16 • October 24, 2013
KITCHISSIPPI FAVOURITES
Kitchissippi Times
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What is Stress? Generally speaking, stress means pressure or strain; and life constantly subjects us to a multitude of pressures. Humans can experience stress on a physical level (i.e. disease), emotional level (i.e. grief ), or on a psychological level (i.e. fear). As individuals, we vary in our ability to cope with stress. How you perceive a situation and the state of your general health are the two main factors that determine how you will respond to a stressful event. Take for example your first week back to school after a lengthy summer vacation. When you receive your first assignment, you’re motivated and ambitious; you finish ahead of time and give it 110%. After an exhausting semester, you may feel more inclined to procrastinate and turn in mediocre work. The stressful event is the same, the difference here is your perception and state of well-being.
What is the Stress Response? The most familiar stress response is what has been coined the ‘fight or flight’ reaction which happens whenever we feel threatened. This stress response signals your adrenal glands to release several stress hormones, usually cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones increase your concentration, reaction time, and temporarily boost your strength. The same hormones also raise your blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. After you have dealt with the temporary stress, everything returns to normal. The real problem is with chronic or long term stress. If you repeatedly face challenges and your body continues to produce stress hormones, there is no time to recover. Over time, these hormones build up in the blood and can manifest as a variety of health problems. • Digestive System: Stress hormones slow down your digestion which is the most common cause of stomach aches • Obesity: Stress may increase your appetite, or cause you to binge on junk foods • Immune System: Long term stress can weaken your immune system, meaning you get sick more often and take longer to recover • Nervous System: Anxiety, Insomnia, and indecisiveness are all common side effects of long term stress. • Cardiovascular System: Stress hormones increase blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol, and blood sugar. All of these are risk factors for heart disease
How can you tell if stress is changing your health? 1. Change in appetite 2. Change in sleep either insomnia or excessive sleeping 3. Anger and irritability 4. Indecisiveness, forgetfulness 5. Teeth grinding and/or jaw clenching 6. Frequent infections and slow recovery from
illness 7. Fatigue 8. Headaches, back pain or other muscle pains 9. Digestive problems 10. Emotional changes including apathy, depression, hopelessness, and/or anxiety
What to do? There are practical things you can do each and every day to achieve good health and mental well being. Yoga and regular exercise help to balance your mood and thought process. Meditation and time for personal reflection also help with mental wellness. What all of these activities have in common is the ability to produce alpha-waves in the brain. Alphawaves are associated with a feeling of mental calmness and clarity. Good quality and quantity of sleep are always important, but more so when under stress. Quality sleep includes a regular sleep schedule in a dark and quiet room. As for quantity, a minimum of 7-8 hours is recommended. Eating a well balanced diet will not only keep you energized, but also help to replace a variety of nutrients lost to stress hormones. Choose a whole food diet, rich in antioxidants, lean proteins, and whole grains. In addition, various natural products are available to help provide the body with additional support: L-Theanine: Have you ever enjoyed a hot cup of tea in order to relax? If so, you’re not alone; all around the world, tea drinking is associated with resting and relaxation. One of the reasons for the relaxing effects of tea (at least green tea) is an amino acid called L- Theanine. Supplements that provide pure L-Theanine are now available and research is providing encouraging evidence that these products can help to safely encourage a relaxed state. Doses of 200 mg of L-Theanine have been shown to work within an hour to reduce the feelings of anxiety associated with a stressful situation as well as some of the physical impact that stress has on the body. L-Theanine supplementation may also reduce feelings of fatigue and ease PMS symptoms. L-Theanine’s effects appear to be associated with its impact on brain activity. In multiple studies, researchers have shown that L-Theanine supplements cause an increase in alpha brain waves, associated with a state of relaxation. Stress can often be sudden or unpredictable; when there’s no time for tea or yoga, L-Theanine can help you feel calm and relaxed. SISU Stress Rescue is a recommended product. Vitamin C: The adrenal glands are a major player in our response and resistance to stress and have one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C among our organs. Vitamin C is believed to play a vital role in the health and
Michael Danchuk, Pharmacist/Owner function of the adrenal gland, and additional intake of vitamin C is beneficial during stressful times. Vitamin C supplementation can help ease stress-induced increases in cortisol and blood pressure and may reduce the risk of the common cold by as much as 50% in those under stress. SISU Ester-C line are suggested products. B Complex: The family of B vitamins are known to help with mental and physical energy. Stress also increases our need for B vitamins. A good B complex supplement, providing 25-50 mg of most of the B vitamins (except folic acid and B12, which are taken in much smaller doses) helps to support the body during stressful times. Suggested SISU products include B-Complex 100, Cool B-50, and Super B-Complex. Rhodiola: As an “adaptogen”, rhodiola can help you adapt to stress. That’s because Rhodiola helps to strengthen your adrenal glands, or your stress management centre. When your adrenal glands are strong, stress is a motivator and provides the drive, desire, and ambition to get things done. Safe, effective and relatively fast-acting, rhodiola has been shown to help improve mental performance and reduce stressinduced fatigue. Rhodiola can also help to reduce elevated cortisol levels in those suffering from stress associated “burn out”. Best of all, this herb combines well with vitamins B and C, and/or L-Theanine, to complete your anti-stress tool kit. B-Calm by SISU is a combination product suggestion. Multivitamin: Our bodies require a broad
range of nutrients to keep us fueled during the day. Eating a well balanced diet is always the best way to ensure a proper nutritional foundation. However, there are many obstacles to keeping our nutrient levels at optimal
capacity, including stress. When under stress, the body uses higher amounts of vital nutrients to keep us functioning. Taking a daily multivitamin can help to top up on a variety of nutrients and keep us healthy. During stressful times, choose a multivitamin with a high potency of B vitamins and minerals in a citrate form for easy absorption. Suggested SISU products include Only One Iron Free, Teens Multi, Supreme Multi, Supreme Multi 50+, Supreme Multi Expecting, and Kids Mini Vits. Dr. Frank Silva, ND graduated from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and holds an Honours degree in Health and Society from York University. As a practitioner, he designs individualized treatments for various conditions to help his patients realize their health potential.
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