How many of us are lucky enough to have an Aunt Bea? I mean, Andy of Mayberry had it pretty good. Life, as Andy, was quiet, peaceful and simple. Saturdays were used for exploring and fishing with his son Opie. The focus for dinner was eating together as well as talking about the day's affairs with no interruption from phone calls or TV. Regular times were established for bed and community support was important. I know that this was "make believe," but can you consider for a moment the possibility of life as Andy?

Today's fathers (whether single or married) live in high stress times, advanced technology and fast paced lifestyles. Single fathers, statistically, are increasing in our society, but unlike Andy, the pressures on today's fathers lend itself to more fast foods and spending less quality time with children. In today's society, what we are perceiving as normal, may not be. The root cause of most diseases is stress related. Diseases such as cardiovascular, cancer, arteriosclerosis and strokes are on the rise. To make matters worse, we tend to navigate to habits that perpetuates this cycle even more.

Let's take caffeine for example. Having that drink of coffee to start the day may seem like a good choice, but let's examine this. According to Stephen Cherniske, author of "Caffeine Blues," caffeine is clearly addictive and contributes to symptoms such as palpitations, panic attacks, hypoglycemia, gastritis, fatigue and insomnia to name a few. Caffeine has been shown to raise blood pressure, increase homocysteine (a biochemical that damages artery walls), promote arrhythmias and constrict blood vessels leading to the heart. I could go on, but you get the picture. If stress can also raise blood pressure, promote arrhythmias, affect blood sugar levels and gastrointestinal functions, then clearly using coffee as a stimulant to get through stressful situations only compounds the problem.

Another misconceived "stress reliever" is sugar. Desserts ("stressed" spelled backwards) are used in many cases as comfort foods. Don't misunderstand, life is about joy and enjoyment. Limitations on oneself can produce stress which is what we are trying to eliminate. Cultivating good habits and learning good quality substitutions can only enhance well being. Refined sugars such as white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, fructose and high-fructose corn syrup raises insulin levels which affects DHEA levels (which affects sleep), depletes minerals and produces acidity. Using more complex sugars such as brown rice syrup, barley malt and maple syrup in desserts reduces the effects of stress. Also, try using stevia in caffeine-free teas.

Turning back the clock is not the idea behind this article. Why would we? We live in wonderful times with wonderful technology. Managing stress is the key. The dangers of stress are real and need to be addressed, however. By eliminating "internal" stressors like caffeine and sugars, we can only enhance our well being, which ultimately cultivates healthy perception of "outside" stressors. Add to this a healthy exercise regime, eating more vegetables, fruits and whole grains, taking supplements, watching alcohol consumption and drinking plenty of good quality water can only produce positive outcomes when dealing with life's stresses.

There are many lessons to be learned from Andy. Eating together as a family without TV, text messaging, or phone calls, whistling while walking outside to the lake for a family outing (without cell phones) and taking time to be with neighbors and friends are just a few tips. This Father's Day, maybe instead of keeping up with the Jones's, we may want to keep up with Andy.

---

Comments

Add New Search

Write comment
Name:
Email:	do not notifynotify
Website:
Title:
	Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.

Powered by !JoomlaComment 3.12

Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved.