The Role of Stress Relief for Women 50 Plus: Wellness, Weight Loss and Pain Free Aging

Stress comes in all shapes and forms. There’s good stress and bad stress, physical stress and mental stress and stress from illness and injury. You might be saying to yourself, “Then where’s the good news?”

It’s right here in this blog. We’re going to touch on what causes stress and how it affects our health and weight loss goals. After reading, you will walk a way with techniques to offset and reduce stress so that you can start sleeping better, thus enjoying more energy throughout the day. You'll realize how dealing with stress will allow you to lose that belly fat and extra weight.

Stress: The Good and the Bad

Have you ever been in the midst of planning an event or vacation that you were so excited about but all of a sudden you were feeling overwhelmed and short on time? This is an example of good stress. Here’s a story many of us can relate to:

When my son and daughter-in-law were getting married, I was so excited. They did most of the work to prepare for the big day. I had family coming in from out of town. I was hosting the rehearsal dinner with my daughter-in-law’s mom, I made up goodie bags for the guests at the hotel and I had to coordinate my dress, hair and makeup for the big day. The months and weeks leading up to the wedding were fun, fast and furious. The stress of getting everything finished on time, paying for all these extras and the excitement kept me busy planning and anticipating. This was a “good stress” time for me.

Then there was the time in my life when I moved my home, started my own business and went through a divorce all in a matter of six months. Ugh….that year was a doozy. The stress I felt was chest pounding, headache causing and nerves beyond belief. Bad stress that year. I don’t recommend it.

The funny thing is, my nervous system didn’t really know the difference between the two. Our body recognizes stress– but not what kind. So when you’re thinking to yourself, I don’t really have any stress, dive a little deeper and give yourself time to contemplate and notice what everyday or special events could possibly be causing stress as well as the more challenging life events. Once we know what we’re dealing with, it becomes easier to relieve or reduce the symptoms the particular kind of stress is causing.

Adrenal Health and Stress

Take into consideration our busy lives and the good and bad stress that can affect us on a daily basis. When our body is under constant stress it can take its toll on our adrenal glands. Your adrenals are two small nodules that sit on top of your kidneys. They are responsible for producing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline which help regulate your metabolism, immune response, blood pressure and stress reactions.These little glands are key players in initiating our “fight or flight” response.

Whether we realize it or not, busy lives can keep us on high alert, which is a form of stress. If we are under constant stress, we can experience continuous production of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline which actually can suppress immunity, hinder proper digestion and can elevate both blood sugar and blood pressure. This stress sends a message to our body to deprioritize certain functions like digestion until the stress is removed and permits our body to rest and repair. This means if we’re under constant stress those important functions may constantly take second priority, leaving us more vulnerable to inflammation and disease. We may not be able to remove all stress from our lives, but we can reduce or offset stress. 

Natural Ways to Support Your Adrenals

Eat Whole, Nutrient Dense Foods

Include a balance of nutritious sources of protein, fats and carbohydrates in your everyday diet. Eat foods rich in nutrients that support adrenals such as vitamin D, folate, magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin C and zinc. Try to eat your meals on a regular schedule and be able to sit and eat slowly. 

Crowd Out Refined Carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates can stress the adrenals and lead to a disrupted insulin response. These foods are also known to elevate blood sugar. Plus, stress hormones can also increase circulating blood sugar. You can see how this can create a perfect storm and cause harm to your health by transitioning your body to a pre-diabetic state.

Reduce Caffeine and Alcohol

Caffeine can initiate the stress response by increasing the amount of cortisol released by the adrenals. Excessive caffeine consumption can lead to anxiety and trouble sleeping. Reducing or removing caffeine can promote a more stable mood, improve sleep quality and lower overall stress levels. 

While alcohol seems like an easy way to unwind it can actually disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters in your brain, which can increase anxiety and stress over time. Alcohol also interferes with sleep quality which can lead to anxiety and stress the following day. Reducing or eliminating alcohol can help improve sleep, regain mental clarity and promote a more stable mood, all of which contribute to lower stress levels and healthier adrenals.

Prioritize Sleep

Having a regular sleep schedule that includes 7-9 hours of sleep can help decrease cortisol levels and help to heal the adrenal glands. Sleep can be elusive, especially once we hit midlife, but is critical in order to achieve optimal health, weight and wellness. My signature coaching program The 6 Pillars of Wellness includes sleep as its own pillar. In order to help as many women improve their sleep as possible I’ve made this pillar available on its own.

Ways to Reduce and Offset Stress

Stress is a part of life. Having healthy ways to offset and reduce stress is key. We’re all different and finding ways to unwind and destress is as personal as your favorite color or food. Try a few of the following suggestions and choose the practices that resonate with you:

quiet walks,

hot baths,

meditation,

reading,

visiting with a friend,

gardening,

exercise,

journaling,

yoga or Pilates,

The MELT Method,

laughter,

soothing music,

breathing exercises

and positive self-talk.

In Conclusion

Investing time and effort into stress management can pay off significantly in achieving weight loss goals and overall well-being. Recognize good and bad stress in your life, and realize how it affects you without your knowledge. Explore different stress relief techniques to find what works best for you and make it a regular part of your routine for a healthier, happier life.