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STRESS IS YOUR body’s re-sponse to change. It’s an individual thing. A situation that one person fnds stressful may not bother some-one else. For example, one person may become tense when driving, while another person may fnd driv-ing a source of relaxation and joy. Something that causes fear in some people, such as rock climbing, may be fun for others.

Tere’s no way to say that one thing is “bad” or “stressful,” because everyone’s diferent. Not all stress is bad, either. Speaking to a group or watching a close football game can be stressful, but that can be fun, too. Life would be dull without some stress.

“Stress can help with such things as preparing for a test, graduating from school or getting ready for a long trip,” said Vanessa Graves, DCH Employee Assistance Pro-gram Specialist. Ms. Graves is a Licensed, Certifed Social Worker and a Certifed Smoking Cessation Facilitator. Te key is to manage stress properly, because unhealthy responses to it may lead to health problems in some people, according to the American Heart Association. Chronic stress—relentless stress that lasts hours, weeks or months—can take a big toll physically, profes-sionally and emotionally. “Tis is the major reason it is important to efectively manage stress in our lives,” Ms. Graves said.

or staying up late won’t help, and drinking excessive amounts of cafeine or cofee can create other issues, Ms. Graves noted.

Outside events, such as problems with your boss, preparing to move or worrying about a child’s wedding, can be upsetting. But remember, you can’t control all the outside events in your life, but you can change how you handle them emotionally and psychologically. Here are some good ways to cope:

Take 15 to 20 minutes a day to sit quietly, breathe deeply and think of a peaceful picture.

Try to learn to accept things you can’t change. You don’t have to solve all of life’s problems. Talk out your troubles, and look for the good instead of the bad in situations.

Engage in physical activity regularly. Do what you enjoy; walk, swim, ride a bike or jog to get your big muscles going. Letting go of the tension in your body will help you feel better.

Limit alcohol, don’t overeat and don’t smoke. “Try humor,” Ms. Graves said. “Laughter is like medi-cine for your soul. It releases feel-good chemicals in your body. So be bigger than your problems by fnding the lighter side of them. Watch a funny cartoon or a movie, read a joke book, or tell a funny story.”

THE DCH EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Help-ing you handle stress is just one of the many services provided by the DCH EAP. If your business does not ofer employee assistance program services, fnd out what the DCH EAP can do for your company.

Call the DCH EAP at 205-759-790 , or go to www.dchsystem.com/eap for information about how the services can help your employees or co-workers with the demands of work and family life.

represents excellence in interior design.

The DCH Cancer Center opened in May 2009 and is an outstanding place where compassion, tech-nology and design come together to meet the needs of body and spirit.

The DCH Cancer Center is

affliated with MD Anderson Physi-cians Network and holds approval with commendation from the Ameri-can College of Surgeons Commis-sion on Cancer, the highest level of approval by the organization.

For more information about the DCH Cancer Center, go to www.dchsystem.com/cancer.

The DCH Health System and NorthStar Medical Emer-gency Services are ensuring the comfort and safety of their patients who are overweight or obese with everything from larger hospital beds to a specially equipped ambulance for larger people.

NorthStar has West Alabama’s only bariatric ambu-lance that can lift and accommodate patients in the weight range of 800 to 1,600 pounds.

If larger patients are admitted at DCH Regional Medical Center, their special needs are met with equipment and items such as beds that can hold up to 1,000 pounds, permanent ceiling lifts over Inten-sive Care Unit beds that lift up to 750 pounds, and larger bedside commodes, wheelchairs, stretchers and gowns.

The Regional Medical Center currently has four bariatric beds that can hold up to 1,000 pounds. The Regional Medical Center averages four to eight bariatric patients a day, and purchasing the beds was an effcient way to care for these patients, according to Sheila Bresnahan, Director of Nursing.

“Permanent ceiling lifts (up to 750 pounds) have been installed over every bed in the ICU,” Ms. Bresna-han said. “A ceiling lift that also includes a scale to weigh a patient is now over all 48 ICU beds. The lifts can move patients from bed to chair, for example, and they also can be used in assisting patients with special needs.” Portable lifts (up to 700 pounds) with scales are available to use on patient care units when needed for a bariatric patient.

ENHANCING COMFORT: The DCH Health System and NorthStar Medical Emergency Services are ensuring the comfort and safety of patients who are overweight or obese with an ambulance that includes an 800-pound-capacity transfer sheet, a stretcher that can hold up to 1,600 pounds, and a specialty ramp and stability arch that can accommodate up to 1,200 pounds.