Rotary’s guest speaker for Dec. 14, 2015, was Tom Toner of Optimal Health, who works in the area of business and development.
Tom has studied physiology and is a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University and the University of Saskatchewan. He has worked at the University of Saskatchewan and the Dartmouth Sportsplex.
Tom talked about the “fight or flight” response to stress, and the long-term impact stress has on the body. A stressor is an event or condition that may be purely physical, social, or psychological, includes anticipation and imagination, and that triggers a stress reaction.
Stress cues are fatigue, over-reactivity, frustration, impatience, lack of control, not enough time overload, and no “me” time. Negative impacts of stress are cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, digestive issues, muscle problems, skin disorders, mental fatigue, and a laissez-faire attitude.
Tom talked about ways of relieving stress, including dealing with the gap between stimulus and response, quieting the mind through yoga and meditation, and physical activity.
The Optimal Health Institute has a variety of health professionals on staff, and they are equipped and available to do detailed health assessments – something that doctors do not do regularly.