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Written by S.O.
Posted on February 11, 2016 at 8:25 pm
It is almost impossible to find one consistent definition of stress, but it is essentially defined as “a state of mental (and physiological) tension, anxiety or worry caused by problems in your life.”
Our bodies are preprogrammed to respond to the stress of impending threats such as predators, but in our modern-day sky-scraper jungles we have different stressors than those of our stone-age predecessors. Many people nowadays are chronically stressed because they are workaholics, caretakers for sick family or chronically ill themselves, or struggling with heavy debt. When we are stressed, our adrenal glands (adjacent to the kidneys) release a cocktail of hormones including adrenaline and more abundantly, cortisol. Cortisol has been coined the “stress hormone” because of its prominent role in this fight or flight response.
Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone which is released upon waking, during rigorous exercise or during acutely stressful events. While cortisol is important for its role in warning the body of danger, it has other responsibilities as well. Registered dietitian and nutritionist Dina Aronson says, “Cortisol also plays an important role in human nutrition. It regulates energy by selecting the right type and amount of substrate (carbohydrate, fat, or protein) the body needs to meet the physiological demands placed on it.” However, cortisol is to blame for negative effects on the body as well, especially when it is over-released due to chronic stress.
According to Aronson, some of the ill-effects caused by chronically elevated cortisol levels include:
After taking a look at the many ill-effects and risks of long term stress and cortisol elevation, it goes without saying we should all be cognizant of our stress and work to lower it. I’m sure you have heard that Type A people are more likely to have issues because of their consistently higher stress levels; according to AboutHealth “High blood pressure is common among ‘Type A’ personalities, and has been documented by research to be as much as 84% more of a risk among those with Type A characteristics.” So if you are a Type A person, or just someone who can’t seem to get out of firing range of stress, it may be time to make a change for the sake of your health and future.
Due to the impacts of chronic stress on the heart, the American Heart Association has developed a comprehensive and thorough stress management plan. Some of the highlights from this plan include:
If you find that some of these facts and figures are hitting close to home, do yourself a favor and find a stress management plan that best suits your life and needs. Your body will thank you!