Don’t stress over it

In our crazy world, there’s no shortage of things to worry about. And unfortunately, that stress can shorten your life.

This news comes from a recent study published in the Journal of Aging Research.

A group of 1,443 men, all around age 65, were surveyed every three years since 1985. Every time, they completed the Elders Life Stress Inventory.

The 30 questions on the survey measured the stressful events these folks encountered during the past year. Things like putting a spouse or parent into assisted living. A child’s divorce. Retirement. Their own marital problems, separation, divorce.

The results: Men were 50 percent more likely to die early if they had at least two stressful life events over an 18-year period.

Well, you certainly can’t escape life’s problems. But when the going gets tough, there are things you can do to better deal with the stress (like exercise, for one). Far too many people ease the pain with antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs. Trouble is, those SSRIs and SNRIs cause problems of their own.

But several natural alternatives to these drugs can “take the edge off.”

In fact, I’ve listed four of my favorites in the lead article of this month’s issue of my Logical Health Alternatives  newsletter (titled “The top 5 drugs I love to hate”). Subscribers can download and view this issue online by visiting www.logicalhealthalternatives.com. And if you’re not already a subscriber, the website also offers details on how you can become one, and access this important information starting today.

Source:
“Do Stress Trajectories Predict Mortality in Older Men? Longitudinal Findings from the VA Normative Aging Study,” Journal of Aging Research  2011; 2011: 896,109