Stress
Stress describes a person’s physical or emotional response to demands or pressures they may experience in life, with common sources of stress including work, finances, relationships or illness. Stress can be a positive thing, helping an individual to grow, develop and be stimulated and take action. However, if stress exceeds a persons ability to cope, it can impact on their mental and physical health in a range of ways.
When a person is at risk of physical danger, the body recognises the need to react quickly and decisively, so it releases a surge of hormones, notable adrenaline and cortisol. This accelerates the heart rate, raises blood pressure, increases blood sugar and enhances the brains use of glucose. This is typical of the “fight or flight” response.
Modern day stresses are more likely to be psychological in origin, prolonged in nature and brought about by situations such as work-related stress, financial worries, inter-personal relationships or chronic illnesses. But they can still set off the bodies alarm mechanism and the associated hormone surge. Over-exposure to stress hormones can have a range of impacts on the bodies systems - the brain, cardiovascular, immune and digestive systems etc.
People deal with stress in different ways and the capacity to deal with stress changes throughout life. Those who have developed effective strategies to deal with day to day stressors are less likely to develop physical or psychological symptoms.
Stress that is not controlled and continues for long periods can cause a number of physical and psychological symptoms. These can include sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, lack of confidence, depression, difficulty relaxing and irritability. Physical symptoms can include muscle tension and pain, low energy, headaches, change in appetite, decreased sexual function and shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing.
Long term stress associated with the development of a number of different medical conditions include hair loss, heart palpitations, hyperventilation, gastrointestinal problems, skin conditions, high blood pressure or recurring colds and ‘flu.
Exercise and diet can play an important role in the relief of stress. By eating a balanced diet and avoiding foods that may increase tension, such as tea, coffee, alcohol and foods high in sugar, stress levels may be brought more under control. Exercise helps to release built up tensions and increases fitness, which in turn increases the bodies ability to deal with stress. Relaxation techniques that are also an effective way to help reduce stress and muscle tension include yoga, meditation and massage.
Taking a daily dose of Noni juice can act as a general tonic and can also assist in restoring sleep patterns, alleviating headaches and boosting the immune system. Although a healthy diet, exercise and taking Noni daily can all assist in managing high stress levels, if you are feeling constantly stressed, a thorough scrutiny and assessment of the factors that may be causing stress in your life is advisable, and the appropriate changes to lifestyle made. There is no doubt that ongoing and long-term stress is harmful to health and all efforts should be made to alleviate the factors that lead to it.
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