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Stress and Nutrition: Avoiding 3 Common Dietary Pitfalls-Part 3

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Dr. Lise Naugle

3rd and final entry of a multipart series

When you’re under stress, do you fall prey to one of three common dietary pitfalls: skipping meals because you feel like you don’t have time to eat; succumbing to cravings for sugar or fat; or relying on caffeine to try and rev your system? If so, you’re not alone. It’s easy to give in to poor nutritional choices when you’re fatigued and under stress. Unfortunately, although they may feel like a quick fix, these behaviors can create more problems in the long run. In the third of this three part series, I help you identify another pitfall – the overconsumption of caffeine, understand the effects this has on your health and your body’s ability to handle stress, and offer tools you can use to correct this habit.

Pitfall 3 – Relying on caffeine to push you through your day

The problem with doing this:

coffee beans

Image credit: Flickr user eyeore2710

It’s tempting to rely on caffeine for energy when life is hectic. Trying to balance work, family and personal needs, it’s easy to spread yourself too thin and push to increase the momentum when you should actually rest. If you are experiencing adrenal fatigue, it can be even more difficult to refrain from using something that will give you an energy boost. However, a dependence on caffeine can worsen stress and adrenal fatigue rather than improve the situation.

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. (Incidentally, it’s also a natural pesticide found on some plants that paralyzes or kills the critters that try to make the plant dinner.) Under the influence of caffeine, the adrenals – two glands that help orchestrate the body’s stress response system – secrete the hormones adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones initiate the fight or flight response, a widespread metabolic shift that prepares your body to deal with a physical stressor. This response increases breathing rate, heart rate, and drives blood and nutrients into your muscles. Although caffeine stimulates the adrenal glands to produce more of these hormones, it does nothing to support or nourish the glands. Pushing fatigued adrenals with caffeine is like flooring the gas pedal on a car that is running on empty. If you don’t replenish the gas, the car will go faster for a short period of time, but will run out of gas more quickly. Driving fatigued adrenals with artificial stimulants pushes them further into exhaustion faster. Eventually, they may not be able to respond to even an average demand for hormones.

The solution: 

Don’t rely on caffeine to get you through the day. Even though it may be helpful in endurance sports or to stay alert, attempting to buoy fatigued adrenals with it is actually counter-productive. If you are currently hooked on caffeine, cut down on the amount you are consuming a little at a time and try substituting green tea or yerba matte for your coffee or energy drinks. These drinks contain smaller amounts of caffeine and increased amounts of antioxidants that support your body in times of stress. Licorice tea is another great choice. Licorice actually helps maintain cortisol in your body so you get more benefit from the cortisol your adrenals secrete.6 (Most licorice candy is full of sugar and is actually sweetened with anise rather than licorice, so it’s not an effective substitute.) If you choose to wean yourself off of caffeine entirely, be prepared for a few headaches and a little irritability, but both should resolve within a few days.

Now that you’re easing up on the accelerator, add gas to your system. Allow yourself to rest when you’re tired, drink water to stay hydrated, and eat a diet balanced with lean protein sources, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates. To support the adrenals, include foods rich in vitamin C such as strawberries, peppers and citrus. B vitamins are absolutely essential to energy production. These are found in foods like dark green leafy vegetables, brewer’s yeast and lentils. Minerals like zinc and magnesium support the adrenals, and can found in nuts, seeds and leafy greens.

Non-dietary energy boosters can help, too. After you’ve been sitting still, even a brief period of exercise or stretching increases circulation and provides nutrients to your brain, revitalizing you. Add some upbeat music to your playlist and turn it on during your energy lull. Music has been shown to enhance both motivation and physical performance.1,2

If you still need some help after trying these dietary and lifestyle modifications, use supplements that support the adrenals rather than a chemical that drains them. Herbs such as ashwaganda, maca, and eleutherococcus (formerly known as Siberian ginseng) can be extremely helpful. These plants are adaptogens – herbs which help the adrenal glands adapt to stress and support their function. They have been shown to increase mental and physical endurance and reduce fatigue.3,4,5 Licorice, which slows the breakdown of cortisol,6 can also be taken as a supplement or tincture (alcohol extract). A complex of B vitamins in balanced ratios helps support energy production.

When dealing with stress and adrenal fatigue, diet can be your greatest ally or your most formidable foe. By keeping blood sugar stable and replacing caffeine, sugar and unhealthy fats with more nutrient dense choices, you can support your adrenal glands during times of stress. If you already have adrenal fatigue, following these few simple steps can move you miles along the road to recovery.

References

  1. Karageorghis c, Mouzourides DA, Priest DL, Sasso TA, Morrish DJ, Walley CJ. Psychophysical and ergogenic effects of synchronous music during treadmill walking. J Sport Exerc Psychol 2009; 31(1):18-36.
  2. Waterhouse J, Hudson P, Edwards B. Effects of music tempo upon submaximal cycling performance. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2010;20(4):662-9 Epub 2009 Sep 28.
  3. Panossian A and Wikman G. Evidence-based efficacy of adaptogens in fatigue, and molecular mechanisms related to their stress-protective activity. Curr Clin Pharmacol. 2009 Sep;4(3):198-219.
  4. Archana R, et al.  Antistressor effect of Withania somnifera. J Ethnopharmacol 1999; 64:91-93.
  5. López-Fando A, Gómez-Serranillos MP, Iglesias I et al. Lepidium peruvianum chacon restores homeostasis impaired by restraint stress. Phytother Res. 2004 Jun;18(6):471-474.
  6. MacKenzie MA, Hoefnagels WH, Jansen RW, Benraad TJ, Kloppenborg PW. The influence of glycyrrhetinic acid on plasma cortisol and cortisone in healthy young volunteers. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1990 Jun;70(6):1637-43.

About the Author

Dr. Lise NaugleDr. Lise Naugle is an associate of Dr. James L. Wilson. She assists healthcare professionals with clinical assessment and treatment protocols related to adrenal dysfunction and stress, and questions regarding the use of Doctor Wilson’s Original Formulations supplements. With eleven years in private practice and a focus on stress, adrenals, hormonal balance and mind-body connection, she offers both clinical astuteness and a wealth of practical knowledge. Dr. Naugle also maintains updated information about the latest scientific research on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function, endocrine balance and nutritional support for stress and develops educational materials about stress and health for clinicians and their patients.


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Stress and Nutrition: Avoiding 3 Common Dietary Pitfalls-Part 2

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Dr. Lise Naugle

Part 2 of a multipart series – look for part 3 tomorrow March 8

When you’re under stress, do you fall prey to one of three common dietary pitfalls: skipping meals because you feel like you don’t have time to eat; succumbing to cravings for sugar or fat; or relying on caffeine to try and rev your system? If so, you’re not alone. It’s easy to give in to poor nutritional choices when you’re fatigued and under stress. Unfortunately, although they may feel like a quick fix, these behaviors can create more problems in the long run. In the second of this three part series, I help you identify another pitfall: the overconsumption of sugar and fat, understand the effects this has on your health and your body’s ability to handle stress, and offer tools you can use to correct this pitfall.

Pitfall 2 – You succumb to sugar or fat cravings

The problem with doing this:    

sugar overload

Image credit: Flickr user jeffsmallwood

When your body is stressed, your adrenals (two little glands that sit above the kidneys) secrete adrenaline and cortisol, hormones that help your body handle the stress. These hormones break down stored fuel and increase your heart rate, delivering blood and energy to your muscles to prepare you to either fight a stressor or run from it. They also increase metabolism, causing your body to burn through nutrients at an increased rate. When you are under stress, your hormones and body demand fuel, and it is tempting to grab something sugary for a quick energy boost or something fat-laden for more sustained energy. Unfortunately, although it may provide a temporary solution, the gain is short-lived and may actually do more harm in the long run.

Sugary treats such as cookies, candy, and sugar-filled drinks provide very few (if any) nutrients and only simple sugars. Simple sugars are those that are easily broken down and released quickly into the blood stream. Although this may seem like a good solution to your energy slump, it’s not. The problem is that insulin, a hormone that moves sugar into the cells where it can be used, is secreted by the pancreas in response to the rise in blood sugar. If too much sugar enters your bloodstream too rapidly, insulin may overshoot its target, moving the sugar quickly into your cells and out of your bloodstream, leaving you once again with low blood sugar and more sugar cravings.  To make matters worse, the metabolism of sugar for energy requires B vitamins and other nutrients. If these aren’t provided by the food along with the sugar, the sugar actually robs your body of these nutrients.

This doesn’t only happen with obviously sugary foods; white flour, white rice, and other refined grains are also simple sugars. In other words, any type of grain product (breads, cereal, bagels, crackers, pretzels, or pasta) that doesn’t start with the word “whole” on the ingredient list is metabolized exactly like sugar, raising blood sugar and insulin levels rapidly, and then setting you up for a lower drop in blood sugar after. Fruit juice also provides a high quantity of simple sugars without the benefits of fiber, found in the skin and the pulp, to slow the sugar’s release into the blood. With juice it is also easy to ingest more sugar than you realize. Typically you would probably eat one orange for a snack. If you drink a glass of orange juice, you are ingesting the sugar equivalent of approximately 6 oranges!

(For more about the specifics of adrenals and blood sugar regulation, see Pitfall # 1)

Certain fats, or lipids, are essential to life. French fries, ice cream, and croissants are not. Many processed foods are made with partially hydrogenated oils and trans-fatty acids. Hydrogenation is the process of forcing hydrogen atoms onto a lipid. This improves the fats’ shelf life, but gives them an altered structure that is the opposite of what the body naturally uses. Since lipids are required in the formation of the membranes of all cells and in the synthesis of cortisol, this altered structure causes detrimental effects throughout your body, including your stress management system. In addition, these partially hydrogenated fats, as well as saturated fats (found in high concentrations in red meat and whole fat dairy products), also contribute to inflammation and weight gain, triggering chemical messengers that exacerbate fatigue and foggy thinking.

The solution:

Choose complex carbohydrates over simple sugars. Complex carbs are broken down more slowly and their sugar is released into your bloodstream over a longer period of time. Good choices include beans, lentils, whole fruits, vegetables and whole grains such as whole oats, brown rice and quinoa. When choosing fats, select natural sources of healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, avocados and fish. These foods are high in omega 3 (good) fats, as well as other nutrients. Use additional fats in moderation. Good choices for oils include fresh virgin olive oil, flax seed oil and expeller-pressed canola oil. In addition to complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, incorporate lean protein sources into each meal or snack to stabilize blood sugar and reduce cravings.

About the Author

Dr. Lise NaugleDr. Lise Naugle is an associate of Dr. James L. Wilson. She assists healthcare professionals with clinical assessment and treatment protocols related to adrenal dysfunction and stress, and questions regarding the use of Doctor Wilson’s Original Formulations supplements. With eleven years in private practice and a focus on stress, adrenals, hormonal balance and mind-body connection, she offers both clinical astuteness and a wealth of practical knowledge. Dr. Naugle also maintains updated information about the latest scientific research on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function, endocrine balance and nutritional support for stress and develops educational materials about stress and health for clinicians and their patients.

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Stress and Nutrition: Avoiding 3 Common Dietary Pitfalls – Part 1

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Dr. Lise Naugle

Part 1 of a multipart series – look for part 2 tomorrow March 8

When you’re under stress, do you fall prey to one of three common dietary pitfalls: skipping meals because you feel like you don’t have time to eat; succumbing to cravings for sugar or fat; or relying on caffeine to try and rev your system? If so, you’re not alone. It’s easy to give in to poor nutritional choices when you’re fatigued and under stress. Unfortunately, although they may feel like a quick fix, these behaviors can create more problems in the long run. In this three part series, I will help you identify the pitfalls, understand the effects they have on your body, and offer tools you can use to correct them.

Pitfall 1 – You skip meals or forget to eat 

The problem with doing this:

Hurry sign

Image credit: Flickr user rockmixer

Low blood sugar is a stress on the body. If you are already experiencing stress and you skip meals, you are actually compounding your stress. It’s the job of the adrenals (two little glands that sit above the kidneys) to support your body during times of stress, including times of low blood sugar. If you have strong adrenal function or your adrenals are only mildly fatigued, you might be able to get away with skipping meals every now and then. However, if your adrenals are fatigued from chronic or severe stress and you continue to make meal skipping a habit, you could be spending more of your energy bank account than you realize.

Cortisol is one of the principal hormones secreted by the adrenals. One of its primary functions is to maintain blood sugar (or glucose) levels. Glucose is the body’s ready source of energy.  When glucose levels drop (as they do several hours after eating), or when your cells require more energy (as in times of stress), the adrenal glands secrete cortisol and the fight or flight hormone, adrenaline. These hormones work to raise your glucose levels by promoting the creation of new glucose from non-carbohydrate sources (like protein) and break down of a storage form of glucose, called glycogen. However, this process is meant to be a temporary, short-term fix; not a substitute for refueling with food. Skipping meals depletes your reserves, and the production of adrenal hormones requires energy and nutrients.

Adrenal fatigue complicates the situation further. When your adrenals are fatigued, it is more difficult for them to produce adequate levels of hormones. Without enough cortisol and adrenaline, your blood sugar remains low, and your brain continues to stimulate the adrenals, trying to make them produce more. The situation is much like beating a tired horse, and it makes it far more difficult for the adrenals to recover.

The Solution:

Although skipping meals is one of the most common dietary pitfalls for people with stressful lives, a little planning may make it the easiest one to avoid. Breakfast is just that – breaking a fast. Eat before 10 am to give your body the fuel it needs and to replenish the energy stores you have depleted while sleeping.  Then eat moderately sized, healthy meals approximately every 3 hours to help stabilize blood sugar throughout the day. Eating a few bites of a healthy snack before bedtime will often help maintain blood sugar and cortisol levels throughout the night and prevent sleep disturbances and panic attacks in the middle of the night. Every meal and snack should include protein (animal or vegetable), complex carbohydrate (whole grains, fresh vegetables, and fruit) and a little healthy fat (preferably fresh vegetable, nut or fish oil). Since time is often a factor for people with stressful lives, it can be helpful to prepare things in advance and store them in individual portion sized containers. Also, having quick sources of high quality protein on hand such as protein powders, boiled eggs, single serving tuna, hummus with veggies, and packages of nuts can get you through during a real time crunch.

Many people with adrenal fatigue don’t feel hungry in the morning and even have difficulty eating at that time. This is typically due to one of two reasons: either they ate too much too late the night before, or lowered adrenal function is causing sluggish liver function. If this is true for you, make sure to keep your evening meal(s) small, and consider eating foods which support liver function such as beets, broccoli, and cabbage, and the spice, turmeric. Fiber and live beneficial bacteria, like those found in some yogurts, can support optimal gastrointestinal movement.

About the Author

Dr. Lise NaugleDr. Lise Naugle is an associate of Dr. James L. Wilson. She assists healthcare professionals with clinical assessment and treatment protocols related to adrenal dysfunction and stress, and questions regarding the use of Doctor Wilson’s Original Formulations supplements. With eleven years in private practice and a focus on stress, adrenals, hormonal balance and mind-body connection, she offers both clinical astuteness and a wealth of practical knowledge. Dr. Naugle also maintains updated information about the latest scientific research on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function, endocrine balance and nutritional support for stress and develops educational materials about stress and health for clinicians and their patients.

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Stress and Autoimmune Disorders

Posted on February 28, 2012 by adrenalfatigue

Stress and Toxins are Two Major Contributors

autoimmune conditions

Image courtesy Flickr Creative Commons - User GE Healthcare

Where are all these immune problems coming from? Apart from a whole bunch of other minor reasons, I would put an increasingly poor immunity down to two basic things: 1) Stress (we do, expect and stress far too much) and 2) Toxins in our everyday lives. There are many other potential causes, but stress and toxins appear to be two of the largest triggers. The problem with these two big potential causes is that the patient’s stress responses (generally adrenal gland depletion) are not recognized or treated in a medical setting, and toxins are rarely if ever considered to be an issue as a contributing factor in the development of any chronic disease, including conditions such as autoimmunity.

Stress and Autoimmune Conditions

How can stress eventually cause an auto-immune condition? Stress causes a burden on adrenal function, which results in the body’s inability to counter inflammation through poor cortisol levels—your body’s own powerful steroid.

In autoimmune reactions, white blood cells attack parts of your body as if they were the enemy, and in most autoimmune reactions the cortisol levels your body produces are inadequate for the degree of reaction taking place in the particular tissues of your body. This is exactly one of the reasons why strong corticosteroids (Prednisolone, Prednisone, etc.) are prescribed for all diseases involving a very strong inflammatory process, particularly autoimmune diseases. Doctors and patients alike love it—there’s almost an instant relief. It does feel great at first, but there are consequences.

It is apparent that most people who suffer from autoimmunity issues have multiple hormone imbalances, yet the blood tests will most often say there is nothing wrong with the glands involved, namely the adrenal glands and thyroid. The recovery process can be long for some. With proper treatment, many patients will find some improvement in their adrenal health in a matter of weeks. For some it can take months.  Recovery time depends on several factors, including one’s motivation to improve health, the degree of pre-existing damage, as well as the clinical skills of their health professional. Even in the best of hands, the process can take anywhere between 2 months to 3 years. Please bear in mind that autoimmunity is a long marathon and recovery should not be expected to be easy. You will not wake up in a week and feel like nothing happened, as ideal as this would be. Remember: it probably took a few years to get to this point in the first place. The key is to pace yourself and work on your overall health in small steps, making gradual progress over time. Frustration and disappointments are unfortunately part and parcel of this process, so don’t beat yourself up! Stay patient and remember that most, if not all, will experience ups and downs during recovery.

Stress/Autoimmune Connection: What the Research Says

The best evidence so far for stress’s effect on autoimmune thyroid disease is the well-known relationship between the onset of Graves’ disease (hyperthyroidism) and a major stress in a person’s life. Most of the recent case-control studies have supported stress as a factor in the onset and clinical course of Graves’ disease. Because the onset and course of autoimmunity is generally inconspicuous, the effect of stress is often overlooked. Numerous studies on animals and humans have shown that psychological and physiologic stressors induce various immune changes. Stress can affect the immune system directly or indirectly through the nervous and hormone systems. It is quite important for practitioners to take his or her time and look at each case “longitudinally,” i.e. looking at past life events to see how stress could have affected your health over the years, as well as the turning or defining points along the way which preceded the breakdown in health. A 10 minute visit to your local doctor will therefore generally mean that your diagnosis and treatment will be based rather on your presenting complaints, rather than considering any functional disturbances (adrenal fatigue) leading to the breakdown in health.

About the Author

Dr. Eric BakkerEric Bakker B.H.Sc. (Comp.Med), N.D, R.Hom. is a highly experienced naturopathic physician who has been in clinical practice for over 22 years. Eric is passionate about improving people’s lives through proven wellness and lifestyle principles, natural medicine practice as well as public and practitioner education. He is the clinical services director of Nutrisearch, a leading NZ company supplying highest quality products and services to health-care professionals throughout NZ and Australia. Eric is New Zealand’s leading on-line naturopath and specializes in adrenal fatigue, thyroid disorders and candida yeast infections. Website: www.naturopath.co.nz  Blog:  www.ericbakker.com

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Cold Weather Stress + Physical Stress = Immune Challenges

Posted on February 17, 2012 by adrenalfatigue

walking in deep snowCold weather puts stress on the body, which can lead to various metabolic changes, including suppression of immune function. Even a brief exposure to cold results in increased levels of stress hormones and a number of changes in the immune response. However, by either choice or necessity, many people find themselves not only exposed to winter cold, but having to exercise or do physical labor in cold temperatures, escalating the stress on their bodies.  Researchers at the University of Houston reviewed the available literature to examine the effects on the immune system of cold stress combined with physical exertion. In their review, they found that cold and exertion can increase the secretion of stress hormones, compound immune suppression, and may potentially put people at increased risk for colds, flus, and other infections.

The human body adapts to cold weather by stimulation of:

1)      the sympathetic (fight or flight stress response) aspect of the nervous system

2)      the organs involved in the stress response

  1.  portions of the brain known as the hypothalamus and pituitary, which regulate the stress response
  2. the adrenal glands, which secrete hormones such as norepinephrine and cortisol that influence stress responses throughout the body

This stimulation causes a number of physiological adjustments to maintain body temperature: shivering to create heat, constriction of small blood vessels near the body’s surface to prevent heat loss, and increased metabolism to generate heat. This same stimulation also causes changes in the immune system. In general, these physiologic adaptations and immune alterations increase as the temperature decreases or the amount of exertion increases.

Such alterations to the immune system result in a decrease in the activity of natural killer cells, which are crucial to preventing the replication of viral-infected and cancerous cells. Natural killer cells are also responsible for the release of chemicals called cytokines that orchestrate additional immune responses. Cold temperatures and the stress response also cause a decrease in the ability of specific immune cells, called T-cells, to reproduce in response to a foreign invader. Cold and stress can also reduce levels of immune factors in saliva (salivary IgA) that play an essential role in immunological defense of the nose, mouth, and upper respiratory system.

The researchers did find that, over time, the body can learn to adapt to some degree of physical exertion in cold weather. Athletes who regularly worked out in the cold secreted less cortisol and had fewer immune alterations than athletes who were not acclimated to the temperature.

If you live in a place where the winters are cold, and especially if you are required to perform physical labor or exercise outside, acclimatize slowly by gradually increasing your exposure to the cold and the intensity of your exertion, and be sure to provide extra support to your immune and adrenal systems during the cold winter months.

About the Author

Dr. Lise NaugleDr. Lise Naugle is an associate of Dr. James L. Wilson. She assists healthcare professionals with clinical assessment and treatment protocols related to adrenal dysfunction and stress, and questions regarding the use of Doctor Wilson’s Original Formulations® supplements. With eleven years in private practice and a focus on stress, adrenals, hormonal balance and mind-body connection, she offers both clinical astuteness and a wealth of practical knowledge. Dr. Naugle also maintains updated information about the latest scientific research on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function, endocrine balance and nutritional support for stress and develops educational materials about stress and health for clinicians and their patients.

Image Credit: Susan Ujka Larson Collection

 References

LaVoy EC, McFarlin BK, Simpson RJ. Immune responses to exercising in a cold environment. Wilderness Environ Med. 2011 Dec;22(4):343-51. Epub 2011 Oc 7.

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Weatherproofing Winter Skin – Part 2 of 2

Posted on February 7, 2012 by adrenalfatigue

The 2nd and final part of Dr. Naugle’s article (read part 1 here)

  • Poor Nutrition

The nutrients you absorb from your food lay the foundation for healthy skin, hair, and nails. In the winter, there tend to be fewer options for fresh fruits and vegetables, which means that people are often eating fewer bioflavonoids, vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients that support the skin and related structures. In addition, cortisol slows digestion and reduces digestive enzyme output. People with adrenal fatigue or under a great deal of stress often have difficulty digesting their food or absorbing the nutrients. In addition, stress causes the body to consume certain nutrients at a more rapid rate. Nutrients like B vitamins, vitamin C and certain minerals can easily become depleted. Because skin cells turn over in about 2-4 weeks, hair grows at the rate of approximately half an inch per month, and nails at about 1/10 of an inch per month, these tissues show the effects of suboptimal nutrition fairly quickly.

What You Can Do

To promote development of healthy skin, eat fresh, whole foods and avoid sugar and saturated fats. Digestive enzymes and other substances that enhance digestive function and intestinal integrity-such as L-glutamine, phosphatidylcholine, quercetin, slippery elm and ginger- can help with absorption and assimilation of nutrients. Certain nutrients-such as magnesium, manganese, zinc, vitamin C, 5-HTP and choline-support the body’s adrenals under stress.

  • Changes in Circulation

Image credit: Loony LibberswickIt is not enough to ingest and absorb the right building blocks for the construction of hair, skin, and nails. These must be delivered to the site of these tissues as well. Under stress, hormones involved in the “fight or flight” response prepare the body to react to an emergency by altering metabolism in a way that prepares for rapid muscular responses (such as running or fighting the threat), but somewhat ignores maintenance metabolism (such as digestion and growth). Blood, carrying a rich supply of oxygen and nutrients, gets shunted towards the muscles and away from other tissues, including the hands and feet. In fact, a core component of biofeedback training to combat stress is teaching people to increase blood flow to their extremities.5 In cold weather, blood is also diverted away from the extremities in order to retain body heat. As a result, fewer nutrients are delivered to these tissues.

What You Can Do

To increase circulation, practice some form of cardiovascular exercise daily. It helps dissipate stress hormones and increases circulation throughout the body. Relaxation or biofeedback training can also help you learn to control your blood flow. In addition, keep your extremities and head covered in the cold to retain body heat.

Winter can be tough on skin and bodies already challenged by stress, but with a few simple steps, you can ‘weather the weather’ and keep your skin, hair, nails and adrenals healthier and happier.

 References

  1. Garg, A et al. Psychological stress perturbs epidermal permeability homeostasis: implications for the pathogenesis of stress-associated skin disorders. Arch Dermatol. 2001; 137(1):53-9.
  2. Uchakin PN, et al. Fatigue in medical residents leads to reactivation of herpes virus latency. Interdiscip Perspect Infect Dis. 2011; 2011:571340.
  3. Gaby AR. Natural remedies for Herpes simplex. Altern Med Rev. 2006; 11(2):93-101.
  4. Terezhalmy GT, et al. The use of water-soluble bioflavonoid-ascorbic acid complex in the treatment of recurrent herpes labialis. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. 1978;45(1):56-62.
  5. Yucha, Carolyn and Doil, Montgomery. Evidence-Based Practice in Biofeedback and Neurofeedback. Wheat Ridge, CO: Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 2008.

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Weatherproofing Winter Skin – Part 1 of 2

Posted on February 6, 2012 by adrenalfatigue

By Dr. Lise Naugle – Look for Part 2 Tomorrow, February 7

Stress or adrenal dysfunction combined with cold winds, dry indoor heat, hot showers and circulating pathogens create a real challenge for your skin, the largest organ in your body. Winter weather is hard enough on anyone’s skin, robbing it of moisture and heat, causing cracks, and affecting its protective barrier ability. When you add stress to winter’s challenges, the damage is amplified.

Image credit: Loony Libberswick

The skin is readily visible, and its health can be a helpful reflection of the condition of organs you can’t see. The skin is made up of two primary layers: the epidermis and dermis. The epidermis is the part you see, and its outermost cells are dead. New cells grow upwards from the bottom and migrate towards the surface in a process that takes almost a month to complete.  The primary job of the epidermis is to form a protective layer against water loss and pathogens. The dermis lies beneath it, acting as a foundation for the epidermis and a cushion for the body structures. It contains nerve endings, blood vessels, hair follicles and sweat glands. It is also where the hair and nails originate, so anything that influences the health of your skin, including stress, also affects your hair and your nails.

Stress and winter weather can impact the skin in several ways:

  1. Barrier Integrity Damage

During stress, the adrenals secrete a hormone called cortisol. Synthetic medications designed to mimic cortisol (corticosteroids, such as prednisone or methylprednisolone) reduce the barrier activity and growth of the epidermis, making it thinner and weaker. A study was done to discover whether stress had the same effect on the skin as synthetic coritcosteroids.1 Researchers examined the skin and measured the epidermal barrier function and water loss in the skin of 27 students at three different times: low stress (just after winter break), high stress (during exam week), and another low stress (during spring break). They discovered that the students had more disruption in the epidermal barrier at high stress times. This barrier disruption can result in cracked skin, moisture loss, and a greater opportunity for bacteria to penetrate. Bacteria can activate the immune system and sometimes trigger eczema and psoriasis. Cold weather and excessively hot showers can also damage the barrier.

What You Can Do

To help keep your epidermal barrier strong, take fish oil to support cell structure, use warm rather than hot water in the shower, limit the duration and number of showers,  and apply moisturizer immediately after showering.

  1. Immune Challenges

Cold weather often forces people to spend more time inside, frequently in close proximity to others who may be sick. Besides its direct effects on skin’s growth and barrier function, cortisol also suppresses overall immune function. Scientists studied viral loads in students under stressed and non-stressed conditions and discovered that latent herpes virus is reactivated under stress.2 Reactivation of herpes can result in an outbreak of painful blisters on the skin and mucus membranes.

What You Can Do

To help decrease your chances of a reactivation under stress, get plenty of sleep and avoid the spread of other infectious diseases (such as colds and flus) which require your immune system to go into overdrive. In addition, try nutrients such as vitamin A to support skin integrity, probiotics for immune support and L-lysine—an amino acid that inhibits replication of the virus. Used with vitamin C, bioflavonoids and zinc, lysine can help reduce the frequency and duration of outbreaks.3, 4

References

  1. Garg, A et al. Psychological stress perturbs epidermal permeability homeostasis: implications for the pathogenesis of stress-associated skin disorders. Arch Dermatol. 2001; 137(1):53-9.
  2. Uchakin PN, et al. Fatigue in medical residents leads to reactivation of herpes virus latency. Interdiscip Perspect Infect Dis. 2011; 2011:571340.
  3. Gaby AR. Natural remedies for Herpes simplex. Altern Med Rev. 2006; 11(2):93-101.
  4. Terezhalmy GT, et al. The use of water-soluble bioflavonoid-ascorbic acid complex in the treatment of recurrent herpes labialis. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. 1978;45(1):56-62.
  5. Yucha, Carolyn and Doil, Montgomery. Evidence-Based Practice in Biofeedback and Neurofeedback. Wheat Ridge, CO: Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 2008.

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The Effects of Stress on Hair, Skin and Nails: Part 3

Posted on February 1, 2012 by adrenalfatigue

The final entry in our 3 part series on stress and hair, skin and nails

 Nails and Stress

Effects of stress on hair, skin and nailsFingernails and toenails are also not immune to the effects of stress. Strong, healthy nails require protein, silica, magnesium, zinc, iron, biotin, and other vitamins and minerals. Because stress makes it more difficult for your body to absorb the nutrients it needs, nail pitting, shredding and ridging frequently flare under stress. As mentioned previously, adrenal fatigue also reduces absorption of nutrients essential to tissue health, making the combination of high stress with adrenal fatigue particularly detrimental to nail health as well. Biotin is a nutrient that is often useful in the treatment of brittle nails, yet cortisol has been shown to cause a loss of biotin from the body. Finally, many people tend to abuse their nails when stressed, resorting to nail biting or repetitive rubbing that can cause mechanical damage to the nail bed.

 A Vicious Cycle of Stress

Stress can aggravate acne, hair loss, brittle nails and other conditions that show in the hair, skin and nails. Because these tissues are so visible to the outside world, having a blemish or anything that adversely alters your appearance can be stressful in and of itself. This stress, as you now know, can induce physiological changes that worsen the condition, further increasing self-consciousness

 Maintaining Healthy Hair, Skin and Nails during Stressful Times

There are a number of things you can do to support the health of your hair, skin, and nails in times of stress:

Reduce the stress

• Change the situation
• Change your response to the situation
• Remove yourself from the situation

Use stress management techniques to help moderate cortisol levels

• Practice yoga, meditation or deep breathing
• Do aerobic exercise
• Take time out for you

Lifestyle changes

• Avoid biting your nails, twisting your hair, scratching or picking your skin, or otherwise taking stress out on your body
•Sleep 8 or more hours a night to allow the tissues to heal and grow
• Eat a healthy diet high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in sugar and hydrogenated oils to support cell membranes
• Chew slowly and eat in a relaxed environment to allow maximum uptake of nutrients
• Eat sufficient protein for growth and repair of tissues
• Drink plenty of water to hydrate skin and flush waste products

 Nutritional support for the hair, skin, nails

• Silica, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, calcium and biotin support tissue structure
• Gelatin provides building blocks for structural proteins
• Antioxidants (including A,C,E and zinc) fight free radicals
• Nutrients such as vitamin C, zinc, magnesium and manganese support tissue health
• Fish oil provides omega-3 fatty

 Supplemental support for the adrenals

• Herbs such as licorice, ashwagandha, maca and Siberian ginseng support the HPA axis
• Ashwagandha helps to normalize many of the biological changes brought about by stress
• Licorice helps to counteract cortisol’s immunosuppressive effects
• Nutrients such as vitamin C, zinc, magnesium and manganese support adrenal function
• B vitamins support adrenal hormone production
• Vitamin A helps normalize cortisol levels in conditions of abnormal secretion
• Vitamins A, C, and E help to modulate the HPA axis and stress response

The benefits of managing your stress response and providing targeted nutrition for your cells will be reflected in healthier, stronger and more attractive hair, skin and nails.

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The Effects of Stress on Hair, Skin and Nails: Part 2

Posted on January 31, 2012 by adrenalfatigue

Part 2 of a 3 part series. Look for part 3 Wednesday 2/1/12

Effects of stress on hair, skin and nailsNutrient Absorption and Stress

All the building blocks to create healthy hair, skin, and nails come from the nutrients you digest and absorb. In addition to diverting blood away from the digestive system, cortisol also decreases secretion of digestive enzymes and changes the pattern of movement of food through the digestive tract, impairing nutrient absorption. Plus, when you are under stress, your body burns through nutrients faster than normal. Over time, one consequence of impaired gastrointestinal function and increased demand for nutrients is a deficit that hits rapidly growing tissues like hair, skin and nails the hardest.

Skin and Stress

Excessive stress and cortisol have direct effects on the skin. Maybe you have experienced flushing or sweating when your friends have sung happy birthday to you in a crowded restaurant. These are superficial and immediately visible effects of the stress response, but there are deeper effects too. The skin normally has a fatty layer which protects and insulates it, retains moisture, and gives it a smooth softness. Excessive cortisol damages this layer and results in thin, fragile skin prone to easy bruising, stretch marks, and infection. Stress also induces cumulative skin damage over time because it accelerates production of free radicals (the biological equivalent of rust). When free radicals are generated faster than the cells’ antioxidant mechanisms can neutralize them, they damage the cells and their DNA, interfere with the protein that keeps the skin firm and prevents sagging, hasten the formation of wrinkles, and speed up the aging process. Not only does the skin react to the stress hormones generated by the adrenal glands that circulate throughout the body, but also to cortisol generated within specialized cells in the skin itself. Each of these cells, called a follicle, has its own equivalent of the HPA axis and the ability to demand and produce cortisol within the skin tissue itself. With over 5 million of these cells in the body, that is a lot of mini-cortisol factories impacting your skin! In addition, when cortisol levels are out of balance (too high or too low) it can disrupt the balance of sex hormones like testosterone and progesterone which also affect the skin.

Hair and Stress

Hair literally reflects stress. Because it is built from the nutrients available as it develops, and it grows approximately 1/4 – 1/2 inch per month, a few inches of hair can be used as a tool to indicate the levels of minerals or toxic substances that were present in the body over a period of time. Recently, researchers have found that elevated hair cortisol levels are a good predictor of heart attacks! This is because high levels of hair cortisol show that the person’s entire body has been highly stressed for months. Shiny, strong hair requires minerals, and deficiencies can show up as lackluster hair. Under stress, the demand for certain minerals such as magnesium and manganese increases but nutrient absorption and assimilation decreases. In someone with adrenal fatigue, absorption of these minerals and other essential nutrients is even more difficult, making the combination of high stress with adrenal fatigue particularly detrimental to hair health. A highly stressful event is even capable of precipitating a sudden, dramatic hair loss (telogen effluvium). It is commonly believed that extreme stress can cause gray hair, but until recently it was not known how this happens. Scientists are now discovering that free radicals generated at a higher rate during stress (the same ones that damage the skin) may well be the culprits, harming cells in the hair shaft that produce the hair’s pigment.

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The Effects of Stress on Hair, Skin and Nails: Part 1

Posted on January 30, 2012 by adrenalfatigue

Hair, Skin and Nail Health

The effects of stress on hair, skin and nailsPart 1 of a 3 part series. Look for part 2 Tuesday 1/31

The creation and maintenance of healthy hair, skin, and nails begins at the cellular level. It requires high quality protein for strong, supple connective tissue, essential fatty acids for healthy cell membranes, and a multitude of vitamins and minerals that act as cofactors, catalysts and antioxidants to create and repair the tissues. Hormones and other chemicals in the body also influence the way the cells respond and repair. For example, the subjective experience you feel as stress impacts these tissues physiologically because of the release of specific hormones. In other words: when you are under stress, it can show up on your face, your hands and your hair.

Your Stress Response

When you are under stress, be it a looming midterm, a throbbing broken ankle, or a smoggy traffic jam en route to an appointment, your body’s physiology responds the same way. Deep in the brain, a structure called the hypothalamus signals the pituitary, or master gland, to signal two little glands that sit on top of the kidneys, called the adrenal glands, to secrete stress hormones that prepare the body to deal with the stressor. The hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenals together are known as the HPA axis, and it is this axis that is responsible for the regulation of the stress response throughout your body. This same stress response has been around since humans wore loincloths, and it primes the body to react to the stressor with a physical “fight or flight” response.

21st Century Stress and Tissue Health

On the other hand, a “fight or flight” response is rarely appropriate for the stress overload arising from economic, environmental, social and psychological sources in the complex 21st century. Events such as increases in your cell phone bill, an impatient driver tail-gating your car, or rumors of lay-offs at work cannot be handled with physically active responses. However, because human physiology functions much the same as it did 100,000 years ago, the HPA axis still triggers adrenal hormones proficient at helping the body adapt to the physically demanding type of stressors faced by our ancestors: trekking through a snowstorm, surviving months of famine, or fending off an attacking predator. The adrenal stress hormone with the biggest impact on tissue health is cortisol. It makes sure that resources such as nutrients and oxygen go to the muscles first, and releases more glucose into the bloodstream to provide quick energy.

All of the metabolic changes that cortisol orchestrates are crucial in these “fight or flight” situations in which the muscles need a lot of nutrients, oxygen and fuel FAST. At the same time, the growth and repair of other tissues such as skin, hair and nails, and the function of systems such as digestion get downgraded to a lower priority. When you are fighting for your life, the importance of growing your hair or digesting your lunch pales in comparison to being able to pack a quick punch! Unfortunately, the physiological adaptations that could save a person’s life in the past may not help with 21st century stress, and may even become harmful over time. Nevertheless, cortisol continues to be secreted, and stressors continue to arise with no physical way to dissipate them. When stress is chronic or prolonged, the detrimental effects of cortisol become cumulative. Your blood flow (with its supply of nutrients, oxygen and energy) continues to be shunted away from your skin and digestive organs, limiting the nutrients and fuel for growth they receive. Your blood sugar and insulin remain elevated, potentially damaging your tissues. The end result is that the tissues of your skin, hair and nails do not receive all they need to grow and thrive. Conversely, if your adrenal glands become depleted by chronic stress (as in adrenal fatigue), they may not be able to maintain adequate cortisol levels to sufficiently sustain energy and stimulate nutrient metabolism and immune function for optimal tissue growth, repair and protection. With both high adrenal function and adrenal fatigue, chronic 21st century stress can be detrimental to your hair, skin and nails.

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