Hello and Welcome! This Knowledge Link is being provided by Martino's Supplement Resources, www.vitamin-tim.com, which is dedicated to providing you with useful, quality information pertaining to the use of diet, dietary elements and exercise to help enhance your quality of life. MSR is also dedicated to regularly providing you with top quality nutritional supplements to help you realize your health goals.
On this page, we'll look at the effect that mental/emotional stress can have on our nutrient status and as such, our health; and what dietary factors are important to consider prior to and under conditions of heavy or chronic mental/emotional stress. We'll also briefly mention some potential mechanisms to help you make it through trying times.
A PORTION OF YOUR PURCHASE FROM THIS PAGE WILL BE DONATED TO THE SALVATION ARMY TO SUPPORT THE VICTIMS OF THE SEPT 11 ATTACK...
Summary of what you'll see below: Our Nervous System: the Link Between Mind and Body; How Dietary Elements and Stress Affect the Mind Body Link; Nutrient Deficiencies May Worsen or Cause Stress Reactions; Some Diseases Associated With Chronic Stress; What To Do (In terms of making adjustments to improve your dietary intake and the quality of your life); Coping Mentally; Future Knowledge Links; References; Order Supplements; Food and Drug Administraion Link; Donation Support (Salvation Army Link and World Trade Center Fund Links). Estimated reading time, about 20-25 minutes.
REGULAR CUSTOMERS see link below to reorder your supplements.
Certainly now, most of us are feeling a new level of stress, imposed atop our usual, daily concerns. We are feeling the pain of the loss of thousands of our fellow Americans, along with the uncertainty of what the future may hold for us as individuals, and as a Nation, in the years to come. The only choice we have is to cope as best we can. Since our minds are inextricably joined to our physical bodies, coping will have to involve both mental/emotional and physical strategies. One very important means of coping on a physical level, necessarily involves dietary considerations. Here's why:
Our Nervous System: The Link Between Mind and Body
As you know, our minds are joined to our physical being through our nervous system, which consists of three major components: the central, autonomic (or peripheral) and enteric nervous system (CNS, ANS, ENS respectively). Our autonomic nervous system is further separated into sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions. The enteric nervous system itself was fairly recently identified (in 1985) as a distinct system present in our gastrointestinal tract. Our nervous systems provide for voluntary control of movement as well as the automatic function and regulation of vital life processes, such as breathing, heart rate and digestion.
Just as our conscious choices direct functions that are under our voluntary control, our emotional reactions influence our bodies in a very significant manner, although through different mechanisms that are not always under our control. Our emotions, through our autonomic and enteric nervous systems, can trigger the release of neurotransmitters and hormones, which can directly impact the fucntion and health of other organs in our bodies, including our immune system. Our organs, in turn, can send feedback to our central and autonomic systems, through what are called afferent pathways (Efferent pathways convey messages FROM our nervous system's control centers to our organs). And, our immune system can actually communicate with our nervous system's automatic control centers through biomolecules called cytokines. So, as you can see, problems with one area of our body will have an impact on other areas. Our bodys are integrated units, despite being composed of different tissues, organs and organ systems.
How Dietary Elements and Stress Affect the Mind Body Link
Amino acids, carbohydrates, and fatty acids, as well as vitamins and minerals, are involved in the production of the cytokines, hormones, and neurotransmitters that provide for normal body function, as well as the heightened function that can occur under conditions of stress.
For example, say you are walking home from work one day and are suddenly rushed by a big, snarling, stray dog. After the sight and sounds of the affront are received and processed by your central nervous system, it will signal your automomic system to get busy with preparing you to deal with the threat. The sympathetic division of your ANS will thus quickly move to increase your heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac output, respiration, pupil dilation, glucose and fatty acid availability (for enrgy), as well as your muscle tone and strength. The sympathetic division will also DECREASE cerain functions, such as gastrointestinal activity and kidney output, which are not required for quick responses to sudden threats. Once you get away or scare the dog off, your parasympathetic system will act to oppose what your sympathetic system stimulated, putting the breaks on, so to speak, and slow your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, and stimulate gastrointestinal activity.
With all of the systems that are affected by a stressor, a problem can arise if you experience chronic, unresolved emotional stress. Needless to say, chronic emotional stress can negatively impact every organ system in our bodies.
Likewise, our nutritional status can be negatively impacted by chronic stress in a number of ways. For instance, the above mentioned hypothetical state of emergency precipitated by the attacking dog would result in the release of glucocorticoid hormones from your adrenal glands (which sit atop each kidney), such as cortisol, epinephrine (more commonly known as adrenaline) and norepinephrine. Some of these hormones require the use of vitamin C in order to get synthesized, stored and released. That's okay for your vitamin C status if don't run across an attack dog regularly; are otherwise a contented person, and consume AT LEAST 500 mg of vitamin C daily. But, in the case of chronic emotional arousal, whether it be from having to confront reckless drivers every day on your way to work; or a harassing supervisor threatening layoffs, your vitamin C status can suffer, because your feelings of rage or fear precipitated by the above daily threats involve those stress hormones, which, again, requires vitamin C to be synthesized and released. The vitamin C that is involved in the processing and secretion of those stress hormones can either be regenerated to it's active form, or excreted through your urine. In the case of regeneration, other dietary elements, such as selenium and vitamin E, need to be adequately supplied from your diet; in the case of excretion, you are LOSING some of your body's supply of vitamin C, thus increasing your daily requirement. Vitamin C is very important to the functioning of our white blood cells, which are the primary reactive components of our immune system; it is also critical to the synthesis and maintenance of collagen, a protein that is fundamental to structural and supportive tissues in our bodies. Vitamin C also helps to control reactive molecules called free radicals, that can lead to cumulative tissue and organ injury, and are generated by the metabolism of commonly encountered elements such as drugs, pollution, food and even exercise (See the Knowledge Link adressubg free radicals and exercise for more infromation).
So, wasting vitamin C through excessive stress reactions and not attending to proper replenishment can have multiple deleterious effects over the long haul, such as repeated infections or fragile, bleeding gums (and other tissues), with symptoms becoming more severe as the deficiency worsens (This is not to say that chronic infections or bleeding gums always signals a C deficiency, but C intake is worth considering in the event of chronic stress and a diet consisting of convenience foods and little fresh, whole fruits and vegetables).
Your B vitamins are also crucial to the synthesis of neurotransmitters and other chemical signals that are important to the maintenance of emotional stability; as well as to the propagation of the stress response. B vitamins are often found as components of protein and carbohydrate foods. If you are an active person, you'll likely consume more of these foods for energy and growth. The increased activity and intake of carbs and proteins increases your requirement of B vitamins however, since these vitamins also fucntion as cofactores in the storage and use of carbohydrates for energy, and the synthesis of proteins that your body needs in order to grow and function properly. Even if you are inactive, extra B vitamins are used if you eat lots of carbohydrats and protein foods, in order to facilitate storage of the macronutrients NOT used for energy, and for the synthesis of new biomolecules used for common body functions.
A problem arises however, when we eat goo gobs of fried, grilled, and highly preserved protein foods and/or heavily processed carbohydrates. These foods still require the B vitamin cofactors that our bodies need to make new molecules and store unused energy. Unfortunately however, these foods often lose much of their vitamin content as a result of the processing. As such, blood levels of B vitamins, as well as any other small body reserves of these vitamins, will be mobilized to meet the need, thereby diminishing your body reserves and subsequently increasing your daily nutritional requirement. In the event of physical or emotional stress, your daily requirement increases still further, in order for your body to implement it's stress response, through the synthesis and release of relevant neurotransmitters, hormones and other chemical signals (Note that food processing provides for enhanced shelf life and palatability, so it's hardly a criminal act. But it does require that one be more attendant to supplementing one's intake of micronutrients, especially if you live off of highly processed fast foods. Of further import is the association of certain diseases with long term intake of altered fats, carbohydrates and proteins found in convenience foods.)...
Calcium may also be a concern when one is confronted with chronic stress. Stressed minds can precipitate increased muscle tension, which can increse lactic acid production in muscles, thus increasing acidic conditions in the local blood supply. Calcium is an important acid buffer in our bodies, and blood levels of calcium can be used to decrease acid conditions caused by chronic stress/tension. Since blood levels of calcium absolutely have to be maintained within a certain range in order to maintain life, your body will quickly get calcium from your bones in order to keep blood levels constant. As such, calcium intake should be between 1000 to 1500 mg/day, in order to compensate for the extra amount used to buffer stress related acidity, and protect your bone reserves of the mineral. These higher intakes may be particularly significant for women, since calcium is not an easily absorbed mineral, and women have a greater concern with osteoporosis, due to the diminution of estrogen levels during menopause. Osteoporosis is an even greater concern for women of Northern European and Asian descent. Men can also suffer from osteoporotic bones later in life. Therefore, protecting our bones and overall health from the impact of chronic stress requires that we be attendant to our calcium intake as well (See Code of Federal Regulations link for Government statement on the use of supplements to prevent or manage osteoporosis).
Nutrient Deficiencies May Worsen or Cause Stress Reactions
Not only can chronic stress contribute to nutrient deficiencies, but deficiencies in some nutrients may lead to the creation or intensification of anxiety or stress...
It is thought that folks who experience anxiety attacks may be sensitive to increased levels of blood lactate (or lactic acid, mentioned above). It is not known if lactic acid precipitates anxiety attacks in these people or is simply related to some other process that does, but studies done back in 1967 (1) actually used an infusion of lactate to induce anxiety symptoms in persons suffering panic attacks.
So. if you think you have a problem with panic attacks, reduce your intake of sugar and caffeine, which can increase the production of lactic acid. Alcohol can also increase blood lactate, since it is processed as an alternative energy source, thus diminishing your body's need to reduce lactate levels by processing it into pyruvate, and ultimately into high energy ATP (our body's most important form of immediately useable energy). If you drink alcohol to relieve stress, and you are sensitive to blood lactate, your blood lactate can remain high and you will likely feel even more anxious when you sober up...
Lactate may also be elevated as a result of inadequate pyruvate dehydrogenase activity. Pyruvate dehydrogenase is a thiamine (vitamin B1) dependent enzyme that helps to lower lactate by driving the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl coenzyme A (and ultimately to ATP), thus providing for the conversion of lactate into more pyruvate.
Additionally, niacinamide, the synthetic form (from supplements) of the B vitamin niacin, may act to decrease lactic acid levels by reacting with lactate, once converted in our bodies to it's coenzyme form, niacinamide adenine dinucleotide.
One more B vitamin, B6 (pyridoxine) is required for the synthesis of gamma amino butyric acid (GABA)and serotonin. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter which is involved in the regulation of anxiety. Serotonin is also an important factor in the etiology of anxiety and depression. As such, theoretically at least, low levels of B6 can contribute to heightened anxiety.
So, as you can see here, attention to micronutrient vitamin and mineral intake is important to diminish the impact of stressful situations, and to even help preclude feelings of generalized anxiety, something we don't need any more of these days.
If you are bothered by chronic stress, take some time to assess your diet; try to eat less processed foods, and supplement vitamins B, C as well as the mineral calcium, to help support your body's coping mechanisms. Your future health depends on your ability to effectively manage stress and stressful situations.
Some Diseases Associated With Chronic Stress
Cardiovascular disease has long been associated with intense, unresolved emotional states. Our gastrointestinal system is highly sensitive to our emotional reactions. Indeed, chronic emotional distress can lead to a decrease in gastric (stomach) emptying and an increase in acid production in our stomach, as well as an increase in colonic motility. In some people, these stress precipitated gastrointestinal conditions can contribute to the development of the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), if the stress is intense and/or chronic enough.
Note also that IBS is not always caused by emotional distress, but always has an emotional component. In some cases, food allergies, gastrointestinal hypersensitivities and other causes that have yet to be identified, can precipitate IBS symptoms, and actually affect your emotional state. Remember that your GI tract has it's own rather sophisticated nervous and immune systems, which can communicate with areas of your higher level nervous system and emotional centers. This is the reason why your "mood" changes when you are constipated or have an upset stomach; and why something like Pepto Bismal can help you to feel better emotionally after your gut is settled.
Further, increased acid and decreased gastric emptying precipitated by stress can contribute to the propagation of certain microorganisms that thrive under such conditions, such as helicobacter, pylori, which has been implicated as a significant factor in the development of gastric ulcers.
Moreover, a colon that is overly active due to stress, by moving and expelling it's contents too rapidly, will lose nutrients that are normally absorbed from the colon, further contributing to nutrient deficiencies.
So, as you can see, the inability to manage chronic strss can have a significant, deleterious impact on our nutritional status and long term health; and nutritional deficiencies can precipitate and/or worsen anxiety and stress.
What To Do
In view of the above facts, to help you effectively cope with the tribulations we are all currently facing, and rise to new levels, consider gradually reducing your intake of the simple sugars found in pastries, candies and ice cream. Increase your intake of whole, fresh fruits on a daily or weekly basis, until you reach about 4-6 servings per day. Apples and bananas make good convenience snacks and can help you to meet your daily requirement of vitamin C and soluble fiber. Soluble fiber can help to control blood cholesterol and decrease your risk of colon cancer (See future Knowledge Link for info on how dietary fiber acts to improve your health and decrease risk of disease.)
Eat less fried foods and less breads and cereals made with bleached flours, and consume more whole grain products, in addition to leaner meats that have been baked, boiled or whatever - just avoid a lot of fried foods.
Eat more vegetables that are either raw, such as carrots and tomatoes in salad; or cooked only to a point at which some crunchiness still remains. Cooking vegetables till they are soft can lead to the breakdown of the plant components that bind critical micronutrients, with the subsequent loss of much of those nutrients into the boiling water and then the air, due to evaporation.
You can accomplish the above changes by gradually replacing parts of your daily meals until at least one whole meal consists of lean meat or fish; whole grains and lightly cooked vegetables. Gradually change over another meal until at least two full meals are devoid of fried, processed, overcooked or heavily preserved foods (These changes should be made gradually because sudden changes can be resisted by our bodies, due to our habituation to the longstanding use of certain food types).
Supplement your diet with at least 500 mg of vitamin C. A full gram is better, but if you've never taken supplemental C before, start by taking 500 mg for 3-4 days, then add another 500 mg to make a full gram. Take your C with food or as part of a multiple vitamin, since large amounts of the vitamin can irritate your gut when taken alone, unless purchased in buffered form.
Also, supplement at least 30-50 mg of the B vitamins, which should contain: B1 (thiamin); B2 (riboflavin); niacinamide; B6 (pyridoxine); B12 (cobolamin); pantothenic acid; inositol; choline; folic acid and biotin, to be complete.
Martino's Supplement Resources, www.vitamin-tim.com, can provide you with a stress formula that is specifically designed to deliver 1200 mg of vitamin C, as well as all of the B vitamins listed above; plus vitamin E, which helps to protect all of our bodies lipid containing components from oxidation. Extensive, protracted oxidation of lipids in our bodies can contribute to the development of several different diseases, such as atherosclerosis. The Stress Formula is prepared using food components as a base, including alfalfa, rice bran, rose hips, lecithin, parsley and watercress, There are NO synthetic excipients or fillers. Go to www.vitamin-tim.com, click on the "Catalog Index", then "Multiple Vitamins", to view the product and obtain a full disclosure of it's contents. ALL ORDERS ARE SCRAMBLED AND ENCRYPTED FOR YOUR PROTECTION. FURTHER, A PERCENTAGE OF YOUR PURCHASE WILL GO TO THE SALVATION ARMY, TO HELP FEED THE RESCUE AND CLEAN UP WORKERS AT THE SITES OF THE SEPT 11 ATTACKS...
Additionally, you should consider supplementing at least 1000 mg of calcium a day. If you are a woman of Asian or Northern European descent, and less than 25 years old, consider 1500 mg calcium per day, particularly if you are unable to consume many dairy products due to food intolerances (See the Code of Federal Regulations link below for official Fed. Gov. statement concerning use of supplemental calcium). Though you may have stopped growing at around 18 years of age, your skeleton continues to mature until you are about 25. The closer your are to your maximal skeletal growth potential, the longer you'll have before bone mineral losses after menopause negatively affects your bone density. Thus, you can possibly delay or prevent osteoporosis altogether, by increasing your intake of calcium at an earlier age, through a combination of diet and calcium supplemnts.
Martino's Supplement Resources can also provide you with a variety of calcium formulas. Just go to www.vitamin-tim.com, click on the "Cataolog Index" then "Chelated Minerals" to view the products and a full ingredient list (Again, ALL ORDERS ARE ENCRYPTED TO PROTECT YOU..).
Coping Mentally
As a result of the evil actions taken on 9/11/01, we are all having to try to manage feelings of anxiety and rage, with seemingly little opportunity to directly affect the consequences those evil actions seem to be having on us.
Given such conditions, there are some who would tout meditation, and/or muscle relaxation and/or visualization techniques to help you settle your agitated emotions. While these techiques can positively impinge upon bad feelings or tight muscles, they can take some time before they really have any lasting efect; and the challenges that precipitated the stress reactions are waiting for you when you finish chanting, visualizing or tensing and relaxing your muscles. Why not hit two birds with one stone, and take some positive action while quenching emotional strss?
How do you do that? Well, any old psychologist will tell you (and you can reason for yourself) that one cause of stress is a sense of lost control over areas of your life that you deem critical. For a teenager, acceptance by the peer group with which they identify is important; for an adult, monetary stability and security is very important. If you are an adult who has concerns about income, personal security etc, FEAR NOT! and thank God you are living in the US of A! There are vast resources available to you in this Nation. We're just going to have to make the effort to adjust, by seeking resources different from those to which we have become accustomed; and find new ways to use old reserves. For many of us, that may mean that we have to seek new sources of information or alternative sources of income. This will necessarily involve using resources such as the internet, magazines, journal articles, books, newspapers, television, and your Government, among other things, for more than just entertainment and political prate, but for the purpose of learning about aspects of our lives that have been affected by the malicious acts of Sept. 11/01.
For example, you can learn for yourself how the economy really works, instead of choking up when one economist presents a gloomy economic forecast; while another says things won't be so bad. Learn for yourself about the structure and function of the stock market and how you can productively participate.
Even better, learn more about yourself! What hobbies do you have that requires or conceals talents that could make you a more successful and productive American in these changing times? What skills and talents do you need to acquire in order to fill your current needs, reach your future goals, and rise to new levels in life? The personal focus required to really identify key, specific needs, and then pursue whatever objectives are required to fill those needs, leaves little time to waste worrying or feeling anxious.
Further, you'll begin to realize that the more you learn, the less you'll fear, because you will start to uncover the myriad positive options available to you in this land of abundant resources. You can only be threatened by the future if you are short on the knowledge you need to take control of your life! Knowledge is Power! That's why you are reading this Knowledge Link!
If, after embarking on the path to knowledge of subjects that impact your life, you still need to find and edge to help you to further relieve stress and anxiety, consider moderate, regular exercise. If you've never exercised before, obtain an evaluation of your cardiovasvular and musculoskeletal systems - at least - by a health care professional who is trained to properly test you, before taking on an exercise routine...
Moderate, aerobic exercise, something as simple as running lightly in place for 15-20 minutes, can actually elevate levels of circulating hormones that provide for increased confidence and clearer thinking. Right after you exercise and cool down (or walk it off so to speak), you may even want to try some meditation. You'll likely find it's a lot easier to relax and focus after your workout.
If you've been bothered by chronic anxiety, while meditating, try calmly reflecting upon what it is you are anxious about. Are you really threatened by a future encounter with some person, situation or condition that is so overwhelming, there is NO hope? Likely NOT! Even if there are some tough encounters in your future, you have NOW to PREPARE for, and NOT worry about then. Your motivation to NOT worry is the fact that worry cripples the productive preparation required to rise to new levels when tested. Reasoning along these lines, in most cases, you'll find that your anxiety is either baseless or irrational, especially when evaluated in terms of your growing knowledge base. You'll then find it easier to dismiss your fears, or at least feel less anxious, while feeling motivated to be more active in taking control of your life, because you'll have the tools - knowledge - to effect the necessary changes...
Finally, in order to avoid feeling stressed WHILE pursuing your objectives, understand that you WILL succeed, if you are persistant, and establish routines that serve as "steps" to reach your goals or reinforce productive habits. For instance, study at regular intervals; or routinely practice whatever skill is relevant to your objectives. Don't feel pressured into changing your lifestyle or rising to new levels; find some significant reason to feel good about doing those things...
Note: Martino's Supplement Resources is currently a small operation. However, it is the intent of MSR to contribure some small part of this small operation to the Salvation Army Disaster Relief Fund. As such, 5-10% of your purchase from this page will be donated. Currently, some form of official notice of your contribution is being worked on...
If you decide to visit the Code of Federal Regulations site, for info pertaining to calcium nutriture and osteoporosis, click Title 21 once you get there; next, click parts 100-169; then part 101 (Food Labelling); scroll down to 101.72, Health Claims Calcium and Osteoporosis.
References:
(1)Pitts FN Jr, McClure JN Jr. Lactate metabolism in anxiety neurosis. N Engl J Med 277(25):1329-36, 1967
Need a question answered about nutritional supplemtns? Looking for a copy or a summary of a journal article related to nutritional science, exercise physiology or disease prevention? Send me an email at VitaminT@webtv.net. I'll try to get you an answer to your question, or a copy or summary of an article, for free, within a few days of your request! For journal articles, it will help to have the name and volume number of the journal; the author's name; the year the article was published in the journal; and the page number of the article.
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Future Knowledge Links:
Can Nutritional Supplements Enhance Male Sexual Performance Or Correct Erectile Dysfunction?
Weight Loss Supplements
Nutrition and Pregnancy
Nutrition For The Prevention And Management of Osteoporosis
Senior Nutrition
Dietary Fiber And Health
Nutrition For Our Children
My Favorite Links
Order Your Anti-Stress Nutrients
Knowledge Link Homepage
Free Radicals and Bodybuilding
Donations to Support Sept 11 Attack Victims
Donations to the World Trade Center Fund
Code of Federal Regulation Info on the Use of Calcium for the Prevention and Management of Osteoporosis
Nutritional Supplements For Sexual Performance