Stress and the Uncommon Cold

Everyone always calls it “the common cold” when in fact that’s a HUGE misnomer. Every cold (and flu) you get is unique, caused by rapidly morphing viruses that make you it’s unwilling host for about 2 weeks. The virus is different every time even though your symptoms may be the same. So really, it’s the uncommon cold and all too common symptoms you experience during the battle back to health.

Speaking from recent unpleasant experience I can tell you that the battle requires constant vigilance and lots of hand washing. Also speaking from personal experience, I can tell you that stress is the ally of that fiendish virus, not you.

Stress and your immunity have an ongoing wrestling match already. The more stress you require your body to endure, the less effective your immunity becomes. Why? When you get stressed out, your body is flooded by a cascade of chemicals designed to induce your ability to run for your life or fight for it. Chemicals that shut down all other systems that are not immediately needed for you to survive the next 20 minutes flow through your bloodstream. Digestion and absorption slow to almost a stop as cortisol shuts down insulin production, and neuro-peptide-Y quickly shunts any recently absorbed fuel to fat storage in the abdomen to be dealt with later. Production of blood cells in the bone marrow screech to a halt while inflammatory compounds rush into circulation in preparation for injury.

Since your immunity is dependent upon the whole host of white blood cells, when you are under chronic stress your ability to fight off infection falls in relationship to your ability to produce white blood cells, and stem inflammation. When the body is chronically on high alert, it uses up resources unwisely. It’s a bit like running out of water by keeping your lawn green in the desert and then watching as your house burns down because the well is dry.

Personally, the sickest I’ve ever been was teaching preschool years ago. I caught the first cold the kids passed around and then just kept getting hit with each new one that came through the school as my immune system struggled to find resources while I fretted constantly about having enough money to pay my bills, went through big changes in my relationship, and skimped on my grocery bills by eating lots of highly processed boxes of mac and cheese. I finally ended up with walking pneumonia and my exasperated doctor threw his hands in the air saying “if you don’t quit your job I’m going to have to admit you to the hospital!”

Now I know better about the food side of things, but I still struggle with chronic stress. I have found that one of the keys is to see “catching a cold” as a signal from my body that it’s time to slow down. De-stress. Nourish myself with whole delicious foods. And spend time each day outside in real air and sun (if possible) to really take a conscious breath. Yes there are supplements and herbs that can help, but nothing works as well as making sure you don’t burn up your resources before you need them.

Get rest. Get nourished. Get REAL.

(also published on The Patch.com)

Overweight, Obesity and Diabetes: the other rising tide

Global warming has been in the news a lot lately and yes, the potential of the rising oceans is a major concern for our generation and beyond. However, the bigger threat to our immediate health and that of our healthcare system is the dramatic increase in health issues related to overweight and obesity in developed and developing countries alike. At current rates, the healthcare costs associated with the sequelae related to dysfunctional metabolism will stress to bursting our current systems of heath insurance and health care.

Pharmaceutical companies are already finding their supplies of insulin in demand at a greater rate than they can supply it and, of course, costs are increasing (to the thrill of shareholders, but not those who are insulin dependent). Drugs used to treat diabetes, including insulin and metformin, have become a $34 billion annual business (up 12% since only last year). Huge companies such as Novo Nordisk are making half of their profits on insulin alone. For Novo Nordisk that amounts to half of their $11.1 billion in sales. There are 366 million diabetes sufferers worldwide of which 1 dies every 7 seconds from issues that develop from the disease. The total health care costs related to diabetes is $465 billing according to the International Diabetes Federation.*

The maddening thing is that nearly all of these cases could have been avoided, and those that got started could have been reversed if people had only been given adequate information on how to take care of themselves. Probably THE most damaging information perpetuated in the last 40 years has been the nearly ubiquitous advice to ditch dietary fats in favor of high-glycemic carbohydrates. By dramatically increasing highly processed grains and sugars and taking out the traditional healthy fats that the body needs to maintain the endocrine system, brain, nervous system, and immunity, we have stomped on the accelerator driving our collective pancreases to the brink of destruction by forcing our bodies to process far more sugars than ever before in the history of the human food supply. Time and time again I have seen people struggle with weight, blood lipids, and blood sugar who are trying valiantly to follow low-fat diets and still seeing no positive change in their health or weight.

Finally, we are beginning to hear the voices of reason from scientists and biochemists and even journalists like Gary Taubes (see his new book "Why We Get Fat") and Nina Planck (check out her book "Real Food") who point out that we have been on the wrong track for decades. We MUST turn this ship around before our healthcare system is flooded. The incidence of type 2 diabetes has been increasing dramatically in younger and younger patients. What used to be considered "adult-onset" diabetes, is now showing up in children as young as 8 and 10 years old. To me this is even more ominous and immediately threatening than the polar ice caps melting...

Wake Up. Take Charge. Get Healthy. Get REAL.



(*as referenced in Bloomburg Business Week Oct 3-9/11 p. 30-31)