There was so much fascinating information shared at International Convention 2018. But as stress is something we are all exposed to, I felt you might like to know what Dr Isaac Meza, from Sanoviv Medical Institute, suggest we do to manage it. These are my notes from his workshop on the topic.
But first, what is stress?
Hans Selye, endocrinologist & scientist, coined stress “The Adaptation Syndrome”. In his research opinion “every stress leaves an indelible scar”.
J. Pizzorno, Jr., M.D., categorised stress as “any type of real or perceived disturbance that can alter the homeostasis and lead to an stress response that is mediated by both the Central Nervous System (CNS) and peripheral organs”.
Therefore stress upsets the normal balance of the body and is implicated in our ageing process.
But note, Hans Selye made an important distinction…..’without stress, there would be no life’, subsequently it is how we end up managing stress that is important.
Our first response to stress is generally accompanied by physical sensations such as heart palpitations (irregular heart beat), sweating, shortness of breath, tension headache, and nervousness. All this happens in a second.
All would be good if we only experienced stress every now and then, but in our current lives many are experiencing stressful situations on a daily basis. Think of the morning traffic, an in-box full of email messages just waiting to be read and responded to, financial pressure, a perception that there is not enough time to do everything on the list. Running out of coffee can tip some of us over the brink!
Stress is expressed in the physical, emotional, energetic, spiritual and the biochemical.
If a stressed state persists it can turn into generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) which is characterised by excessive and persistent worrying that is hard to control, causes significant distress or impairment, and occurs on more days than not for at least 6 months. Other features include psychological symptoms of anxiety, such as apprehensiveness and irritability, and physical (or somatic) symptoms of anxiety, such as increased fatigue and muscular tension.
The rates of anxiety disorders appear to be rising, and it affects women more than men and, 43.5% of the American population suffers from mild stress. Think of that…nearly half the population of American is experiencing mild stress. That is a lot of people!
Be aware; if you are experiencing mild or moderate stress levels you are already in a disease state. Please read that line again as it is very important!
If you are experiencing acute stress Dr Meza advised for you to deep breath and elevate your legs.
According to Dr Meza, chronic and acute stress creates a flood of chemicals in the body, which we don’t experience when we are calm and relaxed. Therefore chronic stress equals degeneration. It is a factor in:
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- Age related cognitive decline
- Neurodegenerative disease
- Cardiovascular disorders
- Diabetes
- Central obesity
- Depression, insomnia, anxiety
Did you know that chronic stress can create headaches?
These signs and symptoms are an indication that there is significant free radical damage occurring in the stomach. Chronic stress will mess with your digestion, impair the quality of your sleep and fast track you to becoming overweight and obese.
So what’s the good news?
Before I get there, I need to tell you that some people are genetically inclined towards chronic stress and anxiety. Yes, thats right. If you feel strung out and have trouble coping it could be your genes to blame. But are they? Whilst you may carry the stress and anxiety gene, this does not mean you need to live in this state.
Dr Meza said that there are things in your environment that can either switch on the gene or switch it off.
So firstly, what can switch on the stress gene?
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- Unresolved trauma
- Holding feelings in
- Sleep deprivation
- Elevated cortisol levels
Assess and Diagnose
How can you know if you are experiencing chronic stress and putting your body into a disease state?
- Awareness – we need to know if we are stressed. Because we get used to this way of living sometimes we don’t even know that we are chronically stressed. Check in on your body. Ask yourself questions. Find a Kinesiology therapist to help you identify the causes of stress and imbalance in the systems of your body.
- Detection is important to stop the cascade of hormones that is put into play once we experience a stressful situation.
- Epigenetic – do you have the gene susceptibility to stress and anxiety? If you do, what do you need to take to correct it? The answer is taking B vitamins in the correct doses.
- Max pulse (a machine) can tell if your nervous system is in flight or fight mode.
- Getting your cortisol levels checked as the results can indicate if your stress is chronic or acute.
Now to switching off that stress gene.
Prevention and Treatments
Prevention & Treatments
- Cognitive behavioural therapy to learn strategies to manage chronic stress. There is much research to indicate that cognitive based treatments are very effective.
- Appropriate nutrition – eating a diet high in plant-based foods and low on processed foods. This article covers the need for a whole foods diet https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3833586/
- Correct exercise like yoga & other strength based, breathing exercise routines
- Grounding – this refers to connecting electrically with the earth, walking barefoot can connect you with the earth’s surface electrons.
- Meditation
- Praying
There are other things we can do like:
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- Contact with animals
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- Barefoot in grass – take off your socks and shoes and walk on the grass, get your hands into the dirt by gardening, lay on your back in a park and watch the clouds roll by.
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- Sleeping 8 hours for brain and adrenal healing
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- 6-10 exercises per day is enough to shut down the cascade of hormones
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- Deep breathing – breath in deeply (raising your stomach), hold for 5 counts and release 4 counts and do this 5 times.
The above actions help to down regulate hormones and protect our tissues from the bombardment of chemicals that are activated when we are in a chronically stressed state.
Sanoviv Recommended Supplements For Stress/Anxiety
- Multivitamin/Mineral (including B vitamins)
- Magnesium
- Vitamin D
- Fish oil
- Melatonin
- Adaptogens (Reishi, Shitake, Ginseng)
Remember, when choosing your nutritional supplements find a brand that manufactures to GMP’s (Good Manufacturing Processes) and is potency guaranteed which ensures that what is on the label is in the tablet.
If you want to know what I use, drop me a message at vicki@vickiparker.net with the subject line – nutrition for stress and anxiety.
If medications are needed Sanoviv recommends
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
- Seotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
Remember…..Have Fun. Enjoy Life. Peace and Love.
