Stress Causes 95% of All Disease
I need to let that sink in for a hot minute….
Don’t worry about the number as much as the idea. There is continual scientific
evidence that stress is a root cause of disease. The other bit comes from genetics,
which is then linked to stress in your family history which altered DNA that has been
passed down to you.
What causes stress? All. The. Things.
Relationships, your job, family, exercise, illness, conflict, change, thoughts, sedentary
lifestyle…the list goes on. Anything that disrupts your homeostasis – that knocks you
out of balance, will cause a stress response.
Our response to that response is what matters.
Our bodies adapt to stress by pushing all our blood and energy towards our heart, lungs
and limbs to be able to react in any way necessary to protect us from harm – even
though we may not be in actual harm. Our body is prepared to fight or flee when we are
under stress.
This natural response to challenging situations is beneficial in small doses. However,
when stress becomes chronic or overwhelming, it can have negative effects on our
physical and mental health. Let’s explore the issues of not managing stress and look at
ideas on how to counterbalance stress in our lives.
Chronic stress or living in a constant state of “fight and flight”, essentially shuts down
the immune system. It can contribute to heart disease, high blood pressure, and
depression, and has a negative impact on our relationships.
So, what can we do about it?
Find ways to decompress, to complete your stress cycle at the end of each day.
Relax and Release: This can look like anything that you enjoy doing – deep breathing,
meditation, exercise, time in nature, a hobby that you get lost in.
Studies show that a 20-30 minute walk or jog or time spent with trees overhead or near
moving water, is one of the biggest ways to bring cortisol down. This is in part due to
negative ions. Negative ions are created in nature when air molecules break apart due
to sunlight or moving air or water. Trees also produce negative ions – ever heard of
forest bathing? Air conditioning removes negative ions.
If you are the kind of person that feels sleepy indoors, but as soon as you open a
window and take a breath of fresh air you feel better – you are sensitive to negative
ions. Bottom line – get outside, away from busy city life – and just breathe.
You also need to sleep. 6 hours is fine, but 7-8 is better.
No food or alcohol 3 hours before bed. Be done with all work stuff 2 hours before bed.
Turn off the TV 1 hour before bed.
Find things that aid in relaxation for you: a cup of calming tea, some magnesium,
reading in bed, a warm Epsom salt bath, skin-to-skin contact with your loved one.
Intimacy is an excellent tool for stress management.
Lastly, try some adaptogens.
Adaptogens are herbs that have been used for centuries to help the body adapt to
stress and support overall well-being.
Two herbs you may have heard of are Rhodiola and Ashwagandha. Both have been
used for thousands of years in Ayurvedic medicine. Overall adaptogens help reduce
the production of cortisol and improve our stress response. Talk to your doctor about an
adaptogen that would suit you.
Here are a few more adaptogens to look into: Holy Basil, Schisandra, Eleuthero, Ginseng,
Maca Root, Astragalus, Cordyceps, Reishi Mushroom, Bacopa, Gotu Kola.
I believe taking one for sleep and one during the day for energy, is a beneficial and
important part of any health regimen.
Now we know a bit more about the negative impacts that chronic or overwhelming
stress can have on our physical and mental health. It’s vitally important to find the stress
management techniques that you can fit into your life on a consistent basis.
Take care and Be WELL.
~ Tammy Rich, BSN, RN, NBC-HWC
Health Coach
Upstream Functional Medicine
Call Us Here: 319-471-4727
Register with us to schedule a Health Coaching Session: https://upstreamfunctionalmedicine.md-hq.com/registration
