Coping with stress

Coping with stress

Posted on 27 August 2014 - 04:52pm

Steve Yap

Healthwise

STRESS is a major risk factor for many chronic health disorders. However, it is really a perception issue: it arises when we perceive an inability to cope with the various demands placed on us.

Consequently, raising our stress-coping ability goes a long way in lowering our stressful feeling. Just having a 20-minute walk, jog, run and/or swim daily or being deeply involved in a healthful hobby or supportive club can help.

Recent longevity study also shows that meditation can lengthen our telomere, which is a marker that determines our lifespan as well as our susceptibility to major chronic diseases. Possessing a positive and cheerful attitude towards life events can pay rich dividends.

It’s also common to develop sugar/carbohydrate cravings during stressful times. Excess sugar intake can worsen heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, fungal infection, or tumour/cancer growth. Allowing bacteria in our teeth, gum, and gut to flourish can adversely affect our heart too.

A diet low on refined carbohydrates and sweet fruits benefit both diabetic and heart patients. It’s now known that only oxidised (damaged by free radicals due to lack of antioxidants) or glycated (attached to sugar) ‘bad’ cholesterol is likely to clog our arteries.

Regular exercise and adequate intake of foods rich in ascorbic acid (chilli, bell pepper, garlic, guava, freshly-harvested fruits and berries) help raise production of the good HDL cholesterol, which is beneficial for the heart as well as for longevity.

Nutritional therapy uses alpha lipoic acid, chromium and niacin to further enhance the effect of ascorbic acid.

Fructose (fruit sugar) has been implicated in research to cause elevated uric acid, hypertension, and accelerated diabetes type II. This so-called ‘natural’ sugar which causes fruits to rot is a major contributor to fatty liver besides alcohol beverages.

Refrain from having packaged fruit juices for breakfast , especially if you also suffer from pre-diabetic, insulin resistance, hypoglycaemia, diabetic, kidney disease, or high blood pressure.

High intake of refined sugar/starch lowers our defence against infection, besides promoting fungal or yeast infection (candidiasis) commonly found in people living the tropics.

Calcium supplement may lower production of digestive enzymes from both the stomach and pancreas. Even calcium in milk has been shown to promote prostate enlargement/tumour in men.

Research suggests that taking a calcium supplement should be accompanied by adequate intake of vitamins K2 and D3 in order to reverse osteoporosis and calcified plaques in arteries.

Magnesium intake may be good for elderly people since this mineral is responsible for activating more than 350 enzymes in the body. It also lowers elevated cholesterol and hypertension, stabilises irregular heartbeat, reduces muscle/artery spasms and kidney stones, and also binds to other minerals to build stronger bones.

Cocoa (not chocolate drink), organic nuts, seeds and beans are a rich source of magnesium.

Research has shown that men who consume raw nuts regularly lower their heart disease risk. But avoid deep-fried nuts or seeds since they may contain harmful rancid (oxidised) or trans fats which clog arteries.

Stress hormone such as cortisol tears down protein in our body, which leads to a higher demand for protein-rich food when stressed. High-blood cortisol can cause adrenal fatigue leading to diminishing cortisol production. This might lead to the development of autoimmune disorders.

Nutritional therapist uses ascorbic acid, gensenosides, eluthero and other adaptogenic herbs to rejuvenate the stressed-out adrenal glands and to balance their abnormal stress hormone production.

Ribose (d-ribose), which is a sugar produced by our body to feed the heart and other vital organs, may be supplemented to replenish deficient cellular energy levels and for those with ischemic heart disease or congestive heart failure. Other useful energising nutrients include Co-Q10 ubiquinol, creatine, and L-carnitine.

Having adequate sleep at night helps us to cope with stress since it lowers stress hormone production. Avoid strong tea or coffee since it lowers melatonin production leading to insomnia.

Sleep-promoting foods rich in the essential (can’t be produced by the human body) amino acid L-tryptophan include soy isolate, soy protein, tofu, fresh corn, brown rice, egg white, sea algae, sesame, pumpkin seeds, bean sprouts, spinach, watercress, seaweed, wheat germ, wheat bran, duck meat, turkey, game meat, cod, tuna, and crustaceans.

Excess L-tryptophan is converted by the body to niacin, which is a heart-protective nutrient.

Retiring just before midnight helps raise production of anabolic growth hormone so long as the last meal doesn’t contain too much refined sugar/starch which causes insulin elevation.

For chronically-stressed men, their production of the anabolic testosterone hormone is lowered. Intake of foods rich in vitamin C and zinc while reducing refined sugar/starch can help raise blood testosterone levels.

Stress-relieving mind-body therapies licensed with the Ministry of Health under complementary medicine (www.fcnmam.org.my) also help.

These include hypnotherapy, aromatherapy, and psychotherapy as well as physical therapies such as soft tissue manipulative therapy and reflexology.

Biological-based treatment for elevated stress include nutritional and herbal medicine which aims to bring the stressed body into equilibrium through physiological regeneration and hormonal balancing.

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/1153200

Healthwise

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What is Thyroid-Related Fatigue?

May 06, 2008

Not all fatigue or tiredness is due to thyroid malfunction, so how do you tell the difference?

Thyroid-related fatigue begins to appear when you cannot sustain energy long enough, especially when compared to a past level of fitness or ability. If your thyroid foundation is weak, sustaining energy output is difficult. You will notice you just don’t seem to have the energy to do the things you used to be able to do.

Some of the key symptoms of thyroid fatigue include:

• Feeling like you don’t have the energy to exercise, and typically not exercising on a consistent basis.

• A heavy or tired head, especially in the afternoon, as your head is a very sensitive indicator of thyroid hormone status.

• Falling asleep as soon as you sit down and don’t have to do anything.

If you wake up energized, maintain decent energy throughout the day, are able to maintain mental alertness/sharpness, have energy as needed to meet demands, and your muscles feel fit, you do not have thyroid-related fatigue. However, the more you do not feel like this, the greater chance there is a thyroid-related problem.

Your thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland that produces hormones that influence essentially every organ, tissue and cell in your body. Thyroid disease, if left untreated, can lead to heart disease, infertility, muscle weakness, osteoporosis and, in extreme cases, coma or death -- yet it’s estimated that half of the cases in the United States remain undiagnosed.

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) affects some 80 percent of people with thyroid disease. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include fatigue, forgetfulness, depression, constipation, and changes in weight and appetite.

How do You Know if Your Thyroid is Not Working Properly?

Your body will likely let you know, and fatigue is the most common sign, followed by depression and muscle weakness. Along with the symptoms above, signs of an underactive thyroid also include:

• Difficulty losing weight despite proper diet and exercise
• Sensitivity to cold
• Dry, rough or scaly skin, and dry, tangled hair
• Hair loss, particularly from the outer part of your eyebrows
• Brittle nails

The most common conventional way physicians diagnose hypothyroidism is with a thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) test that is elevated beyond the normal reference range.

The range for acceptable thyroid function is between 0.3 and 3.04. In my experience, most adults with levels over 3 have hypothyroidism, and many with levels from 1.5 to 3.0 seem to benefit from thyroid support.

Be Wary of Using Hormones to Treat Hypothyroidism

Nearly every conventional medical doctor will use synthetic thyroid to treat the symptoms of underactive thyroid.

Unfortunately, in my experience, this will not help the bulk of people who are suffering with these symptoms, and to understand why you need to know a bit more about the role of your thyroid and how it functions.

Your thyroid produces several hormones, of which two are key: triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). These hormones help oxygen get into cells, and make your thyroid the master gland of metabolism.

However, most people can’t effectively convert the pure T4 in the synthetic thyroid preparations to T3. A natural thyroid hormone may be a better bet and I encourage all patients taking synthetic thyroid prescriptions like Synthroid to find a natural medical doctor and switch to Armour thyroid.  Clearly this doesn’t work for everyone, just most in my experience.

But even when using natural thyroid preparations there are concerns.

You see, once you remain on a thyroid hormone for a period of years, your thyroid will tend to become progressively less functional. In time, it will probably stop producing any functional hormones whatsoever, which could condemn you to taking thyroid hormone for the rest of your life.

Natural Methods to Restore Your Thyroid

The first and most basic step you can take is to clean up your diet. This means reducing your intake of processed and refined foods, while following a nutrition plan that is right for your nutritional type.

You can also:

1. Make sure you’re getting enough selenium and iodine, which provide the raw materials for your thyroid gland to work better.

2. Get plenty of omega-3 fats from high quality sources like krill oil. A variety of studies and physiological principles suggest that omega-3 fat in doses of 3-5 grams per day would be helpful in restoring thyroid function.

3. Get a sound night’s sleep, in complete darkness.

4. Address your emotional stress. The vast majority of people's thyroid glands become impaired as a result of weak adrenal glands. The thyroid gland tries to compensate for this and eventually just gives up and stops working.

Well, adrenal impairment is frequently due to emotional stress, and unless you have these previous emotional challenges resolved, there is little likelihood of recovering your thyroid function without hormonal replacement.

[-] Sources and References

• The Environmental Illness Resource April 18, 2008

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/05/06/what-is-thyroid-related-fatigue.aspx

Are You Getting the Most from Your Blood Tests?

September 1, 2013

Even doctors may miss signs of health problems.

 

Unless your doctor tells you there’s a problem, you may not give much thought to the blood tests that you receive periodically.

 

But standard blood tests and certain other blood tests that you may request from your doctor can offer valuable—even lifesaving—clues about your health, including explanations for such vexing conditions as short-term memory loss and fatigue.

 

What you may not realize: If your doctor says that your test results are “normal,” this is not the same as “optimal” or even “good.”

 

For example, a total cholesterol reading of 200 mg/dL is considered normal, even though the risk of developing heart disease is sometimes higher at this level than it would be if your numbers were lower. Always ask your doctor what your target should be.

 

Blood test results that you should definitely make note of—and certain tests you may want to request…*

 

 

• Low potassium. Low potassium (hypokalemia) is worrisome because it can cause fatigue, constipation and general weakness, along with heart palpitations.

 

Causes: An imbalance of the hormone insulin often causes low potassium. It also can be due to problems with the adrenal glands or a loss of fluids from vomiting and/or diarrhea. A magnesium deficiency or a high-sodium diet can lead to low potassium, too. It is also a common side effect of certain medications, including diuretics, such as hydrochlorothiazide…laxatives…and some asthma drugs, such as albuterol.

 

Normal potassium: 3.6 mEq/L to 5.2 mEq/L. Optimal potassium: 4.5 mEq/L to 5.2 mEq/L.

 

What to do: If your potassium is not optimal, your doctor will probably recommend that you eat more potassium-rich foods, such as fruits (bananas, oranges, cantaloupe)…vegetables (tomatoes, sweet potatoes)…and whole grains (quinoa, buckwheat). You’ll also be advised to reduce your sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg daily—high sodium depletes potassium from the body. Additionally, you may be advised to take a magnesium and potassium supplement.

 

Also: Keep your stress level low. Chronic stress can lead to a high level of the hormone cortisol—this can overwhelm the adrenal glands and lead to low potassium.

 

 

• “Normal” glucose. Most people know that high blood glucose (126 mg/dL or above) is a warning sign of diabetes. But you may not be aware that slight increases in blood sugar—even when it is still within the so-called normal range—also put you at greater risk.

 

Surprising: Among 46,000 people who were tracked for 10 years, for every one-point rise in fasting blood glucose over 84 mg/dL, the risk of developing diabetes increased by about 6%. Vascular and kidney damage may begin when glucose reaches 90 mg/dL—a level that’s within the normal range.

 

Causes: High blood glucose usually occurs when the body’s cells become resistant to the hormone insulin and/or when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin. Obesity and genetic factors are among the main causes.

 

Normal glucose: 65 mg/dL to 99 mg/dL. Optimal glucose: 70 mg/dL to 84 mg/dL.

 

What to do: If your fasting glucose isn’t optimal or if tests show that it’s rising, try to get the numbers down with regular exercise, weight loss and a healthier diet.

 

Powerful spice: Add one-quarter teaspoon of cinnamon to your food each day. People who take this small dose can lower their blood glucose by 18% to 29%.

 

Alternative: A standardized cinnamon extract in capsule form (125 mg to 250 mg, two to three times daily).

 

 

• High homocysteine. Most doctors recommend a homocysteine test only for patients with existing heart problems. Everyone should get it. High homocysteine may damage arteries and increase the risk for heart disease and stroke.

 

Causes: Homocysteine rises if you don’t get enough B-complex vitamins or if you’re unable to properly metabolize methionine, an amino acid that’s mainly found in meat, fish and dairy. Vegetarians tend to have higher homocysteine levels. Other causes include a lack of exercise, chronic stress, smoking and too much caffeine.

 

Normal homocysteine: Less than 15 umol/L. Optimal homocysteine: 8 umol/L or below.

What to do: If your homocysteine level isn’t optimal, take a daily B-complex vitamin supplement that has at least 50 mg of vitamin B-6.

 

Also helpful: A fish oil supplement to reduce inflammation and protect the arteries. Take 1,000 mg, two to three times daily.**

 

 

• Low DHEA. This is a hormone that’s used by the body to manufacture both testosterone and estrogen. It’s also an antioxidant that supports the immune system and increases insulin sensitivity and the body’s ability to metabolize fats. DHEA is not usually measured in standard blood tests, but all adults should request that their levels be tested.

 

Low DHEA is a common cause of fatigue, weight gain, depression and decreased libido in men and women of all ages. Over time, it can damage the hippocampus, the “memory center” of the brain.

 

Causes: It’s normal for DHEA to slightly decrease with age. Larger deficiencies can indicate an autoimmune disease (such as rheumatoid arthritis) or chronic stress.

 

Normal DHEA: Levels of this hormone peak in one’s late 20s. Normal levels vary widely with age and gender. Optimal DHEA: The high end of the normal range is optimal—it reflects a reserve of DHEA. Examples: 200 mcg/dL to 270 mcg/dL for men…and 120 mcg/dL to 180 mcg/dL for women.

 

What to do: If your DHEA level isn’t optimal, managing emotional stress is critical. Get at least eight hours of sleep every night…exercise aerobically for about 30 minutes, three to four times a week…and practice relaxation techniques, such as yoga and meditation.

 

Also helpful: A daily supplement (25 mg to 50 mg) of DHEA. If you take this supplement, do so only under a doctor’s supervision—you’ll need regular blood tests to ensure that your DHEA level doesn’t get too high.

 

 

• High LDL-P (LDL particle number). Traditional cholesterol tests look only at triglycerides and total LDL and HDL cholesterol. I advise patients to get a fractionated cholesterol test for a more detailed picture.

 

Important: Patients with a large number of small LDL particles have an elevated risk for a heart attack even if their overall LDL level is normal. The greater the number of these cholesterol particles, the more likely they are to lodge in the lining of blood vessels and eventually trigger a heart attack.

 

Causes: Genetics is partly responsible for high LDL and LDL-P. A poor reading can be due to metabolic syndrome, a group of factors that includes abdominal obesity, elevated triglycerides and high blood pressure. A diet high in animal fats and processed foods also can cause an increase in LDL-P.

 

Normal LDL-P: Less than 1,300 nmol/L. Optimal LDL-P: Below 1,000 nmol/L on an NMR lipoprofile (this test is the most accurate).

 

What to do: If your LDL-P level is not optimal (and you have not had a coronary event), I recommend exercise…weight loss…blood pressure and blood sugar management…more antioxidant-rich foods such as vegetables, berries and legumes…and three to five cups of green tea daily—it’s a potent antioxidant that minimizes the oxidation of cholesterol molecules, which is important for reducing heart attacks.

 

Also: Daily supplements of bergamot extract, which has been shown to change the size of cholesterol particles (Earl Grey tea, which is flavored with oil of bergamot, provides a less potent dose)…and aged garlic extract, which has a beneficial effect on multiple cardiovascular risk factors. If these steps do not sufficiently improve your LDL-P level, talk to your doctor about taking a statin and/or niacin.

 

*These blood tests typically are covered by health insurance.

 

**Check with your doctor before using fish oil, especially if you take a blood thinner—fish oil can interact with it and certain other medications.

 

Source: James B. LaValle, RPh, CCN, a clinical pharmacist, nutritionist and founder of LaValle Metabolic Institute, an integrated-care practice in Cincinnati. He is the author of Your Blood Never Lies: How to Read a Blood Test for a Longer, Healthier Life (Square One). JimLaValle.com

http://www.bottomlinepublications.com/content/article/health-a-healing/are-you-getting-the-most-from-your-blood-tests

Is Adrenal Fatigue Making You Chronically Stressed

17 February 2013

 

Danica Collins | 0 CommentsMore

 

Can “Fight or Flight” Make You Chronically Stressed and Exhausted?

Adrenal fatigue is a term used in alternative and holistic medicine to describe the affect of chronic stress on the adrenal glands.

The adrenal glands are part of your endocrine system and are located on top of your kidneys. The endocrine system affects every cell in your body. Approximately the size of walnuts, these glands are small but powerful.

Hydrocortisone (cortisol), corticosterone, aldosterone and epinephrine (adrenaline) are produced and secreted by your adrenal glands and crucial to your total body health. They affect far more than the “fight or flight” response.

Functions Regulated by Adrenal Glands

• Cardiovascular system
• Metabolism
• Immune system
• Inflammation
• Physical and mental responses to stress

When we deal with an isolated stressful event – such as a car accident, final exam or job interview – our body reacts with a combination of hormone secretions and physiological markers such as increased heart rate. In the short term, the hormone levels rise to handle the event then gradually return to normal.

How Adrenal Fatigue Wreaks Havoc On Your Immune System

Chronic stress indicates that cortisol levels do not return to normal. They remain elevated – an unnatural state for your body – and eventually your body is unable to regulate them at all.

This compromises your immune system and triggers chronic inflammation, which leads to disease and the gradual inability to produce these essential hormones at all. When your stress hormones remain elevated for too long, your entire body is adversely affected.

5 Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

1. Immune system – habitual illness such as bronchitis or chronic cough, inability to “bounce back” after being sick, acne, worsening allergies or asthma symptoms, muscle weakness, unexplained muscle aches and headaches
2. Mood – short temper, anxiety, feelings of sadness, overwhelmed or panic
3. Brain function – inability to concentrate and poor memory
4. Energy and sleep – poor sleep patterns, lack of energy, tiredness no matter how many hours of sleep you get
5. Weight and nutrition – abdominal weight gain, increased caloric intake at night, craving for carbohydrates, high-sugar or high-salt foods, caffeine dependence, excessive thirst, indigestion and hypoglycemia

Fortunately, adrenal fatigue is reversible with diet, exercise and mind-body therapy such as yoga, tai chi and focused meditation. People with adrenal fatigue tend to be vitamin deficient. By controlling your diet, you can improve your vitamin levels quickly and safely.

Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies Common with Adrenal Fatigue

• Vitamin E – seeds and nuts (especially California almonds), spinach, green olives, dried apricots and dried herbs such as basil and oregano.
• Vitamin C – camu camu, berries, guava, leafy greens, oranges, kiwi and peppers
• Calcium – dairy products, dried herbs, seeds and nuts, leafy greens and herring
• Magnesium – bran (wheat, rice, oat), seeds and nuts, dried herbs and dark chocolate
• B-Complex – there are eight vitamins that compose B-complex so eating a wide variety of foods will ensure you get what your body needs. Some examples are watermelon, beans, dairy products, leafy greens, fatty fish, eggs, seeds and nuts, avocados, bananas and tomatoes

Avoiding junk food high in fat and sugar, adding more fruits and vegetables every day and getting true rest is crucial to total body health, but is especially important for stress management.

Remove negativity in as many ways as possible and remember to give yourself personal time to cope with the demands placed on you every day.

With daily changes, you can reverse adrenal fatigue and take back your life.

Further Related Reading:

• Easy Deep Breathing Techniques to Lower Your Stress Level in 10 Seconds a Day
• Greeks Knew All About Rosemary Benefits…Now Making A Comeback
• How Can You Stop Chronic Stress from Destroying Your Memory

Source:  Is Adrenal Fatigue Making You Chronically Stressed

Adrenal Fatigue Part 2

Dr. Michael Cutler | Dec 24, 2012

Previously, I discussed the symptoms and signs of adrenal fatigue. Unfortunately, the treatment of adrenal fatigue is not taught in mainstream medical schools. Effective treatment takes from many months to a year or two, but it is not complicated. In this article I’ll outline a safe and effective way to reverse this condition with treatment.

Adrenal Fatigue Testing

If you suffer many symptoms of adrenal fatigue, you don’t need to have a saliva test or blood test to substantiate the diagnosis; you can proceed to treatment. The lifestyle interventions and natural supplements used to treat this are completely safe. However, testing is advised before supplementing with cortisol from animal glandular extract, in the form of the prescription hydrocortisone or of tiny dose prednisone. In addition, you should repeat the testing in three to six months, depending on your response to treatment.

Any primary care physician can order blood testing from his standard blood-testing laboratory. You should be checked for plasma (blood) cortisol levels at about 8 a.m., noon, 4 p.m. and at bedtime. A measurement of free or total cortisol levels in the morning or afternoon usually offers the most definitive diagnosis. Even when your levels are in the bottom third of the reference range, if you have many symptoms of the condition, you can make the diagnosis. Don’t rely strictly on lab testing to establish this diagnosis.

A better alternative is to ask for saliva testing at a lab that specializes in the procedure. One that I use for patients is found online at www.accessmedlab.com. However, finding a physician to prescribe this test and who will prescribe cortisol (hydrocortisone) for you may be a challenge.

At the same time you test your saliva for cortisol levels, you should also be tested for other adrenal gland hormones: DHEA-sulfate, testosterone, progesterone and the estrogens. You can find suitably trained physicians in your locality by looking on the physician directory of the American Academy of Anti-aging Medicine at http://www.a4m.com/directory.html.

Treating Adrenal Fatigue

It is important to first recognize the life events, stresses or other causes that are fatiguing your adrenal glands. To alleviate these problems, you may need to ease your ongoing work stress, fix the stress of unhappy relationships and improve your poor dietary choices (such as overeating high-carb, high-fat comfort foods).

You should also get more rest. This means physical, mental and emotional rest. Often, this necessitates allowing yourself to sleep in until 9 a.m. when you feel you need extra sleep.
Eat regular healthy meals and chew your food well. Spend time with friends and allow yourself to laugh and feel happy. Give yourself 15-to-30 minute rests during your workday. During that time, implement relaxation techniques like slow, deep abdominal breathing performed while lying down.

Plan to give yourself a specific time to enjoy yourself each day. Plan low-competition exercise on a regular basis and make it fun. Remember, you aren’t exercising to get your muscles in shape. You merely want to relax and enjoy yourself.

Get to bed early, sometimes as early as 9 p.m.

Nutrition For Adrenal Support

For dietary starters, avoid hydrogenated fats, caffeine and junk foods in general. Make at least half of your food intake come from raw fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and sprouted grains. The rest should be from whole food sources as much as possible.

Whole foods are closest to their natural source. The more that foods are processed, cooked, refined or chemicalized with dyes or preservatives, the less you can call them whole foods.

For optimal healing of the adrenal glands, replace white-flour foods, table sugar and all other refined carbohydrates with natural sugar from whole fruits or Stevia (from stevia leaf). Cold pressed oils (almond, walnut and flax), nuts, seeds and other whole foods are also important.

Supplements for adrenal support

• Vitamin C, 3 to 4 grams daily
• Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), 1.5 grams daily
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), 250 milligrams daily
• Vitamin B7 (biotin), 1,000 micrograms daily
• Vitamin B complex
• Vitamin E with mixed tocopherols, 800 IU daily
• Phenylalanine (an essential amino acid), 2 grams daily
• Minerals taken separately: calcium (800 mg daily); magnesium (400 mg daily); trace minerals

Herbal remedies for adrenal support

• Licorice (Be cautious, this herb can worsen high blood pressure.)
• Ashwagandha
• Maca
• Siberian ginseng
• L-theanine, 200 to 400 milligrams daily

Glandular Extracts And Cortisol Replacement

Cortisol is found in animal glandular extracts that can be purchased at health food stores. The best extracts contain adrenal gland, hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid and even gonadal tissue.
Lab testing is recommended whenever you are taking hormone replacement, especially with glandulars. This is because animal glandular tissues do not have a clear amount of cortisol and other hormones.

Cortisol (hydrocortisone) can also be taken as a prescription at physiological replacement doses such as 5 to 10 milligrams twice daily, or as prednisone, 1 to 2 milligrams twice daily.

You can see that there is a way to healing and that simply taking cortisol replacement could actually cause your adrenals to be weaker over time if you are not also building your adrenal strength with herbs, good nutrition and stress reduction.

To feeling good for life,

Michael Cutler, M.D.
Easy Health Options

Source: Adrenal Fatigue Part 2


For Adrenal Fatigue Part 1, see: Adrenal Fatigue - Part 1

Adrenal Fatigue - Part 1

Dr. Michael Cutler | Dec 17, 2012 | Comments 5

In my previous article I discussed Susan, a 38-year-old woman with insomnia that gradually increased over the past two years. Her sleeplessness came from adrenal fatigue. Disruption of the adrenal hormones can result in adrenal fatigue, which frequently interferes with sleep. This article about adrenal fatigue explores the hormones involved and the symptoms of this condition so you can recognize it.

Adrenal Gland Hormones And Stress

Each of your adrenal glands sits on top of a kidney. They each have a middle (medulla) and outer (cortex) portion that performs separate functions.

In moments of stress, the adrenal medulla produces epinephrine (adrenaline), a necessary contributor to your fight-or-flight mode. Adrenaline does some amazing things really fast in your body: It increases the heart rate and the force of each contraction, constricts your blood vessels, opens your small lung airways, converts fat and glycogen into glucose for energy use, increases your metabolic rate (momentarily), and dilates your pupils.

Your adrenal cortex produces your sex hormones, fluid-balance hormones and cortisol.

I would like to focus on cortisol, especially on what happens when cortisol is low. Cortisol is your anti-stress hormone. It is secreted by the adrenal gland as a response to physical or mental stress in order to quickly free up your energy reserves. It stimulates appetite, improves digestion and acts as an anti-inflammatory (i.e. hydrocortisone).

Incidentally, you may already know a little about the anti-inflammatory effects of cortisol because of a similar molecule administered by doctors called prednisone. When prednisone is used at the usual doses of 10 to 60 mg daily doses for short durations, it dramatically stops the allergic reactions and inflammation that lead to rashes, asthma, joint pain and almost any autoimmune disease. Cortisol is similar to this substance. However, the physiological replacement dose is equal to only 1 to 3 mg of prednisone and is much safer for long-term use (unlike prednisone).

Cortisol is secreted from your adrenal gland into your bloodstream in highest amounts in the morning when you need it to get going with your day. There is a normal drop to a low level in the evening so your body can prepare for sleep.

Effects Of Cortisol Insufficiency

First, cortisol is mood calming. It lowers the excessive output of adrenaline a stimulating neurotransmitter.

Insufficient cortisol is a known major cause of emotional outbursts in the face of mental or physical stress. ^[1] Insufficient cortisol may also cause you to react to stress with a variety of inappropriate or excessive emotions. Depression, extreme moodiness, memory loss, confusion, absentmindedness, excessive anxiety and panic attacks have been seen to resolve with cortisol supplementation.

What happens when you stress yourself mentally or physically for many years? The natural effect for a large percentage of people is simply that the adrenal gland cannot keep up the demand for cortisol.

There are some typical life conditions that predispose a person for getting adrenal fatigue and cortisol insufficiency. These can include one or more major stressful events or long periods of stress. It may stem from being overworked with little play or relaxation for long periods of time.

Chronic physical illness or post-traumatic stress syndrome can also be a set-up for adrenal fatigue.

Alcoholism or drug abuse, prolonged use of steroid therapy (i.e., prednisone, etc.) are other predisposing conditions.

Physical Effects

The physical effects of insufficient cortisol are many. When your cortisol levels are low, you suffer a few or many of the following:

• Your ability to handle stress is decreased; you are less productive at work.
• You don’t think as clearly as you used to, especially when hurried or under pressure.
• You tend to shake or get nervous stomach indigestion when under pressure.
• Your sex drive is noticeably less than it used to be.
• You feel lightheaded when rising quickly from a sitting or lying position.
• You may experience difficulty waking up in the morning, much more energy after the noon meal and an afternoon energy lull from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• You suffer from being chronically fatigued and cannot relieve tiredness by sleeping.
• You need to lie down after mental or emotional stress.
• Your muscles are weaker than they should be.
• You have an increased frequency or severity of allergic reactions.
• A white line remains for a minute or more when you scratch your skin.
• Your blood pressure is low.
• You get low energy or moody if you do not eat regularly.
• Feelings of hopelessness or despair increase.
• You have decreased tolerance; you get more easily irritated by people than you used to.
• Sweet and salty food cravings strike you.
• Stress headaches interrupt your day.
• You break out with skin rashes, eczema, psoriasis, vitiligo (white spots), keloids (thick scars) or irregular brown spots.
• You experience heavy sweating in armpits.

I have characterized the person with adrenal fatigue. It is a real physical condition. Unfortunately, few doctors know much about because it is not taught in the mainstream medical schools. (When it comes to the adrenals, medical schools teach only about Addison’s disease, or complete adrenal failure).

The treatment is not complicated, but it does require some real lifestyle intervention, some natural supplements and tests. I’ll cover this in my next article for Easy Health Options.
To feeling good for life,

Michael Cutler, M.D.
Easy Health Options

---

[1] Hertoghe, Thierry: The Hormone Handbook, International Medical Publications, U.K., 2006

http://easyhealthoptions.com/general-health/adrenal-fatigue/


For Adrenal Fatigue Part 2, see: Adrenal Fatigue Part 2

Vitamin C is not just for Colds

 

Vitamin C is NOT just for Colds! 

 

Vitamin C, also known nutritionally as Ascorbic Acid, is a water-soluble nutrient and powerful anti-oxidant. A primary function of Vitamin C is maintaining collagen, a protein necessary for the formation of connective tissue in skin, ligaments and bones.

 

It is essential in healing wounds, fractures and burns since it facilitates the formation of connective tissue and in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. Vitamin C also aids in forming red blood cells, strengthens blood vessels and prevents hemorrhaging.

In his book “Nutrition Against Disease”, Dr. Roger Williams observed, “Collagen is not only the most abundant protein in our bodies, it also occurs in larger amounts than all other proteins put together. It cannot be built without vitamin C. No heart or blood vessel or other organ could possibly perform its functions without collagen. No heart or blood vessel can be maintained in healthy condition without Vitamin C.”

 

How much Vitamin C do we need?

 

Vitamin C is most well-known for its use as a preventative for the common cold and flu. Thousands can attest to the fact that taking several grams of Vitamin C throughout the day for the next couple of days after the onset of a cold or flu minimizes the symptoms and speeds up recovery. The reason is that Vitamin C enhances immunity. High blood levels of ascorbic acid have been shown to protect against a myriad of infections, free radicals, the harmful effects of pollution and even cancer.

Vitamin C is also called an “anti-stress” vitamin since it is essential in the formation of adrenaline. Large concentrations of ascorbic acid are found in the adrenal glands. During times of high stress, the level of adrenal ascorbic acid is rapidly used up.

Signs of deficiency

 

Scurvy, the disease caused by severe Vitamin C deficiency, is marked by a failure of strength, general restlessness and rapid exhaustion. The final stages of scurvy are marked by profound exhaustion, diarrhea, and lung and kidney ailments.

Most people today suffer from what is known as “sub-clinical” scurvy. Bleeding gums, swollen or painful joints, slow-healing wounds and fractures, bruising, nosebleeds and impaired digestion are a few of the obvious signs of Vitamin C deficiency. Less obvious signs include susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections, arthritis, arteriosclerosis, heart disease, various autoimmune diseases and cancer.

In the early 1900s, a disease known as Barlow’s disease occurred in bottle-fed infants and was characterized by broken bones, bruises, and sores that wouldn’t heal. Pasteurization (and heating of any kind) destroys the Vitamin C in milk and mothers did not know the importance of supplementing their babies’ diet with fresh orange juice as a source of Vitamin C.

Today we have many cases of Barlow’s disease among formula-fed infants whose meager Vitamin C reserves are depleted with each vaccine administered. Only today Barlow’s disease has been renamed Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Note: At this time we have relatively unfettered access to Vitamin C and other vitamins, supplements, and herbs. But organized medicine is pushing global governments, including the U.S., to regulate these products like DRUGS

http://www.naturalcurezone.com/?page_id=959

Your Hormones May Be Out of Whack ...

Your Hormones May Be Out of Whack—and You Don’t Even Know It: Men, This Can Happen to You, Too

When it comes to hormonal changes, women get the most attention. But hormones have a profound effect on the health of women and men.

In fact, these important chemical messengers, which constantly send instructions from one part of the body to another, may be at the root of mysterious and frequently undiagnosed health problems such as fatigue, insomnia, memory loss, depression and weight gain.

Hormones always act together, much like instruments in an orchestra. That is why a hormonal imbalance—too much or too little of one or more hormones—can trip up your health in many ways.

Six key hormones that may be out of whack…*

 

CORTISOL (ADRENAL GLANDS)

The hormone cortisol tells the body to respond to stress—both external stresses (such as traffic jams and financial troubles) and internal stresses (such as inflammation and infections).

The danger: Progesterone (a hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands as well as the ovaries and, in smaller amounts, by the testes) acts as a chemical building block for cortisol as well as estrogen and testosterone. If you are constantly under stress, you generate high levels of cortisol, depleting progesterone and, in turn, reducing the production of estrogen and testosterone. That is why effective stress management is essential to overall hormonal balance in women and men.

Common signs of imbalance: High cortisol levels can cause excess belly fat, high blood pressure, insomnia, irritability, low libido and weakened immunity. Low cortisol levels—from exhausted adrenal glands that can no longer manufacture enough of the hormone—can cause such problems as allergies, apathy and chronic fatigue.

My advice: Make stress management a priority. Simple techniques…

• Breathe deeply. Simply breathe in for a count of four, hold for a count of six and breathe out for a count of six. Do this five times whenever you’re feeling stressed.
• Create boundaries. Feeling helpless and out of control is extremely stressful. Identify your major source of stress—such as a difficult relationship—and create boundaries to regain control. If a friend causes stress by always complaining, for example, tell her the topics you’re willing to listen to—and those you’re not.
• Get enough sleep. Sufficient sleep is crucial for balancing cortisol—and all other hormones. To improve sleep, keep your bedroom completely dark and a little cool…and don’t watch TV at bedtime. End each day with a positive ritual, such as writing down things that you’re grateful for or taking a warm bath.

 

INSULIN (PANCREAS)

Insulin regulates blood sugar (glucose), telling muscle cells to burn glucose for energy and fat cells to store it for future use.

Common signs of imbalance: Carbohydrate cravings, constipation, excess belly fat, poor memory, prediabetes and diabetes indicate high insulin levels, the most widespread insulin imbalance.

My advice: Balanced glucose levels lead to balanced insulin, and diet is the best way to balance glucose.

• Eat six times a day. Having healthful, smaller meals throughout the day balances glucose. Eat breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, a mid-afternoon snack, dinner and a bedtime snack.
• Include protein in snacks and at meals. It helps keep glucose balanced. Good protein sources: Nuts, cottage cheese, hummus and oily fish such as salmon and sardines.
• Eat low-glycemic carbohydrates. Slow-digesting carbohydrates that don’t create spikes in glucose levels include nonstarchy vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans.

 

THYROID HORMONE
(THYROID GLAND)

This hormone regulates metabolism, including body temperature and heart rate.

Common signs of imbalance: Cold hands and feet, dry skin, fatigue, hair loss, slow heartbeat and/or weight gain could signal hypothyroidism, the most typical thyroid imbalance.
My advice: Reducing stress is key.

Also helpful…**

• Avoid gluten. Research now links gluten intolerance to thyroid problems. To determine if you are sensitive to gluten: Give up gluten-containing foods for two weeks and gradually reintroduce them. If symptoms (such as abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhea) return, you are probably gluten-sensitive.
• Take zinc. A daily dose of zinc (30 mg) helps restore normal thyroid levels. (Also take 2 mg of copper—zinc supplements can deplete copper.)
• Take selenium. A daily dose of selenium (100 mcg), a potent antioxidant, helps to improve thyroid function.
• Test for iodine. If you have symptoms of thyroid imbalance, ask your doctor to test your iodine level. This mineral is crucial for production of thyroid hormone. If levels are low, eat more iodine-rich foods, such as sushi that contains seaweed.

 

ESTROGEN AND PROGESTERONE
(OVARIES, ADRENAL GLANDS, TESTES)

These hormones work together to regulate functions in the brain, heart and every other organ.

Common signs of imbalance: For most premenopausal women, estrogen is too high and progesterone is too low. Symptoms include bloating, breast tenderness, heavy menstrual bleeding and moodiness. High estrogen also increases risk for breast cancer. For perimenopausal and menopausal women, estrogen is usually low, and symptoms can include hot flashes, urinary incontinence and vaginal pain and dryness.

In men, low libido, increased belly fat and breast size, depression and erectile dysfunction may occur with imbalances of these hormones.

My advice: Controlling stress and following the eating habits described earlier in the insulin section are two of the best ways to balance estrogen and progesterone.

 

TESTOSTERONE
(TESTES, OVARIES)

Testosterone affects sex drive and muscle mass in men and women.

What’s often overlooked: In men, low testosterone levels are linked to higher rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, prostate problems—and death from any cause.

Signs of imbalance: Fatigue, low libido, decrease in strength, erectile dysfunction, irritability, anxiety, depression, poor concentration, memory loss and weight gain.

My advice: To boost testosterone, don’t smoke or drink alcohol excessively (for men, no more than two drinks a day). Also helpful…

• Lose weight. For men who are overweight, weight loss is one of the most effective ways to boost testosterone. Emphasize filling, low-calorie foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans.
• Resistance training. Lifting weights three times a week stimulates the production of testosterone.
• Interval training. This type of exercise also helps boost testosterone levels. What to do: Exercise to maximum capacity for one minute…slow down until normal breathing is restored (usually about one minute)…then repeat that two-part cycle for 20 minutes.

For women: Low testosterone can lead to weight gain and loss of sex drive. The self-care methods described above for men also work for most women. This includes no excessive drinking (for women, no more than one drink a day).

If you take a statin drug: Cholesterol is a building block of testosterone—and cholesterol-lowering statin therapy also can lower levels of the hormone.

If you’re taking a statin and have signs of testosterone imbalance, ask your doctor to test your total testosterone. If levels are 400 ng/dL or below in men, testosterone-replacement therapy should be considered. In women, a total testosterone level of 15 ng/dL or below is considered low.

*If you experience any of the signs or symptoms of a hormone imbalance, ask your doctor about getting your hormone levels tested.
**Check with your doctor before taking any of these supplements—some may interact with certain drugs.

Source: Alicia Stanton, MD, a physician who practices antiaging and integrative medicine in the Hartford, Connecticut, area. A faculty member for the Institute for Functional Medicine and the Fellowship in Anti-Aging, Regenerative & Functional Medicine, she is also coauthor, with Vera Tweed, of Hormone Harmony: How to Balance Insulin, Cortisol, Thyroid, Estrogen, Progesterone and Testosterone to Live Your Best Life (Healthy Life Library). www.DrAliciaStanton.com

 

Listing Details

Publication

Bottom Line Health

Original publication date

September 2012

http://bottomlinepublications.com/content/article/health-a-healing/your-hormones-may-be-out-of-whackand-you-dont-even-know-it

What You Need to Know about Adrenal Glands - Video

Health Videos - What You Need to Know About Adrenal Glands

Information

From: iHealthTube Admin	Added: 6/13/2012
Time: 2:24	Views: 1867
Dr. Lena Edwards covers some of the basics about the adrenal glands. She talks about where they are found and what their role is. Also, find out what happens if there's too much stress in your lives and environment. http://www.ihealthtube.com/aspx/viewvideo.aspx?v=01bcbc43b586ac36

Acidity In Your Body Is Your Biggest Health Threat

Bob Livingston | May 03, 2012 | Comments 16


The latest book I read is more than exciting. The problem is that I have had this book a few years. I stay so far behind in my reading and cover so much material and books that I forget where I am on the playing field of life.

Occasionally, I browse my books to trigger old excitement. I have thousands, and I treasure them. I would have to live 1,000 years to read them all!

I found that I have two copies of The pH Miracle by Robert O. Young, Ph.D., and his wife Shelley Redford Young (available here). And, yes, I had already read it and had heavily highlighted it all the way through. But ideas and information don’t catch on until we are ready. No matter the value, it means nothing until we are ready to mentally focus on a subject.

I found new excitement in The pH Miracle and I want to share with those who are ready for it.

Health Mysteries

You know, we could bypass a lot of misinformation in the mystery of health if we could go back to the fork in the road that split off between Antoine Béchamp (1816-1908) and Louis Pasteur (1822-1895).

Pasteur created fertile ground for the hoax of modern medicine that we have today. Charlatans and sociopaths saw the vast empire of wealth that could be created on the theories of Pasteur. Hence, we have the multitrillion-dollar synthetic chemical pharmaceutical colossus that has medically imprisoned the whole planet. We are sicker than ever and everybody knows this, but ignorance keeps us sick and keeps making trillions of dollars for the pharmaceutical conspiracy.

Another thing, the government and the political order is in bed with Big Pharma. You don’t hear politicians exposing this madness that is crushing the American people economically and killing millions of people yearly. Talk about murder incorporated and population control all in the same bucket! And guess who pays the bill?

Origins Of Disease

Obamacare says it all. How much more can these psychopaths put on the backs of the people? As the Nation collapses, the American people are stabbed in the heart yet again. OK, for you readers who are alert, here it is: Pasteur said that disease comes at us from the outside of the body; you know, the germ theory of disease. This is a world-class, multitrillion-dollar hoax that has literally captured the mind of the population. Everybody knows that we “catch a cold” and catch disease, so it’s the environment external to the body. Well, what about all the people who don’t “catch a cold?”

Antoine Béchamp, whom nobody knows, taught correctly that the milieu or internal environment governs life and health and sickness and death. Simply, if we are healthy inside, we are healthy outside; and no amount of “germs” affect us at all.

I quote now from The pH Miracle page 24:

Germ, Symptoms or Disease? Unfortunately, Pasteur was confusing disease with its symptoms, and that central misconception has come down through the generations as scientific law. In reality, disease is a general, underlying condition, not the symptoms we diagnose. If germs are involved, they are themselves just symptoms of that underlying condition. Remember that germs come from within our cells and that germs invading from outside the body can only contribute to a state of imbalance and stimulate secondary symptoms. What most people call disease is really just a collection of these secondary symptoms. Germs are really just the expression of the underlying disease condition (overacidity and microform overgrowth).

Common Problems of Overacidity: Your body faces all kinds of breakdown if it is allowed to get too acidic or is forced to fight too hard for too long just to stay basic (alkaline), or if it gets overgrown with noxious microforms. As I said before (and will no doubt say again): If you dig deep enough, these twin problems underlie just about anything that ails you. Here I want to look at some of the most common symptoms that result:

Weight: You can thank an overly acid internal environment for the excess pounds you are carrying around. In a defensive maneuver, the body creates fat cells to carry acids away from your vital organs to try to protect them. In one sense, your fat is saving your life! But that’s why your body doesn’t want to let it go. When you eat to make your body more basic (alkaline), your body won’t need to keep that fat around anymore.

Weight problems can also result from yeast and fungus interfering with the digestion of food. The nutritional deficiencies created can actually trigger your body to pack on extra pounds, in part because you are always hungry. More commonly, blood poisoned by mycotoxins goes to the liver to be detoxified—and that added stress distracts the liver from efficiently metabolizing fat and sugar.

The chaos in an imbalanced body will exhaust the adrenal glands, and the resulting low levels of energy contribute to weight gain. Another likely villain is fatigue of the thyroid gland, which controls the rate of metabolism. Cravings for sugar, outsized appetites, and low blood sugar levels all follow an overgrowth of harmful yeast, fungus, and molds in the body.

Taken together these patterns all make it easier to gain fat and harder to lose it. To top it off, poor digestion and possibly depression will develop or worsen, too. Those are only a couple of the wide variety of ways the chaos of imbalance can express itself. It is only when we change the way we eat to address the symptoms plaguing us that we finally drop excess pounds—without even trying.

Acid Kills

A translation of what you just read: Aging and death of the human body is the progressive (advancing) saturation of the body with acid. So, is this acidification of the population the great big secret of the pharmaceutical cartel? Are they jealously guarding this secret?

Remember that nobody — i.e., Big Pharma, the government bureaucrats, any politician — will identify the issues. There is no money in telling the truth, except for millions of people who collectively pay with their lives and their fortunes for the cloud of deceit and lies that bombard them day and night.

There is no external threat to human and personal liberty in America. It is all internal, like the diseases of the body. So when we look down Main Street, America, and see a vastly overweight and sick people, we actually see a population of dumbed-down people whose junk- and processed- food diet has them (their cells) internally highly acidified.

What an airtight conspiracy for the elite and their psychopathic stooges! They feed the people acid and make them pay for it with sickness and early death.

The American diet is acid. We don’t need “healthcare” and drugs. We need diet education and diet reversal from acid to alkaline.

Alkalize or die! May God have mercy on us!

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/acidity-in-your-body-is-your-biggest-health-threat/

ALSO READ:

Robert O. Young - author of the "pH Miracle" book - MUST READ 
(Summary of articles on Dr Robert O Young and his pH miracle)