I was standing in the queue at the bank today when it struck me how queues give us a perfect case study when it comes to stress.

I was waiting in a line of about 47 people, trying to estimate how long it would take me to be served by one of three bank clerks (one half asleep.)

I admit, I was frustrated, bored, hungry and worried about the length of my ?to do? list at work! In front of me were two very relaxed women, having the most amazing and very entertaining gossip.

On the opposite end of the spectrum to them ? and even to me ? was a guy who looked like he was going to explode with rage, judging by the wildly pulsating vein on his forehead. All this reminded me of a couple of things.

Firstly, never ever go to the bank when you are hungry or in a hurry and secondly, if possible, go with a friend you haven?t seen for ages. It also reminded me of two very wise and important words ? internet banking.

Stress is a very individual thing ? what stresses out some people to the point of a coronary, barely makes others raise an eyebrow. The problem is that most of us do get stressed, and more importantly, it?s how our bodies react to stress that really matters.

Consider this. For approximately 99 percent of our evolutionary history, humans have lived as ?hunter-gatherers.? Life as a hunter-gatherer was admittedly stressful, but these stresses were largely due to having to fight for our lives, or to flee for our lives.

This environment led to the development of what?s called the ?fight or flight? syndrome. As a hunter-gatherer, if you needed to fight or flee, the stress (whether it was fleeing from a lion, or killing a buffalo to feed your family) caused your body to be flooded with adrenaline.

This was a highly appropriate response as the adrenaline heightened your senses and triggered the release of glucose from stores in the body, into the bloodstream, where it was available to maximise your speed and strength.

However although we lead much more sedentary and much less threatened lives these days, our bodies have not yet adapted effectively to the new stressful situations that we find ourselves in.

The fight or flight response does serve us well if we need to say, run from a mugger or lift a heavy object that is trapping a child. But these are physically urgent stresses that don?t happen particularly often.

Instead, we are frequently worried by the stresses that accompany our more recent history ? such as bills, cancer, divorce and pressure at work.

Our body?s response here is inappropriate, we don?t need sensory stimulation, extra strength or speed, what we need is someone to calm us down, to tell us it?s going to be OK.

So, whilst we are sitting at our desks, lying in our beds, or watching TV, we are often also stressed out. The adrenaline and glucose is racing round our bodies, but we don?t need it as we are not being physically active at the time. Instead, it can actually be harmful.

Excess sugar and adrenaline in the bloodstream can cause blood to become sticky. This is useful if you are fighting or fleeing (for you are less likely to bleed to death from an injury) but in turn, it can contribute to heart disease.

And as sustained stress also involves frequently high blood sugar, this can exhaust the pancreas as it struggles to provide the insulin required to bring blood sugar down to an acceptable level.

So in this way, stress can not only contribute to heart disease, but also to adult onset diabetes. And (as if all this wasn?t bad enough) stress can also cause a whole host of digestive complaints.

Our fight or flight response causes energy to be diverted away from ?non-urgent? processes, including digestion. This can contribute to ailments such as indigestion, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and colitis ? especially where meals are taken under pressure or in a rush.

Therefore, it is not only our inappropriate response to stress, but also our chronic experience of stress that makes it so harmful.

Over the long term, stress is thought to deplete many of the nutrients that are needed for the immune system, resulting in poor immunity, such as frequent incidence of colds and infections.

In addition, stress depletes the body of nutrients needed for energy, especially the B vitamins, vitamin C, CoQ10, Iron, Copper and Magnesium ? so not only are we stressed, but we then feel lousy too.

Crucially, B vitamins are also important for supporting the nervous system ? so many people who suffer from chronic stress tend to become anxious, tense, panicky, even depressed.

It?s really a vicious circle because the more stressed we are, the more nutrient depleted we come, which makes us less able to deal with the stress, which makes us more stressed!

Are you stressed yet?! However, there is good news too. Whilst excess, chronic stress is harmful, a small amount of stress is perfectly normal.

Some stress is even useful, such as the adrenaline that gets us away from that mugger, or through a big presentation or performance.

But it?s important not to get addicted to stress, or to abuse your body?s tolerance of stress, because it?s when we are continually in a state of stress that the problems arise.

So if you think you may be an abuser, rather than a user of the stress response, pay extra attention to the guidance below.

I may not be able to help you get up to speed from an evolutionary point of view, but I can help you to reduce your exposure to stress and to improve your body?s resilience.

Some of the tips below are obvious, some are less so ? just pick out the bits that are relevant to you.

Eat a diet rich in wholegrains, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds. These are rich in the B vitamins and antioxidants that are depleted by stress. They are also rich in calcium and magnesium, which help promote relaxation.

Eat little and often, and avoid refined sugar and caffeine in order to help balance blood sugar. Refined sugar and caffeine can also deplete the body of nutrients so really are best avoided. Replace candy with fresh fruit and a small handful of unsalted nuts.

If you have a chocolate craving, try small quantities of quality dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate. Luna Bars (Lindos in Devonshire, Miles and Harrington Hundreds) are also useful treats for women as they contain less sugar than most candy bars, three grams of fibre and nine grams of soy protein. Fibre and protein both help to steady the release of glucose into the bloodstream.

Try Rooibosch (aka Redbush) tea or Chamomile tea instead of ordinary coffee and tea. These are naturally caffeine free and very relaxing. Rooibosch tea is also rich in antioxidants and tastes similar to standard tea. It is one of the only herbal teas that works well with milk. Stash also do a ?Sandman pm? tea that helps promote restful sleep.

Don?t have a heavy meal close to your bedtime. If your body is having problems digesting it will keep you awake!

Avoid drinking alcohol in excess as although you may fall asleep quickly, you are more likely to wake up (with your tongue stuck to the roof of your mouth!)

Getting an adequate amount of sleep (seven to eight hours for most adults) is important for calming down your body and mind at the end of the day.

Sleep is a time for repair and recuperation, undoing some of the damage caused by stress and giving us the energy to deal with problems more quickly and efficiently. Therefore, avoid reading or watching anything that may worry or upset you before you go to sleep (e.g. the papers, bills, a scary movie.)

If you are currently finding it hard to get to sleep or to stay asleep, then you could try taking the herb Valerian, which promotes naturally restful sleep. However, if you have any health conditions, or are taking any medication, please check this with your doctor first.

In addition, if you persistently experience problems sleeping, it is important to consult your doctor.

Try putting lavender or chamomile essential oils on your pillow if you have problems sleeping ? these are good for relaxation, but only if you like their scent!

If you find it difficult to switch off after a busy day, then the Metaphysical Bookshop (Reid Street Extension) has a good selection of relaxation CDs, meditation books etc. Experiment and find something that suits you!

Keep a pad of paper and a pen by your bed. If your mind is racing about the next days tasks - make a list to help you organise your day.

DO NOT feel guilty about taking time out for YOU to relax. Regardless of how much housework/office work there is to do, you will do everything better if you are relaxed and happy.

Easier said than done I know. But PRIORITISE. Figure out what is most important and do those things first ? the other stuff can wait.

Try reflexology, massage, facials? whatever makes you relaxed and happy. I?m a big fan of hot stone massage ? it?s amazing! If your budget restricts this, swap massages with a friend or spouse. If your friend/partner/spouse finds massage ?boring? bribe them with TV watching of their choice, dinner cooked by you etc.

Exercise is often a great way for relieving stress, especially relaxing forms of exercise such as Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi.

For the rest of this month I?ll be taking a closer look at some of the major stress-associated health problems, especially IBS, panic attacks and high blood pressure.

See you here next week in the meantime, have a relaxing weekend!

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