Virtually everyone today lives with some form of stress and yet most people are unaware of its profound impact on health. Stress and its related conditions form the second most reported group of work-related ill-health conditions, after musculoskeletal disorders. Stress also dramatically affects the immune system and how we cope with illness. Research has shown that stress can sometimes be positive, as it makes us more alert and helps us perform better in certain situations. However, stress has only been found to be beneficial if it is short-lived. Read on to see how you can best manage stress.
What is stress? Stress is a natural bodily response. It is your body's way of responding to any kind of demand or threat. When we are faced with a stressful situation, the body produces a “stress response” to give us the extra energy we need to deal with that situation.
The stress (fight-or-flight) response: When you encounter a perceived threat — a large dog barks at you during your morning walk, for instance — your hypothalamus, a tiny region at the base of your brain, sets off an alarm system in your body via the sympathetic nervous system. Through a combination of nerve and hormonal signals, this system prompts your adrenal glands, located atop your kidneys, to release a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.
Adrenaline increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure and boosts energy supplies. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhances your brain's use of glucose and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues.
Cortisol also curbs functions that would be nonessential or detrimental in a fight-or-flight situation. It alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system and growth processes. This complex natural alarm system also communicates with regions of your brain that control mood, motivation and fear.
What happens when the natural stress response is continually activated? Usually the body's stress-response system is usually self-limiting. Once a perceived threat has passed the levels of adrenaline and cortisol drop and return to normal, so heart rate and blood pressure return to baseline levels, and other systems resume their regular activities. But when stressors are always present and you constantly feel under attack, the fight-or-flight reaction can stay turned on.
The long-term activation of the stress-response system — and the subsequent overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones — can disrupt almost all your body's processes, as all other hormones use the same pathways. This puts you at increased risk of numerous health problems, including:
· Anxiety
· Depression
· Memory and concentration impairment
· Headaches
· Gastrointestinal problems
· Heart disease
· Sleep problems
· Weight gain / obesity
· Asthma
· Alzheimer’s
· Accelerated aging
· Premature death
What triggers a stress response? A wide variety of factors stimulate a stress response that can be broken down to four main categories of triggers, any of which can produce the same hormone-mediated response.
1. Psychological
i.e. accidents
2. Environmental
i.e. infection/allergens
3. Metabolic
i.e. oxidative stress (free radicals)
4. Physiological
i.e. anxiety
Key nutrients lost during the very energy dependent stress response.
B Vitamins - A deficiency of B vitamins can cause an imbalance in the normal hormone production, and is often characterized by stress and an imbalance in mood
This stress will then put more demand on the B vitamins in the body to produce stress-relieving hormones, which will emphasize the deficiency (and symptoms) further
Zinc - As with the B vitamins, zinc is essential for the function of a number of enzymes, which synthesize hormones. Stress depletes zinc in the same way it does B vitamins
Calcium - When we experience stress the body releases calcium into the blood, which stimulates nerves, making you more alert and this can quickly deplete stores in the body resulting in a deficiency. Stress consumes large amounts of calcium
Magnesium - helps to counteract the effects of calcium on nerves and stimulates the production of ATP (Adenosine Tri-Phosphate) that provides you with energy. This coupled with the effects of cortisol will cause magnesium stores to deplete
Anti-nutrient foods that cause stress and can also cause nutrient depletion.
Caffeine in coffee, tea, some soft drinks and chocolate can have negative effects on the body, in high quantities (over three medium-strong mugs/daily), as it stimulates the fight-or-flight response and will strip vitamins A, B9, D and calcium from the body
Try substituting coffee or tea with decaffeinated versions, herbal tea, or the milder caffeine green tea (also full of antioxidants).
Reduce your intake of alcohol, sugar (inc. sweeteners and processed carbs) and salt (sodium), as they are known to strip the body of essential nutrients and undo the work of a healthier diet.
Alcohol: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, C, calcium, chromium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc, omega-3, omega-6.
Sugar: Vitamin D and C, zinc, chromium, calcium and magnesium.
Management techniques - diet: Building a foundation of health also includes consuming a nutritious, balanced diet that will help prepare your body for daily stress – by providing the nutrients to support the stress response. An unhealthy, imbalanced diet, triggering continuous fluctuations in blood sugar, will only make your feel sluggish and less able to cope with life’s demands. Try to incorporate the following key nutrients into your diet.
B Vitamins (most, especially B5 & B6) – pivotal in stress hormone production in the adrenals & energy production, helping you feel more energetic after a stressful episode. Sources include: bananas, leafy green vegetables, avocados, nuts, seeds and also meat, fish and dairy products
Vitamin C – apart from supporting immunity and its antioxidant capacity, the largest store of vitamin C is found in the adrenal glands. Sources include: citrus fruits, tomatoes, peppers, kiwi fruit, leafy green vegetables, broccoli
Magnesium – relaxes muscles, reduces anxiety & produces enzymes and energy. Sources include: Nuts, especially Brazil, hazelnuts and peanuts, leafy green vegetables, pulses, whole grains, especially oats, brown rice
Potassium – supports the adrenals, it is depleted during stress and in high sodium intakes. Sources include: prunes, yeast, bananas, most vegetables, tomatoes, rice, lentils
Calcium – helps to calm the nervous system. Sources include: dairy, green leafy veg, nuts, lentils, pulses, seeds, sardines, tuna, salmon
Protein (& L-Tyrosine) – assists in growth and tissue repair, and in the production of thyroid hormones. Sources include: meat, soya, eggs, seeds, nuts, cheese (low fat), fish, turkey
Zinc – depleted in stress, supports immune function. Sources include: meat, soya, seeds, shellfish, pulses, dark green veg, nuts, dried fruit, cocoa
CoQ10 – used for energy production Sources include: beef, chicken, oily fish, peanuts, certain fruits, supplementation
Vitamin E – antioxidant, free radical scavenger and is used in enzyme reactions in the stress response. Sources include: sunflower seeds, avocado, sweet potatoes, nuts, asparagus, spinach, oily fish, eggs
Probiotics – promote beneficial intestinal bacteria (also depleted in stress). Sources include: yoghurt (live culture), miso, sauerkraut, kefir, tempeh, kimchi, pickles, supplementation
Iodine – pivotal in thyroid function. Sources include: sea foods (fish and vegetables), iodised salt
Management techniques - lifestyle:
Sleep: is essential in restoring health and vitality to your mind and body. With the right amount of sleep (7-8hrs/night), you could feel more energetic and better able to cope with stressful situations.
Exercise: Along with adequate sleep and a healthy diet, it is important for you to exercise regularly to help release stress related tension.
Practice relaxation techniques: When we are under stress we carry a great deal of physical and emotional tension that can negatively impact on mental functioning.
Choose to have positive attitude: It is easy to let a constant influx of negative stimuli influence your outlook on life and your health.
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