Stress is Both External & Internal: How To Limit Stresses To Improve Your Health

Stress reduction is an essential part of a person’s health. Stress can take on many forms, and certainly extends far beyond your work load, your bank account and paying your bills. Poor diet, poor digestion, illnesses, toxicity and free radical activity all can be very stressful upon the body.

The stress response is the body’s physiological defense mechanism for dealing with any factor, which alters the normal biological processes of the body. The stress response can be induced by both endogenous and exogenous factors.

Examples of some primary external stressors are:

• Eating an inadequate diet that is not harmonious with your individual needs
• Eating foods that induce food sensitivities
• Personal lifestyle factors (job, finances, social activity)

Examples of some primary internal stressors are:

• Adrenal fatigue
• Chronic Infections
• A chronic illness
• Poor digestion & assimilation
• Dehydration
• A very high heavy metal body burden

To reduce the body’s stress response it is recommended to reduce the exposure to stress. Adequate rest and exercise helps the body to deal with stress. Moderate physical exercise is an excellent means to managing exogenous stress from job/familial/social, etc. Yet excessive exercise and physical activity can be stressful on the body. High amounts of phyisical activity can result in excessive tissue breakdown, especially if diet and rest is inadequate.

Hunting for internal stressors is also essential and this includes identifying and eliminating all chronic infections, reducing exposure to toxic metals and to support and maintain the normal biological processes of the body.

The body has an ability to adapt to all kinds of stressors. However, one’s adaptive capacity and reservoir of vital reserves will diminish over time, especially if certain stressors on the body are not dealt with. Take for example free radicals. The body’s ability to properly deal with harmful free radical activity is dependent upon numerous factors, primarily exogenous antioxidants and endogenous antioxidants. The longer one is continuously exposed to harmful free radical activity, the more difficult it is for the body to adapt, especially if endogenous and exogenous antioxidants are depleted. As free radical activity generates high amounts of catabolism in specific organs, glands and tissues, the body’s adaptive capacity diminishes, the body’s stress response is weaker, and eventually symptoms and pathology result.

In essence, a chronic stress response will deplete the body of its ability to perform well under stress.

By uncovering all chronic stressors and by implementing strategic protocols to these stressors, the body’s normal biological processes are supported and maintained. The purpose of individualized nutritional strategies is to uncover the stressors and to support the biological functions of the body.

Why a Non-Metabolic Type® Diet Is a Major Stress on the Body

The primary source of fuel for the body is protein, fat and carbohydrates. However, the type and amount of these macronutrients  a person needs to consume is based upon their type of metabolism. A person’s type of metabolism is synonymous to a type of engine in a car. Certain engines are designed for certain fuel. Putting the wrong type of fuel in the engines of metabolism results in inefficient energy production. This impedes upon the normal biological functions of the body because it is the nutrients and macronutrients in food that serve as the source of biochemical fuel for the engines of metabolism.

In an example of the significance of this take, an individual who is predominantly parasympathetic, suffering from hypoglycemia. Being parasympathetic dominant, the person’s sympathetic nervous system is the weaker of the 2 branches of the nervous system, whereas the parasympathetic nervous system is the most over-reactive. Eating as a parasympathetic type (a diet consisting of purine and adenine rich nucleo-protein, adjacent nutrients such as phosphorous, calcium, zinc, selenium, pantothenic acid, etc.) increases sympathetic nervous system function in this individual. Consequently, the physiological controls of the body (pulse, blood pressure, respiration rate, cardiac output, vasculature, electrolyte dynamics) is improved.

A non-Metabolic Type® appropriate diet for this individual will result in a further increase of symptoms and a decrease in function and health.
Since the intake of food is among the most significant influences upon one’s health, the rest of the protocol may fall flat if a diet is inadequate for one’s unique biochemistry.

Managing Stress

Most people don’t think about reducing or eliminating stress until they are overwhelmed by it. Also, many people who are in excellent health may not think about how to improve their health further.

Managing stress effectively should include doing things that enhance your body’s natural rhythms. Meditation is a powerful way to reduce the internal stress response. In fact, studies conducted on meditation practitioners have shown increase in melatonin levels, increases in DHEA and reduction in cortisol (one of the body’s primary stress hormones).

A stress reduction program should take into account the entire person: body, mind and spirit. This should include appropriate diet, rest, exercise and possibly supplementation.