As time progresses forward, so does our "Stress"! Part 1

What are the missing pieces to the puzzle of our emotions and mind?

Stress is a normal part of life . . . even positive life changes such as a promotion, a new home or the birth of a child can cause some levels of stress.

But what causes the body to become anxiety ridden, depressed and confused in times such as this?

Well, that would be "stress overload". Pressures that are "too intense" or "last too long". It may even be troubles that are "shouldered alone".

So as we know, stress is the body's reaction to any change that requires an "adjustment" or "response". Okay . . . well that's us in a nutshell right now. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental and emotional responses.

So how do we control or change stress and stress overload? They tell us to exercise on a regular basis, do deep breathing, try to relax your muscles, make time for hobbies and eat healthy.

But is that enough and does that really work? Absolutely, but only temporarily. If you don't correct the real reason the mechanics of the human body allows stress to manifest in the first place . . . stress will return.

So what are the missing pieces to the puzzle of our mind?

In a stressful situation . . . mechanically, when we perceive something as stressful like what we are going through today, this perception or feeling sets off the usual frantic communication between the hypothalamus (which is a region of the brain linked to the nervous system) and the activity of the pituitary gland (which is a gland at the base of the skull). This is where the control of our body temperature, thirst, hunger, sleep and "emotional activity" all come into play.

This messaging system manufactures and releases hormones like dopamine, epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), norepinephrine and especially the hormone called "Cortisol" better known as the "Stress" hormone or the "Belly Fat Producer".

When "Cortisol" levels are high . . . it can cause anxiety, trigger mood swings and cause depression. It can also "decrease" bone density and "increase" weight gain, blood pressure, cholesterol and heart disease.

So how do we correct all those hormone and help our perception of life and fear?

Well . . . there are two key factors as to why we feel stress, anxiety and depression in times like this. And "Dehydration" would be one of them.

Because the human body needs water to function properly, dehydration can lead to stress and the breakdown in your mental and physical health. A mere liter of water "under" what you should be consuming per your body weight can increase the hormone "Cortisol" levels, causing immediate problems and increase your perception of that stressful situation tenfold.

And the sad part to all this is that: "Stress can cause dehydration" and "dehydration can cause stress"! It's a vicious cycle and hard to stop.

So we now know, lack of adequate water intake can reduce blood flow which decreases the blood's ability to supply hormones to the body correctly. But dehydration can also make muscles tense and your brain experience weakness and change. Dehydration can even affect our memory. It reduces our concentration, especially when you are completing tasks involving attention, executive function and motor coordination.

Okay . . . so here's the biggie . . . Dehydration can IMPAIR THE IMMUNE SYSTEM allowing this virus to take over our body.

So now we know that WATER reduces STRESS! And by staying hydrated we will be better equipped to deal with everyday problems.

Now let's talk about the fastest ways to short term cure dehydration in adults!

1. Sip small amounts of water at a time.

2. Swoosh water in your mouth before swallowing

3. Drink water that is "electrolyte" water. Not energy drinks!

4. Suck on ice chips

These are all quick fixes, but to correct this problem of dehydration, we need to up our water intake everyday. In general, we should try to drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, every day. For example . . . if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be between 75 and 150 ounces of water per day.

As always, SHARE this important information. Tomorrow we'll talk about Part 2 of the puzzle to our emotions and mind.

If you'd like more information, feel free to contact me here