Transcript Beyond Tomorrow

Beyond Tomorrow
THE 2012 ECMS CONFERENCE
GERALD QUIGLEY
What role do I play in health?
 Pharmacist
 Master Herbalist
 Radio talkback on health : 3AW, Magic 1278, 6PR, 2CC,
3GG
 Health editor for the Priceline Website
 Consultant to many big Pharma and natural therapy
companies
 TV gigs: TT, ACA, The Circle
Beyond Tomorrow
 Health – mental, physical, emotional, spiritual,
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others
Happiness and my position in life
Can a pill give me these aspects?
What about stress?
Does diet & lifestyle play an important role?
Summary
Stress – a daily challenge
 We have inbuilt and basic control mechanisms
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specifically geared to counteracting the everyday stresses
or life
If stress is extreme, unusual or log-lasting, issues arise
General adaptation syndrome:
Alarm
Resistance
Exhaustion
The Adrenal Gland
 The hormone factory
 Two parts: inner part for the nervous system, and the
outer layer for hormone production
 Exhausted adrenals: stressed out, tired, prone to
allergies
 Excessive adrenal activity: elevated blood pressure,
anxiety, depression, elevated blood sugar, elevated
cholesterol
The social readjustment rating scale
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Death of a spouse …………..…..100
Divorce…………………………..……73
Gain a new family member.…..39
Trouble with the in-laws……….29
Trouble with the boss……………23
Change in work……………….……20
Change in sleeping habits….…..16
Holidays…………………………….…13
Christmas………………………….….12
Stress management
 Factors involved:
- Reduce the amount of stress our body has to dealt with
- Counteract the effects of stress
- Supply the body with nutritional support esp potassium
- Supply nutrients for adrenal hormone synthesis and
function eg B-complex vitamins esp Vit B5, Vit C, zinc
and magnesium
Exercise as a stress reducer
 Improved cardiovascular function ie decreased heart
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rate, improved heart contraction, lower blood
pressure, lower cholesterol levels
Reduced secretion of adrenaline in response to stress
Improved oxygen and nutrient use in all tissues
Increased self esteem, mood and frame of mind
Increased endurance and energy levels
Relaxation vs Stress
 Reduced heart rate, reduced blood pressure
 Blood is moved towards internal organs esp digestion
 Decreased rate of breathing as oxygen demand is reduced
 Decreased sweat production
 Reduced digestive secretions
 Maintenance of blood sugar levels
Progressive relaxation
 Compares tension versus relaxation
 A muscle is contracted forcefully for 1 to 2 seconds then
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allowed to relax.
Start with the face and neck, then upper arms and chest,
lower arms and hands
Then abdomen, buttocks, thighs, calves and feet
May use verbal clues or visualization
Renews and refreshes the whole body and mind
Dietary guidelines
 Eliminate or restrict the intake of caffeine
 Eliminate or restrict the intake of alcohol
 Eliminate refined carbohydrates from the diet
 Design a healthful diet
 Eat regular planned meals in a relaxed environment
 Control food allergies
Caffeine
 Caffeine causes significant alterations of brain
chemistry
 Interferes with the amino acid adenosine – the
brain’s own Valium
 Caffeine stimulates the brain areas associated with
conscious mental processes – ideas become clearer,
thoughts flow more easily
 Anti-fatigue effects are short lived – they are
followed by increased fatigue
Alcohol
 Alcohol produces chemical stress on the body
 It also increases adrenal hormone output, interfering
with normal brain chemistry and sleep cycles
 Liver support: milk thistle
 Glass of wine with a meal helps digestion?
Refined carbohydrates and stress levels
 Sugar and white flour contribute to problems in
blood sugar control
 Low levels cause hypoglycemia, leading to a poorly
functioning brain, anxiety, dizziness, clouded vision,
blurred mental acuity, emotional instability,
confusion and abnormal behavior
 There’s a clear link between low blood sugar levels
and anxiety and depression
Self diagnosis of hypoglycaemia
 Crave sweets?
 Irritable if a meal is missed?
 Feel tired or weak if a meal is missed?
 Feel tired an hour or so after eating?
 Feel shaky at times?
 Afternoon fatigue?
 Dizziness when standing suddenly ?
 Mood swings?
 Frequently anxious or nervous?
The sodium to potassium ratio
 The adrenal glands can be supported by eating a
high-potassium diet along with plant based
medicines like ginseng
 High potassium foods include carrots, potato, apples,
banana, orange
 Additionally, almonds, raisins, peanuts, avocado,
garlic, spinach, mushrooms, broccoli
Stressed Out? Tricks to Avoid Emotional Eating
 Know the triggers – workload, “to-do” list
 Ask “am I really hungry?” – wait out the craving
 Stock up on healthy eats – yoghurt + cereal
 Use distractions – 10 minute walk, have a chat
 Pretend it doesn’t exist – out of sight, out of mind
 Be healthy – exercise, sleep
Stress may be tougher on Women’s Hearts than
Men’s
 “heart blood flow increases in men when they
experience mental stress, but does not change in
women”
 Ref: American Physiological Society, news release,
April 24th 2012
 Conclusion: “Stress affects the hearts of women,
potentially putting them at greater risk of a coronary
event”
Sleep
 1st hour: heading towards deep sleep
 Half an hour later move into rapid eye movement
(REM) sleep (dreaming, and lasts for 10 minutes or
so)
 Move back to 3 or 4 sleep cycles of both deep and
light sleep
 So, sleep is a series of cycles
 The stress hormone cortisol, counteracts melatonin,
the sleep hormone
Sleep
 A good night’s sleep is powerful medicine
 Poor sleeping habits can exacerbate depression,
anxiety, bowel problems and lowered immunity
 Insomnia and restless sleep tends to be a pattern
 Develop a sleep hygiene program that’s all about
YOU!!
The gut-brain connection
 The brain and gut might be viewed as one system
 Eg: a “gut-wrenching experience”, or a certain
situation making you “feel nauseous, or “butterflies
in your stomach”
 Anger, anxiety, sadness, elation – can trigger
symptoms in the gut
Anxiety
 “unrealistic worry over everyday tasks”
 “worrying about something which hasn’t happened,
over which you have no control”
 Solutions: Protein-based meals (protein is made up
of amino acids which help heal the nervous system
and give nourishment to the brain)
 Solutions: B-group vitamin
Nutrition for a healthy body and mind
 The type of foods we eat can influence our mood
 Eg: Seafood lifts mood, take-away foods can depress
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mood
Exercise will never compensate for bad food choices
Low moods can influence appetite and metabolism
in such a way that you are more likely to gain weight
Nutrigenomics – the effect of nutrition on genes and
gene expression
Nutrigenetics – the effect of genes on nutrition and
Key foods
 Rye/multigrain/wholemeal (low GI breads)
 GI is a measure of how quickly glucose is absorbed in
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the blood following the ingestion of food
Butter NOT margarine
Cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
Avocardo, tahini, hummus
Berry jams (blueberry, raspberry, blackberry with
minimal processing
Key foods (cont)
 No processed or toasted cereals (no acrylamide)
 Seafood: smoked salmon, canned fish, cooked fish
 Canned fish in olive oil, tomato sauce, springwater or
brine
 Vegetables” brassica group eg vroccoli, cabbage, bok
choi. Onion group eg onions, spring onions, leeks,
garlic. Beetroot. Soy foods (best fermented) and
other legumes. Sweet potato (half the GI), spinach &
mushrooms
Key foods (cont)
 Fruit – best eaten before the main meal to reduce
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appetite
Tomatoes, berries, cherries, red grapes (red wine),
pomegranate, olives and olive oil
Seafood
Yoghurt
Pure honey
Nuts
Key foods (cont)
 Spices eg black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger
 Dark chocolate – the addition of cocoa to growing
cells stops their ageing by approx 80%!)
 Don’t change too many things at once…..steady cross
over to the healthy option
Can a pill make a difference?
 Prescription medicines for anxiety and sleep
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disorders (Australian Prescriber 2012)
Non-drug treatments are the first line
Limited use for the shortest period of time
Lack of convincing evidence
Care in an older person
Vitamins & Minerals
 B-group
 Multivitamin
 Magnesium
 Calcium
 Zinc
 Vitamin C
Herbs
 Valerian
 Chamomile
 Hops
 Passionflower
 Kava
 St Johns wort
 ginger
Others
 Omega-3 fatty acids
 Low GI carbohydrate range
 Protein generally
 Soda water
 Eggs
 Asparagus
 Onions
 Garlic
Thank you
 Your questions are welcome!