Natural Ways to Manage Stress

Stress is a common condition in today’s society and one that is becoming a prominent contributor to the development of disease and chronic health conditions. Most of us will experience stress at one point in our lives but something that is becoming increasingly common is, rather than stress being short-lived, a lot of people are under chronic stress which has a myriad of deleterious health impacts.

What exactly is stress?

Essentially stress is our body’s physiological response to a perceived threat and involves a cascade of hormonal influences that trigger the body into a heightened state of awareness; known as the ‘flight of fight’ response. This is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. For a rundown of the specific hormones involved in the stress response, read our blog post here. Stress has its place in evolution as a natural defence mechanism by increasing blood flow to our brain, energy to our muscles, heightened awareness to our senses, among other physiological changes geared to temporarily increase strength, speed and awareness.

This comes in handy when running from a predator in ancestral terms, but these days our body can’t differentiate between an actual physical threat or emotional triggers such as meeting work & study deadlines, financial woes or personal issues – the physiological response is the same. As a consequence of this flight or fight mode, the body draws energy and function away from other body systems that aren’t deemed immediately necessary for survival – this is essentially impairing our digestive, immune and reproductive systems.

How does stress affect our body?

Stress can trigger a myriad of health concerns such as gut issues, impaired immunity, auto-immune conditions, reproductive issues and mental health disorders all of which can become an issue as a result of chronically elevated stress hormones, such as cortisol.  

Stress has negative impacts on a number of our body systems, especially our gastrointestinal health. Stress diverts energy away from digestion, impairing the production of hydrochloric acid (stomach acid) and suppressing digestive enzymes. This results in a diminished ability to break food down efficiently and also exposes our gut to more pathogenic bacteria that can cause opportunistic infections. Improper digestion has a flow on effect down the digestive tract. This can lead to intestinal permeability, IBS symptoms, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), food intolerances and more which can then lead to systemic inflammation; a risk factor for many different chronic health conditions.  

Ways to manage stress naturally

The good news is that there are a number of ways we can manage stress naturally to regulate the HPA axis and prevent chronically elevated stress hormones.

- Herbal medicine

Herbal medicine has a lot to offer when it comes to managing stress. Moreover, a group of herbs called adaptogens can be beneficial in the reduction of stress through their actions on modulating the HPA axis and down-regulation of cortisol production. Common adaptogenic herbs include Withania, Rhodiola, Holy Basil, Siberian ginseng and Schisandra. The beauty of herbal medicine is its ability to be tailored to an individual based on their health concerns. 

-   Nutrition

Managing stress is no exception when we talk about the benefits of eating a healthy, well-balanced diet for improved health. When we are stressed, our body utilises more nutrients including magnesium, zinc, B vitamins, Vitamin C, among others and it is not uncommon for chronic stress to result in nutrient deficiencies. Furthermore, nutrient deficiencies can then lead to impaired HPA axis regulation through a number of different biological pathways, hence becoming a vicious cycle. Eating adequate portions of lean protein, healthy fats and a large variety of complex carbohydrates with every meal can increase nutrient diversity and help nourish your nervous system. Avoiding alcohol and excess caffeine can also reduce feelings of stress as they both reduce the absorption of the aforementioned nutrients.

Nutrients for managing stress include:

• Magnesium

• B Vitamins

• Zinc

• Vitamin C

• Selenium

• Iron

• Protein

-       Lifestyle

Regular exercise has been shown to improve resilience to stress and increase mood boosting hormones such as endorphins. Studies have shown exercising for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week can also reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.

Meditation and mindfulness can also reduce stress through activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (your rest and digest mode). Deep breathing techniques signal the down regulation of cortisol and mindfulness can draw attention away from stressful triggers by focusing on the present moment.

Lastly, the effect of good quality sleep on stress levels is also an important consideration. Sleep deprivation can negatively impact cortisol levels, driving up feelings of stress and in turn, this can then lead to difficulties falling and staying asleep. Incorporating wind down rituals at night such as a warm bath, avoiding bright screens, a calming herbal tea and journaling or mediation can improve sleep onset and quality.

Naturopathy has a lot to offer when it comes to managing stress. If you feel you need to get your stress levels under control, consider booking in for an initial naturopathy appointment to get you on your way to better health.

Written by Rebecca Kimm.