For most of us, from time to time, situations arise that are apt to cause us to be a little worried but when those worries linger and elevate to become chronic stress it can have a profound effect on your weight. If you don’t have adequate outlets for stress release and stress reduction you will find it difficult to manage your weight.
One of the major ways that stress contributes to weight gain is the production of the hormone cortisol. It is actually our body’s defense mechanism, that fight or flight response, which releases these hormones. We begin to have burst of energy, shifts in our metabolism, and our blood flow changes.
If the stress remains chronic you will experience weigh gain for several reasons:
• There is actual a change in your metabolism – too much cortisol can slow the metabolism
• You will have increased cravings and most often a bowl of ice cream is much more appealing to someone who is stress than a salad. During stress the body actually craves fats, salt and sugary foods.
• You can begin to experience changes in blood sugar levels leading to mood swings, fatigue and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar level)
• You might begin to experience increased storage of fat that tends to store in the abdominal area which is a greater health risk than fat that is stored in other areas of the body.
Nervous energy has a tendency to make us eat more than we normally would. We begin to make poor food choices because cooking is the last thing a stressed individuals want to do, so fast food establishments becomes the substitute for our kitchens.
In order to control this weight management stumbling stone it becomes important to find healthy ways to conquer stress. The following are some suggestions.
• Breathing exercises - Sit or stand in a relaxed position. Slowly inhale through your nose, counting to five in your head. Let the air out from your mouth, counting to eight.
• Music Therapy - it is a simple and easy way to elevate your mood and change your energy
• Biofeedback - technique where people are taught to consciously trigger the relaxation response and control involuntary stress responses from their autonomic nervous system
• Meditation - it lowers your heart rate and breathing, your blood pressure normalizes, you use oxygen more efficiently, and you sweat less. The adrenal glands produce less cortisol and your immune function improves. Your mind ages at a slower rate, you think clearer and your creativity increases.
• Yoga – derived its name from the word, “yoke”—to bring together. It is the bringing together of the mind, body and spirit.
• Walking – the air has a good effect to help clear the mind
• Laughter – stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) are reduces. Health enhancing hormones (endorphins and neurotransmitters) increase.
So no matter what method you use in order to maintain a healthy weight, you must incorporate into your plan of a lifestyle change for a lifetime effective ways to conquer your stress
Posted By: Belinda Anderson
Sunday, November 9th 2008 at 8:52PM
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