We all have stress in our lives, but unfortunately the health dangers of stress are growing and becoming increasingly severe.

A recent study conducted in Germany has concluded that stress—specifically job stress—can raise your risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Study participants who reported high levels of job stress were 45 percent more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who worked in less stressful environments.

Let’s look at how your body handles stress, and why it’s not surprising that it’s now associated with Type 2 diabetes.

Your Body Under S-T-R-E-S-S

Your body’s reaction to stress is a reflection of our early biological programming.

Back in our caveman days, when our early ancestors faced the stress of fighting an enemy or animal, their bodies released the hormones adrenaline and cortisol, preparing them for a “fight or flight” reaction. This would raise the heart rate, dilate the blood vessels and mobilize fat and carbohydrates to be used as quick energy.

Once the stress ended, adrenaline would quickly subside, but cortisol remained high to help refuel their bodies and bring them back to balance—and it did so by triggering an appetite to compel our ancestors to replace and carbs and fats they used up.

Now our modern day stresses are more emotional and psychological, such as working long hours, being in unsatisfying jobs, financial problems, tight deadlines, family problems, etc. But your body doesn’t know the difference between physical and mental stress, and therefore its hormonal reaction is the same.

That’s why people who are under stress tend to “stress eat”—especially refined carbohydrates. Cortisol is doing its job and triggering an appetite.

Occasional Versus Chronic Stress

Most of us have occasional stress, but the real danger arises when your stress becomes chronic and ongoing.

With chronic stress, a vicious cycle is created with your body repeatedly secreting adrenaline and cortisol, with glucose being recruited into the bloodstream each time, and cortisol giving your body the signal to refuel.

The health prices of long-term chronic stress can include:

• Low thyroid function (because high levels of adrenal hormones trigger thyroid hormones and eventually the thyroid can become exhausted)
• Lowered immune function (because stress can affect your intestinal tract, where 70 percent of your immune system resides)
• Chronic fatigue
• Depression
• High blood pressure
• Worsened symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or Crohn’s disease
• Overweight and obesity (due to the overeating triggered by elevated cortisol)
• Elevated blood sugar, insulin resistance and eventually Type 2 diabetes

Minimize Your Risk of ALL Stress-Related Health Problems

Stress can take its toll on your body (and mind) in countless ways…so clearly it’s vital that you do whatever you can to manage stress in your life and help counteract is health effects.

Here are three very effective strategies you can try:

Healthy Habits

There are many ways to help reduce stress: Meditation, yoga, journal writing, massage, visualization, counseling, deep breathing, prayer, seminars and adopting a pet, to name a few.

Plus let’s not forget about one of the most effective stress reducers…

Regular Exercise

Not only will exercise help diffuse stress, but it will also help burn away any pounds you might have put on due to stress eating, it can help brighten your mood (if depression is affecting you) and it can help lower your blood pressure too!

So if you and the couch have been BFFs for a while, it’s time to get your doctor’s OK and get moving

The Right Food Choices

Being in a prolonged state of stress and adrenal overload depletes your body of its vitamins and minerals, so it’s essential to eat a variety of whole foods to provide a good assortment of nutrients to help support your adrenals and encourage optimal health. To make it easy you can get a subscription for healthy, organic ingredients delivered right to your door with great companies like Sun Basket. 

Emphasis should be placed on good carbs–fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains—plus meats, poultry, fish, healthy fats, dairy, and eggs.

Reach for protein snacks like nuts, cheese or a small piece of meat or fish instead of starchy carbs or sweets. Protein will help keep you fuller longer and avoid the blood sugar surges from sweets and starches.

Consider Probiotic Supplementation to Support Your Intestinal Flora

Stress causes the protective mucosal lining of your intestines to become less effective at defending your body against unfriendly bacteria and dangerous pathogens, thereby making you more susceptible to catching viruses and infections.

That’s why you may find yourself getting sick frequently when you are under stress—your body literally cannot fight off illness as well.

Probiotic supplements can help repopulate your supply of friendly intestinal microbes and encourage a healthier gut environment that is better able to defend itself against sickness.  

If you are considering probiotic supplements, be sure to use a product that contains both Lactobacillus strains (which reside in the small intestine) and Bifidobacterium strains (which populate the colon).

Note: Always be sure to let your doctor know what supplements you are taking.

The harmful physical and mental effects of stress continue to grow, but when you do what you can to diffuse stress and help counteract its harmful effects, you are taking very important steps toward a healthier, disease-free life!