“You will find that it is necesssary to let things go; simply for the reason that they are heavy.” - C. Joybell C.

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Stress comes from all sorts of sources, not just trauma and busy stressful lifestyles, but also the food you eat, your environment, insufficient sleep, chronic pain, your exercise patterns, medications, negative emotions and thoughts and even making big lifestyle change,

Living with stress can feel like carrying a backpack filled with heavy rocks, without really knowing what’s inside the pack.

You just know that you’re struggling, which is making it very hard to climb your healthy, happy mountain. 

This struggle arises, because over time, ongoing stress starts to create physical imbalances in your body’s amazing and very complex system of chemical reactions and neurological processes. One example is insulin resistance, a metabolic pathway imbalance resulting from too much sugar and cortisol, but this is just one of around 1300 chemical reactions that take place in the body!

And as your body’s systems become less and less efficient, symptoms start to emerge.  These can include bloating and other digestive issues, weight gain and obesity, headaches, skin issues, fatigue, respiratory issues, depression, anxiety, brain fog, lack of focus, increased pain and stiffness, constant hunger and cravings, allergies and intolerances, sinus and reflux issues, low energy, lack of motivation… and the list goes on.

If you’re here, reading this, chances are you’re experiencing some of these symptoms already.

And like most of us, you’ve discovered that it’s very hard to get to the bottom of these symptoms, even though you’ve been to your doctor and consulted extensively with Dr Google.

But what you CAN see is that these same symptoms of stress have a LOT of overlap with the typical symptoms of so many serious illnesses out there, for example diabetes, cancers, auto-immune diseases, heart-related diseases, respiratory diseases, reproductive issues and mental health issues, such as depression and dementia.

It’s worth thinking about that for a minute..

In fact, plenty of studies have shown that stress is a strong contributing factor in the onset of the major diseases (see references below), partly because of the direct effect of stress hormones on the chemical reactions in the body, but also indirectly in how stress affects our habits, for example eating badly, insomnia and a sedentary lifestyle – all very typical when you’re stressed and overwhelmed.

So, if you’re experiencing these symptoms like weight gain, fatigue, digestion issues, trouble focusing or sleep issues, then it’s a clear indicator that your body is struggling under a heavy load and you’re on a pathway to more serious illness. 

To make matters worse, these symptoms are themselves acting as additional stressors on your body, creating more imbalance and dysfunction and accelerating you on that path to disease and a shorter life.

It’s no wonder you feel stuck in a self-perpetuating cycle of ever-increasing stress, till you just can't see a way out.

And it’s no surprise it’s impossible to even THINK about a healthy lifestyle, because any changes you make, like a new diet, looking for a new job or cutting out smoking just create even more stress, disappointment, frustration and guilt - the biggest, heaviest rock you’ll ever carry in your pack!

So, you HAVE to short-circuit this self-perpetuating cycle, because this stress is cumulative - like a snowball rolling down a mountain until it becomes an avalanche and completely submerges you.

But, when we look at this progression from stress to physical imbalances to chronic symptoms and then disease, we can see that we need to approach things differently, because the things we are doing, just aren’t working.

Lets look at three typical approaches to stress:

1. Pushing Through (because you're still coping)

If you’re like most people caught in this self-perpetuating stress cycle, you reach deep and continue to push through, even though you’re struggling to manage.  If you can just keep your head above water and survive until your circumstances change, you think you’ll be OK.  Unfortunately, your circumstances will NOT magically change… unless you change them.

2. Taking Massive Action

Then when we finally decide we absolutely HAVE to make change, we typically go straight for that much-needed massive action to get you that massive change.  But when you try to change too much too soon, you create even more stress and exhaustion, which typically ends in failure (and we have a whole other article about that when you've finished this one)!

3. Looking for that ONE FIX

So, we start looking for that one quick fix – that single habit stopping you from losing weight or that specific diagnosis to explain your long-term symptoms.  But we tend to try one thing and then, when it “doesn’t work”, we give that up to try something else. 

And that’s a bit like taking a rock out of your pack, but then putting it back because your pack feels just as heavy.  You might actually need to take out three or four rocks before you notice a difference.

So… STOP pushing through, don’t try too much too soon and forget about finding that one, single fix. 

Focus instead on lightening your load… bit by bit.

Because ill-health is rarely the result of a single cause.

Of course, it would be great if you could just tip that backpack upside down and throw out all the rocks at once. 

But sadly, it takes time, initially to identify stressors you may not even realise exist (like unknown food Kryptonites, deep-seated trauma or limiting beliefs) and then to experiment to find out what works for you, to confront and peel away underlying fears and emotional trauma and to reprogram habits and unconscious behaviour.

And you have to be READY to let go of each rock.

Because you picked those rocks up for a reason.  And if you don’t resolve that reason, part of you will always circle back to pick up any rocks you've removed.

What I hope you can take away from today is that reducing your stress and improving your health is not about following a new diet and exercise program.  It is in fact about taking a journey where you constantly GROW and EVOLVE… so that you are BECOMING the person who takes the small actions and makes the healthy choices that create the life of your dreams… changing who you ARE, not just what you DO.

Just start with small rocks that are easy to leave behind.

And CELEBRATE each small rock you empty from your pack.  As humans, we just aren’t hardwired to make decisions based on distant future outcomes, so celebrate your growth now, not your future results.

And above all… don’t beat yourself up about past decisions and lifestyle choices that may or may not have got you here, because if you start to feel shame and guilt, you’ll be putting the most damaging and heavy of rocks into your pack. 

Put the past behind you without judgement, forgive yourself and take responsibility for this moment, where you can choose to lighten your load, one tiny rock at a time.

So what will you do first to lighten your load?

If you're not already part of our Bitesize Hackers crew and you're ready to lighten your load, then we have the perfect free gift to help you get things moving. Download your 10-day Bitesize Health Hacks Bootcamp right now - absolutely free.

And if you're ready to start looking at some of those rocks in your pack, then you might like to step next into reading our piece where we go through all the potential sources of stress that might be showing up in your life, including the hidden ones that most of us don't think about.

If you enjoyed this article, then you might like to be part of the Fit, Fired-up and Fabulous Tribe!🎉 The Tribe isn't just another wellness program; it's a comprehensive transformation journey for your mind, body, and soul.

Whether you're battling burnout, struggling with weight gain, or feeling lost in a sea of unhealthy habits, the tribe is your roadmap, guide and travel buddies to rediscovering your health and happiness.

Some Studies to support the link between stress and illness:

Life Event, Stress and Illness

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3341916/#b7-mjms-15-4-009

How stress influences disease: Study reveals inflammation as the culprit

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402162546.htm

An article about the above study that makes easier and more interesting reading

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20120619-how-stress-could-cause-illness

Understanding the stress response under chronic stress

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response

How stress influences disease: Study reveals inflammation as the culprit

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402162546.htm

Stress and Health: A Review of Psychobiological Processes

https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-psych-062520-122331