Stress Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Prenatal Stress Impacts Babies, Especially Girls, Later On

The AHA! Team — Fri, 30 May 2025 05:24:33 +0000

John Jeffay via Israel21c – Study finds that even before babies take their first breath, the stress their mothers experience can shape how their own bodies will manage stress. Experts believe mothers who report high stress levels during pregnancy are more likely to have babies who will suffer neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions in later life. A team at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem says perceived prenatal stress (PPS) actually reprograms key molecular pathways in the baby’s body – and has a far more significant effect on girls than boys. PPS alters the expression of RNA – the tiny molecules that helps make proteins — in the blood of newborn babies, especially girls. That, in turn, affects key enzymes in the brain’s stress-regulation system. “We found that even before babies take their first breath, the stress their mothers experience can shape how their bodies manage stress themselves,” said Prof. Hermona Soreq, who jointly led the study with PhD student Shani Vaknine Treidel at the university’s Edmond and Lily Safra Center of Brain Science. The research team says these changes may explain why some children are more vulnerable to developmental or psychiatric challenges – and point to new possibilities for early diagnosis and interventions targeting stress-related health risks. “This study provides a powerful glimpse into how the maternal environment can leave a lasting biological imprint on the next generation,” said Vaknine Treidel. “It also underscores the importance of recognizing and supporting mental health during pregnancy — not just for the mother, but for the lifelong health of the child.” The team used a standard questionnaire to measure perceived stress among women in their third trimester at Klinikum Rechts der Isar Hospital, part of the Technical University of Munich, Germany. They then analyzed blood from the umbilical of babies born to 120 mothers aged 28 to 45 who recorded some of the highest scores. The changes they detected in the RNA molecules were sex-specific, they said, and showed more dramatic shifts among newborn girls than boys — which could explain why children exposed to high maternal stress during pregnancy may be more vulnerable to neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions later in life. Using machine learning techniques, the researchers were also able to accurately determine whether or not newborn girls had been exposed to maternal stress based on profiles of small RNA molecules (or tRNA fragments) that govern a neurotransmitter essential for brain function. This opens the door to new diagnostic tools for detecting prenatal stress effects and possibly even early interventions, the team said. The research paper was published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. To read the original article click here.

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Work-Related Stress Linked to Increased Risk of Future Sick Leave in Middle-Aged Women

The AHA! Team — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 09:08:18 +0000

University of Gothenburg via News-Medical – Middle-aged women who experience work-related stress have a significantly increased risk of future sick leave, a University of Gothenburg study shows. Lack of influence and conflicts at work are clear stress factors. The aim of the current study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care, was to investigate whether work-related mental stress can be linked to sick leave among middle-aged women in the labor market. The data used in the study consists of information about 573 women of two different ages, 38 and 50, taken from the comprehensive Population Study of Women in Gothenburg, PSWG, at the University of Gothenburg. This was combined with register data on the women’s sick leave from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. Job conflicts are a significant risk factor When the study began, the majority of the participants (504 women) were employed and in work. Three out of four experienced work-related or general mental stress, or both. During the following year, 16% had at least one instance of sick leave lasting for two weeks or more, and the sick leave patterns were clear. Of 21 specific work-related problems, job conflicts and a lack of influence over decisions at work were most clearly associated with sick leave. In terms of job conflicts, this applied whether or not the women themselves were involved. Women who had reported job conflicts were more than twice as likely (a factor of 2.31) to take sick leave during the follow-up year. After adjusting for general stress, previous sick leave, age, sleep quality, wellbeing, and physical activity, the risk remained twice as high (a factor of 1.98). A lack of empowerment was also accompanied by a significantly greater risk of sick leave (a factor of 1.71 after adjustments). The importance of a better work environment One of the main authors in the study is Kirsten Mehlig, Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Senior Lecturer in Health Science Statistics at Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg. “Little scope for decision-making and conflicts in the work environment can predict sick leave, independent of general mental stress and previous periods of sick leave,” she explains. “Improving the work environment is therefore important in order to reduce sick leave among women in the labor market.” The research team behind the study was led by Dominique Hange, Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer in General Medicine, and general practitioner at Närhälsan’s Tidan primary care center in Skövde. “Regardless of women’s own involvement, the effects of conflicts at work may also suggest a specific vulnerability among women that may be interesting to address in the future.” – Kirsten Mehlig, Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Senior Lecturer in Health Science Statistics at Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg Source: University of Gothenburg Journal reference: Mehlig, K., et al. (2024). Exploring the impact of mental and work-related stress on sick leave among middle-aged women: observations from the population study of women in Gothenburg, Sweden. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care. doi.org/10.1080/02813432.2024.2380925. To read the original article click here.

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Loneliness: Greater Negative Impact on Memory Than Social Isolation?

The AHA! Team — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 08:21:45 +0000

University of Waterloo via News-Medical – About a third of Canadians feel lonely, and a study from the University of Waterloo shows it has a greater negative impact on memory than even social isolation, though both present a significant risk to the aging population. Loneliness is a subjective emotion that people might feel even while engaging in social activities. It is often associated with depression and an increase in stress hormones that may contribute to impaired memory. Waterloo researchers examined four combinations of social isolation and loneliness and their effect on memory in middle-aged and older adults over a six-year period. These combinations include being socially isolated and lonely, being only socially isolated, being only lonely and being neither. “As we expected, people who were both socially isolated and lonely had the greatest decline in memory, which intensified over the six years. But we were surprised to find that loneliness alone had the second-greatest impact on memory, even though so many studies report on the dangers of social isolation without considering loneliness.” Ji Won Kang, lead author on the paper and PhD candidate in the School of Public Health Sciences at Waterloo Those who aren’t lonely but are socially isolated may be stimulating their mental capacity with solo activities, such as reading, playing games and engaging in hobbies that improve memory and stimulate the brain, despite not engaging in social activities. Loneliness alone had the second-greatest impact on memory Kang hopes the findings of this research will highlight the need for community programs, especially for the combined group of older adults who are both socially isolated and lonely, and therefore at the highest risk of memory impairment. “Older adults in the lonely category often have lower incomes than the other groups and may have structural barriers and health conditions preventing them from connecting to their communities,” she said. “A solution could be to implement transportation or home-visit programs-; something to address the societal issues that lead to them being more isolated.” The group who is just lonely is the next priority, requiring a different approach. “We would need to know what is causing their loneliness,” Kang said. “They may be connected socially and have close relationships, but for example, maybe their marriage is falling apart and they would benefit from counselling.” The study was an interdisciplinary project between the School of Public Health Sciences and the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science at Waterloo. Exploring the differential impacts of social isolation, loneliness, and their combination on the memory of an aging population: A 6-year longitudinal study of the CLSA appears in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. Source: University of Waterloo Journal reference: Kang, J. W., et al. (2024). Exploring the Differential Impacts of Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Their Combination on the Memory of Aging Population: A 6-Year Longitudinal Study by the CLSA. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2024.105483. To read the original article click here.

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Study Shows How Liver Damage from Stress & Aging Might Be Reversible

The AHA! Team — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 08:48:45 +0000

Duke Health – DURHAM, N.C. – While the liver is one of the body’s most resilient organs, it is still vulnerable to the ravages of stress and aging, leading to disease, severe scarring and failure. A Duke Health research team now might have found a way to turn back time and restore the liver. In experiments using mice and liver tissue from humans, the researchers identified how the aging process prompts certain liver cells to die off. They were then able to reverse the process in the animals with an investigational drug. The finding, which appears in the journal Nature Aging, holds high promise for the millions of people who have some degree of liver damage – livers that are essentially old due to the metabolic stresses of high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes or other factors. “Our study demonstrates that aging is at least partially reversible,” said senior author Anna Mae Diehl, M.D., the Florence McAlister Distinguished Professor of Medicine at the Duke University School of Medicine. “You are never too old to get better.” Diehl and colleagues set out to understand how non-alcoholic liver disease develops into a severe condition called cirrhosis, in which scarring can lead to organ failure. Aging is a key risk factor for cirrhosis among those who have been diagnosed with non-alcoholic liver disease, known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD. One in three adults worldwide have the disease. Studying the livers of mice, the researchers identified a genetic signature distinct to old livers. Compared to young livers, the old organs had an abundance of genes that were activated to cause degeneration of hepatocytes, the main functioning cells of the liver. “We found that aging promotes a type of programmed cell death in hepatocytes called ferroptosis, which is dependent on iron,” Diehl said. “Metabolic stressors amplify this death program, increasing liver damage.” Armed with their genetic signature of old livers, the researchers analyzed human liver tissue and found that the livers of people diagnosed with obesity and MASLD carried the signature, and the worse their disease, the stronger the signal. Importantly, key genes in the livers of people with MASLD were highly activated to promote cell death through ferroptosis. This gave the researchers a definitive target. “There are things we can use to block that,” Diehl said. Again turning to mice, the researchers fed young and old mice diets that caused them to develop MASLD. They then gave half the animals a placebo drug and the other half a drug called Ferrostatin-1, which inhibits the cell death pathway. Upon analysis after treatment, the livers of the animals given Ferrostatin-1 looked biologically like young, healthy livers — even in the old animals that were kept on the disease-inducing diet. “This is hopeful for all of us,” Diehl said. “It’s like we had old mice eating hamburgers and fries, and we made their livers like those of young teenagers eating hamburgers and fries.” Diehl said the team also looked at how the ferroptosis process in the liver impacts the function of other organs, which are often damaged as MASLD progresses. The genetic signature was able to differentiate between diseased and healthy hearts, kidneys and pancreases, indicating that damaged livers amplify ferroptotic stress in other tissues. “Together, we’ve shown that aging exacerbates non-alcoholic liver disease by creating ferroptic stress, and by reducing this impact, we can reverse the damage,” Diehl said. In addition to Diehl, study authors include Kuo Du, Liuyang Wang, Ji Hye Jun, Rajesh K. Dutta, Raquel Maeso-Díaz, Seh Hoon Oh and Dennis C. Ko. The study received funding support from the 021 AASLD Pinnacle Award, the National Institutes of Health (R01 AA010154, R01 DK077794, R56 DK134334); and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. To read the original article click here.

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Less Stress & Better Health for Dads (Without Adding Work!)

The AHA! Team — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 08:23:43 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – For many people, supplements are a necessary addition to a healthy diet. This Father’s Day, you are likely thinking of your dad. Your love for him. Your hope that he is healthy and happy. You may even want to encourage less stress and better health for dads. Sure, you could encourage the dads in your life to “get healthy.” You could suggest adding a ton of new activities in order to improve their lives. They could add hours of exercise, new meals and recipes, and more (these are all great!). However, if they are like most men, they are likely already doing a lot. They are busy, often stressed, and tired. But, what if you encouraged simple ideas and products that add to his health without adding work? Here are easy additions that support the best health for dads from head to toe…no extra work necessary. Less Stress and the Best Health for Dads (without Adding Work) To start, there’s one nutrition compound that can encourage the best health for dads from head to toe, all by itself. Any idea which one it is? It’s krill oil! Krill is a superior source of omega-3 fats that fights inflammation throughout the body. Like other omega-3 sources, krill oil can raise blood levels of healthy fats like DHA and EPA (1). When these increase in your blood, inflammatory markers decrease. But, what makes krill oil different is its superior absorption and natural antioxidants. First, krill oil is optimally absorbed during digestion and quickly affects both blood and brain levels of omega-3 fats (2). Next, krill oil naturally contains a healthful antioxidant called astaxanthin. Astaxanthin serves to both protect the krill oil itself (improving digestion and absorption) and encourage reduced oxidative stress in the body (3). Once absorbed, krill oil supports better health for dad in the following areas. Better Health for Dad through Krill Oil Triglycerides and Heart Inflammation: If you want to support dad’s heart health and inflammatory factors, krill oil is a great place to start. One meta-analysis looked at the effects of krill oil on circulating fats in the blood. The researchers found that krill oil supplementation was associated with significantly lowered triglyceride levels. In addition, it encouraged healthy changes in LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol (4). Digestive Inflammation & Health: In studies, it’s been found that krill oil supports reduced gut inflammation by regulating a broad spectrum of inflammatory signaling pathways. In addition, krill oil promotes a healthier gut environment by fighting microbes that damage mucosa, and reduces inflammation markers (5). Weight Related Inflammation: Elevated weight negatively affects tissues and organs in a dad’s body. Inflammation is often elevated. Long-term krill oil supplementation has been shown to increase anti-inflammatory markers in the liver, support metabolism and fat breakdown, and improve tissue health and inflammation (6). Bone and Joint Inflammation: Joint pain and stiffness is a problem for many adults. There is increasing evidence that it is affected by dietary fat intake. Studies have investigated the effects of dietary fats, including dietary omega-6 to omega-3 ratios, on joint health in humans and animals. Results reveal that a better omega-3 to omega-6 ratio from krill oil can significantly improve the cartilage structure and reduce losses. Further, this diet change can reduce inflammatory markers. What’s more, krill oil has specifically been shown to be more effective than plant-derived omega-3s in these studies (7). Neuroinflammation: Most neurodegenerative conditions demonstrate on-going inflammatory processes. Krill oil and marine-derived omega-3s have been studied for anti-inflammatory effects both systemically and in the brain specifically. Krill oil has been reported to encourage spatial memory and learning, attenuate memory loss, protect the brain, reduce inflammation markers, and reduce depression symptoms. For more on krill oil and brain health, click here (8). The best krill oil on the market is available right here! Keto Zone Living Krill Oil supports health in all the above ways. Get some for dad today! 4 More Steps for Less Stress & Best Health for Dad (without Adding Work) 1. Dads Need to De-Stress It can take years to learn stress management. Or, dads can begin to fight stress today using an all-natural plant based product designed by Dr. Colbert. Hemp oil, specifically nano-particle oils like those in Dr. Colbert’s Nano-Science Hemp Oil, promotes health throughout 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 (9) Promote stress relief and normalized cortisol levels Support comfortable, healthy joints (10) Encourage healthy sleep habits (11) Promote healthy skin with fewer irregularities and blemishes (12) Support healthy brain and nervous system functions (13) Encourage healthy cardiovascular functions and normalized inflammatory actions (14) No extra work for dad. Just better health and less stress in one simple step. 2. Dads Need More Sleep We know, dads are busy. But, they can combat daily stress and improve mental health with one habit: more, or adequate, sleep. Dads should aim for at least 7-9 hours of good-quality sleep each night. While adequate sleep is not always easy to get, it’s a critical 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, high cortisol levels and stress can be caused by poor sleep or inadequate sleep (15). Dads don’t need more work, they need more sleep! 3. Dads Could Use a Big Drink of Water Another cause of unhealth, overwhelm and stress? Believe it or not, dehydration is linked to increased saliva and blood cortisol. Amazingly, multiple studies have found that dehydrated athletes have more circulating cortisol than hydrated ones (16). Of course, water is a great choice for hydration. Dads 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 (17). Want even more nutrition and more flavor? Add lemons, cucumbers, or Organic Fermented Green Supremefood®. Hydration is a great healthy habit for dads! 4. Prayer for and by Dads Want full-body health: mind, soul, and body? Look no further than prayer. No matter what dads are 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. What’s more, you can pray for Dads! Pray for their spiritual, mental, emotional physical strength as they face each day. Prayer is powerful for the one praying, and the one prayed for. Bottom Line It’s time for better health for dads! We’ve provided easy, no-work habits that can significantly improve health from head to toe. They target stress levels, heart health, bone health, brain health, and more. Encourage the dads in your life to take care of themselves with less, not more, work! To read the original article click here.

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How Bird Songs Can Help Reduce Anxiety

The AHA! Team — Thu, 09 May 2024 20:07:22 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #516) and blog, I talk about one helpful way to improve your mental wellbeing: listening to bird songs! Bird songs have been known to have several positive effects on humans, contributing to our well-being in various ways: Reducing Stress: Listening to bird songs can have a calming effect on the human mind. The gentle and soothing melodies can help reduce stress and anxiety levels, promoting relaxation and a sense of tranquility. Connection to Nature: Bird songs connect us to the natural world, even if we’re in an urban environment. This connection with nature can provide a sense of escapism and rejuvenation, especially for those who may not have regular access to natural settings. Improving Mood: The melodic and often cheerful tunes of bird songs can have a positive impact on our mood. Hearing these sounds can trigger the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine, which are associated with feelings of pleasure and happiness. Enhancing Concentration and Focus: Bird songs are typically gentle and repetitive, which can create a soothing background noise that enhances concentration and focus. This is why some people find it helpful to have ambient bird sounds while working or studying. Aiding Mindfulness and Meditation: Bird songs can be used as a focal point during mindfulness exercises and meditation. The sounds provide a point of focus for attention, helping to anchor the mind in the present moment and promote relaxation. Providing a Sense of Normalcy: Bird songs are a common and natural part of the environment in many places. Hearing them can provide a sense of routine and familiarity, which can be comforting, especially during times of uncertainty or change. Encouraging Outdoor Activities: The lure of bird songs can encourage people to spend more time outdoors, engaging in activities like walking, hiking, or simply sitting in a park. Spending time in nature has numerous physical and mental health benefits. Cultural and Artistic Significance: Bird songs have been a source of inspiration for artists, musicians, and writers for centuries. They have been incorporated into various forms of creative expression, contributing to cultural richness and diversity. It’s worth noting that the positive effects of bird songs on individuals can vary based on personal preferences and cultural backgrounds. Some people may find bird songs incredibly soothing, while others might not experience the same level of positive impact. However, in general, the connection to nature and the calming qualities of bird songs can provide a valuable contribution to our overall well-being. For more on managing your mental health, listen to my podcast (episode #515). Podcast Highlights 1:00 The mental health benefits of birdsong 1:45 How birdsong can reduce stress & anxiety 4:40 Nature & mental health 6:27 How birdsong can help improve concentration & focus 9:00 How birdsong can help establish a sense of normalcy This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional. References – https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/interactive/2023/birds-song-nature-mental-health-benefits/ – https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-20841-0 – https://neurosciencenews.com/birdsong-mental-health-21639/ – https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/am-i-right/202307/how-bird-songs-improve-mental-health To read the original article click here.

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The Most Important Thanksgiving Recipe

AHA Publisher — Wed, 23 Nov 2022 08:00:03 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – What is your most important Thanksgiving recipe? Your amazing turkey recipe? Your favorite mashed potatoes? The family’s secret-ingredient pumpkin pie? How about a grateful heart? A content attitude? How about peace and joy for Thanksgiving, the Holiday Season, and into the next year? God’s given us a recipe for these as well. In fact, you can start today with the most important Thanksgiving recipe. It can set your tone moving forward. This year, let’s focus on different ingredients. Ones that can change our lives. The Most Important Thanksgiving Recipe 1 PART GRATITUDE We’ve talked at length about ways to practice gratitude during the last few years. In fact, one of the best ways is to simply keep a gratitude journal to document things for which you’re grateful, big and small. You can write your gratitudes throughout the day, at the beginning of the day, or before bed. Thank God. Make this your lifestyle. What’s more, you can bless others with your gratitude by writing a note to someone. Let them know why you’re grateful for them. This may spur a whole circle of gratitude around you. It’s a great first ingredient! 1 PART CONTENTMENT Gratitude and thanksgiving are great, but what if we went beyond the blessings and truly learned to be content? Paul wrote: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” (Philippians 4:12). While you’re listing the things for which you are grateful, what if you continued the list with “I am content with” and listed the things in your life with which you are wrestling? The things that make you anxious. The things that are troubling. What if, instead of glossing over the hard things, we listed those, lifted them in prayer to God, and determined to be content in our trust in Him? Of course, this does not mean we aren’t motivated to change bad situations. Paul was an incredibly motivated, active person. But perhaps listing the bad alongside the good and trusting God is the key to changing our hearts and our situations. God never asked us to fake it and pretend everything is great. In fact, Jesus instructs us to give our anxieties to Him. We can acknowledge them. There’s power in this. In fact, Paul, after stating that he has learned to be content in everything, proclaimed: “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13). 1 PART PEACE Oftentimes, as we spend more time being grateful and becoming content, as we give our burdens to God, peace and joy follow. Miraculously, this can happen even when our circumstances don’t change. Peace is a condition of our hearts, not our environment. God tells us how we can experience peace: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7). Within the most important Thanksgiving recipe, may you receive the amazing gift of peace. 1 PART JOY What gets mixed in after we are grateful, content, and peaceful? How about joy? This last ingredient is the outward expression of all that God has done in our hearts. He can change us from anxious and negative to gracious, content, and peaceful. Even joyful! As He does, let your joy burst forth. What Can Gratitude, Contentment, Peace and Joy Do for Your Body? Although our spiritual Thanksgiving Recipe is the most important, it affects our physical health as well. In fact, we see in research that gratitude and contentment, which bring forth peace and joy while reducing anxiety, improve our health. They encourage: Stronger mental health: Amazingly, you can decrease cortisol (the stress hormone) by up to 23% by practicing gratitude (1). What’s more, healthcare practitioners have sustained lower perceived stress (decrease of 28%) and depression by keeping a gratitude journal (2). Controlling cortisol is crucially important to overall health. Healthier Hearts: In studies, gratitude is associated with better cholesterol levels, lowered blood pressure and decreased heart rate variability. This all works together to improve cardiovascular health and overall health (3, 4). Ease with Change and Healthy Habits: Some benefits of gratitude work in reverse. Researchers have found that those who practice gratitude also tend to make healthier choices. Specifically, there’s an association between those who are reportedly grateful and less use of tobacco, more exercise, and better food choices (5, 6). On the flip side, gratitude intervention shows promise when helping patients increase healthy habits. In one study, 31% of participants quit smoking and maintained abstinence after 6 months, compared to meta-analysis averages of 23% with a nicotine patch alone (7). Stronger Immune Function: Gratitude and optimism can actually improve your body’s response to inflammation. Studies have found that our bodies produce more disease-fighting cells when we are grateful and optimistic (8). In addition, anytime you reduce cortisol, you maintain a healthier balance with DHEA levels. This supports healthy immune function (9). Better Sleep and Healthy Aging: One key factor to healthy aging is brain health. One necessity for brain health is sleep. Fortunately, gratitude supports better sleep (10)! In one study, gratitude was linked to a 10 percent improvement in sleep and a 19 percent decrease in depression levels in patients with insomnia (11). What About Thanksgiving Food? Of course, the food is great too. Let’s celebrate with some of our favorite Keto Zone Thanksgiving favorites: Keto Zone Thanksgiving Menu: Keto Zone Stuffed Mushrooms Keto Zone Pumpkin Soup Keto Zone Thanksgiving Turkey with Gravy Keto Zone Cranberry Jam Keto Zone Cranberry Walnut Roasted Brussel Sprouts Keto Zone Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes” Keto Zone Green Bean Casserole Keto Zone Thanksgiving Stuffing Keto Zone Pumpkin Cheesecake Bottom Line This Thanksgiving, consider a new recipe with new habits (ingredients). Start with daily gratitude and add daily contentment. Give your thanksgivings and anxieties to God. Then, notice the peace in your heart. Finally, let your joy shine through. Let’s make this entire Holiday Season a springboard of God’s goodness into next year. To read the original article click here.

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How to Listen to & Learn from Your Mental & Physical Warning Signals

AHA Publisher — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 07:00:55 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #418) and blog, I talk about our mental and physical warning signals, what they are, and why we need to listen to them. This podcast is part 3 of my series on the different parts of the mind. As mentioned in my previous two podcasts on this topic, The Difference Between the Nonconscious, Subconscious & Conscious Mind (part 1) and How to Tap Into the Nonconscious Mind to Unwire Trauma & Toxic Thinking Habits (part 2), when you consciously engage the nonconscious mind through deliberate, intentional, strategic, and proactive deep thinking, you draw your thoughts, with their embedded memories, through the subconscious mind and into the conscious mind. When these thoughts arrive in the conscious mind, they’re in a malleable state, which means you can change them and reconceptualize them. You also tune in to the physical warning signals associated with how you feel, such as an increased heartrate, an adrenaline rush, a headache, or a stomachache. Next, you embrace any feelings, such as anxiety or depression, as an emotional warning signal that something is going on in your life. Instead of seeing these as negative, you see them as telling you something; you make them work for you and not against you. You do this in a celebratory way, not because you’re celebrating the painful memories, but because now you’re conscious of them, which means you can change them. Remember, you can change only what you are conscious of. You have self-regulatory power when you are conscious, which is kind of like what famed neuroscientist Benjamin Libet famously called “veto power” over your thoughts. This power allows you to control your thoughts. You can literally capture them, and using your self-regulatory veto power, change them. As you do this, you override the force generated from the energy of the toxic thought, and choose to speak or act, or not, according to this thought. You can even evaluate the thought and decide if you want to change it, when to change it, and how to change it. You don’t have to be driven by toxic ruminations and reactions from established negative thought patterns or traumas, because you have the power to veto them. This is a proactive way of approaching the mind and can save you a lot of heartache and anxiety! I’m sure you have already experienced this numerous times: you are just about to say or do something but stop yourself for some reason. Maybe you feel it’s the wrong timing, or that the person is already upset and it would only make matters worse. This is mind-management in action, and one of the many ways we can clean up the mental mess! Essentially, you need to become a thought detective to find the source(s) of your mental distress. This starts with understanding the signals that the mind, brain, and body send you when you are going through something. These signals alert you TO protect you. There are 4 main signals: your emotions, your behaviors, your physical symptoms, and your perspective/outlook. Some examples are: Feelings of irritability and/or hopelessness (an emotional warning signal) Ignoring calls, texts or emails (a behavioral warning signal) The world feels more negative (a perspective warning signal) Muscle aches and/or pains (a physical warning signal) Let’s say you feel depressed. As an exercise to help you start managing these feelings of depression, try to categorize what signals you are experiencing into these 4 categories. Some other examples of signals from a post I shared on social media are: Feeling self-conscious or flat around people Your personal hygiene goes out the window Your thoughts make you sad Your room gets messy Your hobbies no longer make you happy Brain fog You stop missing people and isolation feels more comfortable Constant fatigue As you gather awareness of your warning signals, ask yourself questions like: How do I feel emotionally? Physically? Are any of my behaviors bothering me? What is my outlook/worldview/perspective—how do I feel about my life/the world/etc.? Write this down any way you wish to help you start organizing your thinking. Then, once you go through this exercise, you can start listening to what these signals are telling you, and work through how you feel to reconceptualize these thought patterns using a mind management system like the Neurocycle (for more on this see my app Neurocycle and book Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess). The goal is to learn how to listen to the nonconscious mind using your conscious mind, and then using what you have gathered to start changing how these thoughts are affecting your mental health and life. It is important to remember that things like anxiety, depression, burnout, frustration, angst, anger and grief are emotional and physical warning signals, telling you that you need to face and deal with something that’s happened or is happening in your life. The mental pain, which is very real, is a sign that something is wrong: you are in a state of disequilibrium. It’s not a sign of a defective brain! The brain is going through a process of reordering and reorganizing in response to your experience(s), which are processed through the different parts of the mind (as was discussed in part one and two of this podcast series). It is also important to remember that the brain and mind are separate. The brain does not produce the mind; the brain responds to the mind. And you have the power to change your mind! To read the original article click here.

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Study: Premenstrual Mood Symptoms Represent a Key Public Health Issue Globally

AHA Publisher — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 07:00:28 +0000

University of Virginia Health System via News-Medical – Premenstrual mood swings and anxiety are so common – experienced by more than 64% of women – that they represent a “key public health issue globally,” according to a new UVA Health study. The UVA Health study found that most women have premenstrual symptoms every menstrual cycle, and those symptoms regularly affect their day-to-day lives. One of the most common symptoms, regardless of age, is mood swings or anxiety, the researchers found. At least 61% of women in all age groups surveyed reported mood-related symptoms every menstrual cycle, which the researchers say suggests “that premenstrual mood symptoms are a key public health issue globally.” “Our study demonstrates that premenstrual mood symptoms are incredibly common worldwide. More important, a majority of women reported that their premenstrual symptoms interfered with their everyday life at least some of the time.” Jennifer L. Payne, MD, study’s senior author and director of the Reproductive Psychiatry Research Program at the University of Virginia School of Medicine Better Understanding Premenstrual Symptoms To better understand the type of premenstrual symptoms women experience and how those symptoms affect their daily lives, the researchers analyzed more than 238,000 survey responses from women ages 18-55 from 140 countries on the Flo app, which helps women track their menstrual cycle or track their mood or physical symptoms during and after pregnancy. The most common symptoms reported were food cravings, experienced by 85.28% of the women surveyed, followed by mood swings or anxiety (64.18%) and fatigue (57.3%), according to researchers from the UVA School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University and Flo Health. Among the study respondents, 28.61% said their premenstrual symptoms interfered with their everyday life during every menstrual cycle, while an additional 34.84% said their premenstrual symptoms interfered with their everyday life sometimes. “The incidence of reported premenstrual mood and anxiety symptoms varied significantly by country from a low of 35.1% in Congo to a high of 68.6% in Egypt,” Payne said. “Understanding whether differences in biology or culture underlie the country level rates will be an important future research direction.” A group of symptoms – absentmindedness, low libido, sleep changes, gastrointestinal symptoms, weight gain, headaches, sweating or hot flashes, fatigue, hair changes, rashes and swelling – was significantly more frequent among older survey respondents, the researchers found. The increase in physical symptoms among older survey respondents “makes sense,” the researchers said, as many of these symptoms are associated with perimenopause, a transition period to menopause marked by irregular menstrual cycles. Payne is hopeful that this survey data will help women get better care by making healthcare providers more aware of how frequently these symptoms – especially anxiety and mood-related symptoms – occur. “There are a number of treatment strategies that are available to treat premenstrual symptoms that interfere with a woman’s every day functioning,” she said. “Increasing awareness of how common these symptoms are, and that if they impact functioning that there are treatments available, will help women improve their quality of life.” Findings Published The researchers have published their findings in the Archives of Women’s Mental Health. The research team included Liisa Hantsoo, Shivani Rangasawmy, Kristin Voegtline, Rodion Salimgaraev, Liudmila Zhaunova and Payne. Payne holds a patent titled “Epigenetic Biomarkers of Postpartum Depression.” To read the original article click here.

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