Stress…The Silent Enemy
Stress
Your body is an amazing machine that was designed to survive. All of your vital organs have a role in that survival. When there is perceived danger, your various systems will slow or shut down to focus your resources on keeping you safe. Digestion stops, blood flow is restricted, adrenaline and cortisol production is increased, breathing becomes shallow, heart races…all of these are a reaction to stress.
What is stress?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, stress is your body’s reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. Stress is a normal part of life. You can experience stress from your environment, your body, and your thoughts. Even positive life changes such as a promotion, a mortgage, or the birth of a child produce stress.
Stress can be good
Our bodies are designed to experience stress and react accordingly. Stress can be a good thing. It keeps us alert and ready to escape danger. However, when a person experiences chronic or continuous stress without relief, that’s where we get into trouble. Our bodies have a built-in stress response in the autonomic nervous system which causes us to develop physiological changes when we are under stress that allow us to “save” ourselves under dangerous circumstances. This is known as the “fight or flight” response and is activated in the case of perceived emergency. When behaving normally, the fight or flight response will be activated when a dangerous situation presents itself but as soon as the danger is removed, our system should return to normal. Under chronic stress however, this response never shuts off and may result in emotional and physical harm long term.
How does stress affect us?
A body under constant and continuous stress will likely develop physical and mental or emotional symptoms such as: headache, digestive issues, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, sexual dysfunction, anti-social behavior, chest pain, elevated blood pressure, and many other health issues. Chronic stress could also lead to poor lifestyle choices. Poor food choices, excessive drinking, reckless behavior are all linked to several disease states. Stress is linked to several of the leading causes of death like heart disease, accidents, cancer and suicide.
Chronic stress
People under chronic stress are more likely to engage in dangerous or compulsive behaviors like gambling, casual sex, pornography and overuse or abuse substances such as: tobacco, alcohol, recreational drugs, and shopping. Ironically, the behaviors used by people trying to alleviate stress actually end up adding to and increasing the stress level. The victims are trapped in a vicious, never-ending cycle of chronic stress.
What should we do to minimize stress?
The Mayo Clinic suggests ways to minimize or alleviate the effects of stress on the body. They suggest practicing relaxation technics like: deep breathing, meditation, yoga, tai chi, regular massage (my favorite). Get regular exercise or other kinds of physics activity. Socialize with people you love or at least like, engage in relaxing hobbies and don’t take yourself or your life so seriously. Be sure to get enough good quality sleep, make healthy food choices, avoid using tobacco and recreational drugs, and avoid excess alcohol and caffeine intake.
The effects of stress on the body often look like health issues. If you have taken steps to lower or eliminate the stress in your life and you still experience symptoms, see your health professional. There could be something else going on. If you experience shortness of breath, chest pressure or pain, dizziness or pain in arms or shoulders upon exertion, seek immediate and emergent help. These could be signs of a cardiac event and must be addressed immediately.
Stress is an inevitable part of life but if it is unrelenting, it can be a troublemaker that you do not need. Pay attention to the stressors in your life and do your best to eliminate them or at least minimize them.
My Story
Since June 2019, I decided to hold myself accountable for walking my talk. Several years ago, I was able to take off 135 pounds and essentially save my own life. I regained some of that weight in the last couple of years and I’m working my way back down. I’ve lost over 40 pounds since I began in June and have exercised nearly every day since August.
If you choose to join me on this journey, I hope I am able to impart some nutritional and lifestyle wisdom. Even though I may have gone off the rails temporarily I can still share some of my first hand experience as well as my acquired knowledge and training to help you make the right changes to live your best life.
Do You Want Help?
Would you like to have more energy, lose weight, sleep better, and balance your hormones? I am launching another 5 week Sugar Detox Program beginning January 28th.
This program is open to anyone who:
- would like to get control of their sugar cravings
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- and an overall increase in well-being.
Aren’t you tired of feeling bloated and lethargic?
If you continue to follow the path you’re on, where will it lead you in six months? a year? Isn’t it time to take a different approach?
What you have done in the past hasn’t worked or at least has not stuck. I can help you change that. Click here for a free consultation. We’ll discuss your challenges and your goals for the coming year and see if we’re a good fit. You have nothing to lose except those nasty cravings.
As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.
Stress is that unseen voice that nags and pushes and lets you know that you are not enough. And it is hard to let it go, so you eat too much of the wrong foods. Because they are supposed to be soothing. But they aren’t. (looking forward to the detox!!!)
Stress has so many negative impacts on our bodies. It’s best to find a way to manage it that doesn’t do further damage. Getting rid of processed sugar is a good thing to do for sure.
Blogging can be a way to relieve stress. Doing it on a regular basis is one of the keys go unlocking the benefits.
However, a challenge to do it every day can be a form of good stress. It is not a prolonged stress and there is a satisfaction when it is over.
So, Blog on!
I blog even outside the challenge Doug, so it’s often a little stressful to come up with topics daily. I enjoy it and as long as people get some value from what I write about, I’m happy to do it.
Very well said. Since having stage 3, almost stage 4 Thyroid Cancer in 2013 – with surgery in January 2014 – I am constantly battling low energy bouts. Some of these have been so severe I end up in the back of an ambulance for a 3 – 4 day stay in a local hospital. T.C. has also created more health issues for me than I care to think about – so much for it being cited by the doctor at the very beginning of my treatment “of all cancers to have, Thyroid is the easiest”. I hate to differ with this doctor because since being diagnosed with T.C – I have been living hell on earth where health issues are concerned.
I look forward to following your blog and possibly utilizing some of your writings to work for me.
thank you!
Hi Nancy…I’m so sorry you’re dealing with your health issues. I’ve also herd that about thyroid cancer but I feel comments like that minimize the impact cancer and the treatment of it have on the patient. I would recommend that you ask your endocrinologist to check your thyroid levels and see if your meds need to be adjusted. If you would like to have a free consultation with me, you can schedule it at https://calendly.com/karen-sammer. In any case, I hope you find relief. Cancer and its treatment are the gifts that keep on giving in some way.
What a great eye opener on stress Karen! I think we tend to push on things too hard and once stress builds up it’s hard to get relieve. But like Doug mentioned, blogging seems to help me!
Martha…there are strategies you can use to reduce the impact of stress in your life. Exercise, meditation, adequate sleep and just deep breathing can help.