Stress has become a nearly universal experience — but it’s far more than just a mental burden. Research continues to show that chronic stress profoundly affects nearly every system of the body. At Kat’s Natural Solution, we believe that understanding this deeper mind-body connection is key to real healing. Because stress shows up in so many ways, we’ve chosen to make it our main blog focus over the coming weeks. Each post will explore a different aspect of how stress affects your health, and how naturopathy and nutrition can support your recovery.

In this post, we’re diving deeper into how stress affects the nervous system, hormones, digestion, and long-term health risks — with insights inspired by two essential books: Rushing Woman’s Syndrome by Dr. Libby Weaver, and When the Body Says No by Dr. Gabor Maté.

The Nervous System on Overdrive

Your nervous system is your body's command center. When you’re under stress, the sympathetic nervous system kicks in, activating the fight-or-flight response. This is a survival mechanism — but when it's chronically activated, it becomes harmful.

Chronic stress keeps your nervous system in overdrive. This can lead to:

Poor memory and concentration (due to hippocampus shrinkage)
Increased sensitivity to pain
Heightened anxiety or a constant feeling of being on edge
Disruption of the vagus nerve, affecting digestion, heart rate, and mood regulation

Dr. Gabor Maté explains in When the Body Says No that suppressed emotions and ongoing stress can manifest physically in illnesses like autoimmune disease, IBS, migraines, and even cancer.

Hormonal Chaos: The Stress-Hormone Cycle

In Rushing Woman’s Syndrome, Dr. Libby Weaver describes how modern women (and many men) are stuck in a loop of doing more, sleeping less, and rushing endlessly — and how this lifestyle keeps cortisol high and beneficial hormones low.

Here’s what this hormonal disruption can look like:

High cortisol levels lead to abdominal weight gain, insomnia, and low immunity
Low progesterone causes mood swings, PMS, and fertility issues
Poor thyroid function results in sluggish metabolism and fatigue
Elevated adrenaline affects heart rate and digestion

Even your insulin response changes — leading to sugar cravings, crashes, and eventual insulin resistance.

How Stress Alters Your Body’s Biology

Stress impacts your biology at a cellular level. Chronic exposure to stress hormones can lead to:

Mitochondrial dysfunction (your energy factories break down)
Oxidative stress, which accelerates ageing and damages tissues
Inflammation, which contributes to chronic diseases like diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease

Your body literally begins to prioritise survival over growth, repair, and digestion.

Studies also show that stress shortens telomeres, the protective caps on your DNA, leading to faster cellular ageing (Epel et al., 2004).

Digestion: One of the First Systems to Suffer

When the body perceives danger, digestion is one of the first systems to downregulate. Your body isn’t worried about breaking down a salad when it thinks you’re running from a tiger.

Stress can cause:

Reduced stomach acid, leading to bloating and nutrient malabsorption
Slowed bowel motility or diarrhoea
Leaky gut, allowing toxins to pass into the bloodstream

This can trigger or worsen conditions like:

IBS
Food sensitivities
Nutrient deficiencies
Autoimmune reactions

The Emotional Toll: Why Ignoring Stress Backfires

Many people feel they must “push through” their stress. But unprocessed emotions and ongoing strain don’t just disappear — they get stored in the body.

Dr. Maté’s work emphasizes that when people feel they can’t say no or express emotion, their body often says it for them through illness. Emotional suppression is linked to:

Chronic pain
Migraines
Hypertension
Digestive issues

As a naturopath, I often see clients who are “doing all the right things” but still don’t feel well. When we begin working on nervous system regulation and emotional processing, things finally shift.

What Can You Do Right Now?

Stress recovery doesn’t mean quitting your job or moving to the forest. It’s about restoring balance in small but powerful ways.

Start with these steps:

Prioritise rest: Create moments of calm throughout the day
Eat real food: Stabilise blood sugar and nourish your nervous system
Say no: Honour your energy and protect your boundaries
Move gently: Try restorative yoga, nature walks, or dancing

And most importantly — don’t wait until you’re burnt out to seek support.

How Naturopathic Support Can Help

If you feel like stress is running your life and your symptoms aren’t improving, it’s time to get help.

At Kat’s Natural Solution, we tailor your care based on how stress is impacting you. We may explore:

Nervous system support using herbs like ashwagandha, passionflower, rhodiola, and lemon balm
Nutritional plans that reduce inflammation and balance blood sugar
Support for the adrenal and thyroid glands
Tools for emotional resilience and nervous system regulation

You don’t need to do this alone. We’re here to help you feel balanced, resilient, and more like yourself again.

Stay tuned for our next blog post in the stress series, where we’ll explore how stress affects immunity and detoxification — and what you can do to support your body naturally.

References:

Weaver, L. (2011). Rushing Woman’s Syndrome. Little Green Frog Publishing.
Maté, G. (2003). When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress. Vintage Canada.
Epel, E. S., et al. (2004). Accelerated telomere shortening in response to life stress. PNAS, 101(49), 17312–17315.
McEwen, B. S. (2008). Central effects of stress hormones in health and disease. European Journal of Pharmacology, 583(2-3), 174-185.
Ulrich-Lai, Y. M., & Herman, J. P. (2009). Neural regulation of endocrine and autonomic stress responses. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 397-409.

When the Body Can’t Keep Up: The Hidden Cost of Constant Stress