Stress is natural – how to survive it

Spring 2011

Stress is natural – how to survive it

Stress can be defined as our physical and emotional response to the demands of our environment and our everyday lives, and goodness knows the people of Christchurch have endured more than enough in the past 12 months.

Stress is a natural part of how we survive and cope with situations but left to get out of control, it can have serious consequences for our health.

People tend to talk about stress as if it’s all bad. It’s not. A stressful situation, or a threat to our safety, triggers a primal response that leaves us breathless, heart pounding and mind racing, primed to escape danger. When the stressful situation ends, hormonal signals switch off the stress response and the body returns to normal.

This has been no ordinary year. Many of us harbour anxiety and worry about daily events and uncertainty. Stress hormones continue to wash through the body at damaging levels. Research now shows that such long-term activation of the stress system can have a hazardous, even lethal, effect on the body – increasing the risk of obesity, heart disease, depression and a variety of other illnesses.

There are many and varied ways of relieving stress by:
• making sure you’re getting enough sleep
• regular cardiovascular exercise – to release tension and pent-up frustrations
• meditation and relaxation techniques to promote self control and calm
• yoga, tai chi and similar disciplines provide gentle, low impact exercise, incorporating controlled breathing and promote relaxation and poise
• massage therapy provides soothing, deep relaxation and can improve important physiological processes such as circulation
• psychologists today are increasingly recognising the mental health benefits of spending time in the natural world. Activities such as tramping, gardening, golf and      observing animals in the wild are all ways to connect with nature and improve your state of mind.

It’s also easier to relax knowing that you and your family will be able to cope in the event of unforeseen illness or misfortune, by having the right insurance cover to safeguard your health and livelihood and provide for those who depend on you. Knowing you’re covered, come what may, is one of the best forms of stress relief there is.

Policy Glossary

The wealth of policies in the marketplace and what they cover can seem overwhelming. Here’s a brief snapshot of what each policy is designed to do.

Life Cover – a lump sum payment in the event of death or terminal illness.
Life Income Cover – a monthly payment in the event of death or terminal illness.
Mortgage Replacement Cover – a monthly payment to cover the cost of your mortgage if you are unable to work because of a disability.
Income Cover – a monthly payment if you are unable to work because of a disability.
Trauma Cover – a lump sum payment if you suffer one of a number of listed conditions.
Complete Disablement Cover – a lump sum payment if you become totally and permanently disabled.
Premium Cover – covers the cost of your premiums if you are unable to work because of a disability.
Medical Cover – provides for the reimbursement of non-acute major medical expenses.

Nothing beats a phone call to your Eric James & Associates advisor if you want to know more about the best policy for your needs.

Change in personal circumstances? Time to review

Changes in our personal circumstances usually mean changes in our financial circumstances. Many of us wouldn’t even realise the impact of this in terms of our insurance cover. After all, we put insurance in place for peace of mind, then forget about it.

But, if you’ve had any changes like:
• having a baby
• getting married or divorced
• taking out a new home loan
• increasing an existing mortgage
• becoming responsible for the full-time care of a close relative
…it’s a good idea to review your insurance to ensure it remains relevant to your circumstances today.

It could be that you need to ‘top up’ your existing cover, which will result in an increase in your premiums for improved levels of cover and, depending on the insurer, you may need to provide evidence of the special events mentioned above.

There may also be limitations, such as the time period in which you can make an increase to your cover or the amount you can increase your cover by. An age restriction may also apply.

Talk to your Eric James advisor for more information and advice on hassle-free top-ups.

Did you know?

Medsafe is the Government agency responsible for registering drugs for safe use in New Zealand. Pharmac is responsible for selecting which of those drugs will be funded in the health system. There are many Medsafe registered drugs that are not funded in the health system and not all insurers cover the cost of these drugs either.

Talk to your advisor about the right health policy for you and your family.

Congratulations to…

Our latest Auckland barrel draw winner Danielle Middleton (picture left), seen here with our Auckland Regional Sales Manager Rick Willis.

Congratulations also to Gregory and Fran Downing of Cracroft (picture right), presented with their prize by Eric James and Associates Advisor Elaine Smuts (centre).

If you’ve moved, let us know

Amidst the upheaval of moving house, finding a new school and navigating the potholes of life’s highways, it’s easy to overlook tasks that are vital to your well-being, such as having adequate insurance cover, and advising us of your change of address.

If you have relocated or plan to relocate, it is crucial you let us know. We will not only update your records, but advise your insurer/s, leaving you with one less thing on the list to do.

Either phone or email us admin@ericjames.co.nz