How Occasional Stress Can Impact Overall Health*
Occasional physiological stress is an annoying part of everyday life, but it actually serves a biological purpose. Humans have been hard-wired to experience stress, as a way to help ourselves get out of sticky situations safely.
Ideally, every stressful incident follows a pattern:
- Our bodies release hormones to give us the energy to reach safety.
- After escaping, our bodies settle back into their normal state of calm and balance.
- We stay there until the next time danger crosses our path.
This normal stress response means the brain shifts into “fight-or-flight” mode (shifting to the sympathetic nervous system) to deal with stress, then returns to “rest-and-digest” mode (led by the parasympathetic nervous system).
These days, the “dangers” we encounter are more likely to be perceived stressors than actual ones (like outrunning a wild animal). But we still respond the same way. Those stressors can also come at you faster than they would in nature. Think of that like playing a tennis match vs. practicing by hitting balls from a machine.
In the body, the HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) axis is in charge of the stress response. The adrenals are a pair of almond-shaped glands that sit on top of your kidneys on the back of your body. They regulate stress by controlling the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Your adrenal glands also use cortisol to manage your sleep-wake cycle. They get help from your hypothalamus and pituitary gland.
Stress is always going to be part of life. The trick is to learn to keep occasional stress in balance – and understand how it impacts overall health.
How Occasional Stress Can Impact Overall Health*
If stress were a person, it would be a scene-stealing star, not a patient member of the chorus willing to wait its turn. When stress gets ignored, it doesn’t go away – it gets louder and more insistent. This means that the body has to divert more attention and energy to dealing with it. Since nothing in the body happens in a vacuum, there can be a ripple effect when one aspect of health needs extra attention.
From memory and mood to heart health and digestion, occasional stress impacts overall health.* Read on to learn which formulas may offer support.*
How PEA Provides Support*
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is an endogenous fatty acid amide, part of a group of biologically active lipids. The body naturally produces these lipids to soothe discomfort during times of physiological distress.* However, negative stimuli can impact the body’s preferred state of homeostasis. PEA supplements work with the body to support that delicate PEA balance, calm discomfort and promote levels of PEA necessary for optimal well-being.* This supports the nervous, immune and muscular systems, while affecting a neurotransmitter that helps drive feelings of joy.*
Our (PEA)+ formula utilizes naturally derived palmitoylethanolamide from safflower seed, paired with the well-researched, patented and highly bioavailable curcumin, Meriva Phytosome. Learn more about (PEA)+.
How Magnesium Offers Support for Stress*
Magnesium is an essential mineral that balances the body’s natural stress response to maintain calm and ease.* It also promotes a soothing slumber, allowing for more effective rest – and when you’re properly rested, you are better equipped to handle whatever life gives you.*
A research review published in 2020 focused on the cycle of magnesium shortages and stress. Researchers cited both clinical and pre-clinical studies that point to a two-way relationship between stress and magnesium levels. Magnesium “plays an inhibitory key role in the regulation and neurotransmission of the normal stress response,” so we need adequate amounts for proper upkeep of that stress response.
About Magnesium Mind
Our new Magnesium Mind is magnesium formulated so you can actually feel it! It has been uniquely formulated to support soothing slumber, calm stressful days and promote quick thinking.* It includes ATA Mg® for 24% faster absorption.
Magnesium Mind helps relieve tension and improve well-being, so you can get the rest you deserve to show up as your best self, every single day.* It also helps calm your natural stress response, to bring ease to stressful days and challenging times.* ATA Mg® gets right to your brain, while supporting your memory, learning and overall cognition.*
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Cuomo J, Appendino G, Dern AS, et al. Comparative absorption of a standardized curcuminoid mixture and its lecithin formulation. J Nat Prod. 2011;74(4):664-669. doi:10.1021/np1007262
Pickering G, Mazur A, Trousselard M, Bienkowski P, Yaltsewa N, Amessou M, Noah L, Pouteau E. Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited. Nutrients. 2020 Nov 28;12(12):3672. doi: 10.3390/nu12123672. PMID: 33260549; PMCID: PMC7761127.
Yaribeygi H, Panahi Y, Sahraei H, Johnston TP, Sahebkar A. The impact of stress on body function: A review. EXCLI J. 2017 Jul 21;16:1057-1072. doi: 10.17179/excli2017-480. PMID: 28900385; PMCID: PMC5579396.
