7 Hidden Ways

Stress Impacts Your Health

Stress is a topic that affects us all. We often underestimate its power, but life’s constant stressors can biochemically alter your body in ways that aren’t always obvious. What frequently gets overlooked is how chronic stress messes with your hormones, gut health, inflammation, and even your genes.

Let’s take a look at seven stress-related issues that often fly under the radar:

1. Growth hormone: Excess stress can crash growth hormone (GH) levels as you age. This decline accelerates aging, decreasing muscle mass, increasing body fat, reducing libido and energy, and impacting overall hormonal balance.

2. Gut bacteria: Stress disrupts the delicate balance of bacteria in your gut, which can adversely impact immune function and overall health. These microscopic allies regulate immune function, digestion, and nutrient absorption, playing a crucial role in your wellbeing.

3. Insulin: Chronic stress can raise blood sugar and increase insulin resistance. This creates a vicious cycle that affects other hormones and accelerates age-related diseases, including hypertension, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes.

4. Thyroid: Excessive stress delivers a serious blow to your thyroid function. The result? A widespread disaster for your energy, weight, metabolism, and overall health.

5. Sex hormones: High cortisol levels can decrease hormones necessary for sexual desire and function. This impact on progesterone, testosterone, and estrogen can have far-reaching effects on your body and mind.

6. Chronic inflammation: When stress keeps your body in fight-or-flight mode, it triggers a chain reaction of inflammatory responses. This persistent inflammation contributes to weight gain and numerous health issues.

7. Telomeres: These protective caps on your chromosomes are indicators of cellular health. Chronic stress can shorten telomeres, signifying accelerated aging at the cellular level.

We can’t eliminate stress entirely (if you’ve found a way, contact me!), but we can find ways to manage it. 

Remember, understanding these hidden effects of stress is the first step towards taking control of your health. Stay tuned for more tips on how to combat these stress-related issues and live your best, healthiest life!