TeamFLEX Newsletter

Weight Loss Spotlight

Stress & Weight Loss

Stress is one of the most overlooked risks to our health in our daily life. Stress is so hazardous to our health that it can actually kill us. When our body is under stress it releases a higher level of adrenalin to help your body cope with the stressful situation. When the adrenal glands produce more adrenalin your metabolism increases as well, to prepare your body for stress. Another substance released into your blood stream when your body is under stress is Cortisone. Cortisone is also being released by the adrenal glands adjacent to the kidneys.

Stress raises your bad cholesterol level in your body as well as your blood pressure. Both well known health risk factors. The chain reaction in your body with its physiological response to stressful situations is pretty much the same for everybody. The danger occurs when somebody already in the risk zone because of his or her weight, are stressing about minor things that make their blood pressure and accompanying hormone production increase. Somebody with already high blood pressure tends to have a short tolerance level already and added stress will only make it worse.

When feeling stressed out, stop for one second and evaluate if the situation is worth damaging your health for?

Nine out of ten times you ask yourself that question the answer will be no. Whether it is financial stress, work related stress or family problems that are pushing you over the edge, the situation won't get any better by you stressing about it. In many situations there is not anything you can do about it directly anyway, so why stress about it. Using foods as a comfort zone when battling stress is more common then you think.

Depending on what kind of stress that is present, the response can be either eating too much or not eating at all. Emotional stress seems to make people binge and eat more then they should or need to. Nobody will ever have a completely stress free life but the secret to a more stress free life lies in stress management.

How you handle the stress in your life makes all the difference when it comes to your physical and emotional health. Yoga, meditation, stretching, weight training and cardiovascular exercise are all good stress relieving activities that you can perform almost anywhere.

Massage to reduce stress is another method that is very effective in reducing stress in your body. The massage actually helps the body get rid of toxins released into your blood stream when stressed out. Increasing your protein by eating protein more often will help your body cope better with stress.

There are several herbal supplements on the market that can give you temporary ease when going through stressful times in your life. Chamomile is a calming herb available in tea form in the health food market. Valerian root is another relaxing herb that comes in pill form. Kava was very popular for a while as a natural relaxation supplement. There are also herbal combination supplements that are non habit forming and not harmful to your body. A good B-complex always helps you feel better if you are stressed out. Taken morning and evening the B vitamins will nourish your nervous system.

If you are going through a lot of stress in your life, stay away from alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and junk food with no nutritional value.