Stress

Dr. Hans Selye, the stress expert and author of Stress without Distress said that it is not stress that is harmful but distress. Distress occurs when unresolved emotional stress is prolonged and not dealt with in a positive way.

Change is stressful, whether the change is good or bad. Worry produces stress. Indeed stress is an unavoidable part of life. It can result from many things, both physical and psychological. Pressure at work, problems with loved ones, paying bills, and getting ready for holidays are obvious sources of stress for many people. Less obvious sources include every day encounters with crowds, noise, traffic, pain, extremes of temperature and even welcome events such as starting a new job or the adoption of a child.

Overwork, lack of sleep, and physical illness put stress on the body as well as excessive alcohol consumption and smoking (which are usually increased as a reaction to stress). Some people create their own stress, whether there is anything objectively wrong in their lives or not they find things to worry about. For such people stress becomes almost an addiction. Others handle stress well and it has little impact on their emotional and physical health.

Symptoms of stress

Stress causes fatigue, headaches, irritability, change in appetite, memory loss, low self esteem, tooth grinding, cold hands, high blood pressure, shallow breathing, nervous twitches, lowered sex drive, insomnia and other changes in sleep patterns and gut disorders. Stress creates a wonderful breeding ground for illness.

Research suggests that stress contributes to as much as 80% of all major illnesses, include cardiovascular disease, cancer, endocrine and metabolic diseases. Many psychiatrists believe that the majority of back problems are related to stress. Although it’s thought of as a psychosocial problem, it has very real physical effects.

The body responds to stress with a series of physiological changes that includes increased secretion of adrenaline, raised blood pressure, acceleration of heartbeat and greater tension in the muscles. Digestion slows or stops, fats and sugars are released from stores in the body, cholesterol levels rise, and the composition of the blood changes slightly making it more prone to clotting. This in turn increases the risk of a stroke or heart attack.

The pituitary gland increases its production of ACTH, which in turn stimulates the release of the hormones cortisone and cortisol. These have the effect of inhibiting the function of white blood cells and suppressing the immune response.

Nutritional deficiencies

The increased production of adrenal hormones is part of the reason that stress can lead to nutritional deficiencies. The body does not absorb ingested nutrients well when under stress. Deficiencies that arise include B complex vitamins, which are vital for the proper functioning of the nervous system and certain electrolytes which are depleted by the body’s stress response.

Stress promotes the formation of free radicals that can damage body tissues, especially cell membranes. Stress can either be acute or long term and it’s the long term that is particularly dangerous as it eventually wears out the body.

Kate's Tips

• Avoid: caffeine, fizzy drinks, alcohol and cigarettes.
• Avoid white sugar and refined foods, white pasta or white flour.
• Eat every three hours combining protein with carbohydrate to ensure stable blood sugar levels.
• Get some exercise
• Avoid E numbers, colourings, preservatives, msg, sugar substitutes.
• Keep well hydrated - drink at about 1½ litres of water daily.
• Always eat breakfast.
• Eat complex carbohydrates
• Avoid saturated fat, i.e. chips, fried food, too much cheese, red meat.
• Eat whole grains: wholemeal bread, brown rice and brown pasta.
• Eat a high amount of fruit and vegetables per day.
• Eat oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel) at least three times a week.
• Eat adequate amounts of protein at every meal.
• Sleep as much as you can
• Eat the best food you can afford.
• Try deep breathing techniques, yoga or meditation.
• Crucial supplementation: Vitamin B50-100mg daily, Vitamin C with bioflavonoid 3g daily, · Calcium (2,000mg) and Magnesium (1,000mg) and 25mg of Zinc in a multivitamin. You may want to add probiotics as well if you have digestive disorders.
• Herbs such as strong camomile tea or valerian at night might help.
• Allow yourself half an hour of worry time and then carry on with your day.
• If you are overwhelmed seek help - talk to good friends or seek a qualified counsellor.

Foods to calm you down:

Dark leafy vegetables like watercress, kale, broccoli, spinach along with brown rice, almonds, walnuts, wheat germ and sardines to top up on calcium and magnesium. To boost GABA formation, include cheddar cheese, cow’s milk, chicken, turkey and eggs in your diet. For dopamine add in a few soya products like tofu, miso and soya yoghurt with peanuts, almonds and tuna.

Foods to make you happy:

Cold water oily fish such as salmon and mackerel contain the good fat omega-3, helping with cell function and production of serotonin. To boost serotonin increase tryptophan-rich foods like cashew nuts, bananas, figs, cheese, milk and turkey. Avocados, lentils and bananas all contain high levels of B6, helping with conversion of tryptophan into the necessary serotonin. B-vitamins can’t be stored in the body so it’s essential that you get a daily top up.

Foods to beat the blues:

Complex carbohydrates have a slower release of sugar so include wholegrains, fruit and vegetables, lentils and beans. Replace your white refined foods with brown rice, granary bread, wholewheat pasta. Include some form of good quality protein at every meal, especially breakfast helps to stabilise blood sugar and up your production of serotonin. Increase your intake of oily fish which contain the omega-3 fats needed for proper brain function, as these have been shown to aid mood and concentration. Increase your intake of zinc rich foods including fish, nuts and seeds since zinc is needed to help make serotonin.

Foods to help you fall asleep:

Turkey is one of the highest sources of tryptophan. Including some in your evening meal can help bring about sleep. Halibut, an oily fish is also rich in tryptophan providing another good evening meal staple. Magnesium-rich foods include dark green leafy vegetables, lettuce, sweet potato, beetroot, bananas and nuts. Try to include these in your evening meal to help with relaxation and serotonin production.

A final point, we all tend to feel very guilty when we are suffering from severe stress, fearing that we are weak or letting people down. Try to remember that the world will not stop turning if you take a day off and look after yourself. In my experience, people rarely respond to things in the way you think they will and are far more understanding than you ever give them credit for, so stop sweating the small stuff!

If you would like further information on stress please contact Kate on 01323 737814 / 722499 www.katearnoldnutrition.co.uk