How to become resilient to stress.

Our modern lifestyle may be contributing to many health complaints commonly seen today. Many of us experience some form of stress; 9 out of 10 Australians report being stressed and 41% of people feel they experience unhealthy levels of stress.

Stress and the body’s response to it can affect people in different ways. Small amounts of stress that are easily resolved can help to keep us motivated and achieve our goals. The difference with long-term or chronic stress is that it can affect the whole body in a negative manner.

FINDING THE ‘OFF’ BUTTON.

Stress can affect each of us differently. Perhaps you re suffering from anxiety, feeling worried, depressed, or irritable; even feeling exhausted and overwhelmed can indicate you are under stress. As well as affecting your ability to cope, stress may also be causing a disruption to your health. When under stress for a length of time, you may become more susceptible to tension headaches, high blood pressure, frequent colds and flus, digestive disorders, or a worsening of an existing condition, for example eczema or psoriasis. So you see there are many reasons why it is so important to manage your stress now, before it starts to impact your health and wellbeing.

HOW RESILIENCE BEGINS

Some people seem to deal with stress better than others. That does not mean that the rest of us need to continue suffering. The ability to increase your resilience to stress is something that can be learned and helped with key nutritional supplements, combining specific ingredients to support your body’s individual stress response systems.

DIS-STRESSED TO DE-STRESSED.

Herbs and nutrients can help you go from distressed to destressed.

Rhodiola and Withania (pictured below) are ‘adaptogenic’ herbs which enhance the body’s resilience to stress. Rhodiola has been shown to reduce both physical and mental fatigue during times of stress. Withania can reduce the stress hormone cortisol via its effect on the adrenal glands thereby having a protective effect in chronic stress.

The herbs passionflower, Zizyphus and magnolia have been used traditionally in Western Medicine for reducing stress, anxiety, insomnia and nervous tension.
St John’s Wort is well-known for supporting healthy mood and protecting against the effects of stress.
Magnesium, glutamine and B vitamins are used in abundance during times of stress, when the body’s requirements for these key nutrients is increases. Magnesium assists in muscle relaxation and calms the nervous system.

Your practitioner at All About Your Health can recommend specific supplements tailored to suit your individual stress-related symptoms and concerns to help you feel on top of the world again.

LIFESTYLE TIPS TO HELP YOU MANAGE STRESS

Managing your stress is essential for long term health and vitality. With the support of your Practitioner, a variety of stress relief techniques can be introduced, in conjunction with a healthy eating plan to help you stress less. These may include:

Exercise – daily movement is essential for brain health. Aerobic exercise including running, swimming or walking has been proven to decrease stress hormones.
Enjoy the benefits of spending time in the sun. Being in nature for 30 minutes per day can help to reduce stress hormones and assist in recovery after a stressful situation.
Meditation and/or yoga can help to increase relaxation whilst benefitting not just the mind but also the body. Learning to unwind is important for reducing stress.
Favourite pastimes: create time for YOU! DO something you love, like listening to music, enjoying a candlelit bath, watching a movie or starting a creative project – these fun activities can help you become more tolerant of everyday stress.
Get creative and express yourself in many different ways as feels good; singing, dancing, humming and art projects are but a few ways to do this.
Eat seasonally, fresh, and organic as much as possible. Include protein at every meal with a variety of fruit and vegetables.
Include good fats such as Omega 3 from fish, nuts and seeds, and olive oils to help with brain health and mood regulation.
Drink plenty of water, a minimum of eight glasses per day and avoid excessive alcohol, caffeine sugar and salt.

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Geraldine Rogerson

Since I was a young child I have always been interested in the human body, illness and disease and have always wanted to help people. I became a nurse as soon as I finished school, completed my general nurses' training and became a registered nurse, and went on to become a midwife as well. I spent the next 25 years looking after sick people. While I loved doing this, I came to realise that prevention was where I wanted to be. I also discovered that Natural Medicine was the avenue that I needed to travel. Now, having completed a Bachelor of Health Science in Naturopathy, and as a Naturopath, I believe I can help you achieve a better state of health that is sustainable and attainable. I have trained under Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride MD and became a certified GAPS (Gut And Psychology/ Physiology Syndrome), Practitioner. GAPS is explained as a condition, which establishes a connection between the functions of the digestive system, the brain and the immune system. So if you or any of your family members regularly experience common digestive complaints, for instance heartburn (reflux), indigestion, bloating, cramping, constipation, diarrhea or suffer from eczema, asthma, dyslexia, depression, autism, ADD, ADHD or autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and if you are ready to make a life changing decision for your health (or your child’s health) then I can assist you. My special interest areas are in reproductive health, both male and female, Pre-conception, Pregnancy, post natal, reproductive and menopausal issues, Children’s health – babies young children and adolescents, Weight issues, stress management and Chronic fatigue syndromes, to mention just a few. As a mother to four children, I understand the challenges and obstacles in the raising of children in the 21st Century. It is both exhilarating and exhausting. Added to this, the modern day illnesses caused by Stress, fatigue, poor nutrition and sub-optimal health can affect our day to day living. As your Naturopath, I can develop a treatment strategy for you that will pave the way to a cleaner, healthier state of well-being and supporting your vital force. It can be as simple as a few minor dietary changes or as complex as a multi-faceted long term treatment plan. My clinical experience acquired during my nursing years has given me as solid backbone of understanding of the process of disease and my understanding of Natural Medicine has added a whole new dimension to my level of understanding. The philosophy of Natural Medicine underpins what I believe in – to treat the underlying cause of the illness, to treat the whole client, educate the client about their illness and how to take care of themselves and their health, rebalance your system and develop strategies for the prevention of reoccurrence of disease. All of these factors are at the forefront of any treatment strategy that I develop. I look forward to meeting you and your family. I hope that I can be of assistance to you. I am centrally located in Carindale. My home-based clinic is open Monday to Friday 10am till 6pm, and on Saturdays 9am till 2pm. However, as I am homebased, I can make myself available outside those hours quite easily. This helps to accommodate school children in the mornings before school, or adults in the evening after their work-day. My times can be a flexible as you need them to be! In my clinic I have a dispensary and can prescribe you herbs and nutrients to help you achieve optimal health.