Stress Free Mama

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Stress and Health–How are they Related?

Woman smiling with good health
Modern life is stressful.

Cell phones everywhere, long commutes, dozens of after-school activities, caring for parents, jobs, bills… The list is long.

The list is so long that we have begun to think that stress is normal. Stress is acceptable. And we should all cope with stress valiantly.

In fact, people who refuse work because they are “too busy” are sometimes viewed as lazy.

But do our bodies agree with this social norm?

The evidence says, “NO”. Stress takes its toll.

High stress and good health do not usually exist hand in hand.

Conditions often linked with stress:

  • Heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes and other circulatory problems
  • Gastrointestinal problems including constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating and weight-gain or loss
  • Immune system suppression
  • Skin conditions
  • Conditions associated with inflammation
  • Low libido
  • Headaches
  • Back aches

Too often we let stress run rampant and don’t address the toll on our body until it is very late.

Find out how stress and health are linked and natural ways to prevent illness.

Stress and Health:

Acne:

Insomnia:

High Blood Pressure:

  • Stress and High Blood Pressure: Is it inevitable to end up with hypertension if you have stress? And how do you relieve the high blood pressure naturally?

Asthma:

  • Asthma and Stress: Asthma and Stress can cycle together, each making the other worse. Learn how to improve your symptoms naturally and breathe easy.

Hair:

Sore Muscles:

Digestion:

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Stressed Moms have Unique Challenges

The special role mothers have as caregivers both nurtures us and creates stressed moms.

Mothers are here to care for others.

We are hard wired to serve others. This trait makes our stress unique. Unlike other stressed people, when we need to reduce stress, we must not just disengage from our duties and responsibilities, but we must disengage from our natural inclination to care for those we love over the needs of ourselves.

Another way to view it: Caring for ourselves is one way to care for our loved ones.

Stressed mom pushing a grocery cartStressed Moms.

Stressed Moms are everywhere.

At the grocery store, a woman in business clothes pushes the cart with her 5 year old, trying to sound interested in the story about the cereal. The tensed lips, and the overly strong “Mommy really needs your cooperation now.” are the give-aways. She has 35 things to do before she gets home, and she is quickly feeling like she’s failing at all 35.

Our modern life has created this stressed mom, and while getting out of the cycle of stress is difficult for everyone, it is particularly difficult for a mother. The last thing she needs is to think that she must take a drawing class to relax. When would it be? Before or after the grocery store?

The Unique Problem of Stressed Moms:

  • We serve. We give. We help.
As mothers, our lives are designed with the needs of others first. And now that many mothers work outside the home, we give at the office and come home to give at home. We never get down time.
Mothers are made for this job, and can flourish in it. But modern life has pushed the demands to the maximum, while reducing the support to a stressed mom to a minimum. The system is bound to crash.
  • Because so many people rely on us, when a stressed mom needs to take time for herself, she feels like others will not get what they need in order for her to get what sheneeds.
How do you fit in a yoga class when the kids need to get to soccer?
This is a real and valid concern of stressed mothers, and adds to the level of stress.
Compound this with the statistic that around 25% of mothers are single, then the question about how to find time for oneself becomes even more vexing.
    • A mother’s brain is a never ending “things to do” list. Another way to say this is that a mother is never done with her chores. Unlike an executive who can complete a project, a stressed mom always has more to do. There is no project completion party.
    • As the snowball of stress grows, many mothers feel more stress delegating and instructing her family to help, than to do it. Lacking a system of help at home, many stressed moms just grow more stressed.
  • Like all mothers before us, moms are the heart of the family. Now, many mothers must be the brains at work as well.
When the mother’s world was closer to home, all of a mother’s tasks would have a theme of directly building the home for her family–growing food, cooking, mending clothes, teaching, raising the children, caring for the sick. She had one job description which predominantly involved more heart centered, right brain tasks.
Now mothers must often work outside the home. She must shift every morning and every evening from right brain to left, from heart to head. When her kids need to talk about their hard day, she must ignore her work deadline. And when she’s at work, she must focus on her job, and not on sick kids at home.
A work-outside-the-home mother’s life requires two opposing skills, and this is stressful. We can never do one skill completely.
  • A modern mother is disconnected from the woman’s community. Even stay-at-home-mothers do not have the companionship and support of other moms. My 80 year old friend tells me about how she would go to a fiend’s house and work together during the day to complete their tasks. For many women today, their closest women’s community is watching Oprah.
Mothers need each other to replenish themselves. When stressed moms get together, after a chat, some tea and cake, and some good girl-friend talk, they are often revived and ready to go home and work again. But few women get this support.

To find out more about Stressed Moms, please view the resources below.

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Stress Acne: Reduce Inflammation for Prevention and Treatment

Stress acne is a symptom of a taxed immune system. To clear your skin, reduce inflammation through diet and other natural methods.

Like the rest of your body, your skin’s health can be affected by your stress level.  If you suffer from stress acne, you have undoubtedly discovered this for yourself.  Pimples seem to pop up overnight when you feel yourself overwhelmed.  Topical acne treatments may control your symptoms, but they can’t cure the problem.  This kind of acne is more than skin deep and preventing or curing it must be holistic–centered on your whole system, rather than merely targeting symptoms.

Stress and your Immune System

High Stress = Excess Inflammation

Inflammation is the primary physical cause of acne, although excess skin oil also plays a role.  Stress affects your health by causing inflammation throughout your body.

Stressed business womanWhen you are under stress, your body secretes stress hormones, including cortisol.  Cortisol and the other stress hormones travel through your blood stream signaling your blood vessels to dilate and your blood pressure to rise.  These changes prepare you to meet the stress and they are called the “fight or flight” response.

Unfortunately, our modern day stresses are generally long-term and cannot be dealt with through fighting or fleeing.  Chronic stress means that your stress hormones will be nearly continuously released.  One effect of continual stress hormones is that your immune system never shuts down.  It acts as if you are under continual attack from outside invaders (for example bacteria or viruses).  This immune system “overdrive” is inflammation and is a typical result of chronic stress.

Your immune system helps your body fight unwanted invaders, but too much response, inflammation, does not help your body deal with stress.

  • Inflammation of the blood vessels and arteries contributes to hardening of the arteries and heart disease.
  • Inflammation of the digestive tract contributes to digestive problems and inflammation of the air ways contributes to asthma and other respiratory problems.
  • Inflammation of the skin results in stress acne and other stress-induced skin conditions like hives and psoriasis.

Diet for Stress Acne:  Reduce Inflammation

The link between stress and inflammation is complex and yet to be clearly understood.  However, researchers have determined that diet plays a role in the inflammation process.  The Western diet, which is generally rich in refined sugars and other processed foods has been linked to increased inflammation and to acne.

Foods with refined sugars are high on the glycemic index; in others words, they trigger your body’s insulin (blood sugar) level to quickly rise.  A high insulin level puts your immune system on alert, triggering the inflammation response.

A diet rich in complex carbohydrates and omega-3 fatty acids can help you avoid this pitfall and improve your overall health.   Avoid refined sugars and stay away from junk food.  Eat whole grains and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as cold-water fish (salmon, herring, and trout), nuts and flaxseed.  Getting adequate lean protein will help keep your blood sugar levels balanced.

Chocolate and Acne??

The connection between a poor diet and acne gives some credence to the notion that certain foods cause acne.  Over the years, various foods, including chocolate and milk have been linked with acne.  Researchers are certain that coca, the main ingredient in chocolate, does not cause acne; however, the extra ingredients of that chocolate bar–refined sugar and milk, may cause a problem.

Refined sugar helps trigger the immune response, leading to inflammation.  Milk also seems to lead to inflammation in some people.  Casein the protein found in dairy products produces an allergic response in many people; the immune system reacts by trying to fight the perceived toxin and excess inflammation is produced.  The hormones in milk have also been linked to acne.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Chinese traditional medicine also recognizes the connection between diet and acne, as well as between the emotions and acne.  Emotional strain or improper diet can lead to the stagnation of qi, the vital life force (energy) flowing through your body.  Chinese practitioners recommend eating cleansing foods and keeping well-hydrated to help promote the flow of qi.  Cleansing foods include: watermelon, squash, pear, broccoli, cucumber, winter melon, cabbage, celery, beet tops, dandelions, seaweed, aloe vera, carrot tops, cherries, papaya, persimmons, buckwheat, brown rice, millet, and mung beans.

Another Chinese remedy: pearl powder.  Pearl powder is made from sea pearls is used on the skin to promote skin health.

Sunlight for Stress Acne

In recent years laser light treatments have proven useful in treating acne.  This success does not surprise naturopathic healers who have long advocated sunlight for acne.  Exposure to sunlight is necessary for your body to produce vitamin D, which is vital for calcium absorption and also plays a role in fighting inflammation.

Experts say that fifteen minutes of sun exposure before you put on any sunscreen is healthy, not harmful.  Try to get the morning sun; the atmosphere offers the most protection against harmful ultraviolet rays in the morning.   A little sun can ease depression, and stress and give you healthier skin; it can even lower your blood pressure.  Just remember not to over do it; sunburning is not healthy for your skin or the rest of your body.

So if you have stress acne explore the many alternative ways to treat it.  Don’t assume that acne must be a fact of life.  Eliminating stress acne means you have one less stress to cope with.

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Self Massage: Great Stress Relief

A woman giving herself a massageSelf Massage?

Hardly seems like fun.

Yet self massage is a great way to get the benefits of massage when you don’t have someone to give you a massage.

Massage is one of the best antidotes to stress. It is very hard to ground yourself and stay calm when you are in the throes of a stress attack. But, when your headache goes away, and you can move your neck again, you can figure out your next steps. You have clarity. You feel like yourself.

Massage can be used a number of ways. Sometimes it is great to massage for the sheer luxury of it. Many women enjoy massaging their feet just because it feels so good. Instant relaxation.

But other times you may massage certain parts of your body because they are in pain. Massaging your shoulder muscles (the trapezius) can relieve some headaches. Massaging you posterior neck muscles can relieve neck pain and stiffness.

The Benefits of Massage

Massage offers many benefits which are very helpful to reduce stress and increase relaxation.

    • Massage relaxes muscles and releases tension. Often you “hold” yourself as if by having a tight neck, you can prevent the world from crashing in on you.
    • Massage increases blood flow and oxygen to the tissues. And in addition to improving your circulation, it reduces your blood pressure.
    • Massage brings you into your body and reminds you to be more present. When you feel —really feel— your presence in your body, your hands and your feet, you return to the present and relax.
    • Massage stimulates the energy pathways (meridians) in your body. This can return balance to your body and prevent or correct health problems.
    • Massage increases flexibility.
    • Massage alleviates headaches.
    • Massage lessens depression and anxiety.
    • Massage releases endorphins for natural pain relief.
    • Massage boosts your immune system. This is especially good because stress depresses it.

 

To Learn Self Massage Techniques

You have a few options to learn how to massage yourself.

You can start with general massage like “How to Massage your Foot“. Any massage, anywhere will increase your relaxation.

Or, if you have specific pain you want to alleviate, look at the pain charts to see where the source of your pain may be. The pain you feel from stress is not always where your tense muscle is.

Sometimes pain is referred. For example, the muscles on the side of your neck (scalenes) can be tense but you feel the pain down your arm and into your hand.

I have grouped the massages by muscle group. Don’t get bogged down by this. If you want to just give yourself a massage, ignore the muscle names and pick your body part.

General Massage Articles:

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Managing Stress

Learning to manage and relieve stress can be a life-long process. Just as you find what works one time, circumstances change and you need a new plan.

Usually stress management comes from a multi-sided approach. It can include:

  • Reducing/altering the stressors
  • Avoiding the stressors
  • Accepting the stressors
  • Adapting to the stressors

And you usually need to care for, heal or improve:

  • Your body
  • Your emotions
  • Your spirit
  • Your relationships
  • Your environment

Notice that for complete stress management, you must address both your exterior world (what is stressing you) and your interior reaction to it.

All of the tools below provide stress relief from many angles. They heal the body and the soul. They help you adapt to and accept your stress. Experiment with many techniques and see which one provides peace and space in your life so you can become vibrant. And have fun. Managing stress doesn’t have to be work.

Two Friends Chatting Together to Relieve StressStress Management Help

Need Stress Management Help?

This is the place to get stress management advice.

Tell your story. Talk about what bothers you.

Share you worries and symptoms and get support from others.

Sometimes when you are stressed, what you really need is a good friend. This is the place to get that help and start managing stress.

Lavender bundleAromatherapy

One of the best and most pleasant ways of managing stress is with Aromatherapy.

The distilled essence of aromatic plants, essential oils, can be used in many ways to reduce stress emotionally and mentally.

In addition, the essential oils contain the healing essence of plants. You can use pure, well-made essential oils therapeutically. They can increase oxygen in your blood, reduce cortisol, and help balance and heal.

Articles on Aromatherapy:

Aromatherapy for Stress Relief

A woman giving herself a massageSelf Massage

Getting to a massage therapist is nice, but what about managing stress if you can’t get a massage?

When you are stressed, your stress is transmitted to all parts of your body. Soon you notice that you are holding your shoulders near your ears, your back aches, and you are so tight that normal daily movements feel like you are encased in rock.

Luckily, there are many easy techniques for releasing your tight muscles, increasing blood flow to rock solid shoulders, and helping relieve your achy back.

Articles on Self Massage:

A woman in triangle poseYoga

Yoga has been long recognized as a great tool for managing stress.

By practicing yoga regularly, you can unravel the knot of tension stored in your body. Your muscles will relax and your joints will become more limber.

In addition, if you practice in a steady, quiet and focused way, your mind will quiet. Too often stress will “wind you up”, creating a habit of thinking and worrying which prevents you from stepping back to see that you are obsessed with the unimportant. This can disrupt your sleep, create havoc with your creativity and feed general crabbiness. By focusing deeply on your yoga pose, your mind has something constructive to do besides worry. It will fall back in line and you will find yourself much more centered and relaxed.

Articles on Yoga:

Yoga for Stress Relief

 

Meditation

Woman meditatingLearning to watch your thoughts can be a boon to managing stress.

Quiet. Release. Acceptance.

Meditation can help to quiet your thoughts, to make clear what is real and what is illusion about your life. It can teach mastery over your reactions.

And best of all, it can be a sweet haven to the chaos of your modern life. In the midst of the storm of stress, you have refuge in meditation.

Articles on Meditation:

  • Meditation Tips: Aromatherapy meditation tips to help you ground and focus your mediation practice.

Woman taking deep breath in sun.Stress-Free Living

What if you have taken care of your body, learned to say “no” to unimportant activities, practiced skillful time management and done 9 of the 10 things on everyone’s top 10 “stress reducing” activities?

What if you are an expert at managing stress–but you still feel stressed out?

Many times your stress is not from the external circumstances of your life, but from your internal state. Many times you need to look deeply, not just at the exterior of your life, but at the interior state of your heart. How spiritually connected are you? What do you know is your purpose in life? Do you waste time and energy shouting at the clouds? Can you find a place of quiet acceptance while still working to live in beauty?

At other times you just need a fresh perspective. Maybe a good laugh. Maybe a good cry.

Articles on Stress Free Living:

  • Smart Goals: Can SMART goals save your life? What a broken leg, a cut rope and a blizzard can teach us about setting goals and managing stress.
  • Spiritual Ways to Manage Stress: Reconnect with self, God and Nature to break the stress cycle and restore peace in your life.

Managing stress, especially as a busy mother, is an on-going endeavor. Form a plan to give yourself the care you need, so that you can care for others. Find support, and make stress reduction a regular routine in your life.