Vitamins and Stress

We all live with some kind of stress. Whether you are a stay-at-home mother or have a job that keeps you going longer than you feel you can keep up, all of these things cause stress. So how can we help our bodies cope with such stressors? Vitamins and foods that contain such vitamins is a start.

There are two types of stress, physical and emotional. Forumula supplements such as B vitamins with thiamin, niacin and riboflavin, are actually meant for physical stress, not emotional stress. Patients suffering from the acute stress of surgery or injuries need more energy and more nutrients to help them recover. The B vitamins are especially important for injury recovery because they play a key role in energy metabolism, helping patients get more of the energy they need from the foods they eat. These vitamins are found in foods such as whole grains and enriched cereals, lean meats and dairy products.

For emotional stress, taking stress formula vitamins won’t help relieve this stress or make you feel any calmer. But, there are other ways to relieve psychological stress.

When we are stressed emotionally our body faces many challenges, these include:

* Reduced levels of important micronutrients like vitamins A, B, C and E as well as minerals;
* Reduced levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine;
* Increased levels of hormones like adrenaline and cortisol;
* Increased metabolic rate
* Increased levels of free radicals.

These biochemical changes can cause headaches, lethargy, irritability, high blood pressure, fatigue. Since vitamins A, B, C and E, are referred to as stress vitamins, they cannot be manufactured inside the body. Their intake in the form of supplement pills should help to minimize the ill-effects of stress. A stress vitamins pill is not a solution to stress.

All those these vitamins need to be replenished in the body, they don’t necessarily help you cope with stress in the beginning. To better face emotional stress and help your body move through it
you should first of all get plenty of rest. Eating a nutritious, balanced diet while drinking plenty of fluids with regular exercise is also a great benefit.

Studies have shown that food and stress are linked together. You would be surprised to know that some kinds of food that cause stress. On the other hand, there are also certain foods that reduce stress. What kinds of foods cause stress?

• Many packaged foods contain agents that stimulate or cause stress. The irony is that foods containing people get tempted to consume these foods for various reasons. Some of the food items that are commonly known to cause stress are as follows:
• Caffeine: This is commonly found in coffee, tea, colas and chocolates. Caffeine increases stress levels by stimulating the central nervous system. Excess intake of caffeine will result in hyperactive mood and cause irritation and stress.
• Alcohol: Alcohol, if taken in large doses, disrupts sleep. It will also cause malfunctioning. It has the potential to create interpersonal problems with family, friends and coworkers. This creates plenty of sources for stress.
• Sugar:Sugar may be sweet to taste, but it won't be very sweet for the body. It quickly raises the energy levels in the body in a short-period. But the ultimate effect is negative. This is because the body handles sugar by releasing insulin into the blood to reduce sugar level. Even after the body has handled the sugar intake, the insulin release may persist, and cause a fall in the energy level.


Foods that reduce stress are:

• Proteins: Proteins maintain the body's muscles and strengthen them and this goes a long way in fighting stress. Some examples of protein-rich foods are meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, beans, and soya.
• Carbohydrates: If carbohydrates are taken in unrefined form boost positive energy levels and thus, help to combat stress. Some examples are whole grain bread and pasta, brown rice, vegetables, fruits, etc.
• Potassium: Potassium helps to prevent blood pressure. Corn, potatoes, avocadoes, leeks, fish, natural yogurt, chicken, and bananas have plenty of potassium in them.
• Iron: Iron helps in transporting oxygen via the bloodstream. Iron deficiency can lead to poor intellectual capacity and this in turn weakens the body's stress-response levels. Some foods that are rich in iron are eggs, lean meat, dried fruits, wholegrain cereals, peas and potatoes.
• Zinc and copper: Zinc helps in speeding the metabolic process of proteins. This ensures that proteins are not converted to fat. Some studies say that a lack of copper in the body may harm the heart. Foods like chicken, liver, kidney, oysters, banana, rice, beans, pears, and soy have these minerals.

There is no denying stress in our lives but there are things we can do to help ourselves, so what are you waiting for?

About the Author: R. Fredriksen is the Vice President of Nutrition Dome, a leading provider of Jarrow Formulas, Met-Rx, Pioneer Nutritional Formulas, Lipodrene and other quality supplements. For more information, please visit www.nutritiondome.com.

Natural Remedies for Menstrual Cramps

It’s that time of the month and you already are not looking forward to it. Maybe you have bloating during or before your menstrual period or your cramps are too uncomfortable to bear. There are some natural ways to treat your body to help take the edge off of your menstrual problems, here are just a few things to get you started:

1. Increase Omega-3 fatty acids. The intake of these oils which are found in fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, and anchovies can lesson menstrual cramps.
2. Try Magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral found naturally in foods such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. It is also available as nutritional supplements. In 2001, researchers with the Cochrane Collaboration reviewed three small studies that compared magnesium and a placebo for dysmenorrhea. Overall, they found that magnesium was more effective than placebo for pain relief and the need for additional medication was less with magnesium use.
3. Taking dietary adjustments starting about 14 days before a period may help some women with certain mild menstrual disorders, such as cramping. The general guidelines for a healthy diet apply to everyone; they include eating plenty of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and avoiding saturated fats and commercial junk foods.
4. Salt Restriction. Limiting salt may help bloating.
5. Reduce Caffeine, Sugar, and Alcohol. Reducing caffeine, sugar, and alcohol intake may be beneficial. The effects of alcohol are mixed. One study found that women who drank less wine had less menstrual pain than those who drank more wine. Another reported that regular consumption of alcohol lowered the risk for developing cramps, but it actually increased the length of cramping time in certain women. In any case, alcohol is certainly not recommended for relieving menstrual disorders.
6. Maintain Healthy Iron Levels - Women who have heavy menstrual bleeding can sometimes become anemic. Eating iron-rich foods can help prevent anemia. Iron found in foods is either in the form of heme or non-heme iron. Heme iron is the better absorbed than non-heme iron. Foods containing heme iron are the best for increasing or maintaining healthy iron levels. Such foods include (in order of iron-richness) clams, oysters, organ meats, beef, pork, poultry, and fish.

Non-heme iron is less well absorbed. About 60% of iron in meat in non-heme (although meat itself helps absorb non-heme iron). Eggs, dairy products, and iron-containing vegetables only have the non-heme form. Such vegetable products include dried beans and peas, iron-fortified cereals, bread, and pasta products, dark green leafy vegetables (chard, spinach, mustard greens, kale), dried fruits, nuts, and seeds.

7. Increasing intake of vitamin C rich foods – These foods can enhance absorption of non-heme iron during a single meal. In any case, vitamin C rich foods are healthful and include broccoli, cabbage, citrus fruits, melon, tomatoes, and strawberries. One orange or six ounces of orange juice can double the amount of iron the body absorbs from plant foods. (Taking vitamin C supplements does not appear to have any significant effect on iron stores.)
8. Exercise - Exercise may help reduce menstrual pain. It is not clear, however, how intense the exercise should be to reduce dysmenorrhea. For example young female athletes in a 2001 study were only half as likely to suffer from dysmenorrhea as their non-active peers. However, they were also three times more likely to experience an absence of periods. Exercise may be very helpful for women with menstrual pain due to endometriosis. It relieves stress and tension and may reduce hormonal levels that could contribute to endometrial growth.

Other things you can do that will help your cramping include:

1. Sexual Activity. There have been reports that orgasm reduces the severity of menstrual cramps.

2. Applying Heat . One study found that continuously applying a heated abdominal pad for 12 hours 2 days in a row was as effective in reducing menstrual cramps as ibuprofen (Advil). A warm bath may also be helpful.

3. Menstrual Hygiene. Tampons should be changed every 4 to 6 hours. Scented pads and tampons should be avoided; feminine deodorants can irritate the genital area. Women should not douche during or between periods. Women who douche on a weekly basis are more likely to contract cervical cancer than those who do not. Douching may destroy the natural bacteria normally present in the vagina. Bathing regularly is sufficient.

About the Author: R. Fredriksen is the Vice President of Nutrition Dome, a leading provider of Jarrow Formulas, Pioneer Nutritional Forumulas, Lipodrene and other quality supplements. For more information, please visit www.nutritiondome.com.

Natural Medicine and Depression

Millions of individuals suffer from clinical or symptomatic depression. If you are one of them, you can experience great benefit from some specific attention to their own health as well as guidance from a health professional who understands the basic tenets of natural medicine.

Natural medicine is consistent with the rhythms of nature and how nature is organized. Historically, there has been a commitment in medicine to do no harm, and when you are using natural substances such as herbs and working at a gradual pace, the likelihood of doing harm is almost completely eliminated.

Because depressions symptoms can be all over the board and sometimes quite contrary to each other, finding the right herbal medicine for treatment can be tricky. For instance, some symptoms for one may include chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia, excessive sleep, loss of appetite, excessive appetite, headaches, backaches, joint aches, bowel disorders, as well as feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy. The next person will complain of tension, stress, chronic headaches, chronic stomach aches, bowel problems, chronic nutritional deficiencies, chronic allergies, chronic physical disorder, poor diet, excessive sugar and caffeine intake, endocrine disorder such as hypothyroidism, endometriosis, lack of sun exposure, and assaults from the environment such as toxic metals.

Naturopaths will often start with the individual’s weakest physical link before prescribing dietary changes, exercise, nutritional supplements, homeopathy and/or specific herbs or herbal combinations for treating depression or its associated symptoms.

Some of the observations these physicians are discovering as the common cause of depression are the following:

1. Hypothyroidism - Patients suffering from hypothyroidism very often feel like they cannot cope, life is simply too much, and find themselves withdrawing from the world. Typically, patients experience a tremendous mental shift after appropriate treatment for hypothyroidism.

There are certain nutrients, which are used to enhance thyroid activity. Kelp, seaweed, which contains iodine, is often useful in supplementing thyroid function. L-tyrosine, an amino acid, is also effective in stimulating proper thyroid function and fighting depression associated with depressed thyroid function. A naturally oriented health care practitioner may also prescribe a thyroid glandular. The B vitamins are also very important to improve energy and assure proper glandular function.

Adaptogenic herbs, specifically Eleutherococcus senticosus, better known as Siberian ginseng may also be considered in cases of hypothyroidism. This herb helps to regulate the entire endocrine system, including the thyroid and adrenal function.

2. Potassium deficiency, in particular, is another common cause of depression. Women who are particularly low in potassium can have acute episodes of depression accompanied by fits of crying with no seeming cause.

3. Low amounts of L-tryptophan. This is an essential amino acid and is the precursor to one of the most important neurotransmitters, serotonin. Tryptophan helps to raise the levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is needed to regulate sleep, secrete pituitary hormones, and perceive pain. Serotonin is most often abnormally low in depressed people. Tryptophan is found abundantly in milk and turkey. After a carbohydrate rich meal, insulin causes competing amino acids such as tyrosine, phenylalanine, and leucine, to leave the blood and enter muscle tissue. With fewer amino acids vying for entry, more tryptophan enters the brain and is converted into serotonin. Increased serotonin levels results in increased relaxation and drowsiness. You can try this out on yourself. Try eating a meal high in carbohydrates, pasta with a fruit dessert and see how you feel compared with a high protein lunch, fish with vegetable.

4. Candidiasis, a chronic yeast infection of candida albicans, also has associated mental symptoms including feelings of disorientation, confusion and being out of control. On the physical level one may experience joint and muscle ache and pain, as well as bodily pain that is not associated with any apparent cause.

These are a just a few possible reasons one suffers from depression. Depression is an illness, which involves the entire body. In naturopathic as well as Chinese medicine, herbs and herbal combinations may be used to bring balance back into the body, as well as counter fatigue and debility often associated with depression. Persons on antidepressant drugs should not stop or alter any currently prescribed medication without consulting with the physician before trying herbal remedies.

Herbs are very much like the foods we eat, and in fact some of what we eat such as parsley, ginger, garlic, onion, thyme, rosemary are actually herbs and can be used therapeutically. Like food, herbs contain different therapeutic substances such as: vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, and active ingredients such as: volatile oils, alkaloids, flavonoids, bitters, mucilage, saponins, anthraquinones and tannins. Herbs may be used in many forms, such as teas, tinctures, capsules, tablets, caplets, lozenges, syrups, compresses, poultices, sprays, liniments, and oils.

It is important to remember that herbal preparations, whether they are intended for the common cold or depression, cannot stand alone in their effectiveness as a treatment. Herbs are a piece of the puzzle which includes a balanced diet suitable to one's lifestyle and body type, exercise, and designated periods of rest in whatever form that may take. But at least it is a start. If you suffer from depression, talk to a naturopathic physician and know that there are natural remedies out there for you to try.

About the Author: R. Fredriksen is the Vice President of Nutrition Dome, a leading provider of pioneer nutritional formulas. For more information, please visit www.nutritiondome.com.