 | Monday, May 31, 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 Daily Habits That May Make You Sick
What do we know about using (activating) and overusing our internal systems that respond to stress?
Animal and human research has taught us much about our internal stress systems. When laboratory animals are exposed to a prolonged stress (usually food deprivation, mild electrical stimulation of the foot, or handling), they develop a stress syndrome. This syndrome consists of high blood pressure (hypertension), loss of appetite, weight loss, muscle wasting, gastrointestinal ulcers, loss of reproductive function, suppression of the immune system, and depression. Researchers also noticed that stress of long duration (chronic stress) sensitizes the stress system (makes it more responsive to stress). That is, the system then overresponds to new stressors. They further noticed that the administration of certain drugs, such as amphetamines or cocaine, could also sensitize the stress response. Moreover, constant stress increases the self-administration of drugs in laboratory animals. So, a vicious cycle is induced. The more stress there is, the more mice seek the drugs, and the more the sensitivity (increased responsiveness) to stress is increased!
Early separation from the mother has also been seen as another potent stressor in animals. Such separation has been linked to increased levels of the stress hormones that cause the stress syndrome, which includes depression. Studies in humans are underway to evaluate how maternal stress, even early in the pregnancy, can affect the developing fetus.
Why might maternal stress affect the fetus? The answer is the communication of the blood circulations of the mother and the fetus. From the mother's blood, the fetus gets both the good (for example, nutrients and oxygen) and the bad. The bad components of the blood can include alcohol, nicotine, illicit drugs, prescription drugs, and stress chemicals such as cortisol and norepinephrine.
These animal and human studies seem to indicate that stress leads to depression. In other words, chronic stress in the mother's womb (in utero) or early deprivation (separation from the mother) might even predispose a person to developing the psychiatric syndrome of clinical depression in later life. Furthermore, other experiments show that the administration of stress hormones can actually decrease brain connections and even the number of brain cells in crucial areas, such as the limbic system. This loss of brain connections and cells then can lead to further maladaptive (inadequate adjustment) responses to stress.
What's more, some particular kinds of stress seem to be even more detrimental than other types. That is, some types of stress can actually lead to diseases. For example, stresses that are unpredictable and uncontrollable seem to be the greatest culprits. On the other hand, stresses with which we can cope and master are not necessarily bad. In fact, we can learn from these stresses, predict their recurrence, and develop action plans to reduce or avoid them in the future. In this way, some stresses can actually trigger new personality growth and biologically induced adaptive (healthy adjustment) changes. Indeed, much of psychotherapy is empirically (guided by practical experience rather than theory) based upon this concept.
Is BP intentionally avoiding capping the Gulf spill well?
NaturalNews Insider Alert ( www.NaturalNews.com ) email newsletter
(Unsubscribe instructions at bottom)
I spent the day on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, talking to the locals and conducting interviews with people about the BP oil spill disaster.
I can tell you first-hand that people are enraged over the situation, and nobody down here trusts anything BP is saying anymore.
I filmed several video interviews which we expect to start posting tomorrow.
In the mean time, I learned about a new disturbing theory that says BP isn't actually trying to CAP the oil well in the Gulf. Rather, they appear to be intentionally trying to keep it flowing so they can TAP it and harvest the oil for profit.
Read more about this disturbing revelation in today's feature story:
http://www.naturalnews.com/028898_British_Petroleum_Gulf_Coast.html
If you didn't catch yesterday's story about the failure of the Top Kill plan and the hospitalization of BP's cleanup workers, read it here:
http://www.naturalnews.com/028893_top_kill_Gulf_Coast.html
Also today: Did you know that your pets need healthy food, too?
http://www.naturalnews.com/028895_pet_food_health.html
This email newsletter is made possible by sponsorship from these quality product providers: ( more info )
• YOGA Flexibility Secrets: Learn the Splits Using a Simple Technique called "PNF." Instant Access: Video Shows How.
• Julian Whitaker, MD: 30+ years helping people live healthier lives. Now you can get his report "7 Deadly Diabetes Lies"
• Eliminate Eczema. Save 10% & No Cost Shipping (Coupon Code: Eczema) Natural Eczema Treatment - Gently & Effectively
• Get daily health tips from the Health Ranger on Twitter: www.Twitter.com/HealthRanger
• Follow NaturalNews on Facebook: http://Facebook.NaturalNews.com
Today's Feature Stories:
Is BP trying to cap the Gulf oil well, or keep it flowing? (opinion)
(NaturalNews) Today, I spent my time interviewing people on the Gulf Coast from Mississippi to Louisiana. Several of those interviews were conducted on camera, and you'll be seeing those videos as early as tomorrow here on NaturalNews. Interestingly...
Azukar Organics' amazing organic coconut sugar
(NaturalNews) The coconut is a highly versatile food that is loaded with an array of diverse nutrients that result in amazing health benefits. Coconut milk, cream, oil and flour are some of the most common coconut superfoods available on the market. But...
Los Angeles may require new homes to capture rainwater
(NaturalNews) The City of Los Angeles is considering a law that would require all new homes and large developments, along with some redevelopments, to harvest all rainwater that falls on site. The new law would require developers to capture 100 percent...
Your Pet Needs Healthy Food Too
Pet owners must realize just how important nutrition is to the health of their pets, and they are beginning to pay more attention to what they are feeding their cats and dogs. To keep your pet healthy, extend your pet's life and save on vet...
Remedies and Treatments: Keep the Natural Balance
The concept of the balance of nature is very old and once ruled ecological research as well as governed the management of natural resources. When we talk about the natural balance of nature's remedies and treatments, we mean the interaction...
BP top kill method fails as cleanup workers are hospitalized from vapors
(NaturalNews) BP officials have announced today that the "top kill" effort to stop the Gulf oil leak has failed. Unanticipated problems doomed the project, which involved trying to pump tens of thousands of gallons of mud, shredded rubber tires and other...
(If you experience any difficulty unsubscribing, simply forward this entire email to reply@naturalnews.com and you will be automatically unsubscribed.)
Not yet a subscriber? Sign up at:
http://www.NaturalNews.com/ReaderRegistration.html
Please DO NOT reply to this email. To contact NaturalNews, please use our online feedback form at: http://www.naturalnews.com/feedback.html
Privacy policy: http://www.naturalnews.com/Privacy.html
What is the role of the locus coeruleus in stress?
The locus coeruleus has many connections to other parts of the brain, particularly areas that bring in and process sensory information (information from sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch). The locus coeruleus secretes norepinephrine and stimulates other brain centers to do the same. It is like the pacemaker (meaning it controls the tempo) of the brain. Thus, it increases arousal (heightened awareness, alertness) and vigilance (watchfulness, carefulness), and adjusts (modulates) the action of the autonomic nervous system, which includes the SNS. The autonomic nervous system regulates blood flow, heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing (respiration). It can also temporarily shut down the gastrointestinal (GI) and sexual systems until the crisis is over. These initial reactions, to get our blood flowing, heart pumping, and muscles energized, occur very quickly and automatically.
How do the connections in the brain work in stress?
The HPA axis and the locus coeruleus systems are linked through the hypothalamus and an area of the brain known as the limbic system. The limbic system is the control area for emotion and the processing area for memory. These linkages are critical. For example, if you see the bushes rustling, your locus coeruleus immediately starts things (the stress response) rolling. However, when you see that it is not a mountain lion but a golden retriever in the bushes, your memory of the tameness of the dog will turn off the stress response. Similarly, if a person is nervous before a public-speaking engagement and the first minute or two goes well, this happy feeling will turn down the activity of the locus coeruleus. These internal adjustments are why experienced public speakers often start off with a joke. It's as much to calm themselves (if the joke goes well) as it is to entertain you.
The connections also include the endogenous (within the body) opiate (opium-like) system and the reward (dopamine) system. Thereby, during stress, pain is reduced and an extremely happy feeling (euphoria) may result. These connections partially account for "runner's high" and have a great deal to do with why we like roller coasters and scary movies.
Here's how the connections work. The limbic system performs an emotional analysis and memory review of the information provided by the senses. Then, the multiplicity of connections allows us to determine whether the current stress is
- one that has been mastered in the past and successfully adapted to,
- not a threat at all, or
- a clear and present danger.
All of this internal activity must occur in milliseconds, and it does.
How does the response to stress work?
While the complete story is not fully known, scientists understand much about how the response to stress works. The two main systems involved are the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the SNS. (These systems are described later.) Triggered (activated) primarily by an area in the brain stem (lowest part of brain) called the locus coeruleus, the SNS secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine. The five most important concepts to remember about these two systems are that
- 1. they are governed by a feedback loop to regulate their response (In a feedback loop, increased amounts of a
What is the role of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis (grouping) in stress?
The HPA axis is a grouping of responses to stress by the brain and the pituitary and adrenal glands. First, the hypothalamus (a central part of the brain) releases a compound called corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF), which was discovered in 1981. The CRF then travels to the pituitary gland, where it triggers the release of a hormone, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH). ACTH is released into the bloodstream and causes the cortex of the adrenal gland to release the stress hormones, particularly cortisol, which is a corticosteroid hormone. Cortisol increases the availability of the body's fuel supply (carbohydrate, fat, and glucose), which is needed to respond to stress. However, if cortisol levels remain elevated for too long, then muscle breaks down, there is a decreased inflammatory response, and suppression of the immune (defense) system occurs.
Because they suppress the immune system, corticosteroids in measured doses are used to treat many illnesses that are characterized by inflammation or an overactive immune system, such as asthma and inflammatory bowel disease. For the same reason, they are used to help reduce the chances that our body will immunologically reject a transplanted organ. Corticosteroids also can cause fluid retention and high blood pressure. Therefore, it is critical that the response to corticosteroids be carefully controlled (modulated). This control usually is accomplished by a feedback mechanism in which increased cortisol levels feeding back to the hypothalamus and pituitary turn off production of ACTH. In addition, extremely high levels of cortisol can cause mental changes, including depression and psychosis, which disappear when the levels return to normal.
Watch Out for These Workout Distractions
| Saturday , May 29, 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Most Fattening Summer Foods
 | Friday, May 28, 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 Jitter-Free Tips to Stay Alert
Teen stress
As one example of stress related to a life transition, the teen years often bring about an increase in perceived stress as young adults learn to cope with increasing demands and pressures. Studies have shown that excessive stress during the teen years can have a negative impact upon both physical and mental health later in life. For example, teen stress is a risk factor for the development of depression, a serious condition that carries an increased risk of suicide.
Fortunately, effective stress-management strategies can diminish the ill effects of stress. The presence of intact and strong social support networks among friends, family, and religious or other group affiliations can help reduce the subjective experience of stress during the teen years. Recognition of the problem and helping teens to develop stress-management skills can also be valuable preventive measures. In severe cases, a physician or other health-care provider can recommend treatments or counseling that can reduce the long-term risks of teen stress.
What is the healthy response to stress?
A key aspect of a healthy adaptational response to stress is the time course. Responses must be initiated rapidly, maintained for a proper amount of time, and then turned off to ensure an optimal result. An over-response to stress or the failure to shut off a stress response can have negative biological consequences for an individual. Healthy human responses to stress involve three components:
- The brain handles (mediates) the immediate response. This response signals the adrenal medulla to release epinephrine and norepinephrine.
- The hypothalamus (a central area in the brain) and the pituitary gland initiate (trigger) the slower maintenance response by signaling the adrenal cortex to release cortisol and other hormones.
- Many neural (nerve) circuits are involved in the behavioral response. This response increases arousal (alertness, heightened awareness), focuses attention, inhibits feeding and reproductive behavior, reduces pain perception, and redirects behavior.
The combined results of these three components of the stress response maintain the internal balance (homeostasis) and optimize energy production and utilization. They also gear up the organism for a quick reaction through the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The SNS operates by increasing the heart rate, increasing blood pressure, redirecting blood flow to the heart, muscles, and brain and away from the gastrointestinal tract, and releasing fuel (glucose and fatty acids) to help fight or flee the danger.
Beautiful Buns! How to Get Great Glutes
| Thursday, May 27, 2010 | |||||||
 | |||||||
| |||||||
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)