What is an adaptogen?

An adaptogen is a natural substance ( ie. plant or root) which helps the body adapt to stress.

These herbs have been used for thousands of years in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine.

Two of the more common adaptogens are Ashwagandha and Rhodiola.

Some researchers say that these compounds work by quietening a stress activated enzyme called JNK. 

What is glycine?

Glycine is an essential amino acid (protein). Glycine is produced via the conversion of serine (another amino acid) as well as our diets.

Our bodies need more glycine when sick or under stress and  if diet is poor, we can well end up with a deficit of glycine.

Glycine helps form another protein called collagen. Collagen is responsible for our structural form and is found in the skin, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, bones, teeth, corneas, blood vessels, and back discs.

In order for healthy collagen production the body needs a steady supply of glycine. If a body does not get enough glycine, it compensates by slowing down the production of collagen. Lack of collagen shows up as the signs and symproms of aging, as in stiff joints, wrinkled skin, weakened eyesight, etc.

Good ways to stock up on glycine are with gelatine and bone broths. 

Does unhappiness cause poor health?

People tend to think that unhappiness causes disease or illness, but a recent study shows that this is not true.

Dr Bette Liu from the University of New South Wales in Australia looked at over a million women (aged 55-63) over a 10 year span.

The researcher found that only after becoming sick did rates of happiness decrease, not the other way around.  The conclusion of this study is that poor health causes unhappiness. Dr Lie says: "We found no direct effect of unhappiness or stress on mortality".

Therefore, it makes very good sense to focus on being healthy, as a way to stay happy.

It's almost obvious that if focused on health ( good nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, hydration),  that happiness would follow.

Why does "patience" matter?

Patience is the capacity to wait out uncomfortable situations without getting irritated or angry.

Developing patience takes practise, especially if it doesn't come naturally.

Patience feels peaceful and calm and can help prevent stress related illnesses or other conditions. Patience can also help turn off anger.

To be patient can also mean to be persistent , that is, to keep going forwards despite frustration. It can also mean to be accepting of the ways things are in the moment, and then to stay calm in response to that moment.

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience". Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Patience is the key to paradise". Turkish proverb.

What is metabolic syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of 4 conditions which can also be seen as prediabetes.

The co-existing conditions are high blood pressure, high levels of LDL cholesterol & triglycerides, low levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and excess fat around the waist.

In the US about 34% of the population have this condition which is also known as CHAOS (in Australia), Reaven's Syndrome, and Metabolic Syndrome X.

This condition may be a result of stress, age, sedentary behaviour, diet, as well as excessive alcohol use.

The first line of treatment is a change of lifestyle.

What is Magnesium?

Magnesium is a chemical element needed for over 300 chemical reactions in the body. It's also known as an anti-stress mineral and natural tranquilizer.

Magnesium is depleted in people whose diets consist of processed foods, baked goods, soda, more than 7 alcohol units/week, caffeinated drinks, calcium supplements.

Magnesium is also depleted in people who are under alot of stress and who have poor diets.

Lack of magnesium looks like hyperexcitability, muscle weakness, sleepiness, aggression.

Studies done with high risk youth have found diets rich in magnesium are associated with reduced aggression and for reduced ADHD symptoms.

Magnesium can be found in dark, leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and cocoa.

What are some foods which are good for my brain?

As we age the brain starts to atrophy or waste away; this starts around age 30, and then increases rapidly after age 50.  Brain deterioration can look like memory loss, difficulty learning new skills, sleep disruption, scattered concentration, and so on. Certain lifestyles such as high stress, substance misuse, and dehydration can also led to the same signs of an aging brain.

The brain is the most delcate organ of the body and can use up to 30% of the energy we derive from food.

Allergies can affect the central nervous system (brain and spine) and can show as fatigue, slowed thinking, irritability, agitation, aggression, nervousness, depression, schizophrenia, hyperactivity, learning disabilities, all issues we associate with brain function.

There are certain foods which can help with maintaining optimal brain function:

1) Blueberries: this fruit has compounds which boost neuron signals, to help neurons "talk to each other", helping with balance, coordination, and motor function.

2) Salmon: this fish helps the brain have more grey matter in the hippocampus, the posterior cingulate, and the orbital frontal cortex.  Studies are showing people who eat salmon have more omega-3 fatty acid in thier brain which helps protect against Alzheimers. Other studies show that omega-3 helps with mood, bipolar, and alcoholism.

3) Coffee: Studies show that limited caffeine from coffe can protect against Parkinsons, Dementia, and Alzheimer.

4) Nuts: Nuts contain fatty acids which can help with insomnia, poor memory, and mental clarity.

5) Avocados: This fruit contains a healthy fat which promotes blood flow to the brain.

6) Eggs: Egg yolks contain choline, one of the B vitamins. THis essential nutrient helps with memory function.

7) Chocolate: Dark chocolate contains magnesium and many antioxidants which are good for focus and concentration.

8) Broccoli: This vegetable activates cell recptor sites ad therefore is seen as a protective food as well as slows down the aging process.

9) Vitamin C & E: These vitamins enhance memory under stressful conditions. 

What are some good reasons to stay stressed?

1) Stress helps you seem important because anyone working that hard must be doing something very crucial.

2) Staying busy and stressed helps you avoid intimacy because you don't have much time to bond with anyone and you probably aren't much fun to be around anyways.

3) Staying stressed helps you avoid responsibilities because you can't possibly can't take on anything else; let someone else take on all the smaller details of everyday life.

4) Stress gives you a chemical rush; adrenaline is a high, plus it's addictive.

5) Stress helps you avoid success because it can keep your performance level low; this way you'll never have to fear not being successful.

6) Stress lets you keep your authoritarian management style because you can get away with it when in a crisis mode.

What are the best ways to stay stressed out?

Here are some tips on how to stay stressed!

1) Never exercise.

2) Eat anything you want.

3) Gain weight.

4) Take plenty of stimulants like coffee, sugar, nicotine, and soda.

5) Avoid "woo-woo" practices like yoga, meditation, deep breathing, etc.

6) Get rid of your social support system.

7) Personalize all criticism.

8) Throw out your sense of humour.

9) Be "macho".

10) Become a workaholic.

11) Discard good time management skills.

12) Procrastinate.

13) Worry about the things you can't control.

14) Become a perfectionist or set impossibly high standards.

Can you make it easier to understand stress management strategy?

It can be overwhelming or confusing to know how to select the appropiate stress management.  I've divided all stress management strategies into 4 main categories. Focus on the category which seems to make the most sense for you, exhaust it's possibilities before moving onto another category. This may work better than feeling scattered over numerous stress management techniques, which could cause more stress than help alleviate it:

1) Increase body's resilience to stress:

A certain amount of stress comes with normal life. If you don't take good care of your body, you will feel the effects of stress more than someone who takes good care of themselves. Taking good care of your body means to stay hydrated, eat nutritious foods, sleep well, exercise, and reduce coffee, sugars, alcohol. Eliminate tobacco and other harmful addictions.

2) Change the situation:

It's very difficult to inoculate the body against stress if the situation/s are constantly toxic. Abusive relationships, overwork, bullying bosses, overspending, high risk behaviors should be changed if at all possible.  It may not be possible to quit a job, in the moment, in which case working on increasing body's resilience to stress would seem the next best option.

3) Change how you think about stress:

Critical, negative thinking patterns result in more stressful interpretations of events or situations. If you are the type of person who always sees their glass as half empty instead of  half full, it may make sense to challenge your thought patterns. This is easiest done with the help of a counselor. Practising turning lemons into lemon aid, or keeping a gratitude journal may also be useful, if counselling is not available.

4) Reduce the stressor response:

People who have suffered trauma, or grown up in war zones or in highly conflicted homes have sensitive stressor responses. This means their body's are triggered into "fight or flight" mode more easily than others. The "fight or flight" response generates physiological responses which eventually create stress related physical conditions, especially if chronically aroused.  Activities such as meditation, deep breathing, yoga, prayer, acupuncture, Tai Chi, etc. serve to reduce the brain's stressor response if practised diligently over time.  

What is "The Longevity Project" ?

In 1921 Lewis Termin (Stanford University psychologist) surveyed 1,500 elementary school students on lifestyle habits. He continued to follow them until his death in 1956. Other academics continued the study and in 1990 Howard Friedman and Lesie Martin analyzed the data looking for factors contributing to lengthy life spans. They came up with 5 factors more astonishing traits:

1) Those who engaged in service work and helping others  lived the longest.

2) High achievers, despite high levels of stress, lived longer then underachievers.

3) Moderate exercise is as beneficial as grueling workouts, in fact, may be better for longevity.

4) Some worry is better than too much optimism, as it forces one to be prepared for adversity.

5)Women who most often reached climax,  also lived the longest.