Stress

Stress Eating Solutions

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woman with a stack of baked goods with the words what can you do to avoid the quarantine15 and stress eating
Stress Eating?

What to Do About the Quarantine15

Let’s start with something positive: When you’re staying at home all the time, you have more time to devote to cooking healthy food for yourself. At least, that’s the hope that many of us started out with 10+ weeks ago. However, there’s a reason why terms like “quarantine 15” and “isolation constipation” are trending on social media.

It turns out that eating healthily and avoiding overindulgence during a pandemic isn’t always easy, even if we have the best intentions. Read on to learn why and what you should do about it.

Emotions And Food Choices

The biggest challenge is that we’re all only human. It’s perfectly normal to be feeling a wide range of emotions right now. These may range from hope to boredom, uncertainty to terror, and even contentment. Sometimes all this is going on within the same hour! All of these are perfectly normal reactions to a very different situation from what most of us are used to.

Many people turn to food when they’re stressed. Whereas others can’t seem to stomach a bite when upset. I have always wished I was one of the latter, but sadly, have always fallen into the former category. Food helps me feel better.

The Role Of Cortisol In Stress Eating

On the surface, it may seem that your motivation to dive into a plate of freshly baked cookies is that they are one of life’s few remaining pleasures. And that is partially true. But there are also innate physiological reasons why we reach for sweets and carbs when we’re stressed. When your body senses that it’s under attack, it releases more of the stress hormone cortisol. And cortisol has been tied to an increase in appetite. Some studies have found that the blood sugar cycle (aka sugar high and crash) created when we turn to carbs and sugar is actually addictive. It is also a difficult roller coaster to get off of. When your blood sugar crashes, it stimulates cravings for carbs and sugar that can be next to impossible to overcome.

Sweet Seduction

On top of that, many people are turning to baking, both to avoid going to the grocery store and to stay busy. This is inducing some unusual shortages at the grocery store (besides toilet paper), including flour and yeast. Scarcity then increases the urge to obtain these things.

And if you’ve recently drooled over a photo of a friend’s perfect loaf of freshly baked bread you know that the visual appeal of social media may also play a role.

Limited Produce

In addition, having to limit our trips to the store leads to an abundance of non-perishable foods like flour and pasta in the cupboard, in contrast with a shortage of fresh produce in the fridge.

7 Tips To Avoid The “Quarantine Fifteen”

What’s a socially distancing person supposed to eat in order to stay healthy or even lose weight? The most important thing right now is that you take it easy on yourself. Being overly self-critical escalates the cycle of stress and overeating. Always keep in mind that we’re living through unprecedented developments. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to deal with our current situation.

1 – Practice Mindfulness

There is some fascinating research that has shown that developing a mindfulness practice through yoga or meditation leads to wiser food choices. One particular study found that a meditation practice reduced the desire for animal foods and increased the desire for a plant-based diet in the study participants.

With their positive effects on overall health and emotional well-being, there has never been a better time to take up yoga or meditation. I know I’ve been spending a great deal of time with my yoga mat lately. It definitely helps me feel more relaxed, less stressed, stronger and healthier.

Yoga and meditation can certainly improve your mental health, but one other unanticipated result could be healthier food choices.

2 – Be Aware Of Why You Are Eating

It’s also useful to examine the causes behind any snacking. Do you walk through the kitchen every time you’re bored or lonely? Eat chips during your Netflix binge nights? Watching TV while eating is a perfect way to over-consume unhealthy food.

If your reason for eating is anything other than hunger, then try having a glass or two of water instead.

3 – Be Careful What You Buy

Of course, you can’t eat food that isn’t in your home. Being more mindful of what you put in your cart in the store or order online is also important. If you’re finding it difficult to stay stocked up on fresh produce, investigate produce delivery services in your area or stock up on frozen fruit and veggies instead. They are equally, if not more, nutrient-dense and they are quick and convenient.

4 – Develop Soul-Nurturing Activities

Immersing yourself in activities that give you a sense of satisfaction helps to replace feelings of boredom and want that lead to overeating. Consider some rewarding pastimes such as fixing things in your home that have been on your to-do list, de-cluttering your cupboards or closets, handicrafts like sewing, knitting, or crocheting, teaching your dog a new trick, learning a musical instrument or even building a raised planter to grow a unique mix of salad greens in the smallest of sunny spots. We’ve started our tomato plants, cantaloupe, cucumber, lettuce, and basil indoors under a grow light a few weeks ago. They’re ready to be transplanted into our brand-new raised planter that my partner built.

Checking things off of your to-do list gives your brain a hit of the reward neurotransmitter dopamine. Feed the need for dopamine with self-pride and accomplishment instead of cookies.

5 – Alternative Produce Sources

Local organic farms are a good place to source regular produce box deliveries. If those are not available look into new fruit and vegetable services that many local restaurants are running as a way to stay afloat. If you are creative about getting fresh food from different sources, you can improve your odds of having a healthy choice when you are reaching for a snack.

6 – Plan For Nutrition

Becoming more conscious of your choices when you’re shopping will also help you make better food choices. Look for easy ways to slip in some more nutrient-dense foods, such as:

  • Buy some leafy greens to add to smoothies
  • Get some alternatives to pasta such as zoodles (noodles made from zucchini)
  • Roast some root vegetables and keep them on hand (these tasty veggies have the advantage of a long shelf life)
  • Try fermentation instead of baking (kimchi and kombucha are much better for your digestion than bread!)
  • Swap regular flour for almond flour. This cuts the carbs and increases the protein and healthy fat in your baking.

If you’d like to continue baking, that’s great! Just keep in mind that you can find many gluten-free or health-oriented recipes online. You might discover some new favourites. Consider joining our Gluten-free Recipe Swap on June 8 at 7 p.m. You can register here.

Keeping specific healthy meals and snacks in mind as you shop can help you ignore the less nutritious choices.

7 – Focus On The Health Attributes of Your Food

Knowing the physiological needs that your food is meeting is another angle that will help you make healthier choices:

Foods That Nourish Your Digestive Tract

Avoid “isolation constipation” by ensuring that you’re getting enough fibre in your diet. This is a great time to try new recipes with beans, for example. Beans happen to also be cheap and easy to store. Bean flour makes a healthier flour substitute too because of its high fibre content. Here are some good recipes to start with!

Foods That Support A Healthy Immune System

Nutrients such as vitamin A, C, and zinc support a healthy immune system. Good sources of beta carotene to build vitamin A include orange and yellow fruits and veggies as well as dark green leafy vegetables. Vitamin C-rich foods include citrus fruit, kiwi, berries, peppers and melons. Foods that are rich in zinc include most seeds and nuts, beef, egg yolks and shellfish.

And of course, while we’re talking about immune supportive vitamins, remember to catch a few rays of sunshine every day to top up your vitamin D. You need skin exposure at the sun’s peak times to get your daily dose, that’s why most of us supplement with this essential vitamin.

Aside from your diet, how are you holding up? Stress eating may be a sign that you need some help with your mental health. It’s important to check in with others to maintain your psychological well-being.

If you would like to talk about additional ways to stay healthy while in quarantine, give the office a call at 416.481.0222 or book a virtual visit online at https://forcesofnature.janeapp.com. You can do a virtual appointment with one of our naturopathic doctors, our chiropractor, dietitian, or psychotherapist.

By Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc (Hons), Naturopathic Doctor

Resources

Curbing weight gain from emotional eating: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6137864/

Why we overeat when we’re stressed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4214609/

Yoga and mindful eating: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5932774/

7 Natural Ways to Help Tooth Grinding or Bruxism

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What is bruxism?

Bruxism is another name for teeth-clenching or grinding due to the contraction of the masseter, temporalis, and other jaw muscles. It typically happens at night while people are sleeping, but others will clench and/or grind during the day as well.

What Causes Bruxism?

Bruxism is considered to be a sleep-related movement disorder. Which just means that it is something that people do in their sleep that involves movement. These types of disorders may also include flexing of the feet, muscle twitches or jerking movements while sleeping. It may lead to daytime fatigue and non-restorative sleep. Some of the possible causes of tooth grinding include intestinal parasites, food allergies, environmental allergies, stress, and caffeine intake.

What is the Prevalence of Bruxism?

One study found that 26.9% of preschool children grind their teeth while they sleep.

What are the consequences of or problems associated with Bruxism?

Bruxism is associated with:

  • poor sleep quality
  • tooth wear
  • respiratory problems
  • dental cavities
  • misalignment or incorrect relation between the rows of the top and bottom teeth
  • tiredness/soreness of the jaw muscles
  • TMJ pain
  • headaches and migraines
  • obstructive sleep apnea
  • it could affect the sleeping pattern, with consequences for the overall health, growth, and quality of life of children
  • hypertrophy of chewing muscles
  • tooth surface loss
  • fracture of restorations or teeth
  • hypersensitive or painful teeth and
  • loss of periodontal support

How can you treat Bruxism?

Stress management

Stress reduction techniques like yoga, deep breathing, tai chi, meditation, psychotherapy, and regular exercise may help calm down your nervous system. Supporting your body’s ability to manage stress through nutrients like vitamin B6, magnesium, vitamin B5, vitamin C, zinc and adaptogenic herbs may also help. These options are best discussed with one of our naturopathic doctors.

Massage the masseter muscles

Your masseter muscles are your chewing muscles. If you hold your fingers about an inch in front of your ears and clench your teeth, you’ll feel these muscles bulge outward against your fingers. Massaging the muscle helps to relieve the tension in the muscle. Our chiropractors and osteopath can help relieve muscle tension that may also contribute to grinding your teeth. Acupuncture can also be used to relieve muscle tension and treat TMJ pain.

Investigate parasites

Young children are prone to picking up parasites like pinworm. One study of 86 children between the ages of 3 and 7 found that 11.2% of them had pinworm. The worm is active in the gut at night. This may be sending nerve impulses to the brain and stimulating the nervous system. The main symptoms of pinworm infection include itching skin, including the skin around the rectum and bruxism. Pinworm is easily tested for and treated through either conventional medicine or herbal medicine.

Parasite prevention techniques include washing hands before eating, drinking only clean water and eating cooked (rather than raw) food, cleaning perianal region frequently, and cutting nails frequently.

Magnesium bisglycinate

Magnesium calms down the nervous system by acting as a GABA receptor agonist. Magnesium also helps to relax muscles, including the masseter muscle. It can be taken orally or also applied topically to the masseter as a magnesium oil or gel.

Investigate food allergies or sensitivities

Food allergies or sensitivities can set off inflammation that affects not only the gut, but also the brain and the nervous system. Inflammation in these systems may trigger abnormal activity at night when you are sleeping. One of the worst cases of Restless Leg Syndrome I ever saw was corrected by removing food sensitivities.

Investigate environmental allergies

Similarly to food sensitivities, environmental allergies may trigger inflammation that affects the brain and the nervous system, causing excessive nervous system activity at night.

Caffeine

Reduce or eliminate caffeine intake from all sources including coffee, tea and chocolate, particularly later in the day to allow for calmer, more relaxing sleep.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1rz1p7ZtGcbxWReyLz4N3I?si=_27da3e2SBS3w2Vns2MsKA
Would you rather listen than read? Listen to my Bruxism podcast episode now.

By Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), Naturopathic Doctor

Bruxism Research

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29412225

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31630473

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30716450

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30237554

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24812874

Your Best Solution for Anxiety

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woman using mindfulness meditation to relieve anxiety
Meditation is not just for hippies any more

The Benefits of Meditation For Anxiety in Difficult Times

Do you have tense muscles? Are your shoulders creeping up toward your ears? Do you obsess about the news? Do you have anxiety about your future? Difficulty sleeping? All of the above? You’re definitely not alone. There’s no doubt that we are all living with a lot of uncertainty right now.

So how can we cope when we don’t know if we’ll keep our job if we can pay our rent or mortgage, if we can keep putting food on the table, if we can save for our retirement or our children’s education?

How Doing Nothing Helps You Cope with Everything

The answer might be as simple as doing nothing, simply sitting still and purposefully clearing your thoughts through meditation. Studies show that it has an astounding number of benefits that are vital in situations just like this.

In fact, fostering an ongoing meditation practice actually changes the structure of your brain. That change provides benefits that continue even when you have finished meditating.

In short, meditation just may be one of the best things you can do for yourself in these troubled times. Will it put food on the table? No. But, it may get your brain out of the current “fight or flight” pattern that makes clear-headed decision making next to impossible. That way you can make a clear and decisive path forward.

Five Benefits Of Meditation

Here are just a few of the many positive things that happen when you meditate:

Lower Blood Pressure

As I mentioned, meditation decreases the “flight or fight” hormones in your body. As a result of this relaxation response, your blood vessels open up, which in turn improves your blood pressure if it tends to be high.

Less Stress-Induced Inflammation

Excess cortisol, one of your main stress hormones, increases blood sugar, which then increases insulin, which leads to inflammation in many parts of your body. A common example of this is in your gut. Digestive issues are common during times of high stress. Because meditation lowers the amount of cortisol you produce, inflammation is reduced.

Embracing Uncertainty

Despite all of the health benefits, the ultimate goal of meditation isn’t necessarily focused on physical results. It’s more a process of learning to embrace uncertainty. It’s not about eliminating or controlling the storm, it’s about learning to be still and calm despite the storm going on around you.

A More Optimistic Outlook

Who doesn’t need a more positive outlook right now? Meditation has been found to actually alter (in a good way) the parts of your brain responsible for positive thoughts. As well, by becoming more aware of your thoughts, you can fend off negativity. There are many health benefits to having a positive, optimistic attitude. In fact, studies show that higher optimism is a significant predictor of better survival, better cardiovascular outcomes, improved physiological markers (including immune function), better outcomes related to pregnancy, fewer physical symptoms, and reduced pain.

Reduced Anxiety And Rumination

It’s perfectly normal to be experiencing anxiety and worries about health and financial security when you are faced with something as stressful as a pandemic. However, when those thoughts spiral out of control they can negatively affect your family members as well as your own mental and physical health. High cortisol levels even lower your immune response, and we all need a strong immune system right now.

How Does Meditation Help With Negative Thoughts?

It may be difficult to imagine reining in the out-of-control, off-the-rails thought train when world events, and substantial changes to our daily lives, are so overwhelming.

However, meditation teaches us how to experience those thoughts without panicking or feeling the need to repress them. With a little practice, you should be able to just sit with your thoughts and feelings, without judgment or analysis, and start to process them without spiralling out of control. You can be present in the moment without projecting into the future or ruminating on the past.

And right now, faced with so many uncertainties, that’s particularly beneficial.

Why Start Meditating Now?

You might feel that now is not a good time to start meditation. After all, you’re likely stuck at home and perhaps feel antsy and confined. Who wants to sit still? However, meditation has proven to be an effective mental health treatment. Right now we need to be focusing not just on keeping a healthy body but also maintaining a healthy mind.

How To Meditate

Many people find the thought of taking up meditation a bit intimidating. After all, it has had a reputation of being “weird” and “fringe” throughout the ages. It’s important to know that you don’t have to “master” meditation. It’s OK to be imperfect. Your mind will probably wander, and you may feel uncomfortable at first. That’s perfectly normal.

Setting Up Your Practice

The good news is that it’s surprisingly simple to get started. In basic terms, you just need to:

  • Find a comfortable place. Ideally, somewhere that is quiet.
  • Sit in a natural, relaxed position.
  • Breathe normally.
  • Focus on your breath.

Try not to overthink this: just focus on each exhalation and inhalation. It’s not necessary to force anything.

  • If your mind wanders (and since you’re human, there’s a good chance that it will) try to sit back and “observe” your thoughts. Don’t analyze them. And don’t berate yourself for losing focus. It’s all part of the process. They are just passing through your brain.

How Long Should You Meditate For?

You may have heard of people going on week-long meditation retreats. That’s great – but it’s not really necessary. Just a few minutes a day is a good start. In fact, studies have found that just five minutes of meditation has significant benefits.

And who can’t fit 5 minutes of meditation into their day?

How Often Should You Meditate?

As with many things, consistency is a key component of a successful meditation practice. Try to carve out a few minutes per day to dedicate to your mental health. Some people find that it helps to make it the same time every day. Some find that doing 5 minutes in the morning as soon as they wake up and setting an intention for the day helps. Others will do 5 minutes as they are going to bed at night. And other people find it beneficial to do 5 minutes here and there throughout the day when they are feeling the most anxious. There is no hard and fast rule. Do what works for you.

Ok, full disclosure here, I have a hard time with meditating. I find it hard to just be still and “do nothing”. But here’s what I can do. After I have done my morning yoga, and I reach the end. I’m lying on my back in Shavasana or Corpse pose, then I can add 5 more minutes to just clear my mind and prepare for the rest of my day. That’s what works best for me with meditation.

Resources To Get Your Meditation Practice Started

There are quite a few wonderful resources available to help you get started with meditation should you need a little help – here are a few of our favourites:

Headspace

Calm

Wherever You Go, There You Are

Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics

There are many reasons to start meditation. Why not start now? Let us know how it works for you and remember that we are here to support your health and wellness.

Need more help?

Our clinic is still (virtually) open via telehealth (phone or video call) with our naturopaths, our chiropractor, our dietitian, and our psychotherapist. Chiropractor Dr. Darlene Buan-Basit is available for in-person essential care appointments. Simply send us an email at Maria@ForcesofNature.ca, leave a message 416-481-0222 or book online.

By Dr. Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), ND

Meditation Research

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25390009

https://www.npr.org/2008/08/21/93796200/to-lower-blood-pressure-open-up-and-say-om

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159112004758

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159112004758

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5946075_Relationships_between_mindfulness_practice_and_levels_of_mindfulness_medical_and_psychological_symptoms_and_well-being_in_a_mindfulness-based_stress_reduction_program

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0306624X19856232

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Effects-of-Five-Minute-Mindfulness-Meditation-on-Lam-Sterling/7a7529a9e6401679016ab78f398eaaf4487aff84

https://journals.lww.com/psychosomaticmedicine/Abstract/2003/07000/Alterations_in_Brain and_Immune_Function_Produced.14.aspx

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19711142

Chronic Stress Affects Your Immune System (and not in a good way)

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chronic stress weakens your immune system
Chronic Stress Weakens Your Immune System

If you’re like most people, you’ve recently read a lot of tips on maintaining a healthy immune system. You likely already know the basics: Wash your hands often and well. Keep a safe distance from others. Stay home if you experience any symptoms. Avoid travel. Quarantine yourself if you have travelled. If symptoms are severe contact your local public health department or proceed to the nearest emergency department.

Staying Healthy Starts From Within

However, it’s also important to acknowledge that staying healthy starts from inside. Your built-in defence system that you need to take care of in these crazy times is your immune system.

But here’s the irony: When we are chronically stressed out, our immunity weakens. Right now, we’re all stressed about sickness, loved ones and finances among other things. Just when we all need a strong immune system, intense long-term stress has the potential to weaken our defenses. Recent studies show that, in contrast to chronic stress that suppresses or dysregulates immune function, acute stress can be immune-enhancing (1).

How Stress Affects Your Immune System

Short-term or acute stress actually appears to enhance your immunity, where chronic stress does the opposite. (1) Why does chronic stress lower immunity? The process makes perfect sense if you think of how we lived for most of human history.

In the not-so-distant past, if we perceived a threat, such as a sabre tooth tiger, we had to respond – and quickly! In that sense, our body is primed and ready to protect us from danger.

Fight Or Run

Let’s take a look at the “flight or fight” response and how stress changes us on a physiological level.

  • Blood pressure increases.
  • Heart rate goes up.
  • Serotonin and melatonin levels drop because you need to stay awake.
  • Insulin sensitivity is impaired to maintain glucose in the bloodstream for fuel.
  • Digestion slows down to preserve energy and redirect important resources elsewhere.
  • Cholesterol goes up.
  • Your body pumps stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol into your bloodstream.

All of these changes are designed to make sure that you have enough energy in the right places – such as your running muscles and your fighting muscles in your arms and legs – to respond to stress quickly and appropriately. That is, you are ready for fight or flight.

Hoarding of Resources

Why do we hoard toilet paper at a time of danger? When fear and anxiety ramp up, the urge to provide for ourselves and our loved ones goes into overdrive. There’s a need to make sure there is enough. It gives us a sense of safety and security when there is fear and uncertainty. We can grab all kinds of commodities that we worry may become in short supply and hole up in our homes away from the danger. We can breathe a sigh of relief that we’ll have enough, for now. We took control of one thing that we could control.

Likewise, your body prioritizes certain needs over others. Your reproductive organs are a low priority when there is an imminent threat. That’s because your body wants to put all of its resources into the systems that will allow us to survive the immediate threat. This response is actually very helpful – if what you needed is to escape a predator. However, in today’s world, stress is typically more mental and emotional stress, rather than physical danger and, let’s face it, it is fairly unrelenting.

That’s where the problems start.

The Stress Response = Adaptive Physiology

Our body’s ability to respond to stress is called “adaptive physiology.” To understand this, it might help to think of your nervous system as actually two systems:

  • Your parasympathetic nervous system is behind the “Relax and Recharge”, aka “Rest and Digest” response you need in between periods of stress. Without this response, your body’s systems would stay in overdrive. This helps you calm down, sleep and digest your food.
  • Your sympathetic nervous system powers the Fight or Flight response that you need in the face of danger to combat the problem or run away from it.

Essentially, the way in which these two systems work together is not unlike the brakes and gas pedals in your car. One speeds you up, and the other slows you down. Which one is in charge at any given time depends on your body adapting to the current situation. The Relax and Recharge period is essential to restoring balance in mind and body.

Putting The Brakes On Stress

Right now, many of us feel like the “gas” is always on. This is a perfectly understandable response when you are faced with a global crisis that comes with a great deal of uncertainty.

However, that kind of constant stress leads to a long list of health problems if your sympathetic nervous system never turns off and you are in “fight or flight” all the time.

What happens to a car if you only step on the gas and never use the brakes? At some point, there’s a high likelihood of a crash.

Don’t Crash Your Immune System

Not surprisingly, your immune system suffers when you’re heading for a crash. All the things that happen during your fight or flight response alters your immune response. Research on students undergoing exam stress, shows that psychological distress persisting for weeks or more promotes pro-inflammatory immune dysregulation. This is a risk factor for a range of chronic diseases.(2) And that’s exactly what you don’t want to have happen right now.

6 Ways To Lower Stress and Induce a Parasympathetic State

So, what can you do? Isn’t stress inevitable at this moment in history? A good starting point is thinking of the two states of your nervous system and doing what you can to create a state of rest and restoration.

Actively seek connection.

In times of stress, you should be close to people who restore your sense of well-being. It’s important to feel connected and accepted because a feeling of connection and social support boosts your immunity.(3) However, how can you connect to others while also practicing physical distancing?

Fortunately, we’re lucky to live at a time with many options for a virtual connection. Set up video chat coffee dates and regular online or phone meetings to touch base with those people who make you feel connected and supported.

Change your mindset.

Your perception is your reality. How you perceive a stressful situation will affect your body’s response to it. Perhaps you’re social distancing and feeling trapped, isolated and restless inside your home. That’s stressful. However, consider the difference between feeling stuck at home and feeling safe at home. That simple mental shift helps your nervous system remain in a calm, restorative mode.

Not knowing how long this will last, makes the situation more stressful. Finding ways to be productive and helpful, even volunteering to help others keeps your mind occupied, prevents ruminating over the situation and makes the time pass more quickly. Before you know it, you’ll be able to resume some of your normal activities.

Don’t forget: You always have the opportunity to change your attitude.

Don’t over commit.

We’re all under a lot of pressure right now. Take a close look at your commitments and think of how you can eliminate any unnecessary demands. Remember that the goal is to rest and relax your nervous system.

What makes you feel refreshed and restored? Those are the activities to focus on. Maybe you have more time now to read a good book, take a relaxing bath, or do some tai chi or yoga.

Honour your body’s natural rhythms.

Many people are having trouble sleeping right now. However, it’s more important than ever to try to get seven to eight hours of good quality sleep per night. Even if your normal daytime routine is disrupted, try to stick to a regular sleep schedule. That means going to bed at the same time every night (yes, even on weekends). As well, don’t dismiss the restorative powers of a good nap. Despite the temptation to stay on your devices until bedtime, shutting down devices and getting off screens helps your brain make vital levels of melatonin that helps you sleep.

Eat to optimize your immune system.

Many studies backup the importance of essential nutrients in protecting your immunity. The ideal diet and supplements for you will depend on your unique health profile, but important nutrients include selenium, zinc, and vitamins A, C, and D (4). In addition, don’t overlook the importance of maintaining a balance of “good bacteria” in your gut. More and more research points to the connection between a healthy gut and a healthy immune system.

In fact, up to 80 percent of your immune cells are found in your gut. The interaction between your gut microbes and your immune system protects you against foreign invaders.(5)

Move your body.

Exercise helps your body’s nervous system maintain equilibrium. It slows down the release of stress hormones and increases the number of disease-fighting white blood cells. (6) Also, movement helps to regulate the communication between your brain and your body.

However, it’s important to move in a safe way. Any irregularities in your body’s alignment affects this process. Focus on doing something you love and making exercise a part of your daily routine. Consistency is the key! If you’re not sure exactly how to work out with gym closures, check out the multitude of workouts you can find online.

Prioritize Self-Care

Even in stressful times, it’s possible to optimize your immune system. Focus on your body’s need to restore and repair itself and prioritize your self-care. Taking steps towards staying healthy helps you gain a sense of control in an uncertain world. That will ultimately strengthen your stress resilience.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, please reach out. We can work together to create a plan that fits your unique needs. Our wellness pros are offering many different virtual services at this time. Contact Maria at Maria@ForcesofNature.ca for more information about our virtual visits.

By Dr. Pamela Frank, Naturopathic Doctor

Chronic Stress and Your Immune System Research

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2869337/

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32242145
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3150158/
  1. https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/107673
  2. https://neurohacker.com/how-the-gut-microbiota-influences-our-immune-system
  3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095254618301005

Conquer Holiday Stress

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Reconnect and Relieve Holiday Stress

December brings festivities, family fun, cherished holiday traditions… and stress! How much stress do the holidays entail? Well, according to a Healthline survey, the combination of joy and pressure that makes up the month of December means that more than 60% of us rate the holiday season as “somewhat” to “very stressful”.

What Causes Holiday Stress?

There are many factors that account for stress around the holidays:

  1. You have to navigate tricky family politics or familial dysfunction.
  2. Your busy schedule gets in the way of regular exercise and the stress relief that it provides.
  3. The frustrations of trying to get around in inclement winter weather.
  4. Endless appetizers and indulgent dinners out sabotage your diet or make you feel bloated and uncomfortable.
  5. The financial stress that the extra cash outflow, synonymous with the spending season, entails. One study found that Canadians spend about $1,500 extra in the month of December, and Americans about $1000. That extra expense definitely impacts your budget! For many people, that financial hit just adds insult to injury.

Given all of the above, the real question is how does anyone end up NOT feeling stressed out by the holidays? It’s not surprising that many of us get through December feeling as though we need a holiday from our holidays.

How Stress affects Your Digestion

Have you ever noticed that the gut-brain connection becomes especially evident in December? It makes sense. There is extra stress, and of course, there’s also extra food. To further complicate matters, it’s often the kind of food that wreaks havoc with your gut and your microbiome.

Stress Mode or “Fight or Flight”

Every part of your digestive system gets affected. When cortisone kicks in, your esophagus spasms, and your digestive activity reduces meaning that food sits in your stomach like a brick for a long time after eating.

In stress mode, blood flow to your gut slows down as your body redirects your blood supply to your muscles so that you can fight or run. This is what happens whenever you are in the “fight or flight” mode. This shift leads to an imbalance of bacteria in your gut. The results are cramping, diarrhea, constipation, and a host of other digestive issues. The whole process isn’t exactly fun and festive!

Calm Your Digestive Tract

How can you combat the Great December Stomach Ache? Taking a few minutes to meditate or breathe deeply before your meal triggers your body’s “relaxation response”. This switches on your parasympathetic nervous system which controls your digestion. The blood flow returns to your stomach and intestines. That allows digestion to work normally. As an added bonus, this practice may also lead to more mindful eating. This time of year eating more consciously and thoughtfully is very beneficial. One study even found a correlation between meditation and increased vegetable and lower meat consumption without any prompting of participants to choose certain foods.

It’s a good idea to increase your consumption of fermented foods like kefir, yogurt, and kimchi, or even take a probiotic supplement during times of stress to help maintain your healthy gut bacteria.

Tense Muscles Mean Shallow Breathing

To further complicate this dynamic, your tense, rigid torso muscles restrict your breathing. Again this creates a vicious cycle, shallow breathing exacerbates pain and perpetuates stress. So when you’re in pain, you can’t breathe deeply, and when you can’t breathe deeply, you feel more stress and pain.

How Holiday Stress Gives You Back Pain and Makes it Worse

Anxiety, stress, and back pain often come together in a distressing trifecta. To make matters worse, they also intensify each other. How does that work? When you’re stressed, your muscles tense up. That restricts your freedom of movement and alters the normal function of your joints and spine. In fact, chronic stress and chronic pain eventually rewire the way your brain works.

It’s no wonder many people complain of back pain at this time of the year – especially when you factor in physical stressors like shoveling snow, lugging around gifts, trudging through snow, slipping on ice or putting up seasonal lights.

The Role of Posture in Pain

Paying more attention to your posture is a good first step to getting a handle on back pain. It may sound simple, but working with a chiropractor, osteopath or massage therapist on your everyday movement patterns helps you focus on tips and tricks to bring your body back into alignment. Proper alignment reduces tension, enhances your freedom of movement, relaxes your muscles and improves your breathing. All of these have a positive effect on breaking the cycle of your pain.

Treat Yourself

Also, consider indulging yourself with some pain-relief treats! After all, self-care does not need to take a break during the busy season. Invest in a restorative yoga class, visit a naturopath, chiropractor or osteopath or have a therapeutic massage or relaxing bath. Not only will you relieve some of the emotional pressure that comes with the season, but manual therapies break the vicious cycle of stress and pain.

How Stress Affects Your Sleep

Do visions of sugarplums dance in your head in December? Or would nightmares about bill payments be a more accurate description?

In addition to financial stress, many other factors impact your sleep in December. We’re often eating and drinking more, as well as staying out later. Full stomachs, disrupted sleep schedules, anxiety and alcohol all interfere with getting a good night’s sleep.

Sleep Hygiene

It’s still important to maintain a solid sleep hygiene routine during these busy times.

Holiday sleep tips:

  1. Try to stay as close to your regular schedule as possible. Yes, even on weekends and party nights.
  2. Create a sleep-inducing bedtime routine. That means putting your phone and other devices away a couple of hours before bedtime.
  3. If you are drinking alcohol, try to have it earlier in the evening so that the effects wear off before bed. Alcohol de-stabilizes your blood sugar which then disrupts your sleep.
  4. Keep devices out of your bedroom while you sleep. Notifications, blinking lights, and flashing screens disturb your sleep. Many people say that they need their phone alarm to wake them up, but an old-fashioned alarm clock does the job just as well without the potential for sleep disturbance.
  5. Make sure that your room is cool, dark, and quiet. These are essential elements of a good night’s sleep at any time of year. Fortunately, many products are available that can optimize your environment, including blackout curtains, white noise machines, and fans.

Supplements for Sleep

There are effective supplements to help you through a rough patch and get you back on track with your sleep.

Melatonin

Many people have good sleep experiences with melatonin, for example. An important point about melatonin is that this is a substance that is made naturally by your body every night to get you to sleep. Darkness is the cue to your brain to make melatonin. This is why getting off screens before bed and keeping your bedroom dark are important. It does, however, have side effects and it interacts with some prescription medications. So always talk to your naturopathic doctor before taking melatonin, especially if you already take antidepressant drugs or other sleep aids.

Chamomile

Sipping a relaxing cup of chamomile tea before bed helps some people relax and sleep better.

Valerian

Valerian contains a number of compounds that promote calmness, improve the stress response and maintain adequate levels of mood-stabilizing brain chemicals. It’s been coined nature’s Valium and has been known to work well to aid in sleep issues.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that helps your muscles to physically relax and let go. A magnesium supplement or Epsom Salts bath is a safe and effective part of a relaxing bedtime routine.

‘Tis the Season for Self-Care and Connections

Of course, the best way to treat stress is to tackle it at the source. At this time of the year, we’re all too often the source of our own stress. Maybe we got so caught up in finding the “perfect” presents and hosting the “perfect” party that we forgot the real purpose of the holidays, which is connection. The plain truth is that a memorable holiday does not have to cost a lot of money or create a lot of stress if we stay mindful of what the holiday is really about.

The Best Present of All

In fact, at least one study has found that the best gifts are experiences, not things. And often, the key component of a memorable experience is the company you’re with. So instead of pushing yourself to buy more or do more, consider putting some time aside to just hang out with your friends and family, or attend community events. In the end, human connection is what we all want for the holidays and every day.

Here are some of the Best Experience Gifts in Toronto

  1. Escape Casa Loma – If you think all escape rooms are alike, you will be surprised to learn that this one is different. We have completed several escape rooms in Toronto and this one is definitely unique. For one, there are live actors who are playing out scenes in the castle guiding you through the escape room. Secondly, you are in a castle! Thirdly, because of the atmosphere and the live actors, this is a totally immersive experience.
  2. I-Fly – If you’ve always wanted to try out sky-diving, this is the experience for you. Our sons got this as a Christmas gift last year. Our instructor was fantastic and seeing how accomplished he is was so inspiring. Of course, now they’re wanting to try sky-diving for real.
  3. The CN Tower EdgeWalk – Have a fear of heights? You may want to skip this one, but maybe it would make for good exposure therapy. It’s the world’s highest, full circle hands-free walk. In your harness with your fellow Edge-Walkers, you walk around a 5-foot ledge 116 stories above the ground. You may want your valerian and magnesium for this!

The Best Free Experiences

  1. Winter sports. Hit the rink, grab your sled and tackle the hills, have a snowball fight, or build a snow fort. Make the most of the season, get outdoors, fresh air, exercise and bond with your family all in one!
  2. Get in the spirit. Get a group of friends, family or colleagues together to go caroling, volunteer at a soup kitchen or shelter, or attend a tree-lighting ceremony.
  3. Make a meal. Get the whole family involved in making a super special meal. Plan an appetizer, main, side dishes, and dessert. Make a shopping list and tackle it together. Planning, getting the ingredients for and creating a fabulous meal as a family makes the meal that much more special.

Looking for a little extra help to stay healthy in December and tackle 2020 on the right foot? Come into the office and we can review your self-care routine together. If you’re trying to assemble your self-care team, we have all the self-care experts in one place. Call to book an appointment at 416.481.0222 or book online at any time here.

book self-care online here

Authored by Dr. Pamela Frank, Naturopath

Research

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5556586/

https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/030413p42.shtml

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23983029

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23983029

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-stresses-us-most-at-the-holidays-113015#1

Digital Detox: Taking Back Control of Your Screen Time

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teens with social media addiction
Social Media Addiction?

Conquering Your Social Media Addiction

Do you ever felt anxious when you don’t have your phone? Do you know how many hours per day you spend on your digital devices? Do you feel that your online activities have a positive or a negative impact on your overall well-being?

These are all important questions. And another to consider: Does doing a digital detox feel like a good idea for your health? Or does it simply sound impossible?

What is a Digital Detox?

A digital detox is taking a break from all technology for a set period of time. You may decide to take one day per week away from your digital devices or you may choose to avoid all technology for the duration of your vacation. This digital break is however long you choose to make it. If you are trying to break or change a habit, it can take 3 weeks of a consistent change in behavior to make that happen. Taking a break demonstrates a certain level of self-control over technology, rather than having it control you.

A More Conscious Approach To Technology

The truth is that we could all benefit from a more mindful approach to our digital lives. For many of us, a short “detox” period helps us to maintain our perspective where technology is concerned.

The Why: The Benefits Of Reducing Screen time

If you’re wondering about why you should reduce your screen time, check out these potential benefits.

Less Comparison

Do you ever feel like your life isn’t quite measuring up after logging into your social media accounts? Many of us end up wondering why everyone else takes such fabulous vacations, looks so amazing, and has such perfect, high-achieving children.

The old adage “don’t compare your insides to everyone else’s outsides” applies perfectly to social media. The cumulative effect of “comparison-itis” takes a significant toll on our mental health. Many studies confirm a link between internet use and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

Better Mental Health

Of course, this relationship may work both ways. For example, have you ever looked down at your cell phone to avoid social interactions? Sometimes we see our phones as “security blankets.” Unfortunately, however, these kinds of habits only reinforce anxiety and isolation. In other words, in addition to triggering anxiety and depression, we are more likely to escape to the online world when we’re anxious or depressed.

Excessive time on digital devices also leads to habits that harm our mental and physical health. One study found that people who spend a great deal of time on their phones are less likely to eat regular meals, follow a healthy diet, and get a good night’s sleep. That all adds up to an increased risk of depression, obesity and a host of other health issues.

Taking a break from your devices helps you feel happier, and physically and mentally healthier.

Improved Brain Function

Even more alarming is the physical effect of screen time on our brain. It’s true! Screen time actually has the potential to change the structure of our brain. The negative effects of chronic exposure to digital media on our brains include:

  1. Impaired processing
  2. Reduced ability to focus, and
  3. “Dopamine loops” in which we become addicted to the hit from the feel-good chemical dopamine. When you have a positive social interaction on social media, your brain releases the reward neurotransmitter dopamine. Who doesn’t get a small thrill of satisfaction when someone likes their Instagram post? That kind of instant gratification is often missing from our offline lives. In fact, researchers have found that the dopamine cycle connected to Internet use and video games is similar to that experienced with drug addiction.

Conversely, breaking your addiction to screens helps your brain recover its ability to focus, and process information.

How to Increase Dopamine Naturally

If you are needing more dopamine, there are much healthier ways to get it:

  • Eat protein regularly. The building blocks of protein are called amino acids. One particular amino acid, tyrosine, is needed to help your brain make dopamine.
  • Sleep well. Quantity, quality, and sleep-timing are all important factors in the production of dopamine. Aim for 7-9 hours per night of deep sleep and aim to sleep by 10-11 p.m. and wake up by 6-7 a.m.
  • Reduce your saturated fat intake. Saturated fat impairs dopamine signaling.
  • Eat probiotic-rich foods. Certain good bacteria in your gut make dopamine.
  • Exercise regularly. Exercise also provides a hit of the reward neurotransmitter dopamine.
  • Meditate. Meditation has mental and physical benefits that may be due to the release of dopamine. If it’s not really your thing, aim for even 5 minutes per day when you first wake up or when you are going to bed.
  • Get outside. Sun exposure increases dopamine levels.
  • Improve your diet. In order to make dopamine, your brain needs to have tyrosine from protein, and iron, niacin, folate, magnesium and vitamin B6. Green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, Swiss chard, and romaine provide these vitamins and minerals.

More Restful Sleep

The blue light from our digital devices adversely affects our melatonin production. The result? Difficulty falling and staying asleep. Even more troubling are the possible links between blue light exposure at night, reduced melatonin and an increased risk for diabetes, cancer, and depression.

Better Posture

You may have experienced a “tech neck” or a sore thumb after spending a long time on your phone. As well, researchers note that the slumping posture that develops while using digital devices also affects your breathing. One study found that 83 percent of people with neck pain have altered breathing patterns. Musculoskeletal aches and pains like this are best handled by a chiropractor.

Recent sensational headlines claimed that our device use is causing “horns” or phone bone. This interpretation of anthropological research was at best overblown and at worst, completely false. Of potentially greater concern, is that your intervertebral discs may get damaged from having your neck perpetually bent looking at your phone. See a chiropractor for help with your intervertebral discs. There is also an increased risk for neck osteoarthritis from this prolonged and unusual neck position.

Better Hormonal and Cell Health

One researcher found that people tend to hold their breath when checking their devices. This habit triggers the “fight or flight “response, in which your body goes into survival mode. That process served us well in the past when this response helped us escape our predators. Nowadays if all you’re doing is checking a social media status and holding your breath, you just wind up with a lot of unnecessary glucose, adrenaline, and cortisol in your system.

As well, our increased reliance on technology has led to high levels of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation in our bodies. Although the long-term effects need to be studied further, some evidence links this exposure to an increased risk of neurological disease.

Are you ready for a digital detox?

So, how exactly does a digital detox look? Ultimately, it’s up to you. If you’re inspired by the list of possible benefits above, you may be ready to implement your own detox from technology. However, as with many behavior modifications, a slow and realistic approach is often more successful. Your long-term goal could be a weekend (or even a week) without any devices.

Digital Detox Retreats

Digital-detox retreats are a growing trend in the travel business and provide opportunities to be pampered in spa-like conditions or to pursue recreation adventures, all without a digital device. There are alternative free options too, of course, such as implementing your own retreat! Examples include planning a weekend hike in a local area and connecting with nature or spending time indoors playing with your kids, reading a book or writing your journal. Be creative!

If you’re reading this blog post the day it was first published, I’ll be doing my own digital-detox at Arrowhead Provincial Park near Huntsville. Forest bathing, downtime, reconnecting with family and nature, great food, campfires, and digital-detox all rolled into one wonderful week.

Creating Healthy Digital Habits

Before starting a cold-turkey detox, it’s a good idea to simply be more mindful of your device use. Pay attention to when and why you pick up your phone. As with unhealthy eating habits, it is a good idea to journal your internet/device use. It helps you identify unhealthy patterns of use. Do you pick it up when you’re bored? In an awkward social situation? In the bathroom? First thing when you wake up? In the middle of the night if you wake up? Make it a habit to put your phone away if you don’t need it. Commit to unplugging from any digital devices at least an hour before bedtime.

Fighting FOMO

As you adjust to having reduced online time in your life, try going an entire day without checking a device. This might be uncomfortable at first. Recognize your FOMO (fear of missing out) feelings and acknowledge that if something really urgent happened, you would hear about it. Remind yourself that you don’t actually need to know every detail of your friends’ lives or every piece of the celebrity or political gossip in real-time. In other words, the sense of urgency that the internet creates is imagined, not real.

Top Tips For Your Digital Detox

Here are some tips that can help you set up your own digital detox retreat, on a level that works for you.

Make your bedroom a cellphone-free zone

Bedrooms are for sleeping, and shouldn’t be associated with cellphone use. If you don’t have a landline you may worry that your loved ones won’t be able to contact you in an emergency. For example, if you have teenage kids who work or stay out late at night and they are trying to call you. The solution is to simply put your cellphone on the other side of the room, with the volume turned up high enough so that you can hear it. Also, put it face down so that other screen activity or notifications won’t disturb your sleep.

Choose your activities wisely

Even in today’s wired world, you can find places where cell phones can’t be used. If you’re swimming, hiking, practicing yoga, or watching a movie, you can’t check your Facebook updates. As an added bonus, you will end up having more fun.

Go “old school”

We think of our phones as indispensable, but for centuries, people survived without them just fine. Fortunately, many “real-life” tools exist that can do the tasks we rely on our phones for. If you’re worried about losing the functions on your phone, consider a few old-fashioned alternatives:

  • A paper calendar or day planner to book appointments
  • An alarm clock to wake up
  • Books – read them in yellow or natural light
  • Letters or cards sent through the post office. Who doesn’t love receiving an old-fashioned, hand-written letter?
  • A classic watch
  • A camera
  • A landline phone. We tend to think of the landline as unnecessary, but just over 40 percent of households still have one, and they provide a reliable back-up for getting in touch.

Reschedule your email habits

Many busy executives try to put aside specific times of the day for checking email. That means that they’re not looking for new messages every 30 seconds, or reading every notification. If this makes you feel anxious, remind yourself that in most instances, emails don’t need an immediate response. For more prolonged absences, use an out-of-office autoresponder to let people know how to contact you in an emergency.

Use technology

Yes, the idea that technology can help to reduce your tech use is ironic. However, many apps and programs can measure the time you spend on your phone. They will also measure time “wasted” online. You can free up an hour or two per day in the real world for more beneficial pursuits by reducing the time that you are wasting online. If you don’t do this already, try monitoring it for a few days to get a baseline of your usage.

Get your friends and family on board

If you have contacts who expect an immediate response to every text, let them know you’re dialing back on your screen time.

Similarly, if you’re out at a restaurant for dinner, challenge everyone to put their phones away. The first one to check their device pays!

Listen to your body

How do you feel after a few hours without technology? Get in touch with any anxiety you feel that needs to be addressed. It’s also important to note the positives. Do you take in more of the world around you? Do you feel more relaxed? Were you able to get a lot more crossed off of your “to-do” list?

Get help if you need it

If you’re worried about your digital media use or if you’re wondering if you’re addicted to technology, help is available! Give our office a call if you’d like to talk about behavior modification or switching to a more health-conscious natural path with one of our naturopaths.

Call us at 416-481-0222 or book online here

Authored by Dr Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), Naturopath

book online now

Sources:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/new-study-links-phone-use-and-mental-health-issues-in-teens/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5970452/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563215303332

https://www.ejradiology.com/article/S0720-048X%2809%2900589-0/abstract

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/brain-wise/201209/why-were-all-addicted-texts-twitter-and-google

https://www.statista.com/chart/2072/landline-phones-in-the-united-states/

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/just-breathe-building-the_b_85651

Stress and Diabetes

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woman with job stress and type II diabetes

Job Stress and Diabetes

Are you a slave to your job?  Do you work long hours? Have little support? Feel that you have no control over the situation? Is there a link between your stress and diabetes?  You may want to read this.

In a 2010 study, white, middle-aged women reporting high levels of job strain and little work-related social support are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Among the women, about 10 percent of all type 2 diabetes cases could be prevented.  Had the job-related stressors of little control, high demands, and little social support been eliminated it would reduce the risk.  

When I see a patient with type II diabetes, we always address the 3 foundations of healthy blood sugar: diet, stress reduction and exercise. Women with blood sugar problems often clean up their diet.  They also start exercising, but may still struggle with blood sugar issues when stress is high. In those patients, we focus on reducing stress where we can.  We add in some stress reduction techniques like yoga, meditation or tai chi.

Stress is a part of everyone’s life.  A certain amount of stress is good as it can help motivate action and positive change.  Where stress seems to be particularly damaging is where women feel out of control of the stress.  

Given this data, perhaps we should consider out of control work stress as another unhealthy lifestyle factor similar to obesity, low physical activity, smoking and poor diet. Working oneself to death is sometimes lauded as an achievement.  It is considered admirable.  However, there are limits.  Taking control of your stress and seeking social support may be more deserving of merit.

I would add that it’s particularly important for women with any reproductive or hormonal issue to be cognizant of negative stress.  Because that type of stress obviously has a major influence on blood sugar and insulin levels.  High insulin ultimately creates hormonal imbalances as well as type II diabetes.

Our naturopathic doctors can help with lifestyle counselling, diet advice, and natural remedies to help you relax and manage blood sugar better.  And of course, our massage therapists have the most amazing remedy for stress at their fingertips.  Book now.

Authored By Dr Pamela Frank, BSc(Hons), ND

Stressed?

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tips for man feeling stressed

Feeling Stressed?

We all experience stress in our lives from time to time. Stress is a normal physical response to events that threaten us, or upset our balance in some way. In these situations, our body kicks into high gear with the “fight or flight” response, the feeling of being stressed. This response can actually be helpful in certain stressful situations where you need to defend yourself, or stay focused (like in an emergency situation).

However, because the body doesn’t distinguish between physical and emotional threats, some of us can become stuck in a “stressed-out” state . Long-term exposure to stress can lead to serious health problems.

Chronic stress disrupts nearly every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, as well as increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

There are many ways in which we can relieve tension, stress, and anxiety. Massage therapy is an excellent way to help manage stress. Massage can help to get rid of muscle tension (often a direct physical symptom of stress), reduce stress and anxiety, and it’s thought to even boost your body’s immune system. More research is needed into the subject of stress and massage, but studies have shown that patients being treated for cancer who received regular massage reported less anxiety, pain, and fatigue than those who did not receive regular massage.  Six out of nine studies on children and adolescents found that they were less stressed and fatigued with the addition of complementary treatments like massage therapy to conventional cancer treatment.

Talk to your RMT about massage therapy for stress management.

Here are 5 tips for relaxation between your massage treatments:

  1. Schedule downtime.  Relaxation time every day is as important as eating well and exercising.
  2. Yoga or meditation.  Research on both shows reductions in stress hormones with regular practice.
  3. Socialize.  Social interaction can help relieve stressful situations and provide much needed support.
  4. Reduce your caffeine intake.  Caffeine is a stimulant and while it may give you a boost, at the same time it taxes your adrenal (stress) glands.
  5. Sleep.  Make sleep a priority.  Research shows that at least 7-7.5 hours per night is ideal.

Massage and Stress References:

Garner B, Phillips LJ, Schmidt HM, Markulev C, O’Connor J, Wood SJ, Berger GE, Burnett P, McGorry PD. Pilot study evaluating the effect of massage therapy on stress, anxiety and aggression in a young adult psychiatric inpatient unit. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2008 May;42(5):414-22. doi: 10.1080/00048670801961131.

Lopes-Júnior LC, Bomfim EO, Nascimento LC, Nunes MD, Pereira-da-Silva G, Lima RA. Non-pharmacological interventions to manage fatigue and psychological stress in children and adolescents with cancer: an integrative review. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2015 Sep 16. doi: 10.1111/ecc.12381.