Why it’s Essential to Get on Top of Stress
Stress affects all of us in some form, and as we get older, we’re all becoming more susceptible to it, both physically, emotionally and mentally. That’s why it’s vital to find ways to beat stress so that when it happens, it does not get better of us.
Getting you on top of your stress is not as hard as your think. Creating a more stress-free life can be as simple as having a plan to get more of what you want in life and less of what you don’t. From a health standpoint, as stress reducers, so does the chance of illness.
Is Stress Getting in Your Way?
Stress seems to be linked in with our busy modern lifestyle, and it may come as a surprise to you that the effects of stress can have a significant impact on your mental wellbeing. Withal that in mind, you may not know that stress can impact many-body systems, potentially hindering the achievement of other health goals like digestive function and losing weight, so it is essential to understand what the stress response is and how it could affect you.
What is Fight or Flight Response to Stress?
Evolution has moulded our stress response over 1000s of years to help us to survive and cope with immediate dangers, like the approaching tiger! In response to the threat/stress, the body produces chemical messengers, adrenaline, cortisol and noradrenaline, rapidly released from your adrenal glands, and this gives you the ability to either stand and fight or run as fast as you can.
In today’s world, the threat of being killed by wild animals is extremely low. The stress is constant. Whether it be from work, family or financial pressure, your body interprets this the same way as if a tiger was constantly stalking you. Your body is always on high alert. Stress may be the underlying reason for a wide range of what appears to be unrelated symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, insomnia, constipation, reflux, and weight loss gain.
How Stress Damages the Body
- Stress producers cortisol signals that release of sugars into the bloodstream in too activate the muscles so you can run away from Mr Tiger. If the sugar spikes are not used as fuel by the muscles, the sugar will convert into fat and weight gain.
- If left unchecked longterm stress producers a state of widespread adverse effects in areas all over the body such as:
- Nervous system: fatigue, mood swings, insomnia
- Digestive: constipation, IBS, reflux, bloating
- Endocrine: irregular blood sugar control, low libido, menstrual irregularity, weight gain, infertility, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism
- Heart: high blood pressure, palpitations
The Benefits in Breaking the Cycle of Stress
You can break the cycle. Nutrients and herbs can reduce the overactive stress response, which may be getting in the way of your health goals.
Minerals like magnesium are essential for the nervous system by supporting your neurotransmitters and resolving fatigue by increasing the available cellular energy.
Activated B vitamins also support your nervous system as well as play a role in energy production. Many patients comment to me how they feel so much better on their Activated Bs.
Adaptogens are a class of herbs that increase your body’s physical and mental capacity to cope with stress — herbs like Withania and Rehmannia.
These herbs don’t work all the time for everybody. Some need different herbs combined with nutrients depending on symptoms. Others may need to detox first before supporting their nervous systems. Pre-diagnosed medical conditions also need to be considered. Always check with a health care professional before taking supplements if you are uncertain if it will interact adversely with your doctor’s medication.
5 Simple Ways to Get Less Stressed
- Eat Healthily – It nourishes your brain function. Protein – lean proteins and legumes. Complex carbs – from fresh vegetables high in antioxidants and fibre. Fats – Healthy fats from fish, avocados, nuts and seeds. Reduce the intake of artificial colours, sugar, and refined carbs – all associated with mood changes.
- Exercise burns up excess adrenaline while releasing a feel-good hormone called endorphins’. “Exercise helps most conditions by 50% in almost all cases”, Professor Kerry Bone.
- Sleep – We all know how ordinary we feel when we have a terrible night’s sleep. Get seven to eight hours per night. It will make a big difference in your reactiveness to stress. Do this for a week and check in with yourself, and see how you feel.
- Media Fast – What you watch and listen to can have a dramatic impact on how you feel. With the constant bombardment of messages for media to sell everything from political ideas to products and services, it’s no wonder our anxiety and stress levels are at a record high. Social media use sophisticated algorithms to keep you engaged. The more time you spend, the more money they make in ads or sales. As the algorithms go to work, it creates a loop of information that is hard to get away from that can be a source of stress and anxiety. One of the best ways to deal with this is a “Media Fast” – 21 days with no messages from all sources of media, including TV, radio and social media channels. Turn off the TV and radio and notifications from social media apps. In the extreme case where you can not stop watching social media, delete the app from your device. Replace this time and align with the values that are important to you and your life. For example: get rid of clutter that frustrates you, exercise, catch up with friends and family, garden, get on top of that work project, in a journal, write down the things you would like to achieve and how you can work towards them.
- Meditating – is essential in today’s world, especially if you cannot “switch off” at night. There are lots of techniques available to help calm an overactive mind, such as relaxation meditations, mindfulness and creative visualisation. I practice Vipassana Meditation daily and have found that to be very useful. My wife thinks I am a better husband for it. If you want to chat about Vipassana, contact me, I will be more than happy to share my experience with you.
Stress is an Inevitable Part of Our Modern Life.
You don’t have to work it out all on your own. The purpose of life is not to be diet. Its to have a variety of experiences and to have the vitality to enjoy those human experiences. You have to have your health. Health does not mean you have to eat sprouts and stand on your head all day. It means something different for each of us.
I would love to support you with herbs and nutrients and technics that I have found helpful in managing my stress levels. If you got the time, I am happy to talk with you about how a naturopathic wellness medicine program could be of value to you. My doors are always open, and I am happy to discuss this with you so you can regain control over the stress in your life.
In health and wisdom
Brendon
Written by:
Brendon Groves
Clinical Naturopathic Practitioner
Founder of “Groves Naturopathics” and “The Groves Lifestyle Diet”
Adv. Dip. H. Sc. Nat, Dip. H. Sc. H.M., Dip. H. Sc. Nut.
Advance Diploma of Naturopathy, Diploma of Nutrition, Diploma of Herbal Medicine.
Special interests in: Weight loss, digestive issues, anxiety and mood disorders, immune support.
