-Dr.Dianne McCallister, Chief Medical Officer at Porter Adventist Hospital

There are many situations, beyond the stock market, that can cause us to worry - tight budgets, fear of losing a job, concern for parents or children and marital discord can all be huge sources of stress.

Our bodies are designed to react to things that might harm us by releasing hormones that help us respond and save our lives.

It is commonly called the “fight or flight” response - and if you think about the feeling you would get if you looked up and saw a car about to hit you, that is the response.

Here is how your body reacts:

• Adrenaline is released -giving you the ability to move extra fast by increasing your heart rate. This is how people do “super-human” things in emergencies
• After you are out of danger, your body quits putting out adrenaline
• If the stress is ongoing, or chronic, the body puts out a hormone called cortisol which has the effect of decreasing inflammation -but also makes the body crave salt and fat and hold on to weight

Our body has only one response to danger - whether it is danger of losing our lives, or danger from from a situation that feels threatening in a psychological way. So, we respond to the stress of perceived financial - or interpersonal situations by putting out all these same hormones.

Unfortunately, in situations like a volatile stock market, these responses don’t help anything at all. In fact, studies show that over time, getting chronic stress is associated with increased risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease and depression.

The good news is that we can learn how to respond to stressful situations in ways that do not trigger a fight or flight response. We can learn to make a choice about our reactions.

Managing Stress

Stop and take a deep breat. Evaluate the situation. Learn to “let go” of the things out of your control

Meditation

Exercise helps

Eat nutritiously

Get enough sleep

If you cannot manage the stress on your own, you should get help from a counselor or physician.

They can help you learn stress management techniques, and if necessary they can give you medications that might help. Stressful situations come and go, and things will get better.

If you are so stressed that you are considering ending your life, you should immediately call a hotline such as 1-800-TALK to get help - or you can go to the Emergency Room and get help.

For more on stress and your body, visit National Institutes of Health.

Dr. McCallister is on 7NEWS at 11 a.m. every Wednesday. If you have a topic or question you would like her to discuss, email 11am@thedenverchannel.com.