Yes... Stress is real!

Stress is a normal physical and psychological response to the increasing demands of our fast modern lifestyles. It is defined as any emotional, physical, social, environmental or other factor that requires a response to change.  Dis-stress occurs when the level of stress exceeds a person’s ability to cope with it.

Coping with stress...

How well we cope is always very individual. Stress can be caused as a result of one or many events such as:

• Personal issues
• Family issues
• Financial difficulties
• Work pressure
• Marital or relationship issues
• Death of a loved one
• Big changes such as changing jobs, moving house

Typically when people are stressed, they are often unable to identify what is causing them to feel this way. As it builds up, it adversely affects physical and/or emotional health. Typically presenting symptoms can often include:

• Insomnia
• Poor memory
• Poor concentration
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Irritability

How does your body cope?

When your body is exposed to long term stress, it releases cortisol in an attempt to stay active and alert so that it can deal with the stress at hand. When the presenting stress is gone, your body is supposed to return to a relaxed state. Unfortunately for many, the non-stop stress of our lifestyles means that your body does not get a chance to shut off. It  will then use up large amounts of nutrients and energy. This eventually results in nutritional deficiency and burn out.  When stress becomes chronic it can affect each and every system in your body. This can lead to serious health consequences:

• Headaches and/or migraines
• Depression
• Peptic ulcer
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Asthma
• Dermatitis
• Hormone imbalances
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Cardiovascular disease
• Weakened immune system
• Insulin resistance
• Inflammation

That’s why stress management is so important!

How can I manage my stress?

No matter what has caused your stress, there are many excellent techniques you can do to help manage it. These will depend on how long you have been stressed, how severe it is and how it has affected you both emotionally and physically. Stress management helps to reset your alarm system.

How can a Naturopath help?

• Help to identify your causes and address the symptoms.
• Advise on the most effective nutrients to support during periods of stress and recovery.
• Support healthy mood, memory and brain function.
• Provide guidelines to improve a healthier diet.
• Recommend individual management techniques.

What strategies can you use to manage stress?

Appropriate and healthy dietary and lifestyle choices can improve health, balance and vitality to help manage and recover from the effects of chronic stress. Identifying the best natural supplements such as B vitamins, magnesium and the right herbs can help to restore energy and support the nervous system. Supporting the individual symptoms of stress can help to provide short term relief and help deal with the causes that are driving chronic stress.

Article by Janne Ramsay | Naturopath