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9 Harmful Effects Of Stress On The Body!

 

Effects Of Stress

Losing your mind as you sit waiting for the traffic to clear, wading your way through a huge crowd in a packed local train, losing that coveted promotion thanks to the age-old office politics – our life is engulfed with stress or rather we should say, stress has besieged our lives.

Whatever may be the stressful situation, our body takes time to react to these changes – at the physical, mental, and emotional level. At every stressful moment, a tiny control tower in the brain called the Hypothalamus instructs the body to release stress hormones. These hormones trigger a ‘fight response’ which takes the form of:

Most amongst us perceive stress negatively, there is actually more to this story. Stress can, in fact, be positive too. Imagine, you have been asked to shoulder additional responsibility in your professional space. How will that impact you? You will become more vigilant, more alert, and make every attempt to sense any upcoming danger. This is your body’s response to positively reacting to this change.

While a small amount of regular stress does more good than harm, it’s in fact chronic stress that harms our body and affects our overall well-being. Here are some symptoms that chronic effects of stress show on one’s health:

Therefore, one of the first body systems that get affected when we are stressed out is our Digestive system.

Stress And The Digestive System

Come stress and our appetite goes for a toss. During this time, the liver produces extra blood sugar to give you an energy boost. Many times, the body is not able to handle this surge in sugar levels and puts itself under the stress of developing Type-2 diabetes.

You also become susceptible to developing acid reflux or heartburn, thanks to an increase in stomach acid.

Stress And The Muscular system

The muscles of our body get tensed when the body is undergoing a stressful encounter. With prolonged periods of stress, the muscles don’t get a chance to relax. Tight and tensed muscles cause body aches, neck and shoulder pain and headaches.

Chronic stress is related to an enhancement in weight gain and fat deposition through changes in the feeding behaviour of an individual. Monitoring and seeking support are recommended when encountering stressful episodes.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D.

Stress And Sexuality And Reproductive System

Long bouts of stress cause a man’s testosterone levels to drop. Stress can also interfere with sperm production, and cause erectile dysfunction. For women, prolonged periods of stress can affect their menstrual cycle and can lead to irregular, heavy and painful periods.

Stress And Cardiovascular system

Under stress, the heart pumps blood faster. The stress hormones help divert more oxygen to your muscles so that you get more prepared to deal with the stress. But this causes your blood pressure to rise. Thus, chronic stress causes the heart to overwork for too long and with increased blood pressure comes an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Other prevalent effects of stress on our behaviour include:

Stress is the biggest cause of diabetes nowadays. Blood sugar levels may rise due to hormones being released in response to stress. Although this has adaptive significance in a healthy patient, in the long run, it can cause insulin resistance and lead to diabetes. Additionally, diabetes may cause abnormalities in the regulation of these stress hormones.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD

Healthy Ways to Relieve Stress

Responding to your body’s stress can be challenging but it doesn’t have to be impossible. Here are some simple and healthy ways to reduce stress:

Set realistic expectations – We are all running a rat race and the cutthroat competition is bound to get to us at some point. Set goals for yourself that are in accordance with your limits and not what others expect of you.

Also Read: How to Stop Grinding Teeth: An Expert Guide Based on Research

Disclaimer: The information included at this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation

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Eat These Foods To Avoid Stress!

Stress Eating Is Real!

Stress eating is the single most important reason why diets fail! If you think about it, we think of the act of ‘eating’ and feeling ‘hungry’ as the same thing. But it is not so. We do not always eat to satiate our hunger pangs. We eat to do much more – express our anger, vent our frustration, sadness, boredom or simply out of loneliness.

But does eating or ‘stress eating’ in a situation that overwhelms us make it any easy for us or make us feel happy? Nope, not a chance. Stress eating makes one feel guilty about binge eating. Whatever the situation may be, giving in to food cravings is never the answer.

But What Is Emotional Eating?

Emotional eating, a polite name for stress eating, is using food to make one feel better, i.e., a temporary answer to your neediness. While it’s best to steer clear of mood-lifting food choices, it occasionally does work wonders. But mostly, stress eating or eating junk foods when emotionally low, creates a vicious cycle of unhealthy food choices. Simply put, food is not a great option to unwind or vent. Also, it doesn’t make the problem, or the cause of stress go away. Emotionally, one may continue to feel the same way. Plus, once the craving is over, the calories and fats take over!

Instead of binge eating, we need to focus on mindful eating and not let out sentiments get the better of us. But before we achieve this, let’s look at:

Also Read: What Is Serotonin Syndrome: A Comprehensive, Research-Based Explanation

Foods To Eat And Foods To Avoid In Stress Eating!

1. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a wonderful superfood that aids in keeping the Serotonin hormone (calm-inducing hormone) flowing thereby helping to keep our stress levels in check. Thank Oat’s rich carbohydrate content for this. Stress also causes the blood sugar level to rise. Eating complex carbohydrates like oatmeal doesn’t allow the sugar level to grow further. Also, resort to the old-fashioned, coarse oats instead of the instant ones. Coarse oats are rich in fibre and do wonders for our health.

2. Dark chocolate

Regular indulgence in a piece of dark chocolate helps to regulate our stress levels. Another good news is that the antioxidants in cocoa help to lower blood pressure and also aid in blood circulation. Not to forget, the feeling of goodness that one experiences on biting into a piece of sinful dark chocolate. So, next time you treat yourself to this dark fantasy, don’t feel guilty! You are doing more good than harm.

3. Pistachios

Negative thoughts engulfing the mind? Get into the rhythmic act of shelling some pistachios. Pistas or pistachios are heart-friendly as they help to reduce stress and keep a check on blood pressure levels. Moreover, since this is a slow process of shelling and then consuming, these also help as it is a great diet-friendly snack.

And What Should You Cut Down On?

1. Sugar

Sugar is one item that you should keep under control if you want to reduce your elevated stress levels. When we are stressed out, the body releases the hormone Cortisol that helps to manage the stress levels. Increased stress also spikes the blood sugar level. So, the body has to release more Cortisol to manage this spike. Increased Cortisol levels may cause a headache, low immune systems, insomnia issues and unexplainable food cravings.

So, replace the sugary items with whole foods which help to keep the blood sugar stable, manage the stress and contribute to maintaining a happy YOU!

2. Alcohol

Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages leaves us with a feeling of anxiousness. They too like others, elevates the heart rate and blood pressure levels. Alcohol may initially make you feel dizzy, but in fact, it disturbs your sleep patterns and does not allow you to slip into a deep slumber. Not to forget, the hangover feeling with which you wake up the following morning – which by the way, makes you feel more stressed out!

Also Read about: Eat these 10 foods to fight fatigue

3. Caffeine overdose

Most of us need a morning boost of caffeine to kick start our day. But if you land up consuming cups and cups of coffee/tea, then you are spelling trouble for your adrenal glands. This overstimulation has a profound impact on the nervous system and the cardiovascular system. It also ups our blood pressure and heart rate thereby increasing our anxiety levels.

Also Read: Effective Techniques To Reduce Cortisol Levels: A Comprehensive Guide

Disclaimer: The information included at this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation

  

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10 Ways How Stress Affects Your Body!

Effects of stress on the body are a natural physical and emotional response to bad and sometimes even good life experiences. Stress is usually triggered by everyday activities and responsibilities. Whether it is a short-term irritation such as a traffic jam or long-term grief like the loss of a loved one, stress affects your body in ways you can’t imagine. Stress is very personal. Up to 80% of all doctor’s office visits are for stress-related ailments and problems & forty percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress.

Here are the top effects of stress on the body:

1. Cravings

Scientists have found that a hormone called cortisol is released when a person is under stress. This makes the person crave a lot of sugar and fat. The best way to manage this is by stocking up on healthy snacks and including brain-healthy foods in your diet.2. Cardiovascular systemsWhen stressed, your heart starts to pump faster which in turn constricts the blood vessel, increasing the blood pressure. Too much stress can even cause a stroke or heart attack. Following a heart-healthy lifestyle can to a major extent manage the stress phase.3. InsomniaWhile there might be so many reasons insomnia prevails, long-term exposure to stress can also cause insomnia and result in faulty sleep cycles. Continued exposure to a stressed lifestyle can lead to other sleep-related problems as well. The best way to help avoid the situation is to follow proper sleep hygiene. Practicing yoga also helps.Also Read: What is Hyperventilation: Understanding the Medical Definition and Symptoms4. Respiratory systemsStress can affect your breathing in a bad way. For those suffering from Asthma or any breathing-related problem, stress can even be life-threatening. Stress can cause rapid breathing or hyperventilation that can bring on a panic attack in someone who is prone to panic attacks. In such cases, working with a psychologist can help in getting assistance for breathing better.5. HeadachesStress tends to make muscles tense, which often leads to migraines and headaches. Apart from treating the headache, focus on headache-proofing your diet and lifestyle in general.Also Read: Effective Techniques To Reduce Cortisol Levels: A Comprehensive Guide6. MemoryWhen under extreme stress, the neurotransmitters are unable to function. This is why we often fail to think straight or act immediately when under pressure. While it’s tough to limit stress in our hectic lives, some experts recommend trying meditation to reduce stress, among other solutions.7. HairIt’s about time people started taking out their work & personal anger on the tresses. Stress effects are known to trigger a condition called trichotillomania, which is a unique condition where people tend to pull their hair from the scalp.8. Digestive SystemsUnder stress, the liver produces a lot of glucose in order to boost energy in the body. If the body continues to produce a lot of sugar due to constant stress, it might even result in the person developing type-2 diabetes. In most common cases, stress causes diarrhoea.9. SkinStress can cause acne outbreaks and psoriasis. Many doctors have started to incorporate stress-management techniques such as meditation into their treatment programs for skin disease.10. Body PainWhen stressed, the human body tends to produce hormones that increase muscle tension and pain sensitivity. Your jaws begin to feel tender and tight, you face acute pain in the back, you start to experience abdominal cramps & your neck starts to feel heavy. When stress takes over, immediately relive yourself with sleep, meditation and exercise.If all these above-mentioned stress effects persist for a longer duration, make sure to consult a doctor. Severe stresses sometimes require to be treated by medicines. Also, this might be a result of medical conditions that are beyond stress. About 43% of adults suffer from the adverse effects of stress, it is time to take better care of themselves & be stress-free.Also Read:  What Are the Benefits of Meditation?Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
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