What’s your body telling you about stress?
Can you believe that we are already one month into this new year?
Are you back at work and juggling family commitments as well as the many challenges that life presents us. We are often so accustomed to living like this that we accept the physical and mental symptoms of stress as part of normal life. So many of the health concerns that I talk to women about in my clinic have a relationship with stress. Symptoms like insomnia, anxiety, weight gain and gut issues are common, alongside hormone related problems including PMS and painful, heavy periods. If you are regularly experiencing any of these it could be time to reflect on the role that stress plays in your life.
I wonder if we are becoming immune to the busyness of life and accept that being on-the-go 24/7 is – well, normal.
You can look at stress subjectively. Some people say they thrive on it – do you know someone who always seems to have multiple spinning plates? But, even if this is the case, the effects of stress on your body are the same and they can be very damaging.
Stress isn’t just a feeling, it’s a physiological process within the body that is activated by your brain and triggers your adrenal glands to release cortisol and other hormones and chemicals. This kick starts a whole gamut of other processes from the way your body processes the food you eat, to your monthly cycle (higher cortisol is associated with increased PMS symptoms and period pain). Your adrenal glands are also intricately linked to your thyroid gland, your heart and your brain. I see many women in my clinic who have low thyroid function and when we work on improving their stress levels this returns to normal.
Ok, so I have your attention now – but what kind of symptoms might you experience if your body is struggling due to stress?
The list is vast, but here’s some of the common ones:
Gut issues including bloating, irregular bowel function, reflux, burping, gas
Irregular periods, heavy bleeding, pain, cramping
PMS symptoms including anxiety, irritability, breast pain and cravings in the week before your period
Weight gain or difficulty maintaining a healthy weight
Sleep problems
Headaches and migraines
Anxiety or low mood
Low energy or fatigue
Frequent or recurring infections
Stress is also a well-recognised driver of chronic disease including insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. This is often because of diet and lifestyle choices. Can you see how stress can actually become a self- perpetuating cycle?
Here’s an example of what I mean:
You’re tired at the end of a busy day and so you grab some takeaway that contains lots of refined carbs. These make you feel satisfied for a short time but because they elevate your blood glucose just before bedtime, you find it hard to get off to sleep. You wake tired the next day and don’t have the energy to make any breakfast or pack a healthy lunch. First stop is the bakery for a coffee and a pastry to get you through the morning. By lunchtime you feel like taking a nap under your desk and have no motivation to do any exercise. – this is not a recipe for health.
So what can you do? It’s not as if you can quit your job, hire a full time nanny and move to a mountain top. The truth is for most people there are many day-to-day stressors that you can’t change. You can, however, modify a few things that can have a really powerful impact on your health.
Eat 3 nutritious, wholefood meals every day and avoid processed foods as much as possible. This may mean prioritising meal prepping at the weekends so that you have healthy options when you are busy during the week. It might also mean making a commitment to increasing your skills in cooking – meals cooked at home, from good quality ingredients are always going to be healthier than takeaways or pre-prepared options.
Prioritise sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep is foundational for health. There are many studies that now support this and recognise that poor sleep is a key contributor to chronic disease, obesity and mental illness. If you find it hard to get to sleep, try reducing your evening screen time and ditch desserts and alcohol.
Move your body regularly. Find activities that you like and do them often. It doesn’t need to be hitting the gym before heading to work – in fact, this can be detrimental to your health. It can be as simple as going for a lunchtime walk, joining a dance class, riding your bike or going for a swim.
Practice some mindfulness. It’s really important that you don’t confuse this with exercise – I have many clients who say that their mindfulness is the 6am pump class they do 5 days a week. That’s not mindfulness. Finding time for your body and mind to be at rest allows your nervous system to calm and your body to heal. It’s a vital part of supporting your health and wellbeing.
In a world that spins 24 hours per day, finding time for self-care can feel overwhelming. However, making one or two positive changes to your diet and lifestyle can make a huge difference to your wellbeing. You don’t need to go it alone though, and in fact you are more likely to make permanent changes if you have support from a health practitioner. Naturopathy uses nutritional and herbal medicine to support and heal your body. This is alongside the most important aspect of treatment which is providing education that gives you the power to take control of your health – it’s this that changes lives.