Stress

What exactly does stress do to the body?

Stress is so ingrained into our everyday lives, that under normal conditions we do not realize that we are placing our bodies under stress, until a health problem become evident.

Simply put, working long hours puts us under stress. Working a full day, then doing housework, preparing the evening meal, shopping, looking after children then collapsing into bed – the norm for most working mothers certainly takes its toll on health.
Obvious stressors include the mental and emotional strain that we encounter each day, such as battling traffic in peak hour, working in noisy conditions or working to a deadline. Then there are the more obvious ones such as painful divorce, debt, death of a loved one, or relationship problems.

Other factors that cause stress include a poor diet high in refined sugar and fats, chronic pain, inflammation, infection and hormonal imbalance. Over time these factors can have the same effect as mental stress by stimulating the release of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenalin from the adrenal glands.

Symptoms Caused:
These stress hormones, in excess increases your risk of numerous diseases and can cause the following symptoms:

Headaches
Restlessness
Irritability
Muscle pain
Sleep disturbance
Poor concentration
Anxiety
Depression
Any worsening of a pre-existing health condition

Small amounts of stress can help keep us alert and motivated. The problem begins when the stress is long term or chronic. This will usually lead to an insufficient stress response from the adrenal glands. Commonly the adrenals will first go into an overactive state leaving you feeling anxious, irritable or jittery. You may even experience insomnia and a decrease in appetite.

More Severe Symptoms of Stress:
If the stress is not resolved at this stage the adrenal glands can eventually go into an underactive state and not produce enough adrenalin and cortisol leaving you with symptoms of depression, lethargy, fatigue, or an increased appetite especially for stimulants such as caffeine and sugar. This is what we call Adrenal exhaustion or Adrenal Burnout.