Stress Blog Archives...
An important topic for this time of year as we move into cold and flu season, is building up immunity. Stress is a big factor in weakening the immune response. Many times when we have gone through a very stressful time, we will become ill. Stress is a factor in many illnesses, but we do not attribute illness to stress. A couple of things that can be helpful to build up our immune systems (besides alleviating stress) would be to take a good probiotic. Probiotics are friendly bacteria that help maintain a healthy balance between good and bad bacteria in our guts. If you have had to be on antibiotics, or if you are constantly fighting off the latest illness that is going around, probiotics might be a good choice for you. Antibiotics kill off both the good and bad bacteria in the gut, so replenishing with a probiotic is a good idea. In the winter, it is also important to keep track of your vitamin D levels. If you have adequate vitamin D in your system, you may be able to avoid the flu and depressive issues that can be attributed to lack of sunshine.
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Today's topic - Life out of balance. Stress is a major health depleter. Stress can affect our ability to think clearly, sleep well, and respond rationally to life in general. Too much stress is a sign that we need to evaluate what is going on in our lives. In the book, "Women in Overdrive" by Nora Isaacs, when our bodies are out of balance, fatigue is the result as stated below:
If a positive aspect of fatigue exists, it's that our bodies are trying to tell us something. Fatigue isn't just an inevitable part of getting older; it's a signal that we need to heed. Although, fatigue is a symptom of diseases like chronic fatigue, diabetes, heart disease, thyroid problems, and depression, most often it's simpler than that. Maybe we aren't getting enough exercise- or too much. Perhaps unresolved emotional issues are taking their toll. Too much sugar, stress or work. Not pacing ourselves. Eating too much, or too little. Signs that tell us to change directions, shift gears, examine our circumstances.
Many people are experiencing extreme stress for many reasons - including the economy. When stress throws us out of balance, we are more likely to eat poorly and experience more health issues. By slowing down, simplifying our lives and focusing on our needs, we can reverse the negative consequences of stress. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, snapping at people and not feeling your best - take a step back and see what is out of balance in your life. You don't have to feel rotten all of the time. Even taking small steps each day to make your life better will make a big change in the long run. Check out my 30 day plan for ideas on small changes that you can do for yourself.
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Today's topic is calming the mind. It is known that approximately 60,000 thoughts race through our brains each day - and most of those are repetitive thoughts. The more stress that we are under, the more thoughts that our brains are trying to process. Stress and how we process it eventually affects our overall health. A sign that our stress is out of control can be panic attacks, racing hearts, heart palpitations, and sleep issues due to racing thoughts. We can experience more difficulties processing stress when the adrenals or hypothalamus are overworked and stressed, and if there is inflammation in the body. The adrenals can be affected by toxins, caffeine, stress and once again, lack of nutrients. Being aware of stress and our reactions to it is the first step. Being aware of thoughts and our response to them can help control stress. Diet can add to stress - food sensitivities can make heart palpitations worse. There are also supplements and nutrients that can be beneficial in supporting the adrenals, reducing inflammation and calming the mind. Exercise plays a crucial role in burning off extra stress hormones in our systems. We are under chronic stress, so our bodies never get a break from the feeling that we are in danger. This causes our bodies to hold on to weight to deal with the extra stress. Attempting to eliminate stress and finding ways to eliminate the affects of stress can make a difference in our overall physical and emotional health.
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Today's topic is enjoying your food. We are exposed to so much stress in our lives, that we don't take the time to choose nourishing foods and to enjoy what we are eating. According to Marc David in the book The Slow Down Diet, when we are under stress, our digestive system shuts down. We eat in a hurry, grab foods that don't provide the energy we need, so we quickly need another meal. According to David, when we don't slow down and relax to eat, the stress response can cause the following reactions in the body (he lists more, I highlight the obvious ones):
* Decrease in nutrient absorption
* Increase in nutrient excretion - urinary loss of calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, chromium, selenium, and various microminerals.
* Increase in salt retention - can lead to high blood pressure.
* Increase in cortisol - associated with weight gain, abdominal obesity, and inability to lose weight or build muscle. Excessive output prematurely ages the body.
* Decrease in gut flora populations - healthy intestinal bacteria are destroyed by stress. If you have worked with me, you know that I recommend supplementing friendly flora.
* Decrease in thyroid hormone - can lead to a decrease in metabolic activity throughout the body.
* Increase in food sensitivities and allergies - plenty of anecdotal evidence, most likely due to decreased immunity and leaky gut.
* Increase in inflammation - the basis of many significant ailments, including brain and heart disease.
How can we improve our chances of getting nourishment from our food? Plan your meals at a time that you can relax and enjoy what you are eating. Take some deep breaths before you eat, be thankful for what you eat, chew your food thoroughly, put your fork down between bites, make eye contact with the people that you are eating with between bites, sip on water (do not drink very much with meals, because it depletes enzymes in the system), and try to make your meal last as long as possible so you get a signal that you are full. I get that none of these ideas are easy. We have too much to do to make our meals last so long. If you can't stretch out your meal time, try eating less food, so you can linger over a smaller amount. You may be surprised that a smaller amount is satisfying when you are mindful of what you are eating. Most of all, find ways to relive stress, so your digestive system can work as it is supposed to.
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I have been slacking on doing blogs...once again, I am bored with my format, and I am looking for new material! I am currently reading a book called the List Makers Get- Healthy Guide by the Editors of Prevention. It is a fun format of ideas for nutrition, exercise and more. One of the lists that caught my attention has to do with stress. This is one of the biggest concerns of many of the clients that I see (right up there with fatigue and weight loss). According to this book, 63 percent of people believe that their lives are more stressful than five years ago. This is not a surprise, based on the economy, what is surprising is the high number of people experiencing this stress. According to the List Maker's book, the following is a list good reasons to try and keep your stress level to a minimum:
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The Blood Sugar Solution By Dr. Mark Hyman
Dr. Hyman talks about numerous hormones in his book, but I am going to focus on the adrenals and cortisol. Dr. Hyman isn't concerned about the stress that short term, and then resolved (speaking in front of a group, meeting a deadline, etc.), his concern is for the stress we put ourselves under on a daily basis, and the stress that we never resolve. This keeps the body in a state that requires high cortisol production. This leads to weight gain and attributes to most health concerns. Here are some questions from Dr. Hyman to ask yourself to see if your adrenals are stressed:
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Ultrametabolism By Dr. Hyman
Stress does not get enough attention when related to health and weight loss. We all have heard that we should reduce stress, but don't make many changes, because stress is just a part of life. We are under a constant level of stress which leads to weight gain and a breakdown of health. Following is a survey by Dr. Hyman which can be an indicator of how much stress you are coping with:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
An important topic for this time of year as we move into cold and flu season, is building up immunity. Stress is a big factor in weakening the immune response. Many times when we have gone through a very stressful time, we will become ill. Stress is a factor in many illnesses, but we do not attribute illness to stress. A couple of things that can be helpful to build up our immune systems (besides alleviating stress) would be to take a good probiotic. Probiotics are friendly bacteria that help maintain a healthy balance between good and bad bacteria in our guts. If you have had to be on antibiotics, or if you are constantly fighting off the latest illness that is going around, probiotics might be a good choice for you. Antibiotics kill off both the good and bad bacteria in the gut, so replenishing with a probiotic is a good idea. In the winter, it is also important to keep track of your vitamin D levels. If you have adequate vitamin D in your system, you may be able to avoid the flu and depressive issues that can be attributed to lack of sunshine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today's topic - Life out of balance. Stress is a major health depleter. Stress can affect our ability to think clearly, sleep well, and respond rationally to life in general. Too much stress is a sign that we need to evaluate what is going on in our lives. In the book, "Women in Overdrive" by Nora Isaacs, when our bodies are out of balance, fatigue is the result as stated below:
If a positive aspect of fatigue exists, it's that our bodies are trying to tell us something. Fatigue isn't just an inevitable part of getting older; it's a signal that we need to heed. Although, fatigue is a symptom of diseases like chronic fatigue, diabetes, heart disease, thyroid problems, and depression, most often it's simpler than that. Maybe we aren't getting enough exercise- or too much. Perhaps unresolved emotional issues are taking their toll. Too much sugar, stress or work. Not pacing ourselves. Eating too much, or too little. Signs that tell us to change directions, shift gears, examine our circumstances.
Many people are experiencing extreme stress for many reasons - including the economy. When stress throws us out of balance, we are more likely to eat poorly and experience more health issues. By slowing down, simplifying our lives and focusing on our needs, we can reverse the negative consequences of stress. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, snapping at people and not feeling your best - take a step back and see what is out of balance in your life. You don't have to feel rotten all of the time. Even taking small steps each day to make your life better will make a big change in the long run. Check out my 30 day plan for ideas on small changes that you can do for yourself.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Today's topic is calming the mind. It is known that approximately 60,000 thoughts race through our brains each day - and most of those are repetitive thoughts. The more stress that we are under, the more thoughts that our brains are trying to process. Stress and how we process it eventually affects our overall health. A sign that our stress is out of control can be panic attacks, racing hearts, heart palpitations, and sleep issues due to racing thoughts. We can experience more difficulties processing stress when the adrenals or hypothalamus are overworked and stressed, and if there is inflammation in the body. The adrenals can be affected by toxins, caffeine, stress and once again, lack of nutrients. Being aware of stress and our reactions to it is the first step. Being aware of thoughts and our response to them can help control stress. Diet can add to stress - food sensitivities can make heart palpitations worse. There are also supplements and nutrients that can be beneficial in supporting the adrenals, reducing inflammation and calming the mind. Exercise plays a crucial role in burning off extra stress hormones in our systems. We are under chronic stress, so our bodies never get a break from the feeling that we are in danger. This causes our bodies to hold on to weight to deal with the extra stress. Attempting to eliminate stress and finding ways to eliminate the affects of stress can make a difference in our overall physical and emotional health.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Today's topic is enjoying your food. We are exposed to so much stress in our lives, that we don't take the time to choose nourishing foods and to enjoy what we are eating. According to Marc David in the book The Slow Down Diet, when we are under stress, our digestive system shuts down. We eat in a hurry, grab foods that don't provide the energy we need, so we quickly need another meal. According to David, when we don't slow down and relax to eat, the stress response can cause the following reactions in the body (he lists more, I highlight the obvious ones):
* Decrease in nutrient absorption
* Increase in nutrient excretion - urinary loss of calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, chromium, selenium, and various microminerals.
* Increase in salt retention - can lead to high blood pressure.
* Increase in cortisol - associated with weight gain, abdominal obesity, and inability to lose weight or build muscle. Excessive output prematurely ages the body.
* Decrease in gut flora populations - healthy intestinal bacteria are destroyed by stress. If you have worked with me, you know that I recommend supplementing friendly flora.
* Decrease in thyroid hormone - can lead to a decrease in metabolic activity throughout the body.
* Increase in food sensitivities and allergies - plenty of anecdotal evidence, most likely due to decreased immunity and leaky gut.
* Increase in inflammation - the basis of many significant ailments, including brain and heart disease.
How can we improve our chances of getting nourishment from our food? Plan your meals at a time that you can relax and enjoy what you are eating. Take some deep breaths before you eat, be thankful for what you eat, chew your food thoroughly, put your fork down between bites, make eye contact with the people that you are eating with between bites, sip on water (do not drink very much with meals, because it depletes enzymes in the system), and try to make your meal last as long as possible so you get a signal that you are full. I get that none of these ideas are easy. We have too much to do to make our meals last so long. If you can't stretch out your meal time, try eating less food, so you can linger over a smaller amount. You may be surprised that a smaller amount is satisfying when you are mindful of what you are eating. Most of all, find ways to relive stress, so your digestive system can work as it is supposed to.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I have been slacking on doing blogs...once again, I am bored with my format, and I am looking for new material! I am currently reading a book called the List Makers Get- Healthy Guide by the Editors of Prevention. It is a fun format of ideas for nutrition, exercise and more. One of the lists that caught my attention has to do with stress. This is one of the biggest concerns of many of the clients that I see (right up there with fatigue and weight loss). According to this book, 63 percent of people believe that their lives are more stressful than five years ago. This is not a surprise, based on the economy, what is surprising is the high number of people experiencing this stress. According to the List Maker's book, the following is a list good reasons to try and keep your stress level to a minimum:
- You'll Stay Healthier: Stress can deplete your immune function. It is problematic for both physical and emotional health.
- You'll Lower Your Disease Risk: "Persistent, unrelenting stress can weaken your body in such a way that you're more vulnerable to serious chronic illness."
- You'll Eat Better, Weigh Less: Stress can throw our hormones and chemical balance out of whack, leading to weight gain.
- You'll Exercise More: Exercise is a great way to combat stress and improve health.
- You'll Sleep Soundly: Sleep is so important to overall health. Stress causes "ANTS" - annoying negative thoughts that keep us awake at night.
- You'll Strengthen Personal Bonds
- You'll Be More Social
- You'll Do Your Job Better: Stress contributes to fatigue and difficulty with concentrating.
- You'll Give it Your All: "People who stress are never fully invested in what they're doing."
- You'll Be Happy!
=====================================================================================================================
The Blood Sugar Solution By Dr. Mark Hyman
Dr. Hyman talks about numerous hormones in his book, but I am going to focus on the adrenals and cortisol. Dr. Hyman isn't concerned about the stress that short term, and then resolved (speaking in front of a group, meeting a deadline, etc.), his concern is for the stress we put ourselves under on a daily basis, and the stress that we never resolve. This keeps the body in a state that requires high cortisol production. This leads to weight gain and attributes to most health concerns. Here are some questions from Dr. Hyman to ask yourself to see if your adrenals are stressed:
- My life is very stressful
- I am easily startled and suffer from panic attacks
- I feel tired but wired
- I feel fatigued
- I often feel weak and shaky
- When I stand up, I feel dizzy
- I have dark circles under my eyes
- I crave sweets or salt
- I don't feel refreshed after a night's sleep
- I have difficulty either falling or staying asleep
- I frequently experience headaches
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Ultrametabolism By Dr. Hyman
Stress does not get enough attention when related to health and weight loss. We all have heard that we should reduce stress, but don't make many changes, because stress is just a part of life. We are under a constant level of stress which leads to weight gain and a breakdown of health. Following is a survey by Dr. Hyman which can be an indicator of how much stress you are coping with:
- Do you have low blood pressure?
- Do you get dizzy when you stand up?
- Have you been diagnosed with hypoglycemia?
- Do you have cravings for salt or sweets?
- Do you have dark circles under your eyes?
- Do you have trouble falling asleep and or staying asleep?
- do you feel groggy and not refreshed when you wake up?
- Do you experience mental fogginess or trouble concentrating?
- Do you get headaches?
- Do you get frequent infections (for example, colds)?
- Do you feel tire easily on doing any exercise or feel very fatigued after exercise?
- Do you often feel stressed?
- Do you have panic attacks or startle easily?
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