How stress affects us
Although stress can be beneficial in the sense that it is a motivator, it is usually defined as what we feel when the limits of our endurance (mentally, emotionally or physically) are being severely tested. In the right amount, stress can help us finish a demanding race or meet a strict work deadline. Once the task accomplished, the body, which is wonderfully well-equipped to adapt to stress and to heal itself, naturally restores its own equilibrium and health. However, when exposure to stress in prolonged and action to relieve the stress is not taken, this innate self-healing ability is undermined, and we feel increasingly overwhelmed and out of control. The problem is that the pace of modern life tends to generate more negative stress than positive stress.
Stress can be emotional, mental, spiritual or physical, and in every case, it can lead to illness. It has a direct effect on the gut and on the immune and hormonal systems, as well as on the brain and liver function. We may experience aches and pains, an inability to sleep, anxiety, a feeling of anger and frustration, indigestion, fatigue, an inability to cope, skin disorders, frequent colds, apathy, depression, feelings of hopelessness, disease, etc. The range of problems caused by stress is endless!
These ailments are our body’s way to attract our attention to the fact that it is stressed and out of balance. Your body is literally talking to you! Treating the symptoms only is like killing the messenger for bringing bad news. It is important to find out what the message is and what area of your life it is telling you about!
Even though is an inevitable consequence of modern life, the damage it may cause is not. You may not be able to control everything happening in your environment, but you do have the power to control your response to what is happening. In times of stress, Kinesiology can help to find out what our body is trying to say and why you are not responding to stress appropriately.
