Our bodies are designed to cope with stress, however when we’re already feeling depleted, juggling work, home, and family responsibilities, and are faced with new, unforeseen, or ongoing stressors, we can start to develop an overactive adrenal and nervous system response, leading to symptoms of anxiety. Luckily, there are many natural ways to help our bodies cope with stress, and bring our nervous systems back into balance.
When we experience events that we perceive to be stressful, our nervous systems signal a sympathetic response, causing our adrenal glands to release “fight or flight” hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. This is an important evolutionary protective mechanism, helping to boost our energy and heart rates in order to deal with emergency situations.
Unfortunately, the cumulative effect of even minor stressors, such as the daily grind of a demanding job or stressful commute, or alternatively the experience of one major stressor or traumatic event, can compromise a healthy stress response, switching this system into overdrive, and making you feel as though you’re facing emergency situations every day. Your threshold level for stress goes down, and suddenly you find yourself feeling completely overwhelmed with events that may have seemed manageable in the past.
The hormones released by the adrenal glands affect many bodily systems. The ramifications of an ongoing heightened response to stress can range from changes in blood pressure and blood sugar levels, to difficulty managing inflammation, and altered immune function. A few symptoms you might notice if your adrenal function is out of balance include cravings for salt and sugar, mood changes including anxiety and irritability, lowered immunity, generalized inflammation, digestive disturbances, insomnia, and feeling dizzy when standing up suddenly.
Calming Your Nervous System and Supporting Your Adrenal Glands
Diet: Make dietary choices that help to support a healthy nervous system. Avoid sugar, minimize caffeine and alcohol, and keep blood sugar levels stable by consuming healthy fats and protein with each meal. Fats are especially important for brain function, and for many people, avoiding fats in the diet can be a direct trigger for anxiety. Incorporate healthy fats such as coconut oil, avocado, organic nut butters, butter (ideally from grass-fed cows), and olive oil into your diet.
Nutrients: After establishing a healthy diet, the best way to help modify your stress response is by giving your adrenals and nervous system the nutrients they need to function optimally. When our bodies are depleted, we may benefit from nutrients in more therapeutic levels than what we can obtain from diet alone. Vitamin C, magnesium, and B vitamins, especially B5, B6, and B12, are all important for the function of the adrenal glands*.
Adaptogens: Herbs with adaptogenic properties help to increase our body’s resistance to physical, mental, and emotional stress. Historically, in many cultures, these herbs were incorporated into cooking, and taken over long periods of time. Holy basil, ashwaganda, reishi mushrooms, and astragalus are all gentle adaptogens that can help to restore healthy adrenal gland function*.
Exercise: When you’re in stress-mode, it is best to focus on more “yin” or calming forms of exercise that are not going to further overstimulate your cardiovascular system and adrenal response. Yoga or pilates are great options. I find that a daily practice of even 10-15 minutes can be effective for strengthening the body and calming the mind.
Connecting to Nature: Get outside, go for a walk, touch the earth, smell the flowers! The calming power of nature is so powerful that research has shown that just looking through a window at a forest can help to activate a parasympathetic, or calming, nervous system response.
Get in Touch with What You Love To Do: Are you making time for the things that truly bring you joy? Laughing with friends, swimming in the bay, skiing, yoga, cooking healthy meals, hiking in the forest, and reading a good book are a few of my favourite self-care practices. Nourishing the soul is just as important as nourishing the body, and helps to increase feel-good brain chemicals.
Meditation: When you can detach from your thoughts and focus on your breathing for even 10 minutes, this is often when truly constructive realizations come through, either in the form of looking at stressors differently, letting things that have been bothering you go, or even having inspired ideas about changes you want to make in your life. For a long time, I was intimidated by the thought of meditating, since sitting and doing nothing can seem like such a waste of time in today’s productivity-focussed world, and quieting the mind is not easy! Now I just try to sit and observe my thoughts with curiosity and without judgement, while tuning into my breathing, and trying to let go of any muscular tension. Even a short meditation practice can have lasting calming effects throughout the day.
Acupuncture: The fast-paced, modern day lifestyle that most of us are living can create a sense of energetic imbalance and “burn out our yin” in Traditional Chinese Medicine terms. Symptoms of heat, inflammation, fatigue, sleeplessness, and anxiety can ensue. Acupuncture can assist in nourishing depleted energy stores, and releasing calming beta-endorphins, helping to reduce stress and improve overall wellbeing.
To help support your body during times of stress, consider booking an appointment, and we can determine which naturopathic modalities may be helpful for you.
*It is important to only take vitamins, minerals, and herbs in safe doses prescribed for your individual needs.