What is Stress?

What exactly is stress? Stress can come in many forms. It could be emotional stress, chemical stress (toxicity), electromagnetic stress, physical stress, or anything else that elicits a stress response in the body. It doesn't matter what kind of stress you have, your body perceives them as all the same. Stress has many effects on the body. It can lower your immune system, increase your cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure. It can cause sexual dysfunction, arthritis, heart disease, weight gain, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers, cancer, as well as lower thyroid function and metabolism.

When you're under stress your body switches into a fight or flight mode. When this takes place there are several physiological responses. You have a decrease of all non-critical processes. Your energy will be mobilized to your muscle. Digestion will be turned off (50% of people have digestive complaints), detoxification will be impaired, you have  a decrease in cellular repair, and you will be placed in a catabolic (breaking down) state. This catabolic state will weaken your systems.

Stress plays a major part in the basic healthy human functioning. It is important to note that stress contributes to the majority of health disorders. The clinical judgment lies in understanding which of these is both the most treatable and is most likely the best way to reduce the stress on the overall balance of the patients internal systems.

• IMMUNE IMBALANCES
  Autoimmune diseases, allergies, frequent infections, some cancers, chronic infections
• HORMONAL AND NEUROTRANSMITTER IMBALANCES
  Hypothyroidism, adrenal exhaustion, diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety
• STRUCTURAL IMBALANCES
  Many types of chronic pain, scoliosis, post-polio syndrome, hypermobility syndromes, surgical absence or modification of organs
• TOXICOLOGICAL STRESSES
  Heavy metal poisoning, multiple drug sensitivities, hormone disruptors from the environment, various environmental sensitivities
• NUTRITIONAL, DIGESTIVE, ABSORPTIVE IMBALANCES
  Irritable bowel, bacterial overgrowth, reflux, incomplete digestion, food intolerances, subtle vitamin deficiencies
• PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SPIRITUAL
  Early childhood trauma, toxic relationships, chronic stress, isolation, fear, post traumatic stress syndrome