Stress is Killing You: Why we can't afford to be stressed

Stress wreaks havoc on the body.  It can trigger acute illness as well as chronic disease.

Often stress starts in the mind. But not always. Sometimes our physical state of being affects our stress levels.

When stress goes up your immune system goes down, and inflammation takes hold.

Chronic Stress can lead to:

1. Adrenal Fatigue
2. Hypertension
3. Digestive Problems
4. Inability to Absorb Nutrients
5. Decrease in Male Testosterone & Sperm Count
6. Irregular Cycles in Women
7. Immune Suppression

Stress is Closely Linked to Cancer

Virtually every patient with cancer has been chronically stressed oftentimes for years prior to their diagnosis.

In one study, mice under stress had 6X the rates of cancer.

Stress activates a gene called ATF3 that causes immune cells to malfunction and allow cancer cells to spread. 

If you're interested in preventing cancer learn how to regulate your stress levels. This might also entail leaving a horrible job or even marriage. Sometimes there's no other way to protect yourself.

Stress Leads to a Blood Sugar Roller Coaster

Stress causes a release of blood sugar from our glucose reserves into the blood stream.

Then we get intense sugar cravings or comfort food cravings to replenish these reserves. This leads to STRESS EATING. In those moments we will definitely choose junk foods high in sugar or fat. Stress is a risk factor for diabetes due to the intense blood sugar roller coaster it causes.

Sometimes stress is actually not in the mind. Sometimes it's induced by a physical state.

Physical States that Make you Stressed and Anxious:

1) Low Blood Sugar- 

When blood sugar gets too low many of us get irritable and anxious.

What's the solution? Don't eat sweet foods or comfort foods! Do the opposite of what you would normally do. Opt for nourishing foods that give you a steady (not a quick) blood sugar release. That way you'll avoid blood sugar highs and lows.

2) Lack of Sleep

This is a big one. Lack of enough or quality sleep increases stress big time. Lack of sleep causes high cortisol which then causes a sugar release and then a subsequent low as we discussed above. If we eat sweet foods or processed foods at night, then this blood sugar low will happen between 1-3am, which interferes with sleep and we wake up during those hours. 

Adequate sleep is critical for keeping cortisol and stress low.

Try not to eat a few hours before bed time, to avoid blood sugar lows.

Many of us who are chronically Stressed have trouble self-regulating. We simply don't know how to calm ourselves. Some simple self-regulating techniques include:

A) Box Breathing- Inhale for 4 seconds , 4 second pause, 4 second exhale, 4 second pause. Repeat this cycle for 5 minutes. 3 times per day. Do it in the morning. Before you need to have a difficult conversation with a family member/boss/coworker. this method is frequently used by Navy SEAL. It calms the nervous system, reduces cortisol, and boosts mental focus. 

B) Gratitude- appreciate the good things. In every situation, even difficult situations, there are good points. Work on appreciating at least 3 positive things per day. Focus on these 3 things for a few minutes in the morning or before bed.

C) Wim Hof Breathwork-

• Get yourself in a comfortable seated position. Make sure your chest is upright and your lungs have room to expand.
• Take deep breaths through your nose that make you feel like you’re completely filling your stomach with air first and then expand your chest second. Once you feel like you have completely filled your lungs with air, then exhale fully through your mouth. Repeat this 30-40 times. 
• On the final repetition, inhale through your nose one last time as deep as possible. Hold this last breath as long as you can until you feel the need to breathe normally again.
• The final step of his breathing method is to take one last large inhale of air and completely fill your lungs. Hold this breath for 15 seconds and then simply let go. Go through this cycle 3-4 times, take time in between each cycle to simply enjoy the peaceful state before starting the process over again.

D) Problem Solve-

Take a minute to write down your problems or stressors. Then write the solution to each and every one. Sometimes the solution is obvious, but we procrastinate or push off dealing with it. So we're carrying around way too many burdens. If it's difficult to deal with head on, then outline small steps you can take in that direction.

How to Relieve Stress & Reduce High Cortisol levels:

1) Eat Healthy Carbs- 

If you're chronically stressed the last thing you want to do is cut carbs. Low Carb diets keep us in a stress cycle. When blood sugar dips too low, it triggers cortisol release. This is probably the reason why low carb dieters struggle with irritability and mood swings. Increasing healthy carb intake helps lower cortisol levels.

Proper bread was a staple food for thousands of years. Proper bread without any white or refined flour will actually help keep blood sugar stable.

ANCIENT GRAIN SOURDOUGH BREAD- The best source of carbohydrates is actually real wholegrain bread.

At Joseph's Organic Bakery our Bread is truly 100% wholegrain, no refined flour added, keeping blood sugar levels stables. Check out our  Einkorn Bread .

Aim to eat at least 2 slices per day.

2) Herbs for Stress & Anxiety Relief:

If you're looking for herbal formulas that can help with stress relief, check out our Calm & Tranquil Herbal Tonic as well as our popular Boost Herbal Formula-

Calm & tranquil liquid herbal tonic relieves anxiety, balances emotions, supports brain function, improves focus, and protects against stress. It helps the brain work at its best by giving it the right nutrition and clearing out toxins.

It helps restore important minerals and antioxidants, reducing brain inflammation. For Anxiety & Depression Relief.

Click here to learn more.

Boost is an amazingly potent herbal formula designed to rejuvenate the adrenal glands, thus combating high cortisol levels, adrenal fatigue. It also boosts energy levels.
Our Boost formula includes herbs like Sarsparilla & Muira Puama which together reverses adrenal fatigue which leads to higher energy levels.

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3) Take long walks in nature

Walks in nature lowers cortisol.

4) Magnesium - epsom salt baths. Magnesium reduces both physical and emotional stress

5) Engage in Physical/social activities that bring you joy- this could include dance, karate, art classes, tai chi, anything that you find fun and relaxing

6) Fix your Gut - Most people are surprised when I tell them that 90-95% of the body's serotonin (the happy Hormone) is manufactured in the gut, not the brain.

Good Gut Health is essential for Mood and Energy. Plus, good bacteria in the gut help absorb and process nutrients needed for brain health.

Focus on High Energy foods not dead foods. Processed foods are dead food- choose food that is alive whole unprocessed full of nutrients and probiotics. These foods will give you energy.

For a comprehensive Digestive Support Diet Plan click here:

7) Quality Sleep-

This is a hard one that i really struggle with. I tend to just fall asleep with the lights and TV on, which invariably leads to bad sleep. Ideally all lights and devices should be turned off a minimum of 30 minutes before bed to ensure we get good sleep. Sleep helps flush cortisol out of the body.

Avoid eating for 3-4 hours before bed.

8) Eat a nourishing diet

If your diet is whole and you feel in control, your stress levels will go down.

Chronically Elevated Cortisol levels due to stress or illness, can cause adrenal burnout or adrenal fatigue.

ADRENAL FATIGUE is a major culprit behind low energy, low immunity, inflammation,  low libido, and it can even lead to high blood pressure, and high blood sugar.

In fact, ADRENAL FATIGUE is the major culprit behind low energy.

Our Boost Supplement rejuvenates the adrenal glands, leading to improvements in overall health.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE