Understanding physiological stress

You don't feel stressed. So why does your body behave as if you are?

One of the biggest misconceptions in health is that stress is something you feel emotionally. Many of my chronically unwell clients tell me: "I keep hearing that stress causes illness, but I'm not stressed." Yet, they struggle with fatigue, poor sleep, digestive issues, hormone imbalances, anxiety, low mood, stubborn weight gain, frequent infections, or simply feeling like they are running on empty. Over time, the list of symptoms often grows longer. New diagnoses appear, more supplements are added, and people begin to feel overwhelmed by the complexity of their health. What many don't realise is that these seemingly unrelated symptoms can share a common root: physiological stress. Physiological stress occurs when the body's demands exceed its resources. In other words, the body is working harder than it can comfortably cope with, even when the mind feels perfectly calm.

Enter the world of THE ADRENALS

The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys and help us adapt to life's demands through a symphony of hormones including adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, DHEA and aldosterone. These hormones help regulate energy production, blood sugar, blood pressure, alertness, inflammation and resilience. When the body has the resources it needs, this system works beautifully behind the scenes. However, when demands consistently exceed resources, the body is forced to work harder to maintain balance. In other words, stress is anything that increases the body's workload. This includes:

• Skipping meals (often breakfast) - intermittent fasting is not for everyone, regardless of what social media tells you

• Blood sugar instability

• Eating too little protein

• Low fat diet - cortisol, DHEA and aldosterone are steroid hormones, made from cholesterol

• Overtraining

• Work hard, play hard, burning the candle at both ends

• Poor sleep hygiene

• Food intolerances and allergies

• Chronic infections

• Autoimmune conditions

• Ongoing inflammation in general

Imagine trying to run a business while constantly dealing with staff shortages, equipment failures and unexpected expenses. Eventually, even the best-run business starts to struggle. Your body is no different! When blood sugar drops too low, the body releases adrenaline and cortisol to bring it back into a safe range. When you train harder than you recover, resources must be diverted towards repair and recovery. When inflammation is present, the immune system demands energy around the clock. When sleep is poor, recovery never fully happens. The body can compensate for a surprisingly long time, but compensation comes at a cost, which is chronic illness. People with autoimmune adrenal insufficiency called Addison’s disease need to be even more careful here, even when on hormone replacement therapy.

The vicious cycle of chronic illness

One of the biggest challenges is that physiological stress and chronic illness often fuel each other. Physiological stress can contribute to:

• Blood sugar dysregulation

• Hormonal imbalances

• Digestive dysfunction

• Poor sleep

• Increased inflammation

At the same time, each of these issues creates additional stress for the body. The result is a vicious cycle where symptoms continue to build upon one another. This is why simply "trying to relax" is often not enough. In many cases, the body feels too wired because the underlying physiological stressors are still present. Sometimes the most effective way to reduce stress is not through meditation or mindfulness, but by removing the things that are stressing the body in the first place.

How to address this?

• Eating balanced meals and stabilising blood glucose with adequate protein, healthy fats and plant foods (but not just plant foods

• Improving sleep quality

• Addressing food reactions

• Supporting recovery

• Reducing inflammation

• Providing the body with sufficient minerals / electrolytes, B vitamins, magnesium and adrenal glandulars when needed

• identifying and addressing root causes

Key takeaway

Health is not simply about how stressed you feel but rather how much stress your physiology is carrying.

This is why adrenal health forms a cornerstone of my methodology. When the body is stuck in a state of physiological stress, many other interventions fail to deliver their full benefit. By supporting the body's ability to adapt and recover, we create a stronger foundation upon which all other healing strategies can work.