Don't Think Stress Is Affecting You?

Stress affects each one of us differently and is practically inevitable in today's times unless you have been quarantined in a monastery for the last year. I’m going to skip the pandemic details as I’m sure you’ve heard enough and focus on the most-asked questions from the last six weeks and the steps (simple, healthy solutions) we all should be taking in order to stay healthy for the next chapter, which may last a while.

The good news is that your health will get a boost physically and mentally, which will serve you in every area of your life. It's important to understand how stress affects our bodies (yes, even those of you who think you aren’t stressed) and what the most common signs are.

The Stress Effect triggers a surge in adrenaline and cortisol, and these hormones flip the switch, sending our bodies into fight or flight mode, triggering inflammation in the body which can result in:

• Weight gain or weight loss
• Depression or anxiety
• Insatiable hunger
• Cravings for the wrong kinds of foods
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Water retention / bloat
• Headaches
• Upset stomach
• Increased blood pressure
• Digestive issues (constipation or irritable bowels, diarrhea)
• Skin issues
• Hair loss

Under this umbrella of symptoms lies anger, irritability, restlessness, feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated, or unfocused, due to racing thoughts or constant worry that you can't seem to shut off. All these directly affect your concentration and memory and can also lead to making bad decisions like drinking too much or overeating.

You're bound to have some of these issues pop up, no matter how strong your faith is. You are still flesh, and that means we have feelings. We do need to feel in order to heal, so numbing yourself with alcohol or excess food or exercise (yes, some are using exercise addictively to escape the powerlessness of this situation) only prolongs the problem. Overdoing it with exercise also creates new issues like weight gain, skin issues, hair falling out, and joint problems.

What most people don't realize is that the coping methods listed above add a whole additional layer of stress. The more stress our bodies encounter, the more stress hormones our body pumps out, and the faster our heart pumps and blood vessels constrict, diverting more oxygen to your muscles, so they have the strength to take action in the event of an emergency that you may have to run away from. 

Frequent chronic stress makes our heart work too hard, too long, and, if left unchecked, can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes, to name a few.

If you're like me and having trouble sleeping, or you fall asleep but wake up throughout the night, leaving you feeling tired all day long, and you're in need of a new, brighter sunnier mood, your body is trying to tell you its needs have changed. Our body's nutritional needs increase due to chronic stress, which is also why stress directly affects our immune system.

Stress can also wear down our adrenal system to the point that when you do get a goodnight's sleep, you may actually feel worse due to the reduction of stress hormones, which is a good thing and the desired effect. It's important to keep in mind that you may feel worse before you start to feel better, but the best news of all is once your health is restored and systems are back in balance, your cravings will vanish, you will begin to think happier thoughts and make better, healthier decisions.

Just about every person I meet who struggles with health issues, from aches and pains to weight gain, has gone way beyond worn out adrenals.

Stress significantly reduces our body's nutrient absorption.

With stress, our digestion stops functioning properly, and nutrients aren't absorbed and properly assimilated. Even if you're eating healthy, this is an issue because you cannot rely on food to meet your body's nutritional needs, causing it to become depleted, starting with vitamins A, C, and E, and all the super-important for stress B vitamins, along with copper, chromium, iron, zinc, and magnesium. This is the short list, but these are often the first to be depleted.

There is no magic pill or potion to restoring health, and the thoughts we think are just as important as the nutrients we take.  The first step to regaining your health is to re-balance stress hormones, and the best way to do this is to stack an adaptogen like Thyro-Boost/Immune Boost with your current daily essential supplements, which for me, at the moment, are Recovery Agent, Pure Omega 3, and Thyro-Boost.

For all of you who ask if you need to take these every day, my answer is always, "Do you want to be healthy every day?” Then yes, you'll need to nourish your body every day. I take these daily essentials every day, 365 days a year. My health depends on it, and so does my mood!

Unlike over-the-counter drugs that can cause harm, or even make things worse by affecting our liver, taking a natural approach, like taking these specific daily essentials, flips the switch for our bodies to better cope with stress. Nutrient absorption and assimilation are also improved, which is directly related to improving our health and our body's ability to lose weight. It also helps treat the underlying reasons why we may experience anxiety and depression. Soon, your mood improves, and you're making healthier choices.

How Stress Affects Our Skin

For me, this is the most frustrating aspect of stress. We can't control it or stop it, we have to go through it. When chronic fatigue shows up on my face, dark circles or puffy eyes, or dull, unhealthy skin, I know I need to take better care of myself. For me, self-care means well-care, and my skin has daily essential needs as well.

Stress affects our skin in different ways, showing up as different skin conditions. One thing we all deal with is when stress increases and sleep decreases, skin can begin to break out due to increased oil output. Skin can also become dry and flaky at the same time. Anyone who struggles with eczema or psoriasis will confirm that stress increases skin issues and sometimes shows up as an annoying itch that won't seem to stop. Either way, these issues are best addressed nutritionally, from the inside-out. That's where the daily essentials come in.

Our bodies respond differently to stress, and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. One thing that is important for everyone’s skin is that it requires the following natural approach and daily essentials for skin every day to maintain its health. Whether you have dull, dry skin, acne-prone skin, or your T-zone (nose, chin, and forehead) gets oily, your skin's daily needs remain the same, and your daily healthy skin habits should look something like this:

Step One: Every Morning

Cleanse and gently exfoliate with our all-natural Exfoliating Cleanser Nectar. Gently exfoliating with this incredible cleanser does more than remove dead skin that causes breakouts and dull, lackluster, wrinkly complexion; it nourishes and feeds the skin. When we remove dead skin cells, these nutrients are better absorbed and can make it to where they are needed most.

I use the Enzyme Exfoliating Cleanser all over my body once a day every day, with special focus on elbows, knees, and anywhere my skin is saggy, to help nourish it. it can be used daily despite what the label says.

Step Two: Every Morning After Cleansing

Transform dull skin by nourishing it! One pump of our Anti-Aging Skin-Firming Serum helps improve skin health, delivering the nutrients needed to layer on hydration, which is a two-step process. Hydrating with serums works ten times better than just applying a daily moisturizer, and is the secret to improving your skin. It diminishes fine lines, wrinkles, reduces pores, evens skin tone, and this skin-tightening serum has diffusers, which help make your skin glow, and also prevent pollutants from passing through your skin.

The Skin-Firming Serum is good for all skin types and is good for both men and women (my husband uses it 3-4 times a day). It won't cause breakouts the way creams can, so your teen can, and should, use it to prevent skin issues that can cause permanent scarring.

I carry mine with me everywhere as my skin gets super-dry, get cranky, and break out if I’m not careful, which is why I had to formulate this skin food!

Step Three: Every Morning

Apply another layer of hydration with a liberal amount Daily Hydration with SPF after you’ve cleansed and applied the skin-tightening serum. Make sure to use enough to coat your entire face, neck, and upper chest area. If your skin is so parched that it drinks it all up, add more until your skin is rehydrated. 

Protecting our skin is crucial for everyone, including our kids and teens, which is where most of the damage takes place. These products are safe enough for them as well.

Protecting our skin is the most underrated skin step, despite the skin cancer numbers rising (see my melanoma story). Ozone layers being depleted, and even indoor lighting can negatively affect our skin health. Even if you stay indoors, your skin needs to be properly hydrated, nourished and also protected.

LynFit's Daily Hydration with SPF is all-natural, so it's safe to use 2-3 times daily. 

This three-step daily skin essential should become your daily ritual if you want to protect the health of your skin, improve skin texture, reduce lines and wrinkles, acne scars, and slow the aging process.

Bonus Step: Apply Antioxidant Eye Cream

If your eyes have been puffy due to stress or lack of sleep, don’t worry; reducing dark circles and puffiness is easier than you might think!

All of these, combined with lack of exercise and excess salt, can leave eyes feeling tired and looking puffy. Simply apply a liberal amount of Antioxidant Eye Cream under your eyes and allow it to nourish the delicate area, which reduces puffiness and also minimizes fine lines and wrinkles.

I keep mine in the refrigerator, so it gets cold. If I travel (which is when my eyes are the puffiest), I place it in an ice bucket or glass filled with ice for instantaneous relief.

This all-natural eye cream repairs and replenishes skin, helping to heal damaged areas caused by ultraviolet lights. It healthfully firms and tones, using the power of antioxidants, which also protects this delicate area from harmful environmental elements, as well as human harm like skimming on sleep, eating excess salt, consuming too much alcohol, and not exercising.

I use this cream on my hands, cuticles, and any area of my skin that needs more TLC.

While we all know that we need to supplement to meet our body's nutrient requirements, most of us don't nourish our skin or hair using a topical cream, SPF, serums, shampoo, and conditioner. Most store-bought products contain harmful ingredients that deplete our skin and hair even more, making it crucial to replace what's been lost. The best way to do that is topical applications, so these nutrients can go directly to where they are needed without needing to pass through the digestive system.