22 Effects Of Stress On The Body

Stress takes a strong toll on your body physically, mentally, and emotionally.

When it comes to your overall health and well being, stress plays a larger factor than you may realize.

22 Stress Effects

1. Increased cortisol production: Associated with weight gain (especially in the belly), inability to lose weight or gain muscle, premature aging. 
2. Decreased nutrient absorption: Due to decreased enzymatic production from the stomach, pancreas and liver, decreased bile flow from gallbladder, decreased oxygenation and gastrointestinal blood flow.
3. Increased nutrient excretion: Urinary loss of calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, chromium, selenium, and various microminerals. 
4. Decreased gut flora populations: Healthy intestinal bacteria are destroyed by stress, which can lead to immune problems, skin disorders, nutrient deficiencies, and digestive distress. 
5. Increase in salt retention: Can lead to high blood pressure. 
6. Decrease in thermic efficiency: Your ability to burn calories is diminished. 
7. Decrease in thyroid hormone: Can lead to a decrease in metabolic activity throughout the body. 
8. Increase in blood cholesterol: Stress by itself will raise LDL levels. 
9. Increase in blood platelet aggregation: A major risk factor in heart disease. 
10. Decrease in sex hormones: Can mean lower sex drive, low energy, decreased muscle mass. 
11. Increase in inflammation: The basis of many significant ailments, including brain and heart disease. 
12. Increase in gastric emptying time: Can lead to constipation; also a risk factor in diseases of the colon. 
13. Decrease in gastric emptying time: Can lead to diarrhea and larger food particles prematurely entering the small intestines, a probable factor in food allergies, sensitivities, and various disease conditions. 
14. Increased swallowing rate: A fast swallowing rate is a likely factor in digestive upset. 
15. Increased food sensitivities and allergies: Plenty of anecdotal evidence, most likely due to decreased immunity and leaky gut. 
16. Increased hydrochloric acid production: Increases probability of ulcers. 
17. Decrease in growth hormone: A key hormone in growing, healing and rebuilding body tissues; helps to burn fat and build muscle. 
18. Increase in insulin resistance: Chronic low-level stress may cause target cells to become unresponsive to insulin, a factor in diabetes, weight gain, heart disease and aging. 
19. Increase in erratic function of LES: Lower esophageal sphincter opens inappropriately, causing gastric reflux (also known as heartburn). 
20. Increase in oxidative stress: Prematurely ages the body; a precursor to numerous diseases. 
21. Increase in risk of osteoporosis: Bone density has been shown to decrease in stressed and depressed women; stress increases urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium and boron.
22. Decrease in mitochondria: These are the energy powerhouses of the cell; when the number of these tiny cellular organelles are diminished, we literally produce less energy; can lead to chronic fatigue.