Stress 101

Stress is an undeniable part of our lives, so the more we understand what our individual stressors are, the more we can build a system to create control over them. At times, there will be stressors that we simply cannot control.

Therefore, we need to create systems such as fitness, meditation and the power of acceptance, to make peace with those things that are beyond our power to change. It’s our response to a situation – more than the situation itself – that can make all the difference to our peace of mind. Our goal is to learn to “manage our energy” through healthy nutrition as well as lifestyle practices. Do you find it hard to believe that nutrition is linked to stress? Read on.

Understand that the only thing that will go away if you ignore it is your health!

Oxidative stress is defined as “any of various pathological changes seen in living organisms in response to excessive levels of cytotoxic oxidants and free radicals in the environment”.

Stress reactions are then defined as “the biological reactions to adverse stimuli, physical, mental, or emotional, internal or exte
al, that tend to disturb the organism's equilibrium; should these compensating reactions, physiological or psychological, be inadequate or inappropriate, they may lead to disorders”.

Stress lowers your Immune system, creating free radical damage and oxidative stress, hormonal disruption, as well as draining you of your energy. It disrupts your nervous system as the adrenal glands (the organs above our kidneys that produce the hormones we need for dealing with stress) use its energy to shift to the “fight, flight or freeze” response. Your liver produces more glucose, which is the blood sugar necessary to assist you in fighting or fleeing. Repeated bouts of stress could cause inflammation in the coronary arteries. Your musculoskeletal system reacts as your muscles tense up, possibly creating tension headaches or migraines. The respiratory system can be affected as rapid breathing could bring about panic attacks.
Your digestive system can suffer as well. If you eat a nutritious alkaline meal when you’re stressed, you instantly become acidic. (You’ll hear more about acid-alkaline later.) You could eat more or less than you normally do; some people react with acid reflux or heartbu
as your digestive system doesn’t digest as efficiently when under stress. Others experience nausea or pain in their stomach; others even vomit. It is common to experience constipation or diarrhea as a result of stress.
Stress can cause women to experience irregular menstrual flows, more painful periods or even stop their menstrual cycles altogether. Excess cortisol in men under prolonged stress can impair sperm production as well as impair testosterone.

According to Wikipedia 2012, Cortisol is a steroid hormone, more specifically a glucocorticoid produced by the adrenal glands. Its primary functions are to increase blood sugar through gluconeogenesis; suppress the immune system; and aid in fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism.

Mary-Anne is a Nutrition Transformation Expert. Most people do not realize how much stress is affecting their health. For more information or to seek help, please visit www.CreatingInfiniteSuccess.com.