Holiday Stress Happens – Tips to Cope, Adapt and Sail Right Through It

Tori Hudson, N.D.

It’s time to start thinking about the holidays. Many of us are planning travel, outings and gatherings. As the November and December celebrations inch closer, often our stress ramps up. There are numerous neurotransmitters and hormones that are altered when we experience stressful times, even when we are not aware of the stress yet. These include adrenaline, cortisol, serotonin, dopamine and GABA. Each exerts powerful effects on our tissues and organs, including our gut, heart and brain. 

The optimal secretion of these substances within our body help us adapt to everyday stressors, and they also help us maintain our circadian rhythm, blood sugar regulation, digestive enzyme secretion and gut microbiome. They impact how fast our heart beats, our concentration, our mental and emotional equilibrium and much more.  

Daily Habits Matter More During Busy Times

Fostering good daily habits becomes even more important during times of stress. These include: 

• regular exercise
• balanced meals with adequate protein that are low in simple sugars
• a consistent sleep and waking schedule providing adequate healthy rest
• time spent in nature and time for relaxation and calm
• low alcohol intake, even during celebratory seasons

In other words, optimize your daily routine and lifestyle. 

Some of the consequences of stress on our physical functions include digestive upset (occasional heartburn, gas and bloating, constipation and/or diarrhea), decreased immunity (more sore throats, viral infections of the upper respiratory system, acute infections in general), as well as some obvious ones like impaired sleep, mild anxiety, low mood and irritability. 

Prevent the Fallout of Holiday Stress

Employ a holistic approach to try and prevent some of the fallout from being overbooked and under rested. Consider proteolytic enzymes that support healthy cardiovascular, circulatory and immune function as well as the body’s natural response to systemic stress.* Serrapeptase Pro is a potent blend of proteolytic enzymes that does just this.* 

The human body naturally produces proteolytic enzymes such as pepsin, trypsin and chymotrypsin to carry out essential functions. Proteolytic enzymes break down our proteins in food into amino acids and peptides, which are used for tissue repair and growth. They also target foreign proteins and damaged proteins in the blood. Plant, fungal and microbial proteolytic enzymes produced from pineapple, papaya and species of non-pathogenic fungi and bacteria such as Aspergillus and Serratia also confer benefits. Beyond digestion, research has demonstrated the effectiveness of supplemental proteolytic enzymes in other areas of health and wellness, including immune, cardiovascular, physiological and systemic health.*

When taken on an empty stomach, Serrapeptase is absorbed through the intestine and transported directly into the bloodstream. The enzyme binds to alpha-2 macroglobulin in a 1:1 ratio, allowing it to retain enzymatic activity. Once in the body, it works to optimize health by having an affinity for proteins that are dead, damaged or do not belong.

Another area of supplemental support during times of stress would include digestive aids to optimize nutrient availability from our dietary intake of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. During times of stress (and perhaps overeating, eating too fast or eating in stressful social situations), our own digestive enzyme production becomes compromised. This can lead to temporary symptoms of gas and bloating and perhaps belching and abnormal bowel habits. Using full-spectrum digestive enzyme support can prevent and address these situations.* Consider the gentle support of Complete Digestion™ or the high-potency enzymes in Critical Digestion™.*

When you are preparing for holidays or talking to your clients about their own, be mindful of stress management, maintaining your regular good habits and some nutrient support to sail through. We might also consider other nutrients that are needed temporarily to protect against viral exposures and to aid sleep.