Stress.  I know – we all attempt to live with it.  It’s practically unavoidable.  Perhaps you are unaware that your stress might be making you sick?

This is the first of a three-article series, in which I will cover stress in detail.  In this article, I’ll go over the symptoms of stress; how to know that you might be pushing too hard.  The next article will break down the physiology of stress and, lastly, I’ll cover simple stress reduction techniques.

Let’s start with a look at what stress actually is.  We generally think of stress as the daily “to do” list that only ever seems to get longer and never shorter.  It is stressful to fit everything into your day but stress often comes in other forms.  It is also tricky to define because everyone experiences stress differently.  What is stressful for you may be a wonderful experience for someone else.  According to my Mosby’s Medical Dictionary (5th ed. – yes… I did actually just pull a real book off the shelf!) stress is “ANY emotional, physical, social, economic or other factor that requires a response or change.”   Stress is a non-specific response that pushes your body to adapt.  Stress can be good or bad and sources can include:

• Environmental: weather, seasonal changes, noise, pollution, radiation (cell phones, computers, sunlight, electrical equipment, power lines, air travel, X-rays);

• Biological: viruses, bacteria, parasites, spirochetes;

• Psychological and social: performance stress (school, job, home), financial, emotional worry, relationship issues, lack of support network, unable to outlet your emotions;

• Physiological: nutritional deficiencies, biological aging, illness, surgery, trauma, toxicity, lack of sleep, dehydration, food allergies, air born allergies.

As you can see there are many forms of stress.   When stress is present for long periods you might experience some, or many, of the stress symptoms listed below:

1. General: low body temperature,  tense muscles, trouble falling or staying asleep, lacking energy in the mornings (need coffee or other stimulants), accelerated aging,  lacking energy, decreased ability to handle stress, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, low energy in the afternoon, tired at 9 pm but resist going to bed, decreased memory especially short term, increase REM (dreaming) sleep.
2. Emotional: feeling “stressed,” nervousness, general anxiety, anxiety attacks, mood swings, depression, feeling exhausted or “burnt out”.
3. Immune: immune suppression, chronic infections, frequent and recurrent infections, food and inhalant allergies, autoimmune diseases.
4. Cardiovascular: high or low blood pressure, rapid heart rate, heart palpitations, light headed or dizzy, especially after standing.
5. Metabolic: insulin resistance, obesity, tendency to gain weight, trouble losing weight especially around the waist, osteoporosis, hypoglycemia, crave salt, fat or sugar.
6. Digestive: gas, bloating, fullness, constipation, pain, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammation.
7. Reproductive: infertility, impotence, decreased libido, menopause, andropause, PMS, painful periods.

The effects of stress on the body are powerful and widespread.  Find out, in my second article of this series, how stress affects your body.  If you are experiencing a number of the symptoms of stress above, it might be a good idea to check with your Naturopathic or family doctor to determine how your stress level is affecting your health and what can be done about it.

Stay tuned for: “The Physiology of Stress – the Eye of the Tiger” and “Stress Reduction Techniques – Breath or Die and I’m Dead Serious“.

Naturopathic medicine is a safe, effective and natural approach to you and your family’s health.  Naturopathic doctors can and will empower you to live a healthy lifestyle while treating and preventing disease.  Find more information on the services I offer at Arbour Wellness Centre at Nanaimo Naturopathic Doctor.

Tags: adrenal fatigue, Nanaimo Naturopathic Doctor, natural medicine, stress, the symptoms of stress