The fact of the matter is, there can certainly be potential problems that can develop when we are faced with distress time and time again.

When stress becomes chronic and persistent and it’s stress of the negative kind, it is known as distress.

It can lead to heaps of negative health problems such as physical illness and even maybe just as disconcerting, it can affect your emotional health, your mental health, your spiritual health, and you can even develop social problems.

The body under stress gets all ‘messed’ up

• The body’s immune system is a very complex group of organs and cells, defending the body against diseases and infections.
  
  When the immune system is healthy, the body’s organisms maintain homeostasis: a stable internal balance. But when we have stress in our lives, these cells and organs which are composed of the nervous system release hormones.
  
  These hormones trigger off the production of white blood cells. The white cells are the cells which fight infection.
• Hormones released by stress trigger the immune system to respond quickly towards injury and short-term illnesses. But this type of activity, however, is not beneficial to health when it continues for more than just a short while.
  
  When there is chronic stimulation of the immune system time after time, it causes the immune system to become suppressed overall. This makes it less effective at warding off infections and diseases.
  
• Researchers have figured out from studies that the cells in the immune system release chemicals. These chemicals are called cytokines.
  
  They act as messengers in the body, allowing the cells to "talk" to each other, instructing each other to start developing additional cells to fight off infection.
  
• Unfortunately, the hormones released by stress, as mentioned above, in chronic circumstances, can inhibit the production of cytokines, holding back the body's ability to fight against infection effectively.
  
  Because of a reduction of cytokines, the immune system's ability to fight off disease is decreased by around 15% or more under stress.
  So it is not surprising that individuals who are highly stressed will probably succumb more to colds, herpes breakouts, and infections.
  
• The breakdown of communication in the immune system that happens during times of chronic stress could also be responsible for triggering off new cases of autoimmune diseases like Crohn's disease, lupus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS) and others.
  
  An autoimmune disease is where the immune system gets confused or imbalanced and starts attacking the body's own healthy cells instead of doing what it should be doing, and that is attacking foreign disease-causing bodies.
  
• After stressful occasions such as an illness or an injury in the body have been dealt with, the immune system will normally secrete additional hormones which trigger off a decrease in white blood cell production.
  
  This enables the system to rest and rejuvenate itself. But when there is chronic stress, this normal decrease and rejuvenation response is delayed.
  

Stress and illnesses

Because of the effects of stress on the immune system as mentioned above, the impact on the development and severity of heaps of diseases and bodily systems can worsen.

Let’s look at how stress contributes to the different parts of the body over time:

Digestive system

• People complain of stomachaches or diarrhea when they become stressed. The stress hormones stimulate the colon, too, emptying the digestive system, with pain and diarrhea experienced.
  
  The stress hormones can also cause excess belching, wind, and other gas problems; increasing the chances of a person developing Crohn's disease (ongoing inflammation of the membrane lining of the colon).
  
• When you have chronic stress, your appetite can be increased, causing you to gain weight and potentially become obese.
  
  Being obese, you are at risk of developing other health problems like diabetes, strokes, heart disease, and arthritis. Chronic stress can alternatively cause people to lose their appetite and to lose weight also.

Cardiovascular system

• When your stress hormones are activated, your heart rate gets raised and this causes chest pain or heart palpitations.
  
  Your heart might race, and your blood pressure increases, as well as your cholesterol. When you have sustained high levels of cholesterol in your body, atherosclerosis can develop.
  
  This is a disease where fatty plaque builds up on your blood vessel walls, restricting blood flow to the heart – often leading to a heart attack.
  
  The cortisol levels in your body also play a role in the accumulation of abdominal fat. You might have heard of apple-shaped and pear-shaped people before.
  
  Some research suggests that those with the apple-shaped bodies are at increased risk of developing dementia of the Alzheimer’s type than those with pear-shaped bodies.
  
• Many times people try and cope with stress by smoking, drinking, or overeating. All this can damage the heart and its surrounding blood vessels.

Musculoskeletal system

• Stress can cause muscles to either contract or tighten. Over time, ongoing stress causes aches and pains to develop, simply because of muscle tension.
  
  Many people know all about muscle spasms in the neck and shoulders as well as their lower back. Stress also exacerbates muscular twitches and uncontrolled movements such as tics; headaches and migraines.
  
  This is because of muscle tension and changes in the blood vessels and nerves which can cause severe pain, nausea, and being sensitive to light and sound; even temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ).
  
  This involves pain in the jaw at the joint site where the lower jaw joins the skull.

Reproductive system

• When the hormones come under stress, problems can occur in the reproductive system of both women and men. Women will experience menstrual disorders like pain, heavy bleeding, or recurrent vaginal infections.
  
  Men will and could develop erectile dysfunction or experience problems with premature ejaculation. Both men and women can experience a decrease in sexual desire and problems with infertility – all because of stress.

Other physical problems

• Stress can really contribute to the skin being stressed out, too, and it shows up with bad skin conditions like psoriasis.
  
  This is an autoimmune condition which is characterized by red, raised, patches on different parts of the body which can be covered with a buildup of dead skin cells which look silvery-white.
• Then there’s eczema which shows up with red, dry and very itchy patches on the body.
• Hives come forward with raised, itchy, and red welts which occur on the surface of the skin.
• And what about acne and hair loss?
  
• Then there’s dry mouth, mouth ulcers, asthma attacks; increased risk of stroke due to heart health - all fall under the banner of stress!

What of cancer?

• Scientists are busy exploring the role of stress in creating a vulnerability to cancer.
  
  They are questioning the link between stress and cancer because this has puzzled and intrigued them as well as their patients for years on end.
• Available research at the moment suggests there is no consistent relationship that exists between stress and the development of cancer.
  
  There is also no real evidence to suggest that those people who suppress, repress, or deny their emotions are more susceptible to developing cancer.
  
  This isn’t to say that there isn’t a relationship between stress and cancer.
• Available evidence suggests that when a person is stressed, it can influence the course or spread of cancer.
  
  One study found that people who had been diagnosed with malignant melanoma which is the most serious form of skin cancer, who were in a stress-management group, were able to develop better- coping skills.
  
  Their negative moods improved and they also experienced fewer relapses of melanoma. This was in comparison to the other patients who did not receive this type of stress-management training.
• Even though stress does not appear in this instance to be a direct cause of cancer, it does definitely seem to impact the development of cancer indirectly, in the same manner as to how stress and cardiovascular disease are related.
  
  Those who are stressed often use unhealthy coping methods. They resort to smoking or drinking excessively to take away the discomfort of stress.
  
  But unhealthy behaviors clearly increase their risk of developing cancer.

Here are wonderful natural ways to start relieving your life of stress.

Food is fuel, not therapy.

Heaps of people say emotional eating is just due to a lack of self-control.

That is true for some people, but for others, it is a psychological disorder, that might need to be addressed to help the person concerned to overcome it. It can be due to financial worries, problems with your health, relationship problems.

It has been heard to say that it affects more women than it does men.

But why dig into food?

It often happens that negative emotions can lead to feelings of emotional void or feelings of emptiness Food can fill that void, to create a feeling of being full and satisfied.

A person might also resort to emotional eating when they are emotionally needy. When they have stopped engaging in activities that would actually relieve their stress and their sadness, etc.

Sometimes emotional eating is when someone just does not understand the difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger. 

Stress. When people are stressed out, their cortisol levels in their body change and this often leads to cravings.

Another reason for emotional eating is that people are often not even conscious of what they are eating. It’s like when there is a bowl of peanuts or crisps on the table in front of you and you just continue putting them in your mouth just because they are there.

There is a solution though.  If you are mindful about what you see in front of you, concentrating on what you are eating, you can resist the mindless temptation just to throw back food and drinks because everyone else around you is. Read about mindful eating here.

Some people believe that food is their pleasure.

Some believe that if they couldn’t binge or overeat when they felt the urge, there would be nothing else to look forward to.  And when you have had a really stressful, hectic day where everything seems to have gone wrong, a big bowl of comforting ice-cream could be just what you need, right?

And why would the ice-cream be so soothing? Because sources say that when you eat sugars and fats, you release opioid in our brains. This is the active ingredients that get released when heroin and cocaine are consumed. That calming soothing effect you feel when eating your ice-cream is real.

To break the habit is similar to breaking the habit of taking drugs.

In order to really give up on emotional eating, you are going to have to practice handing the difficult feelings wherever you are. Sometimes that can be pretty difficult because, in our culture, we have already learned from a young age to avoid those things that feel bad.

Sometimes the things we use to distract ourselves from difficult feelings are not always good for us. If you don’t have the ability to tolerate experiencing the difficult feelings that life deals out, you can be susceptible to giving in to emotional eating.

Another reason for emotional eating is when you despise your body.

This could be a result of shame or negativity. When these emotions reign, you are not likely to feel inspired to want to make any lasting changes. Some people say they will stop loathing their body when they reach their required weight, but in fact, it should be the other way round.

You need to stop hating your body so that you can stop the cycle of emotional eating.

Don’t allow yourself to get too hungry or too tired, because that just sends messages to your brain to eat. When you are tired and hungry it is not always easy to fight off cravings or urges for the wrong foods.

Take action against emotional eating

Remove temptations from your kitchen

Simply remove all the temptations to reach for the wrong stuff from your kitchen and your refrigerator. Plan ahead for the month. Know what you are going to stock up your cupboards and pantry. Throw out the unhealthy foods.

When out shopping, you need to avoid the chips and the cookies and the sodas and the tinned foods. Also, don't go shopping when you are hungry, otherwise, you might find yourself throwing in sugary, processed foods.

Keep track of your progress

Keep a record your feelings in a journal so that you can keep track of when you were tempted to want to eat and what you did about it.

It will help keep track of the connections between your emotions and the foods that you believe satisfy them – like reaching for chocolate when you’ve had angry words at work, for example.

When you understand the connection between unhealthy foods and your emotions, it can help you work out a strategy for countering your yearnings for the wrong foods. Train yourself to rather reach for healthy snacks.

Distract yourself

Hobbies and talents are wonderful ways of channeling your emotions. Instead of thinking about food, tap into other things that you love and that make you happy – photography, painting, volunteering?

Cook up something deliciously healthy

Get excited to prepare yourself a wholesome meal instead of grabbing something quickly like a takeaway.

That’s a good start in your effort to control emotional eating. Include veggies and good fats like olive oil into your meal. Cooking up a healthy meal is boosting your body with nutrients and minerals that you don’t get from junk foods.

Plan ahead, intending to cook once so that you can eat twice - not in the same eating session, but for the next day! Then when you are truly hungry, there’s that extra delicious meal!

Take stock of your emotions.

Before grabbing that cupcake, or any other sugary or deep-fried fast food, ask yourself, “Is this going to make me feel better?”

When emotions take over, we often want to reach for something sweet, salty, or fatty, because they make us feel so good. But remember to weigh up the negative and the positive options.

You probably will feel better straight after a cupcake, but after an hour or so you are going to regret that you ever had it.

Exercise releases the all-powerful endorphins

The good hormones get released when you get moving and involved in exercising. Working out in itself is a good thing to improve mood. See how your mood lifts when you head outside and get some fresh air and sun.

Not only will you feel revitalized, but you will curb your hunger, making you less tempted to grab a handful of sweets before supper.

Just do it

Emotional eating sure is powerful and pretty effective to help you find temporary relief from the challenges of life. But in order to stop the cycle of emotional eating, you will need to make a particular commitment deep inside yourself to find the grit and strength to assist you in your journey.

It is our moods and emotions that can impact our relationship with food, affecting our ability to stick to a healthy eating plan. If emotional eating is really getting in your way of achieving your weight loss goals, start by putting a healthy plan in place – today.

You hide your feelings, but you can’t hide what is in your eyes.

How food can help with depression?

You may be someone under doctor’s supervision when it comes to taking antidepressant medication. It is no secret that these can do wonders in helping you if you have been diagnosed with depression. They do the job of balancing the chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters.

These are responsible for regulating your emotions and your mood.

So after a month or so of starting with depression medication - you, your friends and family might be relieved to notice that your spirits have lifted and that your mood has improved.

You probably will be sleeping better and your appetite will have improved too. You will probably be able to concentrate better as well.

It is wonderful that some of these medications have the capability of jump-starting the mood that was so flat before - giving a person the boost they need to recover from the terrible symptoms of depression.

They can then once again get back to the things they really loved before the depression hit them. When that works out well for them, it builds them up and makes them feel so much better about themselves.

You are not alone in your battles – many Biblical characters suffered in the same way and you can read about them and find hope and encouragement for the dark road you and they have been familiar with.

Food and other lifestyle factors play a role in depression

Unfortunately for many of us, there are lifestyle factors that can all contribute towards why we become depressed.

What people don’t realize is that what you put in your mouth can also play a huge role in your depression. That’s the word of the nutritional biochemist, Shawn Talbott, PhD.

Often when we are feeling blue, we want to reach for the sweets, salty stuff, and the fatty foods that kind of offer us comfort. But if we eat better, like taking in lean proteins, fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and fish, we short circuit all the junk food longings.

The right foods offer higher energy levels – your mood becomes sharper and more focused.

Let’s look at what excellent foods and supplements contribute towards combatting depression.

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS, a doctor of chiropractic as well as being a clinical nutritionist says that people who experience depression often have diets lacking in certain nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.

These can affect how they feel. He says, “Our gut is considered the ‘second brain’— it’s why we often say that we have a ‘gut feeling’ about something,” It stands to reason then that what we eat will certainly play a role in how we feel!

Omega-3 is rich in nutrients

It is not uncommon for people with depression to have diets which are low in omega-3 fatty acids.

These fatty acids help your brain to function properly by reducing inflammation. Your brain lipids are made up of fatty acids, with a whopping 33% belonging to omega-3.

This means they are crucial for optimal brain function. Foods rich in omega-3 are wild-caught fish, walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and egg yolks

Fruits and veggies

Getting enough fruits and veggies will enable you to take in nutrients that support a stable mood, and this specifically means fruits and vegetables. \

They are high in folate which helps the brain’s metabolic processes. Research shows that a lack of folate can cause depression. When you feel stressed and depressed, it is wise to eat antioxidant-rich foods to prevent biochemical changes.

To get your folate, eat plenty of asparagus, spinach, beets, avocado, and broccoli. Blueberries, blackberries, goji berries, cranberries, and artichokes will supply you with plenty of antioxidants.

Healthy fats

Healthy fats are linked to higher energy levels as well as a better mood due to the minerals and vitamins they contain. These foods also aid in the prevention of free radical damage which is related to depression.

However, research shows that trans-fats such as hydrogenated oils are not healthy ones, and can even increase your chances of depression.

Excellent healthy fats to enjoy are avocados, grass-fed butter, extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, and not forgetting the omega-3s like walnuts and flaxseeds.

Lean proteins

According to Dr. Axe, protein is highly critical for supporting neurological function as well as balancing the hormones, acting as a mood booster and giving us energy.

There are amino acids in these foods which aid the body in many important processes. Without protein, you become fatigued and your immunity system weakens.

Eat foods like lentils, grass-fed beef, wild fish, organic chicken, yogurt, black beans, raw cheese, free-range eggs, bone broth, and protein powder.

Probiotics

Foods that are high in probiotics have the good bacteria in them which help to balance out the bad bacteria in your gut.

These food types promote mental wellbeing, more energy, and they support cognitive function. A good way to get in probiotics is to drink kombucha each day, because, as Dr. Axe says, it contains the B vitamins and enzymes to boost energy levels and to help to detoxify your body.

Great foods are kefir, kombucha, yogurt, raw cheese, miso, and fermented vegetables

Adaptogenic herbs

These herbs are healing plants to improve your stress hormones and to relax your nervous system. They do wonders with balancing and protecting the body because they reduce the cortisol levels when you are under stress. Rhodiola, particularly, is an excellent herb.

Then there is ashwagandha, on the other hand, which combats the effects of stress, reduces depression and anxiety, and balances the hormones. With natural herbs like these, you don’t get the adverse side-effects as you do with antidepressant medications.

Green tea offers anti-stress relaxation benefits, turmeric boosts the mood, and don’t forget vitamin D, full of sunshine to boost anyone’s mood!

Dark Chocolate

The dark variety of chocolate can boost the mood because dark chocolate is made from real cacao, which helps to release serotonin, which relaxes the blood vessels of the cardiovascular system – the one drawback is that that it is very calorie-dense, consisting of about 150 calories per ounce.

Start adding the above to your grocery list today and see how your depression lifts!

See the light

Science does agree that food can be a pretty powerful tool to help those people dealing with depression and anxiety. Don’t let your depression be your inability to build a future for yourself. A study looked at over 150 people who were sad; clinically depressed.

Some of these were being treated with medication. Researchers of the study found that after 12 weeks of eating a modified Mediterranean diet, many of the participants felt a whole lot better!

Here it is for you too. Start eating the right foods listed above; foods that will help you look on the bright side – they will!