Page 73 - Southern Oregon Magazine Fall 2022

LIVE MORE, STRESS LESS

by nisha jackson, ph.d., ms, np, hhp

etween work, health, relationships, children, pets, and bills INVOLUNTARY WEIGHT GAIN/LOSS
everyone experiences some degree of stress in their life. The You may begin to notice involuntary weight gain or loss despite
current generation has ripped open the curtains on the impor- aggressive dieting and workout routines. The longer we remain
Btance of emotional well-being. Whether it’s on billboards or overstressed, the closer we get to developing long-term health issues.
social media feeds, “Mental Health Matters” is an unavoidable slogan.
Because of this, we’re well aware that if we take on too much stress,
we’re likely headed towards an emotional collapse. What is not often LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECTS OF STRESS
addressed in the day-to-day narrative is the negative impact stress has on
the physical body. Our bodies function as an intricate domino pattern.
Once the first domino falls (prolonged periods of stress), all the rest fall Some of the long-term side effects might come as a surprise, so let’s
with it (rapid decline in health). break them down.

There is no limit to how much stress you might experience or how long CANCER
a stressful event will carry on, so it’s important to recognize that there When we say that stress causes cancer, we’re not saying that you had
are short and long-term symptoms to watch for. Let’s review some of a bad day and now you’ve got cancer. Again, the body is a domino
the ways stress manifests in the body. pattern. Chronic inflammation in the GI tract creates changes in our
DNA, allowing cancer cells to infiltrate unhealthy tissues.
SHORT-TERM SIDE EFFECTS OF STRESS ARTHRITIS

Similarly, chronic musculoskeletal inflammation becomes arthritis
because of DNA changes to the bones and supporting muscles.
FATIGUE, HEADACHES, RESPIRATORY, AND
DIGESTIVE CHANGES
Fatigue, headaches, and digestive troubles are the easiest to identify,
but are often just the tip of the iceberg. Accompanying fatigue, you HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE/HEART ATTACK
may notice the onset of anxiety attacks or depression leading to Functioning in a chronically stressed state triggers our hypothalamus
difficulty breathing, lightheadedness, asthma attacks, and joint pain. (responsible for blood pressure regulation) to increase blood pressure
in response to a perceived threat to our well-being. This puts significant
A mild headache can progress into chronic debilitating migraines that strain on the heart. Left unchecked, we are more likely to develop
interrupt your daily life. What started out as an upset stomach, could high blood pressure, which dramatically increases the chance of a heart
blossom into vomiting and diarrhea. Persistent gastrointestinal upset attack.
can cause chronic inflammation of the digestive tract and musculoskel-
etal system, and when stress has infiltrated the body to this extent, the This may all sound pretty bleak, but there’s good news. The health
dominos begin to fall faster. impacts of stress, when caught early, are reversible! Here are a few sim-
ple tips you can use to start working towards a healthier future.

You’re now more exhausted than ever due to the malabsorption of key TIPS FOR REDUCING STRESS
MALABSORPTION OF NUTRIENTS IN FOOD
nutrients from food. Our body is unable to function optimally without
them, leading to some unexpected changes. BALANCE YOUR HORMONES
Hormones regulate vital aspects of human health, including mood,
libido, metabolism, and development. Testing your hormones can
provide insight into the changes your body may be experiencing and
CHANGES TO SKIN AND HAIR how to treat an imbalance. OnePeak Medical’s hormone specialists will
Poor digestion causes hair to become brittle and fall out. Skin health review the tests with you in detail to help create a personalized plan to
declines leading to increased acne breakouts and the appearance of get back on track.
eczema.

fall 2022 | www.southernoregonmagazine.com 71