YOUR HEALTH

Dr. Jerry Lee Hoover N.D. Dr. Hoover Costa Rica for three years. He is a Doctor of Naturopathy and operated a Natural Health Clinic in Florida. He have written many articles that have been published in Health magazines in the U.S. and has authored a book titled Natural Medicine which has also been translated into Spanish.  Dr. Hoover likes living in Costa Rica and enjoys sharing health information that can be beneficial to all those who read it.  If any readers have any questions they can be sent to: DrJerryLeeHooverND@Yahoo.com

NATURAL WAYS DEAL WITH STRESS - Part I
By Dr. Jerry Lee Hoover N.D.


Stress refers to physical or mental demands that require an increased response from the body.

Stress can be caused by changes in our daily life, including changes for the better-getting married or graduating from college-as well as for the worse-losing a family member or getting divorced. Everyone has a different tolerance level for stress. Some people never seem to suffer harmful effects from stress, while others can hardly cope at all. A certain amount of stress can be beneficial when it stimulates the body and improves performance. 

However as stress levels continue to rise, helpful stimulation becomes replaced by fatigue and if stress is not reduced, mental and physical illness may occur. Some of the most common health problems that may be caused by or made worse by stress are: anxiety, depression, headaches, asthma, mouth ulcers, heart problems, stomach or duodenal ulcers, ulcerative colitis, stuttering, skin problems, cessation of periods and some forms of hair loss. What happens when the body is under stress?  

For example: you are walking alone in the evening on a not-so-busy street and someone comes up behind you and sticks a gun in your back and says give me your wallet, immediately your adrenaline glands pump extra adrenaline into your blood stream, causing your heart to beat faster, your breathing to increase, you become very nervous and full of extra energy to fight or run, which in this situation is good. 

This extra adrenaline gives us the extra energy we need to fight or run. Many times though this extra adrenaline is not good, for example: A secretary has three bosses demanding her full attention and two phones ringing all day long. This secretary is under alot of stress throughout the day. As a result of this her adrenaline glands are pumping alot of adrenaline into her blood stream all day long and she is nervous, possibly has an upset stomach or a headache, etc.  

That evening at home and in bed she finds that she cannot go to sleep until the early morning hours because she still has alot of adrenaline in her blood stream.  So how does one get rid of this extra adrenaline? The two most important ways are very simple. 

If this secretary will drink lots of water throughout the day and not coffee, tea, or colas this water will enter her blood stream and dilute the extra adrenaline that is in her blood stream. During her breaks and lunch hour she needs to get outside for a walk or climb the stairs and when she gets home in the evening she needs to get some more exercise, preferrably outside.  

What she should not do during her breaks is sit in the lounge with a cup of coffee and a cigarette.  Caffeine, as found in coffee, tea, colas, chocolate and other beverages increases adrenaline output. 

A study from Duke University revealed that as little as two cups of coffee increased adrenaline levels by 160%, (Psychosomatic Medicine 52:320-336, 1990).  Smoking also triggers the release of stress hormone in the body. In part II of this article I will be discussing food, emotions ,breathing and herbs and the roles they play in stress.

Part 2 - next week! 

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