Hot topics

All stressed up and nowhere to go?

Not only is “stress” an often overused word in our common language but it is also a poorly understood phenomenon by most of us. In a more strictly medical sense stress is not necessarily a ‘bad thing’ in itself as it allows the body to adapt and react to the world around us, largely as a protective mechanism. For example if we are in danger stress causes our breathing to increase, blood vessels to dilate, energy stores to be mobilised as well as improving our reaction time and heightening our senses. These reactions improve the body’s ability to deal with the dangerous situation but once it has passed things quickly revert to a normal resting state. In a modern world there are many stresses that play out in our lives and if these are prolonged and there is a sustained increase in stress hormone levels in the body we can start to get the negative effects taking over. In simple terms the body gets exhausted by being in a state of tension for long periods largely due to chemical changes as a result of these hormonal changes. So what can you do? Trying to avoid periods of prolonged stress can be difficult especially in a modern society where the emphasis is increasingly on work and material gain. Obviously trying to get adequate sleep and eating as well as you can are both important. Taking a few minutes out a couple of times a day for some deep breathing in a quiet area will help more than you might think. This is a good habit to try to develop and can be made to fit into the busiest schedule. Supplements can help you stay on top of prolonged stress too. Panax ginseng may help to improve the function of the adrenal glands which are the primary site of the release of the ‘stress hormones’. Stress can drive down the body’s levels of key elements like potassium and zinc as well as causing vitamin C and B levels to fall. Rather than taking a potassium supplement it is preferable to try and increase foods are naturally rich in this element. Such things as bananas, potatoes, apples and oranges are a good start. Vitamins B and C are best boosted quickly through use of supplements. Choose a quality multivitamin for regular use and in times of high stress load use a multi B with higher doses of C to see you through. Finally don’t underestimate the effects of regular exercise. A greater level of cardiovascular fitness certainly makes handling stressful days that much easier. Keep these few fundamentals in mind and your ability to keep stress at bay will be greatly increased.

Read more... | More hot topics...