Don't let your mind bully your body into believing it must carry the burden of its worries. ~Astrid Alauda
My next series of blogs will focus on Stress Related Disorders such as anxiety, test anxiety, panic attacks, phobias and depression. Stay Tuned!
The mental health condition "stress" is becoming more and more prevalent in today's society. It seems to pop up in news stories, everyday conversations and in
medical evaluations. What exactly is stress and how does it effect us? According to the dictionary, it is, " A mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health".
Our bodies react to stress as if it were a life threatening situation. This occurs because our Pituitary gland sends a message to our adrenal glands causing them to release the hormones cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenalin. As a result, the fight or flight response is set in motion. This is manifested physically by muscle tension, as well as an increase heart rate, blood pressure, pulse and respiration. When this takes place, it puts our body in a state of constant alertness, waiting for something threating to happen. If this continues for a prolonged period of time our immune system becomes compromised and we become physically or mentally ill.
The mental health condition "stress" is becoming more and more prevalent in today's society. It seems to pop up in news stories, everyday conversations and in
medical evaluations. What exactly is stress and how does it effect us? According to the dictionary, it is, " A mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health". Mentally upsetting circumstances may range from mere humdrum situations that we deal with daily, like work stressors, to severe worry, extreme sickness, trauma and dramatic life changes such as the death of a loved one. Stress affects every system of our body and can slow down or inhibit our ability to cope. In some cases, it is so devastating that we are unable to function at all. Psychologically, we all react to stress differently some of us may become anxious, have panic attacks, become depressed, have problems sleeping, or have mood swings.
Our bodies react to stress as if it were a life threatening situation. This occurs because our Pituitary gland sends a message to our adrenal glands causing them to release the hormones cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenalin. As a result, the fight or flight response is set in motion. This is manifested physically by muscle tension, as well as an increase heart rate, blood pressure, pulse and respiration. When this takes place, it puts our body in a state of constant alertness, waiting for something threating to happen. If this continues for a prolonged period of time our immune system becomes compromised and we become physically or mentally ill.
Do you think that you are stressed out? Try this test and see. If 2 of these statements relate to you, take a look at your particular circumstances and see what you can do to alleviate the stressors in your life before they cause health problems.
- You have difficulty relaxing and or sleeping because you have too many things on your mind.
- It is not easy for you to listen when others are speaking.
- You feel irritable, anxious and rushed most of the time.
- It is hard for you to concentrate on things.
- You no longer enjoy doing the things that used to be enjoyable.
Hydrotherapy is a great way to relieve stress. Take a bath with either Lemon-Balm or 
Lavender essential oil. These two aromas enhance your olfactory nerves and sooth the limbic system (the part of the brain dealing with basic drives and emotions). When you immerse yourself in water it also helps to decrease your heart rate. If you prefer taking a shower, the first thing to do is let cold water hit the outside and inside of your right arm. Then allow the water to run down your back, while doing this, be sure to have the water run over your right shoulder then left shoulder. Lastly, let the water spray the outside and inside of your left arm. You may be thinking, cold water, brrrr!!! But it actually helps to stabilize your metabolism. If you like, rub lavender or lemon balm on yourself to help you calm down even more.
Lavender essential oil. These two aromas enhance your olfactory nerves and sooth the limbic system (the part of the brain dealing with basic drives and emotions). When you immerse yourself in water it also helps to decrease your heart rate. If you prefer taking a shower, the first thing to do is let cold water hit the outside and inside of your right arm. Then allow the water to run down your back, while doing this, be sure to have the water run over your right shoulder then left shoulder. Lastly, let the water spray the outside and inside of your left arm. You may be thinking, cold water, brrrr!!! But it actually helps to stabilize your metabolism. If you like, rub lavender or lemon balm on yourself to help you calm down even more. Practice deep breathing exercises, when you are stressed out, the abdominal muscles and diaphragm become tight, breathing is faster and you may not get enough oxygen. One remedy is to take 5 or 6 deep breaths and exhale very slowly. By doing this, you are stimulating the parasympathetic gland or the part of your nervous system that stops adrenaline from being produced. Adrenaline is what causes your stress and anxiety.
You may want to ingest supplements to relax your mind and body. Try taking 1000mg of calcium and 500-700mg of magnesium each day. These have a soothing effect on your body and help to ease muscle tension. Make sure you consume enough B Vitamins, if not, you may be less tolerant of stressful situations, and experience depression.
Too much caffeine and sugar also cause anxiety, nervousness, excitability, etc.
So don't drink that third cup of coffee, and stop
your children from eating too much sugar. There are great foods that
you can eat to help keep you calm, such as Chamomile Tea and nuts.
Nuts are an excellent source of vitamins that promote a healthy
cardiovascular and nervous system. They also decrease your stress level
and increase your ability to focus. Chamomile tea has a calming effect.Exercise is a wonderful way to release those "feel good" endorphins. I walk with my dog practically everyday, it is not only good for her but it helps me too. If you don't like to walk, try bicycle riding, running, jogging, swimming, or join a gym class.
Try yawning, it relieves tension because it stretches the muscles in your jaw, and increases your oxygen supply. When you yawn, try raising your arms. Do this throughout the day to alleviate some stress.
Finally, I would like to discuss some medicinal herbs that may help to relieve stress.
- Kava Kava relaxes your muscles and helps to alleviate anxiety. This herb contains a type of acid that stops the fight/flight messages from going to the brain. This allows you to relax and remain calmer.
- Chinese Ginseng helps to stop exhaustion from nervousness. In addition to this, it supports proper functioning of your adrenal glands.
- St. Johns Wort is rich in a substance called hypericin which decreases depression and anxiety. It is able to do this by enhancing the production of serotonin which is the chemical that allows you to rest, unwind and focus. Be careful about taking St. John's Wort because it can may you very sensitive to the sun.
Listening to music is yet another way to alleviate stress, this was discussed in my previous blogs.
Let me close by saying, that a little bit of stress is good. We need it to get us out of bed each morning, to face the days challenges and succeed in our endeavors.
Please remember that this advice is not intended to take the place of your health care provider, homeopathic physician, or mental health therapist. Be especially careful when you take herbs and supplements.
Reference
The Complete Guide to Natural Healing, International Masters Publishers,
Pittsburgh, PA.
