Quit Being Sick & Tired!

Are you chronically tired for no reason? Do you feel rundown and overwhelmed?
It could be adrenal fatigue.

Adrenal fatigue occurs when your adrenal glands cannot adequately meet the demands of stress. From the demands of work, to family obligations, to the hurried pace of the city and our technology-driven society, many of us feel like we’re under a constant siege of stress.

While the “fight or flight” stress response mobilized by the adrenal glands is a key to our survival as a species, prolonged stress, whether it’s physical, emotional, or psychological, exhausts the adrenal glands, leads to sleeplessness, irritability, and fatigue. When our adrenal glands are constantly required to pump out cortisol, they eventually become impaired. Your body does its best to compensate for under-functioning adrenal glands, but it comes at the price of your metabolism, heart and cardiovascular system, sex drive, and even your sleep.

Research has found that sleep disturbances are directly related to increased sensitivity to the arousal-producing stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol is excitatory, which means it arouses us, wakes us up, and leaves us primed for action long after the stressor is gone. Unfortunately, when we’re under prolonged periods of stress, our cortisol levels remain elevated and our adrenal glands, small pyramid-shaped glands that sit atop each kidney, never get a chance to recharge.

When we consistently don’t get a good night’s sleep, our circadian rhythm becomes disrupted. This negatively affects our serotonin and melatonin, hormones which govern appetite and mood. In other words, not only does stress keep us in an agitated state by agitating our cortisol levels, but it can lead to cravings, obesity, and blood sugar imbalances which have been shown to negatively impact mood.

While it may feel like you’re caught in a vicious cycle of stress, sleep deprivation, poor nutrition and mood swings, it’s possible to break free by incorporating these six tips in your daily routine:

1. Eat breakfast

Make a point of eating a high-fiber, high-protein breakfast every morning to stabilize blood sugar and improve mental alertness.

2. Eat regularly

It’s important to keep up the momentum after a nutritious breakfast. Skipping meals leads to irritability and mood swings because our mood rises and falls alongside the dips in our blood sugar. Try eating four or five small, well-balanced meals per day.

3. Ditch the junk

Remove refined, highly-processed food from your diet. This includes sugary snacks, deep-fried food, processed lunch meats, and pre-packaged items with additives, preservatives, dyes, and flavoring agents. These food-like items rob your body of the nutrients it needs to support healthy adrenal function. Our adrenal glands thrive on zinc, manganese, vitamin C, and the B vitamins found in dark leafy greens.

4. Skip the stimulants

Say goodbye to caffeine that leaves you feeling wired, yet tired! Propping yourself up with coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks will inevitably lead to a crash. These unsustainable forms of energy over-stimulate your adrenal glands and they’re also unnecessary sources of sugar and calories.

5. Supplement with herbs

Adaptogenic herbs like maca, ashwaganda, rhodiola and CortiSLIM Advanced with Vinpocetine, can help the body cope with stress and fatigue. For specific doses of these super supplements, consult your health care practitioner.

6. Wind down

If you have a habit of watching the news before bed or mindlessly browsing the internet, consider a new routine. Unplug and opt for a relaxing bath or a series of yoga stretches to help your mind and body relax. For more info see mindbodygreen.com

Seven Gifts from the Heart

The holidays are a stressful time for a lot of people and for a variety of reasons. Finances are a big part of the problem because the season has become so commercial. We have so much to give that mean so much more, it begs to have a reminder of the gifts from the heart that don't come with a monetary cost.



1. The gift of time and attention: What can be better than the gift of your time? We each have the same 24 hours in the day, but with our hectic lifestyles time often gets away from us. That’s why giving someone your complete attention is a rare gift.
While you are with someone, don’t text or check your email under the table. Be present with them. Remember that most people just want to be understood and feel valued. The mere feeling that you are being heard can be very healing to someone. Paying attention is a precious gift you can give anyone and is the lasting memories that will be cherished when those people are no longer with us.

 2. The gift of listening: Most people think that listening benefits the person who is speaking, but it also benefits the listener. It gives you time to really understand what someone is telling you, and maybe discover something you never knew about them. We have two ears and one mouth for a reason!

It takes the pressure off you, because you don’t have to worry about jumping in with your own stories or witty remarks. Really listening means you withhold judgment or advice unless you are asked. Don't spend your listening time just thinking about what you want to say next!

3. The gift of sharing joy: Take a few minutes to share a funny story or joke you heard, a tasty organic recipe, a lesson learned, or a hope or dream for the New Year.  

Lend your friend a book that delighted you, some music that moved you, a link to a hilarious cat video on the internet, or a movie that made you laugh out loud. Sharing something that amused or delighted you will lighten your moods and your hearts.

4. The gift of help: Most people need help of some kind, and often the simplest things can make a big difference. People with young children always appreciate the gift of babysitting. People who have difficulty moving around will be most grateful for help with simple household chores, such as offering to change burned-out light bulbs or picking up groceries on bad-weather days. Be a snow angel for your neighbor and shovel their sidewalks if you are healthy enough and live where it snows! 

5. The gift of information. If you’ve been reading this blog, you’ve discovered many new ways of . You’ve learned about keeping healthy and strong and much more.

Why not pass this information along to your friends so they can also share in the weight management and health strategies discussed here? Not everyone has the time or ability to research new ways to keep healthy and active. You are one of the lucky ones who does. Sharing the information you learn can launch other people on their journey to health.  

6. The gift of humor: Laughter draws people together. If you stop to think about it, how many times a day do you laugh?  Probably not as often as you did when you were a child. There is even laughter yoga classes to reduce stress! In this holiday season, take a few moments to laugh with your family, friends and people you work with.

A dose of humor stimulates your endorphins, so it actually makes you healthier. But the main reason to share a chuckle is that laughing just feels good, and spreads warmth and cheer. Don't be afraid to laugh out loud - joy is contagious!

7. The gift of thanks: Too often, we don’t take the time to thank people or tell them that we appreciate them. It’s never too late to take a moment out of your busy day to give sincere thanks to people who helped you this year. Send a hand-written card, an email, or an e-card.

Better yet, pick up the phone and say “Thank you.” Best of all, visit in person and deliver a big hug. Your kind words, warm touch and expression of sincere appreciation can make all the difference in someone’s day.

 

And now I’d like to thank you for giving me a few moments of your precious time. I feel honored and privileged to have spent this past year with you. I  wish you joy and health through the holiday season and look forward to being part of your journey in 2015.

Managing Work Stress

I have had some stressful jobs in my past and each stressful in their own way. One was performance-based stressed and the other all based on interpersonal-stress. I’m sure everyone could tell a story about a job with a particular stressor.

Today’s fast-paced and high-pressure lifestyle often pushes us beyond our physical and mental limits. In urban cities and highly developed countries, it is not uncommon for lawyers to clock in 90 hours a week, doctors to work in 30 consecutive-hour shifts, and soldiers to go on days without proper sleep during missions. Even regular eight-hour shifters are not spared as they are often required to render overtime and forego their rest days during busy periods on a business. All of this causes enormous amounts of stress that result to health and relationship problems, further adding to the strain already felt in the first place.

This problem is further worsened by the prevailing culture which inspires admiration and offers rewards for those who disregard rest and relaxation to put in all the time they can spare and absorb tremendous pressure from bosses, colleagues and clients at work. As the popular saying goes, "The only difference between a diamond and a lump of coal is that the diamond had a little more pressure put on it." This sends a clear message that those who are not willing to go beyond what is increasingly becoming a ‘normal’ long task list and work hours are easily laid off or have fewer opportunities for career growth.

Still, we need to manage stress as all of us need to work to live comfortably and provide for our family. As any good soldier will tell you, in order to defeat the enemy, you must first get to know it well. Here are the different types of on-the-job stress and how to deal with each one:

·         Time stress. Impending deadline. Stuck in traffic and going late for an important meeting or presentation. Being too tired after work to spend quality time with the family. Time stress happens when you feel there aren’t enough hours in the day so you can do everything you need to do, and because of this you feel powerless, trapped, and unhappy.

How to manage it: Time management is an important skill you must develop so you can be productive not just during work, but when you get home and face your responsibilities there as well. Make a to-do list where your tasks are listed in order of priority. If possible, estimate how much time you will take up for each and stick to it. Put a small clock in your desk if necessary so you are aware of the passage of time. Clear up all non-essential apps and games on your PC. No gaming, posting or tweeting on the job! And don’t be tempted to use your smartphone either. Disable your Wi-Fi if needed so you can concentrate on the task at hand. You’ll have all the time to do these later during breaks and after work hours. If you feel like you’re frequently biting off more work than you can chew, learn to politely but firmly say “no”.

·         Anticipatory stress. This kind of stress happens when you worry too much about the future. It may either be concerned on a specific event such as an upcoming presentation, or a general sense of dread about the future when you feel your expectations will not be met or that you will fail.

How to manage it: Two words: positive thinking. Anticipatory stress is based on future events and because you do not have full control over what happens in the future, if you can’t help thinking about it at least think about it going positively. Create a scenario in your mind where you feel powerful and in control. Instead of fretting about the presentation turning into a mess, imagine you having a satisfied smile on your face as you finish and the people in front of you clapping or nodding in agreement. Create a contingency plan of every scenario where things can go wrong and how you will react it. If you feel you are well prepared to face an uncertain situation, the knowledge that you have planned for it well gives you confidence to face it.

·         Situational stress. This involves a situation where you feel you cannot control things, as in an emergency, calamity, conflict, diminished status or loss of acceptance from an important person or in a group you strongly identify with. Specific events include being in conflict with someone or making a major blunder during a group activity that caused the group’s performance to fail. Even witnessing people arguing in front of you already puts you in a situational stress.

How to manage it: Everyone reacts to this type of stress differently. Some may withdraw emotionally and cry in a corner. Others shout or act aggressively. However you choose to react, be aware of how you respond physically and emotionally to a stressor. If you tend to withdraw, learn how to think on your feet so you can communicate better and release the steam off. If you are the aggressive type, take stock of your emotions. Just before you’re about to “go over the edge” simply walk away from the situation and come back later with a cooler head. Stay in a quiet, relaxing room and take long, deep breaths.

·         Encounter stress. Dreading the meeting with top management or a client who doesn’t have a particularly good reputation? Encounter stress occurs when you worry about interacting with people you don’t like or think are unpredictable. This will also happen if you feel drained or overwhelmed from contact with so many people. Let’s face it, not everyone you meet on the job is open to what you do nor do they welcome the intrusion by unfamiliar faces.

How to manage it: Since this type of stress is entirely focused on how you relate to people, if it’s unavoidable in your job now would be the time to brush up on your people skills. Develop your emotional intelligence, or the ability to recognize the emotions and needs of others. Have empathy too. Put yourself in their shoes and ask: “what would I do if I were them?” A little more patience wouldn’t hurt as well, especially when dealing with crowds.

The problem with all this stress is the Cortisol our bodies produce when stress is consistently at an all-time high. Cortisol releases glucose, protein and fat into your bloodstream to give you energy to handle your stress. Your body stores this unused energy around the abdominal organs. This type of fat, known as visceral fat, is most damaging to your health and can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

CortiSLIM will help your body burn fat more efficiently, it will help you manage your stress effectively, and will help increase your metabolism allowing you to shed those unwanted pounds faster and get your body back on the right track.