Ah, stress! None of us want it, but all of us have it at some point in our lives.
The reality is stress is an integral, normal part of the human experience. However, an over-activated stress response causes damage and dysfunction in our bodies.
Stress is a primary reason why people get sick. Identifying and treating stress-related health problems is a crucial step in supporting the healing process. There are many natural treatment options for treating both the stress itself and repairing the damage it causes in the body.
The number of health problems having their roots in an exaggerated stress response is astounding but makes sense when you understand what stress does to our bodies. There is an intricate web of systems in the body working together to keep us healthy. The nervous, endocrine, digestive and immune systems must all communicate and work together to create harmony in our bodies. High-stress levels negatively affect every one of these systems.
The influence of stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, shut down digestion, move blood flow away from healing and repair and suppress immune function. The effects of stress such as poor sleep, bad digestion, immune dysfunction and hormone failure can cause a wide variety of symptoms. The longer stress continues, the harder it becomes to see it as a source of poor health. We sort of get used to it, and it becomes the status quo.
OK, if we accept our stress levels affect our health in a major way, what next? What can we do about it to be healthier? The first concept to recognize is there are only a few things we have control over. Identifying the areas you can change and starting simply is a good way to approach healing stress.
The biggest trick to treating stress is to nourish the nervous system and break the cycle of fight or flight. This is a good place to use some of the herbal and nutritional supports that will change the way your nervous system “sees” and responds to stress.
There are many great natural medicines that will support and calm your nervous system. Some of my favorites are passionflower, ashwagandha, kava kava and serotonin boosters such as 5HTP, tryptophan and vitamin B6. Phosphatidylserine also helps some people through its ability to dampen the effects of cortisol.
Stabilizing your blood sugars with protein and frequent healthy snacks also will send a message to your adrenal glands that all is well, and they can relax.
Many of the herbal and nutritional stress supporters I use with my patients help them put their stress into perspective. They help them stop, breathe deeply and step back for a moment to more objectively assess a stressor’s threat, so they can decide what they want to do about it.
Don’t let stress degrade your state of health and well-being; recognize and treat your stress for a healthier, happier you.
drnancy@durangonaturalmedicine.com. Nancy Utter is a naturopathic doctor who works in Durango with people of all ages and varying illnesses.
