Optimising nutrition for your body and mind by Karrina Howe Personal trainer and Olympic weightlifting coach > www.healthspan.co.uk/advice/stress-and-performance-optimising-nutrition-for-your-body-and-mind

Optimising nutrition for your body and mind by
Karrina Howe

Personal trainer and Olympic weightlifting coach

Although there are those of us who claim they work ‘better under pressure’, leaving something important until the last minute, such as paying a bill or meeting a work deadline, rarely feels good. Putting ourselves under unnecessary stress can not only affect our mental health, but also our physical health.

In some instances stress can be beneficial to your health and safety. As a natural physical and mental reaction to both good and bad life experiences, your body responds to stress by releasing hormones and increasing your heart and breathing rates. As a result your brain is supplied with more oxygen, giving you an edge in responding to a problem. In the short term, stress helps you to react quickly and deal with challenging situations, but in the long term can begin to negatively benefit both your body and your mind.

When stress inhibits your goals
Long term stress can cause high levels of circulating cortisol and adrenaline. Both hormones are produced by our adrenal glands (located adjacent to our kidneys), and can decrease white blood cell production, which can lead to a lowered immune system…. see the full article at :- www.healthspan.co.uk/advice/stress-and-performance-optimising-nutrition-for-your-body-and-mind