How well are you coping?
First of all, your boss doesn’t have to be breathing down your neck for you to experience stress. Stress comes in all forms: physical (illness, over or under exercise, etc.) and mental (work, relationships) and financial, and, and, and…
AND
It affects us more than you think. I see many patients who are not even aware that one of the reasons they are having their physical symptoms due to stress. Here is why:
The body responds to physical and emotional stress by producing adrenal hormones. These hormones prepare the body for combating perceived dangers by increasing blood pressure, heart rate and by making more energy available for fuel. This is useful when physical action in necessary to escape danger, but in today’s world there is little physical outlet for these stressors.
The body then turns the response inward, affecting organ systems such as digestive, nervous or circulatory. When this happens, conditions such as ulcers, hyperthyroidism, backache, atherosclerosis, allergies, asthma, fatigue, and insomnia can develop. Many of the disorders related to stress are not a direct result of stress itself, but are a result of nutrient deficiencies and increased by-products produced at the time of stress.
So if you are feeling the effects of stress, or wondering if you are, it’s time to come in for an assessment!