We’ve all heard the phrase “take a chill pill” but when it comes to stress, that might be easier said than done! If you're feeling stressed out, you're not alone. Stress is a normal - but overwhelming - part of life and yet if it's not managed properly, it can wreak havoc on our body systems, our overall wellbeing and even our ability to lose weight (I know right!!).
But don't stress! You can proactively manage your stress levels using natural remedies and holistic health practices that work with your body's systems rather than against them so you can feel less overwhelmed, and lose those unwanted kilos. . In this blog post, we'll explore a variety of helpful tools and tactics rooted in traditional healing approaches like yoga, herbalism, guided meditation and more that you can use as proactive measures for dealing with stress on a daily basis. Ready to take a deep breath? Let's dive in!
How Stress Can Affect Your Body - Let’s Unravel the Truth
Stress can trigger a cascade of reactions throughout our bodies - it's not just your mind that is affected! When we're stressed, our bodies release adrenaline and cortisol, which can increase heart rate, blood pressure, and contribute to chronic diseases like high blood pressure and heart disease. Stress can also cause digestive issues, such as ulcers and inflammation, and weaken our immune systems, making us more susceptible to illnesses. Understanding the hidden impact stress has on your body is crucial to overcoming its effects. If you want to lose those unwanted kilos, reducing stress is so important to address.
Here’s what you need to know about why it’s so important for weight loss to make sure that you are keeping your stress under control:
The stress hormone cortisol can lead to weight gain because every time you are stressed, your adrenal glands release adrenaline and cortisol which results in glucose being released into your bloodstream. This happens so that your body can deal with the fight or flight response or so thought risky situation that you might be in.
Cortisol will increase your sugar cravings, because sugar gives you quick energy (which is needed if you were in a fight or flight situation), however your body will store this sugar mainly in the form of abdominal fat.
Cortisol can also slow down your metabolism, shown in a study done by researchers at Ohio State University in 2015.
Insulin levels are also higher, and this hormone contributes to fat storage!!
Keep Your Cool: Manage Stress Naturally
Now that you know stress can take a toll on both your physical and emotional health, what can you do to overcome this? Often we turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, junk food, mindless scrolling, Netflix without the chill... but why not try some natural ways to manage your stress that actually work?
Here are my top five tips to help reduce everyday stress:
Get some movement in your life! – go for a walk in nature, join a yoga class. What is your favourite way to get moving?
Try a short meditation – If you are unsure of how to meditate, or need some guidance, there are a number of apps available to help you with this. One of these is Insight Timer which is free (paid option also available).
Take some deep breaths – taking note of our breath, and breathing deeply when feeling stressed is a great way to help calm our nervous system. Try breathing in for four counts, hold for six, and breathing out for eight.
Have a cuppa to calm your nerves - pour yourself a cup of chamomile and lavender tea to take the edge off!
Find tranquillity with essential oils – add some lavender essential oil to a diffuser to help calm you down.
If you still feel that you need more support after trying these methods, some adaptogen herbs might be needed. Adaptogenic herbs can help our body better deal with stresses, whether they be mental, emotional or physical.
All in all, stress is part of life, but it doesn't have to control your life.
By managing your stress and taking care of yourself by practising healthy habits, you CAN improve your overall health!
If you're struggling with stress, let me know – I'm here to offer support and have helped many of my clients overcome stress.