Stress, What Is It and What is it Doing in Your Body?

Stressssss…. We’ve all heard of it and we’ve all experienced it, but what is actually going on in our bodies when we feel “stressed”?

When we’re exposed to stress, in any form, be that the stress we feel when someone cuts us off in traffic, to the adrenaline invoking high we experience when we jump out of a plane, or that deep belly-dropping dread that may occur when we have to speak in front of all our colleagues at the weekly work meeting, in all of these situations the same biological pathway is being activated, working to process the “stressful’ experience at hand and help our bodies eventually regain equilibrium after the stress has passed.

 

So what is this pathway…? 

Welcome to the HPA Axis… The H-P-A what?

The HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) axis is a genius pathway the body uses to process stress and keep us adaptable. Basically, this is how your brain talks to your adrenal glands, the little guys sitting on top of your kidneys that control your stress hormones.

The word axis is used to describe the communication pathway that exists between the organs and glands of the endocrine and nervous systems. When these systems communicate with each other, a cascade of chemical messaging occurs across the entire body via the bloodstream, with messages cruising back and forth (think hormone call and response).

The letters in HPA stand for:

H - Hypothalamus  - located in the brain, this organ is responsible for maintaining homeostasis (balance) within the body, governing things like body temperature, appetite, sleep cycles, circadian rhythms and energy levels. 

P - Pituitary - this gland is connected to the hypothalamus and serves as a link between the nervous and endocrine systems via that organ, working to balance the body’s hormonal levels among many other functions.

A - Adrenals - these glands are perched above the kidneys and produce our sex hormones, as well as our stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline which are involved in the “fight or flight’ response.

Let’s piece together this little puzzle…

When we’re exposed to a stressor the HPA axis is triggered. The hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland via the release of corticotrophin-releasing hormone, the pituitary then responds by secreting adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), this prompts the adrenal glands to produce cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline). 

Cortisol stimulates the release of glucose into bloodstream, equipping the body with available energy to fuel the anticipated ‘fight-or-flight’ response that follows. Adrenaline increases blood pressure and heart rate and we’re given the boost our bodies need to overcome the stressor and survive.

In an ordinary situation (e.g. running away from a predator or saving someone from danger)  this chemical cascade continues until sufficient hormone levels, namely cortisol, are reached to cope with the stressful situation. Once this occurs these chemical interactions begin to automatically switch off as part of the body’s inbuilt negative feedback loop. Once the situation is done and dusted, everything goes back to normal until next time.

So where does “adrenal fatigue” fit into all of this and what’s actually happening with this pathway when we are chronically stressed? Our podcast episode on Jing Energy will help shine some light!

When we’re consistently exposed to prolonged stress, the negative feedback loop mentioned above starts to diminish in action. The organs and glands of the HPA axis fail to receive the signals to switch off the pathway and the environment of the body becomes one of constant stress.

In these circumstances the adrenals continue to pump out adrenaline and cortisol, and like any overworked muscle, they eventually end up taxed and unable to perform at their innate capacity. As a result, the rest of body also becomes depleted; foundational energy reserves wane and adaptability declines. Our digestion is greatly affected too, podcast episode number 10 Gut Health, from around 55minutes in, talks all about gut health and stress,

So what can we do to minimise this happening in our hectic contemporary landscape....  Sloooooow doooooown!

For many of us our daily schedule is one of go, go, go, output, output, output, we’re generally expending so much energy throughout our daily routine that rarely are we taking the time or creating the space to replenish the stores we are exhausting.

Here’s a few things we can do to ensure we are replenishing our foundational energy stores:

• JIIIIIINNNG! The inspiration behind this beautiful blend was to offer deep nourishment, tonification and restoration to the kidney and adrenal systems of the body, this is where our foundational energy is stored. When these organs and glands are topped up and vibing our whole body hums. Our 30 days of Jing challenge is a wonderful way to reset your system and feel into your baseline energy. Add JING to your favourite warm beverage, smoothie or food of choice, or create a simple tea using just hot water and JING. 
• Check out our 51 ideas to de-stress. You're gonna love these ideas!
• Get enough rest. By now we should all know how important sleep is to our health, so switch the phone and laptop off and get those zzzs people!
• Breathe! Long, slow, deep, belly breaths, the yogis are right about this one. Take a moment to inhale and exhale slowly and deeply for at least 5-10 breaths a day and feel the immediate difference. This might be a part of your personal practice? 
• Nourish yourself and try not to skip meals. Fasting is all the rage at the moment and some folks are receiving amazing results in terms of overcoming chronic illness etc, however we must remember that fasting is a stressor on the body and an already taxed system may not fare well with the added pressure to create energy from fat stores. Good quality protein sources along with lots of organic/chemical free leafy greens and vegetables, spring or filtered water, slow burning carbs like sweet potatoes, fruit, quinoa, etc are great choices to add into your daily diet. You can even play with carbohydrate timing, having your main source at dinner. You can read more about diet and adrenal fatigue here
• Nature. Get outside, feel the grass under your toes, the salty ocean water on your skin, the hues of the sunrise or sunset in your heart, get outside and breathe in some green spaces in whatever way you can.
• Stillness/meditation - practising mindfulness gives us the tools to manage our daily stressors, let’s face it, in the Western world we can’t avoid stress but by jove we can gather useful tools to help us manage it. Practicing 10-20 minutes of mindfulness meditation each day can work wonders in minimising our stress levels, building our Zen mind muscle allows us respond instead of react, and we know when it comes to stress it’s not so much about the stressful event but rather our reaction to it that counts in terms of the chemicals that start pulsing through our blood stream at the time of the event.
• Movement. Move regularly in a way that you enjoy, not too much, not too little, exercise helps us change our state, relieve stress, transform and shift energy. Why not try our nourishing kidney and adrenal movement?
  

   

So there you have it folks, nurture your body, love up your organs with good food, good company, clean air and water, rest, play, stillness, get out in nature whenever you can and feel your body, mind and spirit come back online. Oh yeah and don’t forget to take your JING!

Want to whip up a delicious JING elixir - try this delicious recipe. Or check out how you can cultivate your own unique Jing energy :)

 

References:

The Modern Lifestyle: A Recipe for Adrenal Fatigue - Chris Kesser  Adrenal Fatigue: HPA Axis Dysregulation - Chris Kesser  Are Your Adrenals Behind Your Intermittent Period - Nat Kringoudis 
Adrenal Fatigue Diet Hechtman, L 2012, Clinical Naturopathic Medicine - E-Book, Rev. ed, Churchill Livingstone, Chatswood, NSW
Welch, C, 2011, Balance Your Hormones. Balance Your Life: Achieving Optimal Health and Wellness Through Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, and Western Medicine, 1st ed, Da Capo Press, Cambridge, MA
Jing Energy with Mason