WHAT IS STRESS?

In our everyday life, we are exposed to various stresses that can, over time, increase our vulnerability to health problems. Stresses include mental and emotional strain that we encounter and make us feel stressed. There are however other factors that stress our body and we do not necessarily feel stressed. These factors may have they same effect as mental stress and reduce our health potential (see figure 1). These factors include:

Environmental toxins: These toxins can be pollutants like diesel fumes, pesticides in food and water, heavy metals in food, or drugs and medications. There are many of these and most of the time we are unaware of their presence in our environment. An important source of toxins comes from our own gut. There are millions of bacteria in our gut that can get out of balance and bad bugs may overgrow and release toxins through your gut wall.

Nutritional deficiencies: Having insufficient nutritional tools is stressful to your body because it cannot adequately keep functioning without proper nutrition. Some of the most important are magnesium, zinc, chromium, and essential fatty acids.

Inflammation: Any cause of persistent inflammation causes the release of alarm chemicals that stress our bodies in same way that mental/emotional stress does. People with long-standing inflammation from allergies, injury, or infections are very susceptible to the effects of mental stress.

Trauma and physical injury is a stress on the body that has similar effects as inflammation.

All of these stressors trigger the release of stress hormones that increase your risk to numerous diseases and can cause the following symptoms;

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

Figure 1. Causes of Stress Induced Illness

HOW DO WE DEAL WITH STRESS?

When we are exposed to stressful stimuli, different parts of our brain trigger two reactions. The first reaction involves sending messages down the spinal nerves to activate the release of adrenalin.

Acute Stress Response

Adrenalin activates various tissues and organs to prepare for increased activity and demands in order to act quickly and avoid injury. This creates a highly alert and anxious state which is called our fight or flight response. High levels of adrenalin causes the acute symptoms associated with stress like anxiety, nervousness, irritability, anger, frustration, palpitations, sweating, pale complexion, dilated pupils, etc.

Chronic Stress Response

The second reaction involves the activation of the master control glands called the Hypothalamus-Pituitary and Adrenal glands (HPA). These glands produce hormones that produce a second wave of adrenalin leading to further stimulation and vigilance, whilst producing another hormone called cortisol. Cortisol protects the body from the effects of stress by inhibiting excessive inflammation and tissue damage. The problem is that excess cortisol will suppress the immune system, which can increase the risk to infections and allergies.

The brain and HPA glands can usually sense the level of cortisol is too high and compensates by switching off our stress response. This critical feedback process helps prevent us from being continually exposed to high levels of stress hormones and their negative effects.

This incredible balance between the brain and the HPA system can unfortunately be disrupted by various dietary and lifestyle factors, leading to a super-sensitive state that is associated with symptoms f chronic stress.

Sensitisation to Stress

Dysfunction of the HPA occurs by a process called sensitisation. Sensitisation is caused by the factors that amplify the normal stress reaction. You may have noticed some people become very stressed and agitated for seemingly little reason. This is because their HPA has become sensitised due to sensitising factors. There is a period directly after a stress response where the HPA system remains sensitised. If another stress response occurs within this time of sensitisation, there will be an amplified release of stress hormones. If you are exposed to various sensitising factors to frequently you will begin to feel stressed very often, and may feel anxious for little or no reason. Many of these sensitising factors are actually generated by exposure to stress, thereby setting up a vicious cycle of chronic stress and the development of HPA dysfunction.

The major sensitising factors include the following:

1. Excess oestrogen - this hormone acts as a promoter of the stress response and therefore can cause anxiety (PMT). Normalising the oestrogen and progesterone ratio is critical in controlling stress related illnesses.
2. Low Testosterone/DHEA - these male hormones are some of the body's key anti-stress hormones responsible for calming down the nervous system. These hormones are often reduced times of mental and emotional strain.
3. Thyroid - thyroid hormones are increased during acute stress to aid the fight or flight response. However, during long-term stress, raised levels of cortisol eventually leads to depleted thyroid hormones resulting in low thyroid activity and the onset of low thyroid symptoms.
4. Nutrient deficiencies - Deficiencies of magnesium, zinc, vitamin B and C and essential fatty acids sensitise the body's response to stress and may worsen conditions like depression and anxiety. These deficiencies upset the balance of chemicals (neurotransmitters) on the brain, leading to an increase in the stress response. Further, the adrenal gland requires these nutrients to cope with the excessive stress.
5. Environmental Toxins - alcohol, pesticides, and heavy metals such as mercury and lead can activate the stress response and induce nervous system hypersensitivity.
6. Internal Toxicity - Like external toxins, internal toxins can cause HPA sensitisation. Poor gut health and toxin overload can aggravate our responses to stress and may place added strain on our nervous system and liver. Cortisol and adrenalin can also decrease the body's defences against infections and worsen pre existing gut problems. A monitored gut and liver detoxification program, together with a good healthy diet, will prevent the negative effects stress may have on the gut along with increasing your resistance to infections.
7. Infections/Allergies - Chemicals that are released during inflammation can increase the sensitivity of your HPA system and typically amplify the stress response. Chronic infections require the release of cortisol from the adrenal gland to dampen down these inflammatory cytokines to prevent more tissue damage.

Stress and the Immune System

Immune activators such as infections can induce long-term sensitisation of the HPA stress response. Inflammatory chemicals can increase susceptibility to depression demonstrating that infections and autoimmune diseases may induce long-term activation of the HPA system.

When stress continues for extensive periods, the hormones released suppress your immune system. Chronic raised cortisol is associated with increased pain, inflammation, and immune suppression. It also decreases our resistance to viral infections and may affect the ways in which we protect ourselves against cancer and other chronic diseases. The lungs, gut, and urinary systems may also become more prone to infections. It is vital that we do all we can to protect our immune system when our defences are lowered during stressful periods.

MANAGEMENT OF STRESS

Dysfunction of the HPA axis occurs in progressive stages depending on the severity of the stress exposure and the level of sensitising factors present (see figure 1). Stages 1 and 2 relate to acute hyper-reactivity and stages 3 and 4 relate to chronic stress and nervous system failure. Each stage of the stress response needs to be treated differently to support the repair of affected organs. Your practitioner will be able to tell you which stage you are in and how you can best manage it.

Stage 1. Reactivity

This is the first stage of HPA dysfunction and is associated with:

• an increased release of hormones from the adrenal gland
• increase immune responses and allergic reactions
• an increase in hormone sensitivity i.e. worsening of PMT
• thyroid gland overactivity

Symptoms include: anxiety, nervousness, insomnia, panic attacks, PMT, trembling, rapid shifts in body temperature, blood pressure, decreased appetite, diarrhoea, palpitations and shortness of breath.

If you have an overactive thyroid gland:
When your thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone the nervous system response excessively to stress producing anxiety, nervousness and palpitations. Management can be aimed at decreasing the thyroid hormones with specific herbs such as Prunella vulgaris, Lycopus virginicus, Terminalia chebula and Rehmannia glutinosa whilst sedating the overactive stress response as stated above.

Treatment also needs to be targeted at decreasing your levels stress and sensitising factors.

Stage 2. Hyper-Reactivity

This stage is an exacerbation of stage one and starts to deplete some of the crucial hormones involved in managing stress. The main features involved include:

• Increased risk of depression, anxiety, insomnia and fatigue.
• Decreasing resistance to infections and aggravating allergic reactions
• Depletion of sex hormones and libido
• Decreasing thyroid function, insulin resistance, and obesity.

Symptoms and conditions associated with stage 2 hyper-reactivity responses include:

• Intense anxiety
• Melancholic Depression
• Insomnia
• Poor appetite
• Anorexia
• Allergies
• Addictive disorders such as alcoholism.

Stage 3. Hypo-activity

The third stage of stress dysfunction exhibits a near depletion of adrenal and hormonal reserves to combat the effects of stress and can place the body into "exhaustion". Muscles, nerves, immune responses and sleeping patterns are effected, thus promoting the body's likelihood of developing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The main changes occurring in the body at this stage relate to:

• Adrenal gland exhaustion
• Decreased sex hormone reserves and libido
• Autoimmune disorders such as Rheumatoid arthritis
• Decreased thyroid gland activity
• Allergies and poor resistance to infections
• Nervous system reserves are exhausted and depression may become a major problem

Symptoms and conditions include atypical depression, increased sleep, and tiredness, weight gain, lethargy, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple allergies and chemical sensitivities.

Fibromyalgia is a common disorder in this stage. Energy levels are extremely low at this stage and manifest as muscle weakness and pain.

Treatment in stage 3 is primarily focused on repairing the activity of the adrenal glands and maintaining energy levels and muscle function.

Stage 4. - Nervous System Damage and Exhaustion

This is the most severe stage of stress dysfunction and demonstrates an inability of the nervous system to cope with stress. The adrenal glands are exhausted, and energy levels are low. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is common in stage 4.

The main bodily changes occurring at this stage include:

• Sleep disturbances and depression
• Muscle and joint aches
• Increased risk to infections
• Multiple allergies and chemical sensitivities
• Poor libido and hormonal disturbances
• Hypothyroidism

Symptoms reflective of this stage in the stress response include those of Chronic Fatigue syndrome. These symptoms are mild fevers, sore throat and increased infections, painful lymph nodes, muscle weakness, headaches, painful joints, depression and sleeping disturbances.

The treatment in this stage is similar to stage 3, but with more emphasis on repairing damaged nervous tissue and adrenal glands.

Management of Causes (Sensitising Factors)

Gut/Liver Detoxification

Your gastrointestinal tract naturally harbours about 500 hundred different species of bacteria and they number in the many millions. These bacteria are essential for health although can become very toxic when the wrong ones begin to overgrow. This may happen due to poor digestion, antibiotics, gut infection, or when we get very stressed. Unfortunately, having an overgrowth in the bowel is inflammatory and as we saw earlier, this amplifies our stress response. A comprehensive gut and liver detoxification programme is able to restore normal digestion and correct the delicate balance of bacteria in your gut and also repair any damage to the lining of the gut by infection or infestation. The liver repair component will regenerate the liver and kidneys to promote and maintain the rapid clearance of toxic accumulations.

Cognitive Therapy

There are numerous types of therapy available and can have dramatic effects on HPA sensitivity. They may include any type of emotional and mental support to help a person change attitudes, perceptions, and patterns of thinking.

Excess Oestrogen and/or Faulty Oestrogen Detoxification

Excess oestrogen can stimulate anxiety and aggravate symptoms such as PMS. Your practitioner may suggest you take a nutritional and herbal formulation that helps to normalise your hormone levels. This will reduce your nervous system hypersensitivity and make stress management a lot easier.

Hyperthyroidism

Acute anxiety states have been linked to stress and hyperthyroid responses leading to sensitisation of the nervous system. As mentioned previously, there are nutritional solutions to high thyroid function that your practitioner may recommend.

Long-Term Maintenance and Wellness Support

Exercise, meditation, good nutrition, and a positive attitude are essential for sustaining a healthy mind and body and improving our stress tolerance.

The Good Health Diet

The good health diet suggests a number of important points to improve your general health and well-being. These are:

• Choose a Nutritious Diet
• Control Your Weight
• Eat Less Fat
• Eat Less Sugar
• Eat More Whole Grains, Fruit and Vegetables
• Drink More Water (and less alcohol)
• Use less Salt

Extra Tips:

• Do not eat red meat every day and only in small portions when you do.
• Limit tea and coffee
• Eliminate/reduce "take-away" foods (high in salt and fat)
• Eat fish at least twice a week
• Vary the foods you eat: more variety = more nutrients.
• Chew your food well

Exercise

Exercise is a brilliant form of stress relief while at the same time conditions the body and mind. Get yourself into a regular routine of some exercise that you enjoy, and don't make excuses. If you have trouble motivating yourself try joining a local gym and get the instructors to work out a program that is suitable for you. Exercise is an essential part of being healthy and most importantly gives you time for yourself so make the most of it!

Yoga

Yoga is an excellent form of exercise for stress management. It is discipline that focuses on the body's muscles, posture, breathing mechanisms, and consciousness. The ultimate goal is to attain physical and mental well-being through mastery of the body and meditation.

Meditation

Meditation uses a wide variety of techniques to clear the mind of stressful outside interferences. This state of consciousness allows you to eliminate any external mental stimulus so your mind can focus on creating a state of relaxation and relief from stress.

Favourite Pastime

Make sure you create some time for yourself to do some of the things you really love and are passionate about. It can be anything from fishing, to seeing a movie, just as long as you make some time to do it. This has to be something for you! Your stress levels won't go anywhere if you're too busy helping other people get what they want.

Think Positive

A good attitude and positive outlook is fundamental in this day and age. Most of your stress comes from your internal talk. From the way you go over things in your head. When this talk is negative, you become a stressed person. Thinking positively will help you get through a stressful period with greater enthusiasm and drive. Thinking negatively is not going to get you any place fast and creates an unhappy environment for your workmates and friends.

Make sure you talk to someone about your thoughts, ideas, and problems, and most importantly, think of ways to solve them. Having an outlet can help you put things in perspective. Don't worry about what other people think either. This is your life and you are in charge. Just remember, you create what you think!

Congratulations

You are on the way to a healthier and stress free you. These tools will help you achieve your health goals and a more satisfying life.

Your practitioner is here to help you, so you can rely on them to support you through hectic times and provide you with what you need to make the progress you deserve.

Wellness Care Australia

Home

Profile

Wellness Notes

Wellness and Wellbeing

Traditions in Herbal Medicine

Coorparoo Integrated Healthcare Centre

Health Links

Go-Natural.Biz International

Orders

Contact Information

Members' Board