Most people are not aware that there are two kinds of stress: distress and eustress.

Distress is negative, it affects the mind and the body, as the two are connected, and where the mind goes, the body follows. When the mind is anxious, worried, under pressure or suffering ongoing or past trauma, it leads to physical effects like headaches, poor sleep, insomnia, acidity, IBS or irritable bowel syndrome, hypertension or high blood pressure, palpitations, joint and back pains, breathlessness and fatigue. These conditions are called psychosomatic, which means that the mind is adversely affecting the body, causing illness and increasing the suffering of the mentally stressed person.

Distress has become so much a part of our daily lives that we almost forget how easy it is to let it affect us. The environment, traffic, finance, political situations, family issues, work pressures, marital discord, are just some of the causes. A person who is more prone to stress can get stressed out even when the gas cylinder is empty, when going for a vacation or when the cleaning lady does not come to work!

Eustress, on the other hand is “good stress”... the kind we experience when anticipating a pleasurable event, or an event that can lead to progression. People who play sports, are well prepared for appearing for an interview or exam, are going on a long anticipated holiday or expecting a baby could experience a tension that does not cause unhappiness.

At the Jehangir Wellness Center, we like to think that our efforts will reduce some of the distress in the lives of our guests and help enhance their quality of life. And what better way than to ensure good physical health! Predictive and preventive healthcare and alternative therapies reduce worries and make a person’s mind and body distress free, thereby enhancing the quality of life of women and men of all ages.