From a functional medicine perspective, we want to understand not only your symptoms or diagnosis but also why it’s happening. As we peel back the layers to look at the contributing root causes, we can’t overlook chronic stress.
Stress and health are linked, and high stress contributes to hormone imbalances, chronic diseases, weight gain, and other health concerns. Stress management and reduction are often the most challenging part of a healing protocol. Humans today experience many more stressors than ever before, along with more barriers to managing stress.
Today’s article will dive into how to manage stress and why you should care. Keep reading as we explore:
On the one hand, acute stress is a life-saving physiological response. When your brain interprets a threat, it activates the body’s stress response, fight or flight. The body sends blood to the extremities and increases blood sugar and blood pressure to support running and fighting. When the threat is over, the body returns to a baseline, relaxed state.
On the other hand, chronic stress occurs when the brain constantly interprets threats, and the stress response stays activated instead of appropriately shutting off. Chronic stress symptoms may include:
Chronic stress occurs when the body is overloaded with stress. This stress can be emotional, such as financial or relationship problems. Past trauma, uncertainty, or worry about the future are other causes. Symptoms of chronic stress can also result from physical stressors, such as nutrient deficiencies, toxin exposures, poor sleep, dehydration, or other lifestyle behaviors. It can even be health-related stress when dealing with an injury, symptom, or illness.
We’ve already mentioned how stress physiology is designed to fuel and activate the body to run or fight. However, many imbalances in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) can occur over time. The HPA axis connects the brain with the adrenals, the endocrine glands that produce stress hormones, including cortisol.
When we test cortisol, we sometimes see high levels, low levels, or various patterns of disruption called HPA axis dysfunction. Let’s discuss how this dysfunction contributes to other hormonal imbalances, weight gain, and other effects of stress on health.
The functional medicine framework acknowledges that everything in the body is connected. There are many connections between the HPA axis and stress, hormones, and weight. Let’s look at a few effects stress has on health.
The functional medicine framework acknowledges that everything in the body is connected. There are many connections between the HPA axis and stress, hormones, and weight.
First, stress increases cortisol, especially in the early stages of chronic stress. Elevated cortisol is associated with weight gain, particularly abdominal weight gain which carries metabolic risks.
Part of the stress response is to mobilize energy by increasing glucose in the blood. Elevated blood sugar increases insulin output. Insulin is a hormone, and high levels are associated with insulin resistance and fat storage, which contributes to weight gain.
Another hormonal consequence of high stress can be lower thyroid hormones. When the body is under threat, it wants to conserve energy, so it turns down thyroid hormones, which determine the metabolic rate. Low thyroid hormones are associated with weight gain.
Finally, stress can also impact sex hormones. Signs of chronic stress can include lower production of all hormones, affecting reproduction and all body systems.
The stress impact on health goes beyond hormones and over time contributes to increased inflammation. Inflammation is an underlying factor in both weight gain and chronic disease, and one that we must address in prevention and treatment protocols.
Stress and inflammation can drive both physical and mental health disorders. They disrupt the gut microbiome, which further affects metabolism and disease. One example is atherosclerosis, inflammation and plaque buildup in the arteries that causes heart disease. Chronic stress is a critical risk factor for atherosclerosis.
As another example, chronic stress promotes the development of cancer. The hormonal and nervous system patterns associated with chronic stress affect inflammation and immunity in ways that may promote cancer development (tumorigenesis).
While you can’t control all the stress you’ll encounter in your life, the good news is that you can reduce and manage a lot of the stress you face. There are many stress management techniques, and the goal is to discover what tools work for you and practice them consistently during times of low and high stress.
Stress management methods include:
Understanding the health implications of stress can be empowering and lead to effective stress management strategies. Managing stress in modern times takes a lot of dedication, but your health is worth it! If you need support, please reach out to The Fork today.
References
Dai, S., Mo, Y., Wang, Y., Xiang, B., Liao, Q., Zhou, M., Li, X., Li, Y., Xiong, W., Li, G., Guo, C., & Zeng, Z. (2020). Chronic Stress Promotes Cancer Development. Frontiers in oncology, 10, 1492.
The Fork Functional Medicine
200 9th Ave S.
Franklin, TN 37064
Phone: (615) 721-8008
Fax: (615) 237-8331
Monday: 9am - 5pm
Tuesday: 9am - 5pm
Wednesday: 9am - 5pm
Thursday: 9am - 5pm
Friday: CLOSED
Saturday-Sunday: CLOSED
By appointment only
Telemedicine visits are available to patients in the State of Tennessee. See further information under patient info.
Copyright 2024 The Fork Functional Medicine. All rights reserved. Website by Wink Digital.