‘Stress is a distorted relationship with time!’ John O’Donahue
I really love this quote and when you really think about the times
you are under stress it is usually because you do not feel there is
enough time to complete what you believe needs to be done. There are so
many articles, a huge amount of research and bucket loads of information
out there on stress, in fact for every one book on happiness on Amazon
there are ten books relating to stress. Here are 30 interesting facts
for you:
- Stress has been called ‘the silent
killer’. It is linked to the six leading causes of death: heart
disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, liver cirrhosis, and suicide.
In fact they say that 90%of all illness is stress related! - Stress alters the neurochemical
makeup of the body, which can affect the maturation and release of the
human egg. Stress can also cause the fallopian tubes and uterus to
spasm, which can affect implantation. Stress in men can affect sperm
count and motility and can cause erectile dysfunction. In fact, stress
may account for 30% of all infertility problems. - Stress can make all skin
conditions worse such as acne and eczema, this is due to the rise in
stress related inflammation within the body. - Laughter is a powerful stress
reducer. Laughing lowers stress hormones (like cortisol, epinephrine,
and adrenaline) and strengthens the immune system by releasing
health-enhancing hormones. - The stress hormone cortisol not
only causes abdominal fat to accumulate, but it also enlarges individual
fat cells, leading to what researchers call ‘diseased’ fat. - Chronic stress can impair the
developmental growth in children by lowering the production of growth
hormone from the pituitary gland. - The term ‘stress’ derives from the Latin stringere (to draw tight).
- Chronic stress floods the brain
with powerful hormones that are meant for short-term emergency
situations. Chronic exposure can damage, shrink, and kill brain cells. - Eating moderate levels of dark
chocolate reduces stress hormone levels. Research has shown that dark
chocolate reduces stress hormones such as cortisol and other
fight-flight hormones. Additionally, cocoa is rich in antioxidants
called flavonoids. - Chronic stress increases
cytokines, which produce inflammation. Exposure to constant inflammation
can damage arteries and other organs. - Stress can alter blood sugar
levels, which can cause mood swings, fatigue, hyperglycemia, and
metabolic syndrome, a major risk factor for heart attack and diabetes. - Chronic stress worsens irritable
bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that irritates the large intestine and
causes constipation, cramping, and bloating. - Chronic stress decreases the body’s immune system’s response to infection.
- Stress can increase the ability of
chemicals to pass the blood-brain barrier, which shields neurons from
some poisons, viruses, toxins, and other fluctuations in normal blood
chemistry. - Getting out and admiring nature,
such as a beautiful garden has a calming effect on the nervous system,
undoing the damage that stress causes. - Stress increases the risk of
pre-term labor and intrauterine infection. Additionally, chronic levels
of stress place a fetus at greater risk for developing stress-related
disorders and affect the fetus’s temperament and neurobehavioral
development. - Chinese stress balls (Baoding
balls) were created during the Ming dynasty(1368-1644) in Baoding,
China. Originally made of iron, the balls are thought to relieve stress
because they touch pressure or acupuncture points on the hand. - Stress can result in more headaches as a result of the body rerouting blood flow to other parts of the body.
- The hyper-arousal of the body’s stress response system can lead to chronic insomnia.
- When cells shrink due to exposure to stress hormones, they disconnect from each other, which contributes to depression.
- Stress creates hormonal changes in the human body that can decrease libido and sex response.
- Extreme or sudden emotional trauma
can lead to “broken heart syndrome”(BHS), or stress cardiomyopathy
(severe heart muscle weakness). This condition occurs rapidly, and
usually in women. - Long term stress dramatically speeds up the aging process.
- Many natural therapies that work
at calming and balancing the body systems are extremely beneficial to
alleviate the negative effects of stress. - Some people have become so accustomed to living with stress that they think this is their normal state!
- Exercise is a powerful stress reliever.
- The term stress was first employed in a biological context by the endocrinologist Hans Selye in the 1930s.
- Australian employees are absent
for an average of 3.2 working days each year through stress. This
workplace stress costs the Australian economy approximately $14.2
billion - Meditation, getting outside and
into nature, eating real foods (nothing packaged or containing numbers
and other questionable nasties), reducing exposure to EMF’s, movement,
laughter and a positive outlook all help relieve stress symptoms. The
challenge is ensuring you stay committed to doing these or else burnout
can most definitely occur. - Aromatherapy is the best to help with relieving stress. All of the Twenty8 synergy blends will help. The key is to choose the blend you like the best. If you want to know where to start then Instant Calm and De-stress and Revive
would be my pick. I would be body boosting every day morning and night,
vaporizing everyday, using my spritzer and bathing in my chosen blend
as much as possible. It doesn’t have to take forever. Sometimes just
doing a little self-care goes a long way to soothing those stress
levels.
Kim Morrison – Founder and Creator of Twenty8
Twenty8 is 100% natural and chemical-free catering for
all skin types including sensitive skin. It is ideal for all ages, for
men, women and teenagers. We stand by an exceptionally strong ethos
where NO questionable, toxic or synthetic ingredient, or any ingredient
tested on animals will be included. Twenty8 is a beauty and wellbeing
range like no other. It is available online or by hosting (or attending)
your own in-home SPArkle Experience with Kim Morrison, renowned health
and lifestyle educator, six times best-selling author and the founder
and creator of Twenty8.
www.twenty8.com