Stress can be defined as an objective series of physical actions involving the brain, the immune system, your hormonal apparatus and many more organs within the body.
Stress may be triggered without observable effects on behaviour and without subjective awareness.
Gabor Mate says in his book “When the body says No”, “stress consists of the internal alterations -visable or not- that occur when the organism perceives a threat to its existence or well-being. While nervous tension may be a component of stress one can be stressed without feeling tension”
So how does it all come about? On the perception of a threat the brain sends a chemical to the pituitary gland (a pea sized gland at the base of the skull known as the master gland). This in turn releases another chemical which enters the blood and goes to your adrenals which is a gland situated over the kidneys. From there the hormone/chemical Cortisol (derived from the word cortex/bark) is released.
Cortisol is an essential hormone which affects every organ in your body. But when it is being constantly released your body can get used to it and it can cause inflammation and bring on more stress.
In our “modern” life there are foods which can trigger this response:
- Caffeine
- Added sugar
- Refined grains
- Fatty foods
- Ultra processed foods
- Alcohol.
Balance in all things really helps.
Tips:
- Take some of the above foods and stop them for a week.
- Keep your inner space and peace intact by refusing to get upset with upset.
- Listen to your body and do one good thing for it each day.
- Come to the get Back Health Clinic this week and get your nervous system realigned and feel the difference in your body.
Yours in Health John Keane Spinologist