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Understanding Stress and Your Body

Research-based guidance on how stress affects your body and practical strategies for building stress resilience, from the National Institute of Mental Health.

About This Resource

Stress is one of the most common yet misunderstood factors in health. This resource draws from National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) research to explain how stress affects the body and what you can do about it.

Why We Share It

We share this because understanding stress is often a critical first step in a root cause approach to many health challenges. Chronic stress may affect virtually every system in the body, making it one of the most important factors to address.

Stress: A Root Cause Factor

At Nepute Wellness, we frequently see how unmanaged stress may contribute to a wide range of health challenges: digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, sleep problems, cognitive difficulties, and chronic inflammation. Research published in the Annual Review of Psychology has demonstrated that chronic stress may affect virtually every system in the body.

How Stress Affects Your Body

When you experience stress, your body activates the “fight or flight” response, releasing cortisol and adrenaline. While this response is helpful in short bursts, chronic activation may lead to elevated cortisol levels that research suggests may disrupt immune function, metabolism, sleep, and digestive health.

The National Institute of Mental Health identifies several key ways stress may manifest: headaches, muscle tension, digestive problems, sleep difficulties, mood changes, difficulty concentrating, and changes in appetite or energy.

The Stress-Health Connection

Research published in JAMA Internal Medicine has found associations between chronic psychological stress and increased risk of cardiovascular events. Similarly, studies in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity have demonstrated links between chronic stress and immune system dysregulation.

This is why addressing stress is not just about “feeling better” emotionally. It may be a fundamental root cause factor that influences physical health outcomes.

Building Stress Resilience

The NIMH recommends several evidence based strategies for managing stress: regular physical activity, maintaining social connections, practicing mindfulness or relaxation techniques, ensuring adequate sleep, and seeking professional support when needed.

These strategies align with the Nepute Wellness approach to whole person care. When we assess a patient, stress management is always part of the conversation.

Source: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Public domain material used with attribution.

Root cause, not symptom management: addressing stress may be one of the most impactful steps you can take for your overall health.

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Knowledge Is Power

Wisdom Is Applying It To Your Life.

Chronic stress may affect virtually every system in the body, from immune function and metabolism to sleep, digestion, and cardiovascular health.
Cohen S et al. Annual Review of Psychology, 2007
Addressing stress is not just about "feeling better" emotionally. It may be a fundamental root cause factor that influences physical health outcomes.
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I’ve been a client of the Nepute Wellness Center for probably 7 years now. Everyone on staff is super friendly and genuinely care about how you’re doing. I go weekly and just love that I do not have to make a specific appointment time. They do appreciate when you try to come on the same day each week. If you’re not able, it’s not a big deal. Nepute’s is such a multipurpose facility. They have taught me so much about nutrition along with different exercises I can do throughout the week. They are able to take X-rays and draw blood. This helps me keep an eye on my levels and numbers and catch anything that’s a little off before it becomes serious. They also have a nurse practitioner on staff at the facility in case you have some other issue like an earache, a rash, etc. The whole time I’ve been there I have had no need for a primary physician. . Oh, the babies and kids….I love watching them be adjusted. I wish I would’ve known about chiropractics when my kids were little.
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I have been looking for some medical answers for a few years. I went to Dr. Nepute. He told me what my body was doing, without me telling him, he showed and told me why and then gave the solution for my getting better. He gave me a treatment plan which included taking two supplements. I saw some Positive results after taking the supplements one time. I’m sold!
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