Stress.
Sometimes an overused word that many of us have become immune to as it just seems to be an accepted part of everyday life.
Work needs to get done. Chores need to be finished. Kids need to be picked up. Dinner needs to be cooked. And unfortunately, traumatic events can happen on top of all of this. It just adds up.
Is it time for it to stop controlling your life? If so, you may just be saving your life…
“According to the American Psychological Association, chronic stress is linked to the six leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide. And more than 75 percent of all physician office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints.” (Miami Herald, http://www.miamiherald.com/living/article1961770.html)
The good news?
Our bodies have natural defense systems to fight the stress we feel. We can naturally release hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, that assist us in our fight or flight response during stressful times. Afterwards, our system returns to normal and calm is restored.
The not-so-good news?
If we are unable to manage our everyday stress or traumatic events, this prolonged stress becomes chronic and can result in a variety of harmful disease. Our bodies no longer produce stress fighting hormones and return to normal. Instead, we continue to stay in our fight or flight response and live in a constant state of anxiousness and worry.
The effects of chronic stress can vary widely and may include, but are not limited to:
– anxiety
– depression
– insomnia
– high blood pressure
– digestive issues
– headaches
– mood fluctuations
– weak immune system
– inflammation
– weight gain
– adrenal fatigue
– heart disease
3 Ways to Squelch Stress Starting Today
Do you find yourself chronically stressed with any of the above systems or additional issues? It may be time to take a determined approach to reducing your stress levels. But how can you do that?
Here are 3 things you can start doing today!
1. Use adaptogen herbs.
Certain naturopathic herbs can help fight how our body reacts to stress as well as the effects of stress on our body. Adaptogen herbs help support our stress hormones and return our system back into balance.
Specifically, the following herbs can aid in reducing chronic stress:
Holy Basil – a plant in India that is known for stress-reduction and anti-inflammation
Ashwaghanda – an adaptogenic herb used to stimulate low stress fighting hormones and block overly keyed up hormones
Astragalus – an herb that helps the body endure and maintain healthy levels of stress hormones to reduce overall stress levels and stress induced fatigue
Rhodiola Root Extract – this high altitude herb can help reduce anxiety and everyday stress, encouraging energy levels to stay up
Schisandra Berry – known for deflecting stress, balancing blood pressure, and keeping energy levels normalized
Lavender Oil – a highly condensed lavender oil pill can provide calming effects to the system when under high stress without synthetic drug side effects.
Many of these adaptogenic herbs can be found in stress and adrenal support supplements. Ask your naturopathic doctor for specific recommendations.
2. Take supplements
Some supplements that contain vital nutrients can help reduce stress such as:
Vitamin B Complex – encompassing the B vitamins, this supplement can help stabilize mood, increase energy, and produce a calming affect
Magnesium – a mineral that helps relax the nervous system
GABA (gamma- aminobutyric acid) – a neurotransmitter in the brain that helps calm the brain
L-Theanine – an amino acid that helps produce GABA and dopamine for relaxation
Melatonin – a hormone that focuses on restful sleep
3. Schedule a holistic treatment
Many clients prefer to try holistic treatments rather than prescribed synthetic medications to help reduce stress levels and equalize their nervous systems. We recommend trying:
Acupuncture – to calm the nervous system and restore balance from fluctuating stress hormones. In addition, acupuncture may help in providing more mild reactions to future stress-related events.
Massage – everything from deep tissue to reflexology can help restore both the body AND mind.
Counseling – sometimes the best remedy is to talk it through. With so many thoughts constantly running through our minds,many of which we never share, we find that holistic counseling can make a powerful impact in dealing with stress and new perspectives on how to live calmly with it.
The future of stress
We’d love to say that you’re stress can be completely eliminated, but we can’t. Stress is something we live with every day and our bodies can handle it. However, if it becomes chronic and not managed well, we can develop harmful effects and disease. If you’re experiencing chronic stress, it may be time to fight it…starting today.
Do you live in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Parker, Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Larkspur, Monument or Colorado Springs and are struggling with chronic stress?
If so, we can help!
Contact us at 303.688.6698 or schedule online for a free phone consultation with Dr. Graves.
References:
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/understanding-chronic-stress.aspx
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037?pg=2
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17660/10-natural-tips-to-beat-chronic-stress.html
http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/issue/15-natural-remedies-for-chronic-stress
http://www.naturalhealth365.com/stress.html/
https://bodyecology.com/articles/inflammation_cause_of_disease_how_to_prevent.php
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1101-holy%20basil.aspx?activeingredientid=1101
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/inner-source/201401/ashwaganda-anxiety
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-376-schisandra.aspx?activeingredientid=376&activeingredientname=schisandra
https://www.drweil.com/vitamins-supplements-herbs/supplements-remedies/rhodiola-for-what-ails-you/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/23155-b-vitamins-stress/
http://www.clevelandclinicwellness.com/Features/Pages/l-theanine-pro-con.aspx
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