The Impact of Stress on Hormonal Balance
By Michelle Prince
Stress has always been an unavoidable part of life. Whether positive or
negative, stress is the body's reaction to a situation that requires a physical,
mental or emotional adjustment or response. The
human body is designed to react to occasional times of stress by releasing
epinephrine (a hormone and neurotransmitter known as adrenaline) and cortisol (a
corticosteroid hormone) to help you spring into action and conquer the situation
at hand. When the source of stress has passed, adrenaline quickly returns to
normal levels. However, unless time is taken to rest and restore following a
stressful event, cortisol levels tend to remain elevated.
Unfortunately, stress has become chronic in today's world. For many people,
constant, unrelenting stress is the norm rather than the exception. The
ever-increasing demands that come with managing
our personal lives, family's lives and our careers, bombard us with seemingly
never ending "to-do" lists. Even when our exhausting tasks are complete,
concerns about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the rising unemployment rate,
the economy and our personal financial security loom ever-present causing subtle
yet profound stress. When chronic stress continually forces the adrenal glands
to sustain elevated cortisol levels, a cause and effect loop of mental,
emotional and physical health challenges ensue.
Without periods of relaxation to counterbalance the body's chemical response to
stress, disease is inevitable. Numerous emotional and physical health conditions
have been linked to stress including weight gain, depression, anxiety, heart
attacks, stroke, hypertension and immune system disturbances. Stress affects the
skin (rashes, hives and dermatitis), the gastrointestinal system (GERD, peptic
ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis) and contributes to
degenerative neurological disorders. Not only does stress aggravate any existing
health condition, more and more research is showing that it may actually be the
originating cause.
Stress and the Immune System
Long-term stress weakens the immune system and prevents the proliferation of
disease fighting killer cells. When chronically stressed, the immune cells are
literally being bathed in molecules that are essentially telling them to stop
fighting. You see, the brain and the immune system are intimately linked and
capable of reciprocal communication. When cortisol levels remain elevated, the
brain sends a message that the immune response is no longer needed, causing it
to shut down. Therefore, in situations of chronic stress your immune system is
less able to respond to bacteria or virus infections and disease
in general.
Stress Management
Learning to reduce and manage the stress in your life is essential and begins by
identifying your stressors and observing your mental and physical reactions to
them. How you react to stressful situations is determined by how you perceive
them. Modifying your thoughts and perceptions can change a life of stress and
discomfort to one of challenge and excitement.
Stress management techniques can activate your body's relaxation response,
creating a calm, relaxed state. These include meditation, yoga, deep breathing
exercises, listening to soothing music, journaling and positive imagery.
Moderate exercise and dietary improvements are also helpful.
Stress depletes your body of essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients so be
sure to eat fresh vegetables, complex carbohydrates, whole grains, fruits, nuts,
seeds and protein. While chronic stress often results in insomnia, getting
plenty of restorative sleep is among the most important steps in relieving the
damaging effects of elevated cortisol levels in the body.
Stress and Women's Hormone Health
Women, with their inherent tendency to care for others while neglecting their
own needs, are especially prone to the harmful effects of stress. They are
particularly vulnerable during perimenopause and menopause when changing
hormones have already begun to impact the adrenal glands, an intricate part of
the endocrine system. Most women who experience the uncomfortable emotional and
physical symptoms of "the change" have previously experienced times of prolonged
emotional and/or physical stress. Progesterone, a calming hormone, helps ease
your response to stress. Unfortunately, most women are severely lacking in
progesterone.
Cortisol literally "steals" progesterone from the adrenal glands. If your
adrenals are continually releasing cortisol into the bloodstream, your body will
take any available progesterone and divert it to meet that demand. Because
cortisol and progesterone compete for common receptors in the cells, cortisol
impairs progesterone activity and interferes with the action of other important
female hormones too. Cortisol, testosterone and estrogen are all made from
progesterone. If too much progesterone gets diverted by cortisol, there isn't
enough to make the testosterone needed for a woman's sexual response, etc.
creating a domino effect of troublesome symptoms.
Progesterone is essential for hormonal balance yet it is increasingly deficient
in women of all ages. Progesterone is the only hormone that converts into other
vital hormones as needed to create a balancing effect on the entire endocrine
system. It reduces your risk of osteoporosis, converts fat into energy,
metabolizes glucose, and performs many other vital cell functions.
Common symptoms of insufficient progesterone levels include an inability to cope
with stress, depression, weight gain, insomnia, low libido, heavy and prolonged
menstrual cycles, compromised thyroid and adrenal function and a host of
potentially serious health conditions.
Yes, stress is and always will be an unavoidable part of life. However, by
utilizing bio-identical progesterone cream, a healthy diet, moderate exercise,
and stress management techniques, you can easily avoid the body's harsh chemical
reaction to stress, restore your jangled nerves and enjoy calm and balance in
your life once again.
Medical Disclaimer: This information is not intended to diagnose, treat or
prevent disease. If you have or suspect any physical or mental health
conditions, please consult a licensed healthcare practitioner.
__________________ "We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." ~Immanual Kant~
Impact of Stress on Hormonal Balance
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