Ronit Mor, NDDid you know that 80% of us struggle with stress on a regular basis?
Stress is your body’s reaction to a physical, mental or emotional strain or tension. It is brought upon by physiological, psychological and environmental events that the body perceives as challenging, threatening or demanding. These events are called stressors. Untreated chronic stress can result in serious health conditions including anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. Research shows that stress can contribute to the development of major chronic conditions, such as heart disease, depression and obesity. Some studies have even suggested that unhealthy chronic stress management, such as overeating “comfort” foods, has contributed to the growing obesity epidemic Russell Skinner, MDFructose, also called fruit sugar, was once a minor part of our diet. In the early 1900s, the average American took in about 15 grams of fructose a day (about half an ounce), most of it from eating fruits and vegetables.
According Harvard Medical School, today we average four or five times that amount, almost all of it from the refined sugars (sucrose) used to make breakfast cereals, pastries, sodas, fruit drinks, and other sweet foods and beverages. Researchers point to the fact that the rise in obesity, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in our country parallels a significant increase in dietary fructose consumption Ronit Mor, NDLet’s face it — we could all probably use a little assistance in the sugar department.
The U.S. ranks number one worldwide with the highest sugar consumption per person, currently at 126 grams (that’s 29 teaspoons!) of sugar per person per day. All this extra added sugar is extremely detrimental for your health. Nearly 75 percent of adults in the U.S. get approximately 10 percent of their daily calories from added sugar Ronit Mor, NDToo much of anything can be bad for your health, sugar included.
While a healthy diet contains a significant amount of naturally occurring sugar (in fruits and vegetables, for example), the problem is that we're chronically consuming much more added sugar in processed foods. So, what happens when the brain is exposed to excessive amounts of sugar as is the case with the Standard American Diet (SAD)? In this case, more is definitely not better. Russell Skinner, MDUnderstanding histamine could be the answer to your migraines. There is a lot of confusion about histamine and how it can either cause or prevent migraines. Here’s a guide to help you figure out how to control histamine and thus reduce occurrence of migraines.
A Two-Edged Sword Histamine is an amine (a chemical which is made from an amino acid) that is involved in tasks within the immune and neuroendocrine systems, neurotransmission, gastric secretion, cell life and death, and development. It is part of a local immune response to cause inflammation. It performs several important functions in the bowel and acts as a neurotransmitter or chemical messenger that carries signals from one nerve to another. It is able to affect the immune, digestive and nervous systems by affecting cells in many different parts of the body. Ronit Mor, NDThe immune system is made up of many different kinds of cells that protect the body from germs, viruses and other invaders. These cells need to co-exist in a certain balance for good health to be maintained. Many factors, including diet, lifestyle, and exercise can tip this balance, creating immune cells that can harm, rather than protect, our bodies.
Here are a few habits that may leave you vulnerable to disease: You’re ALWAYS stressed Russell Skinner, MDAre you constantly struck down by colds, flu and other infections – no matter how well you look after yourself?
If yes, then perhaps your stress levels are to blame. Stress is the body’s reaction to a physical, mental or emotional strain or tension. It is brought upon by physiological, psychological and environmental events that the body perceives as challenging, threatening or demanding. These events are called stressors. When stressors are present, your body’s “fight-or-flight” reaction gets turned on. Your brain sends defense signals to the endocrine system resulting in an onslaught of stress hormones being pumped around the body. While these hormones are useful in acute situations, their ability to interfere with the immune system can result in inflammation, reduced white blood cells, and a higher susceptibility to infection and tissue damage. |
Archives
October 2022
Categories
All
|