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Time magazine's June 6, 1983
cover story called stress "The Epidemic of the
Eighties" and referred to it as our leading health problem;
there can be little doubt that the situation has progressively
worsened since then.1 According to the American
Academy of Family Physicians, two-thirds of all family doctor
visits are prompted by stress-related symptoms.2
Stress is an extremely harmful problem facing millions of
Americans every day!
The effects of stress are
numerous and varied, including:
- Heart attacks
- Cancer
- Common cold
- Chronic pain
- Obesity
Numerous surveys confirm that
adult Americans perceive they are under much more stress than a
decade or two ago. A 1996 Prevention magazine survey found
that almost 75% feel they have "great stress" one day
a week with one out of three indicating they feel this much more
than twice a week. In the same 1983 survey only 55% said they
felt under great stress on a weekly basis. It has been estimated
that 75 - 90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians
are for stress related problems. 3
Job stress is far and away the
leading source of stress for adults. However, stress levels have
also escalated in children, teenagers, college students and the
elderly for other reasons, including: increased crime,
violence and other threats to personal safety; pernicious peer
pressures that lead to substance abuse and other unhealthy life
style habits; social isolation and loneliness; the erosion of
family and religious values and ties; the loss of other strong
sources of social support that are powerful stress busters.
People under stress have fewer
than half of the antibodies in their systems than subjects with
less stress do. Stress causes fatigue, irritability, memory
loss, cold hands, high blood pressure, nervous twitches,
insomnia, chronic headaches, weight gain and gastrointestinal
disorders.
In fact, eighty percent of all
major illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, cancer,
endocrine and metabolic disease, skin disorders and infectious
ailments of all kinds are related to stress. And it is the
precursor to psychological difficulties, such as anxiety and
depression.4
Stress creates a breeding ground
for disease because when you are under stress, your body
responds with a “fight or flight” response, producing many
physiological changes –including increased secretion of
adrenaline, increased heartbeat, elevated blood pressure, and
tension in the muscles. Digestion slows or stops, cholesterol
levels rise, and the blood clots more easily. Hormones are
secreted which inhibit the functioning of white blood cells
which, in turn, suppresses immune system response. Continual
stress can be particularly dangerous as it eventually wears out
the body. Because of how it affects the body’s immune
response, stress increases illness and slows healing. Stress
also promotes the formation of free radicals, which damage the
body tissues and can lead to cancer.
Increased adrenal function is
primarily responsible for many symptoms of stress. Often
times, bodies under stress become nutrient deficient as
nutrients are quickly depleted, while the body cries out for
more energy. At the same time, the body does not absorb
nutrients well under stress, so while nutrients are depleted,
they aren’t replaced. In fact many of the disorders associated
with stress arise from nutritional deficiencies, especially in
relation to B-complex vitamins which ensure that the nervous
system functions properly.
When your body is under stress
for a prolonged period of time, whether physical, emotional,
lifestyle, or environmental, proper nutrient supplementation is
critical to ensure your body is able to function, heal, and
defend itself properly. Studies show that the adrenal
glands can be supported and returned to optimal functioning by
supplying the body with the nutrients known to be depleted
during times of stress.
The Greatest Vitamin in the
World includes many nutrients, along with the B-complex
vitamins, to ensure that your body has the best fighting chance
against the damaging effects of stress. It includes vitamins A,
C, E, and selenium, which are antioxidants working together
against damaging free radicals. Vitamin C also is essential to
adrenal gland function, and is necessary for adrenal hormone
synthesis and is often depleted with chronic stress. We have
also included Chromium, which supports vitamin C metabolism in
the body. Vitamin E is shown to prevent damage to the adrenal
cells. The minerals magnesium and zinc are key ingredients,
especially in reducing anxiety, fear, and even hallucinations in
highly stressed individuals. Selenium is known for its ability
to decrease anxiety attacks.5
This article courtesy of John Trout
- www.vitamin4body.com
1. http://www.stress.org/
2. Martin, James. Alleviating Stress is imperative for
Executive's Health. Charlotte Business Journal, Jan 10, 2003.
3. http://www.stress.org/
4. Prescriptions for Nutritional Healing, 3rd. Edition. p. 647.
5. Ibid. |
