It’s not just the inherent high-risk nature of some jobs that are to blame for high levels of stress. Perhaps you’re a brand-new parent figuring out life, or you just lost your job, and looking for work. Maybe you recently moved to a new city, started a new job with high demands, or are out on your own, starting your small business. While others may not consider your situation stressful, to YOU, to YOUR body, it is.
When your body is continually stressed, it will shut down non-essential functions like digestion, detoxification, ovulation, sex drive, hormones. Humans are designed to be in a calm, parasympathetic state 99% of their life, with stress occurring 1% of the time. Our modern day lifestyle has this ratio flip flopped and we are paying the price. We are constantly living in a sympathetic state, known as fight or flight, instead of rest and digest. Many times we are in this state unknowingly.
This affects digestion, hormones, menstrual cycles, sleep, mood, inflammation, detoxification - pretty much everything!
In times of stress, our bodies are designed to focus on the things that can help us stay alive. SURVIVAL is top priority.
The brain can’t differentiate the type of stress or the impact of stress – it will simply respond with a stress response in the same way it always has. Our stress handling system still works the way it did for our hunter-gatherer ancestors. The brain doesn’t distinguish between the stress of a wild animal chasing you, or a work deadline, or running late, or fighting with your partner. Stress is STRESS.
And...the last thing your body wants to do is digest food, detox or produce another human when it thinks it’s in danger 24/7!
Remember, stress comes in many forms. It’s not just “feelings of stress”.
Stress can come from over exercising, lack of quality sleep, hidden infections, toxin overload, weak digestion, blood sugar imbalances, toxic relationships, negative mindset, poor nutrition, undereating, sedentary lifestyle, trauma, etc.
While we can’t fully avoid some stressors, we can decide how we will respond to them, and care for ourselves in the midst of them. This is where understanding your body’s current state of stress, is critical.
Your body's oxidation rate tells us about its state of stress. Oxidation is the process by which certain elements in the body chemically combine with oxygen to release energy. The human oxidation rate is the rate at which your cells are "burning" their fuel.
A slow oxidizer (most common in my practice) releases energy TOO SLOWLY to maintain adequate health. At least 80% of people are slow oxidizers! This is analogous to a wood stove whose fire is too small to heat the room. To improve its health status and energy level, its metabolic furnace, i.e., oxidation rate, must be increased.
The slow oxidizer has exhausted thyroid and adrenal glands. These major energy producing glands must be restored through proper diet and targeted nutrients to spark them back to normal function.
Slow oxidizers are at a bigger risk for detox issues because everything becomes sluggish in the body: metabolism, gut function, liver function, etc. Not only are slow oxidizers sluggish in general, there are varying degrees of sluggishness too.
The super slow oxidizer feels weak and tired. Lethargic - they don't like to start new things and are too tired to even care much about things happening around them. It's a defensive holding pattern - the body is in a state of defense against stress. It has gone into a protective shell to ward off any further demands on its reserves.
Knowing this info about your current biochemistry helps you to prioritize what and how to eat to rebuild your reserves....instead of seeking 'stimulating supplements' so you can force 'energy' that won't last. Ultimately, you will become dependent on the stimulants or crash down.
Working on balancing your oxidation rate is the biggest first step in overall healing because it affects your entire body as a whole. Speeding up a slow oxidation is much like climbing up a steep hill – slow, steady, and consistent is the way to plateau so you can restore your energy and get back to LIVING!
Hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) is the best way to determine your oxidation rate, plus a TON of other valuable information about your body’s nutritional status. Knowing your oxidation rate makes a huge difference in your healing journey.
I then help my clients balance their oxidation rate and take back their health. We make diet tweaks, timing tweaks (not just what you eat but how you eat), appropriate digestive support, and support the entire energy system and mineral pattern with very targeted nutrient replenishment.
So much is covered to help your body recover and heal in just one program. Do you want to know more? Click HERE to schedule a Discovery Call so we can discuss your specific health needs and how the HTMA can help you.
Healthy Blessings, Karri, FNTP
Other reminders: The waitlist is open for my January Restart class. Get on the waitlist HERE.
If you need to supplements, here's the link to my dispensary: FULLSCRIPT. While my dispensary catalog is open for you to search everything offered from Fullscript, if you go to Catalog, then Karri Ball's Dispensary Favorites, there are categories within Favorites. Favorites are my preferred brands - the brands that meet my quality standards. There is also an autoship option from the main menu, in case you have certain supplements that you would like delivered at a certain frequency.
