Health News (Week 09 – 2013)
By Robert Redfern

This is what Anne my wife told me when I left it so late to get this newsletter ready and I got into a panic!

I don’t really get stressed for too long and as soon as the words start to flow it clears. I do find it difficult to switch off from all of the tasks I have to do in my 16hrs work-day. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy it immensely but we all need to calm down, relax our body and let it recharge. I will admit I get help with a couple of supplements!

I read that new research suggests that stress may pose more serious health issues than originally thought.

Stress is a huge problem facing those of us in the fast moving western world and its negative impacts on the health all of us continue to grow. With so many suffering from its symptoms, plus processed foods, it is taking a sizable toll on all of us all in a number of ways. For example, one in every four reports having to live under “extreme stress,” while 39% say that their stress levels have risen in the past few years.

Blame it on the economy, working longer hours, financial pressure, or whatever, stress and its symptoms for those who suffer from it are real. New research shows that feeling stressed out too often can raise the risk of heart problems by 27%.

Stress and health problems

The study also showed that stress may be as dangerous as smoking 40 cigarettes a week or having your bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) spiked 50% by processed foods. Obviously you want to stay clear of all three!

The study reviewed six other heart/stress studies that examined over 120,000 patients. Their conclusion was that the relationship between stress and heart health was even more substantial than originally thought.

Stress can also be the reason for many other health problems; it’s not just heart health. For instance, it has been linked with diabetes-because of the hormonal releases it stimulates. Feeling stressed releases adrenal hormones (cortisol) and an excess in this, causes high blood pressure and an increase in blood sugar levels.

This can then trigger a ‘carbohydrate craving’ and over-eating, this results in an increase in belly fat, and this can then increase the risk of hypertension. Additionally, plaque build-up in the arteries can then increase in the risk of numerous heart problems, such as heart attack and stroke.

Furthermore stress also boosts a brain chemical called “neuropeptide Y,” which tells the body to store the fat deep in your abdomen. This kind of fat can be very dangerous, potentially leading to a number of serious health implications.

Now you can probably start to see how there is a knock on effect, all triggered by stress and how one problem leads to another?

Fortunately, all this bad news about stress can be managed by taking some ‘real’ action. Take a look at your life and identify the main sources of stress. Find the ones you have some control over and take action now. By making some small adjustments, you may be able to improve the situation and reduce stress while improving your mood. Just working at something and taking action can often reduce stress on its own. The key is realising and recognising what you can control. Sometimes even getting a little exercise can be a great stress reliever.

Sleep and cortisol

Make sure that you are getting enough sleep. If you are not getting enough sleep then cortisol may be released into your body and your cortisol levels will rise, this can then lead to one of the many health problems already mentioned. Try sleeping in as dark a room as possible.

With the impacts of stress becoming more pronounced on an increasingly “stressed-out population”, taking action is more important than ever. By taking control of your life and making time for the things you enjoy, you could end up saving your own life. Start your de-stress today!

My two “Top Tips” for clearing stress and cortisol, if you need extra help…

RelaxWell – An effective and unique combination of L-Tryptophan, L-Theanine and a spectrum of important B vitamins, all shown to be powerfully effective and shown in studies to help reduce stress and to help with relaxation and sleep.

L-Tryptophan, with over 40 studies, is a precursor of serotonin, melatonin and niacin, was discovered in 1901 and has been used for decades to promote sleep. Seratonin and melatonin are neurotransmitters and these will help your brain ‘shut down’ for the night.

L-Theanine is a natural phytochemical found in Japanese green tea. Whilst falling asleep is one thing; staying asleep and getting quality sleep is another. Researchers in Japan gave volunteers 200mg of L-Theanine daily and recorded their sleep patterns on devices worn around their wrists. The L-Theanine didn’t cause the subjects to sleep longer, but it did cause them to sleep better. It was documented that sleep quality, recovery from exhaustion, and refreshed feelings were all enhanced by L-Theanine. Those taking L-Theanine felt like they had slept longer than they actually did. This is good news for people who struggle to get enough sleep, or those who want a better night’s sleep.

Take 1 capsule up to 3 times per day before food for relaxation support, or 2 capsules 30 minutes before going to bed to help with sleep.

Click here to shop for RelaxWell

Ancient Minerals Magnesium Oil Lotion ULTRA – you may have seen all about the benefits of magnesium in my previous newsletters? You might already have this oil?

Well, stress burns more magnesium than any other activity. Magnesium is proven to have a calming effect on your nervous system and to help muscles relax, so if you are deficient in magnesium it’s likely this is impacting on your sleep (with twitching, muscle cramps, feeling agitated). “It looks like magnesium is important for a good night’s sleep,” says USDA researcher Forrest H. Nielsen.

Apply this oil to the whole body after a relaxing bath or shower in the evening. As well as magnesium ‘the de-stress mineral’, this oil delivers MSM an essential nutrient to keep our bodies healthy. Don’t forget this oil is much better than tablets which have to pass through the gastro-intestinal tract; this is absorbed through the skin and then carried around the body by the circulatory system.

Click here to shop for Magnesium Oil Ultra

If you have any health questions, on any aspect of health, feel free to ‘Contact Me’ at the top, click ‘Robert’s Questions’ and then click “Next”. Here your questions will come through to me directly and I will answer in the strictest of confidence.