We all experience stress. How we handle it is key to our health, say experts [Video]

It could be a morning traffic jam. A deadline at work. A conflict with a family member. Taking care of kids and aging parents.

Stressful situations are all around us, and experts say how we manage stress is key to preventing it from causing long-term health problems — both physical and mental.

Short-term stress doesn’t have to be negative, but research shows that ongoing stress wears away at the body’s systems and can lead to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, Type 2 Diabetes, and mental health challenges.

“It’s like walking around with a ten or fifteen-pound weight continually on your back and not being able to shed that weight,” psychologist Dr. Zindel Segal told Dr. Brian Goldman, host of CBC’s The Dose.

There are techniques and strategies to decrease that stressful load, however, and lessen the impact of stress on the body and the mind.