There are four insults that cause imbalance in our body and mind: trauma, toxins, deficiencies and stress.
The best definition for stress of any kind is change. Stress can be from changes outside our body (temperature, sunlight, noise, etc.), from inside our body (hunger, dehydration, lack of rest, etc.), or even from our own thoughts (social expectations, time pressures, financial worries, etc.). With so many changes occurring around the holidays – and on so many levels – it is always wise to talk about holiday stress as a special cause of imbalance.
The destructive power of stress
The term “stress” was originally used as an engineering term. It describes the destructive forces acting on specific structures. For instance, stress was the term used to describe the effect of weight on a bridge. Stress describes not only the weight on the bridge, but the combination of destructive forces trying to tear the bridge apart: weight, wind, temperature extremes, etc.
Is that not the way people feel when they are under stress? Don’t you feel like you are being pulled in every direction until you are pulled apart? “Stress” is a good description of the distress of our mind and body brought on by internal and external demands.
The healing power of homeostasis
Humans are remarkably resilient; we adapt to new situations with relative ease. This is because of a body process called homeostasis. If stress is pulling us apart, homeostasis is putting us back together. As long as homeostasis has access to all of the resources it needs we will never feel the destructive power of stress.
The key is to have all of our 10 Essential resources available all of the time:
* To be optimally oxygenated and hydrated.
* To be perfectly rested and nourished.
* To feel completely supported and able to cope with any emotional demand at any given moment.
A reservoir like this will allow homeostasis to draw resources from our “bank account” and use them to satisfy the many demands placed upon us.
It you are lacking in any demanded resource, a special function of homeostasis will be engaged. I like to call it the Robin Hood function: it allows our body to rob one area to support another area. This is often seen in the special stress adaptation called “fight or flight.” Fight-or-flight response is like emergency spending with credit cards. This kind of behavior may help you get through the crisis, but sooner or later the debt must be repaid.
In the Robin Hood function of homeostasis, the debt comes at an extreme price. It is not uncommon for a body under stress to sacrifice an entire organ or organ system to maintain balance in another system. For example, osteoporosis is more common in people under extreme stress because their bones are robbed to supply nutrients needed for the stress response. Homeostasis must be maintained, even if this is at great sacrifice.
Holiday stress?
With this image in mind it is no wonder that people feel pulled apart around the holidays; there are just too many changes and too few resources available to meet the demands of homeostasis. Stress pulls us apart and our health suffers.
Since health resources are accumulated slowly and spent rapidly, it makes sense to re-classify “holiday” stresses as just plain stress! The methods for dealing with any kind of stress are the same no matter what time of the year it is: nutrients and nurturing.
Anti-stress nutrients include the stress-busting effects of Vitamin B-12 and adaptogens. They serve to reinforce homeostasis like an economic stimulus package for our nervous system. If you feel stress pulling you apart, take more of these two special anti-stress nutrients.
Nurturing your health comes from vigorously applying the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness. Plan ahead and budget your energy for times when demands are greater and you face more changes than usual. In the end, don’t be afraid to say “no” – it can literally be the difference between maintaining balance through homeostasis or being pulled apart by stress.
Take Control of Your Health
* Take care of yourself every day of the year
* Vigorously apply the 10 Essentials
* Make sure you take an abundance of nutrients:
o Sublingual B-12 and Adaptogen 10 Plus®
o A multi-nutrient complex like Wellavoh® Men and Women or VitaDaily AM/PM™
o An Essential Fatty Acid complex like OmegaPrime®
* Recruit emotional support – don’t be afraid to ask for help
* Remember the Stress Protection Pack:
o Sublingual B-12
o Adaptogen 10 Plus
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.