7 Reasons you need to Stop Stressing out and How

Stress is a normal part of life. A certain level of stress is healthy and can be motivating. That extra burst of adrenaline that helps you finish a task, perform well in sports, or meet any challenge is positive stress. It is a short-term physiological tension and added mental alertness that subsides when the challenge had been met, enabling you to relax and carry on.
However, this fast-paced world where economic troubles, health problems and other challenging encounters seem to be everywhere we turn, has made stress a companion in so many people’s lives.
In this case it’s a long-term tension, we become unbalanced and our brain stays in constant stress mode.

While we at NurtureNESS are talking about Reducing the Toxic Load in our Daily Life, I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about getting a toxin out of our lives that most people don’t see as a toxin – STRESS. Chronically stressing out can not only kill brain cells – it can kill you!

Stress goes beyond emotions. Like any emotion, stress causes real physiological and hormonal changes in the body.
Without minimising the power of stress, I need to add here, that even though we feel we are at the mercy of stress – Stress is a DECISION. In any situation in live we DECIDE how we respond. There is always the option to stay calm and centred …. I know what you are thinking…. I’m guilty too, of feeling run over by certain things in life…
 

Stress creates Toxins and nutritional Imbalances

When we worry and stress over things and situations, we might feel a certain way and start sweating for example. But our physical body produces “pollutants” or “stress toxins”. Over time, our body can get clogged up with these toxins which leave us vulnerable to all kinds of health problems including high blood pressure, ulcers, heart attack and diabetes.
 
Stress can even kill the beneficial bacteria that live in our gut. So you might want to think twice next time you start to worry about your gut health!

Prolonged stress adversely affects our nutritional status and needs, but our nutrition habits also affect how prone we are to stress, the intensity of our stress response, and our ability to cope with unavoidable stress!
One can say that stress is the cause of all dis-ease – it is known as The Killer Number 1.

Stress effects your whole body

1. Adrenal fatigue. While adrenal fatigue as a disorder is still under dispute in the medical community, most medical professionals will tell you that constantly stressing your adrenals - tiny little glands that sit atop your kidneys and produce cortisol, the stress hormone - leads to an imbalance that, left unchecked, can cause all kinds of problems from inflammation to depression.

2. Memory problems. Studies examining memory have found one major constant that affects what and how well we can remember things. The more stressed out we are, the more our short-term and long-term memories are affected. Chronic stress has also been linked to Alzheimer's disease and dementia in the elderly.

3. Weakened Immune System. Studies have shown that prolonged stress presents strain on the cellular functions that support the immune system. Stress causes hormone imbalances, poor sleep patterns, and wears down on organs. Suppressed immune function readily leads to increased sickness and reduced ability to combat ailments.

4. Unwanted Weight Gain. Some resources suggest that increased hormone cortisol levels related to stress cause weight gain. There is also a strong correlation between stress and weight gain suggesting that ongoing stress patterns generate poor nutrition habits, increased use of food as a support system, and improper meal schedules.

5. Musculoskeletal and Physiological Imbalances. Stress is a highly tacking process that depletes energy from bodily systems affecting work and activity performance. Stress is often a culprit for generating muscle tension throughout the body. This muscle tension is most commonly experienced in the spine with discomfort radiating through the neck, back, and shoulders. Neck tension is often diagnosed as the source of many headaches. Stress also greatly affects digestive function, reproductive organ health, and hormone balance. One can see how readily stress generates hormone and energy imbalances especially for those who have skin disorders like acne and eczema.

6. Aging faster. Look at someone's brain scan and you can't tell their chronological age, but you can tell what age their body thinks it is. The more stress you are under, the "older" your brain looks and acts. All the wrinkle cream in the world can't help you if you are a die-hard stress case.

7. Reduced Quality of Life and Social Relationships. Most people have difficulty managing stress and associate themselves with the factors causing this stress. Without managing stress, this negative energy manifests into emotions and physical reactions. As social beings, others encountering someone else's stress manifestations will either facilitate these stress reactions further (like attracts like) making the environment even worse. Or, those who are sensitive to others' stress responses will choose to remove themselves from this social environment. Stress can adversely affect our relationships with others causing us to lose healthy relationships and foster further negative social relationships.

Ways to relax, recharge

• Breathe consciously
  The moment you feel stressed, stop what you think and do, close your eyes (not when driving or operating machines though) and take three slow and deep breath. On the out-breath let the tension out with a sigh – it makes it more powerful. You can also see your worries drift away like a cloud or a leaf on a river … which ever picture works for you.
  
  
• Get active

You might want to practice yoga or go for a walk. Some people like to run or do workouts – however that puts new stress on your body.

• Chill Out

Meditate or chill out with some soothing music. I just discovered this most healing music by Michael Tyrrell – “Wholetones” – so soothing – I have it running all day on my laptop and have a copy on my tablet and phone too.

• Practice Self-Massages

Daily 10 minutes of self-massages are a wonderful way to demonstrate Self-Love and to relax the tension in your neck and shoulders. Also, spending a few minutes every evening and gently massaging your face provides blissful relaxation. Make sure you go along the hairline where we hold lots of tension and don’t forget your jaw line – especially if you have to bite your tongue often to stop you from saying what you truly think!!!
For effective and easy self-massages (without breaking your fingers) I recommend JOYA.

• Change your Perception

NOTHING in this universe is all good or all bad. By looking at a challenging situation and writing down as many benefits as you think it has drawbacks you will quickly come to the conclusion that’s not as bad after all. This point is a huge topic in itself, and for now I just like to invite you to google Dr. John Demartini, the specialist when it comes to understanding human behavior and seeing the balance in the universe.

• Talk to someone, ask for help
  

Sharing with others also helps to gain a new perception. And if a task is too big, too much too…. there is no harm in asking for help. Don’t be afraid, don’t reject yourself by not asking!

• Keep your Sanity with Serenity

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.

---

Nurture your body with that little extra

Unless you have been eating the perfect diet with fruit and vegetables grown on soil full of minerals and the meat of happy, hormone and antibiotic free animals, and never took drugs and antibiotics you might just need to a little bit to support your stressed cells to regenerate… (wake up - stop dreaming!)

If you are like most people, all the billion cells in your amazing body need DAILY supplementation of the Essential Nutrition: Vitamins, Minerals, Antioxidants and Probiotics as we simply cannot get the required amounts from our food anymore…
A stressed system has an even higher need of these basics plus requires some extra support.

+ Stress Health - with Herbs and Vitamins
+ Well-Being - The original Chinese Imperial Formula - only the best is good enough, right?
+ Balancing Collections - Especially the Balancing Cream

I personally take these daily and the supplements in Modere’s Health Collection

I trust you gained some insight and inspiration from this article - please feel free to leave a comment.