Stress: It’s Toll and How to Combat It
Hey folks, let’s dive into the wild world of stress and its sneaky impact on your body. There might not be a way to totally avoid it, but there are some great ways to mitigate its effect on you – Read on!
The Stress Showdown: Fight or Flight
Picture this: you’re out hiking, minding your own business, and suddenly, you spot a bear. Cue the heart racing, the breath shortening – that classic fight or flight response kicking in. Your body’s like, “Yo, we gotta deal with this threat, pronto!” That’s your adrenal glands doing their thing, pumping out hormones to get you ready to either duke it out or high-tail it outta there. It’s all about survival, baby.
Stress in the Modern Age
But hold up a sec. In today’s world, it’s not just bears we’re dealing with. Nope, we’ve got deadlines breathing down our necks, bills piling up, and oh yeah, the occasional global pandemic (thanks, universe). Just waking up each day can be something of a stressor upon your physical and mental state. It’s like stress is that annoying neighbor who never leaves – constantly knocking on your door, looking in your windows, overstaying their welcome and asking those more uncomfortable questions. And guess what? Our poor nervous systems don’t get much downtime each day between potential freak-out sessions and fear storms, leaving many of us stuck in a chronic stress spiral.
Body on High Alert
When stress becomes your constant BFF and companion, your body shifts gears, putting all hands on deck to deal with the drama. Forget about chilling out your digestive system or boosting your immune system – it’s all about survival mode, baby. So even when there’s no actual danger lurking, your body’s still in hyperdrive, ready to rumble. Out the door is any chance of relaxation, keeping the weight down (high cortisol levels contribute to weight gain and retention) and restful sleep. That may be alright for the short term, but if it is a chronic situation, you need to figure out how to deal with the stress in a way that is healthy for you day in, day out.
Step One: Showing Your Adrenals Some Love
Meet your adrenal glands – the unsung heroes behind your stress response. These bad boys churn out hormones like cortisol, aka the stress hormone. But here’s the kicker: too much or too little cortisol? Not ideal. So how do you keep these glands happy? Well, first off, try to dial down the stress. Easier said than done, right? That’s where some vitamin and herb buddies come into play. Think Vitamin C, Vitamin B5, Rhodiola Rosea, Siberian Ginseng, and Ashwagandha – all MVPs in the adrenal support squad.
By doing this the natural way, you curb any reliance on synthetic drugs, and dependence on things that cannot be readily shut off or changed up if needs be. Getting yourself into a state of relaxation from the time you are awake is the goal here. That is why a great herbal tea, or a droplet full of the herbs or vitamins mentioned above can do their job for you, AS YOUR BODY craves them to.
Step Two: Boosting Your Immune System
Fun fact: your body works best when all systems are playing nice. Or in other words, when your systems are working in harmony with each other or in a state of what is called homeostasis, then you can achieve what you need to each day. So if your stress game is off the charts, it can throw your immune system outta whack too. But fear not! You can give your immune system a leg up by kicking toxins to the curb (bye-bye, cigarette smoke and sugar), catching some Z’s, and loading up on antioxidants like Vitamin C and zinc. Your body will thank you.
There are also some herbs out there that can be in your daily diet that can assist your immune system staying prime and ready for any sickness coming your way. Take a few moments as often as you can and do your own research of what can work best for you.
Step Three: Taming the Flame of Inflammation
Inflammation – it’s like your body’s alarm system gone haywire. And guess what? Stress can crank up the heat, leading to chronic inflammation. Inflammation is your body’s way saying to you that something is not only awry, but totally wrong. You need to have that under control to have your chance to lower your stress levels. Because inflammation feeds the cortisol levels and the chronic cortisol levels feed the inflammation.
Enter: turmeric, ginger, and spirulina – your inflammation-fighting dream team. These babies swoop in, calm things down, and keep your body humming along smoothly. Your food is definitely the secret to battling stress, and gaining true health is positively INTERNAL.
Step Four: Keeping Stress in Check
Time to get real about stress, folks. Sure, you can slap a bandaid on it with supplements and self-care, but tackling the root cause is where it’s at. People in the past have tried to drink it away, or escape it with illicit drugs, or seek solace in those things that are fleeting and hallow. None of which reduce the stress for long, but actually increase it exponentially.
So take a breath, be honest about what’s stressing you out, and cut yourself some slack. Improvements of oneself is done by incremental steps, not usually in giant leaps. Stop being your own worse critic, and be realistic in what your situation currently presents itself to you. Exercise, meditation, and a sprinkle of adaptogens like Ashwagandha and Reishi can also work wonders for soothing your frazzled nerves.
I always say, don’t let your present circumstances determine who you truly are inside. Be who you are at anytime whether in calm or stressful situations.
The Bottom Line
Stress might be the villain in this story, but you’ve got the power to flip the script. By giving your body some TLC and dialing down the stress-o-meter, you can reclaim control over your health and wellbeing. So go ahead, embrace the chill – your body will thank you for it.
Do your due diligence and provide for yourself the best avenues to which you can deal with stress, and once you find them, make them a part of your everyday routine, so that comes what may, you can be your best self!
