%@*# ! (aka Stress)

As a Fitness Professional and Naturopathic Doctor I have seen firsthand the negative impact stress can have on the human body. But what exactly is stress and how can we learn to better manage it? Stress is a normal part of life. Stress is the body's reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses. Did you know that there are four different types of stress? In fact, there are both good and bad forms of stress. Positive stress keeps us alert and ready to avoid danger, but stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges and is called distress. As a result, the person becomes overworked and stress-related tension builds. Distress can lead to physical symptoms including headaches, upset stomach, elevated blood pressure, chest pain, obesity, and problems sleeping. Research suggests that stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases. My personal healing philosophy looks at negative stress as an obstacle to true health, so in order to improve any ailment we have to first start looking at ways to decrease stress. Learning to better manage your stress, starts with properly identifying the cause of your stress. Exercise, time management, body work, meditation, proper diet and sleep are all great ways to help decrease stress and combat the negative effects of stress. There is no one right way to deal with stress. Naturopathic Medicine offers a wide variety of treatment tools to help the body adapt and cope with stress. Some of my favourite treatment tools are acupuncture, meditation, and the use of adaptogens through botanical medicine and nutrition.

If you think you could use a little extra help managing stress, or if you'd like to learn more about how stress might be impacting your health, come visit me for a free 15 minute health consultation!