Category Archives: Stress

10 Stress-relieving Holiday Tips for Caregivers

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  1. Drink a glass of water every other hour to keep hydrated. Staying hydrated helps support immunity, and reduces stress and irritability. It’s important to remember that your brain needs water, too. A dehydrated brain doesn’t think clearly, which can contribute to stress and anxiety.
  2. Include a protein with every snack. It’s difficult to stay away from sweets this time of year. But including a protein with every snack helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Try apple slices smeared with almond butter or topped with a cheese slice. A small handful of almonds or walnuts and a couple of dates satisfy the sweet tooth and provides vitamins, minerals and protein.
  3. Plug in an aromatherapy diffuser and inhale the relaxing scent of lavender, nernoli (orange blossom) or any scent you like.
  4. Pour some Epsom salt into a hot bath, light a candle, put on soothing music, and soak away your stress and anxiety.
  5. Turn off the TV, phone, iPad, computer, and other electronic devices an hour before bed. Instead, listen to relaxing music while sipping a cup of chamomile tea.
  6. Journaling is a wonderful, inexpensive way to release your concerns and worries on paper. It’s available when your therapist and best friend are not, and you can do it anywhere at your leisure.
  7. Move your body. Exercise is one of the very best stress relievers. You don’t have to buy a special outfit or go to a gym. Put on a pair of walking shoes and make a habit of walking 1/2 hour every day. If it’s too cold outside, put on your favorite dance music and move as though no one is watching.
  8. Fill half of you plate with green leafy vegetables. They contain magnesium, “the mood mineral,” which supports healthy blood sugar and blood pressure, decreases food cravings, and nourishes and calms the nervous system.
  9. Laugh to reduce anxiety and produce endorphins, the feel-good hormone. Look at funny family photos, reminisce with a high school friend, or watch a comedy. Whatever tickles your funny bone will definitely lift your spirits.
  10. Aim to be in bed before 10pm and make a habit of going to bed and rising at the same time every time. You’ll sleep better and have more energy and resilience.

The #1 challenge that caregivers face

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Stress is undoubtedly the biggest challenge that caregivers face. Statistics show that the stress of care giving can result in chronic disease for the caregiver and take as many as 10 years off one’s life.

When we are chronically stressed the body’s fight or flight response gets turned on and forgets to shut off. When the body is in a constant state of “emergency alert” the adrenal glands—the small walnut shaped glands that sit on top of your kidneys—get “stuck” in the on position and produce an excess of cortisol, the stress hormone, which can result in sleep problems, weight gain, and chronic health problems.

Additionally, the liver releases too much glucose and fatty acids into the bloodstream. The excess glucose goes unused, so your body has to produce an enormous amount of insulin to handle it. Eventually, this can result in hypoglycemia or diabetes, and weight gain. Fat that is dumped into your blood also goes unused, so it clogs your arteries, leading to cardiovascular disease.

5 foods that can help relieve stress

  1. Dark leafy greens such as kale, Swiss chard, and spinach contain vitamin D, which helps with high levels of stress, and vitamin B, especially folic acid, which is depleted by stress. B vitamins are needed to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter that directly affects mood in a positive way.
  2. Wild-caught salmon contains magnesium the mood mineral, and vitamin D, which helps with high levels of stress.
  3. Yellow fruits such as peaches, nectarines and apricots, and cantaloupe contain vitamin A, important for a healthy immune system.
  4. Asparagus is high in folic acid, which can help stabilize your mood.
  5. Cottage cheese is high in calcium and protien. Add a fruit high in vitamin C, like oranges or strawberries, for the added antioxidant benefit that fights free radicals produced by stress and helps support the adrenal glands.

10 tips for instant stress relief

  • Eat within one hour of arising and by 10am. Eating breakfast restores healthy blood sugar levels, which have dropped during the night. Instead of a bowl of cereal with skim milk and a banana, eat protein and a healthy fat such as an omelet and avocado and a slice of whole grain toast. A healthy breakfast provides you with the energy you need to get through the morning, while maintaining a sense of equilibrium.
  • Take a walk—even a quick 10-minute walk can do wonders.
  • Sit down and breathe deeply for 10 minutes, focusing on the breath.
  • Get an aromatherapy plug-in diffuser. (They are available online.) Lavender calms the nerves and uplifts mood.
  • Take a bath with Epsom salts and/or aromatherapy essential oils.
  • Put on some music in your living room and dance with your care partner. It does wonders.
  • Put on a funny movie and laugh.
  • Get a dog. Hundreds of studies show that interacting with man’s best friend is a great stress reliever.
  • Stay hydrated! Drink plenty of water. Our bodies and our brains depend on it.  Dehydration contributes to foggy thinking and stresses out the body.
  • And remember, this too shall pass.

How Does Food Affect Your Mood?

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If you are a caregiver you are undoubtedly stressed. And people who are stressed typically crave and overeat soda, candy, chips, cookies, bread, pasta and icecream for a temporary lift. The problem is that eating refined carohydrates will give you a temporary fix, but your blood sugar will crash a couple hours later, leaving you tired and moody.

Bad Habits=Poor Food Choices

Along with craving refined carbs, caregivers often eat on the run—standing up, in the car, chowing down, or going through the “drive thru” lane at your favorite fast food restaurant. Do you grab a candy bar in the afternoon for a “pick-me-up”? Do you skip breakfast and grab a doughnut or bagel and coffee? Do you drink soda instead of water? Don’t feel guilty if you answered “yes” to any of these questions. It’s typical—but it’s not healthy.

Here’s a better way to reduce your stress

Neurotransmitters are the chemicals in the brain that allow neurons to communicate. They are supported by nutritious foods and are depleted by lack of sleep, poor eating habits, and certain drugs and environmental toxins. The important thing that caregivers need to know is that we can support our neurotransmitters with healthy eating habits. In turn, our neurotransmitters will help support our mood, energy, ability to sleep well, and perform at our best.

Here are the most important neurotransmitters and the foods that support them

1. Serotonin is necessary for a stable mood.

A deficiency can result in:

  • Depressed or irritable mood, sudden tears
  • Insomnia and anxiety
  • Binge eating
  • Overactive mind
  • Low tolerance to stress
  • Decreased immune function

Foods that enhance serotonin: Soy, turkey, cheese, cottage cheese, avocado, meat, comfort food (mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese)

2. Dopamine keeps us focused and motivated.

A deficiency can result in:

  • Depressed mood
  • Excessive sleeping
  • Weight gain, obesity
  • Lack of energy
  • Lack of enjoyment
  • Low libido
  • Nicotine addiction

Foods that enhance dopamine: Meat, wild game, eggs, chocolate, blueberries, yoghurt, milk, soy, cheese, seeds and nuts, beans and legumes

3. Norepinephrine is responsiblie for stimulatory responses in the body.

A deficiency can result in:

  • Depressed mood
  • Poor sleep
  • Fatigue, low energy
  • Poor memory/focus
  • Apathy

Foods that enhance norepinephrine: almonds, apples, avocado, bananas, beef liver, cheese, fish, green veggies, lean meat, nuts, grains, pineapple, poultry, tofu

4. GABA is responsible for helping us to relax and reduce anxiety.

A deficiency can result in:

  • High anxiety, panic, worry
  • “Monkey mind”
  • Difficulty falling and staying asleep

Foods that enhance GABA: Green tea, almonds, bananas, beef liver, broccoli, brown rice, halibut, lentils, oats, oranges, spinach, walnuts, whole grains

How to boost your neurotransmitters

  • Eat a serving of high-quality protein with every meal and snack. Focus on complex carbohydrates, and eliminate junk foods (refined carbs).
  • Enjoy unlimited amounts of fresh veggies.
  • Eat a good breakfast!
  • Eat 3 balanced meals and 1-2 healthy snacks per day.

Recommended Reading

  1. The Mood Cure, Julia Ross, MA
  2. The Edge Effect: Achieve Total Health and Longevity with the Balanced Brain, Eric Braverman, MD
  3. The Chemistry of Joy, Henry Emmons, MD

Breathe easy exercises for relaxation

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The other morning I woke myself up laughing because of the ridiculous dream I was having. I was asked to write a list of what I do to relieve stress. At the top of the list I wrote “hose down the house.” Hosing down the house during the summer might be a good way to cool off, but it wouldn’t be at the top of my list of stress relievers.  It was a funny dream and an even funnier way to wake up.

But who am I to say what is the best stress reliever. If you have something that works to reground and recenter yourself, by all means do it. . . unless it harms your body or psychology, i.e. drinking, doing recreational drugs, pigging out on unhealthy foods, etc.

Here are some breathing exercises that work for me, and have worked for millions of other people.

Breathing is something most of us take for granted.  In fact, the average person breathes 1,261,440,000 (one and a quarter billion) times in a lifetime without thinking about it.  Breathing is so vital to your overall health and well being that Dr. Andrew Weil, best-selling author, educator and practicing M.D. says: “If I had to limit my advice on healthier living to just one tip, it would be simply to learn how to breathe correctly.”

“Slow, deep breathing is probably the single best anti-stress medicine we have, ” says James Gordon, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the Georgetown University School of Medicine and director of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington.”  When you bring air down into the lower portion of the lungs, where oxygen exchange is most efficient, everything changes.  Heart rate slows, blood pressure decreases, muscles relax, anxiety eases and the mind calms.  Breathing this way also gives people a sense of control over their body and their emotions that is extremely therapeutic,” says Gordon.1

Most of us do not breathe correctly.  Typically our “normal” breathing is shallow. “The result is a vicious cycle, where stress prompts shallow breathing, which in turn creates more stress,” says Gordon.2

Abdominal breathing and pranyama (yoga breathing exercises) are natural, easy ways to increase your energy and feel more relaxed because they accelerate the intake of oxygen.

Abdominal Breathing

Abdominal breathing is done from the depths of the belly, rather than breathing from your chest and nose.  It is a simple method of relaxation that can be done anywhere, at any time.

  1. Sit or lie down with your hands on your stomach.
  2. Inhale slowly through your nose, filling your stomach and then your chest.  Your abdomen should rise as if you’re inflating a balloon.  Allow it to swell and return to normal.  Your chest should move only slightly.
  3. Try to get a rhythm going, counting to 4 on the in-breath and to 8 on the out-breath.
  4. Exhale as slowly as possible through slightly parted lips.
  5. Practice this for about 10 minutes.

Alternate nostril breathing (pranyama)

You’ll notice that one of the nostrils is more open than the other.  Don’t mind this, it’s normal.

  1. Close the right nostril with your thumb.
  2. Breathe in through your left nostril.
  3. Close the left nostril with your third and fourth fingers.
  4. Breathe out through your right nostril.
  5. Close the right nostril with your thumb.
  6. Breathe in through your left nostril.
  7. Repeat the entire sequence and continue for 3-5 minutes.

The effects from these breathing exercises are cumulative, so try to practice them a few minutes each day.  You’ll experience a more settled feeling immediately, and after a week or two you may realize that the mind chatter has quieted down, and that physical tension has diminished too!

  1. Krucoff, Carol. “Doctors Empowering Patients by Promoting Belly Breathing,” Washington Post, June 2000.
  2. Ibid

If you’d like to read more articles like this one, please subscribe to my blog, thehealthycaregiverblog.com

Drink green tea for health and relaxation

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Green tea has been in the news again lately. A new study has found that green tea extract prevents the formation of amyloid plaque—believed to be one of the primary causes of Alzheimer’s disease—and breaks down existing clumps of the proteins in amyloid. Numerous studies have also found evidence that green tea extract can help fight everything from glaucoma to prostate cancer and leukemia.

But did you know that green tea contains an amino acid called L-theanine, which is fabulous for promoting relaxation? It seems contradictory since 8 ounces of green tea contains about 76 mg. of caffeine (a cup of coffee contains 104-192 mg of caffeine), but research with human volunteers has shown that L-theanine:

• Creates a sense of relaxation approximately 30-40 minutes after oral ingestion1

• Stimulates production of alpha brain waves, causing a state of deep relaxation and mental alertness, much like the state achieved during meditation2

• Plays a role in the formation of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma amino butrylic acid (GABA)—which blocks release of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin3

Increases Mental Acuity

Theanine was given to male rats for four months in order to investigate its effect on memory and learning ability. Rats, by nature, tend to move toward darkness, rather than light. In this experiment, the rats that were given theanine learned to remain in a light room rather than a dark room—in order to avoid an electrical shock—longer than the group that didn’t receive theanine.1

L-Theanine has been shown to be effective for:

• Inducing relaxation throughout the body, without drowsiness1,2

• Combating stress1

• Controlling hypertension4,5

• Improving learning performance1

• Heightening mental acuity1

• Promoting concentration1

• Reducing caffeine effects6

• Supporting the immune system7

L-Theanine provides a number of powerful health benefits by:

• Acting as a neurotransmitter in the brain1

• Lowering blood pressure4,5

• Inducing the emission of alpha-brain waves, an indication of relaxation1,2

• Lessening the stimulant effect of caffeine in green tea on the human nervous system1

• Reducing serotonin levels8

Relaxation without sedation

L-theanine is an ideal nutritional aid for stress because—unlike anti-stress herbs like valerian and kava kava, which make you drowsy—it produces alpha-wave activity that leads to deep relaxation and mental alertness.1,2 This is especially important because in order to mitigate stressful situations, it’s important to remain calm and alert.

So if you are a caregiver treat yourself to several cups of green tea every day. If you don’t like the taste, you can find green teas that are flavored with fruit and herbal extracts, such as on this site, http://www.green-tea-health-news.com/flavored-green-tea.html

And if you don’t want to run back and forth to the bathroom all day, you can try a theanine dietary supplement. No contraindications have been established and information regarding the safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

If you’d like to read more articles like this one, please subscribe to my blog and to the Denver Alzheimer’s examiner.com, where I write newsworthy and informative articles about Alzheimer’s disease: http://www.examiner.com/alzheimers-in-denver/barbra-cohn

References

  1. Juneja, L., Chu, D.-C, Okubo, T., et al. L-Theanine—a unique amino acid of green tea and its relaxation effect in humans. Trends Food Sci Tech 10:199-204, 1999.
  2. Ito, K., nagat, Y., Aoi, N. Juneja, L.R., Kim, K., Yamamoto, T., Siugimoto, S., Effects of L-theanine on the release of alpha-brain waves in human volutneers. Nippon Nogeikagaku kaishi 72:153, 1998.
  3. Kimura, R., Murata, T. The influence of alkylamides of glutamic acid and related compounds on the central nervous system: I. Central depressant effect of theanine. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 19:1257-1261, 1971.
  4. Yokogoshi, H., Kato, Y., Sagesaka, Y., Matsuura, T., Kakuda, T. and Takeuchi, N. Reduction Effect of Theanine on Blood Pressure and Brain 5-Hydroxyindoles in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats’. Biosci. Biotecnol. Biochem. 59, 615-618, 1995.
  5. Yokogoshi, H. and Kobayashi, M. Hypotensive Effect of y-Glutamylmethylamide in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats. Life Sci. 62, 1065-1068, 1998.
  6. Yamamoto, T. (ed) Chemistry and Applications of Green Tea. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1997.
  7. Information sheet Edina, MN: Taiyo International,Inc., undated
  8. Yokogashi, H., Mochizuki, M. and Saitoh, K. Theanine-Induced Reduction of Brain Serotonin Concentration in Rats. Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 62, 816-817, 1998.

Reducing the Stress On Caregivers: Resources that Really Help—by Kaitlyn Teabo

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Although caring for a family member or a loved one can be rewarding, it can also be demanding. If you are a caregiver you are not alone. There are other people just like you and many services designed to help those in your position. Below you will find resources to help you reduce the stress that comes with being a caregiver.

1. Join a Support Group

The chance to talk with others who are going through similar circumstances and facing the same daily challenges as you can help minimize and manage stress. Members of support groups may offer new ideas, coping tips, life experiences and emotional support. The availability to access support groups varies depending on your location. Visit this caregiver.com guide to find a support group near you or call (954) 893-0550 or 1-800-829-2734. If you cannot visit an onsite support group, consider an online support group.

2. Find Respite Care

Respite care services provide someone to care for your loved one while you are away for an hour or for a couple of days. Respite care provides you with the temporary relief and the time you need to relax or to check items off your to-do list that cannot be done during a normal day. To find a respite service in your area, visit Wellness.com’s Respite Care Directory.

3. Find Housekeeping Help

As a primary caregiver, you already have your hands full. Sometimes there just isn’t enough time in the day to fold the laundry or wash the dishes. To find someone who can help you take care of daily house work visit Care.com’s Senior Care Directory, where you can search through profiles of housekeepers, errand runners and pet sitters to find the help you need (or call 1-855-805-0711).

4. Utilize Alternative Transportation Options

If you need assistance in providing transportation for your loved one, the National Transit Hotline can provide the names of local transit providers who receive federal money to provide transportation to the elderly and people with disabilities. Call toll free 1-800-527-8279 to learn more. Types of transportation that may be available includes individual door-to-door service, fixed route with scheduled services, or ride-sharing with volunteer drivers.

5. Visit a Family Caregiver Consultant

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging provides Family Caregiver Consultants who can provide you with people who come into your home and help with caring for your loved one; provide information on stress relief, general caregiver topics, disease management, organization of a loved one’s information; give a referral to other community resources that might help withyour caregiving; and help you develop a plan to meet your needs. To contact an Area Agency on Aging Family Caregiver Consultant, find your local AAA agency or call 1-877-770-5558.

Author bio: Kaitlyn Teabo is a writer for The Mesothelioma Center, http://www.asbestos.com/. She combines her interests in writing, cancer research and emerging scientific technology to educate the mesothelioma community about asbestos and its related diseases.

Sources:

(2013, Jan. 9). AAAs/TITLE VI AGENCIES. Retrieved from http://www.n4a.org/about-n4a/?fa=aaa-title-VI

Caregiving. Retrieved from http://www.aarp.org/online-community/groups/index.action?slGroupKey=Group92

Home Care. Retrieved from http://www.carepathways.com/TRANSx.cfm

Klein, Rebecca. (2012, Nov. 21). Caregiver Resources: 13 Tools To Help Reduce Stress This Holiday Season. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/20/caregiverresources_n_2133063.html

Local Resources. Retrieved from http://www.caregiver.com/regionalresources/index.htm

Quick Tips: Reducing the Stress of Caregiving – Get started. Retrieved from http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-center/quick-tips-reducing-the-stress-of-caregiving.aspx

Respite Care. Retrieved from http://www.wellness.com/find/respite%20care

Senior Care Options. Retrieved from http://www.care.com/seniors

The 5 Most Important Antidotes to Premature Aging

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My friend works in a high-stress environment and has to deal with dozens of people of all ages and backgrounds on a daily basis. She is surprised how much older her clients look than their chronological age. There are several possible reasons for this but stress is the number ONE factor responsible for premature aging.

The particular population my friend works with has all kinds of problems, some of which could have been avoided, and some of which are due to bad choices they’ve made. Some of their problems are due to no fault of their own. But the bottom line is they are under considerable stress and stress takes a toll on all aspects of your life including sleep, immunity, and mental health and happiness.

Here are the 5 most important things you can do to relieve stress and prevent premature aging.

1. Meditate. Transcendental Meditation, in particular, calms the mind, reduces oxygen consumption, and allows the body to deeply relax, so that you’re able to face the challenges of the day with a clear mind and more flexibility. Instead of cursing the driver who cuts you off, a regular mediation practice can help you deal with everyday challenges without getting stressed out. Mediators often comment that stress rolls off them like water off a duck’s back.

2. Exercise as a stress reliever has been highly documented in scientific studies. It gets your heart pumping, supports healthy muscles, bones, and flexibility, helps release stress and tension in the body, and makes you feel good because it releases endorphins. Exercise also supports overall health and immunity.

3. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetable. Premature aging results from not getting the recommended daily intake of antioxidants. And I don’t mean in the form of nutritional supplements. If you regularly do not eat the 5-7 recommended servings of fruits and vegetables you will notice the effects, some of which are visible on your face. Brown spots, lines and wrinkles appear prematurely when our cells are being damaged by free radicals produced by the sun, polluted air, chemical laden water, fruits and vegetables, and cigarette smoke. Even worse, free radicals are the culprits in most modern-day diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, many cancers, heart disease and some eye conditions, such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

The good news is there is something you can do to slow down the aging process. Eat your fruits and vegetables because they are a rich source of the antioxidants you need to protect your cells from free radical damage. Go for color and variety.

4. Do not smoke—Not only does cigarette smoking take its toll on your lungs, but also it shows up as lines and wrinkles on your face. Those premature wrinkles show up other places, as well, like on your inner arms. The nicotine in cigarettes causes the narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin. Blood flow is restricted, which means your skin doesn’t get the oxygen and other nutrients it needs to stay supple and healthy. There are more than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke that hinder collagen and elastin production. These are the fibers that make your skin smooth and supple. Additionally, smokers usually purse their lips when inhaling and squint their eyes to avoid smoke getting in their eyes. Both of these habits contribute to premature wrinkling, and all of the above contribute to sagging skin. The remedy? Don’t smoke!

5. Sleep tight. There is no substitute for a good nights’ sleep. Most of us require 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night to perform our best. Adequate sleep repairs your body, sharpens your mind and stabilizes emotions. Lack of sleep triggers the body to increase production of cortisol, which makes it harder to fall asleep and stay in a deep sleep because on some level your body and brain think they need to stay alert for danger. Added to that, increased cortiosol production leads to weight gain.

The adrenals increase gluconeogenesis, which provides the body with glucose from protein, rather than carbohydrates.  This decreases serotonin and melatonin, which results in poor sleep and leads to food cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods in order to uplift mood, which releases more serotonin and insulin. This leads to more stress and insulin production to regulate glucose, which may lead to fat storage, weight gain and insulin resistance. It becomes a vicious cycle. (Raäikkonen, 2007)

Insufficient sleep is also associated with lower levels of leptin, a hormone that alerts the brain that it has enough food, as well as higher levels of ghrelin, a biochemical that stimulates appetite. Consequently, poor sleep may result in food cravings. (Healthy Sleep, http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/consequences/sleep-and-disease-risk)

So if you want to slow down your aging, and look younger than you are, include the following in your daily health regimen:

1)    Exercise

2)    Meditation

3)    Antioxidants

4)    Regular, restful sleep

5)    And Don’t Smoke!

If you’d like to read more articles like this one, please subscribe to theheatlhycaregiverblog.com

Living in the Now

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After my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, I cried for a solid month. I’d wake up every hour during the night crying and worrying about the future. Although I never had a full-blown panic attack, I was in a continual state of panic, thinking “What happens when Morris is unable to recognize us? What happens when he can no longer drive? Will I have to put him in a nursing home? Will I have enough money?”

The questions would grip my mind and squeeze tears onto my pillow until I fell into an exhausted sleep. The cycle would repeat all night long. The same fearful thoughts intruded my day, only to be shoved into the background when I managed to write or tend to household chores. I discovered Eckhart Tolle’s book The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, which I credit with saving my sanity. It helped me learn how to stay focused on the present—the here and now. Learning how to stay present enhances how you relate to the person you are caring for, allowing you to create community with that person. The simple act of breathing with someone—of matching your breath to theirs—enables you to create a spiritual connection, or community, with that person.

When your mind starts jumping from fear, stop and breathe. Then think for a moment, “What am I grateful for? How do I feel right now, this second?” Chances are you will calm down and focus on the here and now, and your fear of the future will dissipate, even if just for a little while.

Make time to rejuvenate in a hot bath. Fill it with epsom salt, lavendar oil. Light a candle and turn on some soothing music. Soak away your troubles. . .even if it’s just for a little while.