How many times have we heard the question, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg”?
How often have we heard an answer? Some queries don’t have simple solutions which may heighten our levels of anxiety.
What causes a gentle problematic warning we may feel in our gut? Often it can seem perplexing as we may try to connect what we sense to why it happens.
Have we ever noticed indicators that appear when we’re dealing with tense situations? When we become aware of why warning signs occur when they do, what might be important about it?
If we could recognize the link between the pain we feel in our gut and the daily stressors we experience, how might this be beneficial?
When asking ourselves the question which came first, the stress or the gut pain, how can we know?
Dr. Ron Grabowski, a speaker in the Functional Immunology Virtual Summit (Spectracell Laboratories, 2020), discusses the correlation between stress and immunity. He believes keeping our immunity strong against viruses and disease is even more important than ever before. The information he shared gives some clarity as to why it can be difficult to answer whether stress or gut pain comes first. According to Dr. Grabowski levels of stress and how long it lasts distresses many parts of the body affecting mental health and our immune system. When one thing is affected by a reaction in our bodies, a domino effect can occur upsetting many areas making it more challenging to pinpoint the problem. One of the things that can occur is nutrient deficiencies. Dr. Grabowski mentions Zinc as one key nutrient to our health that plays a significant role in the suitable function of our immune system. Exploring micronutrient levels can reveal whether our bodies may not be absorbing all the nutrients we think we’re intaking and can guide us to learn how to optimize our health. (*Since every person is different, it’s imperative to speak with a licensed medical professional before making any nutrition or dietary changes.)
How might we know whether we’re deficient in certain nutrients before we become overly stressed? How might this be beneficial?
Can this depletion of nutrients in our bodies be a contributing factor that’s creating a physical reaction enabling the stress to affect our immune system? Why might this feel important?
Let’s consider the following client’s story as one example.
The symptoms developed over a long period of chronic fatigue. The more exhaustion persisted; the more frustration developed elevating the already sustaining stress levels. As the sensation of overwhelming circumstances continued the more gut symptoms arose. What was wrong? For years, there was intense pain. They felt mentally drained from not being able to solve the problem. At the end of any medical exam, doctors would repeatedly say, “you’re the healthiest patient I’ve seen today”. The standard tests weren’t showing anything that identified the cause of the pain or fatigue, until one day a functional medicine doctor recommended looking at their micronutrient levels, as Dr. Grabowski mentioned in his talk.
If we live a clean-eating lifestyle, our standard tests indicate we’re fit, and we’re still experiencing signals that something feels off, taking further particular testing may reveal an unexpected solution that can be valuable. This specialized micronutrient testing recommended by the doctor in this example revealed deficiencies that can impact energy levels. Some of the supplements recommended by their medical provider quickly began to boost their motivation to get-up-and-go which also relieved some of the emotional frustration. As the anxiety reduced a bit some of the gut symptoms began to subside as well. Other supplements suggested also helped the gut to begin to heal. (*This is one instance. It is strongly recommended that each individual speaks with their doctor to evaluate their health and get the support they may need.)
Though we may not know the answer to which came first- the stress or the gut pain, what can we do to keep our immune system strong? How might we be able to intensify our flexibility when dealing with daily stressors?
What might our tension levels feel like if we did something special for ourselves regularly? What seems important about this?
If we’re not sure, let’s try planning something special for ourselves today, on “ME” Monday®, and see how it feels! The “ME” Monday® Method is a great addition to any regimen to increase our resilience to stress and have a happy gut.
By implementing a “ME” Monday® routine today, we can improve our overall R.O.I. to have a great today and determine the tomorrow we deserve!