RESCUE FROM STRESS

It lurks in the office, at school and at home. It affects young and old alike. It is responsible for a host of ailments that can cripple and even kill you. That invisible epidemic is stress and you could be its next victim.

Numerous surveys confirm that we live in stressful times and job stress seems to be the leading cause of the problem. A 1992 United Nations report called job stress "the 20th century disease" while a few years later the World Health Organization (WHO) responded that it had become a "worldwide epidemic."

Consider these statistics:

• 40 percent of workers reported that their jobs were very or extremely stressful.

• 25 percent felt like screaming or shouting because of job stress.

• 65 percent of workers said workplace stress had caused difficulties and more than 10 percent described these as having major effects.

• 62 percent routinely find that they end the day with work-related neck pain, 44 percent reported stressed-out eyes, 38 percent complained of hurting hands, and 34 percent reported difficulty in sleeping because they were so stressed out.

In the early days, stress served a useful function. It protected man from his enemies. In the presence of physical challenges or perceived threats, stress prepared man for the "flight or fight" response.

It increased his heart rate and pumped blood to the brain to aid in decision-making. It provided the energy and strength he needed to fight or run away from a potential peril. It also enabled blood to clot more quickly to prevent blood loss from wounds.

"The nature of stress for modern man, however, is not an occasional confrontation with a saber-toothed tiger or a hostile warrior but rather a host of emotional threats like getting stuck in traffic and fights with customers, co-workers or family members, that often occur several times a day. Unfortunately, our bodies still react with the same archaic flight or fight responses that are now useless and potentially damaging and deadly. Repeatedly invoked, it can contribute to hypertension, strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, ulcers, neck or low back pain and other diseases of civilization," warned experts from the American Institute of Stress.

Mega Phils. (02-837-2947 and 02-837-8550 to 51) has come up with a unique and affordable antidote to stress: Ginsomin. Unlike other commercial ginseng products in the market today, Ginsomin contains real Korean Panax ginseng extracts made from six-year-old roots.

These thick, old roots contain more ginsenosides (the plant’s active ingredients) to energize the mind and body, fight fatigue and stress, and increase sexual prowess.

Ginsomin has 11 vital vitamins and nine essential minerals to strengthen the immune system, improve physical and mental activity, and promote general health and well-being.