Stress, Part 4: Mitigating the Effects

Since the majority of us fall under the, "not-horribly-stressed-all-the-time," aka, Sympathetic hyper-stimulation Syndrome category, there are things that we can do to help our bodies cope with the stresses of everyday life.  Here are some tips that we give our patients who are interested in living a calmer and healthier life.

1.  You have to develop and stick to a routine.
     Routine is something we all need, whether adults or children.  I know this sounds simple; it's the implementation that can be difficult.  Routine helps maintain the circadian rhythm in our body.  If, for example, you get up at 7 o'clock each work morning and, then, go to bed late and get up late on the weekends, you have disrupted your circadian rhythm.  This will affect every system in your body and is a major contributing factor to sleep problems.

2.  Make sure your family has at least one meal a day, together, in a peaceful atmosphere.
     Studies have shown the importance of family meal time.  It's not only a time to eat a healthy meal, it's also a time in which everyone can connect.

3.  Eat with intention
     This means that you don't eat while distracted:  in front of the TV, on the run, while driving or at your office desk.  It takes the brain 20 minutes from the time you begin to eat until it registers that you are eating.  Eat slowly, enjoy your food (and, maybe the company) and savor what you eat.  Believe it or not, studies show that you'll eat less if you eat with intention.

4.  Do not eat inflammatory foods
     Like it or not, all fast foods are inflammatory, period.  They are high in bad fats, salt and sugar (remember, simple carbs like bread, french fries and pizza crust are pure sugar).  Too much animal protein, especially red meat, is inflammatory.  Imbalanced acid/base eating is the most inflammatory problem we see.  Caffeine, sugar, gluten, dairy, sodas, peanuts and pork all can cause systemic toxicity.

If you implement and follow these four steps, you will be well on your way to a less stressful life and, even more importantly, when you are faced with stressful situations, you just may find that you're better equipped to handle them.  There are also some basic supplements that I recommend that will help your body to heal from the past effects of stress and help maintain your homeostasis.  Anyone interested is welcome to contact me.  I'm here to help.
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Stress, Part 3: What do we do about it?

After reading parts one and two, I hope that you feel as though you have a pretty good understanding  about the cause and affect of stress.  I'm writing this series because we see so many patients who have sympathetic hyper-stimulation syndrome as the underlying cause of  many of their symptoms...pain, repetitive injury, lack of energy, digestive problems, sleep disturbances, cold extremities, thinning hair, headaches and so on.

 So, what can be done about an endocrine gland that is exhausted to the point of no longer being capable of functioning, normally?  There is no formula, unfortunately, that can be applied to everyone.  Because each of us and our life experiences are different, the approach to successfully treating this problem demands an approach that is unique and individualized to the person.  We have two choices; treat the symptoms of this syndrome or treat the cause;  it really is that simple of a decision.  It's the therapy that isn't so simple.  The most important step is to identify the source of the prolonged stress.  So many times, people are unable to do this, on their own, because they are so deeply trapped by the symptoms that they cannot clearly see the cause.  Once identified, the hard work begins.  Treatment typically involves stress-reducing therapy, both at the office and at home, and vital supplementation that will support and heal the primary dysfunctional areas.

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to identify and properly treat this condition.  Taking medication for the symptoms will not, in any way, re-balance the body or affect the stress producing hormones being released by the hypothalamus and pituitary.  The results of many scientific studies show that prolonged stress damages our bodies and can, materially, affect life expectancy.  Look at how many people are dying of heart attacks in their 40's or how many women are being diagnosed with breast cancer in their 30's.  No, prolonged stress is nothing to be ignored.  We are under attack in this country...not from without, but from within.  We have the power to change; we need only make that choice.

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Stress, Part 2: Why it's killing us

Before I tell you about the physiology of stress, I need to tell you a little about the neurology of how the body works.  We have many different nerve functions in our body...nerves for movement, processing information, sensing our surroundings and so on...most of us know little about the most important component of our nervous system: the autonomic.  Simply put, the autonomic nervous system is the boss of every organ and system via hormonal information.  It is comprised of two parts: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic.  In a balanced individual, these two parts exist in harmony, neither working harder than the other. What the sympathetic system excites, the parasympathetic calms.  However, we all know that most of us live in an unbalanced world. And, thus, our story begins.

Physical stress and emotional stress affect the body completely differently.  If you overwork your body, physically, your musculo-skeletal system is affected.  If you overwork your body, emotionally, your sympathetic nervous system is affected.  We all know the feeling that we get after someone or something scares us...fear, shakiness, tightening in the stomach, that sense of urgency to run away...it's known as the, "fright/flight syndrome."  The sympathetic nervous system has "kicked in" and, via hormonal information, communicates with parts of the brain (hypothalamus and pituitary gland) to tell the adrenal gland to release epinephrine (aka adrenaline).  So, our pupils widen, blood is sent to our extremities (to run away), our digestive system is shut down, our heart rate increases dramatically as does our breathing...all preparing us to get away from the danger.  Interestingly enough, the exact same hormones that are released in response to immediate danger are released in response to prolonged emotional/mental stress.  If we are under prolonged stress, our sympathetic nervous system is constantly "turned on." Why is this very, very bad for us?

The adrenal glands not only release epinephrine, but also release other hormones...DHEA, steroid hormones, testosterone in women, aldosterone, cortisol and produce T-cell lymphocytes (necessary for our immune system).  No gland can be continuously simulated;  it would, "burn out."  So, in response to a constant stimulation by stress producing hormones, the number of receptor sites for the adrenals to accept information from the hypothalamus decreases, causing adrenal "down regulation" or dysfunction.

Remember my blog of a few days ago in which I reported that 22% of women and 16% of men said that they were under constant stress, daily?  Now, look at yesterday's blog that contains a list of symptoms connected with constant stress...not looking too good for us, as a nation, is it?  If there is just one thought that I can leave you with, it's that we cannot afford to ignore the stress we feel...it is damaging us....perhaps, killing us.

Tomorrow, part 3...what do we need to do?
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All About Stress: Part 1

I thought it a good idea to talk about both the affects of stress and the physiology of stress in order to explain its impact on our daily lives.  I think that, sometimes, we get the idea that if we ignore it, it'll just go away, or, it won't do any real harm.  And, since most of us define health as the absence of symptoms/diagnosed disease, we just don't really understand the impact that the consequences of living with stress has upon us.  Today, I'll talk about the symptoms that stress can inflict and, tomorrow, I'll talk about why and how this happens.  Then, we will talk about what needs to happen in order to live a truly healthy life.

Here are the most significant consequences of prolonged emotional/mental stress:

1.  Sleep disturbances
2.  Inflammation anywhere in the body
3.  Weakness and dizziness, especially when standing from a seated or recumbent position (aka Orthostatic hypotension)
4.  Waking fatigued in the morning
5.  Poorly tolerating additional stress
6.  Frequent illness or infections
7.  Generalized, non-specific muscle and/or joint pain (sound like Fibromyalgia?)
8.  Problems with recent memory retrieval
9.  Low-functioning thyroid (most doctors treat the thyroid when that gland is not the primary problem)
10.  Depression, not from other causes

This is quite an extensive list and, I believe, these symptoms of stress may surprise some of you.  As you can see, if left untreated, these symptoms can and will significantly impact the quality of our lives.  More importantly, there is the potential to impact the quantity, too.
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Short-Term Memory Loss...maybe, it's not "inevitable"

Many of us experience short term memory loss.  Sometimes, we notice this with ever-increasing frequency as we get older.  Frequently, we may experience the worry or doubt that this is connected to an aging brain that might result in Alzheimer's or some other form of dementia.  While dementia is always associated with memory loss, all memory loss is not necessarily dementia.  Let me explain.

Neuro-science now has the technology to map the brain's every function, both active and passive.  What I mean by that is that if, for example, you are eating a lemon, the sensory portion of your brain is activated, enabling you to salivate, taste the lemon and make an assessment as to whether or not you like the lemon.  However, neurologists now know that merely by showing you a picture of someone eating a lemon, those same sensory portions of the brain are, again, activated.  My bet is that most of you had a physical reaction just to the word,"lemon," mentioned in the second sentence of this paragraph.  That's what I meant by a "passive" function.  Because of this wonderful technology, neurologist now know that unless we reach "delta" sleep, our memory will be compromised.

There are five different types of brain waves: alpha, beta, theta, delta and gamma.

Beta brain waves are associated with normal waking consciousness and a heightened state of alertness, logic and critical reasoning.  While Beta brain waves are important for effective functioning throughout the day, they also can translate into stress, anxiety and restlessness.

Alpha brain waves are present in deep relaxation and usually when the eyes are closed, when you’re slipping into a lovely daydream or during light meditation. It is an optimal time to program the mind for success and it also heightens your imagination, visualization, memory, learning and concentration.  It is the gateway to your subconscious mind and lies at the base of your conscious awareness. The voice of Alpha is your intuition, which becomes clearer and more profound the closer you get to 7.5Hz.

Theta brain waves are present during deep meditation and light sleep, including the all-important REM dream state. It is the realm of your subconsciousness and only experienced momentarily as you drift off to sleep from Alpha and wake from deep sleep (from Delta).

Not too much is known about the gamma waves.  This range is the most recently discovered and is the fastest frequency at above 40Hz. While little is known about this state of mind, initial research shows Gamma waves are associated with bursts of insight and high-level information processing.

The Delta frequency is the slowest of the frequencies and is experienced in deep, dreamless sleep. Among many things, deep sleep is important for the healing process – as it’s linked with deep healing and regeneration. Hence, not having enough deep sleep is detrimental to your health in more ways than one. This is where we get into trouble.  As we age, many of us never reach the delta frequency sleep...stress being the primary reason.  We know that if we don't reach delta sleep, our cognition is compromised.  Developing a program to reduce stress is vital, not only for our physical health, but for our mental and emotional well-being. We have helped many patients to successfully reduce stress, improve sleep and improve their overall health.

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Men: You Get Osteoporosis, Too!

"Male osteoporosis has been a silent problem for decades but is becoming more prevalent as Baby Boomers age, doctors say. Osteoporosis-related fractures in men cost $4.1 billion in direct medical expenses as of 2005, with the total expected to rise to more than $6 billion by 2025, according to a 2006 study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research."

"In fact, men account for more than 29 percent -- about 595,000 -- of the estimated 2 million osteoporosis-related bone fractures in the United States each year, and more than 30 percent of hip fractures, according to the 2006 bone study.  Men also have far greater risk of dying as a result of a hip fracture than women do. Experts suggest men who have hip fractures may be older and sicker than women who do, or that the lengthy period of enforced inactivity after a fracture is more detrimental to men. “With men, one out of three are dead after a hip fracture within a year,” Adler says. “And those who survive have a lower chance of being independent.”

These numbers are staggering in light of the fact that there is precious little attention given to men by their medical doctors concerning osteoporosis and the very real dangers that this disease pose.  I can say, after 25 years of working with male patients, not a single one of them had taken any mineral supplementation.  It has taken much more convincing on our part to get men to take calcium, magnesium and potassium supplements than women.  It was also not helpful that the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force issued a report discouraging the use of Vitamin D and calcium supplements to prevent broken bones...not even bothering to mention the possibility of the existence of male osteoporosis. 

I can understand why study after study show no real increase in bone density with calcium supplements because all of those used calcium salts as the source.  I tell all my patients that, years ago, the Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a series of studies showing that calcium salts fail to increase bone density...only calcium from food sources can do that.  This is why we carry only whole food, organic supplements in our office.  I can tell you that before and after DXA scans in our  women patients did show significant increases in the bone density of those who regularly took these supplements.  

Considering the magnitude of the possible consequences of osteoporosis in men, why wouldn't they want to take the right kind of mineral supplement, daily?

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Is Surgery Your Best Bet for Knee Injuries?

I read this article, today, about the comparison of successful outcomes for people with knee injuries who had surgery vs. physical therapy.  It's pretty interesting and something we've been saying to people for a very long (20 years) time.

"You might not want to rush into knee surgery. Physical therapy can be just as good for a common injury and at far less cost and risk, the most rigorous study to compare these treatments concludes.  Therapy didn't always help and some people wound up having surgery for the problem, called a torn meniscus. But those who stuck with therapy had improved as much six months and one year later as those who had arthroscopic surgery right away, researchers found."

"Both are very good choices. It would be quite reasonable to try physical therapy first because the chances are quite good that you'll do quite well," said one study leader, Dr. Jeffrey Katz, a joint specialist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He was to discuss the study Tuesday at an American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons conference in Chicago. Results were published online by the New England Journal of Medicine.

A meniscus is one of the crescent-shaped cartilage discs that cushion the knee. About one-third of people over 50 have a tear in one, and arthritis makes this more likely. Usually the tear doesn't cause symptoms but it can be painful. When that happens, it's difficult to tell if the pain is from the tear or the arthritis — or whether surgery is needed or will help. Knee surgery for a torn meniscus is done about half a million times each year in the U.S.

The new federally funded study compared surgery with a less drastic option. Researchers at seven major universities and orthopedic surgery centers around the U.S. assigned 351 people with arthritis and meniscus tears to get either surgery or physical therapy. The therapy was nine sessions on average plus exercises to do at home, which experts say is key to success.  After six months, both groups had similar rates of functional improvement. Pain scores also were similar."

"There are patients who would like to get better in a 'fix me' approach" and surgery may be best for them," said Elena Losina, another study leader from Brigham and Women's Hospital.

However, an Australian preventive medicine expert contends that the study's results should change practice. Therapy "is a reasonable first strategy, with surgery reserved for the minority who don't have improvement," Rachelle Buchbinder of Monash University in Melbourne wrote in a commentary in the medical journal.  As it is now, "millions of people are being exposed to potential risks associated with a treatment that may or may not offer specific benefit, and the costs are substantial," she wrote.  Surgery costs about $5,000, compared with $1,000 to $2,000 for a typical course of physical therapy, Katz said.

We have found, in our practice, that people who are athletes do very well with physical therapy for extremity injuries.  However, non-athletes and people over 40 typically do not do nearly as well with PT as they do with the integrative therapy that we offer in our office.  We have treated many patients in the latter category who have been unsuccessful using PT for injured knees and shoulders, who have completely recovered after treatment with us.

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Being Stressed or Happy...may depend on your age

I was reading a study done by the CDC, published in Morbidity & Mortality Weekly, that surveyed men and women in different age groups, as they wanted to see if there was any difference in how we all handle stress.  Here are the results:
Ages 18-44
     17% of men say they are stressed daily/weekly
     23% of women are stressed daily/weekly (this also included women through age 64)

Ages 45-65
     18% of men are stressed daily/weekly

Overall, 22% of women say that they are stressed everyday while only 16% of the men say that they are stressed, daily/weekly.

Interesting.  We finally have a study which supports what we women have known all along...we're the ones who are stressed and/or worried.  After all, most of us work, take care of the kids/house hold chores/husbands (significant others) and, figures show, take care of the finances.  No wonder we're stressed!

Also, the study found that older women and men are generally happier and less stressed than younger ones.  I think many of us who are in or approaching that "older" category will agree that as you age, you realize that life is just too short to obsess about things we cannot change.  We know life is 10% of what happens and 90% of how we deal with what happens.

What we see in our practice is the very real and sometimes debilitating results of people who are under constant stress.  Stress can lead to an early death, but it more frequently leads to chronic illness, depression, anxiety and sickness.  Fortunately, it is never too late to reverse the effects of stress, and we have seen how the correct care has done just that, for many of our patients.
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Do you have sub-clinical hypothyroidism?

Many women in their 50's experience symptoms of lethargy, hair thinning or loss, malaise, cold extremities, slowed heart rate and/or weight gain.  The most common complaints I have heard in my practice are cold hands and feet and thinning hair.  After having their thyroid tested, the blood levels appear, "normal."  First, what is "normal" for one person is not necessarily "normal" for the next; this appears to be overlooked by many primary care doctors.  Second, just because the thyroid hormone levels are within normal limits, doesn't mean that a person's thyroid is functioning, optimally.  If you are experiencing any or all of the above-mentioned symptoms, there is an excellent chance that you have a low-functioning thyroid, also known as sub-clinical hypothyroidism.

Too frequently, women are immediately put on synthetic thyroid if they show the above symptoms.  Once put on a synthetic thyroid, your own thyroid shuts down and, eventually, never functions, again.  Another approach is to give the properly dosed homeopathic thyroid which, I have found, encourages the thyroid to begin functioning normally, in many cases. ( We have worked in concert with many patients' medical doctors who monitor blood levels to ensure that the thyroid is functioning normally.)

However, that being said, I have found that many times a low-functioning thyroid gland is not the primary culprit.   Surprisingly enough, many women who have been put on thyroid hormone replacement therapy still do not have the energy they once had, still are not sleeping well, still have trouble maintaining their desired weight and still have some thinning hair problems.  Sometimes, these women also find themselves getting sick more frequently than when they were younger, feeling nervous or depressed and experiencing hormonal imbalances such as significant mood swings and hot flashes.  In this case, we have found that the problem is with a segment of the autonomic nervous system.  This is the part of our nervous system that is responsible for all our biochemical and physiological functions.  The autonomic nervous system tells the thyroid what to do.  We have found in our practice that many people have what we have come to call, "Sympathetic hyper-stimulation Syndrome". 

You will not find this syndrome listed anywhere and it won't come up on "google."  It is a term we have coined after years of research and experience with those with persistent symptoms that just won't go away, no matter what has been tried.  Fortunately, there are protocols that we have developed that have been shown to offer effective nutritional support.
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Hair Dye and Breast Cancer Risk

The official word about hair dye is that there is no "evidence" that the risk of breast cancer is increased by the regular use of hair coloring.  In fact, there are a number of studies that show an increased risk of breast cancer and hair coloring, both for women who are occupationally exposed to these chemicals as well as for women who use them.  While there is disagreement as to a possible direct correlation, there is no disagreement in the fact that these hair dyes contain chemicals that have been proven to contain carcinogens.

At the very least, you should check out the following website to see whether your hair coloring contains carcinogenic ingredients.  http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/cosmetics/Tables_cospcp.htm

You can also check whether any other of your personal care products contain hazardous ingredients by typing the ingredients into this website:  http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

I, personally use, "Naturtint," hair coloring (97% chemical free) and organic-only skin care and cosmetic products.  I have links to these companies on my Facebook page.  I particularly like the "100percentpure" products.

Why take an unnecessary risk by using carcinogenic products when there are so many other choices, today?

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Severe Food Allergy Possible Breakthrough

I read an article, today, about how an immunologist/allergy specialist in California has developed a protocol designed to help children with severe food allergies.  Basically, the child's immune system is temporarily suppressed by medication similar to the anti-rejection medication given to organ transplant patients.  Then, small amounts of the offending food (s) is given each day, increasing to a normal serving.  So far, as long as the child continues to eat the food, with no longer than a 3 day gap, they no longer have any reaction.

There needs to be a lot more study done about this method; for instance, are there any long term side effects from the drugs and does the child ever regain any of the allergies?  I'm not a fan of experimenting on our children.  I do know that sometimes having multiple food allergies can severely compromise the quality of life, let alone the quantity.

Years ago, one rarely heard about people with food allergies.  The number and amount of food allergies have virtually exploded in the past 15-20 years.  One has to wonder what event or series of events has precipitated this.  Why is it that children's immune systems have, in effect, "gone over to the other side?"  I believe it's time for some scientific studies to be initiated as to the possible correlation of the addition of GMO foods into our diets and the onset of these life-threatening food allergies.  Back in 1993, rBGH (a genetically modified growth hormone) was allowed to be injected into dairy cattle.  Also, in the early 1990's, GMO wheat was introduced, resulting in a 50% increase in gluten content.  Look at how many of us have become gluten-intolerant.  Gluten causes an inflammatory process in the intestines which, in turn, leads to improper food absorption, causing antigen-antibody reactions.... resulting, in many cases,  in allergies.

I don't know if there is a direct causation between our playing with food genetics and this food allergy epidemic, but it certainly seems that it would be helpful for parents to know why their children's lives have been put at serious risk by eating foods that, once upon a time, caused very few problems.
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New study shows taking aspirin reduces skin cancer risk

I'm sure that more than a few of you who know me and have read my newsletters on the subject of the dangers of taking aspirin are wondering about me, right about now.  I've decided that it's time for us to understand the facts behind the headlines concerning the latest study that is making news...that taking one aspirin a day reduces the risk of contracting skin cancer in women over 50.

The most important fact that we need to know is that all studies are NOT created equally.  This particular study is called a, "case history," study.  That means that researchers decided to check out the results of other research.  Case history studies are the least reliable and the most biased and the ones the media most frequently report.  Double-blind, randomized trial studies are the most reliable and least prone to bias (although all studies contain some bias).  You'll notice that no such trials on the efficacy of skin cancer and aspirin were done.

There are medical studies that show that aspirin actually causes inflammation, although the authors of this study claim that it decreases inflammation.  In truth, in the short term, aspirin does reduce inflammation.  However, long term usage is known to cause what's called, "rebound inflammation."  Just ask anyone who is aspirin-sensitive about that problem.  There are also medical studies which have shown long-term aspirin usage causes a 35% increase in cardiovascular damage. Studies done in Europe on the affects of the use of anti-inflammatory medication, show a significant increase in the incidence of heart attacks and stroke.  So, please, don't place faith in case history studies when deciding whether or not to take aspirin as part of a "health" program.

Here is what was said, in part, about skin cancer and taking aspirin:

The researchers don’t know how aspirin lowers melanoma risk, but they’ve got some theories. (I put that word in bold)

“Aspirin reduces inflammation,” Tang said. “Cancer cells with a lot of inflammation grow more and are more aggressive." Tang added that cancer cells tend to produce in excess the very same substance that aspirin and other NSAIDs knock back. 

The researchers failed to find a reduction in risk with other NSAIDs, however.

The new study, coupled with earlier evidence, makes a good case for aspirin’s anti-cancer properties, experts said.

Still, the effect may not be strong enough to counter aspirin’s possible side effects for people who have been told they shouldn't take the medication, said Dr. Robert Stern, a professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School and chief of dermatology at the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital. Stern co-authored a study published in 2011 that also found that aspirin reduced melanoma risk by 50 percent.

But for those who are sitting on the fence as to whether they should take aspirin for prevention of heart disease, this new research might be enough to push them over the edge since the benefits would now potentially be two-fold.

“I think it is too early to tell women to change their behavior, unless they would be taking it for the cardiovascular benefit also,” said Dr. Jenny Kim, an associate professor of dermatology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. “Before we can recommend that patients start taking aspirin to prevent melanoma we need to have some randomized controlled trials.”

Organic Standards are in Danger

I am encouraging all of you to read and respond to the following article:

http://www.anh-usa.org/organic-standards-in-danger-unless-you-make-your-voice-heard/

Whether we know it or not, everyday our rights to try to eat a healthy diet are under attack by big Farma.  The same way the pharmaceutical industry wants to control all the supplements we take, big Farma wants to control the food we eat and how its raised and processed.  I hope you all take the time to make your voice heard...otherwise, we may be eating more than the 72 added chemicals to our organic foods that are now allowed.

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The Vital Importance of Water

I posted some new information about hydration and substances that interfere with our absorption and utilization of water and how that effects our health and longevity.  You can read this post on my webpage under the "nutrition and prevention" page.  I hope you all take the time to read this posting...it's important.

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