Stress: A Major Health Hazard

By: Dr Pallavi Aga | 767829088

Stress is a major health hazard and is leading to mental health problems. Stress has been a primary factor affecting millions of people, however, it has increased even more in the post-covid era. With the world facing consequences of the pandemic, which perhaps is still not over, data from October 2021 showed that women had the highest share of mental health disorders in India, amounting to 39 per cent.

A survey conducted by Rakuten Insight in India in May 2022, showed that 51 per cent of female respondents stated that they felt more stressed or anxious post the pandemic, especially in the age group of 24-34 years of age. These statistics show that women are more predisposed to facing anxiety and stress; the underlying factors may be work-life balance and gender inequalities in our country.

High cortisol levels lead to leptin resistance which ultimately causes insulin resistance. This leads to pre-diabetes and metabolic syndrome which is the root cause of all lifestyle diseases. It also increases cravings which further worsens the situation. Obesity and stress have been linked to lifestyle issues like diabetes, hypertension, fatty liver, heart issues, insomnia, PCOS, and thyroid issues.

Symptoms like increased cravings or loss of appetite, fatigue, loss of motivation, too much sleep or less sleep, periods-related issues, hair fall and sadness should never be neglected.

If you are someone who is facing work-life stress, some of the following points should be considered, which may help you feel better:

1. Add exercise- to abandon a sedentary lifestyle you can begin with yoga and walking. Both are known to lower stress levels.

2. Importance of protein: Add at least 0.8 to 1 gm/ kg of good-quality protein to your diet. Having protein can help in repairing and building the tissues, muscles, and even your immune system.

3. Say NO to refined oil: staying away from refined oils and moving to desi ghee can be highly beneficial to maintain your overall health.

4. Make shifts in your current workout plan: if you are already training, then try to lower the training load and cut down on intense anaerobic workouts to get sustainable results. Running, cycling, swimming, and yoga can be included for the best cardiovascular health.

6. Weight training is critical: muscle is the key to metabolic flexibility, which is obtained by weight training, thus should be included in your workout.

7. Dietary changes: cut down on processed carbs and move to complex clean carbs. Grains do not suit many people, and can cause bloating and other gut issues, so, try cutting down on them.

9. Supplements: adding necessary supplements, such as Magnesium glycinate and threonate and short-term Melatonin can help you in stress management. Please consult your doctor for the same.

10. Pro tip: hydration and proper sleep are very important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Also, eat an early dinner and try not to snack. If feeling like snacking a cup of milk before sleeping will help.

The only key to longevity and health is to increase your health span and try to lead a medicine-free life. Stress will lead to poor quality of life and needs to be seriously addressed and managed as well as possible.