The Stress Toll (Origin) - 1/3
When we hear the word stress what do we think of? Perhaps it’s the deadlines at work, relationship struggles, illness, loss of a loved one? We all have this stress. But, there are other stressors that keep us in the state of feeling stressed and overwhelmed.
As humans, we have stress as a necessity, rather than a negative response in our bodes. It keeps us alert, on track, and adds spice to life.
What if it’s chronic and on-going though?
The stress that caused our ancestors to flee from danger, is no longer something we find effective in our day-to-day. We aren't encountering wild tigers on Bay (or Wall) Street. Metaphorically, perhaps.
While it seems silly to stress over our modern concerns, compared to the imminent danger our ancestors faced, it's not. Comparing our stresses to those less fortunate than us will also not alleviate our stress. All stressors trigger the same cascade of biochemical events, beginning in the adrenals.
The adrenals are these small and mighty glands responsible for the production of 30-60 different hormones. When we get stressed out, our adrenal glands respond immediately with an increase in adrenaline and then cortisol. Fight or flight kicks in, which is designed to be a short-lived response. Long-acting cortisol is prolonged in surges and can keep us alive through the most enduring forms of adversity.
Our modern bodies face continued and endless pressure. This means that the adrenals are pumping out adrenaline and cortisol too high, too often and keeps us feeling wired ALL THE TIME. The thing is, we think it’s the constant deadlines, the overwhelm, the multi-tasking. But what’s often causing stress on our bodies can include: a diet that is high-sugar, highly processed, low protein; caffeine; environmental pollution; toxic chemicals we in our household and personal care products.
If, and when, our adrenals get run down, we no longer have enthusiasm, energy or the interest to deal with any stress. This will appear as feeling triggered and overwhelmed by the slightest things like an email notification. If that’s the case, you’ve hit adrenal burnout.
How do I know? I’ve hit adrenal exhaustion and to dig myself out it meant more than just removing the stressors. It takes a lot of work, like figuring out where the stress is coming from, what your coping strategies are, and defining your healing method. Let’s focus on identifying and defining stress today.
Defining the origin of our stress
We have all fallen victim to the notorious reward for the ‘busy success-driven multitasker’. Figuring out that you have burnout, what’s affecting you, and then how to cope with it never makes it to the to-do list.
I strongly encourage you to step away today and take five minutes and figure out if some of the topics below might have you stressed out.
GENETICS: Do your parents, grandparents, or siblings handle stress well? How? Did they rely on drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or chocolate to cope? How were they emoting when under fire?
MENTAL HEALTH: Do you have anxiety, depression, panic disorder, ADHD? How do you currently deal with your mental health? Ignoring the signs will not make things get better.
HORMONES: If your sex hormones are unbalanced, you may suffer from PMS. Levels of progesterone and GABA could be low during this PMS period and leave you feeling miserable. It’s also not just menstruating folks that can suffer from low progesterone.
ILLNESS: including pain, injury, worrying
EXERCISE: Over exercising? This can cause your adrenals to wear down.
WORK: Think about the pressures, deadlines, overworking, or overwhelm you’re experiencing. In today's working world, we feel validated by working long hours, skipping vacation and even skipping our moments to step away. When did this become the hero’s way?
RELATIONSHIPS: Family, school, work. Relationships require work and can create stress on the body in the slightest ways. Single parents feel the filling agenda with minimal support.
WHAT WE EAT: Processed, junk, fast food, high sugar, low protein, too much meat and dairy, excess sodium, skipping meals. Being in a hypoglycemic state can be damaging. Adrenaline and cortisol are designed to keep our blood sugar steady and constant. When we’re in stress, our bodies start to tackle that low blood sugar. But if we’re always stressed, raising the blood sugar with our stress hormones can actually lead to high blood sugar (aka diabetes). When we eat some sweets or baked goods our blood sugar is raised in sheer minutes. The adrenaline alarms now go off and our body sends out some insulin to scoop up that extra blood sugar and store it as fat for a rainy day. If this happens, the body rushes in the cortisol to save sugar for emergencies later on, depositing the fuel/glucose in our liver and muscles. We are left with less protection from stress and our adrenals end up overworked. CLICK HERE FOR A NOURISHING RECIPE
GUT DYSBIOSIS: This includes bacterial or yeast overgrowth, parasites. Overgrowth of yeast can sometimes be the result of too many rounds of antibiotics, birth control pills, a high-sugar or high-refined carbohydrate diet. This doesn’t mean you should start a low carb diet. Always consult with your naturopath, dietician or holistic nutritionist before starting a new protocol.
ALLERGENS: Stress hormones help to battle inflammation from intruders, aka allergens.
WHAT WE ARE EXPOSED TO: Pollution, chemicals in our foods. Do you eat from an organic, non-GMO aisle in the grocery store? How is your space being cleaned? What chemicals lurk in the carpets, paint, air you breathe indoors? Air, water, soil, light and sound can be pollutants. Consider a product before applying it to your body - is it non-toxic? Was it tested on animals? This matters, as a product may get approved based on the number of mice that survived its application. Think about the origin of the ingredients.
What’s the bottom line?
Add in foods rich in proteins (foods with tryptophan will help us to create serotinin: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, mushrooms, soybeans, broccoli, peas, leafy greens), omega-3 fats (hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, nuts), satisfying saturated fats (coconut milk is a good one in moderation), and loads of vegetables and fruits. And lastly, get outdoors, breathe, sweat and hydrate!
Continue reading The Stress Toll for 5 ways to cope with stress and one key strategy.
CHECK OUT MY RECIPE SECTION FOR NOURISHING WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS
