Anxiety : Holistic Health

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. I am not attempting to give medical advice. I am only sharing my experience and some things I’ve learned about my own health with hope it may benefit another.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6

I wonder how many Christians know this verse and yet continually struggle to overcome the anxiety and overwhelming feelings that this world can produce?   Since I receive hits every week in response to my series on women’s health related to hormonal imbalance, I felt it was time for a follow-up.  If anyone can benefit from the experiences of my life, it is well worth the time to share. 

Anxiety was never an issue for me until about 4 or 5 months ago.  Sure,  I had times of worry and stress like most people, but what a wake-up call to have my first anxiety (panic) attack!    I had heard my mom and cousin relate to me in years past about their own experiences with anxiety-- the rapid heart-rate, sweaty palms, and lack of focus, but I never expected to experience it myself.   Panic attacks are frightening because even though your head may be telling you it’s only temporary-- to just hang on--the body feels like it’s revved up like a jet engine with nowhere to go.  

What is most strange to me is that panic attacks come out of the blue.   We’re gifted with that “fight or flight” adrenaline rush when in a stressful situation to save our hides, but when this same rush comes over you while in a business meeting or at a hair appointment, well.. it’s frightening and embarrassing.   My panic attacks started coming more frequently in the last 6 weeks and increasingly limited my daily activities.  

There’s plenty of research out there regarding the causes of panic attacks, my personal opinion is that -for me- it has much to do with heredity, chronic stress, personality type and not enough exercise.   When I do exercise (2 or 3 x per week) it is by walking or hiking, involving a mild cardiovascular work-out.  I always feel better after exercise, but it wasn’t enough to keep the stress and panic attacks at bay.  When the body experiences periods of chronic stress, cortisol (produced by the adrenals during increased stress) levels become high and when those levels are sustained, it has damaging effects on the body as a whole.  Effects such as weight gain, suppressed immune function, high blood pressure & cholesterol and accelerated aging.  Couple that with the fact that I’m in my fourth decade and experiencing changes in body and hormonal levels and, well, it’s like setting the conditions for a perfect storm.   

During lunch at work one day, I spent the hour researching holistic remedies for anxiety.   I had already explored what the western medical community offered (Zoloft, Birth Control Pills for regulating hormones, multi-vitamins, checking Vit. D and calcium levels)  and was still in need of answers and help for my overall health.   I stumbled upon some very interesting remedies from “alternative” sources.  As a caveat, that’s such a funny moniker to me...shouldn’t “alternative”  actually be “original” ?   After all, people through the centuries have relied on remedies from nature much longer than they have relied on allopathic medicine.    And please don’t misunderstand me.  I understand and accept the place of traditional medicine and practices.  I’m just saying in my case, what they offered left me in need of something more.

What I discovered from the holistic side of treating anxiety, were main ingredients that seem to help people in a variety of supplemental forms.  Those ingredients are:

L-Theanine

GABA (as gamma-aminobutyric acid)

Bacopa Leaf Extract

L- 5 Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) 

Magnesium 

Niacin

Vitamin B complex

Schizandra Berry Extract  

Passion Flower

Ashwagandha Root

I could write a blog post on each of those ingredients separately as there is so much to learn about each one.  If you’re looking for help for your anxiety, I would encourage you to educate yourself about each component, realizing the diverse opinions and studies of both traditional and holistic practicing medical professionals.  

After discovering these key ingredients, I went directly to the Healthy Life Market at our local Drug Emporium after work and asked for help finding a supplement with at least some of these ingredients.   The very informative Darlene, brought Redd Remedies to my attention, specifically, their product labeled, At Ease™.    

At Ease™ contains the following ingredients:

Vit. B-1

Vit. B-6

Niacinamide

Pantothenic Acid

Magnesium

Choline Bitartrate

GABA

L-Theanine

Bacopa Leaf Extract

L-5 Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)

Schizandra Berry Extract

Darlene was very informed about this product and we talked for quite a while standing there in the store aisle.   I bought it, came home and began researching Redd Remedies as well as reading more about each ingredient.  I don’t have a good track record when it comes to medications so I’m very particular about what I put into my body.  I fully realize that just because something is natural or holistic, that doesn’t mean it’s naturally safe.  There are plants in nature that can kill you, too, so be sure and do your homework!

What I am MOST pleased to share with you is how effective At Ease™ has been for me.  I began by taking 1 tablet (recommended dose is 2 tablets)  on a Saturday afternoon.  After a few hours had passed without any adverse feelings or stomach upset, I took the second tablet.  That day was bliss.    

The package says:  “At Ease™ is relaxing but not sedative.  We call it “Alert Relaxation”.

And that’s exactly right!  That is precisely how I felt that entire day... calm, alert, clear-headed.  I have followed the prescribed dose of 2 tablets per day (taken together in the a.m.) for two weeks now.  Happily, I have not had a panic attack during this time and thankfully, have had no ill effects from this supplement.  It feels like a miracle to me to be comfortable in my body once again.    

I was so impressed with how well At Ease™ worked, that I called the company to ask additional questions.  To my surprise, a real human voice answered the phone and cheerfully discussed with me about the history of the company, manufacturing procedures and duration of use for their products. 

Redd Remedies is worth looking into.  If you’re struggling with anxiety, be assured that there is help. You should always consult your doctor about taking any supplements, particularly if you are taking prescription medications.  Some supplements can interfere with prescription medications, so educate yourself.  You can’t be “talked out of worry and negative thoughts”  (as those may say who have never experienced anxiety) when the actual factors involve restoring neurotransmitter balance and adrenal health.  Sometimes it’s matter over mind.  Redd Remedies has been an answered prayer for me.  

Glory to God for all things †

Follow Up to Women's Health Series

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. I am not attempting to give medical advice. I am only sharing my experience and some things I’ve learned about my own health with hope it may benefit another.

My Sweet Rose, by John William Waterhouse

As much as I want to tell you that I found a magic bullet (as with Zoloft!) with the Women to Women (W2W) program, I didn’t. I continue to believe W2W is a great resource for educating yourself about hormonal changes, dietary considerations, and phytotherapy (the use of plants for healing purposes), but the vitamin/supplement regimen didn’t work 100% for me. This is because between the 60 and 90 day mark, I began to have intestinal ills that I attribute to the regimen.

I had halted the regimen all together when I came down with what the rest of the family had during the winter, some type of flu. We were sick with fever, fatigue, intestinal ills, headache and loss of appetite. After two weeks of this, when our vigor was finally restored, I eased back into the routine of vitamins and the Herbal Equilibrium. It was at this point that I could not get my intestinal health back on track. I tried altering the schedule, one packet instead of two, vitamins and no herbal supplement, and vice-versa , and then taking only the calcium/fish oil in the evenings...no combination seemed to work. From reading on the W2W website, I knew if I called for a consult, they would probably recommend a probiotic. Well, with already taking 5 to 10 tabs a day, I did not want to add something else to the mix. So I stopped all of it. And within another week, the intestinal ills went away entirely.

The good news is that this was also the time of emerging from a very cold/dark winter into one of the most delightful springs I can remember. With the advent of sunshine, warm days and outdoor activity, nearly all of my symptoms (fatigue, fuzzy thinking, depression, irritability, mood swings) disappeared. I also began a new part-time job that, serendipitously, led to a new focus and decreased stress.

I’m aware of the damage stress can do to a body and so, it is with caution that I attribute the episode of intestinal ills to the W2W program. I am only self-diagnosing; since I live with chronic stress, I cannot be certain of the cause-effect relationship since I did take the vitamin/supplement regimen without problem for 60 days.

With certainty I can attest to these things that made me feel better:

-prayer

-getting at least 8 hours of sleep per night

-drinking LOTS of water (8 to 10 glasses per day)

-stress management, such as yoga, meditation, spending time with friends

-strenuous outdoor exercise (not just a walk through the park, but cardio such as climbing hills and stairs)

-limiting caffeine and sweets

The advent of spring and the internal changes it wrought made me consider seasonal affective disorder (SAD) to which some have recommended light therapy. I don’t know. I probably won’t go out and invest in a special light to use through the darkness of winter, but I may consider increasing my intake of Vitamin D through those months. Also, when it comes time for shorter days, colder temps and gray skies, I’ll be sure and keep up the outdoor exercise -- I think it’s an ace.

In the meantime, I go soon for a complete physical and will hopefully have the opportunity to discuss much of this with my new MD. Hormonal imbalances are not fun and for me, at least, I’ve found no quick & easy method for dealing with it. I continue to approach my health in a holistic way, believing that being created in the image of God constitutes three parts, mind, body and spirit - all of which need to be nurtured to create a healthy whole.

Women to Women Program - Hormonal Health part VI

Thirty days have past since I first began the Women to Women program and all seems well enough. It’s probably not the best 30 days to evaluate this program as I’ve had an unexpected factor to add to the equation - some personal difficulties that brought excessive stress. Although some might say that would prove an excellent test. Any thoughts I had of a ‘super supplement’ delivering me from the pain of emotional turmoil was dashed. I know, how silly.

The truth is, prior to my upheaval two weeks ago I was doing pretty well. The recommended dose is two packets of the vitamins and two Herbal Equilibrium per day. One dose with breakfast, the second with lunch. Starting on January 5th, I only took one packet per day because I wanted to ease into the new routine and test the waters slowly. When I discovered my body was agreeable to the supplements, I gradually increased to two packets per day beginning around January 19th. I’m in a good habit now. Leaving the vitamins on the kitchen counter where I see them first thing in the morning has helped.

So far I’ve noticed that I laugh more and am not so overly sensitive to the niggling little things that usually bother me. Brain fog/lack of focus comes and goes. Being snowed in doesn’t help and we had a significant number of snow days in January. Most often I feel like hibernating through the winter and so, lack of motivation almost seems normal. On the upswing, I can say with confidence that my times of sadness/feeling overwhelmed have been helped. This may sound odd, but my thought patterns are different. Instead of descending into a negative vortex of unfounded thoughts, my outlook is brighter. Instead of feeling overwhelmed with the intensity of circumstance, I can know that even though stress is present, it’s manageable and it won’t last forever -- this too shall pass.

"If I can endure for this minute

Whatever is happening to me,

No matter how heavy my heart is

Or how dark the moment may be

If I can remain calm and quiet

With all the world crashing about me,

Secure in the knowledge God loves me

When everyone else seems to doubt me

If I can but keep on believing

What I know in my heart to be true,

That darkness will fade with the morning

And that this will pass away, too

Then nothing in life can defeat me

For as long as this knowledge remains

I can suffer whatever is happening

For I know God will break all of the chains

That are binding me tight in the darkness

And trying to fill me with fear

For there is no night without dawning

And I know that my morning is near."

This Too Shall Pass, by Helen Steiner Rice

After being snowed in for a time, I got off my schedule of regular walks and hikes and I can feel the difference. Eating well, taking my supplements and exercise have been very helpful tools in working toward hormonal balance. Prayer, meditation and spending quality time with friends are equally important. In fact, I cannot overstate the positive impact friends have on emotional health. I am blessed by my friends. From the encouraging notes that come my way, to their prayers, to phone calls and personal visits --true friends are medicine for the soul.

For those who may continue to be interested in this series on women’s health, please let me know. I am committed to doing the Women to Women wellness program for 90 days and would be happy to post an update at the end of the 3 months.

Blessings to you on your own journey toward health and healing, in mind, body and spirit. †

Hormonal Imbalance - Emotional Wellness part IV

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. I am not attempting to give medical advice. I am only sharing my experience and some things I’ve learned about my own health with hope it may benefit another.

This is the hardback book that came with my Women to Women program. It's a great resource, divided into 6 chapters and covering some of the issues expressed in this post as well as nutritional guidelines, detoxification and recipes.

I’m not sure why emotional health sometimes gets swept under the rug or why some consider it a social stigma to acknowledge a battle with negative feelings/thoughts and depression. Maybe it’s our culture that prizes traits such as aggressiveness, slyness and an exterior “toughness” that make us reluctant to work through it openly. I don’t know, perhaps the way we’re raised has much to do with it. What I do know is that many battle this dragon alone and sadly, turn to self-medication such as overeating, drugs, sexual promiscuity or other addictions in an effort to dull emotional pain.

How does our emotional health affect our bodies and how does one heal from chronic emotional pain? That’s what I’ve been exploring in the last many years; the first one is easier to answer than the second.

A female motivational speaker came to our area once to speak at a Women’s Conference. Her basic message was that there is a direct connection between our emotional and physical health, the quality of our life, and our capacity for talking to ourselves in an encouraging rather than negative way. When we think negatively, when we go down that spiral of uncertainty and fear, either doubting ourselves or that God really is in control, something happens in our bodies as well: stress is triggered.

Stress sends a message to the adrenal glands to produce cortisol and adrenaline. These are the substances that come in handy for that fight or flight mechanism and yet, with chronic stress, the adrenals go into overtime, producing an abundance of cortisol, which is really bad for us. High cortisol levels are linked to weight gain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, accelerated aging and suppression of the immune system. And what’s more, as we age, the ovaries are not as effective at producing hormones and call on the adrenals for back-up. The overburdened adrenal glands are hard pressed to keep up with demand. An overtaxed endocrine system = hormonal imbalance. So that’s the basic science of it.

Reducing stress and coping with chronic stress is another matter. I think, in general, that women place way too many demands on their bodies-- trying to be everything to everyone and feeling guilty by saying ‘no’ to someone who asks of our time or resources. A routine that can leave us not only exhausted, but harboring resentment as well. There was a time when I fell into bed at night, so tired from the daily events that I couldn’t even finish a prayer before falling into deep sleep. Instead of giving myself what I truly needed, I relied on caffeine and carbs to get me through the day and then crashed by nightfall. And now, as the prompting of this series indicates, my lifestyle had to change because as we age, the ramification of not giving our body what it truly needs becomes more apparent.

While some issues that create stress are out of our control, I have learned a few things over the last 3 years that have helped significantly in reducing stress and promoting emotional health: (no particular order)

Implementing boundaries is a healthy thing. Saying “no” when I know I don’t have the right amount of time or resources to help with something, reduces my stress and is a favor to the other person who deserves 100%.

Going to bed early/rising early is a better practice than staying up late/ rising late. It’s more conducive to productivity which helps to reduce stress. I’m amazed at what I can accomplish in the hours between 6:00 - 9:00 am.

Tending the garden of friendship. Making time for those special people in my life has so many rewards; I’ve finally learned that spending quality time with friends takes effort and planning...an endeavor that always seem to give back more than I put in, including a big reduction in stress.

Yoga. I know yoga is controversial in christian circles, but I’ve been reaping the rewards of this practice for several years now. I’ve never done any type of exercise that offers such immediate results as yoga*

Nurturing my relationship with Christ, striving for obedience. Prayer is a big part of this, saying morning and evening prayers -- not as I fall asleep, but in a designated area of my house, whether I feel like it or not. I’ve learned that the action often begets the feeling --it’s become a rhythmic, healthy part of my day, meeting my Heavenly Father in this way. There is peace in communion with the Father and no room for stress.

Eliminating all televised news. May sound extreme, but that constant streaming negative visual and audio stimuli is harmful to my spirit. It caused me to dwell on unhealthy things like fear, violence & wickedness which is contrary to what I’m advised to do in Philippians 4:8 - to dwell on good, honorable and pure things.

Journaling. Obviously, I love to write and I’ve found it to be very therapeutic, not just blogging, but keeping a private journal of my life and the bumps encountered along the way. It’s easier to see patterns in myself, my emotions and actions, when it’s written down before me, when I can go back and read it over several times. Identifying the roots of stress better enables me to eliminate or reduce it from my life.

Exercising outdoors. It’s been exhilarating to take hikes in our snowy cold temperatures these last few months! I think winter has become my favorite season for such hikes because if you’re going at a good pace, after a few minutes, 31º feels great. Getting my body moving, taking in the crisp air and delighting in nature is good for body, mind and spirit.

Aromatherapy. That is, using essential oils, incense or candles to brighten my mood and decrease stress. Essential oils are profiled according to several factors, such as their note in perfumery and also their effect on emotions. It probably won’t surprise you that the citrus smells, such as bergamot, orange, grapefruit, mandarin and neroli are all helpful in lifting the spirit. Sandalwood incense is burned frequently at my house not only because I savor the fragrance, but because of it’s calming and soothing quality.

Phytotherapy. (the use of plants to aid healing) It’s been my experience that certain herbs and supplements aid my emotional health, as I mentioned previously when using St. John’s Wort and now the Herbal Equilibrium supplement. I think this could even include herbal teas -- have you ever tried drinking camomile tea at the end of long day to relax? I’ll write more when I’ve taken the Herbal Equilibrium for a full 30 days, but I can tell a difference already. Similar to using St. John’s Wort, my ability to respond in a positive way to stress factors is strengthened. This is no small thing. Let me give a specific example:

Only a few days ago, when the children were out of school for yet another snow day, I took them on a hike with me. They didn’t want to go, but I insisted; we needed to get out of the house and move. It was just one of those days when they were out of sorts and misbehaving and I had to repeatedly call them on it. By the end of our 35 minute hike, they were still at it and now asking to eat out for lunch. Well, I don’t believe in granting a reward like eating out for lunch when their behavior has been bad, so I said no. Oh my! the negativity and complaints escalated at that point.

Typically, this would set off my stress button and I would raise my voice above the din in a sharp way, being completely enmeshed in the hulabaloo - giving way to anger.

But this day, I laughed. Of all things! I laughed at the ridiculousness of it, held my ground, but in a jovial way. My anger played no part in the scene and the results were favorable. The children stopped their bickering when they realized they weren’t being treated for lunch and my ability to remain peaceful, even cheerful, prompted a quicker than normal end to the whole negative scene.

Anger - 0

amy - 1

*Hatha yoga. More on this and meditation next time.

Hormonal Imbalance - A Holistic Approach part III

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. I am not attempting to give medical advice. I am only sharing my experience and some things I’ve learned about my own health with hope it may benefit another.

As mentioned in the last post, after the bad experience with Zoloft, I revisited a website shared with me by a friend who has also run this course with hormonal imbalance. I looked at the information & articles there in a new light; my motivation to get healthy had been renewed. For hours I read every article I came across that related to my issues. I read the letters from other women, I read about the background of their clinic located in Yarmouth, Maine and I researched references and reviews outside of Women to Women, including the Better Business Bureau.

I was pleased with what I discovered about Women to Women at every turn and recommend them as a resource. I think it’s especially nice that you don’t have to sign up for anything in order to benefit from their plentiful referenced medical articles, symptoms and risk factors pages and Q&As. I did, however, decide to register my email and take their free hormonal health profile. It was a fairly brief evaluation, asking key questions about my general health, symptoms of hormone imbalance, daily living, stress factors, nutrition and exercise habits. It took into account my whole lifestyle rather than focusing on my chief PMS complaints, an approach I appreciate very much.

My results ranked in the “severe” category, meaning that the demands placed on my body are severe when compared with other women. Above average demands placed upon the body (such as high-stress job or relationship, being overweight, not getting adequate sleep, smoking, recovering from or dealing with emotional/physical trauma, poor nutrition, etc.) can overwhelm the body’s ability to balance hormones naturally. By the same token, my results also showed that I did give myself substantial support, meaning that I take measures to alleviate some stressors I have control over and make efforts to give my body what it needs, such as good foods, vitamins and exercise. My results were emailed to me and provided some good insights and basic changes I could implement to improve my health. The best part is that it’s a free service and also provided links to other articles related to my assessment results. They do sell various programs which incorporate their vitamins and supplements, but you don’t have to make any purchases in order to benefit from the learning opportunities.

On December 29, 2010, I called the toll-free number to ask about the program for hormonal imbalance. After speaking with Laura ( an English speaking, non-script reading, informed lady) for 15-20 minutes, I knew I wanted to try the program. Their policy is hard to beat --- they’ll refund your purchase price if you aren’t happy with how things are working , even if you’ve used all the vitamins/supplements! I only have to return the empty boxes they arrived in to receive a refund. That was the security which motivated me to go ahead and try it.

I’m going into my third week of taking the vitamins/supplements and I’m happy to report that I haven’t had any ill side effects thus far. I was concerned about that, naturally, because even herbal supplements and vitamins don’t agree in the same way with everyone. Years ago, it even took some trial & error for me to find a suitable prenatal vitamin during my pregnancies.

As I mentioned earlier, I had been taking a liquid multi-vitamin from Nature’s Plus called “Source of Life” multivitamin supplement -- liquid for good reason. I have trouble swallowing large pills and this was my only concern about starting the Women to Women program. The tablets are large. The vitamins/supplements arrive in single dose packages containing two multivitamins/mineral formula tabs, 1 calcium-magnesium formula tab, and 1 essential fatty acid formula (fish oil) containing the omega-3 essentials. I was assured by Laura during my toll-free call that I could crush the tablets and consume in applesauce or yogurt. This is what I’ve been doing and it works well -- all except the fish oil of course. If there was a YouTube video of me taking the fish oil for the first few days, I’m sure it would’ve entertained you. ; ‘ )

I've never taken fish oil, even though my husband has taken it for years. The size of the capsules always dissuaded me from trying it. I knew, from him, that it was good for memory/brain function, but what I didn’t know was that it is good for a whole lot of other things too! Such as: (found here)

* Heart health -- helps to reduce the risk of arrhythmia and sudden death by heart attack

* Improved concentration, memory and less likelihood of depression and reduced risk of ADHD in children

* Cholesterol & Triglycerides - by lowering triglycerides and balancing cholesterol

* Joints & Arthritis - better joint function from reduced inflammation

* Skin & Beauty - improves the health and appearance of skin, helps keep nails strong as well as hair healthy and shiny

* Immune System & Cancer -- helps to build a stronger immune system, lowered risk of breast and prostate cancer

* Digestive System - by improving intestinal health and reducing inflammation assisting those with IBS or Crohn’s Disease

* Allergies - Omega-3 fatty acid intake by mothers during pregnancy may protect babies against the development of allergies.

* Diabetes - fish oil enhances insulin secretion from beta cells in pancreas, regulating blood sugar levels.

Reading that list alone motivated me to take the fish oil. The first capsule I took, I busted open and poured the oil into a spoon. Ugh. I don’t recommend this. I tasted that powerful fish oil for 30 minutes in my mouth. The next day I opened the capsule and poured the oil into a drink of water. Ugh. That wasn’t any better at all - and so, the third day, I put that large capsule on my tongue, added a dollop of yogurt and down it went. I’ve also learned that taking the fish oil in the evening, just before supper works best for me.

In the photo above you’ll notice a separate bottle labeled, “Herbal Equilibrium”. This also came with my program since my results were in the severe category. This is an herbal supplement, in use for many years, to help the body naturally regulate hormones. I’ll write more about that as well as the literature that came with my program in the next post, but you can learn a great deal about phytotherapy (the use of plants for healing purposes) here.