Stress

Stress seeps into our daily life almost without us noticing. We accept a certain level of stress as being inevitable, and in fact some stress can actually be helpful to us. Yet most of us have more than a healthy amount in our lives. With all the uncertainty in the world today, from global issues to personal crises, many of us face seemingly overwhelming pressure every day.

Our bodies operate in a state of perpetual motion, balancing hormones, neurotransmitters and other chemicals triggered by both voluntary and involuntary processes.  Stress provides a powerful catalyst for a number of biochemical reactions. Acute stress--an immediate reaction to an immediate stimulus--releases adrenalin, the hormone that makes it possible for the human animal to "fight" or take "flight" for survival.  Your body doesn't know the difference, however, between a mugger physically attacking you and that jerk that just cut you off in traffic when your exit was RIGHT THERE !!!!!!  The adrenalin causes your heart rate to increase, and you begin breathing more rapidly, pumping oxygen-rich blood to your extremities. Your blood also thickens so that it will clot more quickly if you are injured, so you won' lose blood as quickly.  These are just a few of the reactions, but you get the picture.

If you are being assaulted by that mugger, these reactions can save your life.  If you are in traffic, at home or at work, the same reactions still occur but without an outlet, so the effects become residual. When stress levels remain high for an extended period of time, the adrenal glands no longer produce adrenalin, they begin to produce cortisol which is beneficial in small amount but damaging in extended doses.  In fact, cortisol can begin to destroy muscle tissue after a period of time, a process called catabolism. 

Probably the best illustration I ever read about the cumulative effects of stress is a comparison between the body and a building built on a fault line. The building is constructed to withstand high magnitude earthquakes. One night there is an earthquake registering 7.5 on the Richter scale. There is some slight damage, but nothing a bit of carpentry won't repair. The next morning an aftershock begins, only about 2.5 on the Richter scale, but it lasts for TWO YEARS! Well, of course, the building isn't designed to handle the stress for such an extended period of time and begins to slowly fall apart. The same is true of our bodies.

So what's the answer? How do we escape this trap? Well, no one thing works for everyone, of course. Some people respond well to supplements, some to meditation, and some people need a combination of remedies to overcome the negative effects of stress. Here are some suggestions.

Herbs:  valerian, kava-kava, chamomile, passionflower, ginseng, ashwaganda, damiana

Vitamins: B-complex, especially Thiamin (B 1), pantothenic acid (B 5), B 6, choline, and B 12.  C-complex 

Minerals: calcium, magnesium

Amino Acids: l-tyrosine, l-glutamine, l-glycine

GABA: major inhibitory neurotransmitter  (chemical language of the brain) in the brain that keeps us calm.  Stress depletes GABA and other neurotransmitters. 

Essential Oils: citrusy oils such as neroli, orange, tangerine, and bergamot  lavender, rose, clary sage.

Flower Essences: Bach's Rescue Remedy™ also known as Five-Flower Remedy, Agrimony, Aspen, Olive, Vervain, White Chestnut