I say “stressors,” but in reality it’s the perception of those stressors that creates a stress response in the body. There are three basic categories of stress (Good, Tolerable, and Toxic) and how long you have been perceiving life events as stressful can determine whether or not it is toxic. Let me give you an example of each.

• Good: Preparing for a vacation or birthday party. This could be a good stressor, short term, no need to go into fight or flight.
• Tolerable: Driving to work. Your perception of this stressor determines if you choose to use the time wisely and listen to an audio book or you devolve into a road rage machine!
• Toxic: This stressor could be acute or chronic. It could be moving, losing a loved one, a break-up, or even a tolerable stressor that continues for a long period of time. Toxic stressors create a physiological change in the body; specifically your brain and your hormones.

Some signs of chronic stress that are noticeable are; fatigue, exhaustion, circles under the eyes, swelling ankles, dizziness, and insomnia to name a few. But there are also other effects on the inside that can’t always be seen such as our brain, gut, hormones and heart. Recent research has shown that for women in particular, stress can increase our risk for heart attack.

How Stress Negatively Affects the Brain

So let’s talk more about the effects of stress going on below the surface, and how that manifest into symptoms we see and experience.

When we are experiencing chronic, toxic stress, one of the most important parts of our body that is affected is our brain; specifically the hippocampus and the pre-frontal cortex shrink. That’s right, stress SHRINKS your brain!

The hippocampus is an area of the brain where we store memories and the pre-frontal cortex is where we rationalize data, assess our environment and make decisions. This shrinking of essential parts of the brain can be the reason why we can be really irrational and forgetful when we are stressed. Those we know with anxiety may have difficulty in school or in their jobs, and this is why! Remember, poor focus is a result of anxiety or stress so we must address the cause, the earlier the better. It’s not just adults that can be affected by stress, but teens and children as well. Many times adults dismiss the idea that children can have stress, but by definition, your stress is their stress. Stress hormones are passed on in mother’s milk and family stress is felt by everyone. 

One more thing that chronic stress contributes to is hyperpermeability (another word for leaky) of the blood-brain barrier. Once thought to be a sacred, impermeable barrier protecting our brain from the toxins and trash we put in our body, the blood brain barrier becomes vulnerable. The chemicals put out by a stressed person causes adverse changes in the neuro-vascular system, making it easier for toxins from a leaky gut to make their way via the bloodstream into the brain. This toxic load has been linked to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Neuro-inflammatory conditions are a hot topic these days, but it’s often a self imposed condition that can be avoided, not an inevitability.

Symptoms of Stress on the Brain:

•  Decreased ability to concentrate and focus
• Weakened impulse control
• Reckless behavior
• Irritability
• Impaired decision making
• Anxiety
• Alzheimer’s
• Dementia
• ALS

How Stress Affects the Gut, Sleep and Hormones

When we are in a toxic stress response, it doesn’t only affect our brain, but also our hormones. There are three primary stress hormones: adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol. One or more of these hormones interacts with every cell in the body. The reason it does that is because if we are face to face with danger, the whole body needs to jump into action. So what are some things the body might not need to perform in the face of perceived danger? Well for one, digestion, and another is sleep. Stressed out people tend to suffer from poor digestion and insomnia. How many parents do you know that have poor digestion and are sleep challenged? How many kids?

Chronic stress can have adverse effects on our ability to break down food as well as protect us from pathogens. Elevated cortisol slows the repair of the gut lining, thereby creating a doorway for pathogens to enter the bloodstream. A 2018 study “Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology” by F. Dabhar showed that chronic stress acts as an immunosuppressant, meaning you have impaired wound healing, lowered resistance to infection and cancer, and increased production of inflammatory cytokines. Pro-inflammatory cytokines perpetuate pain and inflammation in the body.

In addition to “stress” hormones, the adrenals are also responsible for producing several other hormones such as: aldosterone which regulates blood pressure, estrogen and progesterone in post menopausal women, anti-diuretic hormone for water balance, cortisol, DHEA, and testosterone. That’s a lot of stuff for two tiny glands each the size of an almond! The body is dependent on these glands to protect us when we are under stress, even at the expense of sacrificing other hormone production. So the longer we remain stressed the lower the production of our supporting hormones. If the adrenals are told that we have stress, production of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol becomes the priority and the results aren’t pretty. Blood pressure may become dysregulated, we may not make androgenic hormones (sex hormones), and if left untreated, chronic stress can even lead to low T, belly fat, and hot flashes. We really do need to take care of those adrenal glands!

Symptoms of Stress on the Body

• Poor digestion
• Insomnia
• Inflammation
• Lowered resistance to infection
• High blood pressure
• Low libido
• Weight gain (especially belly!)
• Hot flashes

What You Can Do

I expect for some of you reading this, down time may be an issue.  You are juggling a lot of responsibilities, and it can be hard to prioritize your health when there are so many other people and things to take care of.  But guess what; you can’t take care of anyone if you don’t take care of yourself! The act of self-care has never been more important. Having lived out of the country in slower paced environments, I can tell you there is benefit to stepping out of the fast lane from time to time and replenishing yourself.

We all need to find the time to relax, to be calm and introspective. Some say you have to schedule it in, while others say you need to be more spontaneous about it. I have found that a little of both is needed. Planning personal time into your week, whether it’s a 15 minute period of meditation at the start or end of your day, a yoga class, a daily commune with nature, a set time to read, etc., is a necessary part of your productive lifestyle. As for the spontaneous part, be on the lookout for opportunities, deviations from the plan that would include some “down time.”

Here’s a couple of ideas for spontaneous moments:

1. You need to go to the post office for stamps, the grocery store, and stop at the pet store for dog food. Instead of 3 stops, get your stamps at the grocery store and while at the pet store stop and look at the fish, kittens or puppies for a minute or two. Spend a couple of minutes with a smile on your face, with stress free, purposeful calm.
2. You take the kids to practice and the usual routine is you sit and chat with the other parents. While this can be considered down time, only you can say if that’s true. Is it really? Or is it just part of the problem? Change it if needed. You’ll be glad you did, especially if you have limited “me” time. Quality time management is so important!

It’s easy to get distracted from our mission, and before you know it an hour has passed and now we are behind. The most common place for this to occur is getting sucked into social media or TV. Purposeful calm is just that, purposeful. Intentional distraction means you’re still in control and it’s not mindless deviation. So whether it’s planned down time or spontaneous purposeful calm, enjoy the benefits of refueling your spirit, your body, your mind.

Quality down time can help with that stress response and benefit our adrenal glands, brain, and digestive system. For some, quality down time needs to look like a 20-30 minute nap. Simply getting horizontal can boost adrenal function for the rest of the day. This is especially important for those who don’t sleep well. You don’t even have to go to sleep, just set an alarm, listen to something relaxing, and give the adrenals a break from all the hard work they do. 

The key is to discover what fits into your routine, where can you slow down and replenish? Your body will thank you for it. And remember, quality down time doesn’t have to be time spent by yourself. Many people love spending quality time with family members and friends.

Make time to call that friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with, but never see. Have lunch with a sibling or significant other. Host a game night. Plan a vacation! The options are endless and should be something that brings YOU joy and rejuvenation.

All we can do is minimize your stress response, because let’s be real, we all have stressful situations in our lives. 

Here are some other ideas to positively affect our perception and response to stressors:

• Get enough sleep: 7-8 hours is ideal
• Eat a clean diet
• Take a short nap between 12pm and 2pm, lay down for a couple minutes if no nap is possible (being horizontal is key!)
• Meditate or do deep breathing exercises
• Spend time outside in nature
• Use a planner or calendar to plan your activities to allow for down time

You will be excited to know that meditation increases the size of the prefrontal cortex! Reversing the damage caused by chronic stress. All of these things are free for the most part and are a great start to decreasing our stress response, yet we continue to avoid making them part of our lifestyle, sometimes because we don’t even have enough energy to make a positive change. So how do we get the support we need while making the lifestyle changes we want?

For some patients I recommend calming herbs or supplements to break the chronic stress response. I may also recommend support for the adrenal glands, rebooting the HPA axis (hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenals), or working on blood sugar/digestive pathways. There is no one answer as each person is unique and requires an individual course of action.

Here are some of the most common products I recommend:

• Adrenal Tonic
• Ashwaganda Complex
• Drenamin
• Adrenal Complex
• Dessicated Adrenal
• B Stress Complex
• High Stress Adrenal
• Minchex
• Restful Mind

Call my office to schedule an appointment if you need support managing the stress in your life and I would be happy to work with you to a happier, more relaxed life!

Dr. Virginia Irby DC ACN

916-844-2800

Virbydc@gmail.com

2371 Iron Point Rd. Ste. 130

Folsom, CA 95630

Here are some examples of the children I have seen recently…

1. A 9 year old girl who presents slightly overweight, with her skin darkened around her neck and armpits. She craves sweets and her MD has suggested she may be pre-diabetic.
2. A 7 year old boy presents with anxiety about going to school and gets tummy aches on the way to the point where mom has to turn around and go home. He has missed 50- 60% of his school days in the first 2 months of school.
3. A 15 year old with acne and mood swings. Bad PMS and an inability to focus on her schoolwork. Her MD wants to put her on birth control.
4. A newborn infant who can’t poop without a suppository.
5. A 4 year old boy with sleep issues and difficulty at pre-school. He causes disruption with other children and falls asleep during school time.
6. A 13 year old girl with a rash across the shoulders and under the bra line. Moderately overweight, she has trouble going to sleep at night and craves sugar, bread, fruit, etc.

These are very real challenges that many families are facing. Oftentimes, through no fault of their own, these children are struggling with everyday activities. Sitting for several hours trying to focus on what the teacher says, getting along with siblings and others who might create conflict, sleeping soundly through the night; we should all be able to do these things, but sometimes we have challenges. Fortunately however, it can be improved. What we are learning about the gut-brain connection is that there are many ways a child’s gut and digestive capacity can be a contributing cause to their inability to focus, concentrate, have appropriate behavior etc. They may have been exposed to any number of causative or contributing factors in order to get to this place.

Here are some reasons why your child, family friend, or grandchild may be struggling with one or more of the above examples.

• Cesarean birth
• Adrenal stress
• Antibiotics
• A poor diet
• Excess sugar in the diet
• Fast food
• Excess family stress
• Sodas
• Drinking out of plastic water bottles
• Prescription medications

When a child is born, there are certain things that should be present, one of those is good gut flora (the bacteria that normally live in the digestive tract that digests their food). The immune system is also very intimate with the digestive tract and so important to the long term health of each and every child. Long term complications of poor digestive health can include learning difficulties, ADHD like symptoms, reflux, acne, constipation, obesity, anxiety and so much more.

Most of us have no idea where our initial exposure to that good bacteria comes from; its mom! During the delivery process mom shares her good bacteria with baby. There are many ways to mess this up, but happily there are also many ways to restore it.

Diet can be one of those key ways to restore and maintain your child’s health. Beginning at birth, whenever possible, your child should be breastfed. When this is not possible, because the brain is developing at such an amazing rate and those good fats are vital to proper development, think about adding DHA and EPA (sources of Omega 3s) to their diet. If there has been a C section birth then probiotics are also necessary to provide that good bacteria that is missing. For infants there are specific probiotics that are needed. For youth, teens, and adults there are a variety of probiotic options, which could also include fermented veggies. As infants grow, their diet should also include plenty of vegetables with a variety of colors, protein (both plant and animal), good fats, and nuts and seeds. Many times we find that children have favorite foods or habits that eliminate completely one or more of these food groups. For a short time this may not be a big deal, but over several months and growth periods, we can see deficiencies develop, behaviors change, and health deteriorate.

Think of a growing child like a house being built. There are certain things under construction at certain times, and once the slab is poured for example, it is too late to put an extra sink in the kitchen. Windows of opportunity open and close quickly, and when they are open, we need all the nutrients available or something will be built to a lesser quality. Not our ideal outcome. Nutrition can be fun and interesting for our young ones, however it does require us to put in some effort. We can’t routinely run through fast food or make them food from a box, we need to shop the perimeter of the grocery store, go to the farmers market (with the kids), and include them in the food preparation process as soon as they are able. When they are educated at a young age as to why healthy food is so important, they will make better choices when they are on their own. If we do have to get food on the go, consider going to the grocery store and picking up healthier options, maybe some fruit, some deli meat, etc. If you tell your kids that as a treat you are taking them to McDonald’s, what message does that send? The message is that fast food must be the best, when in fact it is the worst. They use the lowest quality foods, they are not organic, and have the longest shelf life so they are very difficult to digest, therefore providing us with the least amount of nutrition.

So when do we begin to be concerned about our child’s health? Ideally pre-conception. If that’s not an option, at birth. If that ship has sailed, now! It’s never too late to begin a healthier lifestyle. Start simply with a healthy breakfast. Protein, a good fat, and a fruit or vegetable are all contained in a healthy breakfast. Some options to consider are:

• Smoothies with fresh fruit, veggies, protein powder, a non-dairy beverage
• Eggs fixed any style – fried, poached, hard boiled, frittata, etc
• Leftover dinner from the night before
• Whole grain cereals low in sugar with non-dairy beverage (oatmeal, buckwheat, etc)
• Overnight oats – tons of recipes on Pinterest
• Paleo muffins made with almond flour and coconut flour

It’s so much fun to be creative in the kitchen! And the benefits are so many for our children and ourselves. Healthier families create less stress for everyone, save us money on healthcare costs, and keep our children functioning at optimum physical, emotional, and social levels. It’s a win-win.

CONTACT:

Dr. Virginia S. Irby D.C.,DABCO, ACN

Cascade Chiropractic

2371 Iron Point Rd. Ste. 130

Folsom, CA 95630

916-844-2800

The family of pathogens that fungus falls into is commonly known as the Fungus, Mold, Yeast Family. These organisms like to set up housekeeping in moist, warm areas so think sinus, ears, vaginal, armpit, under the breast, mouth and in hot shoes.

Most of us at one time or another thought that we needed to eliminate all bacteria, fungus, mold, and yeast from our environment, however that would not be a good idea. Antibiotic resistant microbes are proof of that with the possibility of C. Diff resulting. C. Diff is a very dangerous life-threatening gut infection often the result of the destruction of too many resident microbes.

There are several billion gut microbes that we actually need in our bodies to help us digest our food, make enzymes and hormones, and more. Without these commensal or co-habitating organisms we could be less than healthy, in fact, some say we could not exist! There are 10x as many bacterial cells in the body as human cells. These cells protect us against the overgrowth of unwanted pathogens so we need to take care of them, feed them, and try NOT to kill them off.

If there are so many of them, how do they get out of balance? Well, WE do that to them sadly and here are some ways that can happen.

1. Antibiotics: Killing off most of the good guys and only a few of the more resistant bad guys almost always leaves us with an imbalance and the impending yeast infection, thrush, or recurrent initial infection. Studies show it can take 3-12 months to restore gut flora to some semblance of normal.
2. Sugar intake/ Type 2 Diabetes: Sugar feeds yeast, if you have ever made bread, the activating factors are warm water and sugar. Once combined the yeast takes off and multiplies like crazy.
3. Prescription Drugs: Many times Rx drugs cannot be avoided, however there is nearly always a consequence. The gut lining replaces itself every three to five days, this can be interfered with by many prescriptions as they have an inflammatory action on the fragile cells, thus resulting in an intestinal lining that becomes hyper-permeable. You may be familiar with this condition as Leaky Gut. The inflammatory state disrupts the mucus lining of the gut and leaves the good bacteria no place to live.
4. Stress: We all have some level of stress, sometimes good and sometimes bad. Being excited about an upcoming event is good stress, but there are many types of bad stress. The challenge is that we produce cortisol, an adrenal hormone, as a result of stress, and cortisol slows the repair of the intestinal lining, also leading to damage and inflammation.
5. Sodas, sugary drinks and alcohol: Sugar in this form is often not considered a contributor to a fungal or pathogenic overgrowth. However, fruit juice, excess fruit consumption, sodas, and alcohol all turn into sugar. So, much the same way as a diabetic suffers from excess blood sugar so does the person who consumes too much sugar in its natural state.

Let’s explore for a minute how we got our initial gut flora. When you were born, if you were fortunate to have a non-cesarean birth, you were covered in good microbes that your body absorbed and incorporated into your immune system. If you were breast fed this sharing of beneficial microbes continued as the anti-bodies in mothers milk were passed on to you. If you were fed good, whole, unprocessed food…. and on and on.

For some of us, this was not the case; our mother was raised in an allopathic model, where C-sections, antibiotics, and formula were the norm, or were unavoidable. If that is the case don’t dismay, it simply means you need to up your game if you suffer from stealth pathogens such as fungus, mold or yeast.

There is good news!! There are things we can incorporate into our daily routine that will help us on our path:

1. Eat more garlic, ginger, and onion
2. Eat whole food, unprocessed, not from a box
3. Drink water and herbal teas
4. Wear breathable shoes if you have nail fungus
5. Eliminate wheat and dairy when warranted

If you’re already being proactive and feel more support is needed, there are more advanced courses of action you can take:

1. A stealth pathogen protocol (supervised by Dr. Virginia)
2. Topical herbal tinctures
3. A gut restoration protocol (supervised by Dr. Virginia)
4. An elimination diet or weight loss program to balance blood sugar

Fungal infections often get misdiagnosed and are challenging to eliminate. Complicating conditions can include SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) , SIFO (small intestine fungal overgrowth), gas, bloating, GERD, and reflux, in which case many allopathic approaches might be an over the counter or prescription antacid. This approach is rarely the best option and in fact is contrary to alleviating the underlying cause of the fungal infection wherever it resides. This is because the pH balance of the gut should in fact be acidic and not alkaline. An acid environment helps to kill the bad bacteria also.

There are so many ways to compromise our health, and so many ways to improve it. As informed consumers we get to choose! Being committed to a healthier lifestyle is something you can do to improve your overall health, do it for you, do it NOW!

CONTACT:

Dr. Virginia S. Irby D.C.,DABCO, ACN

Cascade Chiropractic

2371 Iron Point Rd. Ste. 130

Folsom, CA 95630

916-844-2800

Digestion, as we know it in the functional nutrition world, begins with our foods journey entering the mouth, where chewing initiates the production of saliva. It then continues on through to the stomach where protein is digested, we call this Upper Digestion or Phase 1. In the next step it dumps into the small intestine where liver and pancreatic enzymes join the party and at this point it no longer resembles the hamburger or salad that you ate; think of this as Phase 2. Enzymes and good bacteria do a majority of the digesting of fats and carbohydrates here. Vitamins, amino acids, and fatty acids are moved from the intestine through the gut wall to the blood stream. Once the food has completed its journey through the small intestine it moves on to the large intestine; Phase 3. The large intestine is where more of our nutrients and water are reabsorbed back into the blood stream leaving only the trash to be eliminated.

Whew! That’s a lot of changes just to get lunch to turn into ATP (the energy a cell needs to function).

What does it look like if our digestive system isn’t working right?

• Indigestion
• IBS – Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Heartburn
• Diarrhea
• Reflux/GERD
• Constipation
• Weight Gain
• Floating stools
• Bloating/Gas
• Colitis
• Burping after meals
• Hemorrhoids
• Bad breath
• Ulcers
• Thin/Cracking nails
• Thinning hair

Some of these symptoms are pretty serious, and it’s important to treat the root cause of the problem, not just the symptoms.

But what ARE the causes of digestive issues?

These and more can lead to a disrupted digestive system. I have patients who have been on prescription medications for years that are intended to be used for a maximum of 6 weeks, while others have had to have sections of their bowel removed due to chronic inflammation, as in Chrohn’s or colitis. If we don’t fix the underlying issue when our symptoms begin, often times the body will adapt and continue to deteriorate. It is always a good idea to look for the underlying condition so that we can resume a homeostatic or balanced gut function as soon as possible.

This problem is HUGE!!

In 2014 Americans spent approximately $2,000,000,000 (billion) on antacid tablets and liquids such as: Omeprazole, Tums, Prilosec, Rolaids, Zantac, Pepto Bismol, etc. I would say that digestion is a pretty big problem, and sadly none of these actually fix the underlying problem.

To begin to address the underlying cause, we need to talk about physiology for a minute. The normal pH of the stomach is very acidic, between 1 and 2, (like battery acid) so that we can absorb our minerals and digest our protein. Antacids change the pH of the stomach to anywhere between 5 and 11 which is very alkaline, and it can lead to reduced symptoms, however we no longer digest our protein or absorb our minerals very well. This type of fix is like the oil light flashing on your car dashboard and you removing the light-bulb! Not a good long term fix right??

Like the low oil in your car signaling the light to come on, low levels of digestive enzymes can trigger heartburn, indigestion and slow stomach emptying. Oftentimes what we need is an up-regulation of the quality or quantity of digestive enzymes to make protein digestion in the stomach more efficient and promote the emptying of the stomach contents into the small intestine. When this happens, it sets up a chain reaction for the rest of the digestive system to function more effectively! Its a win-win!

So what are some things we can do at home?

1. Chew our food really well
2. Try not to drink too much liquid during mealtime so that we don’t dilute our acid. If you’re over 50, you may need to consider a digestive enzyme since you make less stomach acid
3. Avoid alkaline water unless you have a specific condition that warrants it
4. Don’t eat and watch TV or eat and drive, or eat and play on your phone. Eating is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is rest and digest, so just eat for best results
5. Avoid high sugar foods
6. Eat organic when possible to reduce your pesticide and herbicide exposure

If those aren’t enough, it may be necessary to get some whole food supplement or herbal digestive support from your local functional nutritionist or holistic healthcare provider

When digestion is working well, we are converting food into energy, we have less cravings, we optimize our fuel efficiency, we are providing our body with the needed nutrients to make repairs and build muscle and bones.

In summary, as we optimize digestion, we improve the breakdown of our food, we eliminate more efficiently, and we glean more energy and nutrients from our food allowing us to eat less and store less. What do you need to do to improve your digestion? Let us help you figure out which component needs support.

Sources: www.statista.com/statistics/194538/leading-us-antacid-tablet-vendors-in-2013-based-on-sales/

CONTACT:

Dr. Virginia S. Irby D.C.,DABCO, ACN

Cascade Chiropractic

2371 Iron Point Rd. Ste. 130

Folsom, CA 95630

916-844-2800