Pfizer, inc. (the big pharmaceutical company) is unrolling a program on Thursday to help those without insurance the ability to continue certain medications for free for up to a year. On that list includes Viagra. I turned to my friend and asked, “Viagra?” To which he responded, “Unemployed people need a stress release now more than ever! Don’t take that away from them.” Ha! Point taken.
In this economy that is recovering one day and reversing the next, the stress response is something I learn about from all of my patients. More important than how much stress you are under is how, exactly, are you handling it?
If it’s chronically interfering with your sleep, your relationships, your energy, your waistline, your temper…it’s a problem. While there is no Pfizer pill for getting your job back or making more money, there are ways to help improve your situation.
Many supplements help with stress and your adrenals. At the very core are a multi-vitamin (a good quality one, not a cheap brand comprised of a hard tablet that doesn’t dissolve), Vitamin C and B-vitamins.
Herbs for sleep might include valerian, passionflower, oats and chamomile. Herbs for energy include rhodiola, ashwagandha, maca, and licorice (not to be taken if you have high blood pressure).
Exercise everyday (or most everyday) for at least 30 minutes. This can be a huge stress reliever and is great for your overall health. Go for a walk, jump rope, do jumping jacks, push-ups, sit-ups, stretches, and get online to follow programs on youtube.com for free.
Watch your caffeine intake! How much coffee and soda are you drinking in a day ‘just to keep going?’ Caffeine stimulates your cortisol and adrenaline output which can eventually lead to a burn-out sensation. Cut back and switch to water.
Take a moment to catch your breath. If you don’t meditate, then sit quietly and focus on the way that you breathe. Do you take nice deep breaths that expand your ribcage or do you shallow breathe so that only your collar bone moves a little? Slow, rhythmic, deep breathing can reduce your stress response, lower your blood pressure and improve your mood!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Take Probiotics And Get Skinny Post-Partum!
I recommend probiotics to nearly all of my patients. They are the healthy flora that live in your large intestines and help you to fight off bugs while keeping things regular. A recent study presented at the 2009 European Congress on Obesity found that taking probiotic supplements which contained Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, starting in the first trimester and continuing for at least a year post-partum were less likely to develop that central abdominal fat.
They compared 256 pregnant women who took the probiotic and received dietary advice, only received the dietary advice, or didn’t receive anything and found that probiotics plus the counseling led to only 25% of the group keeping their apple shaped abdomens. The rest lost it! Advice alone (no supplement) left 43% with the fat and 40% of the control group (no supplement or advice) had still had central belly weight.
When looking for a good probiotic, make sure it is dairy-free, refrigerated, and has a quantity in the billions! Do your research first as not all probiotics are created equal. Sometimes probiotics actually cause a little gas at first as it’s moving out the old and unhealthy to make way for the fresh and clean. If this happens to you, consider switching brands or take your supplement at night before bed.
They compared 256 pregnant women who took the probiotic and received dietary advice, only received the dietary advice, or didn’t receive anything and found that probiotics plus the counseling led to only 25% of the group keeping their apple shaped abdomens. The rest lost it! Advice alone (no supplement) left 43% with the fat and 40% of the control group (no supplement or advice) had still had central belly weight.
When looking for a good probiotic, make sure it is dairy-free, refrigerated, and has a quantity in the billions! Do your research first as not all probiotics are created equal. Sometimes probiotics actually cause a little gas at first as it’s moving out the old and unhealthy to make way for the fresh and clean. If this happens to you, consider switching brands or take your supplement at night before bed.
Ovaries Removed? Let’s Look At The Cancer Risks.
Many women have had their ovaries removed for non-cancerous reasons. The procedure is called an oophorectomy and commonly occurs with a hysterectomy. Once the ovaries are removed, a huge portion of hormone production comes to a screeching halt. A recent study in the 2009 May issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology examined the long term consequences of an oophorectomy of both ovaries and cancer risk.
The great news is that your risk for breast and ovarian cancer goes down. The not-so-great news is that your risk for all-cause mortality such as coronary heart disease and lung cancer increases.
"Bilateral oophorectomy at the time of hysterectomy for benign disease is commonly practiced to prevent subsequent development of ovarian cancer," write William H. Parker, MD, from the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John's Health Center, Santa Monica, California, and colleagues. "Oophorectomy before menopause leads to an abrupt reduction in endogenous estrogen and androgen production....Later age of menopause has been associated with a reduced risk of death from coronary heart disease and stroke, and studies show that preserving ovarian function is associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease."
Before having your ovaries removed for non-cancerous reasons, talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits especially if you have the opportunity to keep them during your hysterectomy.
The great news is that your risk for breast and ovarian cancer goes down. The not-so-great news is that your risk for all-cause mortality such as coronary heart disease and lung cancer increases.
"Bilateral oophorectomy at the time of hysterectomy for benign disease is commonly practiced to prevent subsequent development of ovarian cancer," write William H. Parker, MD, from the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John's Health Center, Santa Monica, California, and colleagues. "Oophorectomy before menopause leads to an abrupt reduction in endogenous estrogen and androgen production....Later age of menopause has been associated with a reduced risk of death from coronary heart disease and stroke, and studies show that preserving ovarian function is associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease."
Before having your ovaries removed for non-cancerous reasons, talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits especially if you have the opportunity to keep them during your hysterectomy.
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