What is stress?

General Adaptation Syndrome

PHASE 1 (ALARM)
There is a threat to your being. Your adrenal glands kick in and start producing hormones - for example, adrenaline.

PHASE 2 (RESISTANCE)
You are holding up a good fight. You think you've won.

PHASE 3 (EXHAUSTION)
Lots of small stresses add up. Eventually you can't take it anymore. Body systems get run down, especially the immune system.

And How Does It Affect Your Body?

Adrenal glands
The adrenals are small, paired glands that sit on top of your kidneys, and secrete the "stress hormones" cortisol and adrenaline. When you are under stress, it is the job of these glands to release these hormones in a "fight or flight" response - providing energy to your brain, diverting blood away from your digestive system to your muscles, increasing your blood pressure and heightening awareness. However, this instinctual response was designed to assist a quick getaway from a dangerous or life threatening situation. Mental stress can trigger this reaction, as can foods such as alcohol, sugar and caffeine. Over time, these glands will become fatigued, and not be able to maintain the demands you are placing on them. This leads to chronic low energy, shortness of breath, hypoglycemic symptoms, sugar cravings, and feeling dizzy when you stand up too quickly (blood pressure dropping.)

Digestive system
Your digestive system is affected by chronic stress, partly in relation to the adrenal response. Under stressful situations, your digestive system slows down in order to provide extra energy and blood to your brain and muscles. Eating on the run, eating too fast, and eating while doing other things (like working) impairs digestive function and absorption of nutrients from your intestines. This can lead to indigestion, nutrient deficiencies, and gas and bloating. While under stress, cravings for sugar and other simple carbohydrate junk foods are often increased, as they offer a "quick fix" energy boost. This is inevitably followed by an energy crash, which stimulates the sugar cravings again, creating a rollercoaster of sugar highs and lows.

Immune system
Your immune system is greatly affected by stress. Cortisol is released by the adrenals. Any kind of stress can increase cortisol - work, yo-yo dieting, illness, financial worries. It decreases the rate your body can make new proteins, including proteins in the immune system, and this suppresses the immune response. The result is you may find you are becoming run down and catching colds easily. Aggravation of current allergies, or even formation of new allergies, are often a result of long term stress on the immune system.

Sleep
Have you ever awakened from a full night's sleep and felt more tired than when you went to bed? Does it take you a long time to fall asleep or do you wake often during the night? Do you ever awaken in a sweat from the emotional response to an intense dream? Sleep has emotionally charged phases that increase when you have more stress. A busy head while you're awake can be carried over into sleep and decreases your body's ability to rest.

Pain
Stress decreases your body's ability to rest and heal. When everything is functioning properly, pain symptoms are minimal. When your system is overwhelmed, it can't manage or adapt as well to its environment. As stress levels increase, your ability to tolerate pain decreases, resulting in increased sensitivity to pain. While in an overwhelmed state, minor symptoms like headaches and back pain can become major problems.

Emotions
Often people say "but I don't feel stressed", however this is usually an inability to connect to how we are really feeling. Irritability, depression, a quick temper, impatience, crying, feeling overwhelmed - these are all indicators that you are under stress and you are responding to it emotionally.

How to "manage" stress:

Sleep
Getting adequate, quality sleep every night is very important for allowing your body to heal from excessive stress. Set a regular bedtime and stick to it, even on the weekends. Do not eat or exercise vigorously for 2 hours before bedtime. Turn off the TV an hour before bedtime, and instead perform a relaxing bedtime ritual, so that your body knows it is time for sleep. Take a bath, have a cup of Chamomile or Passion Flower tea, read, stretch, meditate or write in a journal about your day.

Diet
Eating slowly and mindfully is very important, to allow your digestive system to work efficiently. This means chewing every bite thoroughly, and eating sitting down, without being distracted by reading or TV. Caffeine, alcohol and sugar create extra stress in the body without providing any nutrition. Cut back on caffeine; enjoy organic green tea and herbal teas through the day instead of coffee and pop. Avoid junk food, sweets, pastries and donuts through the day. Keep healthy snacks like fruit and raw unsalted nuts and seeds at your desk to munch on. Vitamins may be helpful to aid your body in healing from stress, but it is advised to consult a naturopath first to make sure you are getting what you need.

Exercise
Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce stress. This does not need to be overwhelming; a 30 minute walk every day can make a huge difference. Exercising with a friend or partner is the most successful way to go. Start a lunch-time walk every day at the office with a group of co-workers. Enlist your kids or partner in an after dinner walk every day. Not only will you feel more relaxed and sleep better, but you will enjoy valuable family time also. If you can, join the local YMCA or gym and take regular exercise classes as well.

Replacing bad habits for good
We all know that smoking, drinking too much, drinking too much caffeine, snacking on junk food in front of the TV, not exercising and not eating breakfast are all bad habits that we should probably do something about, but it can all seem insurmountable sometimes. Make a commitment to yourself to do something positive and healthy in order to improve your health and well being. Decide to change just one bad habit at first. Take small steps, don't try to do it all at once, and don't go it alone. A naturopath can offer effective assistance in quitting smoking, reducing caffeine intake, or improving your diet for example.

Self care and emotional care
Often when we are feeling burned out by stress in our lives; we are putting out more energy than we are taking in. This may come in the form of work or family demands, or worry about money, the future, or stressful problems. The first thing to be dropped from a busy schedule is almost always you, and prioritizing your fitness, diet and other health needs. Most of us do not take any time for ourselves in a day - when was the last time you took an hour just for you? Remind yourself that you are worth caring for and deserve to be healthy. Take 60 minutes every day that is just for you - not for your partner, your children, your roommate or your boss. Do something you enjoy that brings you happiness, such as a dance class, a massage, a long walk by the lake or in the park, a bath with candles, time at the gym, meditation, creative writing, tea and conversation with a close friend - anything that brings you joy. What makes you joyful? Your heart and spirit require joyfulness to be healthy; if you find your life is lacking this crucial element, it may be time to take a hard look at where you are and what you want, in the bigger scheme of things.

The 360º Stress Management Program

If you feel you are stressed, but are having trouble with stress management on your own, check out our stress management program, combining acupuncture, supplements and lifestyle counselling to enhance your mental, physical and emotional wellness. Our weekly free meditation classes are also excellent for learning how to calm mental chatter associated with stress.