Are You Stressed? Why Stress Is Bad
We all know what it is like to have that pounding stress headache or the stomach pain from stress. But is it bad for you? Can it cause more problems than an aching head or some pain in the stomach?
Stress affects just about everyone’s daily lives. Unfortunately, it is not a benign thing. It can affect your body in ways that can have a long-lasting impact on your health. Every day people are suffering from chronic illnesses potentially caused by stress.
Dangers of stress and anxiety
Brain Health
Stress can cause you to lose your concentration and memory abilities. Whether this is psychological or physiological is not completely clear. When you are under stress, parts of your brain associated with memory, such as the hippocampus, do not work well and you cannot turn short-term memory into long-term memory. You can also fail to concentrate on things you hear or things you are reading. It isn’t clear whether this is a long-term effect or short-term effect; however, things like stress-reduction techniques seem to be able to restore your ability to think.
Gastrointestinal Tract
Stress triggers the body’s fight or flight response so that epinephrine and norepinephrine are released from your adrenal glands. This has multiple effects on the body. One thing this phenomenon does is shunt blood away from the gastrointestinal tract and toward the muscles of the body as a way of gearing up to “fight or flee” from a real or imagined opponent. This can lead to a decreased blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract, which translates into indigestion and poor uptake of nutrients. Fortunately, this can be short-lived unless you live under situations of chronic stress. Then the GI system will be more permanently affected.
Cardiovascular System
Stress causes the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine, which automatically raises your blood pressure and heart rate. This puts more strain on your heart and puts you at higher risk of suffering from hypertension-related diseases like heart failure, stroke, and heart attack. These kinds of things do not happen overnight but if you suffer from chronic stress, the long-lasting implications of heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure, and stroke are real possibilities, especially if you do not eat well or have a strong family history of heart disease.
Immune System
Excess stress also causes the release of cortisol from the adrenal cortex. Cortisol has many effects on the body but one of the main ones is that it suppresses the immune system. High levels of cortisol mean that you are at greater risk of getting colds and the flu and have a harder time healing from open sores, cuts, or wounds. Cortisol can suppress several aspects of the immune system so you will find yourself sicker more often when under stress than you would be if you were under less.
Things You Can Do To Reduce Stress
Because stress can wreak havoc on your body, you need to do what you can to lessen it in your life so you can remain healthy. Sometimes it is just a matter of reducing the things in your life that are major sources of stress. It might mean getting out of a stressful relationship, getting your finances in order or changing your job situation so you don’t go to work each day with stressful feelings.
Exercise
If you can’t change your circumstances, you may want to practice stress-relieving techniques. These include things like meditation, Tai chi, yoga, and Qigong.
These activities can be easily learned through attending classes at a local health club or by purchasing a DVD that will teach you ways to reduce the amount of stress you perceive in your life so you can live a healthier life.
Vacation
Another great way to reduce stress is to take a vacation or spend time in nature that naturally calms the mind, body, and spirit.
Nutrition
Getting the proper nutrition in your body plays a vital role in your organ health. Healthy fats found in avocados, nuts, and seeds are great for brain health and more! For great options on nutrition for your organ health click here!
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