Yes, stress can kill you. I have seen patients deteriorate under stress, seemingly little things that mount up until their body is tired and cannot recover. Sometimes, we get so stressed we forget how it is to be calm, relaxed. In flight or fright syndrome, the body readies for flight (running away) and digestion is stopped (cramping, bloating, diarrhea) heart rate speeds, blood pressure rises, you get the picture. Learning to relax, to breathe, to be present is essential to survival. With relaxation, the body heals and replenishes. With relaxation, cortisol and epinephrine come down. We can teach our bodies to respond appropriately and decrease inflammation, blood pressure, gastritis. Herbal formulas help us fortify our body with food and micronutrients to heal the damage from stress.
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