Stress and Your Health: Part 1

The dreaded S Word: STRESS.

In today’s high demanding world, stress seems to be everywhere. We have heard that term “I’m so stressed!”

But what really IS Stress?

Stress can be defined as:

“The non-specific response of the body to any demand for change”

“The state when the body’s demands are higher than it’s resources”.

“Any physical, emotional, chemical or mental factor that creates tension, strain and demanding circumstances”

“Reaction of the body (physical or mental) to its demands”.

Stress can be experienced from both positive and negative circumstances. Both planning a wedding and getting into a car crash are both stressful, but are two completely different types of stresses!

Here are some quick facts about the Nervous System:

👉We have two states of our central nervous system: Sympathetic & Parasympathetic branches. Our Sympathetic nervous system is the “Fight or Flight” side & Parasympathetic is the “Rest & Digest” side. We fluctuate between both states throughout the day. There are ideal times that we should be in each state.
👉Fight or Flight mode activates hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These ramp up heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar etc. as it is prepared for “attack mode”. In primal time, this was when we needed to run away from animals (think “danger mindset”).
The PS is the calm & relaxed state, where your body needs to be for: recovery, rest, digestion, reproduction & more. Hormones are produced, food is absorbed, & healing all happen here.
👉Stress, in all its forms, puts us in a Sympathetic state. When not addressed, chronic levels of stress will build up and will create health concerns.

Stress can be: physical, mental/emotional & environmental/chemical.

Here are just some different forms of STRESS:

👉Chemical:
Poor diet: processed foods, fake ingredients, GMO foods, sugars & vegetable oils, conventional meats etc
Pesticides & Herbicides (from foods but also cleaning supplies)
Conventional self care, skincare, beauty AND cleaning products
Heavy Metals (water supply, vaccines)
Chemicals through work exposure, air supply, pollution

👉Physical:
Injuries (acute or chronic)
Repetitive motions as during work
Poor posture (Text neck, kyphosis etc)

Excessive exercise or NO exercise
Infection, major illness, surgery
Any health condition, autoimmune disease etc.

👉Mental/Emotional:

Poor/toxic relationships
Lack of social connection and/or isolation
Death of loved one
Divorce or Separation
Poor self esteem & confidence
Negative work environment
Perfectionist mindset

👉Sudden change in life: job loss, new family member, fertility issues, financial issues, debt
👉“Positive” stressors: pregnancy, childbirth, engagement, wedding, travel, new job, going to school etc.

Obviously stress can be so much, & this isn’t even everything! Stress manifests itself in different ways for everyone.

My next post will be on HOW Stress affects our body, and the negative impacts of chronic stress.