We’re all under stress from time to time, but when the stress becomes ongoing and chronic, it can get to the point where it threatens your health or even your LIFE.

So it’s nothing to take lightly!

Here are 5 of the most serious health prices of chronic stress, as well as ways you can fight back and minimize its harmful and deadly effects:

1- Adrenal burnout (aka adrenal fatigue)

When your body gears up to deal with stress, your adrenal glands produce the hormones adrenaline and cortisol.

Adrenaline increases your heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac output and carbohydrate metabolism, and cortisol directs energy to your brain and muscles so they can respond to the stress.

Once the stress passes, your adrenaline level drops quickly, but cortisol remains high to refuel your body and bring it back to balance—and it does so by increasing your appetite.

If your stress is temporary and short-lived, this is fine, but the problem arises when you have chronic stress because cortisol levels stay high.

This can cause you to "stress eat”—especially sugars and refined carbs—because the cortisol is repeatedly signaling you to refuel. 

And you know what that means—your backside gets wider and wider. 

Elevated cortisol can also lead to depressed immune function, low thyroid function, problems with blood sugar control (increasing your risk of Type 2 diabetes) and eventually adrenal burnout.

Signs of adrenal burnout include loss of sleep, dark under eye circles, menstrual problems, feelings of grogginess, extreme exhaustion after exercise, and joint and muscle stiffness and achiness.

2- Gastritis

Chronic stress can also lead to an inflammation of the stomach called gastritis.

Its symptoms are similar to acid reflux or an ulcer and can include:

• Burning or ache in your stomach
• Bloating; Belching
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dark stools
• Inadequate digestion and poor absorption of nutrients
• Feeling of extreme fullness after just a small amount of food

3- Gut problems and impaired immune function

The "brain-gut axis" is a network of chemical and electrical signals that continuously pass between the central nervous system (the brain) and the digestive system.  Since there's such a profound relationship between the two, chronic psychological stress can make you physically sick!

For example, stress is a major factor in IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) flare-ups and can worsen the symptoms of colitis and Crohn's disease. 

Stress also causes your gut to become hypersensitive, which can trigger food allergies and sensitivities.

In addition, stress causes the protective mucosal barrier inside your intestines to become less effective at defending your body against dangerous bacteria and pathogens.

So you are FAR more susceptible to catching viruses and infections when under chronic stress!

4- Inflammation

Stress can trigger inflammation, which is a leading factor behind many chronic conditions, including high blood pressure, arthritis, chronic back pain, premature aging, weight gain, and our two main killers--heart disease and cancer.

5- Pregnenolone “Steal”

Pregnenolone is your “molding clay” for many of your body’s hormones, and your body divvies it up to wherever it’s needed. 

However, when you’re under stress, your body directs ALL your pregnenolone resources to making stress hormones.

As a result, your body’s other hormones suffer, creating hormonal imbalances.  This can lead to a variety of conditions including infertility, depression, mental fog, insomnia and lowered sex drive.

How to fight back

First and foremost, it's important to reduce and eliminate as much stress from your life as you can.  Regular exercise, mediation, yoga, massage, counseling, prayer, and even adopting a pet can help. 

But since stress will always be a part of our lives, it's essential to give your body the support it needs too!

Here’s how:

1- Get your Zzzzz’s

Make sure you are getting at least 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.  Proper rest is crucial for your mind and body to regenerate. 

Even if you’re very stressed out and can’t fall asleep right away, just lying in your bed in a dark room is helpful and encourages melatonin production.

2- Support sound digestion

Efficient digestion is vital for proper nutrient absorption and can help eradicate the symptoms of stress-induced gastritis and other GI problems. 

Unfortunately, many stressed people are eating on the go—lots of nutrient-poor, fast and processed foods.  Plus our typical meal combinations are very taxing on our bodies, and roll out the red carpet for indigestion and gut aches!

Start by avoiding fast foods and processed junk, and instead make the time to cook real foods.  It’s just as easy to sauté a chicken breast and dump a bagged salad into a bowl as it is to cook a frozen pizza. 

Make the effort—your health and life are worth it.

And as far as better digestion goes, your first step is to eat meals that your body can more easily break down.  When your system can easily tackle what you’ve eaten, indigestion becomes a thing of the past!

My Great Taste No Pain health system can show you exactly what to do.  Now don’t worry—you can still enjoy delicious foods you love.  You just need to be a bit more careful with what you eat together, and I spell everything out for you.   

I guarantee you’ll be shocked at the difference in your digestion.

In addition, many people are challenged with low digestive enzymes (trust me—if you’ve had anything even close to a typical modern diet, have lost your gallbladder or have taken acid reducers, this likely includes you). 

But a complete enzyme formula like Digestizol Max can make a huge difference in your digestion!

Digestizol Max’s 15 plant derived enzymes work alongside your body’s own enzymes to help ensure everything is broken down like it needs to be…

Without gas, bloating and heartburn!

3- Support your friendly gut flora

Stress takes a tremendous toll on your gut microbes, so it’s essential to help repopulate your supply of beneficial, illness-fighting bacteria with a top-quality full-spectrum probiotic formula like Super Shield.

For 10 years now, Super Shield’s outstanding blend of 13 well-studied probiotic strains has been helping people all over the world enjoy more comfortable digestion, sound immune function, and less gas, bloating and constipation!

4- Keep inflammation low

One of the best ways to keep inflammation low is to embrace the power of Nature’s own anti-inflammatory—Omega-3 essential fatty acids. 

And an outstanding fish oil formula like VitalMega-3 can provide a health-supporting dose of these crucial nutrients!

VitalMega-3 delivers a whopping 1,200 mg of Omega-3 EFAs in every 2-capsule dose, including the superstars EPA and DHA.

Stress is all around us and it's not going away any time soon.

But when you support your body and help it fight the effects of stress, you are taking giant steps toward maintaining a strong state of health into your golden years. 

To your health,

Sherry Brescia