RSS FeedNewsletter - August 2009
Welcome to my first newsletter! I intend for it to be helpful and inspirational to all of you who have the intention to grow, learn and feel better.
My interest in mind body medicine has been with me since I was age 18 and found myself drawn to a book by Maxwell Maltz called Psycho-cybernetics: A New Way To Get More Living Out of Life. Progressing to the present time, I find I remain mystified and enthused by the powerful effect our minds have on our health, well-being and to a greater extent on our longevity.
My recent interest was increased when I became reintroduced to the Heart Math Institute. They have done extensive research on the effect that our hearts have on our minds and stress. Their approach seems at first glance too simple. But, what I have discovered is that it is far from that. The simple techniques when incorporated into one's daily life can be transforming.
The Stress Reduction Technique from the Heart Math Institute. We seem of late to be in the presence of much anger. I am particularly aware of the monumental changes that could take place in our health care system. The expression of anger when done in a purposeful way is good for us. Just last week, I found myself in the presence of another person who had become overwhelmed by the stress in their life and more importantly overwhelmed with emotion of anger. This person's anger was a helpless rage. There was a feeling of contempt and almost hatred. This is the kind of anger that is the most harmful.
The individual was already in a state of poor health. The anger was doing nothing but worsening their health and not only shutting down the immune system but increasingly causing more of a strain on their system making their struggle even worse. We began work on defusing the rage and really looking at what is going on. There were definitely measures that could be taken to begin the process of recovery. They started working on the techniques and were able, within a week, to recoup themselves and become more balanced in their life.
It must be noted that there will be times when it feels like the steps being taken are not working as effectively. My advice is to stay steadily on target with them. It takes time, effort and most importantly repetition to change our behaviors.
Along with this, we are all aware that heart disease is the number one cause of death especially in women. With so much attention paid to breast cancer, and rightfully so, we tend to not keep heart disease in our awareness. In the article, What Your Heart Wants You To Know, the latest research information on depression and heart disease is reviewed. Also included is an interesting slant on excess weight and heart health. This article looks at the obesity paradox.
I also have been interested in the work of psychobiology researcher Ernest Rossi, PhD. Included is an interesting look at our ultradiam rhythm and how through awareness of this we can increase our energy throughout the day. 90/20...Take a 20-minute break when you begin to feel your energy or mood fading.
Enjoy this newsletter,
Pat
What Your Heart Wants You to Know
The risk of heart failure, or the progressive loss of the heart's ability to pump blood, increases in people that have depression even if they are otherwise healthy as shown in past studies. Antidepressant medication may be prescribed to those with depression to help alleviate symptoms of the disease. One recent study found that antidepressants did not necessarily reduce one symptom: heart failure. It came as a surprise to Heidi May, author of the study and epidemiologist at Intermountain Medical center in Murray, Utah, that there was no significant difference in the number of heart failures between those who did and who did not take antidepressant medication. Ten percent of the 13,708 participants in this study developed their depression after being diagnosed with heart failure, but that group was twice as likely to experience heart failure as those who did not have depression. As far as researchers can tell, antidepressants do not protect against heart failure, a possible symptom of depression.
Obesity Paradox
One factor that does have an effect on heart health is one's amount of body fat. Most are well aware that obesity puts one at a higher risk for cardiovascular complications such as heart disease, stroke, heart attack, and death. But what if death were actually prolonged for some cardiovascular patients due to obesity? That is exactly what some researchers found may be true. The "obesity paradox" as it is called, refers to the phenomenon that for those who have a history of heart disease, the overweight population unexpectedly outlives their thinner counterparts! Scientists have been hesitant to believe what seems to be such a medical contradiction, but Carl J. Lavie's review of the data shows that there is actually some truth to the paradox. The cardiologist of Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans found from looking at research covering hundreds of thousands of patients that"...as a population, obese patients with heart disease respond well to treatment and have paradoxically better outcomes than thinner counterparts" (Boyles, S., 2009). He postulates that there is a complex interaction at work here and that there are likely many complicated reasons that this may be true. One thing for certain is that these findings do not in any way mean that it is healthy to carry the extra weight, especially that which is linked to heart disease: the fat around the abdomen.
So how does one reduce abdomen fat? Blueberries may be one answer. A study conducted at the University of Michigan investigated the possibility. The rats used in this study had been bread to become obese. Rats were either fed diets high or low in fat. Some of each of those rats had two percent of their diets either consisting of blueberries or carbohydrates. After 90 days on the diets the rats were compared. Those rats who consumed the blueberries had less fat on their abdomens as well as "lower cholesterol and improved glucose control and insulin sensitivity" which also relates to diabetes (Warner, J., 2009). Those rats on the low-fat diets lost more fat than those on the high-fat diets. In addition, the benefits of the antioxidant-rich berries "were greatest among those who ate a low-fat diet" (Warner, J., 2009). The University of Michigan's researcher Steven Bowling, MD speculates that chemicals such as anthocyanins found in the berries might contribute to health benefits. Future studies will be needed to confirm that the same results apply to humans as were found in rats in this study.
References
Boyles, S. (2009, May 18). Obese patients may live longer. Retrieved June 24, 2009, from Heart Disease Health Center Web site.
Edelson, E. (2009, April 13). Heart disease and depression up heart failure risk. Retrieved May 19, 2009, from http://www.mentalhelp.net.
Warner, J. (2009, April 19). Bluberries may banish belly fat. Retrieved June 24, 2009, from Heart Health Center Web site.
90/20...Take a 20-minute break when you begin to feel your energy or mood fading
"According to psychobiology researcher Ernest Rossi, PhD, a leading expert on ultradian rhythms and how they affect human biology, people are programmed to want to take a 20 minute break, every 90 minutes of intense focus or activity. And it's not just that we want a break, says Rossi, we actually need one if we hope to operate at peak effectiveness and efficiency."
"This is true right down to the cellular level. During an active phase, a cell extracts energy from adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, changing it to adenosine diphosphate, or ADP. During rest, the cell uses oxygen and blood glucose to change the ADP back to ATP--the stuff our bodies uses for energy."
"During periods of focused mental or physical activity, explains Rossi, the body gradually runs through its available stores of a variety of the energetic and chemical compounds that allow us to think clearly and begins accumulating Stress Related chemicals and byproducts that begin to interfere with our physical coordination and thought processes. Typically, this buildup occurs over the course of 90 to 120 minutes, and may manifest as brain fog, distractibility, irritability, or fatigue."
"Take a 20-minute break when you feel your energy or mood fading, suggests Rossi, and your body will automatically use the downtime to clear away metabolic wastes and replenish energetic stores, allowing you to quickly reclaim peak energy and effectiveness levels. You can return to your work refreshed and enjoy another 90 to 120 minute period of mental quickness and clarity. Keep taking breaks every hour and half or so, and you'll continue to enjoy these peak cycles of creativity, energy and insight."
"Keep slogging along in your depleted state, however, and you're likely to become increasingly ineffective, frustrated, and stressed out. Ignore your ultradian rhythms long enough, and you'll be well on your way to what Rossi calls "Ultradian Stress Syndrome," which can lower your immunity and seriously diminish your ability to accomplish anything at all."
"In his book The 20-minute Break (Tarcher, 1991), Rossi describes the resting process as a "stress conversion" opportunity, noting that, far from being just a feel-good indulgence, it's the most important thing you can do to make optimal use of the energy and attention you're putting in throughout the day. Resist nature's calls to take a break, he warns, and you'll be missing out on the best return-on-investment opportunities your body and mind have to offer. You'll also be setting yourself up for greater disease and depression risks.
"Rossi and other ultradian researchers are strong advocates for naps, healthy snacks, exercise breaks mind-shifts, social time and rejuvenating amusements throughout the day, all of which can help us make the best of our bodies and brains natural patterns and fluctuations."
This article taken from the magazine Experience July-August 2009 issue.
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