The following article by Elizabeth Walling was transcribed verbatim from:
http://www.naturalnews.com/028359_chronic_stress_health.html
Stop Stress from Killing You, Part I: Identify the Stress in Your Life
Saturday, March 13, 2010 by: Elizabeth Walling, citizen journalist
(NaturalNews) What is stress? Physiologically, stress could be considered any event that triggers a marked response by the adrenal glands. In basic terms, this response is the release of cortisol. It's the body's natural reaction to any stressor. For occasional stressors, cortisol can provide a burst of benefits like increased energy, heightened reflexes and a higher threshold for pain. However, when stress is chronic, as it often is in modern society, cortisol levels can remain unnaturally high and lead to damaging effects, which include:
- Poor thyroid function
- Hypoglycemia
- Loss of lean body tissue like muscle and bone
- Higher blood pressure
- Susceptibility to illness, infection and disease
- Weight gain, particularly in the abdominal region
Eventually, if the stress is intense or chronic, the adrenal glands struggle to keep up with the many stressors your body encounters. Adrenal fatigue or burnout can result. Lack of energy, poor moods and a decreased ability to handle life's daily stresses are common signs of weak adrenal glands. The health problems caused by adrenal weakness are far reaching and can be serious because without strong adrenal health the body isn't capable of dealing with everyday problems like illness, toxins or emotional stress.
Understanding what constitutes stress is one of the most important keys in dealing with it. Otherwise, we could very well be letting untold sources of stress slip through our fingers without notice. Here are some examples of common stressors:
Emotional and psychological stress. This includes an unhappy work situation, marital friction, negative thought patterns, or death of a loved one.
Lack of sleep, relaxation and downtime. This is all too common in our society, where many people sacrifice sleep and downtime in order to get more done.
Allergies. Allergens in food or in your environment can cause stress, and stress can in turn trigger allergic reactions. This results in a vicious cycle which is sure to wear on your adrenals.
Poor eating habits and diet. A healthy, balanced diet is the foundation of overall health and especially adrenal health. Skipping meals, dieting, or cutting out macronutrients are all stressors.
Excessive exercise. Staying active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, but the mantra of "exercise more" is repeated so often people tend to think more is better. This is not necessarily true. Over-exercising is just as bad as not exercising at all, if not worse.
Physical stressors. Whether it's a common cold or a sports injury, illness and physical trauma are stressors. Recurring infections, chronic pain or repeat injuries are especially stressful.
Toxin exposure. This includes substances like refined sugar, chemical food additives (such as MSG), caffeine, nicotine, airborne pollution, chemicals found in household cleaners, toxins in our water supply, and the host of other chemicals and toxins we encounter every day.
The above list is meant to be used as a resource for identifying the top sources of stress in your life. It may not be possible to avoid every single one of these stressors - in fact, you are sure to encounter many of them throughout your life. But whenever possible, making positive changes in order to reduce the number or intensity of stressors you experience can have a substantial impact on your physical and emotional health.
For More Information:
Schwarzbein, Diana. (2002) The Schwarzbein Principle II: The "Transition" - A Regeneration Program to Prevent and Reverse Accelerated Aging. Published by HCI.
Wilson, James L. (2002) Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome. Published by Smart Publicaitons.
http://stress.about.com/od/stresshe...
Replies
A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience,
raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?"
Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.
The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter.
It depends on how long you try to hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, it's not a problem.
If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance.
In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."
He continued,
"And that's the way it is with stress management.
If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later,
the burden will become increasingly heavy;
and we won't be able to carry on.
"As with the glass of water,
you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.
When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.
So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down; don't carry it home.
You can pick it up tomorrow.
Whatever burdens you're carrying now,
let them down for a moment if you can."
So, my friend, put down anything that may be a burden to you right now.
Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.
Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:
Just accept that, some days, you're the pigeon:
and, some days, you're the statue.
Always keep your words soft and sweet --
just in case you have to eat them.
Always wear stuff that will make you look good,
if you die in the middle of it.
Drive carefully.
It's not only cars that can be 'recalled' by their maker.
If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again,
It was probably worth it.
It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to be kind to others.
Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time;
because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
Nobody cares if you can't dance well.
Just get up and dance.
Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird,
sleep late.
The second mouse gets the cheese.
When everything's coming your way,
you're in the wrong lane.
Birthdays are good for you.
The more you have, the longer you live.
You may be only one person in the world,
But you may also be the world to one person.
Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
We could learn a lot from crayons...
Some are sharp; some are pretty; and some are dull.
Some have weird names; and all are different colours;
but they all have to live in the same box.
A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
http://www.stressfocus.com/stress_focus_article/stress-management-t...
Natural Stress Relief Technique – Absolutely no side effects!!!
Natural stress management techniques provide a desired relief to people who are in stress. These natural stress reliefs are said to be devoid of dreadful side effects. Stress can affect anyone at anytime in some point of life. This article contains more information on:
Which are the three components of yoga that are used for stress relief?
Find out how lifestyle changes and stress relief is related
Will drinking plenty of water helps in overcoming stress?
Stress can affect anyone and everyone at some point of time in their life. Stress is believed to trigger 70% of visits to doctors, and 85% of serious illnesses. Natural stress management techniques provide a desired relief in these patients. These natural stress reliefs are said to be devoid of dreadful side effects. Stress occurs when the normal "Fight or Flight" phenomenon of our endocrine system occurs more frequently. This phenomenon causes a few reversible changes in our body like increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased metabolism and energy release, muscle tension etc.
Stress can affect your health, your work performance, your social life and your relationship with your family members. There is no escape from stress. One must learn how to handle it. There is no single remedy for stress relief. Though there is a long list of drugs to handle stress the list of their side effects is equally long. So everyone is on the look out for natural stress relief techniques which are very effective and at the same time don't have many side effects. Click here to see some natural stress relief products, or read on to learn how you can relieve stress through various techniques.
Natural Techniques
Natural stress reduction techniques can be categorized under the following headings.
Exercise
Yoga
Meditation
Tai Chi
Reiki
Herbs
Dietary adjustments
Life style changes
Exercise
Exercise and diet are simplest of the remedies for stress. Exercise helps in relieving the stress in the following ways.
The adrenaline store gets exhausted and results in relaxation.
Exercise produces Beta endorphin in our brain which relieves stress by providing a sense of well being.
Exercise increases blood flow to brain which supplies more oxygen and eliminates toxic materials including carbon dioxide and lactate.
Exercise relaxes tensed muscles.
Exercise distracts us from the causes of stress.
Deep breathing itself is a good exercise. It helps the body in getting more oxygen and eliminates the unwanted carbon dioxide.
Yoga
Stressed individuals have great amount of tension in their bodies. Yoga an ancient Indian practice helps in releasing this tension and aiding in deep breathing which provides more oxygen and eliminates the toxic carbon dioxide. Three components of Yoga are used for stress relief. They are the asanas, pranayamas and meditation. Meditation can be done separately also for stress relief.
Yogic postures (Asana): The corpses pose (Savasana), the crocodile pose (Makarasana) and the child's pose (Bal asana) are relaxation postures which help in dealing with stress.
Yogic Breathing (Pranayama): One form of Pranayama is Nadi shodhanam in which alternate nostril breathing is done. Pranayama should always be done in a suitable posture or asana in which the lung capacity is the highest and the muscle tension is lowest. It should always be done with the help of a teacher. It should be always done with empty stomach and one should never do it till exhaustion.
Meditation
Two methods need mention a) Meditation that needs focusing and b) Meditation that does not need focusing.
Meditation that needs focusing: The affected person focuses on any object or image or sound or any thoughts. It takes the mind away from the source of stress and provides stress relief.
Meditation that does not need focusing: Transcendental meditation is one form of meditation that does not need focusing. It is done by sitting comfortably with the eyes closed. During the process the fluctuating mind gradually becomes still and attains a state of "Restful alertness". It is done for about 20 minutes everyday in the morning and evening.
Reiki
Reiki is a Japanese art of healing. Rei means "free passage" and ki means "universal energy" It involves transfer of energy from a practitioner to the patient to increase the body's natural ability to heal itself through the balance of energy. Reiki incorporates of most of the other alternate therapies like spiritual therapy, meditation, aroma therapy etc. The hands are the tools of healing in Reiki.The position in which the hands are placed important. Reiki can be done through clothing. But most prefer no barrier to the therapy. Reiki practitioners impart energy through a particular pattern. This induces deep relaxation, detoxifies the body and provides new vitality.
Tai chi
Tai chi or Tai chi chuan is a Chinese martial art meant for health and longevity and how to deal with stress. It is gaining popularity because of its active role in reducing stress. Tai chi means 'Supreme ultimate boxing 'or 'Boundless fist'. The basic principle involves leverage of the joints through co-ordination of relaxation rather than increased muscle tension. This improves the internal circulation and it is believed that over a period of time it reverses the physical effects of stress.
Herbs
Herbal treatment always has a significant chunk of followers. In the treatment of stress Kava Kava is the latest in the list while Valerian is the oldest. The list includes:
Kava Kava: It is a herb of Indonesian and Polynesian islands which is used to relieve stress, anxiety, sleeplessness.
Valerian: It is similar to diazepam, the sleeping pill .It relaxes nervous system and helps in good sleep.
Passion flower: The flavinoids in it acts as a sedative and anti oxidants and relieves stress and anxiety.
St John's Wort: It inhibits the enzyme mono amino oxidase and helps in relieving stress.
Scullcap: It acts on the nervous system and stabilizes the mood.
Hops: Its tranquilizing properties are useful in the treatment of sleeplessness and irritability.
Catnip: It helps in calming the nervous system and treating the digestion problems.
Chamomile: Used as immunostimulant, tranquilizer and helps in digestion.
Rhodiola: It regulates the heart beat. It controls the irregular heart beat.
Bach Rescue remedy: The formula was found by Dr.Edward Bach in 1920's.It contains a combination of 5 flower essences for relieving stress and reducing fear and tension.
Hypnosis
Hypnosis as a relief method for stress has gained considerable credibility in recent years.Hypnosis for anxiety and stress is clinically proven and is an effective long term solution for stress related conditions.
Florida has a lot of very old and huge turtles. I have one that hangs out in my yard and he is the size of a football at least. Talk about no stress, my 100 pound dog went after the turle and the turtle just hissed at her, walked over my dogs leg and kept on trucking and my dog just did not know what to think....Now my dog stays away from the turtle....
http://www.stressfocus.com/stress_focus_article/vitamins-for-stress...
Facts about stress vitamins uncovered
Except vitamin K and D all the other vitamins are to be provided from outside either through food or as supplements. The recommendation of vitamins for stress is a hot issue. This article tells you more on the following aspects:
What are stress reduction vitamins?
stress reduction vitamins helps in reducing stress?
Are stress reduction vitamins safe?
The prescription of vitamins for stress is a controversial issue. Vitamins are micronutrients which are required in minute quantities for carrying out metabolic, enzymatic and certain hormonal activities in our body. Except vitamin K which is produced in smaller amounts in our body by the intestinal flora and vitamin D which is produced in the skin, all the other vitamins are to be provided from outside either through food or as supplements. Vitamins are akin to hormones, the only difference being the later are secreted in the body.
Types of Vitamins
Vitamins are broadly divided into two groups.
Fat soluble - Vitamin A,D,E and K
Water soluble - Vitamin B complex and C
Stress Vitamins
Since the late 1970s significant importance is being given for the so called Stress vitamins. Many manufacturers come out with different combinations of vitamins in varying strengths with promises of relieving stress. The formulations contain combinations of Vitamin B complex and Vitamin C along with Vitamin E and Vitamin A which are called the Stress Vitamins
Why Vitamin A, B, C and E?
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is essential for vision, skin and mucous membrane integrity and for immunity. It also acts as an anti oxidant (dealt separately in this article). Milk, liver, butter, eggs and fruits are rich in Vitamin A. The anti oxidant function of this vitamin helps in stress relief.
Vitamin B Complex
Vitamin B acts as an important chemical called the co enzyme in numerous metabolic reactions in the body. Niacin, a B complex vitamin is necessary for Tryptophan metabolism which is a precursor of Serotonin. Serotonin is a neuro transmitter which keeps the mind calm. Pyridoxine and Vitamin B12 are necessary for the integrity of nerves. Pantothenic acid which is a B complex vitamin plays an important role in stress relief.
Pantothenic Acid
It is a member of the B complex vitamin. It is also called the Anti stress Vitamin' because of its role in relieving stress. Pantothenic acid along with folic acid and Vitamin C is required for the normal functioning of adrenal glands. It is in these glands the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisols are synthesized. Moreover this vitamin takes part in many chemical reactions in the body through which energy is released. Pantothenic acid also removes toxins from the body. There is no storage form for this vitamin. So it has to be provided through food or by vitamin supplements. This vitamin is found in peas, beans, lean meat, poultry, fish and whole grain cereals. It is not lost with cooking.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is necessary for the synthesis of Cortisol, the stress hormone in the adrenal glands which are situated on the top of the kidneys. Vitamin C is needed in the amino acid tyrosine metabolism which is a precursor of various hormones like adrenaline, dopamine and nor adrenaline. Vitamin C also acts as an anti oxidant. Citrus fruits, tomatoes, berries, cabbage and green vegetables are rich in Vitamin C. Cooking destroys this vitamin. Its antioxidant property not only relieves mental stress but also other physical ailments like frozen shoulder, cramps, etc. That’s why E vitamin enriched oils are used for massages.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E whose significance is still under research is believed to act as an anti oxidant. Nuts, germ oils and green leafy vegetables are rich in Vitamin E. Its anti oxidant property is used for relieving stress.
One major stressor that is really out there harming people and was not mentioned here is the stress and emphasis that is put on women to be stick thin or have a large chest. The media shouts at women all day long, thin is the way you should be, the thinner the better, being thin will make you happy and beautiful and admired. So will having a very large chest. That puts a lot of stress on women.....anerexia and body dysmorphia happens because of that stress that is in your face all the time as a woman. Also there is the stress of feeling like you have to look young to have worth, sending women over 40 or even younger to the plastic surgeons to try to stay young looking, (or to get unneeded implants, haha) .....Fear of seeing wrinkles on one's face or seeing gray hair, that is very stressful too....don't forget those stressors.... So I guess you could call all those stressors body image stress! Men get that kind of stress too, feeling they have to have rock hard abs and be totally phyically fit, wrinkle free, no gray hair....Just had to get those things into the stress list, lol... Had the anerexia and almost died, not going to go to the plastic surgeon for any improvements, learned my lesson on trying to care what the media or people in general think about the way I look and how I wear my age....That is one less stress I am not going to entertain.....