STRESS—just saying the word might make your shoulders tighten a bit, right? But here's the good news: stress doesn't have to be the unwelcome guest, it often feels like. Today we are going to unpack this infamous word, what it means, types, how it affects the body, and how to...
Read MoreSTRESS—just saying the word might make your shoulders tighten a bit, right? But here's the good news: stress doesn't have to be the unwelcome guest, it often feels like. Today we are going to unpack this infamous word, what it means, types, how it affects the body, and how to prevent and manage it appropriately.
STRESS what does it mean?
Stress can be as simple as a force applied to an object—like the way gravity pulls on a swinging pendulum. But for us humans, it’s more of an emotional tug-of-war that can leave us feeling frazzled and overwhelmed.
Stress shows up in all sorts of disguises—whether it’s looming deadlines, sleepless nights, or navigating tricky relationships. It can sneak into our lives like an uninvited guest and make itself comfortable, manifesting as headaches, upset stomachs, or even full-blown panic attacks. Sometimes, it tiptoes in quietly, leaving us with tense muscles, an incessant need for distraction, or little habits like nail-biting.
STRESS types:
When you engage in activities like building muscle, enjoying moderate cardiovascular exercise, or even learning a new skill, you’re creating positive physical stress. This type of stress can be your body’s best friend, helping you flush out that pesky stress hormone, cortisol, and leaving you feeling rejuvenated and ready to tackle the world. But there’s another side to physical stress. Sometimes, it can be less beneficial, like when blood sugar levels fluctuate, when nutritional deficiencies sneak in, or when your diet lacks nourishing foods. And let’s not forget about environmental stress—think air pollution, noise, or even chemical exposure from everyday items like laundry soap or new furniture. Here’s where it gets interesting—stress can be acute or chronic. Acute stress is like a flash of lightning—it’s quick and often resolves itself swiftly. Picture sitting in traffic, having a minor argument, or that momentary ouch when you stub your toe. These events pass, leaving little trace behind. Now, chronic stress is a different story. It’s the slow, persistent trickle that can wear you down over time, potentially impacting your health. Imagine scenarios like going through a divorce, dealing with the loss of a loved one, facing financial difficulties, or grappling with a chronic illness. These ongoing stressors can have a lasting effect on your body and mind.
STRESS and the body:
Stress can actually be a good thing! It helps motivate us, sparks change, and even boosts the immune system to protect us from infection. But what happens when stress goes into overdrive and becomes chronic? That’s when things start to go a little haywire. To understand what’s happening, let’s introduce the star of the show: the HPA axis! This is the system that manages stress in the body, and when it’s out of balance, things can get tricky. Let’s dive in and see how it all works! The HPA axis (hypothalamic, pituitary, adrenal axis) is what is triggered when there is stress in the body. First the hypothalamus releases stress hormone CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone), the release of CRH triggers the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) into the bloodstream which travels to the adrenal glands. The adrenals then release cortisol, the primary stress hormone. The cortisol which is released goes into the bloodstream to help mobilize energy stores (glucose), decrease inflammation in the body, and prepare the body for the stressor. When cortisol is present almost every body system is affected. The HPA axis runs on a negative feedback loop which means that as the cortisol levels rise, the signal to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland is sent, which inhibits the release of CRH and ACTH, which tells the system to decrease or stop the release of cortisol. This mechanism helps to ensure that cortisol is only increased for as long as the stressor is present and decreases the risk of cortisol being elevated for too long which could be harmful to the body. Chronic activation of the HPA-axis due to prolonged stress can contribute to persistent high levels of cortisol, which can impact almost every part of the body presenting as weight gain, headaches, mood changes, high blood pressure, high blood glucose, concentration difficulties, bowel irregularities, sleep issues, and of course issues in the gut like dysbiosis. When faced with an acute stressor, like someone cutting you off in traffic, it’s beneficial that glucose is quickly available in the brain and muscles, allowing you to make fast decisions and react swiftly. However, when the stressor is something more persistent, like a job you dread, the stress can become constant. You feel it on the drive to and from work, at home when you are thinking about work, and even when you are trying to sleep but can’t stop worrying about it. In this situation, the stressor is ever-present, and if not managed properly, it can lead to chronic stress, contributing to a wide range of health issues.
STRESS and how to manage and remove completely:
Can stress be completely removed from life? Spoiler alert: nope! Stress is a normal part of living, even woven into our body’s natural processes. But here’s the good news-we can learn to manage stress effectively, helping to release that extra cortisol buildup and allowing our bodies to better handle its effects. In the example above, quitting that stressful job might sound like the ultimate solution for your long-term health. And if you can-go for it! Find something you love, because as Mark Twain said, “Find something you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.” But let’s be real-we live in a world where dreams and reality don’t always match up. If quitting isn’t an option, it’s crucial to arm yourself with tools to manage all that cortisol you’re pumping out. You can’t always change your circumstances, but you can change how to deal with them!
- Find nature, go on walks, walk barefoot in your yard (we will talk about grounding in another article), even if it’s short on your lunch break, take a walk outside away from your office and breathe some fresh air. As a bonus walking after meals is so helpful for decreasing insulin (more on that is a later article too!).
- Journal, find ways to remove the emotional congestion from your brain and onto paper or digital notes. Journaling helps us to be more mindful, and aware of what we are really feeling. Try it, I swear you will feel lighter.
- Move your body. Whenever you can, take the stairs, dance in the elevator (we won’t judge), stand at your desk, run, walk, skip, hop, dance, bike, stretch, swim, lift heavy things, skate, find something to get the muscles pumping and the lungs going. Especially if you have a sedentary lifestyle it is important to move the body to keep yourself healthy. Exercise helps with managing stress, bowel movements, and insulin reduction-that’s a win-win-win!
- Meditate and take action. Meditation is helpful in managing stress because it allows us to detach from the world and all its demands, even if it’s only for 10 minutes it will assist with mindfulness. When we cultivate mindfulness, expressing ourselves becomes more natural. It allows us to reconnect with our thoughts, gaining clarity on what actions to take-or avoid- in handling situations. With this clarity, we can communicate more effectively when we choose to speak up. Want your boss to stop minimizing you in meetings? Take a moment to meditate, gather your thoughts, and confidently take the right steps. Expressing your feelings and concerns at the right time can be a powerful way to manage stress-and who knows, it might even eliminate the problem altogether. Mindfulness also is helpful with emotional eating, habit breaking, and self compassion.
- Breathe. Sounds simple, right? Sure, breathing happens automatically, but when we make it intentional, it becomes so much more powerful! While our normal, everyday breaths tend to be shallow, deep, intentional breathing can work wonders. It helps us drop our shoulders, relax tight muscles, and send oxygen deep into our body, getting the blood flowing. Plus, it can lower cortisol and help balance blood pressure-talk about a refreshing reset!
- Keep blood sugar in check-it’s one of the most important things you can do! When stress sticks around for too long, cortisol lingers in the bloodstream, keeping glucose levels elevated. Insulin comes to the rescue by helping move that glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells. But if glucose stays high for too long, your body needs more insulin, which can lead to problems like insulin resistance. Even get “hangry”? That’s cortisol talking! The solution? Eat when you’re actually hungry, and choose whole foods packs with protein, fibre, and healthy fats. Move your body regularly, and steer clear of refined sugars and processed foods for better balance!
- Decrease environmental stressors. A few easy ways to improve your space? Start by swapping out your furnace filter, using an air purifier if air pollution is a concern, and keeping the volume of music and other noise below 70 decibels. Simple changes, big impact!
Please read the article on toxic load for some idea of where these stressors can be hiding in plain sight!
8.Think sleep. Sleep isn’t just about how long you snooze-it’s about how well you rest! If you’re tossing and turning, snoring, waking up frequently, or feeling sore in the morning, it might mean your sleep quality needs a boost. Struggling to fall asleep? Try cutting back on blue light before bed by turning off screens at least two hours before you want to drift off. Aiming to fall asleep before 11 p.m. can help reduce stress, too-otherwise, another cortisol spike might sneak in and disrupt your rest. And if you need extra help, there are some fantastic sleep meditations online to guide you into dreamland!
9. Love your gut. Chronic stress can take a toll on your gut and microbiome, but the good news is that a healthy gut can help you manage stress more effectively. Your gut is connected to every system in your body and plays a big role in your overall well-being. The gut and brain are constantly chatting through the gut-brain axis, and when stress sticks around, it can tip the balance between good and bad bacteria. While healing your gut and restoring balance might take some time, it’s totally worth it for feeling your best!
10. Address nutritional deficiencies. Your body might be fighting a battle you don’t even know about. Nutrition deficiencies aren’t always obvious, but they can make it harder for your body to handle everyday stressors. Unfortunately, many people follow the Standard American Diet (SAD), and what is really sad is they may not realize it’s contributing to their physical and mental health issues. Processed, refined, and fast foods might be convenient, but they don’t provide the essential micro-and macro-nutrients your body needs to thrive. Eating nutrient-poor food is like skipping the gas station and expecting your car to run smoothly. But unlike the car that just stops on the side of the road, your body has no choice but to keep going. That is when the problems arise-when you’re running on fumes, your health eventually takes the hit. Talk about stressful! Luckily, correcting nutritional deficiencies can be as simple as switching to a whole-food diet and cutting out processed, refined, and fast foods.
Not sure where to start? Reach out, and let’s get you on the path to wellness!
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