Is Stress Really Something Humans Don’t Need?
We live in what is often called a stress-filled society today.
When we hear the word “stress,” we typically think of mental pressure or something negative. But it’s not limited to that. For instance, activities we find enjoyable—such as looking at our phones or computers, or staying out late with friends—can also be physically stressful.
Prolonged exposure to high levels of stress can lead to illness. Yet, in fact, moderate stress is essential for our survival.
For example, consider what happens when humans go into space.
On Earth, we walk upright, and gravity pulls our bodily fluids downward. Our muscles push these fluids back up.
However, when we enter a zero-gravity environment, the force of gravity that once acted on our entire body disappears, and yet the muscles in the lower body continue trying to push fluid upwards.
That’s why astronauts’ faces often appear puffy in space—because too much fluid ends up gathering in the head. (In most cases, this returns to normal after a few weeks.)
There is also a notable study conducted by a team at Kyoto University: they administered small amounts of the toxic substance arsenic to roundworms, which resulted in about a 20% increase in their lifespan and stress tolerance.
In other words, for living organisms, a moderate level of stress acts as a stimulus that enhances resistance to challenges.
References
JAXA “Life in Space”Space Biology Science, Vol. 5, No.1, pp.11-22 (1991) CNN.co.jp, March 11, 2017 Nikkei Shimbun (online), January 9, 2017 Others
When Things Get Tough, It May Help to Rely on Natural Substances
Humans naturally maintain their health by having the sympathetic nervous system active during the day and the parasympathetic nervous system in control at night. Together, these are referred to as the autonomic nervous system. When stress levels rise too high, the autonomic nervous system can become imbalanced, often leading to poor health.
Some commonly suggested ways to relieve stress include taking frequent breaks from using computers and smartphones, incorporating exercise or dietary therapies, relaxing in a bath or using aromatherapy, and practicing meditation.
At our clinic, we use CBD as part of our treatment.
CBD is one of the active components found in cannabis. Not all cannabis-derived substances are harmful to the body. In some countries, CBD has even been approved as an anti-epileptic drug.
With recent legal revisions, the use of CBD in medical fields and other areas will soon be permitted in Japan as well.
CBD offers relaxation and sedative effects, as well as antipsychotic properties.
Our clinic uses CBD oil made from pure CBD isolate imported from LaurelCrest, a longstanding American company. Their products undergo the strictest testing in the U.S. and are safe to use.
We prescribe CBD oil at the client’s request, and it has been well-received.
Each person has a different capacity for stress. The key is to avoid exceeding your personal threshold. In doing so, why not consider making use of naturally occurring substances?