Combating stress: BodBeat Episode 3

Times are tough.  Money’s short … we need to do more today in less time. I’m actually surprised more are not stressed out most of the time. And here’s something to really stress you out. Stress can profoundly affect your health and well being! Do you know that 3 out of 4 of all visits to a primary care physician are for stress related complaints or disorders.  Some put the figure as high as 90%. Yes my friends, stress can kill ya.  And we’re not talking just about stress related accidents … don’t lie, we’ve all had ‘em.  But we’re talkin’ heart disease, cancer, lung disease, liver disease … all can be brought on my excessive stress. So what is actually happening physically when you get stressed? Your body’s tough.  Kinda like the guys I grew up with in Brooklyn. If you were walking in the woods and bear came out after you. You would high tail it out of the woods as fast as you can. That Fight/Flight response gives you the extra energy you need at the moment of crisis. Other bodily functions not urgently needed at that time are shut down … and those functions that help you cope with situation at hand are enhanced … like increasing heart rate and respirations. While a certain amount of stress is healthy … it keeps you alive. But imagine chronic prolonged stress.  Remember, during stress other bodily functions are shut down.  So prolonged stress can weaken your immune system and hamper your body’s ability to fight disease. Most of know stress can cause Anxiety, Digestive Problems, Sleeplessness, Depression and problems with relationships.  But there are hidden problems with stress too. Normally cortisol and adrenaline are produced in the morning between 6am – 8am.  It’s what helps you get your butt out of bed in the morning … and it lowers naturally at night to allow you to go to sleep. When Stress is a constant factor all day every day cortisol and adrenaline are being produced at inappropriate times throughout the day. Wonder why you can’t get to sleep? It what’s more … Cortisol is an inflammatory hormone.  High cortisol levels increase insulin production from the pancreas … which causes more fat storage to occur.  End result.  You gain weight.  And worse .. high insulin and cortisol levels cause inflammation in the blood vessels.  It’s kind of like a blow torch burning away your blood vessels.  Not good.  We’re talking Coronary Artery Disease people. So how do you stop stress? You want to support the adrenal glands as much as you can. B Vitamins are especially helpful, B5 B6 support the Adrenals.  Something important here though: whenever you take a single B Vitamin you must take a multi as well. The single B vitamin will leach out the other B vitamins from your body. Some Herbal Remedies: Rehmannia root, Schisandra Fruit, Chinese salvia a little Don Quai Root, Licorice Root ,Ashwagandha Root  Asian Ginseng root Extract, and Rhodiola Root Extract.  These can help maintain equilibrium, restore inner calm ,  and support immune function, Adrenal Adaptogens increase energy, enhanced mental clarity, promote balanced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function for enhanced ability to adapt to stress Glandualar Formulas provide nutritional support for adrenals by combining high quality nutrients that are involved in hormonal regulation that come from a bovine source. Extremely effective formula to use…but should only be used for a few months at time. Dr. L