The old expression “worry your-self sick” is more appropriate now than ever. A 1988 study from the American Academy of Family Physicians reported that 75-90% of visits to family physicians were for stress-related complaints. My guess is that today, those numbers would be even higher. We are bombarded with stressors, including relationship and job troubles, poor nutrition, environmental toxicity, smoking, lack of sleep and food and seasonal allergies, to name a few.

It would be difficult to identify anyone who lives a completely stress-free existence, and it’s arguable that a certain amount of stress keeps us healthy. However, what’s coming into our bodies, in terms of stress, is not going out. We live in a society where people are too busy to take the time to rest, sleep, exercise and eat well. When these stress management tools don’t measure up to incoming stress levels, serous illness can occur. And, it’s not just “in your head”.

Stressors, whether physical or psychological, produce hormones and neuropeptides that can directly affect our organs and physiology. A stress response can elicit biochemical and physical changes, not only in the brain and nervous tissue, but also in the adrenal, ovarian and thyroid glands, blood vessels, connective and muscle tissue, white blood cell levels, kidney, liver and digestive tract. We’ve all felt experienced the latter as “butterflies in the stomach” or the somersaulting stomach when taking a roller-coaster ride in an IMAX theater.

Think of our cells as little storage tanks with inlets and outlets. Stress is the liquid filler. As stress levels increase, the tank fills. As long as the tank is draining, we have a system in balance ad a healthy cell. If the fluid (or stress) pours in too quickly, or has no outlet, pressure builds and eventually the tank will crack or even rupture. This cellular damage can manifest in a wide variety of symptoms or complaints, from depression, anxiety, fatigue and migraines to allergies, asthma, weight gain, heart disease and digestive disorders. The list goes on.

The good news is that, once the damage is assessed (which can be done through functional adrenal testing with your Naturopath), the tank can be repaired, and the cellular damage reversed. It may be a slow process that requires patience and diligence, but your health is worth it. The first and most important step is to turn down the volume on the intake hose.

12 simple things you can do to help relieve stress:

• Breath Rarely do we use our full lung capacity. By breathing deeply, we can slow down the heart rate and help cleanse stress from the body.
• Exercise But don’t overdo it! Excessive exercise is stressful to the body. Yoga and Qigong are restorative forms.
• Pray or meditate Countless studies show the power of prayer.
• Turn off your television The news can be very stressful and television commercials are speedy and loud.
• Sit quietly in nature We are blessed with an abundance of that here.
• Join or start a book group, writing group or other social group The social connection can be very healing.
• Take naps
• Plant a garden
• Laugh
• Give back to your community Help recycle, clean up and plan your town. Healing the Earth can help heal ourselves.
• Take baths Add epsom salts and lavender to help relax.
• Eat a variety of clean, whole foods And then indulge every once in a while. Dr. John Bastyr, a father of modern Naturopathic medicine, said we must all have our vices.