Stress affects us all at some time in our lives. Short term stress can help us focus and deal with busy times. However, if stress becomes chronic and relentless it can seriously affect our health. Most common conditions can be worsened or even caused by excessive stress.
What happens when we are ‘stressed’?
Our body’s initial response to a short-term stressor, such as giving a public speech or an exam, is the release of the stress hormone adrenaline. This causes well-known physical reactions such as profuse sweating, clammy hands, palpitation and digestive symptoms. It also helps us concentrate and gives us a quick boost in energy. When the stress situation is over adrenaline levels decline back to normal within hours.
When the stress becomes more chronic the adrenal glands, our ‘stress organ’, start to secrete higher than normal levels of another stress hormone, corticosteroids. If corticosteroid levels are elevated long term this can have many undesirable effects, including weight gain, high blood pressure, blood sugar imbalances, digestive problems, headaches, insomnia, hormonal imbalances and impaired immunity. Eventually, if the stress remains high, the adrenal glands ‘burn out’ and secrete lower than normal amounts of stress hormones. This ‘burn out’ stage is characterised by extreme tiredness and an inability to cope with even minor stressful situations.
Stress and nutritional therapy
Whilst it is of course important to look at the stressors and where possible reduce/avoid them, nutritional therapy can help us deal with stress, support the adrenal glands and help recover from the ‘burn out’ stage. Dietary changes are based on balancing blood sugar which is intricately linked with stress hormones and ensuring adequate nutrient intake.
A simple saliva test can help establish how well the adrenal glands are working. Depending on whether the adrenal glands are at the early high steroid output or the ‘burn out’ stage, a number of different nutrient, glandular and herbal supplements can be helpful in restoring normal function.
by Dr Karin Elgar
