Stress is a common experience in today's world. And a dangerous hazard to our health.

In Dr. Gabor Maté's book When the Body Says No he points out that "hormone production is intimately affected by psychological stress. Women have always known that emotional stress affects their ovarian function and their menstrual cycles - excessive stress may even inhibit menstruation."

Dr. Maté goes on to explain that our hormonal system and our brain centre is tightly linked. Our brain centre is the central loading area where our emotions are experienced and interpreted. Both our hormonal system and emotional base are tied to our immune system and nervous system. In other words, the ankle bone connects to the shin bone, the shin bone connects to the knee bone and so on. You mess with one and a ripple effect takes place all the way down or up the line.

Much of the stress we experience is a result of worrying about things that have not or may not happen. We are perpetually jumping ahead to 'what if'. Another words, we live in the future. But not all of our entire being live in our tomorrow. Our bodies are always firmly planted in the present moment. It's our busy little minds that gallop off, fretting and hand wringing.

As budding Breast Health Ambassadors, it is your duty to lasso your mind out of the far away distance and tie it firmly into the present moment. Both body and mind need to work in tandem with each other, in the here and now. This will greatly reduce your stress level and do wonders for your overall health.

Keep watching your breath for 5 minutes a day. You have 1440 minutes available to choose from.