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A physician by the name of Hans Selye, also known as the ‘Father of Stress Research’, was once quoted as saying, “It’s not stress that kills us; it is our reaction to it”.
Unless our access to food, shelter and water is compromised, many stresses can provide an excellent opportunity for growth. Without stress and/or challenges there is often no impetus for change or growth in a human being. Let’s take a simple example of when someone performs a gym exercise. If performed at a high intensity, this will cause a stress response in the body which in turn will lead to a breakdown of tissue. Overtime, if this stress is nurtured and managed correctly, the body will then be in better condition.
However, if stresses aren’t managed well over the long term this can cause a myriad of health issues including:
Weakened immune system
Digestive issues
Low energy
Depression, anxiety and mood swings
Poor concentration
Decreased sex drive
Weight gain
The last point, weight gain, is a common symptom and can be heart-breaking for dedicated people that are spending hours in the gym for little result.
It must be understood that at a nervous and hormonal system level, all types of stressors are considered the same. These stresses can summate in the body and need to be managed appropriately to minimise adverse effects.
Let’s look at the six main stressors that can have a ‘good’ and ‘bad’ effect on the body:
1. Physical Stress
The Good: An appropriate level of movement has many beneficial effects on the body. These include strengthening bones and muscles and enhancing mood, which contributes to an optimal metabolic rate and the pumping of water, blood and oxygen to many different parts of the body.
The Bad: Under-exercising can contribute to becoming overweight and sluggish. Paradoxically, over-exercising can also contribute to weight gain if a person’s lifestyle factors are not managed adequately. If the body is in chronic stress or a ‘fight-or-flight’ state, it can accumulate body fat as a survival mechanism because the body thinks it is going into an energy crisis and needs to store excess weight.
2. Chemical
The Good: Our bodies are full of chemicals produced naturally. An example may be our hormonal system which, when performing optimally, allows us to perform at its best. The hormonal system is exceptionally complex and can be likened to a spiderweb. When the ‘web’ is touched or moved in any way, it can have a ripple effect on all other parts of the web. An excellent example would be our sleep patterns. If our sleep patterns are altered or not optimal, this can have a ripple effect on many other hormones.
The Bad: In today’s society, our bodies can be infiltrated with synthetic chemicals. Examples may include the protocols used for conventionally farmed food, household cleaners and medical drugs.
3. Electromagnetic
The Good: Adequate sunlight is an excellent form of electromagnetic stress. The amount of ideal sunlight varies per individual and has been shown to enhance moods, improve sleep, facilitate healthy bones, boost immunity and lower blood pressure amongst many other benefits.
The Bad: A rising stress in modern times arises from exposure to electromagnetic radiation produced by technology. Examples include mobile phones, computers, wi-fi, microwaves and even your trusty old television.To mitigate this risk, simply making contact with the Earth’s surface can reduce electrical imbalances in the body.
4. Thermal
The Good: Maintaining your body temperature at 37 C (98.6 F) is ideal. Every now and then, stressing the system can be beneficial and even have some amazing health benefits including weight loss. Common modalities are infrared saunas and cold showers.
The Bad: Exposure to extreme temperatures, especially for a long period of time, can cause significant adverse stress to the body (e.g. burns and hypothermia).
5. Nutrition & Hydration
The Good: Eating high quality (ideally organic) foods with macronutrient ratios suited to your individual needs is optimal. Humans are composed of about 75% water, so drinking adequate amounts of high-quality water is at least equally as important. There is a stress on the body when digesting, metabolising and assimilating nutrition and liquid. If this process were to cease for a prolonged period, the relevant systems in the body would start to shut down (use it or lose it!).
The Bad: Eating poor quality foods with macronutrient proportions not inline with your individual needs can have a direct impact on your weight goals. The foods we consume are HIGHLY influential in what builds our bodies. Consuming inadequate amounts of unpurified water can cause extreme stress to the body as every single function of the body is monitored and pegged to the efficient flow of water.
6. Mental & Emotional Stress
The Good: Living your purpose, working towards goals, processing emotions in a functional way and overcoming adversity are all healthy mental stresses that can all have a SIGNIFICANT influence on your health.
The Bad: Seeking protection, lack of trust, unhealthy addictions and burying certain emotions are examples of sub-conscious behavioural patterns that can have a significant impact on the construct of our bodies. Techniques to overcome such patterns and manage conscious day-to-day may include meditation, journal writing, the Emotional Freedom Technique (aka Tapping) and Sacred Geometry. Other possible solutions may be engaging with people that have gone through and mastered similar stresses or working with a professional with whom you resonate.
Research shows that only 17.3% of individuals are successful in maintaining long term weight loss. Many approaches merely focus on calorie restriction and excessive exercise which can lead to weight fluctuations and may even disrupt the hormonal system over the long term. I think healthy weight loss happens when someone heals from the inside-out and managing the above stressors. Do this and you will be on the right path to reaching your health goals!
If you would like any assistance with body shape or if you would like to test your stress hormones with laboratory tests, feel free to book a free consultation here.
REFERENCES
iii) Chek, P. (2004) “How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy!”, CHEK Institute
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