In this blog, Epsom, Surrey based Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist and functional medicine test expert, Natalie @NatNutHC, discusses the effects of stress on our health.
In society today, it has become the norm to live in a constant state of stress. Often, we do not even realise we are in this state. We ‘carry on regardless’ and keep going because we have families to look after, responsibilities to fulfil, bills to pay and so on.
Social media, mobile phones, and emails mean you are always at other people’s ‘beck and call’, all the time!
We have become accustomed to expecting instant replies, and we seem to expect that we need to provide instant responses, but our bodies were not designed to live this way.
This behaviour puts our nervous system into constant fight-flight and elevates cortisol levels. This in turn can disrupt sleep, increase inflammation, disrupt the gut brain axis, cause dysfunction to our immune system, deplete our bodies of vital nutrients, increase central abdominal weight, cause fatigue, mediate migraines, drive cardiovascular dysfunction and increase the risk of many diseases.
From an evolutionary perspective, stress is meant to be a short-term response i.e. a response that helps keep us safe in times of danger, the release of cortisol that occurs during times of stress makes us more alert, more vigilant, more visually aware, ensures blood is able to pump around our body so we can run fast and act and think quickly. This is good for a short period, but the reality is that during times of stress the body deprioritises certain functions that aren’t needed when we are running from the lion for example, this means the reproductive system and the digestive systems for example are least of your bodies worries during times of stress!
When we are constantly stressed, when our cortisol is constantly elevated this can cause dysfunction to numerous areas of the body, and may cause:
- Reduced reproductive capabilities and menstrual irregularity
- Increased Inflammation
- Reduced digestive and bowel function leading to constipation, diarrhoea and microbiome in-balance
- Increased blood glucose levels (see our blog on blood glucose management)
- Brain Fog and fatigue
- Reduced cognitive function
- Impaired nutrient absorption and the relevant consequences that this may cause
- Suppressed immune function
- Increased oxidative stress
- Increased cardiovascular disease
- Increased blood pressure
- Reduced calming and happy neurotransmitters, and increased excitatory neurotransmitters leading to increased migraine, depression and anxiety.
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Poor sleep
- Weight gain
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Poor skin function including acne and rosacea
Our bodies operate within a safe homeostatic physiological range, some may refer to these as our optimal ranges. When ranges fall outside of the expected optimal norms, the brain via negative feedback mechanisms, tells the body to increase or decrease certain parameters to re-balance and bring the body back to normal/optimal levels. Examples, of this may include blood pressure, blood glucose, the pH of blood, hormone levels for example.
In times of stress, the body is able to operate for short periods of time outside these homeostatic normal ranges. Now think about this, what happens if we are constantly stressed? Well, our bodies may learn to adapt and live in a state of allostasis, this means we live with our blood pressure, glucose levels, pH, hormone levels for example just outside of the optimal ranges. Now we manage to function yes, but we may feel tired all the time, we may struggle with anxiety, depression, mood disorders, irregular menstruation, we may have increased risk of certain diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer primarily because our bodies are constantly inflamed, and not absorbing the nutrients it takes to function, repair and rejuvenate. We may also start to suffer with migraines, headaches, have difficulty sleeping, we may experience brain fog, and have difficulties concentrating for example.
This is especially true, for women in their perimenopause years, because cortisol the stress hormone is produced by the adrenal glands, and when we are constantly stressed the adrenals take a battering! Sex hormones in woman are produced via our reproductive systems but they are also produced by our adrenals, meaning if we go into perimenopause having been stressed for many years and with fatigued adrenals, as our ovarian production starts to diminish our adrenals aren’t necessarily healthy enough to pick up the pieces and support our sex hormone levels during this time. If the stress levels continue, the body becomes conflicted, does it produce more cortisol to support the stress response or does it produce sex hormones to support hormone balance? In layman’s terms, the raw ingredients for cortisol and sex hormones (pregnenolone), is made from cholesterol, and if there isn’t enough of the raw ingredient, there becomes a battle over which one to make priority. This is often referred to as dysfunction of the hypothalamus adrenal axis (the HPA-Axis), but research is starting to point towards a hypothesise around allostatic adaptation and maladaptive states. The evidence is not yet fully conclusive, and many may argue against the theories, which are difficult to test in randomised controlled trials, yet despite the lack of evidence, patient testimonials, patient profiles and patient experience back the theories and emerging discussions. This is why it’s so important for perimenopausal women to consume sufficient levels of healthy fats, ensure they manage their stress levels, learn to slow down and make time for themselves and their well-being.
It’s important to also not ignore the effects of past trauma on our allostatic state.
Trauma looks different to everyone. It could be a past car accident, a childhood surgical operation, stress your mother experienced whilst she was pregnant, a parent leaving when you were young, the unexpected death of a loved one, an abusive relationship or the stress of caring for an unwell loved one. It may not even be something you remember, but the experience could be buried and may be inhibiting you from living your best life and sabotaging your overall well-being and health. If you are living with buried trauma or some past traumatic experience that affects you at a subconscious level, then this too will elevate your cortisol levels and trigger you at random moments when you least expect it.
This is why at NatNutHC we work closely with a clinical psychologist with 20-years’ experience, as well as a mindfulness coach to provide you with the opportunity to experience a more holistic approach to your health care journey. If during your initial health assessment, we feel you may benefit from additional support, we can discuss the possibility of referring you to one of our mindfulness and psychological intervention practitioners to provide that additional layer of care.
We have supported numerous clients throughout London and the South of England especially those living in Surrey including Cobham, Weybridge, Woking, Hersham, Oxshott, Kingswood, Twickenham, Esher, Epsom, Kingston, as well as Sussex and the A3, M3, M23 and M25 corridors including Basingstoke, Hickstead, Horsham, Crawley, Burgess Hill, Guildford, Godalming, Haywards Heath, Brighton and Hove, and along the South Coast of England to help reduce and manage their stress levels not just with our psychological intervention services but also with nutritional interventions such as adaptogenic herbs and medicinal mushrooms and nutrients that nourish the adrenals and balance the hormones. This in turn has resulted in numerous health benefits for our clients including reduced migraine frequency and severity, reduced perimenopause symptoms, improved sleep, improved mood, reduced anxiety and depression, reduced weight, better managed premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and improved blood markers in our cardiovascular and cancer patients.
If you would like more information on the best diet for your particular needs, how to manage your stress levels, how to nourish and support your adrenal health, what type of fats you should be eating for the most beneficial health outcomes, want help with your health concerns, or simply want to be proactive and take a preventative approach to your health risks get in touch today info@natnuthc.co.uk.
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Sources of Information:
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Smith, V. Conradie, C. Smuts, M. (2020). ‘Associations of nutrient patterns during pregnancy with perinatal fatigue and depression among urban women in South Africa: The NuPED study’, Nutrients, 2020, pp. 42-61.
Ullman, E. Perry, S.W. Licinio, J. (2019). ‘From Allostatic Load to Allostatic State – An Endogenous Sympathetic Strategy to Deal with Chronic Anxiety and Stress?’, Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 13 (47), pp. 1-11.
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The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical or nutritional advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, lifestyle, or health care regimen. Individual needs may vary, and what works for one person may not be appropriate for another.
