Women’s Health

Women's lives are all about change - changing roles throughout the day and over the years. Change brings stressors - both positive and negative. Stress can be the right kind of fuel for your engine, giving you the efficiency to make changes and decisions. But sometime stress can clog your engine and impede your productivity by causing anxiety, physical discomforts, insomnia, and low immunity. Too much stress can make you feel out of control, unable to bring about the changes you wish to make.

Where does the Stress come from?

In our modern society, women can be and do anything. In fact, we often feel the need to be and do everything. Sometimes this is through our own choices - the occupation we choose, relationships, parenting. Sometimes this is because of all of the roles we are asked to play - mother, daughter, care taker, employee. Sometimes this is because of life situations that come to us - our own acute or chronic illness, a relative's illness, changes in family structure, or events that happen to us that color the rest of our lives.

We expect that we should be able to handle these roles and choices with grace and no complaint. Often, to the outside world we are. Yet, many times this "handling it" comes at a cost - our physical and emotional well-being. When there isn't enough time to get everything done we begin to slowly erase from the day the activities that we need for ourselves. This ongoing pattern can continue to work until our bodies give out physically or emotionally. Or, just the right combination of events can cause the feeling of overload to begin to creep in and suddenly we are on a downward spiral wondering why we can't do all that we used to. At some point we wonder how we got to the point where "just surviving" is enough.

What does Stress do to my body?

At some point, stress and "overdoing it" catches up with you. Stress can have specific effects on a woman's body. Stress is mediated by an area of the brain called the Hypothalamus - so are the hormones responsible for a woman's reproductive system. For a woman's body to function properly, all hormones must be in balance. Stress can throw off the balance of hormones, even the stress that arises from day to day living.

Without balance, symptoms of PMS, Menopause, Cycle irregularities, Breast Cancer, and Uterine cancer may all be exacerbated.

In addition, when you are under prolonged stress, the organs and systems of your body that work the hardest can become worn out. Your adrenal glands are responsible for producing the hormones necessary to keep your body running when you are under stress as well as keep your body in balance when you are under stress. When you are under stress for a prolonged time, these glands can become fatigued, making your body incapable of either reacting to stress or to respond protectively. Symptoms of adrenal fatigue can include:

• Having difficulty getting up in the morning
• Fatigue that is not relieved by sleep
• Craving for salt or salty foods
• Lack of energy
• Increased effort to do every day tasks
• Decreased sex drive
• Decreased ability to handle stress
• Increased time to recover from illness, injury or trauma
• Light-headed when standing up quickly
• Mild depression
• Less enjoyment or happiness with life
• Increased PMS
• Symptoms increase if meals are skipped or inadequate
• "Fuzzy Thinking"
• Memory less accurate
• Decreased tolerance - more irritable
  (Taken from Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome by James L Wilson)

What can I do?

Knowing that you want to make a change is an important first step. Taking the time to "fill your cup" and put your health onto the priority list is the next step. One action that can help to begin to bring your body back into balance is to practice techniques that elicit the relaxation response on a regular basis. The relaxation response is mediated by the Hypothalamus, just like the stress response. Eliciting the relaxation response:

• changes the way your body responds to the stress hormones. Your cells and organs gain a protective layer, making them not so sensitive to the stress message.
• helps you learn to stay in the present moment, reducing anxiety and worry.
• keeps you centered and focused so that you can direct your best self to the activities of the day
• offers you a window into your inner self. Learn confidence; see yourself achieving goals.

Relaxation practice is a key component in your health and during times of life changes or transition.