Protecting oneself against the effects of stress is
essential. As I have said time and time again over the past 30 years
or more, the health consequences of not learning how to handle tension are
serious and far-reaching. Consider that fact that chronic stress (according to 2
large British studies) is SIX TIMES more likely to contribute to heart disease
and cancer than high cholesterol and smoking, and that middle aged people with decreased
control over emotional stress had a 50% increase in death rate over a 15
year period!
The connection between stress, the adrenal glands, and our
overall health may be one of the most overlooked modern day threats, and one of
the most vital to address.
When we experience stress in the form of fear,
pain, terror or grief, our body leaps to our defense: blood pressure rises,
chemical messengers scurry about, some of our senses become more acute while
others, less necessary for the moment, shut down; we become poised for extreme
physical reaction. Many nutrients are instantly depleted, and certain body
systems are drained of energy, which they need to replace before the next alarm,
or there will be physical consequences.
What happens to our health,
do you suppose, when we live in such a way that perceived threats are
constant companions?
When we live a life where our bodies are called
upon to experience extreme stress reactions not just once a day, but hourly?
For many of us, stress is the norm. Jangling phones - crazy drivers - financial
crises - bad news - demanding jobs - poor relationships - pain - ill health
-chauffeuring the children here and there - care-giving -on and on it goes. Not
to mention the Holiday Season, a time which should be one of happiness, but
which nowadays only seems to add to our burden.
Everything mentioned above, and more, affects the
adrenals, and through the effects of Cortisol (the stress hormone released in
response to stressors), our immune systems, our hormonal balance, our
temperament, even our weight.
Potential Sources of Stress
Anger - fear
Worry - anxiety
Depression
Guilt
Overwork
Physical & Mental strain
Excessive exercise
Sleep Deprivation
Light cycle disruptions
Late hours
Surgery
Trauma - injury
Whiplash - head injury
Inflammation
Pain
Temperature extremes
Toxic exposure
Infections
Chemicals
Heavy metals
Electromagnetic fields
Radiation
Malabsorption
Maldigestion
Illness
Low blood sugar
Poor diet
Nutritional deficiencies
Allergies
Food intolerances
Mold - pollens
Noise
Additionally, stress may be divided into two main classes:
immediate stressors, which can easily be identified as such, and chronic
stress, such as a care-taking role, or disease, or an unhappy
relationship, which may not be tagged as stressors, which we may not even
identify to ourselves as stress, but which pose a significant risk to health
long-term. These also need to be identified and addressed.
There are those who thrive on stress, who believe it brings
out the best in them. Short term, they may be right - but long term,
there is a price to pay: consider the type A/heart disease connection.
Chronic Stress response can lead to problems
with energy production, blood sugar regulation, regulatory
problems with fat storage, bone and kidneys,
altered immune function, and DNA transcription ( gene health).
At some point the Adrenal glands, the
Major-Generals of Stress Reaction, can no longer respond to the cry for
performance: they are depleted beyond the point of function. The
situation is made worse by inadequate supplies of C, certain B
vitamins and Zinc, nutrients essential to proper adrenal function, by
sub optimal nutrition generally, and also by a shift in the acid/alkaline
state of the body. Your body and mind can both share this overwhelming
feeling of exhaustion.
What are some clues that
you may have Adrenal Problems?
*Weakness,
* anorexia
* Lowered Immunity
* reduced libido
* dizziness,
* allergies
* fatigue,
* chronic pain
* irritability,
* sleep problems/insomnia
* low blood sugar
* increased cholesterol
* depression
* thyroid problems
* a feeling of weakness in
the muscles
* digestive disorders
* persistent inflammation
* inveterately acidic body condition
* parasites
* reduced immune defenses
* apathy
Cortisol also regulates the
process of gene transcription, and whether you are at the stage where
you are producing too much, or have passed beyond that to stress
exhaustion and are not producing enough, the process is
affected.
This exemplifies Cortisol's influence at the
basic cellular level, and explains why it affects so many body systems so
dramatically, and why it breaks down the stored resources of the body.
Additionally, stress
plus adrenal insufficiency cause acidosis - and
acidosis makes it difficult for the cells of the body to absorb any
nutrients which are ingested - meaning less nutrition, further adrenal
weakness - further acid conditions, etcetera, etcetera, and so forth!
Acidosis also affects digestion, with consequences for the stomach and
the bowel. See
my article on pH balance for more detailed information,
including how to balance pH with proper diet.
The cells of the body are designed to
operate best at a neutral pH of between 6.5 and 6.8. They
protect this level against all comers, and if the extra-cellular fluid
carrying nutrients is too acid, the cells will not permit access, nor
are they able to discharge their wastes efficiently. In the interests
of accuracy, I would add that excessively alkaline conditions have
much the same effect, but acid conditions are far more common among
Americans because of the double whammy of diets high in animal
products and carbohydrates, and high stress levels.
A highly acid metabolism can
really be a "Silent Killer": think of the havoc
wrought by acid rain - killing plants, jeopardizing the environment,
killing fish in our lakes - nothing does well in acid conditions, and
in our bodies, if left to continue over time, it may well be partly
responsible for most of the degenerative diseases that plague us,
among them heart problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, high
cholesterol levels, obesity, MS, arthritis, Parkinson's disease.
Certainly, in all these conditions of ill health, pH levels are
invariably too acidic.
Because Cortisol is so
essential to vital body systems, a safety mechanism applied during
its production ensures that a shunt in the pathway will redirect Pregnenolone
(the mother hormone) away from both the DHEA ->Androstenediol
-> Testosterone downline; and the DHEA -> (intermediates)
-> various Estrogens downline, cutting out the production of essential
hormones and passing through Progesterone to ensure
production of the needed Cortisol.
In other words, unrelieved stress cuts the DHEA
pathway and maintains the Cortisol pathway through what is
referred to as "Pregnenolone steal".
As a side note, this is why stress makes menopausal symptoms so much worse, and
why the thyroid, sensitive to estrogen/progesterone imbalances, is often
implicated. Remember ,too, that Pregnenolone relies on a supply of cholesterol
for its synthesis .. all part of the Dance!
When did you last check your Cortisol levels?
A simple home indication for adrenal problems is to take your blood pressure
while you are lying down, then take it again after rising to your feet. If it is
lower when you are standing up than when you are lying down - this may
lead you to suspect a problem. Here
is a simple quiz which will also give you insight into your adrenal function.
http://www.health24.com/tools/Quizzes/1891-1892,33.asp
An
effective saliva test is available
reasonably, which measures your DHEA and Cortisol
levels to determine their balance. DHEA and Cortisol serve as markers of stress
response, regulating how your body reacts during stress. Each hormone is
released into your bloodstream from your adrenal glands when your body feels
stress and helps your body make the necessary adjustments to protect itself.
Cortisol promotes the excretion of Interleukin-
6, a nasty little item implicated in autoimmune diseases, allergies and negative
calcium balance. Cortisol affects DHEA levels in this way: when
stress causes Cortisol levels to rise, interleukin-6 also goes up, and DHEA goes
down. Low levels of DHEA are related to poor memory, degenerative
diseases, low immune function, muscle shrinkage, and other nasty consequences.
This is how stress impacts women's health, and shows us how important it is to
address stress control.
I
also offer an even more sophisticated
system, which measures Adrenal response at 4 times during the day,
together with the marker that can tell whether your immune system is being
affected by infections, allergies and/or environmental toxins.
Stress can lead
to Cancer
A report in the International
review of Psychiatry states as follows; (http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/(1d5zfi45tecxxh55s14n5pii)/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,10,10;journal,4,37;linkingpublicationresults,1:100633,1)
The persistent activation of the
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary
axes in chronic stress response and in depression impairs the immune
response and contributes to the development and progression of some
types of cancer.
This overview presents results from
experimental animal models, human studies, and clinical evidence that
various cellular and molecular immunological parameters are compromised in
chronic stress and depression.
At the cellular level, stressed and depressed
patients had overall leukocytosis, high concentrations of circulating
neutrophils, reduced mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation and
neutrophil phagocytosis.
At the molecular level, high levels of serum
basal cortisol, acute phase proteins, specific antibodies against herpes
simplex virus type 1 and Epstein Barr virus, plasma concentration of
interleukins IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-a, and a shift in the balance of Th1 and
Th2 immune response were observed. Both stress and depression were
associated with the decreased cytotoxic T-cell and natural killer cell
activities affecting the processes of the immune surveillance of tumours,
and the events that modulate the development and the accumulation of somatic
mutations and genomic instability.
DNA damage, growth and angiogenic factors,
proteases, matrix metalloproteinases, and reactive oxygen species were also
related to the chronic stress response and depression.
Behavioural strategies, psychological, and
psychopharmacotherapeutic interventions that enhance effective coping and
reduce affective distress showed beneficial effects in cancer patients.
A better understanding of the
bidirectional communication between the neuroendocrine and immune systems
could contribute to novel clinical and treatment strategies in oncology. (Lynn:
my emphasis)
Stress and the
Immune System
When cortisol levels are raised by
continued exposure to stressors, the body's production of a factor called SigA,
or Secretory IgA, declines. An overall deficiency of SigA indicates that
the mucosal barriers which protect your body from attack by bacteria, pathogens,
toxins and infections, are no longer functioning optimally.
A one time exposure to stress can
lead to a short period of risk, but continued episodes lead to the gradual
erosion of the mucosal barrier, leaving it eventually totally inadequate to
perform its protective function, and your body susceptible to any
opportunistic virus or infection.
As you can see, a vicious cycle has
started here! Stress causes high cortisol production, leading to the breakdown
of the mucosal barriers, meaning increased risk of infection and decreased
ability to absorb the very nutrients needed to rebuild health.
Stress also affects the uptake of
glucose in to the cells, and the rate of your metabolism. This means that chronic stress can be one of the root causes of
obesity and weight gain.
Recent studies have shown that stress causes the
release of a neurotransmitter ( a neuropeptide named NPY) which also has the job
of controlling appetite. The clincher is that blocking the receptor for
this neuropeptide prevents stress-induced obesity.
The authors of the study found
that two weeks of daily exposure to a stressor -- either cold water baths
or an aggressive mouse -- increased both NPY levels and abdominal fat deposits
in mice fed a diet high in sugar and fat. Neither stress nor the
high-calorie diet alone led to fat gain. Stress combined with the
high-calorie diet also increased blood vessel development in abdominal fat
tissue. NPY2R knockout mice, however, were resistant to stress-induced obesity.
L.E. Kuo et al., "Neuropeptide Y acts
directly in the periphery on fat tissue and mediates stress-induced obesity and
metabolic syndrome," Nature Medicine, published online July 1, 2007.
Stress can also affect body weight after the age of 40,
because at that point, the adrenal glands are the main source of sex hormones:
estrogen belly can be the direct result of an under-functioning adrenal system,
one that has been run-down by stress to the point where not enough cortisol
is being produced. At an earlier point in the cycle, adrenals forced by stress
to produce too much cortisol can block the conversion of T3 to T4,
affecting thyroid function and weight..
The importance of controlling stress
can therefore hardly be overemphasized. Anyone who is under pressure,
and feels that their adrenal function may be compromised, or that their
body is operating on the acid side of the ledger, needs to take action.
Lifestyle and nutritional measures to lessen the
impact of stress would include
eating a wholesome diet of natural foods,
chosen from the alkaline side i.e. high in fruits and vegetables. I
have a list here. If you are a died-in-the-wool veggie hater,
look
here for powdered supplements which can help with pH balance
ensuring that the body remains at the proper
pH level by measuring it regularly, and correcting any imbalance with
changes in diet or supplements designed to buffer pH. .
supplementing to support the adrenals, to
include Pantothenic acid, Vitamin C, Zinc, manganese, A and E
with an actual Glandular Supplement (such
as SubAdrene) for more serious cases where the adrenals are compromised
low impact exercise
relaxation techniques, such as inspirational
reading, meditation (http://hop.clickbank.net/?vtmnldy/meditation),
relaxational tapes and Mind
Control -http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/stress_anxiety.php
environmental boosters such as candles,
aromatherapy, a fish bowl on your office desk (virtual or
real), a small shrine in a corner of your home.
Stress Control through Mind
Control -
Accepting and Receiving suggestions for change through Hypnosis
This is the ultimate relaxation technique, where
certified experts guide you to minimize stressors. When I think of the
years I wasted reacting to every set-back in life so extremely that I made
myself both ill and miserable, I wish I had known about this method of learning
to be patient with myself, and finding out how to become skilful at controlling
my reactions.
Find out more about programs to manage Stress and Anxiety”,
all composed by state-licensed psychologists. http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/stress_anxiety.php
While low impact exercise can be helpful
for stress control, extreme workouts, being a form of stress, cause the
adrenals to respond by releasing Cortisol, which is a catabolic (breakdown)
hormone.
One of Cortisol' s duties is to stimulate glucose
production for a quick return of energy: people under long-term stress of any
kind eventually run out of fuel, and the body will attack its own muscle stores
to find the necessary fuel. It is best, if you have reason to believe your
stress levels are unacceptable, to stick to such exercise choices as walking,
swimming, yoga or tai chi. The catch here is that forcing one's body to do
what it doesn't feel up to may actually be worse for one's health than doing
nothing.
One of the problems with stress
and exercise is, of course, that stress robs one of the very energy one
needs to get out there and do it.
Stress leads to burn-out, and to feelings of
exhaustion. It sometimes also leads to inappropriate food choices, and
therefore to even less of the nutrients needed to create the feeling of
well-being and motivation necessary to get one's life back on track.
The need is to a take-a-deep-breath and
foster a "do the right thing" mentality. When instinct says
"reach for the donut or the chocolate or the coffee," a pause to
remember the nutrient connection can promote reaching for fruits, or nuts,
or green tea instead. Learning to trust in an ability to train the mind
not to re-act negatively can lead to a mastering of the physical reactions that
are so destructive.
Following these strategies of nutritional intervention, regular
non-extreme exercise, proper diet and mind control can lead to an immediate
improvement in overall health.
Stress
Support Groups - http://www.dmoz.org/Health/Mental_Health/Stress/Support_Groups/
Help
for Mind Control - http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/stress_anxiety.php?hn=1632
Stress
& Anxiety Control through Mind Control - Accepting and Receiving
suggestions for change through Hypnosis - http://www.hypnosisnetwork.com/hypnosis/stress_anxiety.php
Traditional
Worry Beads - What
are they? http://www.yasou.org/geninfo/komboloi.htm
Staying
Healthy in Stressful Times - http://www.byregion.net/articles-healers/Healthy_Stress.html
*Product is shipping with 24 business hours on all in stock product. Back
ordered items generally ship with 5 to 7 business days. If your order will
not be shipped for longer than 10 business days, we will notify you by email.
**See our
Shipping Policy for
heavy items.
Prices subject to change without notice.
