Stress and:
Pre-conception
Pregnancy
After the birth
Strategies to relax and deal with stress
Everyone has a certain amount of stress to deal with, and it is unrealistic to think we can totally rid our lives of stress. However, while 'stress' is usually associated with being not good for you, what is not as well known is that low levels of stress can actually be beneficial in some cases. When our body feels 'stressed' it starts to release hormones from the adrenal glands (situated just above the kidneys). The two main hormones released are adrenaline (or 'epinephrine') and noradrenaline (or 'norepinephrine'). These are known collectively as 'catecholamines' and are formed from the amino acid 'tyrosine'.
When we feel nervous or excited, catecholamines help us to perform better both physically and mentally (for example, for athletes before a race or before sitting an examination). Short-term stress triggers a release of these catecholamines into our blood stream, causing our blood sugar levels to rise, our blood pressure to rise, our heart to beat faster and large amounts of blood to be diverted from our brain to our muscles. This facilitates a 'fight or flight' reaction, if needed.
Most people frequently deal with short-term stress on a regular basis. And in many cases, we also need to deal with high levels of stress when occasionally confronted with unexpected events (such as changing jobs, moving house, being involved in an accident or losing a loved one). Our normal lives mean that stress is difficult to escape. However, if stress is ongoing and prolonged, continual release of catecholamines can have negative affects on our general health and wellbeing.
When people are continually stressed, their metabolism increases and their body uses essential vitamins and minerals more rapidly. Therefore, unless you are able to maintain a
healthy diet , your body will start to suffer, as it misses out on these essential nutrients.