Archive for the ‘Diabetes’ Category

15
Apr

The Physiology Of Stress – In The Eye Of The Tiger

   Posted by: Dr. Tonia Mitchell ND Tags: , , , , ,

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This is the second of a three-article series that will cover stress in detail.  In the first article, I covered the sources and symptoms of stress.  In this article, we will cover the physiology of stress and look at why bad stress makes us sick.  In the last article, I’ll review some simple stress reduction techniques.

All of us have most likely heard about the fight or flight response.  In the face of danger, or a perceived negative stress (let’s use the classic example of a saber-toothed tiger), the chemistry changes in your body so that you can do one of two things: fight the tiger or run like stink to get away from it.  The goal of either option is the same: to survive the experience so that you can pass off your genes to your offspring.

In response to a stress (real or imagined) your nervous system reacts first.  Your brain sends a signal to a gland (like a hormone factory) called the hypothalamus.  This hormone factory sends chemical signals to different parts of your body such as the adrenal glands.  The nerve cells in the inside of the adrenal glands produce and release adrenaline and we see an increase in blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, muscle tension and metabolism.  The blood flows from your digestive organs to the major muscles in your body.  Your pupils get bigger so your vision becomes sharper.  Your hearing and concentration actually improve.  The hormone system reacts after the nervous system.  Eventually, the outer part of the adrenal glands secrete cortisol.

Cortisol has many important jobs in your body during acute stress:

  • Increases blood sugar levels in the body, providing the energy to fight or flee;
  • Acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent;
  • Increases blood pressure;
  • Follows a daily pattern with the highest level secreted at around 8:00 am (to help us wake up), after which there is a gradual decline throughout the day. Levels are lowest between midnight and 4:00 am (to help us sleep).

The physiology of stress prepares us to battle or bolt. Once we have evaded (or killed) the tiger, our system ideally returns to normal.  In modern society our saber-tooth tigers come to us in many forms as discussed in the first article of this series.  Often, our modern tigers don’t even require a flight or fight, but our body still reacts this way.  Many social norms (manners, customs, insecurities) prevent us from actually facing the stress or running away from it.  Also, our tigers are more chronic in nature.

We find the following stress patterns in our western world today:

  1. Our fight or flight response is often active even though there is no actual threat to our safety.
  2. We are faced with chronic stress.
  3. Social Courtesies prevent us from engaging in combat or cutting out.
  4. The stress response remains unchecked and builds up.
  5. The stress response build-up leads to the production and release of constant, unopposed cortisol.
  6. We become sick from the stress cycle.

The less desirable effects of cortisol on the body in the face of chronic distress include:

  • A suppressed immune system leading to a decrease in our resistance to infections, cancer, and illness;
  • An increase in blood pressure which can lead to stroke, aneurysm or heart attack;
  • A decrease in bone mass (in an attempt to supply the blood with ample amounts of nutrients);
  • A depletion of natural pain killers (endorphins) which can aggravate pain anywhere in the body;
  • A decrease in both male and female sex hormones leading to decreased libido, impotence, absent periods and infertility;
  • Inhibiting the function of the digestive system (which works best when we’re relaxed) leading to diarrhea, constipation, bloating, abdominal pain or other related concerns;
  • A decrease in insulin sensitivity leading to or aggravating diabetes;
  • An increase in liver production of cholesterol which gets deposited in the blood vessels leading to heart disease;
  • A thickening of the blood which can worsen your risk for cardiovascular disease;
  • An affect on the functioning of the thyroid gland and thyroid hormone which can cause changes to your metabolism.

As you can see stress is a big player in our state of health.  Since stress is unavoidable, what can you do about this?  You can change how you cope with stress and improve your body’s capability to handle it.  Don’t miss the final article in this series, “Stress Reduction Techniques – Breath or Die, and I’m Dead Serious”

Naturopathic medicine is a safe, effective and natural approach to you and your family’s health.  Naturopathic doctors can and will empower you to live a healthy lifestyle while treating and preventing disease.  Find more information on the services I offer at Arbour Wellness Centre at Nanaimo Naturopathic Doctor.

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9
Feb

Soda Water Is Great For Diabetics

   Posted by: author1 Tags: , ,

Soda Water is a nice, refreshing drink for diabetics, because it is totally free of carbohydrates and sugars.

Soda water, also referred to as sparkling water, and is plain water with carbon dioxide gas added. It is the principal ingredient of most “soft drinks.”. This process — carbonation — produces carbonic acid, better known as soda pop.

By using a seltzer bottle filled with water and then “charged” with carbon dioxide, soda water (club soda) was produced in the past in the home. Club soda is often just the same as plain carbonated water; however, in some instances, it can have a small amount of table salts, as well as sodium trace minerals. These additives could make the taste of home made soda water slightly salty. This process often produces carbonated mineral water and occurs naturally in many areas.

In some cases, a little dental decay might be related to sparkling mineral water. Sparkling water’s potential affects on dental problems are slightly greater than with non-sparkling water, but the problem is not a major one. Regular “pop” or soft drinks stimulate a much higher rate of tooth decay than does sparkling water. The rate is so low that carbonated drinks may be a much smaller factor in dental decay than commonly believed.

Ground water, usually from artesian wells, is often filtered among layers of minerals; these layers contain various carbonates; the water absorbs carbon dioxide gas released by the carbonates. The resulting substance is natural sparkling water. Shoud the water also pick up enough different minerals to add a flavor to the water it becomes sparkling mineral water.

Soda water is not complicated; it’s just water and carbon dioxide. One natural result of carbonation is sparkling mineral water. In 1794, a jeweler made a device to produce an artificial carbonated mineral water.

In a taste test of several carbonate drinks, it was found that Perrier, a sparkling natural mineral water, kept its fizz the longest.

For consumers who believe seltzer to be a bit harsh, club soda provides a more gentle fizz. During the taste test, club soda seemed to be milder, as well as a little sweeter, than standard carbonated water.

Club soda, sparkling mineral water, seltzer, and carbonated water are non-caloric, making them a dieter’s choice over soda pop and tonic water.

If one mixes water, sugar, carbon dioxide and quinine, the carbonated result is called tonic water. Quinine’s first use in tonic water was medicinal — as an additive to help cure or prevent malaria. Today, to make a well-known alcoholic drink, it is often mixed with gin and lemon or lime.

These facts and names are just a few of the ways we refer to soda water.

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24
Nov

How The Athlete and Diabetes Relate To Each Other

   Posted by: author1 Tags:

With proper management, the diabetic can successfully compete and excel in almost any sport he or she chooses, and in fact, physical activity can be good for keeping weight in check and overall health levels at good ones. Some of the sporting world’s most celebrated athletes have been diabetics. Arthur Ashe, Ty Cobb, and Joe Frazier are just three famous sports people. However, athletes with diabetes must make their coaches and other relevant personnel aware of their health status.

Athletes with diabetes compete in a wide variety of sports, including marathons, cycling, and football. What these athletes do, as should any person with diabetes wanting to compete in sports or exercise, is take responsibility for their disease. Taking responsibility means doing the following:

  • Testing your blood sugar before you start playing and right after you stop
  • Test every half hour while playing if the activity is intense
  • If your blood sugar levels are too high, avoid playing until you have lowered them through medication
  • Do not play immediately after eating.  A one-hour delay is advisable in most cases
  • Wear proper-fitting shoes as diabetics tend to have poor circulation

The diabetic athlete needs to form a partnership with their doctor, trainers, and others that directly impact their activities. Coaches and first aid personnel need to know the symptoms of complications that can affect a diabetic athlete, such as hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. Believing that an emergency situation will never happen is irresponsible and can place others in a frightening situation while making them powerless to help you or control the problem.

There are number of must-dos for the athlete with diabetes, which include wearing a medical bracelet and joining support groups for encouragement and motivation. The diabetic athlete must also be aware of his or her body’s responses to changes in sugar and insulin levels. Knowing these changes will alert them that they need to take medication or rest, as the case may be.

To learn more go to Diabetes Medication and at Juvenile Diabetes

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