For Whom the Stress Tolls

April 2020

Whether it’s being alone for weeks on end or living with an antsy family cooped up with nowhere to go, it’s a mad, crazy world of stress these days. Stress assaults the quiet of abandoned streets like the startling screech of ambulance sirens. It seems there’s no end to the stress. The list is long and painful, leading to stress behaviors like over-eating, binge watching mind-numbing television, being short-tempered, and flat-out worrying. 

It’s said that what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. Short-term stress may not kill you, but untreated stress can cause chronic and acute illnesses, some of which can actually kill you. Needless to say, stress can strain almost every part of your body. Tight muscles ache, while anxiety keeps you awake at night. Stress can express as digestive issues; it increases inflammation, weakens the immune system, and, of course, takes a toll on the brain.

     A few of the effects of stress on the brain

**Brain fog

**Memory lapses

**Mistakes

**Lost words

**Shortened attention span

**Lack of focus

**Anxiety

**Depression

**Increased cortisol in the brain

**Damage that can shrink the hippocampus

**Increased Alzheimer’s symptoms like tau tangles and beta-amyloids

Sadly, stress does all of that; it’s cruel that way. In reality you are powerless to change these times. You can’t control Covid, nor can you create jobs or customers out of thin air. What you can do, though, is alter your response to stress. 

      Suggestions to reduce stress:

            **Exercise

            **Dance in the living room

            **Give yourself a break

            **Cut yourself some slack

            **Art

            **Music

            **Eat well

            **Cook a healthy meal

            **Sleep late or take a nap

            **Talk to a friend

            **Write a note to an older relative

            **Keep a journal

            **Pray and meditate

            **Practice consciousness

            **Create a rewarding project or organize for a better future

            **Read a book, or just a short story

            **Do something nice for someone else, especially essential workers

            **Enjoy morning light on your lanai or during a social-distancing walk

            **Control your impulses

            **Be goal-oriented

You probably have even more ideas for what helps you personally in these trying times.

For a nutritionist, food is an important tool in rebuilding emotional resistance.

We can start in the G.I. tract. The gut is populated by myriads of bacteria, known as the microbiome. These tiny little critters are required for digestion and gut health, including mucosal nourishment and anti-inflammatory heroics. These microflora are also essential for immunity, since about 70-80% of our immune system resides in the G.I. tract.

The G.I. tract has also been called our second brain. Ancient cultures even believed that the center of the self was located in the belly. The Japanese word for belly, “hara,” represents the seat of understanding. Now scientists refer to the gut-brain axis.

 Thankfully any fermented foods offer good bacteria. Yogurt (with live bacteria), kim chi, sauer kraut, miso and kombucha drinks are excellent sources of these probiotics. Probiotics can also be purchased as a supplement from most grocery and drug stores.