What are the causes of stress and how to manage it?

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines stress as “the set of physiological reactions that prepare the body for action,” which, in broad terms, refers to a biological alert system necessary for survival.

When discussing the causes of stress, it’s common to think only of work-related and psychological stress caused by pending tasks, family concerns, or financial issues. However, you may not have considered that your diet and immune system can also influence the level of stress you experience and how you perceive it.

Main causes of stress

1. Health or financial problems

Illness and lack of money can cause worry and increase stress. These issues can affect you directly or through people close to you.

2. Interpersonal problems

This includes dissatisfaction at work, in school, or in personal relationships, which can negatively impact your mood.

3. Grief or major life changes

This includes stressful events such as the loss of a loved one, moving, divorce, retirement, job changes, having a child, and other situations that require significant adaptation.

4. Overload of responsibilities

Managing multiple tasks and responsibilities at once, while trying to balance work, personal life, and other commitments.

5. Internal causes

Your personality also influences how your body responds to stress. Perfectionism, self-demand, lack of flexibility, and difficulty saying “no” can raise your stress levels.

But there's another often-overlooked stressor: biological stress caused by a leaky gut.

Keep reading to learn about other lifestyle-related stressors that are frequently ignored.

6. Harmful foods

These include grains and their derivatives, cow’s milk and dairy products, sugar, processed foods, and anything hard to digest for your gut. Remember, 70% of your immune system resides in your gut (Linda Liang et al., 2023).

7. Harmful microbiota

Parasites, viruses, fungi, and harmful bacteria overgrowing in your gut can increase permeability and trigger cortisol production, the stress hormone.

8. Electromagnetic waves

These can disrupt your circadian rhythm, lead to poor sleep, and increase anxiety—for example, from your phone, computer, Wi-Fi, etc.

Symptoms of stress

Stress can cause emotional and behavioral symptoms, as well as physical and physiological effects. Some of the most common include:

• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Sadness
• Increased susceptibility to colds
• Muscle tension
• Headaches
• Heightened pain
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Chest palpitations
• Nausea or dizziness
• Increased or decreased appetite
• Procrastination
• Oversleeping or insomnia
• Triggering of autoimmune conditions

Effects of chronic stress

Chronic stress—whether psychological or biological—can raise the risk of health issues (Adam Husney et al., 2022), including:

• Blood pressure problems
• Obesity
• Poor memory
• Mood or mental health disorders
• Menstrual cycle changes
• Skin issues, such as acne

How to manage stress

The first step in managing stress effectively is identifying its cause. That way, you can remove the source or at least take steps to improve the situation.

Here are some effective strategies to reduce stress:

1. Know when to seek professional help

It’s essential to rely on professionals—psychological therapy and specialized health guidance on your diet or, more specifically, your immunonutrition.

2. Maintain a healthy OkNutriWhite diet

Remove foods that trigger sensitivities and are hard to digest. Replenish with friendly, easy-to-digest foods, especially those rich in protein or micronutrients like magnesium and vitamin D, which are key for serotonin synthesis—the happiness hormone.

3. Stay physically active

Practice a sport or physical activity you enjoy to generate endorphins and feel better. It reduces stress and improves your overall quality of life.

4. Learn relaxation techniques

Try deep breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, or walking. These practices help you manage stressful situations.

5. Enjoy your free time

Spend time on activities you enjoy—reading, listening to music, playing sports. These provide both distraction and pleasure, helping lower stress.

In conclusion, stress is a natural human response to life’s various challenges. It can manifest in different forms—psychological, emotional, biological, or physical.

The nervous system plays a key role in the stress response, activating physiological mechanisms and releasing hormones that help you face external demands.

Taking care of your emotional well-being and finding balance between life’s demands and self-care is essential. Relaxation techniques, setting boundaries, seeking social support, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with an OkNutriWhite diet are key to protecting mental health and coping with stress effectively.

Remember, your gut is considered your second brain, and it also hosts your third brain—the gut microbiota. If your three brains are out of balance, you feel stressed. You can remove that stress through your 3R Immunonutrition Protocol.

 References:

• Food, gut barrier dysfunction, and related diseases: A new target for future individualized disease prevention and management. Linda Liang, Clarissa Saunders, Nerses Sanossian. First published: 07 March 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3229 
• Stress response (fight-or-flight response). Family Medicine & Christine R. Maldonado PhD - Behavioral Health Medical Review:Adam Husney. Author: Healthwise Staff August 25, 2022 
• Samuel Quintanar (s/f). Sustancias químicas de uso cotidiano las cuales son tóxicas y dañan el medio ambiente. Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo. México. Disponible en: https://www.uaeh.edu.mx/scige/boletin/prepa3/n1/m13.html
• Alonso, F., García, V. y Onaindia, O. (2012). Campos electromagnéticos y efectos en salud. Subdirección de Salud Pública de Bizkaia. Disponible en: https://www.osakidetza.euskadi.eus/contenidos/informacion/cem_salud/es_cem/adjuntos/cem.pdf
• Smaldini Paola Lorena, Orsini Delgado María Lucía, Fossati Carlos Alberto, Docena Guillermo Horacio. Avances en las inmunoterapias para alergias alimentarias. Acta bioquím. clín. latinoam.  [Internet]. 2016  Mar [citado  2016  Dic  14] ;  50( 1 ): 61-75. Disponible en: http://www.scielo.org.ar/scielo.php?=sci_arttext&pid=S0325-29572016000100009&lng=es.