Tag Archives: Dealing With Stress

Understanding exactly what Chronic Stress really is

April 16, 2015

Understanding exactly what Chronic Stress really is: Effects of Stress on the Body

Understanding exactly what Chronic Stress really is

Understanding exactly what Chronic Stress really is, is the starting point for lasting treatment solution

We all live with it but what exactly is stress? In this article, we want to concentrate on the understanding exactly what chronic stress really is since it affects us individually and collectively. Our reference is going to be from the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a medical facility which was founded by doctor Dalal Akoury primarily to offer health solutions to the suffering public. Doctor Akoury says that stress can come in many forms including:

When stress set in an individual’s life, it wills not matter the kind of stress it is since the body understands stress in the same way irrespective of the type. How then does stress affect the body? The effects of stress are many and may include the following:

  • It can lower your immune system
  • Increase your cholesterol
  • Blood sugar and blood pressure
  • It can cause sexual dysfunctions
  • Arthritis’s
  • Heart disease
  • Weight gain
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Ulcers
  • Cancer as well as lower thyroid function and metabolism

Normally when a person is under stress the body will switch into a fight or flight mode.

  • This will then trigger several physiological responses and you will have a decrease of all noncritical processes.
  • Your energy will be mobilized to your muscle.
  • Digestion will be turned off (50 percent of people have digestive complaints)
  • Detoxification will be impaired
  • You will have a decrease in cellular repair
  • You will be placed in a catabolic (breaking down) state. This catabolic state will weaken all your systems.

Understanding exactly what Chronic Stress really is: Different states of stress

  • You can be in a sick state– This is when your stress levels are higher than your resistance levels.
  • You can be in an average state of health – This is when your stress levels and resistance levels are about equal. These are the people who feel good until something stressful happens then they get symptoms.
  • The last is a state of good health – This is when your resistance is much higher than your stress levels. This leaves you with two choices; reduce stress, or increase resistance. The easiest one to do is to decrease stress. Unfortunately some people are unable to do this, therefore we must increase resistance. This means you need to support your hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis.

It is obvious that stress and sex hormones are all derived from cholesterol. It therefore means that if you are under constant stress, you will produce more stress hormones, and therefore you will need more cholesterol to make those hormones. This is how stress can lead to elevated cholesterol. When you’re continuously making stress hormones your body will decrease production of sex hormones, as well as aldosterone, this is called cortisol steal. Lower sex hormones will lead to hormonal imbalances such as irregular menstrual cycles, infertility and low libido. Lower aldosterone levels will prevent your kidneys from absorbing sodium and therefore spilling sodium into the bladder. Wherever sodium goes, water follows. This will cause dilute urine and frequent urination, as well as the craving of salt.

Understanding exactly what Chronic Stress really is: Stress and Sexual functions

Stress affects sexual function as already mentioned. It is also worth noting that sexual arousal is a parasympathetic nervous system response, whereas orgasm and ejaculation are a sympathetic nervous system response. When you have high stress, this stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, decreasing stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system and not allowing arousal to take place. Insulin is the only hormone that lowers blood sugar, whereas cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, glucagon and growth hormone all raise blood sugar. Cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine are all stress hormones. This is how stress will increase blood sugar, causing insulin levels to rise, to lower the blood sugar and ultimately causing insulin resistance.

Understanding exactly what Chronic Stress really is: Gastrointestinal tract

Stress will also have effects on the gastrointestinal tract. It will decrease hydrochloric acid (stomach acid) and mucus production, slow the motility of the small intestine and increase the motility of the large intestine. When you have a decrease in stomach acid and mucus production, this will decrease the amount of gastric protection of the stomach. The high cortisol levels from stress will decrease immune function, therefore making it a favorable environment for Helicobacter Pylori to proliferate, and causing a gastric ulcer. If the small intestine is slower to recover from stress the motility is impaired and constipation results. When the large intestine is slower to recover from stress, motility is increased and diarrhea results.

Understanding exactly what Chronic Stress really is: Threats of Cardiac Unrest

Stress will increase cardiac risk in many ways. It will increase blood pressure. It can increase cholesterol for production of the stress hormones as already mention. The stress hormones (catacholamines) are detoxified through methylation this could decrease the methylation capacity to detoxify homo-cysteine. High levels of homo-cysteine are very toxic to the cardiovascular system. As stated earlier, cortisol, epinephrine and norepinphrine raise glucose levels. The higher blood sugar level will cause the release of insulin. Insulin will increase cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides and decrease HDL. The increase in body fat caused by stress as already mentioned is another cardiac risk factor.

Cortisol has a half-life of 100 minutes meaning that if you are under stress and have a cortisol release, in 100 minutes you will have 50% of that cortisol still in your system, after 200 minutes 25% and so on. If you are under constant stress you will continuously have high cortisol levels and have the physiological responses of that cortisol. Finally and like had indicated that it will not matter the kind of stress that affects you. All have the same effects and the body response to them in the same way. If you are under any kind of stress, it would be very important that you look for immediate solutions to prevent other illnesses that may be triggered by stress itself. In this case, scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury would be the first step you can take towards getting lasting solutions for a better health thereafter.

Understanding exactly what Chronic Stress really is: Effects of Stress on the Body

 

 

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Overcoming Stress to solve Drug Addiction Problem

April 7, 2015

Overcoming Stress to solve Drug Addiction Problem: Learning healthy ways of coping with stress

Overcoming Stress to solve Drug Addiction Problem

Overcoming Stress to solve Drug Addiction Problem can be very devastating if not addressed in good time.

It is true that stress is in evitable in the current lifestyle we are living in however; we can bring stress to manageable levels so that its effects to human life are significantly reduced. Take the endless problem of addiction for example, if this is to be experienced and at the same time the victim is under some stressful situations, the magnitude of the complication may be overwhelming. Addiction on its own is very stressful not just to the victims but also the relatives caring for the addict. Treatment would be very ideal but even once treatment is done, the recovered addict will still have to face the problems that led to their addiction in the first place. This is so because in many instances people get into drugs in an attempt of trying to confuse certain painful emotions, calming themselves after an argument or just to forget that bad day or a problem they are going through. The most painful part of it is that when the effect of the drug is gone and you become sober, that which you were trying to escape from returns in double portions. It is because of this that overcoming stress to solve drug addiction problems become very necessary.

Doctor Dalal Akoury the MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center states that for one to be treated successfully and maintain sobriety for a long time we must individually and collectively resolve these underlying issues of stress and addiction. It is important to note that with the life situations we have today, conditions such as stress, loneliness, frustration, anger, shame, anxiety, and hopelessness will remain in your life even when you’re no longer using drugs to cover them up. Nonetheless, you will be in a healthier position only when you finally address these issues by seeking for help from the experts and professional like those at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center.

Overcoming Stress to solve Drug Addiction Problem: Reliving Stress without drugs

Drug abuse often shoots from ill-advised attempts to manage stress. In fact many people turn to alcohol or other drugs to unwind and relax after a stressful day, or to cover up painful memories and emotions that cause us to feel stressed and out of balance. This is what is commonly done by many people, but it is the wrong approach to stress solution. We have much more healthier ways to keep your stress level in check. Such steps may include exercising, meditating, using sensory strategies to relax, practicing simple breathing exercises, and challenging self-defeating thoughts says doctor Akoury.

Overcoming Stress to solve Drug Addiction Problem: Strategies of reliving stress without drugs

A time has come when we must do what it takes to ensure that we eliminate all the stressors out of our lives if we are to keep healthy. For instance you may feel like doing drugs is the only way to handle unpleasant feelings, that feeling is very common and you are not the only one feeling that way. The truth is doing drugs will only land you into being more stressed. Instead you can learn to get through such difficulties without falling back on your addiction. Different quick stress relief strategies work better for some people than others. The secret is to find the one that works best for you, and helps you calm down when you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed. When you’re confident in your ability to quickly de-stress, facing strong feelings isn’t as intimidating or overwhelming. The following tips can be helpful to you in reducing stress:

  • Exercise releases endorphins, relieves stress, and promotes emotional well-being. Try running in place, jumping rope, or walking around the block.
  • Step outside and savor the warm sun and fresh air. Enjoy a beautiful view or landscape.
  • Yoga and meditation are excellent ways to bust stress and find balance.
  • Play with your dog or cat, enjoying the relaxing touch of your pet’s fur.
  • Put on some calming music.
  • Light a scented candle.
  • Breathe in the scent of fresh flowers or coffee beans, or savor a scent that reminds you of a favorite vacation, such as sunscreen or a seashell.
  • Close your eyes and picture a peaceful place, such as a sandy beach. Or think of a fond memory, such as your child’s first steps or time spent with friends.
  • Make yourself a steaming cup of tea.
  • Look at favorite family photos.
  • Give yourself a neck or shoulder massage.
  • Soak in a hot bath or shower.

Overcoming Stress to solve Drug Addiction Problem: Keep triggers and cravings in check

While getting sober from drugs is an important first step, it’s only the beginning of the recovery process. Once sober, the brain needs time to recover and rebuild connections that have changed while addicted. During this time, drug cravings can be intense. You can support your continued sobriety by making a conscious effort to avoid people, places, and situations that trigger the urge to use drugs like for instance:

Make a break from old drug buddies – be careful when choosing friends after healing from drug abuse. Desist from hanging out with old friends who are still doing drugs. Instead chose to surround yourself with people who support your new life of sobriety and not those who tempt you to slip back into old habits.

Avoid bars and clubs – keep distance from all social places like bars and clubs even if you don’t have a problem with alcohol. Remember that drinking lowers inhibitions and impairs judgment, which can easily lead to relapse. Drugs are often readily available and the temptation to use can be overpowering. Also avoid any other environments and situations that you could easily associate with drug use.

Use caution with prescription drugs – Stay away from prescription drugs with the potential for abuse or use only when necessary and with extreme caution. Drugs with a high abuse potential include painkillers, sleeping pills, and anti-anxiety medication.

Finally keep regular visits to your health provider for periodic assessment. This is very important because it help you know if there is any symptom of other infection that needs to be addressed before they escalate into chronic problems. Experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury are very much available to helping you get the best no matter your situation. All you need to do is to schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury today and you will live to tell the story of great recovery.

Overcoming Stress to solve Drug Addiction Problem: Learning healthy ways of coping with stress

 

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