Natural Alternatives For Stress

Do you have an acne breakout right before a big social event? Does your hair get thin during finals week at school? Does your weight balloon when you’re dealing with an emotional problem? We can thank the hormone cortisol for these reactions.

Although cortisol is a hormone found naturally in the human body, our bodies manufacture more cortisol as part of the fight or flight reaction to stress. Small increases of cortisol have some positive effects such as giving us a quick burst of energy and insensitivity to pain, however, it has some negative side effects.

There are, of course, the random headaches and body pains that come with stress. In addition, there are more serious problems such as weight gain, a suppressed immune system, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Chronic stress slows your metabolism so that even if you’re eating the same foods you will gain weight. You may also notice that when you’re under stress, you tend to get sick and catch every virus or bug that’s going around. The chronic strain on your cardiovascular system can be a contributing factor to heart disease.

Because cortisol is secreted by the adrenal glands, chronic stress can lead to adrenal fatigue. Although there is no specific test for adrenal fatigue, symptoms of adrenal fatigue include salt cravings, increased blood sugar, symptoms of PMS, menopausal symptoms, mild depression, lack of energy, decreased ability to handle stress, muscle weakness, absent mindedness, decreased sex drive, and mild constipation alternating with diarrhea.

We know stress can have profound effects on our mental health. It can cause us to lose focus, or it can trigger depression or anxiety. Needless to say it can have a negative impact on our relationships with others. The physical and mental consequences can be devastating.

We’ve all been preached to about stress reduction. You were probably taught about the fight or flight reaction in school and how not being able to flee or fight, modern humans have to figure out new ways to deal with resulting stress. Well, now you can see how important it is to get a handle on stress before it becomes a serious health hazard.

Of course there are drugs that can artificially calm stress and anxiety, but they won’t change your reaction to stressful situations. If you suffer with stress, this is the perfect opportunity to strengthen the mind-body connection. Here are some of the most effective tools to deal with stress naturally –

Not only does yoga relax you and helps you feel more at peace with the world in general, it also serves to help exercise your body and make it stronger.

Meditation is another wonderful technique to use for relieving stress and changing your mental attitude towards the world too. You could also try hypnosis techniques, physical activity, support groups and friends, or professional help if you’d prefer these methods instead.

Herbal supplements are a great way to support the body while it’s under stress. Herbs have nutritional as well as medicinal properties. Many herbalists have had success with formulas made from Phellodendron amurense and Magnolia officinalis.

There are many way to become stress free, so if one particular form doesn’t work for you, try another. If you feel better after going fishing, then you’ve found what works for you.