Remember that old, saucy, seaside postcard that reads Sun, Sea,
Sand, Sex, Super? Unfortunately, modern cards are more likely to
include seasonal stress thanks to travel delays, screaming kids,
hectic sightseeing and whirlwind activities as you cram as much as
you can into your hard-earned time away.
Stress
Stress wears you out, leaving you irritable, exhausted and
unable to fully enjoy the time when you are supposed to be having
most fun especially if your underlying nutrition is poor.
A certain amount of stress has a positive effect and is
necessary to meet life’s challenges. But when pressure rises
beyond your perceived ability to cope, it has a harmful effect and
is increasingly recognised as an important factor in many
illnesses.
During times of stress, circulating levels of stress hormones
such as adrenaline and cortisol increase. This puts your systems
onto red alert so your:
- Blood glucose level rises to provide instant energy
- Pupils dilate so your field of vision increases
- Bowels, bladder (and sometimes stomach) empty so you are
lighter for running
- Circulation to the gut shuts down, so more is diverted to your
muscles
- Pulse and blood pressure go up and you breath more deeply to
increase blood and oxygen supply to muscles and brain
- Memory and ability to think straight improve
- Sensitivity to pain is reduced.
In the old days, this helped caveman survive by preparing him
for vigorous exercise when fighting or fleeing from dangerous
situations. Nowadays, we rarely need to fight or flee and the
effects of stress hormones build up inside rather than getting
burned off through physical activity.
Persistently raised stress hormones can cause a number of
symptoms, including:
- Sweating and flushing
- Racing pulse and palpitations
- Dizziness, faintness and trembling
- Pins and needles, numbness
- Nausea and nervous diarrhoea
- Tension headache
- Insomnia, bad dreams and tiredness
- Poor concentration and inability to make decisions
- Depression, anxiety and panic attacks
- Low sex drive
- Reduced immunity.
This heightened state of arousal can eventually lead to physical
and emotional burn-out the so-called nervous breakdown.
Stress also exacerbates pre-existing conditions such as asthma,
eczema, psoriasis and irritable bowel syndrome and contributes
towards serious health problems such as glucose intolerance, high
blood pressure, stroke, angina and heart attack.
Tip: Adrenaline primes you for activity, but brisk exercise
resets your fight-or-flight reaction back towards your
rest-and-digest response. Try to exercise regularly, every day, for
at least thirty minutes but choose non-competitive sports
such as swimming, walking or cycling.
The role of nutrition
Good nutrition is important at all times, but especially during
periods of stress. Vitamin C and the B group vitamins are rapidly
used up in metabolic reactions associated with the fight-or-flight
response and B vitamins are further depleted by the metabolism of
alcohol and sugary foods often resorted to in difficult
times. Lack of such vitamins can itself lead to anxiety and
irritability, making symptoms worse. Stress also depletes the body
of calcium and magnesium so a multivitamin and mineral supplement
is a good idea as a nutritional safety net. A probiotic to
replenish immune-boosting bacteria in the gut is useful, too.
To help reduce stress, eat a high-fibre, wholefood diet and
decrease your intake of sugary foods and salt. Luckily, summer
provides an abundance of fruits, vegetables and salads that help to
optimise your nutrition and combat stress and low mood.
Follow a low glycaemic diet supplying foods that have minimal
impact on blood-glucose levels and eat little and often to help
prevent blood-glucose swings. Never skip meals, however busy you
are, especially breakfast, which is important to replenish energy
levels after your overnight fast. Try to avoid convenience foods
which, although time-saving, are often nutrient-poor.
Tips: Drink plenty of water. It’s easy to become
dehydrated from both summer heat or nervous sweating, which will
worsen stress-related symptoms of tiredness, headache and poor
concentration.
Limit alcohol intake and as the effects of caffeine mimic the
stress response, only have one or two caffeinated drinks per day.
N
Stress-free supplements
Multivitamin and mineral supplement or a blend supplying
magnesium, vitamin B complex and vitamin C.
Omega 3 fish oils (DHA and EPA) play an
important role in brain function and mood regulation. Eating fish
regularly can lift a low mood and neutralise some of the effects of
excessive pressure by lowering stress hormone levels.
St John’s Wort can reduce feelings of
anxiety and lift mild to moderate depression.
Korean (Panax) ginseng supports adrenal gland
function and helps you adapt to physical or emotional stress and
fatigue. It is stimulating and restorative, improving physical and
mental energy, stamina, strength and alertness. Ginseng combines
particularly well with Ginkgo biloba to improve memory and
concentration.
5-HTP helps to raise a low mood, reduce anxiety
and improve sleep. It may also help to control excessive food
intake triggered by stress.
Valerian is one of the most relaxing natural
herbs available and has significant, positive effects on stress. It
helps to relieve anxiety, induces sleep and promotes calm.
Co-enzyme Q10 improves physical energy levels
and endurance.
Don’t let excess stress ruin your summer. Take time out to
relax and allow yourself to soak up the sun safely. Your vitamin D
levels rise on exposure to sunlight and this is now believed to
play a beneficial role in mood regulation too. Don’t forget
to apply sunscreen and cover up as appropriate, however, so sunburn
doesn’t make your summer stressful.
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