Did The Tiger Get You Today?

I am not here to talk about what is right or wrong in the world today (there is plenty of that, if that is what you seek).

I am here to talk about how we take care of ourselves 

Amidst the chaos.

 Let me use the analogy of the tiger in the jungle. Most of us do not live in a jungle (at least not a real one;) and we probably have never seen a real wild tiger, let alone been chased by one. But if you asked our stress system, also called the sympathetic nervous system, it would say that most of us have been running from tigers and fighting tigers every day for a least a year and a half, probably longer. 

And when we are not running from those tigers and fighting those tigers, we are thinking about when the next tiger might strike, and we trigger a stress response with those thoughts.

 Of course I am not talking about real tigers. I am talking about anything that causes you stress in your life. This stress can be real, such as an overdue bill payment or a fire in a neighbouring community. 

Then there is the stress caused by our thoughts such as worrying about a conversation with a loved one or ruminating about a fight with a colleague. This also causes a stress response in the body. 

The day to day ‘normal’ stresses are real too. Like the stress of your 3-year-old peeing on your brand-new carpet when you want to get out the door for a workout. In the next moment you are not able to find any socks for your workout because the laundry is piled so high. 

These are day to day real stressors, and a few are ‘normal’ but too many of these moments can contribute to your overall stress load.

Much like your toxic load, your stress load has a limit.

IS ADREANL FATIGUE REAL? 

Although there is no recognized mainstream medical diagnosis for adrenal fatigue, the symptoms of stress overload cannot be denied. 

 Symptoms can include:

• Waking up exhausted after a full night’s rest

• Inability to lose weight

• Hormone imbalances (fertility issues, menopause suffering, menstruation irregularities)

• Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep

• Blood sugar imbalances 

• Energy crash in the mid-afternoon (1-4pm) where you need a coffee, a nap or a serious sugar/carb kick

• Poor digestion/digestive challenges

• Poor tolerance to hot and cold (feeling cold hands and feet)

Sound familiar?? 

 I believe that 70%-99.9% of people in today’s world are experiencing some level of stress response overload. 

Life is stressful.
Most people have more demands placed on them than in previous times and it seems we have less support to deal with these demands, thus creating a system overload.

 I don’t think I need to convince you that people are stressed; But what does this stress do to your body??? 

If you don’t care what it does to your body, skip ahead to What you can do about it.

If you want to know what this stress is doing to your body, read on;

When our body thinks that we are running from a tiger, anything that is necessary for long term survival shuts down. These long-term health functions include:

• Immunity

• Wound repair

• Detoxification

• Digestion

These are only a few. Our heart pumps faster and we increase our breathing rate which takes an added toll on our heart and lungs. Our blood moves away from our core to prepare us for fight or flight which means that our digestion gets put on the back burner.

Our body asks, why are you eating a steak dinner when we are fighting for our life??!!

Long term, your brain function suffers as well. It has been shown that stress can actually kill brain cells!! Ever had the feeling like you just can’t string a sentence together after a super stressful day? Maybe this is why; because you have killed a few too many brain cells.

So enough doom and gloom! 

 What can you do about it?

I’m going to break it down, so I don’t stress you out;)

These things can seem very simple but will make a difference in lessening the toll stress can take on your body;

•  Find a meditation or yoga practice that fits for your life. Want to read about how I found my yoga practice? Read about my 30 days of yoga here

• Get to bed at a reasonable time (10pm). The stress system will give you another shot of cortisol if you don’t go to bed when your body says it’s time. The body thinks that you are not sleeping because that tiger is back, so it prepares you for the fight rather than for sleep. I think sleep is crucial to overall wellness and healthy longevity. Want to know more about sleep hygiene? Check this out.

• Add in an Afternoon Refuel- Instead of having coffee, sugar or carbs for your mid-afternoon boost, try a protein rich snack and vitamin C (food or supplement). Adrenals love vitamin C rich foods and protein. This will feed your adrenal glands and prevent another crash when the sugar/caffeine runs out. Aim to refuel BEFORE your afternoon low (usually between 1-3). If you can have a nap, do it! People that nap live longer. 

• Breath deeper, more often. This is the easiest way to tell your body that you are safe, and the tiger is not going to eat you. 

• Stay off of the carb/sugar/caffeine roller-coaster. Ensure you have protein with each meal or snack. This helps stabilize blood sugar and prevents and stress response from a blood sugar crash. Fibre and fats also help stabilize the blood sugar. Want a perfect protein, fat hit? Check out these Nutty Fat Bombs. 

Most of all, don’t stress about stressing. 

 Take 5 deep breaths and pick one action on this list to start tomorrow.

And then breath some more and get some fresh air. 

If you want more support to guide you through this time Book Now!