Stress and Health Part 2

All things Stress Part 2:

What is Stress? What are the different types of Stress?

Stress, in essence, is when the body’s demands are higher than it’s resources.

👉We have two states of our nervous system: Sympathetic & Parasympathetic branches. Our Sympathetic is the “Fight or Flight” side & ParaSympathetic is the “Rest & Digest” side. We fluctuate between both states throughout the day.
👉The Sympathetic branch (Fight or Flight) 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 Parasympathetic branch 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. Short term, this is needed and ideal, because it allows us to react to the new demand. However, chronic levels of stress can build up if not addressed and will affect one’s health.
Stress can be: physical, mental/emotional & environmental/chemical.

👉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.