Harnessing the Stress Response for Optimal Wellness

Stress – it’s unavoidable in the world we live in today, however we can change the way we respond to stress. In my opinion, the power of stress and its ability to negatively impact health is often overlooked and can be one of the root causes that are contributing to imbalance in the body. We can do everything right from a diet and lifestyle standpoint, but if we aren’t harnessing the stress response it will make it a challenge to experience true wellness. It wasn’t until I started prioritizing stress management that I began to feel truly well. I discussed in my blog post 5 Causes of Low Energy You May Have Not Thought About Before the topic of allostatic load and considering the stressors that are present in our lives. Some of these stressors we may be deliberately choosing for their benefits to health, for example intermittent fasting or high intensity interval training, while others we may not be choosing such as psychological stress related to work, relationships, school, or finances. Given these stressors often pervade our lives, it is paramount that we find ways to actively relax and find stress reduction practices that resonate with us. This article will describe some of the ways that stress can take a toll on our health as well as provide guidance for how to harness the stress response and support our bodies during times of heightened stress. As always, there is no one right way but rather one suggestion – listen to YOUR body and discover what works best for YOU and seek guidance from a practitioner if needed.

Stress can turn on inflammation

This paper highlights how both physical and psychological stressors prompt the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These pro-inflammatory cytokines are involved in the development of various chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, chronic pain and neurodegenerative diseases. So, stress, whether physical as is the case with a pathogen, or psychological such as perceived work stressors, can turn on inflammation in the body. This bidirectional communication between the mind and body can influence health, making stress management incredibly important when trying to promote wellbeing.

Beyond inflammation, stress can also cause increases in blood sugar. Cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone, is a glucocorticoid that stimulates a rise in blood sugar. If you’ve ever used a tool such as a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) you may have witnessed how stress impacts your blood sugar.  

Inflammation and blood sugar disturbances have implications in chronic disease. Since chronic stress can result in the upregulation of inflammation as well as rises in blood sugar, it’s important to find ways to regulate the stress response and minimize the potential negative effects of stress on health.  

Finding a practice to manage stress

There are many ways we can manage stress in our daily lives, including certain lifestyle strategies. Some examples include walking, being in nature, gardening, yoga, meditation, and deep breathing. What’s important is that you discover a practice that resonates with you. Meditation is one option that has been shown in research to modulate physiological markers of stress by reducing cortisol (aka the primary stress hormone), blood pressure, heart rate, and triglycerides, as well as decreasing inflammatory markers including c-reactive protein and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Pretty amazing, right?! Mindfulness-based stress reduction has been shown in research to improve depressive symptoms as well as self-compassion. Maybe mindfulness isn’t your thing, well not only have mindfulness and meditation been shown to be beneficial, but so has yoga. This review demonstrated favorable effects of yoga asanas on markers of stress including reductions in cortisol, resting heart rate, systolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, as well as cholesterol levels. Therefore, practices such as yoga and meditation seem to be incredibly helpful for modulating our hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis which regulates the stress response, what we often think of as “fight-or-flight.” 

Beyond lifestyle strategies, certain supplements can also be helpful.

Adaptogens

You may have heard about adaptogens before. Adaptogenic plants are natural compounds that help the body adapt to stress and restore homeostasis, or balance, within the body. Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, and Panax ginseng are three of the well known adaptogens that can have a powerful influence on the stress response and HPA axis.

Ashwagandha is well known for its ability to help the body adapt to stress and promote wellbeing. Beyond its ability to reduce physiological and psychological markers of stress as well as cortisol levels, Ashwagandha has been shown in research to improve mental well-being and eating behaviors. In addition to its stress-relieving properties, Ashwagandha has also demonstrated anxiolytic effects, meaning it can help reduce anxiety. Another study illuminated how Ashwagandha may be useful in normalizing thyroid indices (i.e. TSH, T3, and T4) in subclinical hypothyroid patients. 

Rhodiola and Panax ginseng are other adaptogens that may be useful in helping the body adapt to stress. Rhodiola has been shown to favorably impact stress, as well as anxiety and depression while Panax ginseng may have antifatigue effects according to this study.  

In addition to lifestyle strategies and stress management practices, adaptogens may be helpful in harnessing the stress response to support enhanced wellbeing. The beauty lies in personalizing nutrition and lifestyle factors and finding what works best for each of us. What’s essential however, is that we discover strategies to change the way we respond to stress because we can’t avoid it, but we can alter how it impacts us.