ARE YOU OVER STRESSED OR UNDER RECOVERED? The Answer May Surprise You...

Stress is killing everyone! 75-90% of doctor visits are because of stress. Stress is a contributor (or direct cause) of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, digestive problems, heart disease, stroke, insulin resistance, diabetes, increased blood clotting, atherosclerosis, heart attack, immune system problems, autoimmunity and the new big worry Alzhiemer’s and dementia. Almost every single problem with health can be traced back to stress, minimally made worse by stress, but is stress the real problem?

The answer may surprise you. Research points to being under recovered as a bigger problem. I can support this with clinical experience as well as learning from some of the best doctors in the world who have found healthy ways of maximizing recovery while supporting the stress demands of 21st century living. The journal Psyconeuroendocrinilogy states:

“An adequate balance between catabolic (mobilization of energy), induced by stress hormones such as epinephrine and cortisol, and anabolic processes (repair, healing, growth), induced by steroid sex and growth hormones, is necessary for health and survival.”

I like to explain this to clients as ‘stress eats muscle’. Muscle mass is an indicator of longevity and is very important in health. Therefore, preserving muscle and building muscle is of utmost importance. We have an epidemic of sleep problems and steroid sex and growth hormone deficiencies. Why? The authors of this article go on to state:

 “In modern society, which is characterized by a rapid pace of life, high productivity, efficiency, and competivieness in a global economy, it is possible that lack of rest, recovery and restitution is a greater health problem than the absolute level of stress on and off the job.”

LACK OF REST, RECOVERY AND RESTITUTION ARE THE GREATER HEALTH PROBLEM. The researchers hit the nail on the head. Many doctors around the world have found strategies of maximizing human potential with proper diet, supplementation, sleep and exercise strategies with the addition of always managing stress. Managing stress can be thought of as rest, recovery and restitution. Meditation, yoga, diaphragmatic breathing, specific nutrients, nature, exercise, proper sleep and love have all been found to help buffer stress (or promote rest, recovery and restitution). Correcting under recovery can be a challenge as everyone has different dietary challenges, nutrient insufficiencies, structural problems, hormone imbalances and stressors. Creating a custom rest, recovery and restitution plan is necessary. (If you need help with this please contact us.)

Are you over stressed or under recovered? Odds are you are under recovered. Hopefully, this article sheds new light and prompts you take a restorative yoga class or meditate this week. Maybe take a nap this weekend or a walk in nature with your significant other because you aren’t over stressed. YOU ARE UNDER RECOVERED.

References:

Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2005 Nov;30(10):1017-21. PMID: 1596365