Let's talk about stress
Stress, none of us are immune to it. Its grip on our lives runs as deep as our biological need to reproduce. Its value is in recognizing a threat (stressor) and encouraging an appropriate response for our survival as a species. Its adversity is a host of chemicals released to help our body adapt to the demands of these stressors. Certainly, these chemicals are valuable when acute, chronically however, they are detrimental to your health.
When I say stress, do you think of your? Kids, spouse, work, finances, future, health, etc. These are all emotional stressors. Stressors come in multiple forms, all creating the equally amazing cascade of chemical responses within your body. The body doesn’t discriminate between different stressors. Its only motive is to survive by adapting to the environment with a change in physiology.
Now let’s paint a picture
No, this is not part of a stress therapy session. I want you to imagine you’re in a forest, sitting by the creek, fishing and enjoying the sunshine. Not a care in the world. The sound of the creek relaxes your body while the warm sunshine soothes your soul. Suddenly, a bear approaches the creek and catches your eye. Your heart begins pounding, blood pressure increases, your mind races. Do I run, do I fight, do I continue fishing and wait for him to go? Fight or flight kicks into gear and you are out of there in a heartbeat! This is the speed in which your body responds to a threat and kicks into action.
The chemistry of stress response
Perceived threats will result in the body trying to protect itself for survival. Your body is built to heal and regenerate any and all damage under ideal circumstances. Stress chemicals like inflammatory chemicals are amazing when acute and used for the survival and healing of the body. These chemicals when chronic and uninhibited can lead to disastrous effects on the health of the human body.
The chemical stars of stress adaptation within the body are Adrenaline and Cortisol. Adrenaline (AKA. epinephrine and norepinephrine) is one of the first chemicals released into the bloodstream, which causes a shift from your calm physiological state into Defcon 1. As a result, the heart rate increases, blood pressure erupts, muscles tense and prepare for battle, metabolism shifts to processing the easiest of your energy stores (sugar).
The body simultaneously releases Cortisol. Cortisol released encourages the body to shut down all the regenerative properties for the time being. No need for proper digestion, motility of the bowels, immune response or creation of new cells. We are running from a bear so who cares about Swine flu.
These chemical responses to your perceived stressors are amazing. They are the internal preparation for your body to go to war and win the survival race.
Survival of the fittest
The modern world has changed and we are less vulnerable. It is less life-threatening and more life-altering. We are under more chronic stress than any other time before in the world’s existence. The days of running from bears are gone, but the days of running kids to baseball practice, from school, just before dinner time, with an empty gas tank, no money in your account and a maxed-out credit card are all too real. If this stressed you out just hearing about it, wait until I tell you that this person has been at work, sitting the majority of the day and is going to grab some fast food for dinner and try to get the kids down before midnight in an attempt prepare for tomorrow. Sound familiar?
So, what! you might say? Well, these daily tasks of life add up and they can turn your state of stress response from acute to chronic. The same chemical stress adaptation responsible for winning the war of survival doesn’t discriminate against its perceived threats of being late to school. It mounts a response and executes its system to eliminate its threat over and over. These amazing stress hormones when used in an acute situation work well for the job of survival. In contrast, when chronically used for living in today’s high-paced, tech-savvy society, the effects can be degenerative.
Stress chemicals when chronic will increase inflammation instead of decreasing inflammation, distort our DNA, damage our body and have been linked to everything from depression to cancer. Stress adaptation is no longer just for running from our predators. This toxic world has created many forms of stress for our bodies to contend with.
There are 3 ways stress affects you
There are three general types of stress that I would like to limit this conversation to. Categorically speaking, the body deals with psychological stress, physical stress and chemical stress.
1. Psychological stress is often thought to be the most common of all these stressors. I disagree with this notion, but I do believe it is the most influential of all stressors. Psychological stress does have a large set of subcategories when compared with the other stressors. These include emotional stress, social stress, cognitive stress, time management, spiritual, perceptual, and behavioral. These are most often internal stressors needed to carry out our daily activities of just existing. Check out our Emotional well-being posts for more articles related to stress.
2. Physical stress is constant. Just the act of gravity pushing down on us is a physical stressor. Physical stress, like all stress, is needed for growth. Physical stressors can increase or decrease, but they never let up. Our physical bodies depend on our knowledge, rituals and routines to help keep the stress limited. Check out our Physical well-being posts for more articles related to stress.
3. Chemical stress both internal and environmental is needed in balance to survive, thrive and enjoy life. The chemicals in our environment and ones we chose to ingest can have further chemical reactions internally. Check out our Chemical well-being posts for more articles related to stress.
Chemical stress causes chemical stress?!?!? WTH?
We talked in a previous blog about real food and the effect that rat poison will have on the body in small doses. Do you think the body interacting with this poison will cause internal stress chemicals to increase? Of course, now how about if your poison is gluten, citrus, pesticides, medicines or any number of xenoestrogens on this earth. The body doesn’t discriminate against its threats. Here is a list of 20 Sources of Toxic Chemicals Everyday.
Take the good with the bad
Stress, we all have it, we’re not going to get rid of it, so what can we do about it? Stress can be good when done in the right amount with balance in mind. Stress can be bad when too little or too much (hormesis). Toxic or deficient amounts of stress are the real culprits here. This is why having a good baseline allows us to even the playing field. So what’s the best plan for each individual? Start with the Innate Essentials and then build off of that for your optimized life. Learn coping strategies that align with these three stressors for reducing the effect that they may have on your body. A great example is the fact that exercise, the most underutilized prescription for psychological stress, is an excellent natural coping strategy for life’s daily pressures.
One Adjustment action step
1. Start the Innate Essentials (if you haven’t already.) These baseline essentials will allow the body to have its best chance at healing while receiving the good stress and reducing the bad stress.
2. Find multiple coping strategies to implement in your life. Coping strategies such as exercise, prayer and meditation have been shown to balance out the effects of stress chemicals on the body. Apps like Omvana make it easy to start meditating.
Embrace the suck. We talked about this is in one of our first blogs on facing reality. Read it here – Turn off, Tune in, Drop Apps.
Happy Wednesday
-Nick the DC
Link to out next blog post: Innate Essentials #9 – Mindset.
Disclaimer: The One Adjustment website and blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment of any type. One Adjustment uses affiliate links as a means to support the content provided at no extra cost to you. Please see disclaimer link for more details.
