Stress is a constant factor in all our everyday lives. It’s a normal reaction in us when changes occur, resulting in a physical, emotional &/or an intellectual response. Learning & adapting good stress management skills help us deal with the everyday challenges we face in a healthier way. Our bodies are designed to deal with stress when it comes, and our bodies react accordingly. When we experience the stressors, our bodies produce physical, mental/emotional responses. These responses help us adjust to new and stressful situations. Stress can be a positive thing – keeping us on our toes, motivating & preparing us to either runaway and avoid or stand & fight against threats to our person. An upcoming important event, a positive stress response might be to buckle down, work harder & stay awake longer in order to meet such a challenge.
The down side is when stress becomes harmful e.g. when the stressors continue without relief or when we don’t get a period of respite. Our nervous system controls our heart rate, breathing and vision. This is where you might experience the symptoms of stress such as anxiety, heart palpitations and/or difficulty breathing. Our “fight-or-flight response is a God given built-in stress coping mechanism that helps us face stressful situations. Prolonged chronic and persistent stress cause wear & tear on the entire body, physically, emotionally and behaviourally. Physical symptoms include:
? Aches/pains, chest pain or racing heart.
? Feeling exhausted, difficulty sleeping, headaches, dizziness or tremors/shaking.
? The blood pressure is elevated, muscles tense and the jaw clenches.
? You may also experience stomach or digestive problems and/or.
? A weakened immune system.
Stress can also cause emotional & mental upsets such as:
? Panic attacks, anxiety, irritability and depression; other more serious behaviours caused by chronic stress include: over consumption of alcohol, legal/illegal drugs, gambling, smoking, overeating and developing an eating disorder such as bulimia or anorexia.
Here are strategies for daily practice:
? Exercise is a very good method to reduce stress. A short walk can improve your mood.
? At the end of each day, take a moment to reflect on what you’ve accomplished. Focus less on what you didn’t do or get done.
? Set some realistic and achievable goals for yourself for the day, the week and/or for the month.
? Focus your thoughts, this helps by giving you a feeling of control of the moment and its challenges.
? There is the option of speaking to knowledgeable professional.
Here are some recommendations that also help:
? Meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises and muscle relaxation – starting from the toes, working your way up the body, gradually tensing & relaxing each muscle group.
? Community centres, online programmes, and apps for your smartphones with a variety of relaxation exercises.
? Care for your body each day. Consume more wholesome foods, exercise, get adequate rest/sleep. All of these methods help us in much healthier ways.
? Stay positive – acknowledge the good parts of your day or life.
? Say “no” to additional responsibilities, especially when you’re too busy or too stressed.
? Connect with the people who are the positives in your life, who will provide emotional support & help with the practical things – a real friend, a trusted family member, even a neighbour, someone who is a good listener or willing to share some of the responsibilities so that you do not become overwhelmed.
? Realise you will not be able to control everything. Look for ways to let go of the worry of the situations you cannot change. Appeal to the Most High Creator, asking for calm & peace in all matters of life: for the strength & courage to change the things that are within your control; to accept the situations you are unable to change and the ability to identify which ones are changeable.
An Anti-Stress programme is important. Here are some recommendations:
? Consume worthwhile calories – calories with their essential nutrients intact. When stressed the body uses more of its resources than normal.
? High quality protein from vegetables, other plant material & fatty fishes. Quality protein will be needed to prevent tissue loss and to repair any damage.
? Take plenty of natural vitamin C/Ascorbic acid at least 3000-5000mg daily.
? Add other supplements such as vitamins B3, B5 & B6. This combination along with vitamin C makes for a very potent anti-stress remedy.
? Eliminate all refined & processed sugars from the diet.
? Include some zinc. Many people are deficient in zinc. It’s needed especially for the male reproductive system, for proper healing and the repair of tissue. Zinc is lost from the body during stress, even during mild stressful periods. One can easily become deficient in zinc. A sign of a zinc deficiency is lack of taste or smell. Another is white chalky areas under the nails.
We still need to also use our coping strategies to deal with our stress. These strategies resolve anxiety, reduce pain and prevent further harm caused by stress. Depending on the condition contributing to your stress, a specific nutritional programme will be required for special disease conditions such as cancer or yeast infections.
To contact Dr. Stan Horne:
1-264-582-7045
1-784-531-1150
Email: naturopathyplus@yahoo.co.uk
