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Showing posts with label stress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stress. Show all posts

Sunday, January 29, 2017

DHEA for Stress

“Stress” - We know stress is bad for health. Work, appointments, bills to pay, conflicts with family or friends can cause stress in our lives. Every day it seems like it’s something else...some new situation to add some more stress.

When we’re young, the challenges seem easy to deal with; but day after day, year after year the stressed life just keeps up the challenges. What’s going on in our body when we live a high stress life? What’s going on in our body that allows stress to have a harmful effect on our health? What causes this?

It is well known that chronic long term stress can cause health problems and increase the risk for many diseases of aging. What if you could do something about it?

Recent medical research (Dr Lennartsson, et al) shows that people with high levels of stress at work have significantly lower DHEA levels. The study concluded that “…a reduced level of DHEA is the reason people under greater stress have more health problems and accelerated aging. (1) So High Stress = High cortisol and Low DHEA = More health problems.

This link between high stress and poor health makes sense. When we are under stress the body produces cortisol, intended to protect the body, via the “fight or flight” protective mode. This is an inflammatory response. Triggered by stress, cortisol is a hormone produced by the body to create a protective, inflammatory response. Unfortunately, when maintained day after day, the protective effects of elevated cortisol begin to have negative effects over time. So if stress becomes a recurring chronic thing, “sustained high cortisol levels destroy healthy muscle and bone; slow down healing and normal cell regeneration; co-opt biochemicals needed to make other vital hormones; impair digestion, metabolism and mental function; interfere with healthy endocrine function; and weaken the immune system.” (2) Elevated cortisol levels also make it easier to gain weight and frequently cause poor quality sleep at night.

As humans age, the body produces ever increasing amounts of cortisol. However, after age 25 we make less and less DHEA. DHEA is the only thing in the body that counterbalances the negative effects of cortisol. So, for men and women alike there is an important cross-road in the aging process when we make too much cortisol and not enough DHEA. According to John R. Woodward, M.D., “When the DHEA to cortisol ratio is less than 10 to 1, the diseases of aging are occurring.”

So do something about it. Apply Twist 25 DHEA cream onto thin hairless skin morning and evening each day, and maintain a healthy balance to stave off the effects of stress and high cortisol. Twist 25 DHEA cream provides what the body makes, where the body can use it. Use Twist 25 DHEA cream. Make your own hormones. Counter the harmful effects of cortisol.

(1) Lennartsson AK, Theorell T, Rockwood A, et al. “Perceived Stress at Work is Associated with Lower Levels of DHEA”. PLOS. Aug 28 2013. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0072460

(2) Pick, Marcelle. “The Destructive Effect Of High Cortisol Levels” Women to Women https://www.womentowomen.com/hormonal-health/the- destructive-effect- of-high- cortisol-levels/

Monday, November 16, 2015

Increasing Your Immune System's Front Line


Written by Erin Chamerlik, Nutrition Educator, MS, MT(ASCP)

Natural Killer Cells (NK cells). Not something we talk about everyday, or any day, but these little white blood cells are your friends because they are your front line of defense against cancer and this winter's germs, including those that cause colds, flu and pneumonia.

When cells are infected by a virus or changed into cancerous cells, NK cells attack causing the rogue cell to die (apoptosis). 

Here's the bad news. Like so many things in the body, NK cells lose their functionality as we age. The good news is that we can optimize our NK cell function with a few simple improvements. 

There are a few strategies that you can employ to help strengthen your immune system and increase the function of NK cells, your immune system’s front line fighters.

Increase DHEA
DHEA, (dehydroepiandrosterone), produced and metabolized in the adrenal glands, gonads, and dermis, has the abilityto improve the immune system (and many other things) when blood levels of the important hormone precursor are increased to more youthful levels. After age 25, DHEA levels decline at the rate of about 2% per year. Some unwanted signs of low DHEA include low libido, low energy, poor memory, increased belly fat, weight gain and a sub-optimal immune system. 

It is important to maintain DHEA levels because DHEA has immune-enhancing effects and increases the NK cells. 1, 2

A study of men taking DHEA for five months was conducted by Dr. Omid Khorram of the University of Wisconsin. The results were described in Dr. William Regelson in his book, The Super-Hormone Promise.

Regelson wrote, "Dr. Khorram found that DHEA did indeed have a palpable, measurable rejuvenating effect on their aging immune systems." He found that DHEA geared up the immune system to fight foreign invaders and specifically DHEA "increased the number and activity of cancer-fighting NK (natural killer) cells, which keep a watchful eye on potential cancerous cells and destroy them before they can grow.” 3

DHEA helps the immune system in another way, by providing a counterbalance to stress. The body responds to stress by producing more of the adrenal hormone cortisol. When stress is not managed, large amounts of cortisol reduce the number and function of NK cells. 4

It is important to maintain youthful levels of DHEA to feel and look your best and help reduce the negative effects cortisol can have. Adults over age 25 can safely benefit from topical application of bioidentical DHEA cream, Twist 25. 

NK Cell Boosting Foods and Supplements

Foods and supplements that increase beneficial NK cells will help bolster your front line defense against newly arising infected cells and malignant cells.

The following foods and supplements have been shown to have a positive impact on NK cells:
   Dark Chocolate and Cacao 5
   Panax ginseng 6
   Blueberries 7
   Aged Garlic 8
   Vitamin E 10
   Foods high in beta carotene - carrots, dark green leafy vegetables and sweet potatoes 10

Factors Known to Reduce NK Cell Activity

Just as we want to add beneficial foods and supplements to support our first line fighters, it is wise to address negative influencers too.

These factors negatively affect NK cell function:

   •     Micronutrient deficiencies in zinc or vitamins A, C, and D 11, 12
   •     Exposure to toxins 12
   •     Obesity 12
   •     Smoking 12
   •     Certain medications 12
   •     Lack of adequate sleep 13

In this article, we have only addressed factors that directly affect the NK cells of the immune system. Supporting the immune system begins with a strong foundation of healthy, unprocessed food, clean, filtered water, and adding supplements like Vitamin C, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Vitamin D3 + K2, and probiotics. Regular exercise is important year-round, but may be even more important in winter to keep your immune system strong.

References

1.       Bovenberg SA, van Uum SH, Hermus AR. Dehydroepiandrosterone administration in humans: evidence based? Neth J Med. 2005 Sep;63(8):300-4. Review. PubMed PMID: 16186639.
2.       Khorram O, Vu L, Yen SS. Activation of immune function by dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in age-advanced men. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 1997 Jan;52(1):M1-7. PubMed PMID: 9008662.
3.       Regelson W. The Super-Hormone Promise. New York, NY: Pocket Books; 1997. 400p.
4.       Andersen BL, Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Glaser R. A biobehavioral model of cancer stress and disease course. Am Psychol. 1994 May;49(5):389-404. Review. PubMed PMID: 8024167; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2719972.
5.       Kamei M, Nishimura H, Takahashi T, Takahashi N, Inokuchi K, Mato T, Takahashi K. Anti-influenza virus effects of cocoa. J Sci Food Agric. 2015 Apr 2. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.7197. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 25847473.
6.       Kang S, Min H. Ginseng, the 'Immunity Boost': The Effects of Panax ginseng on Immune System. J Ginseng Res. 2012 Oct;36(4):354-68. doi: 10.5142/jgr.2012.36.4.354. PubMed PMID: 23717137; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3659612.
7.       McAnulty LS, Nieman DC, Dumke CL, Shooter LA, Henson DA, Utter AC, Milne G, McAnulty SR. Effect of blueberry ingestion on natural killer cell counts, oxidative stress, and inflammation prior to and after 2.5 h of running. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2011 Dec;36(6):976-84. doi: 10.1139/h11-120. Epub 2011 Nov 23. PubMed PMID: 22111516.
8.       Ishikawa H, Saeki T, Otani T, Suzuki T, Shimozuma K, Nishino H, Fukuda S, Morimoto K. Aged garlic extract prevents a decline of NK cell number and activity in patients with advanced cancer. J Nutr. 2006 Mar;136(3 Suppl):816S-820S. PubMed PMID: 16484572.
9.       Stamets P. Turkey Tail Mushrooms Help Immune System Fight Cancer. [Internet]. HuffPost2012 June. Available from: Turkey Tail Mushrooms Help Immune System Fight Cancer.
10.    Ashfaq MK, Zuberi HS, Anwar Waqar M. Vitamin E and beta-carotene affect natural killer cell function. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2000;51 Suppl:S13-20. PubMed PMID: 11271852.
11.    Erickson KL, Medina EA, Hubbard NE. Micronutrients and innate immunity. J Infect Dis. 2000 Sep;182 Suppl 1:S5-10. Review. PubMed PMID: 10944478.
12.    Bush B, Mo S. Natural killer cells – Canaries in the immunological coal mine. [Internet]. https://neuroendoimmune.wordpress.com2011 May. Available from: https://neuroendoimmune.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/natural-killer-cells-canaries-in-the-immunological-coal-mine/.
13.    Irwin M, McClintick J, Costlow C, Fortner M, White J, Gillin JC. Partial night sleep deprivation reduces natural killer and cellular immune responses in humans. FASEB J. 1996 Apr;10(5):643-53. PubMed PMID: 8621064.

About the Writer
Erin Chamerlik is the founder of Get Better Wellness, Inc., a wellness-focused health and nutrition education company located in Nashville, TN. Learn how you can reach optimal health through a whole food eating plan that integrates ancient wisdom with an innovative, science-based approach to health and wellness.

Erin extends her message through podcasts, public workshops, social media (Twitter, FaceBook, Pinterest and Instagram) and she blogs at GetBetterWellness.com