There are actually three types of stress. Each type leads to another, creating a dangerous downward spiral of poor health. But so many people limit their definition of stress to worry or anxiety, ignoring physical and chemical stress altogether! The good news is that while each type of stress intensifies the others, the opposite is also true. Thus, identifying and addressing the three major types can help you lose weight, sleep better, lower your blood pressure or cholesterol, stabilize your blood sugar, and give you more energy than you have had in years.

Mental Stress is a normal reaction to everyday pressures and demands. Unfortunately, having negative thoughts can cause a physical or emotional series of responses in the body.

• Trouble Sleeping
• Increased Abdominal Fat
• High Blood Pressure
• Depression or Anxiety
• Excessive Hunger
• “Laziness” or Fatigue
• Impaired cognitive performance
• Suppressed thyroid function
• Blood Sugar Imbalances
• Suppressed immune system
• Inflammation
• Decreased bone density

In 2010, the US Government released a statement acknowledging that endocrine-disrupting toxins found in everyday products can damage the body. There are currently 84,000 chemicals used in consumer products with 700 new ones introduced each year. Chemicals are just the start. Simple sugars, harmful foods like raw soy, heavy metals, and even harmful internal reactions all contribute to the toxic load on our bodies.

• Allergies
• Skin Conditions
• Weight Gain
• Difficulty Losing Weight
• Hair Loss
• Cancer
• Anxiety/Depression
• Digestive Issues
• Heartburn
• Headaches
• Depression
• ADHD
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
• Trouble Sleeping
• Low Energy

Physical stress is when your body becomes damaged due to wear or trauma. Perhaps you blew your back out from years of bad posture or lifting heavy objects. Maybe you broke a bone while playing a sport or got in a bad car accident. Physical stress usually manifests itself through pain.

• Aches & Pain
• Changes in the body’s structure, movement, or range of motion
• Issues with organs, limbs, or other body parts
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In an effort to lose weight, we turn to working out or going on strict diets. These cause a great deal of physical stress on the body, but do not address the thyroid issue and in turn, do not produce results. Deteriorating health, coupled with the demoralizing effects of weight gain, brings on mental stress followed by feelings of anxiety and helplessness. This stress causes additional weight gain. With eroding health and nowhere else to turn, individuals look to prescription medications as a means to fix their problems. Since now they have more than one problem, they get more than one pill, putting loads of toxic stress on the body and the cycle continues…

The dilemma that we just explained could have started with anything from a stressful day to a sprained ankle and even a bottle of water from the family pantry, but the spiral doesn’t stop there. Once each type of stress is activated, they continually feed into each other, causing a person’s health to decay. There are a vast number of ways that this can happen. The following are a few really quick examples.

The key to breaking the downward spiral of stress is to focus on each area. We must break each type of stress and heal it individually. For mental stress, we must train ourselves to be mindful of our thoughts and actions and practice cognitive skills, which can help break the habit of negative thinking. We must also be mindful of the food we are eating and the environment we are in. Change your diet, reduce your exposure to toxins, eliminate sugary drinks, and limit processed foods. For physical stress, we must take time to stretch, practice yoga, exercise, and get regular massages. We must also have regular chiropractic adjustments and focus on proper posture to reduce the stress on our bodies. By taking these simple steps we are able to break the cycle of stress and improve our health.

It’s important to understand that the three types of stress are connected and when one type of stress is present, the other two will follow too. This creates a dangerous downward spiral of poor health. Becoming aware of this spiral and knowing what steps to take to break it is the key to good health. By making small changes to your diet, environment, and lifestyle, you can reduce the effects of mental, physical, and toxic stress on your body. And in return, you’ll reap the rewards of better health, energy, and overall well-being.