Assessing stress and life style diseases-need for appropriate coping patterns

Stress is an all-pervading phenomenon in life. It is the product of dynamic interaction of the individuals with the environment and is triggered by their perception of threat or challenge. It is necessary and useful for personality growth when in optimum quantity. When this level, which varies from person to person is exceeded, the costs are experienced in the form of health problems and illnesses. It can lead to unhealthy lifestyle and health damaging behaviour. The modern lifestyle of excesses in eating, drinking and the so called fast paced good life has led to the violation of basic principles of health. The response to stress is determined by one's personality, motivation, problem-solving capacity and the ability for self-introspection. Various environmental factors interact with individual make-up like disease, diet, drugs, occupation, family and social situation, physical and mental fitness, emotional stability and the ability to relax. We are developing unhealthy eating habits in conjunction with a diet high in saturated fats, sugar, and refined foods but low in fibre and towards lifestyle characterized by lower levels of activity, high stress levels and poor coping techniques. Stress has been shown to affect almost all body systems, resulting in cardiovascular disease, neuromuscular disorders, respiratory and allergic problems, gastro-intestinal disturbances, diabetes and cancer. The present paper has been designed to evaluate the effectiveness of targeting individual lifestyle diseases and adaptive coping strategies to reduce stress and improve health. Balanced diet, exercise, positive attitude and social support can go a long way in dealing with lifestyle diseases.