Professional Documents
Culture Documents
com
BR Publishing
Table of Contents
Preface ....................................................................................................................................................xi Part 1: What is stress and how does it influence people? 1: A short description of stress ......................................................................................................... 5 2: How does the body respond to stress?.................................................................................................6 3.:What happens inside the brain during stressful periods? ................................................................. 7 4: Can stress be helpful or is it all bad? ................................................................................................. 7 5: The link between stress and memory .............................................................................................. 8 6: The difference between male and female response to stress..8
Part 2: Herbs that help you cope with stress 1: How can plants help with daily stress? ........................................................................................... 9 2: Adaptogenic herbs .................................................................................................................... 9-10 3: Tonic herbs..10 4: A little something about other plants that help with stress..10-12 5 Conclusion.12-13
Preface
This book is offered by the BR Publishing team which is composed of individuals specialized in the area of nutritional supplementation that includes ingredients, manufacturing processes, and ways in which they affect the human body with both positive and negative sides.
Description
We often hear people tell others that theyre too stressed out or that some activities are stressful , but some have never stopped to actually understand what stress is and how it can be stopped from negatively influence ones life. The major problem is that every time a person is stressed by something, he/she tries to run away from it and finishes in a vicious circle in most of the situations. For example, a person whos fat is constantly reminded about this feature and in the majority of cases ends up eating more due to being overly stressed by this constant reminder. So, how does one stop this vicious circle and recover from a stressful event that is energy consuming? With the help of this book, well try to give an answer to this question by appealing to a natural way of dealing with stress which is represented by herbs. However, keep in mind that a healthy diet, a balanced exercising program and having outdoor activities are key features in maintaining a stress-less life or help the organism recover from some stress exposures that include job tasks, exams, family events and so forth. So you should pay attention and decide whether these options suit you or not, you lose nothing by trying!
Stress is a term that was introduced in 1935 by the Hungarian endocrinologist Hans Selye. Since then the term received many shapes and forms, and people mostly tend to interpret it thorough their personal lives. This is why most of the people who are stressed usually become more stressed due to the fact that they dont seek to solve their problems, but prefer to blame their unhappy lives and bad decisions on their stress levels. It is often described as being a normal physical response to certain events that determine a person to feel upset or threatened in some ways. This is mostly because the body senses a danger created in the mind of the person which reflects as an automatic and rapid process, known by the name of flight-orflight reaction. This is in fact the bodys way of offering protection because it makes the individual alert, energetic, and focused. Due to this, the stress response of the organism can save ones life on some occasions. However, considering the old saying A stitch in time saves nine, people with stressful lives should try to change some areas in order to become more energized, happier, and capable of following their school or job schedule without having to go through hell for it.
Another important thing people have to understand about stress is its impact upon the brain which, in some situations, can be irreversible. This is why well try to explain in a way anyone can understand what are the processes behind stress and why the influence is often viewed as being negative, particularly when stressful activities are constant. Lets begin the explanation by taking a normal situation. Imagine that a person gets stuck in traffic and hears the ambulance siren screaming which alerts of the necessity of moving the car at that particular moment. However, it is highly difficult to do so since the traffic is way over ones sight. This is the moment in which the individual begins to feel stressed because a decision has to be made, but the obstacle directly interferes with the logic decision. What happens inside the body at that point? The first thing that occurs is described with the help of the next paragraph:
"Attention all parasympathetic forces. Urgent. Adrenal gland missile silos mounted atop kidneys have just released chemical cortisol weapons of brain destruction. Mobilize all internal defenses. Launch immediate counter-calm hormones before hippocampus is hammered by cortisol.
This means that some hormones are sent to adrenal glands in order to suppress the cortisol which is going towards the brain while other hormones go directly to the brain so they can round up the amount of cortisol that managed to get to the hippocampus. Afterwards, these hormones take the cortisol back to the kidney so it can be eliminated in the end. After this situation has passed or the individual perceives it so, the brain does a reverse course of action by releasing various biochemical within the organism. In the idea of reaching balance in the body, the brain searches for homeostasis which is the state between the tranquilization and stimulation. However, if during this process one of the other states dominates the other, the person experiences an internal imbalance known by the name of stress. This imbalance has a negatively impact upon the brain cells. The relaxation response is offered by the parasympathetic nervous system or PNS while the fight or flight response is due to the sympathetic nervous system or SNS. The responses are directly linked to the hormones that are produced in the endocrine glands which travel to the bloodstream in order to suppress or accelerate the metabolic functions. In comparison, SNS dominates over the PNS which makes it more difficult for an individual to reach a metabolic equilibrium by initiating the metabolic response.
The first region of the brain that deals with stress is the limbic system. This system possesses a big influence on memory and emotion and is usually called emotional brain. Another word by which it is referred is mammal brain due to the fact that it marked the start of social cooperation within the animal kingdom. When a threat is perceived by a person, either imagined or imminent, the limbic system automatically responds through the autonomic nervous system which is a complex network made of endocrine glands which regulates metabolism. Some sources state that the term stress comes in fact from the word distress which mean to draw or pull apart. After the danger passes, the organism tries to go back to normal. Unfortunately, this transition gets more difficult as age passes. While the hyperactivating sympathetic system acts immediately, its effects are rather slow. A thing that should be kept in mind is that after the stress response was activated, the system continues to keep the individual in a prepared state for other potential dangerous.
1. Adaptogenic herbs
As weve previously mentioned, adaptogenic is a property that improves the ability of the organism to resist to some type of stressors. The herbs that have this property positively influence the adrenal glands, which is the organisms way to responds to emotional changes as well as stress. 9
While there are a lot of plants that presumably have this property, some of them are more popular than other. The top of the list in this category is Red Ginseng, also known by the name of Japanese, Chinese or Korean Ginseng. It is viewed as the gold standard of adaptogenic plants. Asian Ginseng or Panax Ginseng represents a tonic for the yang chi by traditional Chinese medicine. The reason is that it was given to people that showed yang deficiency, which translates through a weakness in constitution, voice, and muscles. Furthermore, people that are well muscled should avoid this plant due to the increased possibility of bursting into anger. In addition, there are several studies that point out the plants effectiveness when it comes to enhancing the ability of an individual towards stress resisting, as well as mental functioning and learning abilities. After some evaluations of this herb, researchers used two thousand people and discovered that consuming Ginseng in different forms such as dried, fresh, or cooked lowers the risk of developing cancer as compared to people that dont consume it. Moreover, this risk appears to kee p decreasing when the herb is consumed for enhanced periods of time like years. Other examples of adaptogenic herbs are Siberian Ginseng, Suma, Ashwaganda, Astralur, Licorice root, Reishi, Jiaogulan, and Schisandra. Even though some of them are less known and used, they often prove reliable for the organism. An interesting aspect is that modern medicine sometimes recognizes their beneficial properties. However, in most cases, theyre included in natural supplements either as a single ingredient or in some combinations. Keep in mind that it is important to do some research before deciding to follow a treatment that features a less known herb in order to avoid potential side-effects or counteractions with other medication.
3. Tonic herbs
A tonic herb possesses the property of improving immunity, thus increasing the bodys resistance towards infections. Furthermore, these herbs should also reduce anxiety and stress by increasing cognitive performances as well as sleep quality. Additionally, they may balance digestion processes, which means that ulcers and indigestion are more likely to be prevented. Furthermore, they can as antioxidant and reduce the damage done by free radicals within the organism. Even though there are plenty of examples of tonic plants, they are specifically designed to target a bodily area from circulatory system to skin, skeleton, and muscles. Since the topic of this ebook is linked to stress, were going to present some herbs that affect nervous system. Some exampl es would be lemon balm, mugwort, motherwort, and black cohosh. Known as black snakeroot, black bugbane, fairy candle or Actae racemosa, black cohosh represents a flowering plant from the family Ranunculaceae. It generally grows in North America and people use it to prepare tablets or tinctures. These are mostly destined as a treatment for symptoms linked to menopause.
10
Another tonic herb is Astragalus which is viewed as one of the most important plants in the world. It has been utilized for more than two thousand years for its properties of strengthening the organism as a whole. Oriental people also believe that it possesses the ability to enhance metabolic functions as well as muscular system. Moreover, it positively influences the skins property of toxin elimination by relieving excessive sweating and having a mild diuretic action. Therefore, it represents a good solution for people that have poor immunity and often catch colds. However, further research is required in this area and there is no scientific evidence of its functionality, but most people recommend it as beneficial.
Schisandra or Magnolia Vine represents a genus of shrub that is generally grown in gardens. It is consumed due to its ability of enhancing resistance to diseases as well as stress. Moreover, it may prevent early aging and improve ones lifespan by increasing energy levels and normalizing the sugar in the blood. Because it can also treat problems like insomnia, high cholesterol and asthma, it is viewed as a potential plant for relieving stress. It works in the organism by stimulating enzymes, hence speeding biochemical reactions. On the other hand, for some, it can cause certain side-effects during the consumption which include skin rashes, decrease in appetite, heartburn, itching, and upset stomach. Additionally, people that suffer from high brain pressure should avoid this plant because it can worsen their condition.
Green tea is obtained from Camellia sinensis leaves and is originated in Chine. Throughout time it has become associated with numerous cultures from Asia because of its beneficial properties that make it one of the most popular teas throughout the world. In the past years, it was the subject of a large number of studies that were meant to determine its quality as well as direct influence when consumed in form of dietary supplement, beverage or as a part of some foods. Some sources state that it possesses health benefits in areas like cancer, cardiovascular system and nervous system. Additionally, it stimulates the fat oxidation while also boosting the metabolic rate with four percent without enhancing the heart rate. This herb is so good that there were even books written about it. The first one was Cha Jing or Tea Classic which was written between 600 and 900 AD and revealed secrets linked to the best sources of tea existing at that time. Afterwards, in 1191, the Zen priest Eisai wrote Book of tea which gives information about how drinking tea on a regular basis influence ones health and how often it should be consume in order to have a real impact on ones general health. There is no major side effects linked to its utilization, but people shouldnt exaggerate with it because it doesnt do much good or instant good, as probably expected.
5. Conclusion
We hope that this book taught you a little about how herbs can help with stress management and what type of plants should be consumed in order to have expected effects. However, we would like to stress out that the quantity taken on a daily basis is very important and if it exceeds the suggested dosage, it can do more harm than good. Although we dont strongly recommend dietary supplements, some of them can be very useful, particularly if the person doesnt suffer from a serious medical condition. In order to decide the proper amounts, people should either read the products labels or consult a healthcare provider before the decision to purchase any type of treatment is made. If you dont trust the labels or feel that the doctors opini on is inaccurate, you can do more online research or seek books that can help you in this area. While the stress can be determined by a variety of factors, the most frequent are lack of sleep, testsm and deadlines either during school period or at the job. Therefore, drinking natural teas or consuming dietary supplements as well as any other variety 12
obtained from plant extracts doesnt completely help with stress relief. Sometimes therapy is also suggested for a more enhanced stage of stress in order to help the individual manage it with proper tools. And above all, remember that overthinking and trying to avoid certain tasks that need to be made and only accumulate throughout time arent the best solutions for getting rid of stress, but only makes it worse. Go out, walk your dog, try to breathe some fresh air, play a video game and try to do something new every day! This way, stress will be only history and you will be able to enjoy life at its fullest as you always wanted!
13
References
www.webmed.com www.wikipedia.com www.chiro.org www.dragonherbs.com
14