Phillips Health Care Newsletter

We all experience stress – yet we may experience it in very different ways. Because of this, there is no single definition for stress, but the most common explanation is a physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension.

Stress is a reaction to a situation where a person feels anxious or threatened. Learning healthy ways to cope and getting the proper care and support can help reduce stressful feelings and symptoms.

Common reactions to a stressful event can include:

Shock and numbness

Feeling sad, frustrated and helpless

Difficulty concentrating and making decisions

Headaches, back pains and stomach problems

Smoking or the use of alcohol or drugs

AFFECTING MORE THAN JUST YOUR MIND

Long-term stress can prove to be more than just a mental issue. From headaches to stomach disorders to depression – even very serious issues like stroke and heart disease can come as a result of stress.

When you are placed in a stressful situation, specific stress hormones rush into your bloodstream leading to an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and glucose levels. This is helpful in emergency situations, but having this “rush” for extended periods of time can be dangerous. 

Coping Strategies

Take a time-out. 

Practice yoga, listen to music, meditate, get a massage, or learn relaxation techniques. 

Stepping back from the problem helps clear your head.

Eat well-balanced meals. Do not skip any meals. Do keep healthful, energy-boosting snacks on hand.

Limit alcohol and caffeine, which can aggravate anxiety and trigger panic attacks.

Get enough sleep. When stressed, your body needs additional sleep and rest.

Exercise daily to help you feel good and maintain your health. Check out the fitness tips below.

Take deep breaths. Inhale and exhale slowly.

Count to 10 slowly. Repeat, and count to 20 if necessary.

Welcome humor. A good laugh goes a long way.

Maintain a positive attitude. Make an effort to replace negative thoughts with positive ones.

Get involved. Volunteer or find another way to be active in your community, which creates a support network and gives you a break from everyday stress.

Learn what triggers your anxiety. Is it work, family, school, or something else you can identify? Write in a journal when you’re feeling stressed or anxious, and look for a pattern.

Talk to someone. Tell friends and family you’re feeling overwhelmed, and let them know how they can help you. Talk to a physician or therapist for professional help.

Fitness Tips: Stay Healthy, Manage Stress

For the biggest benefits of exercise, try to include at least 2½ hours of moderate-intensity physical activity (e.g. brisk walking) each week, 1¼ hours of a vigorous-intensity activity (such as jogging or swimming laps), or a combination of the two.

5 X 30: Jog, walk, bike, or dance three to five times a week for 30 minutes.

Set small daily goals and aim for daily consistency rather than perfect workouts. It's better to walk every day for 15-20 minutes than to wait until the weekend for a three-hour fitness marathon. Lots of scientific data suggests that frequency is most important.

Find forms of exercise that are fun or enjoyable. Extroverted people often like classes and group activities. People who are more introverted often prefer solo pursuits.

Distract yourself with an iPod or other portable media player to download audiobooks, podcasts, or music. Many people find it’s more fun to exercise while listening to something they enjoy.

Recruit an “exercise buddy.” It's often easier to stick to your exercise routine when you have to stay committed to a friend, partner, or colleague.

Be patient when you start a new exercise program. Most sedentary people require about four to eight weeks to feel coordinated and sufficiently in shape so that exercise feels easier.

 

Talk to your Phillips Clinic provider when you need help managing your stress.

National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign held in the month of March that focuses on raising awareness about the   importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy eating habits, led by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics;    essentially, it's a month dedicated to promoting good nutrition practices.

Nutritional awareness has a direct effect on diet quality. The impact of nutritional awareness on diet quality can have both short and long term benefits for health and quality of life.

March is an important time to think about our eating habits and work toward creating healthier lifestyles. National Nutrition Month is dedicated to raising awareness about making informed decisions when it comes to our diets. and overall health.

Supports healthy development: Better nutrition can lead to stronger immune systems, safer pregnancies, and lower risk of chronic diseases. 

Promotes longevity: A healthy diet can help you live longer. 

Maintains healthy bones and teeth: 

Benefits of Nutrition

A balanced diet with enough calcium and magnesium can help keep bones and teeth strong. 

Supports healthy muscles: Nutrition helps support muscles. 

Boosts immunity: Nutrition can help boost immunity. 

Lowers risk of disease: A healthy diet can lower the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. 

How to Eat a Healthy Diet 

Eat a variety of foods

Consume less salt, sugars, and saturated and industrially-produced trans-fats

Get calcium from dairy products, tofu, and veggies

Get healthy fats from proteins and foods like avocados and olive oil

Get healthy sugars from fruit and dairy products

IV Nutrition Therapy, also known as IV vitamin therapy, is a medical treatment that delivers nutrients  directly into the bloodstream. Nutrients bypass the digestive systems and are infused directly into the bloodstream,   maximizing absorption. Many       patients feel results very quickly.

Our clinic offers a variety of nutritional intravenous (IV) treatments that have been found effective against asthma attacks, migraines, fatigue, fibromyalgia, acute muscle spasms, upper respiratory tract infections, chronic sinusitis, seasonal allergic rhinitis, cardiovascular disease, and other disorders. 

The IV form allows you to receive higher concentrations of nutrients compared to an oral or injection form. Our healthcare providers will help determine if you are a good candidate for these treatments.

KEEPING A HEALTHY HEART

February is Healthy Heart Month. To help keep your heart “young”, here are some ways the CDC recommends to help keep a healthy heart and prevent heart disease.

By living a healthy lifestyle, you can help keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar normal and lower your risk for heart disease and heart attack. A healthy lifestyle includes the following:

HEART HEALTHY DIET

Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and fewer processed foods.

Eating foods low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol and high in fiber can help prevent high cholesterol. 

Limiting salt (sodium) in your diet also can lower your blood pressure. Limiting sugar in your diet can lower you blood sugar level to prevent or help control diabetes.

Eating two or more servings a week of certain fish, such as salmon and tuna, may decrease your risk of heart disease. 

At moderate levels, alcohol may have a protective effect on your heart.  For healthy adults:

No more than one drink a day for women, and two drinks a day for men. (12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine & 1 1/2 ounces of liquor) Too much alcohol can be a health hazard. 

BE SMOKE FREE

Smoking or using tobacco is one of the most significant risk factors for developing heart disease. Chemicals in tobacco can damage your heart and blood vessels, leading to narrowing of the arteries, causing plaque buildup (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis can ultimately lead to a heart attack.

Smoking  decreases oxygen in the blood, and makes the heart work harder, contributing to high blood pressure. The good news is, the risk of heart disease reduces as soon as you quit.  So, no matter how long you’ve smoked, quit!

EXERCISE 

Regular, daily exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease. When you combine physical activity with other lifestyle measures, such as maintaining a healthy weight, the payoff is even greater.

Physical activity can help you control your weight and reduce your chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes..

According to the Mayo Clinic :

“In general, you should do moderate exercise, such as walking at a brisk pace, for about 30    minutes on most days of the week. That can help you reach the Department of Health and Human Services recommendations of 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, 75 minutes a week of  vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. For even more health benefits, 

aim for 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity every week. In addition, aim to do strength training exercises two or more days a week..”

FISH OIL 

Fish contain unsaturated fatty acids, may lower cholesterol. But the main beneficial nutrient appears to be omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of unsaturated fatty acid that may reduce inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation in the body can damage your blood vessels and lead to heart disease and strokes.

Be sure to choose ultra-pure fish oil source from cold waters..

UNDERSTANDING YOUR THYROID 

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located front and center at the base of the neck. It plays an important role in the communication system of the body. It regulates metabolism, or energy-related functioning within cells, by releasing or withholding thyroid hormone. 

The thyroid gland influences just about everything in the human body, including the eyes, brain, heart, skin, hair, bones, bowels and mood.

When you experience weight loss, anxiety, palpitations, high blood pressure, brittle nails, constipation or a host of other symptoms , these symptoms can be related to a hormone imbalance brought on by thyroid that’s over or under functioning.

According to the American Thyroid Association, of the 20 million Americans who have thyroid disease, up to 60 percent go undiagnosed. 

A lack of awareness might be partly to blame; thyroid disease doesn’t get the same amount of press as heart disease. Plus, , many of the symptoms of thyroid disease are vague.

Thyroid disease is sometimes mistaken for depression, irritable bowel syndrome, some other condition or aging. 

The causes of a faulty thyroid are not fully understood — although your risk increases if you are female or if there is a family history of the disease.

Symptoms of Thyroid Disease

Muscle and Joint Pains, Carpal Tunnel, Tendonitis, Plantar's Fasciitis

Neck Discomfort, Enlargement, Hoarseness, Goiter

Hair Loss, Hair Changes, Skin Changes

Constipation, Bowel Problems, Diarrhea, Irritable Bowel

Menstrual Irregularities and Fertility Problems

Family History of Thyroid and Autoimmune Disease

High Cholesterol, Unresponsive to Cholesterol Medications

Depression and Anxiety

Unexpected Weight Changes without Changes to Diet Or Exercise

Fatigue and Exhaustion

HYPERTHROIDISM

Too much thyroid hormone, called hyperthyroidism, can cause irritability, a rapid or erratic heartbeat, weight loss, high blood pressure and diarrhea, among other things. It can weaken bones, sometimes leading to osteoporosis over time, and can leave patients feeling anxious and unable to focus, with racing thoughts. 

An autoimmune disease called Graves’ disease leads to many cases of hyperthyroidism. Graves’ disease, causes the immune system to attack the thyroid gland, and triggers the thyroid to produce a surplus of thyroid hormone.

HYPOTHROIDISM

Symptoms of hypothyroidism, or not enough thyroid hormone, include depression, hair loss, weight gain, high cholesterol, extreme fatigue, constipation and stomachaches. 

If your doctor suspects that a patient has thyroid disease, usually a blood test that gauges the amount of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in the blood will be ordered.  

An elevated or reduced level of TSH indicates possible thyroid trouble. A small percentage of people, however, will have normal lab results even though they have thyroid symptoms, and may require additional testing.

Treatment for hypothyroidism is usually straightforward: patients take prescription medicine to boost their supply of thyroid hormone.

         Source: About Health

According to the American 

Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine

"Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (Tennessee, USA) researchers report that an increased intake in minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and decrease blood pressure in people with hypertension. A high intake of these minerals in the diet may also reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.  

According to the study, if Americans were able to increase their potassium intake, the number of adults with known hypertension, with blood pressure levels higher than 140/90, might decrease their blood pressure by more than 10% and increase life expectancy. 

Similar studies show that diets high in magnesium (at least 500 to 1,000 mg/d) and calcium (more than 800 mg/d) may also be associated with both a decrease in blood pressure and risk of developing hypertension. 

Foods High In These Minerals 

Include:

Vegetables: broccoli, bok choy, spinach,  beet greens, turnip greens, okra, artichoke, potatoes, carrot juice, and sweet potatoes.

Legumes:  black beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, great northern beans, lentils, navy beans and soybeans

Dairy: cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and yogurt

Other Ways to Help Control

Blood Pressure

Avoid high-sodium foods, such as:

Cold cuts and cured meats

Pizza

Canned Soups

Chips, Salted Nuts

The CDC recommends a diet that is:

High in fresh fruits and vegetables; heart-healthy fish, such as salmon, herring and tuna; whole-grain bread, cereal and pasta; nuts, seeds and legumes; lean meat and poultry with skin removed.  Bake, broil or grill seafood and meats.

Exercise

Exercise  can help lower blood pressure, reduce risk for chronic diseases, improve balance and coordination, help reduce weight—all contribute to slow the aging process.

A recommended way to start:

A brisk 10-minute walk three times a day, five days a week. 

Then aim for 150 minutes  (2 1/2 hours) of moderate exercise a week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly.

Include strength training exercises at least twice a week.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking not only increases blood pressure, it also affects your appearance.  Smoking decreases blood supply that keeps skin looking young and healthy, affects gum health and can increase tooth loss.