It has been estimated that up to 90% of all doctors visits are associated with stress. Physical, chemical, and emotional stressors wreck havoc on the body! What I want to do is break down the basic science of stress. Let’s admit it, our environment is very unnatural, toxic, and deficient… especially right now. The majority of people are living in a chronic stressed-out state. Whether you are running late for an appointment, have a big presentation, get laid off from work and have to figure out how to make the mortgage for the month, or are running from a grizzly bear, the stress response in the body is the exact same. We want you to understand how being stuck in this chronic state of stress is destroying your health, so that you have the motivation to fix it. Listen to tip #28 here!
Imagine you are hiking in Yellowstone National Park with your children and you look over your shoulder to see a momma grizzly bear with two cubs 15 feet away from you and your family.
What happens to your HEART RATE? …. It goes up
What happens to your BLOOD PRESSURE?…. It goes up
What happens to your BREATHING? …. It goes up, is shallow, and sporadic
What happens to your STRESS HORMONES? …. They go up
What happens to your BLOOD SUGAR? …. GOES UP (body mobilizes energy to fight or flee)
What happens to your BLOOD LIPIDS/FATS? …. GOES UP (for energy and wound healing)
Your body intelligently and deliberately delegates energy and right now needs to fight or flee to save you and your kids, so what do you think happens to:
Cognition, Memory, and Focus? …. DECREASES
IMMUNE function? …. DECREASES
Digestion? …. DECREASES
Reproduction Function? …. DECREASES
This is a primitive response that leads to breakdown in order to stay alive, which means it also comes with….
- Muscle wasting, decreased growth hormone, and Testosterone
- Bone deterioration
- Insulin resistance
- Serotonin depletion
Now you can see why it is estimated that 90% of doctors visits are related to STRESS! This physiology explains almost every condition under the sun. The body is intelligent, and has these built in mechanisms to protect it. In the short term example of the bear, this physiology will save you and your family’s life. BUT, being stuck here long-term will shorten your life. Most people are stuck in this response, sub-clinically, for 5,10,15,20+ years as the result of work, poor relationships, and the unnatural lives that we live.
Let’s slay this dragon so that you don’t end up like 80% of the population that is going to suffer with some type of chronic illness in their lifetime. Watch our first tip on how to mitigate STRESS!!! It is a tip supported by the research and one that is used by some of the greatest modern warriors, the NAVY SEALS.
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19718255/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23882107/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30245619/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579396/
Unbeatable Mind: By Mark Devine -BOOK
P.S. With all the articles we have been citing, we have done our best to cite articles that are “full/open access,” meaning you can read the whole study for FREE. We have supplied links to the abstract so that you can quickly get an idea about the study. Just look for the Free Full Text/ Open Access button to access the entire article (usually on the right upper portion of the page).