Stress Relief, A New Supplement

At Healing Arts we have helped thousands of people with anxiety and depression by detoxing and supporting the body with the right nutrition.  A lot of times their personalized nutrition programs include repairing the microbiome in the gut because the neurotransmitters for the brain are made in the gut.  For more info on the gut/brain axis, read here.

It is with the pandemic hitting that of course anxiety rose but after 2 years that anxiety has stayed and depression has followed.  After 15 years in practice I am seeing worse and worse cases of anxiety and depression in ways I never have before.  That’s why I designed a new supplement called Stress Relief that can address both anxiety and depression because often a patient has both.   

You would think because we’re almost through the pandemic and things are opening back up and people are starting to go back to the office that collectively our anxiety and depression would go away but it has seemed to stay with us.  The stress started two years ago with the fear of getting COVID-19 and now I think it’s a different type of stress of managing our lives and finding a new normal.

In order to fully understand stress management and to discover a place of balance with out daily stress, it is important to understand a hormone in the body called cortisol. Cortisol is known as “the stress hormone,” but it is also responsible for three major mechanisms that help to keep the body in a state of balance, or homeostasis: raising blood sugar, increasing blood pressure and regulating inflammation. Through these mechanisms, cortisol essentially influences nearly all that we do, and is directly responsible for modulating:

digestion

circulation

sleep/wake patterns

physical activity

sexual response

behavior and mood

So, with this prestigious list of roles and responsibilities, why is it that experts suggest that cortisol imbalance is the most common form of hormone imbalance in the modern world even before the pandemic?

Cortisol is released by the cortex (or outer layer) of your adrenal glands. It is naturally secreted in an ebb and flow rhythm that repeats daily. Ideally, cortisol is highest in the morning to help us wake up in a productive, alert, and energetic manner. It then tapers throughout the day and evening, lowest at night when we are meant to be sleeping soundly, and at which point the soothing, anti-inflammatory hormone melatonin takes over.

In addition to this daily cycle that helps us wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night, cortisol is released as part of the natural human stress response. In threatening situations, a surge of cortisol primes the body to react swiftly and appropriately. This very primal system is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis). Whenever a stressor is perceived, the hypothalamus (a gland in the brain) signals to the pituitary (a hormone gland in the brain) that something is up. The pituitary then sends a chemical alarm via a hormone called ACTH, signaling to the adrenals to release a burst of cortisol and other hormones like adrenaline, preparing the body for “flight or fight” mode. This is where cortisol’s three primary mechanisms really come in handy: the surge increases glucose to the muscles so that one can fight or run, and blood pressure is raised to ensure a plentiful supply of fresh oxygen to the brain so that one is able to think clearly. Simultaneously, non-immediate functions such as digestion, sexual arousal and immune system reactions are temporarily suppressed, enabling energy to flow more steadily towards the vital functions that keep us alive. When the threat subsides, the alarm in the hypothalamus is shut off and the body is restored to a state of harmony, recovering and awaiting the next alert.

This method works great when there is an accident or medical emergency. Yet unfortunately the HPA Axis responds not only to those acute stressors, but also to those that are anticipated and perceived- our looming worries and fears. The HPA system is helpless in differentiating between psychosocial stressors like getting stuck in traffic or planning a dinner party, and physical threats such as being in a burning building. Therefore if we aren't careful, our daily life can have stressors everywhere and worry is rampant, so the HPA alarm is almost constantly stuck in the glowing red ON position. I think that’s what has happened to us the last 2 years.  The HPA alarm isn’t made to be stuck ON for 2 weeks let alone 2 years! If cortisol levels soar in an unruly and destructive manner at bizarre times of the day and night, then suddenly small tasks such as packing a lunch or responding to an email, morph into treacherous evil threats that we feel like we just can’t handle.

Over time, the body simply can’t compensate for this hormonal instability and we start to burn out. The adrenals simply cannot keep up with the burden of constantly being told to secrete cortisol, and our systems slowly falter and shut down under such demands. This phenomenon is often called adrenal fatigue, and is coupled with the experience of depression.  This is when someone suffers from both anxiety and depression and should be helped by the right nutritional support for the adrenal glands.  For some people this burn out stage may not include depression but instead other troublesome conditions as heart disease, sleep problems, digestive issues, memory impairment, excessive weight gain and worsening skin conditions.

As much as we might close our eyes tightly and try to resist and control it, stress is an inherent part of life. However, through adequate nourishment and care, we are able to put the body's biochemical systems back on track, shifting the way that we relate to stress so that it does not shatter our everyday experience and stifle our creative expression. Building a nutrient dense diet is essential to healing the adrenals, as is participating in healthy fitness that involves adequate amounts of rest and recovery. That's why practitioners at Healing Arts muscle test, working with the biofeedback from your body to devise a detailed diet and lifestyle plan that works for you. We can now muscle test you for Stress Relief to see if that can be part of your healing plan to get the adrenal gland back on board.  

To help the stress reaction in the body Stress Relief contains herbs and vitamins to support the nervous system and the HPA axis response to stress so anxiety doesn’t get out of hand causing depression, insomnia, weight gain and other symptoms.  Stress Relief contains red sandalwood, SAM-e, vitamin B12, ashwagandha, kava kava, glutamate, lemon balm, passionflower, and vitamin D.

Red Sandalwood is known for it’s anti-aging properties and healing the skin by purifying the blood.  Red sandalwood has nutrients in it that can cross the blood brain barrier allowing the blood in the brain to be purified as well, helping with anxiety and depression. However it is contraindicated for people with amenorrhea.  

SAM-e is very well known to help with both depression and anxiety.  SAM-e stands for S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine and is a naturally occurring molecule present in all living human cells that plays an important role in cellular metabolism. SAM-e is an important methyl donor, an essential step in the synthesis of several neurotransmitters for the brain. The antidepressant effects of SAM-e are probably related to multiple mechanisms of action including increased brain levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. The synthesis of these neurotransmitters by SAM-e requires vitamin B12.  Many depressed individuals are deficient in B vitamins, thus individuals taking Stress Relief for depressed mood will benefit from the added vitamin B12 in the supplement.  Do not take SAM-e and therefore do not take Stress Relief if on a narcotic or cough syrup.

Ashwagandha is perhaps best known for its ability to reduce stress. It’s classified as an adaptogen, a substance that helps the body cope with stress and helps with both anxiety and depression. Ashwagandha appears to help control cortisol which is exactly what we need to do in order for the body not to have a stress reaction. If the body has a stress reaction and the anxiety cannot get back in control then it leads to depression which we are trying to prevent. That’s why when patients come in with both anxiety and depression I know their HPA axis has been not working properly for months.  Besides helping to control cortisol Ashwagandha also controls and reduces the activity of the HPA axis to start working correctly again. This calms the nervous system down.

Kava Kava is another herb that can calm the nervous system down.  Studies have been done to show that kava kava could be used as an alternative to certain anxiety drugs and other antidepressants. Kava Kava is also known to help people sleep better if taken right before bed.

                 

Glutamate is a type of neurotransmitter that acts in the brain.  Almost all brain cells need glutamate to communicate with one another. Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter helping people when they are feeling depressed. Glutamate can also do the opposite and calm the nervous system down because the body can use glutamate to make GABA, a different neurotransmitter that has a very calming affect and is helpful when feeling anxious.  GABA calms and glutamate stimulates, the two are counterparts and an imbalance in one impacts the other. So if the body has glutamate it will do what it needs with it, either use it directly to excite the nervous system or convert to GABA to calm the nervous system.  

Lemon Balm contains chemicals that seem to have a sedative and calming effect to help people with anxiety but research shows it is also good for depression. Being part of the mint family lemon balm is really good for the stomach and for people who put their stress in their gut.  I’ve seen many different versions of IBS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, where constipation and diarrhea alternate and get worse when stress occurs.  The way the body works it is very easy to put stress in our stomach.  that’s why we have so many sayings, ‘I’m so nervous I could throw up,’ ‘I have butterflies in my stomach,’ ‘I have a knot in my stomach,’ etc. Lemon balm’s essential oils, polyphenols, and tannins work together to stimulate digestion and strengthen your gut when taken consistently over time.  It might also reduce the growth of some viruses and bacteria.  Having less bad gut flora is important for the body to make the right amount of neurotransmitters; for the neurotransmitters for the brain are made in the gut.  I have used lemon balm successfully for cold sores, anxiety, stress, insomnia, indigestion, poor memory and depression.

Passionflower has certain phytochemicals and alkaloids that  promote feeling energized and positive.  Passionflower contains quercetin and kaempferol which are widely accepted as mood enhancers and recognized for their ability to actually reduce the level of stress hormones in the body. Studies show it is as good as oxazepam to reduce anxiety without the side effect of drowsiness.

           

The last ingredient, Vitamin D, is added because when stress goes high, immune system goes low and vitamin D is an immune booster.  Plus people who are feeling depressed usually run low on vitamin D.     

With 15 years experience in holistic healthcare I saw how something new was needed for these trying times and am so grateful for the results I see patients getting with Stress Relief.  

How Healthy pH Levels Can Help With COVID-19

An overlooked aspect of the coronavirus pandemic is the fact that most viruses are pH sensitive. pH medicine offers us a key to treating viral infections that is easy, safe and inexpensive. Shifting a patient's pH, combined with high dosages of vitamin C, vitamin D and other immune boosting support is foundational support to both treat and prevent COVID-19.  

There are many additional treatments like zinc, glutathione, iodine and selenium, even hydrogen, but the first thing we should reach for is baking soda aka sodium bicarbonate, which offers us control of oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.

Wherever the body has low voltage (pH), the cells begin to have problems that get more serious the lower the voltage goes. The lower the voltage goes, the lower the pH goes, and the lower oxygen levels go.  Chronic disease is associated with low pH values (acid conditions).  This means that alkaline (higher pH) tissues have more oxygen in them. 

Wherever the body becomes acidic, voltage drops as does tissue oxygen levels. What is pH after all? It is ultimately a measure of redox potential. Redox potential is a measure of whether electrons are available in surplus (and thus are “electron donors”) or whether electrons are positive (and thus are “electron stealers”). Electrons are necessary for life and are needed for health and in high quantities for healing and the growth of new cells.

Dr. David Brownstein wrote, “The human body is constantly removing old and injured cells and replacing them with healthy new cells. This process can only occur if the voltage of the cells is maintained at an optimal level. This process works more effectively when we are young as compared to when we are older. In the body (or in a solution), voltage is a direct reflection of pH, which is a measure of the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a solution, measured on a scale of 1 to 14. A low pH reading (highly acidic) indicates a low voltage state. Conversely, a high pH reading (highly alkaline) means a high voltage state.”

The amount of oxygen in cells is determined by voltage. If a cell has adequate voltage, it will also have adequate oxygen. If cellular voltage is low, the amount of oxygen in the tissues will be low. This applies to metabolism as well. When voltage and oxygen are low, metabolism becomes anaerobic, which means that oxygen is unavailable. The more aerobic metabolism we have the healthier we are.  

So now that you know what pH is you need to know that the Coronavirus needs a slightly acidic pH to penetrate the cell. The simple alkalinization of the blood reduces the cells susceptibility to the virus and this goes for lots of other viruses and pathogens as well.  When we are alkaline we invariably don't get sick or have mild attacks of viral infections and the same is true for bacterial and fungus infections. Studies have shown there is significant decrease in the growth of bacteria and fungi in the lungs of pneumonia patients when sodium bicarbonate is used compared to saline during nebulizer treatments.  

Although the pH of blood ranges from 7.35-7.45, the pH of other body fluids is different. If the pH blood levels drop below 6.9, it can lead to coma. The pH of saliva is ranges from 6.5 to 7.5. After swallowing, the food reaches the stomach where upper and lower parts of stomach have different pH values. The upper part has a pH of 4.0−6.5, while the lower part is highly acidic with a pH of 1.5−4.0. It then enters the intestine which is slightly alkaline, with a pH of 7.0−8.5. Maintaining the pH values of different regions is critical for their function and good digestion.  

Any increase or decrease in the blood pH can lead to inflammation and we know inflammation is the cause of all disease.  Maintaining the right pH is so important to have good health.  The body does this using primarily three mechanisms: buffer systems, respiratory control, and renal control.

Proteins form a part of the buffer system to regulate the pH levels. These proteins can act as electron acceptors or donors because of the presence of basic or acidic groups. Similarly phosphate buffers also help in moderating the levels of pH. Buffers may help in regulating pH during minor physiological changes, such as during breath holding (which increases the CO2 in the blood), exercise (which increases lactic acid in the blood), or when stomach acid is secreted.

The pH of blood during normal conditions is 7.4. However, CO2 dissociates into carbonic acid in the tissues. Thus, presence of more CO2 makes the blood more acidic. That is the reason when we hold our breath for long durations, the CO2 levels increase in the blood lowering our pH leading to fainting. On the other hand with increased pH, the breathing may get slow in order to increase the CO2 levels and reduce the alkalinity. However, low breathing rate could also lead to low oxygen levels which could be detrimental. Thus, respiration provides an important control to regulate the pH levels.  We already know how important breathing and lung support is for the Coronavirus.  For more info on good breathing techniques, click here. 

The kidneys (renal system) regulates the pH of water in your body. The changes in pH induced by the respiratory system are in minutes, while the changes induced by the renal system are in the order of days. If the acidity of the fluids is high, kidney secretes H+ ions, while if the carbonate ion levels are high it retains H+ ions and secretes HCO3 ions. Although this process is slow it can prove an effective mode to regulate pH. One limitation of renal regulation is that the pH of urine cannot be below 4.4 so renal regulation can only do so much. 

Respiratory acidosis occurs when too much CO2 builds up in the body. Normally, the lungs remove CO2 while you breathe. However, sometimes your body can’t get rid of enough CO2. This may happen due to:

• chronic airway conditions, like asthma
• injury to the chest
• obesity, which can make breathing difficult
• sedative misuse
• overuse of alcohol
• muscle weakness in the chest
• problems with the nervous system
• deformed chest structure

Metabolic acidosis starts in the kidneys instead of the lungs. It occurs when they can’t eliminate enough acid or when they get rid of too much base. There are four major forms of metabolic acidosis:

1. Diabetic acidosis occurs in people with diabetes that’s poorly controlled. If your body lacks enough insulin, ketones build up in your body and acidify your blood.

2. Hyperchloremic acidosis results from a loss of sodium bicarbonate. This base helps to keep the blood neutral. Both diarrhea and vomiting can cause this type of acidosis.

3. Lactic acidosis occurs when there’s too much lactic acid in your body. Causes can include chronic alcohol use, heart failure, cancer, seizures, liver failure, prolonged lack of oxygen, and low blood sugar. Even prolonged exercise can lead to lactic acid buildup.

4. Renal tubular acidosis occurs when the kidneys are unable to excrete acids into the urine. This causes the blood to become acidic.

Factors that can contribute to your risk of acidosis include:

• kidneys not functioning
• obesity
• dehydration
• aspirin or methanol poisoning
• diabetes

If you body is too acidic which most people's are, here are some common symptoms:

• fatigue or drowsiness
• becoming tired easily
• confusion
• shortness of breath
• headache
• lack of appetite
• jaundice - yellow skin
• increased heart rate
• breath that smells fruity, which is a sign of diabetic acidosis 

If you think you may have acidosis, you can get blood work to check your pH levels and your kidney function.  Blood work can also check your calcium, protein, blood sugar, and electrolyte levels which are all important levels to know to see if the body is too acidic.  

If you are concerned about respiratory acidosis is you want to test the health of your lungs. This may involve a chest X-ray or a pulmonary function test.

If metabolic acidosis is suspected, you’ll need to give a urine sample. Doctors will check the pH to see if you are properly eliminating acids and bases. 

Now that I know the relationship between pH and viruses I will start checking oral pH in the office to keep everyone healthy.  It's a quick easy thing that can give us a good idea of your overall pH and the health of the mouth which is part of the digestive tract.  Based on the results we may test you for mineral drops, phosphorus drops or add a baking soda drink in the morning on an empty stomach to help become less acidic.  The less alcohol you consume and the more water you drink can also help your pH levels.  Chlorophyl can also be very helpful in supplement form or just increase your intake of green leafy veggies.  Because this coronavirus likes to hit the back of the throat and go into the lungs the less acidic our mouth and throat are the better.  A mouth wash can really help but not the Lysterine types.  You need to get a more natural one and I love Oxy Pulling mouth wash.  It advertises to do Oxy Pulling instead of oil pulling but instead I love to do them together.  The extra oxygen is exactly what the mouth and throat need to kill any germs and keep the body healthy.    

Drinking Olive Oil for Dessert

Drinking Olive Oil for Dessert

Sometimes I recommend drinking a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil with a squeeze of lemon juice after dinner to help the liver detox the daily toxins that built up in the system.  The liver does the majority of its detox work at 11pm-1am.  With the olive oil in your body at that time it helps the liver move the toxins through the gallbladder duct to the large intestine to then be eliminated.

Combining olive oil with lemon helps maintain lubricant for digestive mucus so not only does it help in moving toxins but also helps rid the body of constipation.  The discomfort from the body being toxified can lead to discomfort, and there’s no better cure for that than taking a quick drink of olive oil after dinner. The body has subtle ways of signaling that it is in need of a detox. Signs of this include headaches, slower digestion, and dry mouth. 
Olive oil is another great tool for taking care of the skin and hair. Taking a small drink of olive oil is known to help boost hair growth. The vitamin D and vitamin E contents found in olive oil can help moisturize dry skin. While helping improve the skin cosmetically, it can also help prevent skin cancer. The antioxidant properties of olive oil counter the oxidation of rays from the sun. Studies show that in the Mediterranean region where drinking olive oil is common, only three in every 100,000 residents there get skin cancer.

The idea of consuming olive oil this way comes from the Mediterranean diet, which, despite its share of naysayers, has been found to be effective. Olive oil has an acid called oleic acid, which gives the feeling of fullness and promotes the feeling of satiety.

According to various studies, drinking extra virgin olive oil may prevent the formation of free radicals in the body, and reduce the incidence of colon cancer. This is because olive oil is full of antioxidants.
So now you know! All you need to do, to make the most of this amazing night tonic, is to take the juice of a ripe lemon and add it to a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and drink it up! The better the quality of olive oil, the more beneficial this "dessert" will be for you.