Someone once told me,
you don't get stress from what you are doing but from what you don't get done.

I am not going to tell you to just relax and take time off because you probably will not do that.

This issue will however help you understand why it is important for you to make some changes, learn to deal with and prevent stress.
Being busy and being stressed is not the same thing!

Stress is one of the greatest triggers of disease and imbalanced living in our time today. It is something you have to face and deal with.
-Or it will deal with you. (Sorry to be so blunt about it.)

The best solution is to learn how to implement daily stress prevention and nourishing self-care habits.

The stress factor.

It may start in your head, but your body will show you the signs of living with chronic stress. Do you ignore when your body is crying out for some attention, downtime, and care, -but just keep going?

There are different levels of stress. Often we don't even recognize the first signs of stress as such. Our bodies are designed to withstand stress as it is one of our most refined survival tools. Problem is, we were only meant to be stressed in short periods of time, not the way we live today where it has become our lifestyle.

When the body goes into stress-mode our entire nervous system is affected and with that our hormones. This means; when your body experiences stress it will stop doing what it normally does to keep a smooth machine (you) running, and instead put your systems on standby and focus all forces to deal with the danger =stress facing you. That means your adrenals, cortisol and other hormones start racing. These all affect your heart, circulation, metabolism, lungs, and immune system. Bloodsugar rises to increase fuel for energy and the blood's clotting ability increases to be ready for the potential danger of injury. Your blood-pressure raises to push more blood to your muscles so you can run faster, and to the brain so you can think faster (not necessarily better!).

In the 1930s a researcher described the GAS effect (General Adaption. Syndrome):
Stage 1: Adrenal stress. This is where you start feeling the energy slumps, irritability or feeling wired, trouble sleeping and some digestive discomfort.
Stage 2: Adaption. When you learn to adapt your symptoms actually lessen; another survival tool.
Stage 3: Adrenal exhaustion. Most first realize they are suffering from stress at this point. Your body not longer has the juice to keep going and there is no more fuel to take from. You are constantly tired and get colds and other viruses continuously.
Stage 4: Physical burnout. This is when your immunesystem breaks down and you start suffering from chronic conditions such as sudden onset of allergies, depression, hypoglycemia, acid reflux, colitis, chronic fatigue, autoimmune diseases and severe disorders such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, MS, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis. Even cancer is connected to stress and severe emotional trauma (the greatest stressor).

You know you have stress when:

• you cannot sleep.
• you have digestive problems and stomach aches, excessive acid and reflux.
• you have constant headaches and migraines.
• you have tightness or pain in your lower back.
• you have heart palpitations and high blood pressure.
• you get sick all the time, a cold, the flu...
• you have increased abdominal fat you cannot get rid of.
• you feel anxious all the time even when you have down-time.
• you are exhausted and fatigued and
• when you cannot relax without feeling guilty.

What adds to your stress:

Lack of sleep. Your body will see lack of sleep as potential danger lurking. Apart from the fact that being tired makes it harder to cope with problems.

Caffeine: It might make you feel on top of the world after a cup or two. It might be what gets you going in the morning. It is however also what triggers your stress hormone to rise and what gets you even more exhausted as the day goes by. It drains your adrenals even faster than stress alone would do.

Dehydration: We are mostly water. When you are dehydrated your body will perceive it as danger that you are not getting your first most basic need met.

Food at regular mealtimes: That is another very basic need for our bodies ,but unfortunately also the first thing we omit when we don't have time. Well, guess what. Lack of food is very much a red flag for your stress hormones. In body and hormonal language no food = potential death.

Stimulating foods: Like that afternoon cookie or candy-bar which seems in the moment to be the only thing that will get you through the rest of the day. It actually triggers your bloodsugar to spike too fast with the added anxiety and then drop off that will send you into "dragging your feet and feeling fuzzy".

Stress Busters.

Apart from healing your relationships, getting rid of your nasty boss who does not appreciate your efforts, speaking your truth, and doing one thing at a time, also known as multi-tasking, plus realizing that you can indeed only be in one place at a time...

First of course is a balanced diet. You need all the nutritional support you can get from wholefoods; a diet that is vegetable rich, good essential fatty acids, lean proteins, and wholegrain for a good source of glucose for energy. Don't skip meals and especially not breakfast. Don't overeat.

Remember that food becomes your blood and your blood feeds your entire cell and hormonal system, your brain, your muscles, and your organs.

Though I am not proposing to stimulate yourself with supplements, during a stressful time these can help you get through. Adaptogens are herbs that support you in coping and recover from stress. You still have to do what is required too manage your stressors though. They are not miracle cures. Best know is Siberian Ginseng and Vitamin C.

Other adaptogens are; Rhodiola, Ashwagandha, and Shizandra. You can combine them or take them separately. For some emotional exhaustion support is Olive from Bach Flower-essences. If you feel really anxious some Rescue Remedy can help too.

Supplement based on the adaptogens mushrooms are helpful too and boost the immune-system as well. Such would be reishi, maitake, and cordyceps.

Next is to move and have some fun. Get out in nature, exercise or do yoga, spend some time being creative, listen to music and sing along, journal to cope with your feelings, and in general do more things that give you some pleasure.

Take good care of your body. That would mean some lovely baths, massages, and other touch therapies. We offer quite a few at the Path for Life Center - more below about that.

Learn how to let be. That is also called "get out of your head", or better known as meditation. It can be very difficult when being all stressed out to sit. The good news is that you don't have to. Meditation can be applied in many ways.