Stress can come in a variety of different forms. From the emotional stressors of relationships and work, the physical stressors of exercise and sitting all day at your desk, to the chemical stressors from the processed food you eat and the environment in which we live. Stress can cause many different sorts of responses within the body – the extent of which these stressors show depend on how we perceive and respond to a situation.
Going through menopause can be stressful in itself, however have you ever thought that living a highly stressful life may impact the way in which your hormones change in this time?
When the body is under stress it produces 2 hormones – they are called Cortisol and Adrenaline. They are produced by a part of the endocrine system called the adrenal glands – these sit on top of our kidneys. These 2 hormones are our survival hormones produced during times of ‘fight or flight’
During menopause the adrenal glands take over some of the work of the ovaries and produce small amounts of progesterone and oestrogen. Whilst these adrenal glands are producing cortisol and adrenaline they are unable to produce these female hormones as efficiently. This is because our body will always choose survival over fertility.
When we experience chronic stress – whether that may be from a high sugar diet, a bad relationship, stressful work environments or many other things, the adrenal glands maintain a high level of cortisol which can sometimes also lead to a burn out. High cortisol will decrease the effects of Progesterone on the body.. This may lead to menopausal symptoms such as insomnia, low energy, unhealthy food cravings, digestive problems, weight gain, aches and pains, low mood.
It is often best to reflect on your health before you hit menopause and balance the factors that may be causing stress on your lifestyle. If you think you have chronic stressors affecting your life and would like to be proactive about changing your lifestyle, send us a message.
In the past we have typically said that stress may cause an increase in stomach acid and could lead to the erosion of mucosal tissue causing ulcers in the stomach and upper intestines. This leads to taking things that may decrease stomach acid. However…. Physiologically when the body is under stress or in a Sympathetic state, Stomach acid goes DECREASES!
This is because blood gets diverted away from the gut and concentrated towards the brain and muscle in times of stress. Digestion is not essential to survival, so when the body goes into a state of sympathetic dominance – fight or flight or stress mode the body diverts its blood supply to the important parts of the body needed for our survival. Therefore, all digestive enzymes and juices DECREASE with stress.. How many of you are living a stressful life, constantly on the go, eating on the go and never relaxing?!
Signs of decreased stomach acid and poor digestion could include things like heartburn, bloating, indigestion and weight gain.
When our acid levels within the stomach are within balance the oesophageal sphincter will close. A decrease in acid within the stomach during times of stress will cause the sphincter to stay open meaning that the little available stomach acid can irritate the oesophagus and may cause symptoms of heartburn, reflux and indigestion. Stress also decreases mucous production within the stomach and could decrease the protection lining of the gut. This may affect nutrient absorption and could cause ulcers. Stomach acid or Hydrochloric Acid is needed to break down proteins and digest our food properly. Poor digestion may lead to inflammation, reactivity and sensitivities to foods and a change in weight.
Natural ways to increase stomach acid production include:
- Relaxing at meal times and eat slowly and chew thoroughly
- Add fermented vegetables to your diet
- Increase zinc intake – zinc is critical for the production of HCL.
Have a chat to us if you think your digestive system may be compromised due to stress.
A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to try a Float pod at Zen Float Spa, located in Girven road in Papamoa. This beautiful and calming space is a place you need to go and experience, Nicole is amazing and so welcoming.. Before heading there, I was quite anxious about spending an hour in an enclosed space, in the dark by myself. I had heard great things about the Float pods, including how it is being used for recovery with sports and athletes, rehabilitation, health and of course to relax and get away from the busy world in which we live.
What is a float pod? Float pods contain highly concentrated Epsom salts – a form of magnesium that can absorb through the skin and into the body. Flotation therapy limits external stress factors that are constantly bombarding our senses and our lives. When we remove some of the external stressors our bodies finally have a chance to free itself begin to rest and repair.
Getting into the pod I was quite nervous and thought I would leave the tank open, however I closed it and did not feel claustrophobic at all! Music plays to begin with, to calm the mind and the body. Before I knew it, the music signalling that the time was up came back on and I had been in the pod for 1 hour! I defiantly felt relaxed after the pod, and my muscles loved it! Will I go again? Yes! I think the float pods are suited to everyone, and is a great way to allow the body to go into a parasympathetic state (healing state) rather than the constant sympathetic (fight and flight) state that we live our lives in.
Some of the benefits that you might get from a float session include:
• Improving sleep patterns
• Normalising blood pressures
• Destress and relaxation
• Improving athletic performance
• Increases your bodies ability to detoxify with mineral salt rich bath
• Helps the brain to produce theta waves which are helpful with meditation, Increases magnesium absorption and lots more
I love coffee, and I don’t mind admitting that.. In fact a lot of people love coffee and drink it on a regular basis! And that’s ok.. I will also admit that I have used coffee to help with fatigue or gain extra energy in training sessions. I think many of us have, and do on a regular basis. Coffee is something that many people cannot start the day without. Are we addicted to it? Yes, probably.
Coffee should be an experience, it’s a time for catching up with friends or just time out from our busy world. But Its also comfort, especially when it is a cold winters day and we need something to perk us up or warm us up. People react differently to coffee – for some it can make them very wired, and for others it doesn’t have any affect at all. Consuming coffee occasionally is not a problem, however relying on it may be detrimental to your overall health.
What are the benefits of drinking coffee? Coffee contains anti-oxidants and polyphenols, which can help protect our cells from damage, however it is a stimulant, and can trigger the fight and flight response within the body. This response is a reaction that occurs within our bodies in reaction to real or perceived stress. From our sympathetic nervous system, this response involves a series of hormones being secreted providing a short term increase in energy. This response from the body is a normal response, however historically was used when there was a perceived threat or we were under famine and not many times a day.
Coffee or caffeine produces stress hormones resulting in an increase of energy, mood, and focus temporarily, however for many of us this often covers a problem of being tired and run down in our busy and stressful lives.
Caffeine is a diuretic which causes the body to loose water, leading to dehydration. One of the symptoms of dehydration is fatigue – so it can be that we often misunderstand why we may be tired and drink coffee causing us to become more dehydrated resulting in a vicious cycle of fatigue.
Coffee can cause some to have trouble sleeping and affect our quality of sleep due to the caffeine staying within our blood stream. Caffeine can also cause detrimental damage to our insulin actions and blood sugar.
If you are having problems with fatigue first try to replenish nutrients that your cells may be low on, improve your diet and lifestyle and see if that makes a change.
So, yes that cup of coffee does contain some great anti-oxidants but for some could also be detrimental to their health. Before you drink the next cup, think about whether it is being used for an extra boost of energy, or if you are actually enjoying the drink.
Current research has revealed that gut health is critical to overall health. An unhealthy gut could contribute to many different diseases including obesity, autoimmune disorders, depression and other mood disorders, chronic fatigue just to name a few. A large portion of our bodies immune system lies within the gut so it is important that it functions to the best of its ability. There are 2 factors that determine our gut health: The microbiome or bacteria within our gut, and also the gut barrier.
Some signs that your gut health may not be at optimum potential?
- Digestive issues such as bloating, gas or diarrhoea:
- These symptoms are symptoms that the bacteria within the gut/ or the gut flora are not healthy. Gas is a good sign that food is fermenting in your gut and there could be insufficient stomach acid or an imbalance in bacteria affecting the breakdown of food
- Sugar cravings:
- Bacteria try to get us to eat foods that they thrive on. So, if you eat a lot of yeast based products a lot of sugar then you may just be feeding the unhelpful bacteria allowing them to grow and overpopulate. It’s not completely due to lack of will power with sweet cravings. With good gut health, sugar cravings may be decreased.
- Bad breath:
- Odour-inducing microbes live within our mouth, between our teeth and gums. A healthy digestive system is important for systemic health.
- Food allergies or sensitivities:
- Signs of a leaky gut include sensitivities and/or allergies. The gut lining is the ultimate decider of what stays in and what gets leaked out. When the intestinal barrier becomes permeable, proteins escape out of the gut and into the bloodstream, which causes an immune response within the body showing up as food allergies
- Moodiness, Anxiety and Depression
- Sometimes even if we are eating the healthiest foods, if our gut is not functioning it cannot digest and absorb the nutrients from them. A compromised gut will affect your ability to use and produce serotonin – 70% of which is found within the gut. Serotonin is our happy hormone – so a decrease in serotonin can lead to anxiety, depression, moodiness and low mood.
- Skin irritations and problems like Eczema:
- Skin irritations and eczema are a form of systemic inflammation. Often occurring with a leaky gut which means that undigested food particles and other inflammatory particles are able to pass into the gut, and causing massive inflammation within the body.
- Autoimmune Disease and Suppressed Immunity:
- There is growing evidence to show that increased permeability within the digestive tract plays a large role in various autoimmune conditions. You may also suffer from frequent illness or infections. This is due to a suppressed immune system and poor gut health
If you have any of these signs of poor gut health, give us a call. There are things that can be done to improve your symptoms, and I would love to help you to reach a better state of living!
Dr Kate Elmlsy
B.Chiro, Dip CC Peds, TBM Certified
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