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Time magazine's June 6, 1983
cover story called stress "The Epidemic of the Eighties" and
referred to it as our leading health problem; there can be
little doubt that the situation has progressively worsened
since then.1 According to the American Academy of
Family Physicians, two-thirds of all family doctor visits are
prompted by stress-related symptoms.2 Stress is an
extremely harmful problem facing millions of Americans every
day!
The effects of
stress are numerous and varied, including:
-
Heart attacks
-
Cancer
-
Common cold
-
Chronic pain
-
Obesity
Numerous surveys confirm that
adult Americans perceive they are under much more stress than
a decade or two ago. A 1996 Prevention magazine survey found
that almost 75% feel they have "great stress" one day a week
with one out of three indicating they feel this much more than
twice a week. In the same 1983 survey only 55% said they felt
under great stress on a weekly basis. It has been estimated
that 75 - 90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians
are for stress related problems. 3
Job stress is far and away the
leading source of stress for adults. However, stress levels
have also escalated in children, teenagers, college students
and the elderly for other reasons, including: increased
crime, violence and other threats to personal safety;
pernicious peer pressures that lead to substance abuse and
other unhealthy life style habits; social isolation and
loneliness; the erosion of family and religious values and
ties; the loss of other strong sources of social support that
are powerful stress busters.
People under stress have fewer
than half of the antibodies in their systems than subjects
with less stress do. Stress causes fatigue, irritability,
memory loss, cold hands, high blood pressure, nervous
twitches, insomnia, chronic headaches, weight gain and
gastrointestinal disorders.
In fact, eighty percent of all
major illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, cancer,
endocrine and metabolic disease, skin disorders and infectious
ailments of all kinds are related to stress. And it is the
precursor to psychological difficulties, such as anxiety and
depression.4
Stress creates a breeding
ground for disease because when you are under stress, your
body responds with a “fight or flight” response, producing
many physiological changes –including increased secretion of
adrenaline, increased heartbeat, elevated blood pressure, and
tension in the muscles. Digestion slows or stops, cholesterol
levels rise, and the blood clots more easily. Hormones are
secreted which inhibit the functioning of white blood cells
which, in turn, suppresses immune system response. Continual
stress can be particularly dangerous as it eventually wears
out the body. Because of how it affects the body’s immune
response, stress increases illness and slows healing. Stress
also promotes the formation of free radicals, which damage the
body tissues and can lead to cancer.
Increased adrenal function is
primarily responsible for many symptoms of stress. Often
times, bodies under stress become nutrient deficient as
nutrients are quickly depleted, while the body cries out for
more energy. At the same time, the body does not absorb
nutrients well under stress, so while nutrients are depleted,
they aren’t replaced. In fact many of the disorders associated
with stress arise from nutritional deficiencies, especially in
relation to B-complex vitamins which ensure that the nervous
system functions properly.
When your body is under stress
for a prolonged period of time, whether physical, emotional,
lifestyle, or environmental, proper nutrient supplementation
is critical to ensure your body is able to function, heal, and
defend itself properly. Studies show that the adrenal glands
can be supported and returned to optimal functioning by
supplying the body with the nutrients known to be depleted
during times of stress.
The Greatest Vitamin in the
World includes many nutrients, along with the B-complex
vitamins, to ensure that your body has the best fighting
chance against the damaging effects of stress. It includes
vitamins A, C, E, and selenium, which are antioxidants working
together against damaging free radicals. Vitamin C also is
essential to adrenal gland function, and is necessary for
adrenal hormone synthesis and is often depleted with chronic
stress. We have also included Chromium, which supports vitamin
C metabolism in the body. Vitamin E is shown to prevent damage
to the adrenal cells. The minerals magnesium and zinc are key
ingredients, especially in reducing anxiety, fear, and even
hallucinations in highly stressed individuals. Selenium is
known for its ability to decrease anxiety attacks.5
1.
http://www.stress.org/
2. Martin, James. Alleviating Stress is imperative for
Executive's Health. Charlotte Business Journal, Jan 10, 2003.
3.
http://www.stress.org/
4. Prescriptions for Nutritional Healing, 3rd. Edition. p.
647.
5. Ibid.
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