Stress management
“It’s not stress which kills us but the way we react to it.” Hans Selye
“Emotional competence requires the capacity to feel our emotions, so that we are aware when we are experiencing stress.” Gabor Maté
Stress: the master of disease
Stress is often described as the sickness of the century. In fact, it is closely implicated in all the other ills of the century and mentioned frequently in the most general magazines as well as the most scientifically advanced journals. Everyone is talking about it! When we hear about cardiovascular disease, cancer, autoimmune disease etc, we hear that stress is in the background.
The tip of the iceberg
The appearance and progression of almost all pathologies or chronic dysfunctions depend directly or indirectly on stress. This is the case for severe, degenerative disease (like those mentioned above) and for more general disorders that cause discomfort in our lives such as digestive problems, lack of sleep, low recovery capacity and weakened immune responses.
How we manage stress in the short, medium and long term has a role to play on all levels of being.
Awareness as the first step
It is essential to learn how to be aware of the physical and emotional states of stress. What’s more, it is equally important to understand the origin and sources of stress in our lives because this will allow us to better adapt our choices and behaviours and thereby moderate the impact of stress on our physical body, emotions and mental state.
Just because we feel that we mentally or emotionally manage the occasional stressful situation or even our daily overload, does not mean that we do not suffer the effects of stress on our physiology. Indeed, without the awareness of stress and its physiological manifestations, our cells, our body, our health and our quality of life suffer.
But it is not by controlling every aspect of our lives that we allow our body to adapt to our environment, Resilience, which will minimise the harmful effects of stress on our body, also requires awareness.
A question of balance
Numerous tools and resources from naturopathic and ayurvedic traditions are systematically integrated into individualised vital health programs:
Stress and you – raise awareness of and assess your stress level
Links between dehydration, compromised digestion and chronic stress
Specific nutrition and dietetics
Circadian rhythms and quality of sleep
Balanced breathing techniques
Individualised orientation towards other modes of complementary treatment
The advice and the comprehensive follow-up always take into account the stress element and help you to implement gradually the elements of a lifestyle that will allow you to truly adapt to the demands and constraints of your daily life.