Is Stress Making You Stress? (12/18/2019)

Is stress affecting your health? Is it affecting your quality of life? 


IS STRESS AFFECTING YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE?

It might be! Listen closely and you may hear your body talking to you. You’ll get your own private message because everybody (and every body!) responds to stress differently.

If you pay attention you will notice the early warning signs.  The signs may be subtle and you may even be too stressed out to notice them, or they may be glaringly obvious.  Either way, when you’re feeling overwhelmed and things aren’t going your way, or you feel unable to control yourself from emotional outbursts, these may be your early warning signs.  

Do you use food, candy and/or alcohol to de-stress? Are you annoyed, cranky, suffering headaches, have a stiff neck, muscle tension, and/or clenching your teeth?  By noticing your responses and reactions during stressful times, you can monitor yourself, make healthier choices and reduce the effects upon your mental, emotional and physical health, potentially avoiding long-term and chronic illness.

What is Stress?

Stress is a natural response produced by the release of adrenaline in the body. In ancient times this process was very useful.  When you were being chased by a tiger or a bear, that extra shot of adrenaline was necessary to help you speed up your body functions to enable yourself to run faster or jump higher allowing you to escape and ultimately save your life. Seems like that would work in your favor, right?

These days, and in short bursts, an adrenaline release may be beneficial to help conquer a fear, produce extra endurance or motivation.  Any tigers or bears we might be dealing with that may cause bad stress could include worrying about money, relationships, jobs or health, last-minute work projects, or bad news. This kind of stress can produce chronic and long-term health issues, and according to the American Health Institute, if left unchecked, can even lead to death.

 

Early Warning Signs of Stress:
• Headaches, muscle tension, neck or back pain
• Upset stomach
• Dry mouth
• Chest pains, rapid heartbeat
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite or overeating “comfort foods”
• Increased frequency of colds
• Lack of concentration or focus
• Memory problems or forgetfulness
• Jitters
• Irritability
• Short temper
• Anxiety


According to 2014 research by the American Psychological Association and the American Institute of Stress, these are the 7 top causes of stress in the United States:

Cause                                   Factors
1. Job Pressure                  Co-Worker Tension, Bosses, Work Overload
2. Money                               Loss of Job, Reduced Retirement, Medical Expenses
3. Health                               Health Crisis, Terminal or Chronic Illness
4. Relationships                Divorce, Death of Spouse, Arguments with Friends, Loneliness
5. Poor Nutrition              Inadequate Nutrition, Caffeine, Processed Foods, Refined Sugars
6. Media Overload           Television, Radio, Internet, E-Mail, Social Networking
7. Sleep Deprivation       Inability to release adrenaline and other stress hormones
 

Some Stress Statistics:

Percent of people who regularly experience physical symptoms caused by stress         77%
Regularly experience psychological symptoms caused by stress                                           73%
Feel they are living with extreme stress                                                                                             33%
Feel their stress has increased over the past five years                                                              48%
Cited money and work as the leading cause of their stress                                                      76%
Reported lying awake at night due to stress                                                                                   48%
 
People who cited physical symptoms experienced the following:
Fatigue                                   51%
Headache                             44%
Upset Stomach                  34%
Muscle Tension                  30%
Change in Appetite          23%
Teeth grinding                   17%
Change in sex drive         15%
Feeling dizzy                      13%
 

If you’d like to use an online tool to check out your stress levels, click here to go to the Stress Calculator provided by The University of Maryland.

The products in our Stress & Sleep Remedies category have been created to support your nervous system upset and stress indications. Many have been designed to support your body's stress-fighting ability, others to nutritionally-support your adrenal glands, and others to help support deep and restful sleep which will help you awaken refreshed and energized.

Visit our Immune Health category to see all of the natural herbal, nutritional and vitamin supplements from Dynamic Nutritional Associates (DNA Labs), Professional Botanicals, and NuMedica that we offer to support your immune health.

The Proprietary Blend in Immunell contains:
•  Echinacea, European Elder, Nutmeg, Parsley, Butternut, Catmint and Licorice – these herbs have historically been used to support health immune functions
•  Bone Marrow, Thymus Substance, Placenta Substance, Lymph Substance, Adrenal Substance, Spleen Substance – these glandulars help support the body’s own glands in providing support to the immune system
•  Rutin and Bioflavonoids – these two powerful antioxidants assist in proper immune system functions

 

Note: The content of this article, and additional content on this website, are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking help because of something you read here on this website.