Every stage of life comes with its own unique challenges. Settling into a new job, or losing one for that matter, giving birth to a child, or not being able to conceive, distancing yourself from your family, or putting up with nagging relatives – it’s all perfectly normal and natural. The consequences, however, can vary from a brief headache you solve with a cup of coffee, or a sudden spurt of eczema on your elbows. 

It’s stress, rearing its ugly little face in so many different ways, and even though we’re typically aware of what causes stress in our lives, it somehow manages to ambush us with such severe reactions. Our bodies respond to stress differently, but there are ways to spot symptoms, connect the dots, and prevent them from ever occurring again, or at the very least minimize the chances of that happening. Here are a few options you should add to your de-stressing strategy.

When your largest organ flares up

Your skin is by far your largest organ and the first line of defense when it comes to environmental effects, such as pollution, the sun’s radiation, temperature changes, viruses and bacteria, and the like. For some people, the skin is the first to react when there’s a surge of stress in their life, perhaps in the form of hives, eczema, acne, or other forms of irritation.

Using nutrition as a way to reinforce your immune system and strengthen your skin is a great start. However, you can also turn to refined skin-care products like anti aging cream, as well as mindfulness meditation as a way to banish the feeling of tension. Of course, consult your dermatologist as well, so that you can take on a holistic approach and stick to their guidelines, too.

The big “C” and how to deal with it

Long-term stress can affect more than your mindset towards those various stress triggers, be it work, relationships, or anything in between. In fact, the more stressed we are, the more we tend to turn to smoke, excessive alcohol consumption, eating unhealthy food, overeating in general, poor sleeping patterns and similar self-destructive behavior. The result? We put our bodies under even more stress and pressure, which can result in, unfortunately, cancer. That unravels a whole other source of stress since the illness itself is difficult to treat and it poses a burden.

As you’re adjusting your lifestyle habits, you can also look into cancer insurance options or cancer plan that will give you the peace of mind you need in case the dreaded diagnosis does arrive. If you can prevent it altogether or reduce your risk with healthy habits one day at a time, all the better, but investing in insurance will grant you even more freedom to focus on yourself and your future without worrying about the potential expenses for the treatment. 

Chronic diseases linked to stress

Do you have trouble sleeping? Do you have frequent headaches or various aches and pains in your joints? How about irregular heartbeat or difficulty breathing? It seems that everything from your respiratory, cardiovascular, all the way to your immune system can reflect your stress levels. Whether it manifests in the form of severe insomnia, high blood pressure, or anxiety, stress can lead to chronic pain issues and long-term illness. 

As soon as you spot any of the mentioned symptoms, it’s high time you saw a doctor. Specific treatment is needed for each, and there are holistic approaches that can help ease the symptoms in the meantime.

Follow your gut

You’ve likely heard many people say that they get “gassy” when they’re nervous, right? They are by no means isolated examples. In fact, stress often manifests itself in your gut in more ways than one. For starters, if you get an upset stomach out of the blue, experience cramps, gas, constipation, nausea, or even diarrhea, it doesn’t have to be a viral or bacterial infection at all. Stress is more than enough to wreak havoc on your gut. 

Stress often pushes us to eat more than usual, and choose foods that are not typically labeled as healthy. In such instances, you create a cycle that just exasperates your stress symptoms in the gut and can lead to long-term damage in your gut microbiome. For starters, choose foods and supplements that soothe your belly, such as mild herbal teas, and introduce breathing exercises. This is a great start to handle stress cravings, prevent gut-related troubles, and keep your gut healthy. 

Whether you’re easily annoyed, you work in a high-stress environment, or you’ve just experienced major changes in your life, stress can be a natural ingredient in your existence. To ignore it, however, is not a wise option, and dealing with the consequences alone is far from enough to protect your physical and mental health. That’s why you need to get to know the underlying issue and tackle it head-on, and you’ll give yourself a coping strategy to prevent future negative effects of stress, or reduce them to be more manageable than before. 

About the author

Mia Taylor is  33 year old blogger who writes about beauty, fashion, and travel. She had always been passionate about fashion and over time she had developed a style of her own.  Mia loves to mix and match and get inspire girls with her advice about outfit and accessories. She loves telling a story about her travels, providing beauty tips with readers.

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