose to the muscles so the person under threat can run away. The challenge of modern day living is that for the most part the threats are psychological, and the hormones remain in the system as the person involved doesn’t run away. The stress hormones remain in the system and if the stress continues over time, the levels of stress hormones increase too.

-        And, if the stress becomes frequent?

-        Stress over an extended period impacts on the immune system, results in raised blood pressure which significantly increases the chance of stroke or heart attack, insomnia, anxiety and depression are just some of the common problems caused by ongoing stress.

-        How can stressful situation be balanced or dealt?

-        It needs to be dealt with at a number of levels. It is important to recognize that high levels of stress over a prolonged period of time create can be extremely harmful. Those suffering from high levels of stress, particularly if they are feeling unwell should seek medical advice. However there is a great deal we can do to help ourselves.

• Using the bodies own bio-chemical processes one of the best antidotes to the build up of the stress hormones is exercise. Not only does it reduce the level of stress hormones in the body it also releases the feel good hormones, endorphins, serotonin and dopamine. Regular exercise is a great way to manage feelings of stress.
• Laughter is another great antidote as laughing releases the feel good hormones.
• Deep breathing is a great way to destress. When we are stressed our breathing tends to become more shallow and more rapid. The balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood can be affected causing light headedness and contributing to anxiety or panic attacks. Sitting quietly and taking 5 slow deep breaths in and out to the count of 5 can bring your breathing and heart rate down and facilitates coherence between the right and left hemispheres of the brain which helps get things into perspective.
• Mindfulness, meditation, getting out into nature are really helpful particularly if they are practiced on a regular basis.
• Use the ‘Mountain Molehill’ test. Does this situation feel like a mountain or a molehill now? Will it be a mountain or a molehill tomorrow? How about in a week, a month, a year? Will it still be a mountain as you look back on your deathbed? If you are going to downgrade it in time – why wait? Choose to do it now!

-        Are there other techniques as well?

-        Yes, there are many other techniques to minimize the impact of stress within the Personal Empowerment Plan. A six month programme where a technique, strategy or principle are shared each week for 26 weeks via a PEP talk video on a Sunday. Of course, it is really important to deal with the source of the stress if possible. Relationships, money, being out of alignment with your values, the job… the list is endless. It is important to recognize that it is not the challenge which defines you but what you do with it.

When you hand the responsibility to others for your emotional wellbeing you have to put up with what they decide. It puts you in the role of victim.Taking radical responsibility for your thoughts, beliefs, words and actions means you take control of the quality of your life.

-     Why do the majority of people give up fighting?

-      When people go into overwhelm they find it very hard to get a sense of perspective, it is common for them to become paralyzed by the seeming enormity of what is going on. It is vital to break things down into manageable chunks. You couldn’t eat a cow or a field of corn in one sitting. This is no different. Creating the opportunity to succeed, prioritizing, making a distinction between what is urgent and what is important, being busy v being productive will help.

-     From where did you find the power to go on, even to thrive and succeed in your career as an author and inspirational speaker? And how can sensitive persons find that strength to live, at the same time to succeed?

-     I have a very strong sense of purpose, which makes a significant difference. It is that which gets me out of bed in the morning when things are challenging. Focusing on what I can do rather than what I cant made all the difference when I was totally wheelchair bound and has been incredibly empowering in life generally.

I was brought up with the principle – if you are feeling fed up or unhappy – go and do something to help others. Be grateful – collect gratitudes. These are principle, which have served me well and my clients have found it works very well for them too. Do you think there are some specifics, principles for becoming successful? Which are those? Highly successful people have one thing in common. They believe they will succeed even when they are not sure quite how and they are prepared to take sustained action until they do. 

-  If success means wealth or popularity for some people, how can they achieve that state from failure?

-  Success means different things to different people. It is important to define your criteria for success right from the outset. It is also important to recognize that every successful person will have had a number of things which haven’t worked out. The difference is not only do they have the resilience and tenacity to keep going, they see failure as an opportunity to learn. In reality the only true failures are the failure to try and the failure to learn from the situation.

-     Have you ever worked, coached with an Armenian? (the question can be available, if you’ve worked with).

- I’ve worked with people from all sorts of backgrounds but so far no one who is Armenian.

- Which would be your advice for our readers, especially to those who have ambitious dreams and goals?

-      Having a dream or goal is a fantastic start. Ask yourself why is that dream important to you? Knowing your WHY? is not only a great motivator it also keeps you on track when things get tricky. Recognize that grand gestures rarely work in a sustained way. It is action taken in a sustained way over time which makes the greatest difference.

Plan strategically. Start with your end goal and plan backwards. Create SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable (with some level of challenge) relevant and time related. Be aware that the thing most likely to sabotage your success is you! So, take radical responsibility for your actions or, in difficult cases, seek help.