Everyone needs a certain amount of stress in order to live good. It's what gets you out of bed in the morning and gives you the vitality and zest to do all sorts of things.
Stress becomes a problem ('distress') when there's too much or too little.
A lack of stress means your body is under stimulated, leaving you feeling bored and isolated. In an effort to find stimulation, many people do things which are harmful to themselves (such as taking drugs) or society (for instance, committing a crime).
Too much stress, on the other hand, can result in a range of health problems. It can also cause feelings of distrust, anger, anxiety and fear, which in turn can destroy relationships at home and at work.
Stress, either mental or physical, affects the hypothalamus, causing the adrenal glands to increase the production of cortisol (the stress hormone). As we were not designed to function under long-term stress, continued high levels of cortisol have a detrimental effect upon our health. Cortisol has a negative effect on numerous areas in the body including digestion, glucose and fat metabolism (causing weight gain), sleep (interferes with deep sleep known as REM sleep) and memory. Stress is known to have a negative effect on sexual function, libido, frigidity, fertility, sperm count and mobility, uncomfortable signs of menopause, PMS, etc.
“One of the most dramatic and noticeable benefits of Maca is a reduction in stress. Maca may provide raw materials needed for the body to produce serotonin, which creates relaxation. As an adaptogen, it may also help lower cortisol (the stress hormone), which interferes with normal serotonin production. Normalizing cortisol will help normalize serotonin levels.”
Dr. Beth Ley, PhD |
A large proportion of all illness (perhaps 70-80%) is believed to occur because of stress - because the level is too high, and/or too long-term. High-stress modern living is probably the main factor causing chronic disease. Fortunately Mother Nature has an answer to this challenge - a unique class of herbal products called "adaptogens". Adaptogens have the most broad-spectrum healing properties of any herbal medicines, but their unique value is that they specifically relieve stress.
When it comes to dealing with stress effectively, proper functioning of the adrenal glands is paramount. The adrenals are among the most strained glands in the endocrine system, as they must endure the brunt of our emotional health on a daily basis.
It’s critical that the adrenals remain vital and healthy as they are great providers of many hormones and as they’re heavily relied upon during menopause and times of stress. As an adaptogen, Maca tones and strengthens the adrenal glands and thus the entire body, giving us the ability to help resist disease and to effectively combat stress.
Stress can result from many things: a high-pressure job, relationships, financial problems, loneliness, crowds, traffic jams and life changes. Because of the complexity of today's world, stress is experienced by everyone at one time or another. Everyone has his or her own comfort level where stress is concerned. What is considered stress by one may be just a small bump in the road to another.
The three phases of stress progression
1) Alarm phase – When some new stress factor strikes the organism it causes a sudden release of internal stress-hormones – corticosteroids and catheholamines. If the stress is very intense it can damage the regulatory systems of the organism permanently and at once (for example in case of exposure to high levels of nuclear radiation); but if you are lucky, or if you are taking adaptogens, you will smoothly progress further to the "adaptation phase".
2) Adaptation phase – If the stress factor continues (for example, in sport it might be heavy athletic training) our body learns to tolerate the stressful stimulus – "adapt" - and increases its resistance to the stress factor. The "adaptation phase" is usually a safe period. The more we can stay in the "adaptation phase", the better.
3) Exhaustion phase - appears, when the organism fails to fight stress any more and simply gives up. This third phase usually develops after a period of months or years. Everything depends on the duration of the "adaptation phase". Sometimes the organism may be lucky and escape this third phase altogether, provided that it can keep the stress under control. We can help to achieve this by taking adaptogens; they can help us to stay in the "adaptation phase" for as long as possible.
Stress may create an environment for other illnesses and conditions to progress, such as appetite changes, fatigue, headaches, irritability, insecurities, memory loss, stuttering, teeth-grinding, cold hands, high blood pressure, shallow breathing, nervous twitches, reduced sex drive, insomnia, gas, indigestion, heart burn, stomach upset, withdrawal, anxiety, panic and higher risk of heart attack.
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Maca stimulates the pituitary gland and when the pituitary gland functions optimally, the entire endocrine system becomes balanced, because the pituitary gland controls the hormone output of the other three glands.
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• drinking alcohol (it changes your mood, not your problem)
• denying the problem (the problem will remain)
• taking drugs (including stimulants such as caffeine or pain medication)
• overeating (binge-eating, poor diets)
• smoking cigarettes
• Take a nap - 20 to 30 minutes' downtime will recharge your batteries.
• Get a massage - either visit a professional massage therapist or ask a friend or partner to give you an impromptu neck and shoulder rub.
• Express yourself artistically - divert your energies into something creative, such as acting, playing an instrument, writing poetry or singing.
• Have a laugh - not only will it make you feel better, it will make you look better too. Practice always having a smile on your face.
• Be gentle to yourself - we talk to ourselves all the time, even though we're not aware of it. This 'self-talk' determines our attitudes and self-image, so change both with a bit of positive chatter. Positive self-talk also promotes favorable body chemistry as it activates the parasympathetic nervous system and causes relaxation.
FDA-Required Statement: Information on this site is provided for informational purposes and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. You should read carefully all product packaging. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
*Maca Live™ is not recommended for women on birth control.
We cannot guarantee that you will not get pregnant.
**If you are on Thyroid medication check with your doctor after being on maca for a few months. It has been know to stimulate the thyroid to work and you may need to lower your medication. It can be dangerous if you have too much thyroid medication in your system.
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