high-stress Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Study Shows High Stress Increases the Risk of Cancer

AHA Publisher — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 07:00:28 +0000

News Staff via NaturalHealth365 – It’s no secret that stress has many detrimental effects on the body. High stress levels can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, inflammation, gastric upset, and more. But what about stress and cancer? Can chronic stress actually cause cancer? One study published in Scientific Reports suggests that stress increases cancer risk. Can Stress Actually Cause Cancer? The study, performed in Japan, evaluated the association between perceived stress and the risk of developing cancer. Alarmingly, researchers found that those with a constant high perceived stress level had an 11% greater cancer risk. This correlation was found in men who had no family history of cancer. However, the risk was more substantial among men with other health risk factors, like smoking and obesity. Other studies have also suggested an association between chronic stress levels and cancer risks. Some reveal a connection between work stress and lung, esophageal, and colorectal cancer. Another recent study saw a link between PTSD or social isolation and ovarian cancer. So can you get cancer from stress, or do other factors come into play? Although there seem to be strong links between stress and cancer, the answer is debatable. Some studies have found no increase in cancer risk related to work stress. On top of that, it’s hard to study the direct relationship between stress and cancer because the experience of stress is so subjective. Many researchers believe it’s not stress that causes cancer – it’s what it does to your body. How Does Stress Affect Your Body? Your body’s response to acute stress is a natural evolutionary survival mechanism. When you’re under stress or your mind perceives danger, two things happen: your fight-or-flight response turns on, and the stress hormone cortisol is released. When your body dwells in a high-stress state, continuous stress hormones can cause harmful changes in your body. Consequently, chronic stress can alter your metabolism, weaken your immune system, and even damage your DNA. Furthermore, chronic stress often leads to unhealthy behaviors like smoking, overconsuming alcohol, and eating unhealthy foods. So while it’s difficult to prove that stress can cause cancer, the harmful effects of chronic stress are undeniable. And because of how it affects your body, high stress can result in higher cancer risk. How to Minimize Your Cancer Risk You can’t know whether you will ever get cancer or any other disease. Additionally, many toxins and chemicals in the environment can increase cancer risk. However, you can take steps to keep your body healthy and minimize your risk factors. Avoiding tobacco can reduce cancer risk since tobacco smoking is strongly linked to many types of cancer. Eating a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables is essential, as well as avoiding toxic processed meats and other unhealthy foods. To help bring yourself into a more parasympathetic (relaxed) state, chew your food, really well. The habit of chewing your food well will calm down your nervous system, improve digestion and immune function. Getting enough exercise and maintaining a healthy weight will help to reduce your overall cancer risk. Spend a healthy amount of time in the sun and “get grounded” by putting your feet onto the ground outside. Spend more time in naturefor all its obvious health benefits. Don’t let high stress levels destroy your life: Taking care of your body, mind and soul will help you to minimize the risk of dangerous long-term health problems, including cancer and heart disease. Sources for this article include: Nature.com LiveScience.com MayoClinic.org To read the original article click here.

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Stressed? 11 Surprising Tools to Combat Daily Stress

AHA Publisher — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 07:00:48 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – “Stressed” seems to be the baseline state for many modern adults. It’s no wonder. Lives have become more stressful in the last couple years. Seemingly normal everyday decisions and life, from healthcare to kids’ schooling to taking care of aging parents weigh heavy. It is vital that we proactively combat daily stress throughout each day. Why? Stress isn’t just an uncomfortable feeling. It’s actually a progression of reactions in your body that can have devastating health consequences both directly and indirectly. Directly, chronic elevated cortisol (the “stress hormone”) wreaks havoc on body systems. Indirectly, stress can lead us to long lasting feelings of depression, unhealthy eating, isolation, reduced motivation and more. How Stress Affects Your Health High levels of mental stress can be devastating to your brain, your health, your relationships, and your immune system. Chronically elevated cortisol levels can affect all our body’s systems. Cortisol is a hormone that’s released by the adrenal glands when the body faces stress. In modern times, this stress is often more mental than physical and usually has no outlet. For many, it’s chronic. It builds. And, it does damage. High blood cortisol levels are correlated with weight gain and impaired loss, altered blood pressure, negative impacts on mood, sleep and energy, an increased incidence of blood sugar and heart health issues, and potentially lower brain volume and memory challenges (1). What can you do? Try our 10 Effective Tools to Combat Daily Stress! 11 Surprising Tools to Combat Daily Stress 1. ADD NATURE’S BEST STRESS RELIEF EACH DAY Did you know there’s an all-natural oil that is effective against stress? Hemp oil, specifically nano-particle oils like those in Dr. Colbert’s Nano-Science Hemp Oil, promotes health across the body’s systems. It is a broad-spectrum hemp oil that is organically grown, vegan, and GMO-free. In terms of health, it have been shown to: Support healthy, stable moods (2) Promote stress relief and normalized cortisol levels Support comfortable, healthy joints (3) Encourage healthy sleep habits (4) Promote healthy skin with fewer irregularities and blemishes (5) Support healthy brain and nervous system functions (6) Encourage healthy cardiovascular functions and normalized inflammatory actions (7) Why it’s surprising: Hemp oil is more effective than most plant compounds at combating stress! 2. CALMLY BREATHE IN AND OUT Did you know you can combat stress with your lungs? It’s true. You can calm your heart, your brain, and your body by breathing calmly. Try this: While pressing your tongue strongly against the roof of your mouth, breathe in slowly. Then, allow your tongue to completely relax and lower, even allowing your mouth to hang open if you want, and slowly breathe out. Do this for an entire minute. Why it’s surprising: Breathing is one of the most simple human function. Controlling it can help you control your stress. 3. EXERCISE, OUTDOORS IF POSSIBLE When you exercise, you release your body’s own ability to combat stress. In fact, studies suggest that exercise can improve anxiety symptoms or stressed moods especially in those who have a history of dealing with chronic stress (15). It’s interesting. Exercise can actually increase stress hormones acutely. However, these hormones quickly decrease back to healthy levels and long-term stress outcomes improve (8). What’s more, moods improve when you get outside. If you don’t know where to start, start walking. Here are 10 Amazing Benefits of Walking! Why it’s surprising: We all know exercise is good for you. You can double your stress reduction by getting outside while exercising! 4. LAUGH ANY CHANCE YOU GET, ESPECIALLY WITH FRIENDS & LOVED ONES If life doesn’t seem pleasant, fun, or funny at the moment, you’ll have to go out of your way to proactively laugh. It may seem silly. But, if you prioritize laughter, you will reduce stress. Start by reading your favorite funny author, spending time with a great friend, listening or watching a favorite comedian or show, or hanging out with children. Amazingly, laughter is considered a scientific, effective, non-invasive therapy for improved mental health and mood. In fact, it’s been found that laughter alters dopamine and serotonin activity, and causes an increase in endorphins. These chemicals decrease discomfort, cortisol (9), and depressed moods (10). Why it’s surprising: Laughter is such a gift in the human experience. Indulge in it for a free stress-buster. 5. STAY HYDRATED WITH A STRESS-BUSTING TEA Did you know that dehydration can increase cortisol? Dehydration is linked to increased saliva and blood cortisol. Amazingly, multiple studies have found that dehydrated athletes have more circulating cortisol than hydrated ones (11). Of course, water is a great choice for hydration. But, you can take it a step further and drink cortisol-reducing black and/or green tea. Tea is a health-promoting drink that you can use as a tool to combat stress daily. In studies, tea consumers reported a higher “sense of relaxation,” lower blood platelet activation, better heart health indicators, brain health, oral health, and a fiery metabolism (14). Take it one step further and flavor your tea with Organic Fermented Green Supremefood®. Why it’s surprising:Many think tea itself is dehydrating. It’s only a very gentle diuretic and can be used for stress-busting hydration. 6. GET INTO THE KETO ZONE® TO EAT HEALTHY FOODS THROUGHOUT THE DAY You can also combat daily stress by improving your diet. A haphazard diet, a high-sugar diet, or an ultra-processed diet can be detrimental to your health and stress levels. Here’s how to improve your diet : Ditch the low-calorie, high-carb diets. Often, dieters following these strategies are left feeling hungry. Hunger promotes feelings of overwhelm and stress. Increase foods that promote satiety and satisfaction like healthy fats. Remove processed sugars and carbohydrates from your diet as much as possible. Sugars lead to energy crashes and increased feelings of stress. How? The best way to get started is to get the book: Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone Diet Book. You will find how to cut carbs and get into ketosis. Then, continue to follow our posts, recipes, Facebook groups, and more to keep going. You can also join our FREE 21-Day Keto Zone Challenge! Why it’s surprising: Many people eat without thinking it affects their mental health. What you eat matters when it comes to stress. 7. PRAY WITH GRATITUDE No matter the conflicts you’re facing, the practice of daily gratitude and prayer can change everything. In fact, practicing gratitude has been proven to support decreased cortisol and stress levels. Moreover, prayer is a wonderful gift for spiritual health. Prayer is thought to increase the secretion of neurotransmitters, such as dopamine. These compounds decrease cortisol while promoting relaxation, focus, and motivation. Of course, for believers, prayer and gratitude to God goes beyond mental health. Our spiritual health is the foundation of everything else! Why it’s surprising: Gratitude and prayer are available to you all day, every day. You can choose them and thereby choose to reduce your stress. 8. CLEAR THE CALENDAR Some stress is self-induced. Sometimes, we say “yes” to too many activities. Sometimes, we are required to live within a busy schedule. As much as it’s dependent on you, clear your schedule to combat daily stress. It’s okay to spend time at home with little to do. It’s okay to allow kids to play without a “formal class or structure.” Give yourself a break. Why it’s surprising: While we often feel like stress is heaped onto us, many times we simply over-schedule ourselves and our families. It’s okay to do less. Slow and simple lives have a lot of health benefits. 9. USE POSITIVE LANGUAGE AND THOUGHTS TO SOOTHE STRESS Your words can shape your world. In fact, you have a lot of power to combat daily stress with your language. In fact, even when patients are recovering from chronic illness, optimistic language and optimism have been shown to improve outcomes (12). How? Use the word “challenges” rather than “problems.” Talk about difficult or new situations as opportunities to grow and learn. Acknowledge stressful situations and discuss helpful actions such as prayer, talking, and habits to address them. Avoid using absolute terms like “always” and “never,” and acknowledge difficult seasons with hopefulness. Talk to yourself with love and care, just as you would to a friend. Capture and replace negative self-talk with positive. What’s more, optimism is thought by some to be a fountain of youth! That’s some great news. Something that won’t cost you a dime can help you reduce stress while increasing youthfulness! Why it’s surprising: You can change your entire day by changing the way you talk to yourself and think. Start “capturing” the negative and flipping it to the positive. 10. PUT DOWN THE PHONE AND THE REMOTE Sure, we all need to “tune in” to know what is happening in the world. However, increasingly, we’re tuning in too much. We are now inundated with news nonstop. We see struggles from every corner of the world, sometimes truthfully and sometimes grossly exaggerated. What’s this doing to our stress levels? Recent studies suggest more media consumption means more feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety (15). Instead of tuning into a device for countless hours, get your news in small doses from a trusted source. Then, proactively put it down and tune into your physical world and the people present in your life. Why is this surprising? For many, stress actually increases media consumption, which can then exacerbate stress. It takes proactive action to stop this negative cycle. 11. PRIORITIZE SLEEP No matter the situation, you can combat daily stress and improve mental health with adequate sleep. In fact, adults should all aim to get 7-9 hours of good quality sleep each night. While adequate sleep is not always easy or even feasible, it’s a crucial health habit. The alternative, lack of sleep, can impair melatonin levels and cortisol, increase the risk of metabolic issues and weight gain, and generally deteriorate well-being. What’s more, an overload of stress can be the cause of poor sleep (13), making the sleep-stress cycle a potential threat to health. Aim for more sleep and less stress this week! Why it’s surprising: Sleep is not a waste of time. In fact, it may be the most important activity when it comes to mental health. Bottom Line Life is not easy, and it feels like it’s getting tougher in many ways. Decide today that your health is priceless to you. Combat daily stress with our tools. Every other part of your life will benefit from less cortisol. Take action today! To read the original article click here.

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No, Stress Isn’t Always Bad. Here’s How to Harness It

AHA Publisher — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 07:00:09 +0000

University of Rochester via Newswise – Sweaty palms during a job interview. Racing heartbeat before the walk down the aisle. Stomach pains ahead of a final exam. Many of us have experienced a classic stress response in new, unusual, or high-pressure circumstances. But reevaluating how one perceives stress can make a big difference to a person’s mental health, general wellbeing, and success, according to University of Rochester psychologists. For their latest study, which appears in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Rochester researchers trained adolescents and young adults at a community college to treat their stress response as a tool rather than an obstacle. The team found that in addition to reducing the students’ anxiety, that “good stress” mindset reset helped them score higher on tests, procrastinate less, stay enrolled in classes, and respond to academic challenges in a healthier way. To reframe their understanding of stress, the students completed a standardized reading and writing exercise that taught them that their stress responses had a function in performance contexts that applied directly to them, such as test taking. “We use a type of ‘saying is believing’ approach whereby participants learn about the adaptive benefits of stress and they are prompted to write about how it can help them achieve,” says lead author Jeremy Jamieson, a Rochester associate professor of psychology and the principal investigator at the University’s Social Stress Lab. He researches how experiences of stress affect decisions, emotions, and performance. The study builds on his earlier research on optimizing stress responses. Q&A Stress often gets a bad rap. How can stress actually be a good thing? Conventional thinking suggests that stress is inherently bad and should always be avoided. This may sometimes be misguided because stress is a normal and even defining feature of modern life. For instance, students preparing for their first job interview might perceive their racing heart and sweaty palms as signs they are nervous and about to “bomb” when, in fact, the stress response is helping deliver oxygen to the brain and releasing hormones that mobilize energy. Throughout the lifespan, people must acquire a wide and varied array of complicated social and intellectual skills, and then apply those skills to thrive. This process is inherently stressful, but it’s also essential to being a productive member of society. Furthermore, if people simply disengaged from the stressors they faced, it could put them at a serious disadvantage. So, for people to thrive in modern life and overcome threats to personal and global survival, they must find a way to embrace and overcome the stressful demands. What exactly is stress reappraisal or reevaluation? People experience increases in sympathetic arousal—which can be sweaty palms or a faster heartbeat—during stressful situations. Instead of thinking of everything as “bad” stress, stress responses, including the stress arousal, can be beneficial when it comes to psychological, biological, performance, and behavioral outcomes. Stress reappraisal is not aimed at eliminating or dampening stress. It does not encourage relaxation, but instead focuses on changing the type of stress response: If we believe we have sufficient resources to address the demands we’re presented with—it doesn’t matter if the demands are high—if we think we can handle them, our body is going to respond with the challenge response, which means stress is seen as a challenge, rather than a threat. What happened to the “reappraisal” students versus the control group? In our study of community college students taking math courses, we found that the reappraisal participants exhibited lower levels of math evaluation anxiety both immediately and on a subsequent exam. They also performed better on the exam than the control group immediately after completing our reappraisal exercise. We then assessed procrastination and goals outside the classroom. While we measured procrastination only once—so I can’t speak to the lagged effects there—the reappraisal students reported procrastinating less, which then predicted higher scores on their next exam. We also found that the reappraisal students reported more approach goals—that is, goals focused on achieving positive outcomes, such as winning a game or passing a test, rather than on avoiding negative outcomes, such as trying not to lose a game or not to fail a test—which predict positive performance outcomes and wellbeing. You looked at cortisol and testosterone levels in your two groups. What did you find? Broadly speaking, cortisol is a catabolic stress hormone and elevations are observed when people are threatened. So, it’s often interpreted as a “negative stress” indicator though it is not always “bad,” whereas testosterone is an anabolic hormone that supports optimal performance. We found that the reappraisal manipulation led to increases in testosterone and decreases in cortisol in the students for the classroom exam situations, which is a helpful pattern for performing at one’s peak. What advice do you have for parents whose kids are stressed and anxious, especially now during the pandemic? The first step is dissociating stress from distress and anxiety. Stress is simply the body’s response to any demand, good or bad. Excitement is a stress state, as is anxiety. It’s also important for parents to understand that struggles are normal and can even be growth-promoting with proper support. Nobody innovates and thrives without moving beyond their comfort zones. For kids to grow, learn, and succeed, they will need to engage with and take on difficult tasks. The goal should not be to help kids get an A, but rather to push the limits of their knowledge and abilities. Taking that difficult math course and earning a middling grade can be more important for long-term success than settling for an easy course and acing it. Normalizing experiences of stress and pushing past obstacles can help kids understand that they can do hard things. Reducing stress by removing obstacles, such as eliminating exams, making coursework easier, etc. can even hinder their progress. To read the original article click here.

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The Surprising Link Between These Foods and Depression, Anxiety and Other Mental Health Issues

AHA Publisher — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 07:00:29 +0000

Lorie Johnson via CBN News – Macaroni and cheese, hot fudge sundaes and other comfort foods have become our go-to fixes during the pandemic to help brighten our days and soothe a lonely night. Unfortunately, what’s in these guilty pleasures can make blue moods and other mental health problems worse, not better, as researchers continue to discover a link between what we eat and how we feel. Mental Health Problems on the Rise The number of Americans seeking help for depression and anxiety skyrocketed 93-percent in 2020 compared to 2019. While some of that can be blamed on the COVID-19 impact, research shows mental illness has steadily increased for years. In fact, 40 million Americans deal with some mental health concern. That’s more than the populations of New York and Florida combined. These disorders make the list of the most common causes of death and disability. Suicide scores as a leading cause of death no matter the age group. Harvard Psychiatrist Uma Naidoo told CBN News, “We need to understand that the silent pandemic going on is one around mental illness – people feeling more depressed, more blue, not sleeping well, feeling extremely stressed and traumatized by everything that’s going on,” she said. It’s the Food Meanwhile, three out of four Americans are either overweight or obese – the highest level ever. As it turns out, there’s a link between the skyrocketing weight gain and the sharp increase in mental health problems, according to Naidoo and a growing number of mental health experts. The same foods that trigger weight gain can also lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Dr. Naidoo founded and directs the first hospital-based Nutritional Psychiatry Service in the United States. She is the Director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital while serving on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. She is the author of the book, This is Your Brain on Food: An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods that Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and More. “The foods that we call comfort foods are actually discomfort for our brain,” she said. As a result, Dr. Naidoo is one of a growing number of psychiatrists and other mental health professionals using healthy foods to treat their patients. “Not that a person shouldn’t see their doctor and take medication if they need it,” she explained, “But we also can start today at the end of our fork by making healthier choices in how we eat.” The Gut-Brain Axis Dr. Naidoo says a healthy brain begins with a healthy gut. “Essentially the gut and brain,” she explained. “Even though they are in different parts of the body, they actually arise from the same cells in the embryo and they divide up and turn into these two organs, and then they remain connected throughout life.” That key connection, the gut-brain axis, is a two-way superhighway sending constant chemical messaging back and forth via the vagus nerve. The chemicals, for better or worse, are determined by the type of bacteria, good or bad, found in the gut. “When we’re feeding those microbes lots of sugary treats, lots of refined sugars, lots of soda, what unfortunately happens is the bad microbes get fed, and when they get fed sugary foods, they overcome the good microbes,” Dr. Naidoo said. Sugar Bad, Vegetables Good Several studies including MRI imaging that shows excessive sugar consumption makes depression and anxiety worse. Dr. Naidoo says processed foods are loaded with sugar, even those that don’t seem sweet. “Unfortunately things like French fries from fast-food restaurants are actually made with added sugar,” she said. “We don’t taste that, but they’re made to be hyper-palatable. So just be aware of hidden sugars.” Believe it or not, many fake sugars are just as bad for the gut or in some cases worse than real sugar. “Several of the artificial sweeteners, unfortunately, can drive anxiety, worsen depression and disrupt those gut microbes,” she said. Dr. Naidoo recommends adding colorful vegetables, like leafy greens to your menu, which contain folate. “Folate, when there’s a low level in the brain, actually can lead to depression,” she said. She advises her patients to load up on antioxidant-rich foods like blueberries and green tea. “We are combating oxidative stress,” she explained, “Which is really good, and much better for our mental well-being.” She tells her psychiatric patients to eat plenty of healthy fats like olive oil, avocados, and things like salmon and walnuts which contain high levels of Omega-3 fats. Not Just Depression and Anxiety Dr. Naidoo believes in addition to relieving depression and anxiety, that this approach can also have a positive impact on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Schizophrenia, Bi-Polar Disorder and other mental health challenges. “It doesn’t exclude the use of medications when needed,” she explained, “but it provides individuals with additional tools in their tool kit to really uplift their mental health.” An added benefit is that a healthy diet can also increase a medication’s effectiveness. In her book, This is Your Brain on Food: An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods that Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and More, Dr. Naidoo lists specific foods that alleviate certain mental health problems. She also provides dozens of recipes that address specific mental health challenges. HERE ARE THREE OF THOSE RECIPES AS FEATURED ON THE 700 CLUB: Hearty Vegetable Soup – Fights Depression This soup has peas for magnesium, broccoli for iron, and sweet potatoes for vitamin A. It is low in saturated fat and high in fiber and antioxidants. Servings: 4 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Ingredients 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 leek, sliced 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 cup fresh or frozen peas 2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets 1 sweet potato, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 Tablespoon kosher salt, plus more if needed 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more if needed 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley 4-6 cups hot vegetable stock or filtered water Fresh parsley, chopped (optional) Directions Heat the oil in a cast-iron Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the leek and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until the leek is soft and almost translucent. Add the peas, broccoli florets, sweet potato, salt, pepper, thyme, and dried parsley and allow to cook, stirring the mixture once or twice for 3-5 minutes. Once the vegetables appear partly cooked, add the vegetable stock. Partially cover, and allow the soup to simmer on medium for about 20 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if desired, and garnish with fresh parsley, if desired. Mushroom and Spinach Frittata – Fights Anxiety (gluten-free, dairy-free) This easy-to-make frittata has mushrooms for a vitamin D boost and spinach for magnesium. You could save pieces for lunch for the next 2 days or save for up to 1 month in the freezer. Servings: 6 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 18 minutes Ingredients 5 whole eggs 1 cup almond milk 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 cup spinach (fresh or frozen and thawed) 1 cup mushrooms, chopped Directions Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a 9-inch round casserole dish with parchment paper. In a medium bowl whisk the eggs with the milk, salt, pepper and parsley and set aside. Heat the oil in a medium cast-iron pan over medium heat. If using frozen spinach, wrap in cheesecloth (or a clean dish towel or paper towel) and squeeze to remove the excess water. Sauté the spinach and mushrooms in the oil until the mushrooms are lightly brown, about 3 minutes. Allow to cool. Place the cooled mushroom-spinach mixture in the casserole dish. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables, cover with foil and bake until the eggs are just set, 15-18 minutes. Ovens vary, so make sure the eggs are set before removing the frittata from the oven. Cut into 6 even pieces and serve. Chia Pudding Topped with Nuts and Berries – Fights Trauma (vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free) Chia pudding is a great way to start the day and doesn’t require any early-morning prep. Since it has to set in the fridge overnight, you can prepare it the night before and then eat on the go. Servings: 2 Prep Time: 10 minutes Ingredients 1/2 cup organic canned light coconut milk 1/2 teaspoon honey 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 Tablespoons chia seeds Raspberries, blueberries, walnuts or other fruit Directions Pour the coconut milk into a mason jar and stir in the honey, vanilla, and cinnamon. Sprinkle the chia seeds on top. Screw the lid of the mason jar on and shake well so that the seeds mix with the milk. Chill overnight in the fridge. Serve topped with nuts and berries. To read the original article click here. For more articles from CBN News click here.

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Job and Social Strain Associated with Higher Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Women

AHA Publisher — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 07:00:50 +0000

Drexel University via News-Medical – Psychosocial stress – typically resulting from difficulty coping with challenging environments – may work synergistically to put women at significantly higher risk of developing coronary heart disease, according to a study by researchers at Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health, recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The study specifically suggests that the effects of job strain and social strain — the negative aspect of social relationships — on women is a powerful one-two punch. Together they are associated with a 21% higher risk of developing coronary heart disease. Job strain occurs when a woman has inadequate power in the workplace to respond to the job’s demands and expectations. The study also found that high-stress life events, such as a spouse’s death, divorce/separation or physical or verbal abuse, as well as social strain, were each independently linked with a 12% and 9% higher risk of coronary heart disease, respectively. The Drexel study used data from a nationally representative sample of 80,825 postmenopausal women from the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study, which tracked participants from 1991 to 2015, to find better methods of preventing cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis in women. In the current follow-up study, Drexel researchers evaluated the effect of psychosocial stress from job strain, stressful life events and social strain (through a survey), and associations among these forms of stress, on coronary heart disease. Nearly 5% of the women developed coronary heart disease during the 14-year, seven-month study. Adjusting for age, time at a job, and socioeconomic characteristics, high-stress life events were associated with a 12% increased coronary heart disease risk, and high social strain was associated with a 9% increased risk of coronary heart disease. Work strain was not independently associated with coronary heart disease. Coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, occurs with the heart’s arteries become narrow and cannot bring sufficient oxygenated blood to the heart. The latest work builds on earlier studies linking psychosocial stress to coronary heart disease by finding out how job strain and social strain work together to compound disease risk. “The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted ongoing stresses for women in balancing paid work and social stressors. We know from other studies that work strain may play a role in developing CHD, but now we can better pinpoint the combined impact of stress at work and at home on these poor health outcomes. My hope is that these findings are a call for better methods of monitoring stress in the workplace and remind us of the dual-burden working women face as a result of their unpaid work as caregivers at home.” (Yvonne Michael, ScD, SM, senior author, associate professor, Dornsife School of Public Health) The study’s authors say that future studies should look at the effects of shift work on coronary heart disease and explore the effects of job demands according to gender. “Our findings are a critical reminder to women, and those who care about them, that the threat of stress to human health should not go ignored,” said lead author Conglong Wang, PhD, a recent Dornsife graduate who conducted the research while at Drexel. “This is particularly pertinent during the stressors caused by a pandemic.” To read the original article click here.

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Sunday Scaries: How to Deal with Work Anxiety

AHA Publisher — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 08:00:01 +0000

Jillian Levy, CHHC via Dr. Axe – If you find your anxiety soaring on Sunday afternoons most weeks, you’re not alone. “Sunday scaries” are a common form of work anxiety that many adults deal with — especially those who have demanding, high-stress jobs. Given that many working adults now deal with long commutes, hours spent sitting inside staring at computers each day and expectations that they’ll be available nearly around the clock, it’s not surprising that work stress is a legitimate problem. How can you cope with that uneasy feeling that arises on Sunday afternoons or for some people on Monday morning? Solutions, as explained more below, include taking pressure off of yourself to have a packed schedule on the weekends, implementing natural stress relievers such as exercise into your routine and talking to your employer about potential work-life-balance options. What Are the Sunday Scaries? Sunday scaries describes late-weekend uneasiness and anxiety. Why is it called “Sunday scaries?” It typically kicks in when the weekend is ending and the standard workweek is about to begin. Some surveys have found that people tend to experience an increase in anxiety around 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. on Sundays, although for some it starts later, like Monday morning, or not at all. This “Sunday dread” phenomenon (also called the Sunday blues) seems to be a growing concern among both younger and older adults. As one article published in The Atlantic put it: The end of a weekend has always been unpleasant, but there is something distinctly modern about the anxiety many people feel on the eve of a workweek… A 2018 survey commissioned by LinkedIn found that 80 percent of working American adults worry about the upcoming workweek on Sundays. Might you be dealing with “Sunday evening feeling” or “Sunday syndrome” (two other names used to describe this type of work anxiety)? Here are some signs and symptoms often caused by Sunday scaries: Feeling dread and a loss of freedom Experiencing increased stress and anxiety symptoms, including changes in appetite, focus and digestion; increased heart rate; and insomnia Moodiness Shutting down emotionally Being tempted to drink alcohol or engage in other other numbing activities Causes Certain types of professions and job schedules are more likely to contribute to Sunday afternoon anxiety than others. Causes and risk factors for experiencing Sunday scaries, which can also be described as “burnout,” can include: Having a long commute Working long hours, especially if this includes waking up very early and working very late Not frequently having paid time off/vacation days Not having social support during the weekends/during time off Not enjoying our jobs Failing to get along with co-workers Worrying about having a heavy workload and thinking about the tasks you didn’t finish last week that will be carried over Having an overly packed work-life schedule most days of the week (including on Sundays/the weekends), such as child care, household tasks, etc. Needing to work on weekends and at night from home Dealing with hangovers and caffeine withdrawal over the weekend, which makes us feel irritable and unwell Researchers believe that one reason more people may be dealing with this issue is because their week lacks balance overall. Decades ago it was common for Sundays to be about relaxing, spending time with family and perhaps attending religious services. Today, more adults are packing responsibilities into their busy Sundays — such as chores, socializing, exercising, shopping, meal planning, cleaning and child care — which may not leave enough time to simply unwind. How They Affect Mental Health Psychologically speaking, feeling anxiety before the workweek starts is a response to the perception of some sort of threat. Even though most of our jobs don’t actually put us in any immediate danger, it can feel this way if we don’t believe we have the ability to cope with what’s demanded of us. When our workweek responsibilities feel overwhelming, this triggers a “fight or flight” stress response, which can have many physiological effects on our bodies and minds. Our adrenal glands release more adrenaline and cortisolthan usual, also known as “stress hormones,” which puts a damper on our immune systems, energy and moods. Do you ask yourself: “Why can’t I ever fall asleep on Sunday nights?” Then you may be dealing with one major symptom tied to Sunday scaries: insomniadue to stress, fear or worrying. Other ways that work anxiety can affect our mental health include: Decreasing our ability to focus, learn and remember information at work Making us feel very pressured to both perform at work and to “relax enough” over the weekend Increasing depression symptoms and insecurities if we feel like we’re “missing out,” failing to make the most of our time off Leading us to withdraw from others if we feel tired and overwhelmed Contributing to fatigue and low motivation at work Ways to Overcome Them Ready to tackle the Sunday scaries (or other forms of work anxiety that can hit at different points in the week)? Here are tips for getting a handle on this common type of stress: Try to strike a balance between rest and play. Don’t pressure yourself to fill every minute of your weekend with activities, since this may lead to burnout and exhaustion. Carve out enough time to simply rest, sleep and relax. Limit your alcohol intake. What are the “scaries after drinking”? They are a form of anxiety that is triggered by alcohol withdrawal, aka a hangover. If you spend your Sunday hungover and wiped, you’re even more likely to feel distressed. Stick to a regular sleep-wake cycle. This helps regulate your “internal clock,” also called your circadian rhythm, which plays a role in regulating your energy and mood. Try to stick to a routine even on the weekends instead of staying up very late and getting up hours later than usual. Try a digital detox, also called unplugging. Put away your phone and computer for the day, and stay off of social media, instead spending more time outdoors or reading. Build in time for exercise. Exercise is a natural stress reliever since it causes us to produce endorphins that lift our mood. Find a “Sunday funday” activity that you enjoy. Some people find that planning something fun for Sunday afternoons helps “extend the feeling of the weekend.” Some ideas include barbecuing with friends, seeing a movie, going to a concert or museum, walking in the park, reading a book on the beach, getting a massage, etc. Find things about the workweek to be grateful for. For most of us, the weekdays are more productive and scheduled, which can actually be rewarding since we tend to get a lot done. To focus on feeling more proud of your accomplishments, try journaling about your goals, strengths, accomplishments and things you feel grateful for. Stay organized to avoid feeling frazzled. Make to-do lists throughout the week to keep you on track. Try not to leave all household responsibilities for the weekend, such as shopping and laundry, so your weekend feels a bit lighter. Practice cognitive behavioral therapy on your own. You can certainly work with a CBT therapist to change unhelpful thoughts you’re dealing with if you’re feeling very anxious, but journaling on your own, reading and listening to podcasts can also really help. Speak to your employer about work-life balance options. If your schedule is downright exhausting, discuss whether options like working from home one to two times per week or having a four-day workweek may be possibilities. Conclusion What are “Sunday scaries”? Also called the Sunday blues, they this term describes work anxiety that usually kicks in Sunday afternoons and nights. Symptoms can include increased stress, moodiness, trouble sleeping, depression, higher likelihood of drinking/substance use and others. To cope, taking good enough care of yourself is important, such as by getting enough sleep, giving yourself downtime, exercising and doing other relaxing activities. Other ways people reduce this type of anxiety include by setting up “Sunday funday” plans, journaling to improve gratitude and blow off steam, and speaking with their employers about their schedules to create more work-life balance. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

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