Stress & Health Archives - Stress Free Mama

Stress Stomach Problems

Stress stomach problems come in many types and IBS is a common one. What are some of the things you can do to relieve symptoms?

If you have anxiety you may experience stomach problems. With or without anxiety, when you are under stress you may experience a few stomach symptoms such as cramping, gas, or nausea, or you may experience full blown IBS–irritable bowel syndrome. IBS is the most common stomach stress problem and is found both in people suffering from anxiety disorders and in people suffering chronic stress, without an anxiety disorder.

IBS and Stress

If you have irritable bowel syndrome you experience alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea, frequently accompanied by bloating and other digestive disturbances.

Although not a life-threatening problem, IBS makes life miserable for millions of people. Women are more likely to suffer from IBS than men are.

The exact causes of IBS are not clearly understood, but stress and anxiety play a definite role in the problem. Stress hormones and other chemicals are increased in the brain when you are under stress. These chemicals signal the intestines to either slow or increase the motility of the intestines; the muscle contractions of your intestines become either too hard, leading to cramping and diarrhea or not hard enough, leading to constipation.

In other words, stress can either slow the passage of waste matter in the intestines or increase it.

And IBS also causes inflammation of the intestines.

Research on the link between stress and this disorder has been wide-spread. Researchers call the link between emotional upsets and the intestines the brain-gut connection. The mechanisms of the brain-gut connection are not clearly understood.

IBS affects each individual differently. You may only experience the time-consuming misery of frequent bathroom trips or you might experience the full range of gas, cramping, and bloating.

Some foods may irritate your condition, but may not trigger it in another patient; for example, some people have trouble with milk products, but other IBS patients feel that milk soothes their stressed out digestive system.

Research has shown that allergies to common foods, including dairy products, wheat and eggs, may contribute to IBS in some people, but the studies are inconclusive, since the foods that bother one IBS sufferer do not trigger problems in another patient.

Treatment for Stress Stomach Problems

Biofeedback, relaxation therapy, and psychological counseling can help IBS patients and people suffering from chronic stress, as well as people with anxiety disorders. Chinese traditional medicine recommends the disciplined, gentle exercise system known as Tai Chi, along with centuries old herbal remedies. A popular remedy for IBS is the herbal mixture known as Tong Xie Yao Fang, which dates from the 1600’s.

Ayurvedic medicine recommends mediation, yoga, and herbal remedies for IBS. Other alternative treatments include artichoke leaf extract and turmeric extract.

Probiotics are perhaps the most promising and available treatment for IBS. During studies at University College Cork, Ireland the probiotic bifidobacterium infantis was shown to regulate bowel movements in a significant number of Irritable Bowel Syndrome patients over the course of eight-weeks of treatment. Patients also reported significantly less abdominal pain and discomfort.

Other kinds of probiotics can help regulate a stressed out digestive system. Probiotics are available as tablet supplements and in yogurt and other products. Probiotics are generally considered safe because your digestive system naturally contains several forms of probiotic bacteria. These bacteria help your immune system fight unfriendly bacteria.

Hope for Stress Stomach Problems

Alternative medicine offers hope for the control and even the cure of stress stomach problems. Naturally, anything you can to do to reduce stress in your life will also help your stressed stomach. Reducing your stress and your stress reactions will bring better health to all parts of your life.

By Julia Rymut;

Do you have Stress Related Insomnia?

You been under stress at work for months, and now you cannot get to sleep until the alarm clock is about to ring. Could you have stress related insomnia?

Signs of Stress Related Insomnia

There are many reasons you can have insomnia and many of them dovetail with stress. However, if your insomnia occurs only after you have been under stress, you have stress related insomnia. Reducing your stress will help you regain nights of peaceful slumber.

Of course, the problem is sometimes more complicated.

Mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety, can also cause sleep disturbances and their symptoms (muscle tension, sweating palms, dry mouth and etc.) frequently mimic the symptoms of chronic stress. Plus, people under chronic stress are more prone to mood disorders.

Traditional Chinese Medicine and Insomnia

Chinese traditional medicine also recognizes stress related insomnia.

Qi is a basic concept in Chinese traditional medicine; qi, simply speaking, is the energy that flows through your body. Imbalances in qi produce health problems, including insomnia. Sleep disorders are due to either deficient qi or excess qi in the organs. An imbalance of qi in the kidneys is most frequently the cause of insomnia, and stress contributes to the imbalance of qi.

When the kidney qi is deficient, the kidneys are not strong enough to hold the energy inside. The qi rises and bothers the heart (the spirit), keeping the person awake. Stress, aging, and improper diet contribute to unbalanced kidney qi. Stress may also unbalance the liver qi, causing insomnia.

Practitioners of Chinese traditional medicine recommend various herbal remedies for insomnia. The source of the problem determines the treatment recommended.

Acupuncture is also quite effective in treating stress related insomnia. Besides balancing the qi, acupuncture releases endorphins, the body’s feel good hormones, inducing relaxation; some patients fall asleep during acupuncture treatment.

‘Expert’ advice on Relieving Stress Related Insomnia

There is a lot of information about getting to sleep when you have insomnia. In general, the following tips are typically advised by health professionals.

However, many times natural or alternative remedies are more effective. And everyone is different. You may find that what works for you will not work for your friend or spouse.

Stress causes sleep disorders by putting you in a state of hyperarousal. Your nervous system is stilled keyed up and ready for activity when you go to bed. Establishing a pattern of calm relaxation for an hour or two before you retire for the night will allow your body to wind down and become ready for sleep.

Don’t engage in work related activities and don’t become engrossed in a lively phone discussion about family problems. Television viewing is okay, but experts say that reading and listening to music are better choices for pre-bedtime activities.

Above all, don’t engage in vigorous exercise within two hours of bedtime. Exercise is a great stress-reducer and getting regular exercise can help induce sleep, but exercising too close to bedtime arouses your nervous system, making it more difficult to sleep.

Establish a regular time pattern for going to bed and waking up. Sleeping in on the weekends, feels great at the time, but it confuses your body’s natural sleep rhythms, making it difficult to get to sleep on time. Chinese traditional medicine recommends going to bed by 9 pm.
If you cannot sleep, don’t lay in bed tossing and turning for hours. Doing so conditions you to think of the bed as unpleasant place and will make you more stressed out when bedtime arrives. Many experts feel that it is better to get out of bed when you cannot sleep and return when you are sleepy (for an alternative perspective, please read about “Pretend you are sleeping”). A light snack such as a glass of milk or piece of toast can sometimes promote sleep, but eat heavy meals at least two hours before lying down.

By Julia Rymut;

Treating Stress Related Hair Loss

Stress related hair loss makes a bad situation even worse. Fortunately, most cases will pass and others will respond to treatment.

If you have stress related hair loss you may be at a loss on how to cope with the problem. You’re already stressed out and now here comes this additional burden which makes you feel worse.

This is especially a problem with alopecia areata (hair loss due to inflammation and associated with chronic stress). You are struggling to cope with various problems and suddenly you feel self-conscious because you fear people are starring at the bald spot on your head.

Hair Loss is Difficult for a Woman

Hair is an intimate part of most women’s identity.

Women especially are apt to feel that their hair is part of who they are.

People with alopecia areata can experience lower self-esteem and even depression over their hair loss.

If you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed from your stress related hair loss, you may want to consider professional counseling. Talking things over with a sympathetic professional trained in teaching coping skills can be a great relief. Joining a support group and talking about your hair loss with others experiencing the same problem can also help you feel less alone.

Some people feel better wearing a hat or a wig to cover their hair loss, while others feel uncomfortable doing so. Wearing a properly fitting hat or hairpiece will not make alopecia worse nor will it help your hair grow in faster. The choice is yours; do which ever you feel most comfortable doing.

Natural Treatments for Hair Loss

Fortunately, efforts which support your general health can help reduce stress-induced hair loss.

General Good Health Guidelines:

Telogen effluvium hair loss results from a one-time stressful event. Usually it does not need treatment. Just as is true after any illness, injury or surgery, your recovery can be promoted by a healthy lifestyle. This hair loss should resolve itself as you get well.

During recovery from any one-time stressor make sure you get adequate rest. Eat properly, getting adequate complex carbs and protein to rebuild your body’s resources. Enjoy relaxing activities such as listening to music or meditating and ask your doctor about an appropriate exercise program. Exercise is a stress reducer as well as a strength builder.

To recover from alopecia areata, incorporate all of the healthy living guidelines, (rest, nutrition, enjoyment and exercise) but also reduce your stress. You must reduce the source of the inflammation to improve your hair.

Supplements:

If you are suffering from alopecia areata, you will also benefit from good nutrition and stress reduction. Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as tuna and salmon, can help. Some nutritionists recommend taking a B vitamin complex supplement; we need B vitamins to help our bodies deal with stress.

Another supplement recommended for hair loss is zinc, although there is some controversy. Some people feel that too much zinc can lead to copper deficiency; and copper deficiency can lead to hair loss. Others believe that zinc helps stimulate hair growth. Most experts believe the best strategy is eating a healthy balanced diet so that you won’t need supplements.

Aromatherapy:

Other natural remedies for stress related hair loss include aromatherapy. In a double-blind study at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland, essential oils were found to improve alopecia areata in 44% of the group.

Hair Loss Blend #1
4 drops rosemary
4 drops thyme
4 drops lavender
4 drops cedarwood

Put 5 drops of this solution in 20 drops of olive, grapeseed or fractionated coconut oil. Massage this into your scalp before sleep nightly.

If this blend does not work, try these others:

Hair Loss Blend #2
10 drops cedarwood
8 drops rosemary
10 drops sandalwood
10 drops lavender
Hair Loss Blend #3
3 drops rosemary
5 drops lavender
4 drops cypress
2 drops clary sage
2 drops juniper
Add 10 drops of either blend to 1 tsp of fractionated coconut oil and massage into your scalp, especially where it is balding before bed. If you can buy all the oils, try alternating the blends.

If putting these oils in your hair before bed sounds messy, put them in your hair before exercise. When you are done, you will shower and the oil will be gone. In fact, you can add 2-4 drops of these oil mixtures to 1-2 tsp. of your shampoo for extra treatment.

If you can buy only one oil, I would start with Rosemary. Other single oils which may relieve your stress related hair loss are Lavender, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, and Clary Sage.

Reduce Inflammation

Because alopecia areata is a disease of inflammation, I can not stress enough that inflammation is where you should start. No amount of topical treatment will help, if your immune system continues on red-alert.

Reducing inflammation is a multifaceted task involving nutrition (eating whole foods, less acidic foods, and balanced meals), reducing stress, reducing the toxins you take in, and cleansing the toxins that have accumulated in your system.

Reduce Stress and Enjoy Full Hair

If your stress related hair loss does not immediately respond to treatment, take heart. By reducing your stress, you are taking the first step toward better health, and better hair.

By Julia Rymut;

Can A Stressed Pregnant Mom Affect the Health of her Baby?

When you are a stressed pregnant mom, your stress is felt by your baby. Your stress can influence your baby’s immune system and even their sensitivity to allergens and their asthma risk.

As mothers, you know that you have a deep connection with your unborn baby. You feel that you and your baby are both separate and one.

Now a study (American Thoracic Society. “Mother’s Prenatal Stress Predisposes Their Babies To Asthma And Allergy, Study Shows.” ScienceDaily 19 May 2008. 9 June 2008) from the Harvard Medical School has found that your connection is not just emotional. A stressed pregnant mom may pass some of that stress on to her unborn baby in the form of increased sensitivity to allergens. This increased sensitivity may even increase the risk of asthma for the child.

The predisposition to asthma is only partly genetic. Exposure to come substances in the environment, such as dust mites, can increase the chance of developing asthma.

Researchers monitored the level of stress in each mother, combined with her level of exposure to dust mites. They found an increased level of IgE (a marker of the child’s immune response) in babies from stressed pregnant moms, even if the dust mite exposure was low. The mother’s stress magnified the baby’s immune response, even with low level exposure to dust mites.

“This research adds to a growing body of evidence that links maternal stress such as that precipitated by financial problems or relationship issues, to changes in children’s developing immune systems, even during pregnancy,” said Dr. Rosalind J. Wright, M.D., M.P.H, assistant professor of medicine at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

“This further supports the notion that stress can be thought of as a social pollutant that, when ‘breathed’ into the body, may influence the body’s immune response similar to the effects of physical pollutants like allergens, thus adding to their effects.”

There are several important ideas to remember. First, this does not necessarily mean that these children will develop asthma. More follow-up research is needed for that.

Second, the study suggests that it is the combination of stress and exposure to allergens which causes the problem. So stress is just magnifying the risks.

And third, we all get stressed. Financial stress, relationship problems, work issues happen. A pregnant mom doesn’t have control over all the events in her life. Even if you try to remain a Buddha of sanguineness, you will not harm your baby if you loose it one day.

The biggest point is in Rosalind’s observation that stress is like a pollutant. Our country has made great strides in improving air quality and water quality. Now we must work on our inner-life quality. Instead of viewing stress as a necessary evil of modern life, we must actively envision a slower, quieter life. A life with contemplation. Appreciation. A life with less stress.

We need to reduce stress in our lives for ourselves. But if we can not be motivated for ourselves, then we may be motivated for our born and unborn children.

By Julia Rymut;

Stress and High Blood Pressure: Evil Twins?

The busy career woman making lots of big decisions–lots of stress. But high blood pressure is not necessarily the result. Find out ways to control stress and high blood pressure.

Stress and high blood pressure have long been associated together in most people’s minds. Several studies have shown that “Type A” personalities, high-energy, competitive people prone to anger, are more likely to die of heart attacks or suffer from long-term heart disease, than more laid-back personality types are. Is the stress experienced by Type A personalities a one-way ticket to high blood pressure?

Are Stress and High Blood Pressure Connected?

Experts say the answer is not a simple yes or no. Stress does not automatically mean that you will have long-term trouble with high-blood pressure.

Your body reacts to stress by increasing the “stress” hormones, epinephrine (adrenaline) and cortisol which in turn raise your blood pressure. This is called the “fight or flight” response. Your body is preparing you to either fight a perceived danger or run from it.

Of course, now most people experience the chronic stress of the everyday grind, dealing with the difficult boss, meeting a work deadline, getting the kids to school on time and so on. Being physically prepared to either “fight or flee” simply does not help in these situations and so some people remain in a fairly constant cycle of stress arousal.

However, what may be stressful to some is actually enjoyed by other people and this fact complicates matters for scientists researching the connection between stress and high blood pressure. A clear-cut definition of stress has not been agreed upon by researchers, but most would agree that if your individual “stressors” are a source of distress there is cause for concern. If you are distressed, your blood pressure will rise and then return to normal after your unease subsides. The problem is that even temporary bouts with high blood pressure can cause damage your heart, blood vessels, and kidneys, if they occur on a regular basis.

Risk Factors for Stress-related High Blood Pressure

If you are under constant distress from your situation or lifestyle you may be at risk for stress induced high blood pressure.

Symptoms of stress include difficulty sleeping, headaches, stomachaches and intestinal problems; some people may experience sweating palms, rapid breathing, and even heart palpitations. If your stomach churns at the thought of going to work, chances are you are in an unhealthy stressful situation.

You should be especially concerned if you have a family history of high blood pressure or if you are African American, because these factors increase your risk of developing hypertension (the medical term for high blood pressure).

Chinese Medicine’s Understanding of Stress and High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is one condition which Western medicine has long connected with stress. Other healing systems, such as Chinese traditional medicine also recognize the connection between stress and high blood pressure. Chinese traditional medicine distinguishes two forms of high blood pressure: liver and lung.

In liver high blood pressure the qi of the liver increases too much. Qi is a concept unique to Chinese traditional medicine; simply speaking qi is the energy or life force that flows through the entire body. The symptoms of liver high blood pressure include headache, heart palpitations, dry or red eyes, and dizziness, but high blood pressure is often present without symptoms.

In lung high blood pressure, qi of the lung cannot descend. Symptoms of lung high blood pressure include shortness of breath, swelling of the legs and feet, wheezing, and fatigue. Both liver and lung high blood pressure are treated with various herbal preparations; acupuncture is also a part of the treatment. In addition, dietary changes are helpful.

Lowering Blood Pressure with Diet

Both Western and Eastern healing systems recognize diet as playing an important role in high blood pressure. Chinese traditional medicine focuses on increasing urine output and avoiding constipation through diet. Cleansing fruits and vegetables are recommended; these include watermelon, winter squash, cucumber, carrots, and mango.

Western practice focuses on reducing sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats. Sodium raises the blood pressure of sodium sensitive individuals; ninety percent people are sodium sensitive. Reduce your salt intake and beware of added sodium in foods. Sugar also increases blood pressure, probably by increasing adrenaline. Avoid transfats and saturated fats; these unhealthy fats raise your bad cholesterol which can increase your blood pressure. Eat foods rich in fiber; fiber cleans the system and helps lower cholesterol as well as blood pressure.

The dietary guidelines that most doctors prescribe for hypertension are summarized in the DASH diet, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. This dietary program, which is endorsed by the National Institutes for Health, emphasizes an excellent healthy diet approach–low sodium, high fiber, fruits, veggies and little junk food. In a study, it was found to lower the blood pressure in all subgroups, but particularly African Americans.

Help for Starting DASH
One excellent resource for starting your DASH diet is DashForHealth.com. This website has an online program which helps you keep track of what you are eating. It has health calculators for BMI (Body Mass Index), calories to eat and calories burned in exercise. It gives weekly health tips, recipes, and you are encouraged to email any questions you have to their health team. There is a monthly fee, but it is reasonable and this may be a great tool to get you started on a healthier diet for your high blood pressure.

Basically Western and Eastern recommendations for a healthy diet coincide. Both perspectives recommend a diet high in healthy vegetables and fruits, along with complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole wheat, buckwheat, and millet. Both recommend keeping meat to a minimum. A diet following these guidelines will help your general health and not just your blood pressure.

Some foods are particularly good at lowering blood pressure. Garlic is the acknowledged superstar; as little as one clove a day of garlic can significantly lower your blood pressure. Carrots are also good at lowering blood pressure, as are tomatoes and broccoli.

Lowering Blood Pressure with Herbs and Supplements

There are many herbs and supplements which help lower or control blood pressure.

Magnesium. Magnesium acts as a smooth-muscle relaxant, and acts as a natural calcium channel blocker, and so may help relax the blood vessels, lowering blood pressure. Other minerals associated with controlling blood pressure are calcium and potassium.
Vitamin B3. Vitamin B3 (a vasodilator) is helpful in controlling high blood pressure.
Hawthorn berry extract. Hawthorn berries contain chemicals which can protect and relax you arteries. It has been used for centuries as a traditional remedy for many cardiovascular problems.
Coenzyme Q10. CoQ10 is an anti-oxidant produced by our body, but which declines as we age. It has been shown to help lower blood pressure.
Essential Oils. Many essential oils can help relax you and reset your nervous system back to the parasympathetic nervous system (the rest and digest mode). Try Lavender or Ylang Ylang or the blends Peace and Calming, and Aroma Life, which is especially good for conditions of the heart.

Will Reducing Stress Reduce my Risk for Hypertension?

This is another question for which the answer is not simple. Researchers have found no direct connection between stress reduction and decreased hypertension. However, the good news is that stress management offers overall health benefits that can improve your heart’s function and eventually lead to healthier blood pressure.

Even if you stress level seems unmanageable and impossible to reduce, taking the time to make simple dietary changes will help you feel better. Don’t get stressed out while trying to de-stress. By making gradual changes you can get a handle on stress and high blood pressure.