Give your Belly the Boot. You've counted calories, walked miles, and tried every new diet. But that bulge around your middle is still sticking around. The culprit? STRESS!
RELAX Soothe Stress and Anxiety.
"Many experts feel that stress is the underlying cause of 80 per cent of all our health problems."
Many experts feel that fear and worry---stress---is the underlying cause of 80 per cent of all our health problems. The opposite of stress--relaxation--is something people today seldom experience. It is almost as if we conspire to avoid it. But before you seek nervous fortitude in a martini, a cigarette or a prescription antidepressant or sleeping pill, you might want to try n ervine herbs, which specifically enhance nerve power.
It's best to treat stress symptoms while they're still comparatively mild with low, nutritional doses of nervine herbs, available in tea, tincture or capsule form. Use as directed or, if our symptoms are already severe, see a qualified natural health practitioner for expert advice.
Camomile relaxes the nervous system. As a natural antispasmodic, sedative and relaxant, it's particularly good for headaches, anxiety and insomnia. Its high concentration of bio-available calcium makes it particularly useful for soothing the nerves.
Hops contain the active ingredients lupulinic acid and humulon, which help make them an excellent remedy for insomnia, tension and anxiety. Soothing and calming, hops can also be a strong sedative.
Kava kava capabilities as a relaxant for anxiety and insomnia are scientifically well supported (see below).
Oats may most conveniently be taken in the form of porridge or oatmeal. The oat seeds can also be administered as a tincture. Both a relaxant and a tonic, oats are one of the best remedies for "feeding" the nervous system.
Passionflower encourages sleep by reducing nervousness. It's also useful for worry, nervous excitement and muscular twitching.
Skullcap contains an excellent nervine named scutellarian. Like oaats, skullcap relaxes the user while reviving the central nervous system. Popular both in western and Chinese herbal medicine, skullcap is valuable in treating insomnia, nervous disorders, "hysteria" and certain types of convulsions.
Valerian root contains valepotriates, which researchers have determined are the compounds that contribute to its soothing calming and sedative effect. Valerian is useful in any chronic or severe condition where the whole system needs to be relaxed: chronic anxiety, chronic insomnia, migraines, panic attacks, palpitaions and vertigo.
KAVA: Warning against use in Canada
Kava kava, the popular herbal relaxant, is making people nervous these days. In the last few years, more than 24 cases of severe liver damage have been reported in German and Swiss users. In Britain and France, kava has voluntarily been pulled from the shelves or suspended. Health Canada is advising consumers to avoid the best-selling herb.
The exact cause of the problem is still unclear. In 18 of the 24 cases, kava users were also taking drugs with known or potential liver toxicity. strangely, there have been no reports of liver damage among the millions of Canadian and US users. Still, it is wise to err on the side of caution. So avoid kava if:
ADAPTOGENIC HERBS
Adaptogens are safe natural substances that have a balancing, homeostatic effect on various body functions and increase resistance to stress. Taking herbal adaptogens should produce a feeling of calm and relaxation. Unlike drugs prescribed for stress, herbal adaptogens can also deliver the "side benefit" of strengthening the immune system. Adaptogens are best taken daily.
Ashwaganda is the primary strengthening tonic and adaptogen of ayurvedic medicine. It is used for physical weakness, nerve weakness and the effects of old age.
Ginseng(Panax spp)is a mildly stimulating adaptogen that improves memory, decreases fatigue and increases one's ability to handle stress.
Reishi mushroom can have a dramatically relaxing and strengthening effect on the nervous system. By relaxing tense muscles as well, it relieves insomnia and increases sleep time.
Schizandra berries also have a tonic and sedative effect, making them helpful both for insomnia and low energy, especially low mental energy.
Siberian ginseng (Eleuthero is widely used to relieve stress, to help people adapt to life changes and time zone changes (jet lag) and to enhance athletic or work performance.
DE-STRESS NUTRIENTS
In addition to herbs, there are many vitamins and nutrients helpful in the treament of nervous system disorders. Studies have shown that individuals taking a multivitamin and mineral supplement experience less anxiety and an enhanced ability to cope with stressful circumstances.
Inadequate intake of the B-complex vitamins can lead to anxiety, apprehension, vague or morbid fears, unusual fatigue, insomnia, indigestion and severe depression. A B-complex supplement can relieve stress and promote relaxation.
Vitamin B1 (thiamine), for example, helps ensure carbohydrate tolerance. The therapeutic dose ranges from 50 to 3,000 milligrams daily, though the highest doses are very seldom used.
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is required for the conversion of tryptophan to soothing serotonin. Therapeutic doses range from 50 to 500 mg daily, though 100 mg is usually adequate.
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin), essential for nerve cell metabolism, has been prescribed for years for patients with fatigue. Using a tablet or sublingual lozenges, the therapeutic range is 50 micrograms to 2,000 mg. A good starting dose is 100 mcg a day.
5-HTP (5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan) is another useful supplement. It's metabolite of the amino acid L-tryptophan and the precursor to serotonin and melatonin, two brain chemicals necessary for preventing anxiety, facilitating sleep, regulating mood and controlling apetite. 5-HTP can be obtained in synthetic form or as an extract from the Griffonia simplicifolicia plant. Use as directed.
The average North American has far less free time than ever before in human history. Most of us are simply too busy to relax and enjoy life, and this has a drastic impact on our health. Herbs are not an anachronistic throw-back to a bygone era. Rather, herbs are a much-needed tool to strengthen our "nerve power" so we can more readily relax and manage the stresses in our lives. Taken internally or in a therapeutic herbal bath, and with key nutrients on the side, herbs are a valuable component in any relaxation program.
BATHE AWAY ANXIETY
The skin is the largest organ of the body. It will readily absorb the healing properties of any herb in a therapeutic herbal bath.
At the same time, the nose will absorb the relaxing aromas of such volatile herbs as camomile and lavender. Throw a handful of soothing herbs into your bath water. you can also try adding four cups of Epsom salts to the tub; the magnesium content will help you rest like a tired child upon its mother's bosom. Rand Smith, CJHN Apl/02
STRESS, the Robber of Health
Here are some tested, proven ways to get your mind back on a productive track
WINNING OVER WORRY
"I've been a chronic worrier all my life. I'd sit there at my desk worrying about a problem in my business, and then I'd begin to worry about going bankrupt. That would lead to worrying about how I was going to support myself, about what I would do in my old age. It would just spiral up."
In his mid-30s, wealthy, chairman of a national insurance acompany, this man would seem to be someone who has nothing to worry about. Yet worry he did, until recently. "If I didn't have business problems, I'd find something else to worry about," he says. "I guess I was spending half my day worrying and half the night too. I was losing so much sleep that I was tired all the time, and my productivity was falling off."
Everybody worries, but a handful of social scientists who came to focus on this topic while studying insomnia are now saying that most of the worrying we do serves no purpose. More than that, they are telling us that we can learn to worry less.
FREE STRESS BUSTING GUIDE
6 Steps to De-Stress
As major health problems go, heart disease, cancer, and obesity get all the limelight. But stress can make you sick too.
It turns out that lots of stress elevate your level of cortisol, the hormones your body produces when you're under stress. And sustained levels of cortisol put you at risk by raising blood pressure, dampening your immune system, and even impair your ability to lose weight. Here are some simple steps you can try to take control of stress right now.
1. TAKE 10. Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. Take several slow, deep breaths to help clear your mind. Continue breathing and repeating the word "one" to yourself as you exhale. Practice this for 5 to 10 minutes once or twice a day, and you'll find your stress levels dropping.
2. TUNE IT OUT. Music has been shown to ease anxiety and lower blood pressure and heart rate. While slow music or soothing instrumentals typically yield the best results, choose a style you enjoy---something that grabs you and takes your focus off the worries of the day.
3. TAKE A WALK. Any exercise, even a leisurely 20-minute walk or bike ride, can reduce stress. But while you're exercising, don't let yourself think about or do anything that normally causes stress; that only counteracts the benefits. Focus instead on your surroundings as you walk. If you're on a stationary bike or treadmill, put on your headphones, and listen to relaxing music.
4. WRITE IT OUT. Putting the details of a stressful event down on paper may help unburden your mind as well as your body. Take 20 minutes a day for 3 days, and use that time to write about a stressful event in your life. Don't worry about spelling or style; just focus on getting it off your chest. When you're done, tear it up, and throw it out.
5. HEAD FOR SIBERIA. Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus), an over-the-counter herbal remedy available in health food stores and most pharmacies, is great for bolstering the body against everyday stress. Take 100 mg in capsule form three times a day for 6 months, followed by one dose a day for 2 months. Make sure the capsules are standardized to 1% eleutherosides to ensure you get enough of the herb's active ingredient.
Get your doctor's permission before you take ginseng for a long period.
6. CUSTOMIZE YOUR WORK SPACE. Studies have shown that people in high-stress jobs often don't realize they're stressed. You could be one of them. One quick way to ease workday tension is to make your desk or office feel more like home. Display snapshots of your last family vacation. Hang pictures of postcards of artwork or scenes you enjoy. Buy some fresh flowers, and put them on your desk. These personal touches can help relax you even on your busiest day.
Source: Prevention mag Aug/01 - read my disclaimer here
FOODS THAT STRESS YOU OUT
The following low-quality/high-stress foods are stressful for your body because they require your sugar-processing hormone, insulin, to go into overdrive. When insulin exceeds a specific threshold level in your bloodstream, your appetite goes bonkers, and all the willpower in the world won't help you avoid overeating and binging.
| Cakes and sugars |
Full-fat Cheeses |
| Breaded frozen fish, fish sticks |
Whole Milk |
| Low-fat flavored yogurt(high in saturated fat) |
White bread |
| Heavily marbled or untrimmed meats (high in saturated fat) |
Liver |
| Cold cuts, spareribs, sausage, bacon, full-fat hot dogs |
Sweetened cereals |
| Poultry with the skin on it |
White pasta |
| Dark poultry meat (leg, wing, thigh) |
Doughnuts |
| More than four egg yolks a week (high in cholesterol) |
White rice |
| Fried anything |
Croissants |
PROVERBS ARE HEIRLOOMS
These are old proverbs that you probably hear everyday. It is refreshing to repeat them to remember them in our everyday lives and keep our spirits happy!
YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY......
Some adages hit the mark,. Others miss.
SPARE THE ROD AND SPOIL THE CHILD
Don't Let bills deplete your well-being:
Four Ways TO TRIM DEBT STRESS
Don't avoid your bank and credit-card statements. Once you have a clear understanding of how much you owe, devise a plan to pay it down.
Rein in those cards. Cut up your cards, if necessary, to resist the temptation of going into still more debt.
Reduce debt faster. Consider sending more than the minimum required payment to credit-card companies each month. Or, investigate short-term loans at low interest rates for credit-card consolidation.
Consider a financial counselor. If debt feels too overwhelming, a trained advisor could help. Prev Mag OC/00
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