8/9/2019 Coast Kids article: "So Stressed"

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4 4 C O A S T K I D S

It isnt easy to be of good cheer when stress

pervades your daily existence. Whether its the

in-laws overstaying their welcome, piles of

presents to wrap, crowds at the mall, or just

the harried pace of everyday life, stress affects

each of us. Yet it affects each of us differently.

pp No matter how you respond to stress, a newbook by two local obstetrician-gynecologists

may help you feel merrier, not just for the holi-

days, but forever. Stephanie McClellan, M.D. and

Beth Hamilton, M.D. are so approachable and

downright normal; theyre as likely to be your

BFFs as your OB-GYNs. Which makes it all themore impressive that, in addition to raising kids

and running their practice, theyve written So

Stressed: The Ultimate Stress-Relief Plan

for Women, to be released in January (Free

Press, $26).

The greatest biological experiment in the

last 50 years is the way weve changed how

we interact socially and how we have changed

our food source, McClellan says. Think texting,

internet, fast food, prepared foods. Weve never

been sicker, weve never been sadder, and weve

never been fatter, she says.

C O4 4 C O A S T K I D S

Todays stress arises mostly from

psychological rather than physical inu-

ences, yet it induces the same physi-

ologic responses that were meant to help

us escape from, say, a saber-toothed

tiger. When that saber-toothed tiger

takes the form of boss, your husband,or your unruly toddler, there may seem

to be no escape.

Stress creates disease through

interaction of the brain with the immune

and hormone systems, Hamilton says.

Think of the brain as the general or

commander, the hormones as the

messengers sending signals through-

out the body to coordinate their actions, and

the immune system as the warriors to protect

from foreign invaders. These systems work

together to protect wellness, but when things

break down, they can promote disease.

Bearing in mind this delicate balance,

McClellan and Hamilton engage their patients

in small talk before their exams. Their theory is,

if they know whats happening in a patients life,

they are better able to gauge her stress level

and its impact on her health. There are only a

few patients a day who say, I feel fantastic,

McClellan says. The rest are typically stressedout. Many go from doctor to doctor seeking

relief from symptoms caused by a hormonal

imbalance due to stress.

To feel well, women need to restore the

balance between the brain, the hormones

and the immune system by managing their

stress. But stress elicits different biochemical

and behavioral reactions in different people.

In their book, McClellan and Hamilton identify

four different stress types and provide practical

advice for managing each type. To summarize:

pp Are you wound-up, edgy, and unable to relax?Youre likely a HyperS who produces a high

level of the hormone cortisol. You should try to

Its the most wonderful

time of the year.

With the kids jingle belling

And everyone telling you,

Be of good cheer.

Its also the most STRESSFUL

time of the year.

stressed

s

About the AuthorsStephanie McClellan, M.D., and Beth Hamilton, M.D., both educated

at USC, are partners in a Newport Beach practice specializing in

gynecology and womens health. Dr. McClellan has served as Chairman

of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department and as a consultant to

Hoag Memorial Presbyterian Hospital for 10 years and helped found the

Womens Health Pavilion. Dr. Hamilton serves as a womens health advisor

to the hospital. Dr. McClellan is mother to three grown sons and

Dr. Hamilton has two school-aged boys.

manage your stress with physical out

cise, especially when it includes soc

pp Do you have aches and paiexhausted? Youre probably a H

acterized by low cortisol, the mo

stress type. You could benet from

paced exercise like Pilates, swimm

or meditation.

pp Are you disengaged and emotYou may be a HypoP, a rare state

nervous and hormonal systems be

anced. If so, you should keep an

to help correlate thoughts and fe

physical symptoms like intestinal p

pp Are you a high-achiever who pusuntil she crashes? You may be a Hy

transient stress rebound response t

with rest. If so, you could benet

time management and dietary chan

McClellan and Hamilton offer det

mendations on nutrition, exercise,

ative practices specically tailored to

type. For example, you may alrea

best to eat whole, unprocessed fo

you getting enough tryptophan an

The book tells you which foods co

amino acids and why they migh

stress. The doctors also note thimpact of a womans perceived qua

ships on her ability to cope with s

is no substitute for lunch with a go

Can behavioral modification

a difference in your stress level?

trumps emotion, McClellan say

words, knowing you are armed w

to control your stress, you can ov

emotional component that trigger

in the rst place. So, even if you c

the saber-toothed tiger, you can r

in his presence.

B Y N A N C Y G E L S T O N F R I E S

the ultimatestress-relief plan

forwomen

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