Living Smart & Well:Using Essential Oils to Reduce Stress

With the advent of summer many of us face additional stress!  Stress from the heat, visitors and so much more.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have a system to help handle or eliminate stress? 

Today on the show, Inez Bracy, Lifestyle Strategist, Author, Speaker and host of the show shares tips on using Essential Oils to reduce stress.

Stress is the body’s normal reaction to abnormal situations either in the outside environment or internal physical or emotional changes. 

Stress is not always negative, sometimes external stressors require unusual responses and stress describes the body’s ability to make emergency changes.  Scientifically a model used to describe stress includes 3 stages:

Stage 1 Alarm.  When the stressor is first sensed the body will produce adrenaline (and other hormones) producing the fight-or-flight response.

Stage 2 Resistance.  If the stressor continues the body tries to adapt to the stressor.

Stage 3 Exhaustion.  As the body tries to adapt to the cause of the stress it may eventually not be able to cope with the demands placed on it.

The long term effects of Stage 3 can result in physical and emotional/mental disorders.  Digestive system problems, ulcers, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, depression, sleeping disorders, and other emotional situations can all be related to stress.  The various body systems call all be affected: Nervous System, Cardiovascular System, Endocrine System, Gastro-intestinal System, Muscular System, Reproductive System and Respiratory System.