Stress Causes Traditional Treatments Alternative/Natural Treatments Dietary Considerations Anxiety Causes Traditional Treatments Alternative/Natural Treatments Dietary Considerations

Stress

We need to have a certain level of stress in our lives, as it inspires us to move ahead, to accomplish tasks and it motivates us to action. However, when there is more stress in our lives that we are able to cope with, the negative symptoms of stress may become apparent. Symptoms such as:-

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• Digestive changes
• Neck or backache
• Loss of appetite
• Overeating
• Increased use of tobacco or alcohol
• Tics or twitches.
• Psychological symptoms may include tension or anxiety, anger, being reclusive, pessimism, lack of concentration, resentment, increased irritability, feelings of cynicism, performance problems.

If you allow the stress to continue, it can eventually cause numerous problems within our body such as:-

• Ulcers
• Fatigue
• Skin diseases
• Weakened immune system.

When we feel intense stress or fear, a hormone called adrenalin secretes from the adrenal glands above the kidneys. This hormone gets us ready to take action against the 'enemy'. Our heart beats faster, our blood pressure rises, and our muscles will tense up. This is natural and we need this reaction to survive just as our ancestors did. However prolonged periods of stress are dangerous and can lead to severe health problems.

Different people have different levels of stress that they can cope with. The stress may not even be apparent to us.

Causes

W come under stress when life throws more things at us than we are able to cope with at a certain time,. It could be related to our occupation, family life, a loss of someone close, money problems, conflict or even positive events. Other causes are internal: illness, loneliness, pain, or emotional conflict. The different stresses in our life accumulate and we reach a point when we show the effects of not coping with it.

You should be able to identify the triggers of stress in your life so as to teach yourself to be prepared and to learn how to best handle it.

Traditional Treatments

Often talking your problems over with someone helps you to see things from a different slant. This can be helpful in finding a solution which you did not think of before.

Otherwise, your doctor may be able to prescribe certain forms of medication for you. Remember, some are addictive and you should beware.

Your doctor may suggest a counselor to pinpoint events or conditions that are stressful to you, and to devise ways of reducing the stress they cause.

Alternative/Natural Treatments

Any therapy that promotes relaxation and clarity are helpful with this condition.

Aromatherapy - Essential oil of lavender, sandalwood, and tangerine can help reduce stress: Try 5 drops of each in a bath.

Massage - This helps relax your whole body and mind. Use the following essential oils - lavender, sandalwood, tangerine, bergamot, cedarwood, clary sage, Frankincense or grapefruit.

Herbal Therapies - A traditional response to stress is to drink a cup of hot tea. Some herbalists suggest chamomile, passionflower, valerian, or ginseng tea. A traditional response to stress is to drink a cup of hot tea.

Lifestyle - If you feel stressed, try exercising to use up the hormones released.

Relaxation Tapes or Yoga - Meditation and relaxation tapes when used properly stimulate endorphin production. Endorphins have a chemical composition similar to morphine and help ease pain and lift mood.

Dietary Considerations
Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, and filtered water. Less caffeine drinks such as coffee and tea.

If your stress is unbearable and persistent seek professional help.

Anxiety

Anxiety is a state of being worried about certain real or imagined events or situations. Anxiety is a normal human response. Sudden intense stress or fear questions our survival instinct, causes a chemical and a physical response… Which is all to do with the way the body prepares to deal with danger.

Adrenalins and cortisone are released in the bloodstream; heart rate quickens; breathing becomes shallow and rapid; muscles tense; sugar is released by the liver; and the mind goes on full alert. But when anxiety is not tied to an identifiable threat or is more severe and long-lasting than warranted, it is a clinical disorder.

• heart palpitations.
• tics or twitches
• recurring headaches or migraine
• indigestion and bowel irregularity
• sense of impending doom.
• inability to concentrate.
• muscle tension; muscle aches.
• diarrhea.
• chest pain.
• dry mouth.
• excessive sweating.
• under eating or overeating.
• insomnia.
• irritability.
• breathlessness; hyperventilation.
• loss of sex drive.

Many different anxiety disorders are recognized. Among them are

• Phobias - fear of certain situations, such as confining spaces, or of particular things, such as insects.
• Panic attacks - a sudden onset of extreme fear or tension, for no evident reason;
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder - persistent, irrational thoughts, such as a dread of infection, or repetitive behavior, such as checking that doors are locked;
• Posttraumatic stress disorder - prolonged anxiety after a traumatic event and
• Generalized anxiety - an inexplicable feeling of apprehension that may last for months.

Anxiety disorders can vary greatly in their severity, they may be mild or completely debilitating. The disorders usually become noticeable during the teen years or early adulthood and are considerably more common among adults than children.

Some anxieties are very difficult to treat; others respond well to medications, psychotherapy, and alternative therapies.

What does not work is self-treatment with alcohol or recreational drugs to alleviate the symptoms. Many sufferers choose this path, but ultimately it will only make the condition worse.

CAUSES

Anxiety can be caused by a recognizable stress such as a bad accident, a death, or the loss of something important to us… In such cases, adjustments to the situation, along with the passage of time, will have a healing effect. In other cases, the stress is invisible a buried memory of some unhappy or frightening event in childhood, lurking below the surface of the conscious mind and revealing its presence in anxiety.

Hereditary factors may play a role in some individuals becoming prone to anxiety. Food sensitivities and allergies may also contribute to anxiety, although more research must be done to certify this connection. In addition, anxiety frequently follows a sudden withdrawal from alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs.

Another key theory is an insufficient amount of the calming neurotransmitter serotonin versus the excitatory norephinephrine.

Studies show that anxiety may be caused by an imbalance of lactic acid and pyruvic acid in the blood. The more lactic acid compared to pyruvic acid and the more lactic acid in general, the more anxiety occurs. Injections of lactic acid in normal people have no effect but in those prone to panic attacks, such an injection produces severe panic attacks.

Six nutritional factors favor this imbalance. They are:
1. Alcohol
2. Caffeine
3. Sugar
4. Deficiency of certain B vitamins such as niacin, pyridoxine or thiamine.
5. Deficiency of Calcium or Magnesium.
6. Food Allergans

The first step is to ensure the symptoms are not the result of another disease or disorder. Check with your Medical Practitioner.

Traditional Treatments

Anxiety can be treated with conventional medications, psychotherapy, and many alternative approaches.
Psychotherapy aims at identifying conflicts and other stresses that may lie at the roots of anxiety. Behavior modification, a therapy that concentrates on changing patterns of behavior can help the patient with coping with anxiety, as can cognitive therapy, which concentrates on changing ways of thinking and mental processes.
Medication is useful for alleviating the symptoms of anxiety and is often prescribed in conjunction with other therapies.

Alternative/Natural Treatments

Many alternative practices and treatments can relieve the symptoms of anxiety. Meditation, exercise (especially aerobic exercise), and relaxation techniques are among the most effective.
Chinese medicine uses various herbal preparations that can serve as a tonic for the whole system and reduce anxiety

Taking regular massages will be extremely beneficial as it relaxes the whole body and mind.
Other popular choices to reduce anxiety are…

• Aromatherapy - Bergamot (in a burner or massage), Neroli (massage), Vetiver (burner), Ylang Ylang (massage, bath or burner)
• Massage - Is extremely beneficial as it relaxes the whole body and mind.
• Bach Flower Remedies - Agrimony helps if you hide your worry behind a 'happy face', white chestnut leads to insomnia and is needed if you continually have mental arguments with yourself and unwanted thoughts - you may find it hard to concentrate on you daily happenings because of this worry. If you are over protective of your family, worry incessantly about what could happen to them and friends (to the point of making them concerned about these imagined happenings) you could take red chestnut. If you are worried about justice and fairness happening and are over-involved in causes etc - try vervain.
• Herbal therapies - You may be recommended to astragalus, bilberry, catnip, hops, kava, passionflower, peppermint, valerian, lemon balm, motherwort (if anxiety occurs with palpitations), skullcap, yarrow. There are also other various herbal formulas available. Possibly the premier antianxiety agent is Garum Armoricum®, an extract from the brain and stomach of the Great Bluefish native to Brittany in France. Garum Armoricum helps the body naturally produce endorphins and alpha waves without side-effects.
  Agoraphobics (those with a fear of open places) were found to suffer from a lack of essential fatty acids. All agoraphobics exhibit classic signs such as dry skin, dandruff, brittle fingernails and nerve disorders. In one study 3 of 4 subjects improved after taking 2 to 6 tablespoonfuls of flax seed oil for 2 or 3 months.
  Other substances with a positive effect on anxiety include:
  The herb Rhodiola rosea, commonly called "Golden Root," or "Arctic Root." It comes from the polar arctic region of eastern Siberia at high elevations. Of the many species of Rhodiola, only rosea has the primary active phenylpropanoids of rosavin and salidroside among others.
  St. John's Wort is a common European herb that also has been naturalized in North America. It contains a number of aromatic, polycyclic compounds such as Hypericin, that have diverse medicinal properties.
• 5-HTP is capable of solving the seratonin deficiency problem. 5-HTP is 5-hydroxytryptophan, the substance from which the body makes serotonin. Serotonin is an important initiator of sleep. In numerous studies 5-HTP has been shown to decrease the time required to get to sleep and to decrease the number of awakenings. One of the benefits of 5-HTP is that it increases REM sleep and deep sleep. Total sleep does not change since other stages of sleep are shortened to compensate.
• Homoeopathy - If the anxiety is the result of a sudden shock, try Aconite. Ignatia it is the "grief remedy," said to benefit someone who is upset by a sudden loss. Gelsemium is recommended for stage fright or anxiety over your performance. If none of these prove effective, Ask for professional advice.
• Mind/body medicine - such as Yoga, Meditation, Tai Chi and relaxation exercises. Daily exercise can be very helpful and enjoyable
• Magnesium supplements may be helpful, especially if you suffer from muscle spasms. Be careful with the amounts that you take.
• Avoid alcohol, and reduce or eliminate your consumption of sugar and caffeine.
• Try to avoid activities you do not enjoy or find relaxing.

Dietary Considerations
Try to sustain a healthy mix of fresh fruit and vegetables, low-fat diet with plenty of filtered water and exercise.

If your anxiety seems more extreme than the situation warrants, inhibits normal activities, persists for many weeks or the symptoms suddenly becomes severe or uncontrollable then you need to seek professional advice.