Data collected on Fitbits and Smartphones worn by 1^st year medical interns has shown that an irregular sleep/wake schedule could have an increased risk of altered mood and depression if the behavior is persistent. 

Staying up late and getting fewer hours of sleep overall are contributing factors to this new study.  I think we have all had the experience of losing sleep for one reason or another, and I can tell you from my experience you can’t make it up.  Several days of late-night studies, or a couple double shifts a few times a month and you’re on your way to sleep patterns that could adversely affect your health.  Families with young children are well aware of the effects of sleep deprivation as are night shift workers.   I know I am talking to some of you seniors also, who think you can stay up till 1am several nights a week and sleep until 9 or 10am, just because you’re retired doesn’t mean that sleep isn’t important. 

Did you know that during the night your brain actually shrinks so that a fluid known as glymph can come in and clean all the trash and cellular waste out of the brain?  When that sleep is disrupted or shortened the cleaning process is less than complete and that can result in brain fog, neuroinflammation, and diminished cognition or ability to think clearly.  The recommended amount of sleep is between 7 and 8 hours for adults and for younger children between 8-10 hours. This study from the University of Missouri Medical School found that those interns with consistent schedules and adequate rest scored better on mood scales and had a decreased risk of depression.

 This past year has been difficult with respect to keeping to a schedule when there is no schedule.  School has been from home, work has been from home, and social activities have been canceled, leaving us to binge watch TV and endless hours of gaming,  and all in our pajamas!  There has been an incredible increase in depression and anxiety among our young people this past year, and perhaps there is something we can do about it without prescription drugs and psychotherapy.  We can start by creating an age-appropriate established sleep/wake pattern, at least 5 days a week.

Tips for a healthy sleep:

1. Eat dinner at least 2-3 hours prior to bedtime
2. Turn off your cell phones and pads at least an hour before bed
3. Take a warm shower if you have a difficult time with sleep onset
4. Drink a cup of chamomile, lemon grass, or lemon balm tea an hour before bed to help with calming
5. Listen to a relaxing podcast or music before bedtime
6. Turn off wifi if you have EMF sensitivity, or at least place your phone 6ft from your bed.

Sleep is sacred as it holds the potential of dreams and allows for the restoration of our most cherished possession, our health.  If you are having difficulties with sleep onset or maintenance give us a call and let’s discuss what can be done to help. 

Contact me today!

916-844-2800

virbydc@gmail.com

Cascade Chiropractic & Nutrition

2371 Iron Point Rd #130

Folsom, CA 95682

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

In 2011, the World Health Organization classified EMFs as “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” after a series of studies showed a soft correlation between EMFs and brain cancer. Think of EMFs as radio waves, cell phone waves, smart meters, computers, some cars, and satellite communications. These waves surround us all on some level 24/7. Studies have shown that non-ionizing radiation does in fact change the shape of our red blood cells as they circulate in the body. If they are the wrong shape they don’t carry the nutrients they are supposed to, they don’t fit down the tiny capillaries they are supposed to, and they can become damaged if exposed over time. Since red blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients to our cells to help with repairs of tissues and new cell formation, it is vital that these cells remain intact and healthy. The primary organs affected by this type of radiation are the brain, nervous system and heart. Peer reviewed, published studies link EMFs to health problems including: fatigue, headaches, sleep problems, anxiety, heart problems, learning and memory disorders, increased cancer risk, and more. One very important body function shown to be affected by EMFs is sleep. During sleep we clean the brain, we make repairs to the organs, and regroup for the next busy day.

What can we do to reduce our exposure to EMFs?

1. Put your wifi on a timer to go off at night when you sleep and come back on when you wake. A christmas tree light timer works well.
2. You can also turn your phone to airplane mode at night or when it is on your person.
3. You can locate the smart meter on your home or apartment and make sure you are not closer than 8-10 feet from it when sleeping or spending any length of time. If you aren’t sure what a smart meter is: it’s the PG&E meter that measures how much electricity or gas your home uses. If it is too close you can have it removed (for a fee) or move your sleeping quarters. You can also purchase shielding material to put on the wall to reduce EMF exposure.
4. You can place an EMF shield on or under your electronic device (an example is Defender Shield).
5. Use the speaker on your cell phone when talking on the phone.
6. Avoid bluetooth whenever possible (I recently purchased an airtube device that minimizes the EMF exposure to my brain when using my earbuds.)

What about children?

The very young are especially susceptible to EMF radiation as their skull is not yet fully developed and these waves can pass through their softer bone easier than that of an adult. There are lap pads for their electronic devices that they can use to protect themselves when using a device while not sitting at a desk, check it out! Babies in utero are even more sensitive to EMFs than children due to the rapidly dividing cells. I had a new patient come in with a sweatshirt on with the pocket in the front and her cellphone in it. When she informed me that she was pregnant, we had a whole conversation about EMFs, which she knew very little about, but was more than happy to hear and act on. A recent study found that children with the most exposure to cell phones in utero were 80% more likely to have emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity or problems with peers than those in the control group. It is important to remember that our nervous system is like an electrical miracle. If we interfere with the electrical impulses of our body we can expect miscommunication! Remember, wireless baby monitors can also contribute to baby’s exposure, so get a battery operated one if you feel your child needs less EMF.

We need to pass this information around to those we work with, family members with weird unexplained symptoms, parents with children who are challenged with focus and concentration issues, friends who have trouble sleeping. We are now being bombarded with 5G, we don’t even know what to expect from this new wave, no pun intended, of tech pollution, so we are going to have to minimize our personal exposure as much as possible.

How do you check your exposure?

The first thing you can do is check where your nearest cell phone tower is as these are sources of EMF. Go to antennasearch.com to find out where they are relative to your home, school, work. You can also purchase an EMF detector to test your home, this can help identify hot spots in your environment and from there you can decide how to protect yourself.

The bottom line here is, tech is here to stay and the adverse effects are something we need to be aware of and it’s something we have the ability to protect ourselves from on many levels. Now, let’s talk about nutritional support if you are suffering from the effects of EMF exposure.

Supporting the nervous system can be accomplished by eating foods rich in antioxidants like:

• Brocolli, spinach, tomatoes
• Salmon, eggs
• Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries

There are also supplements for those unable to reduce their EMF load due to work environment or living situation such as: OPC Synergy, Magnesium Lactate, Ginkgo Forte

If we are diligent, we can reduce our personal load and that of our family. Remember, you can’t un-know stuff, so if you have more questions about protecting yourself and your family from EMFs do not hestiate to contact me!

CONTACT:

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

Cascade Chiropractic & Nutrition

2371 Iron Point Rd. Ste. 130

Folsom, CA 95630

916-844-2800

I expect for some of you reading this down time may be an issue, so let’s start with what happens during our most important down time, sleep. For some, sleep comes naturally and unadulterated, while for others it is a dance, with bad music, bad partners, and a dance floor covered in mud. It can be hard to find the rhythm. Perhaps small children are in your life right now, or a partner who snores, or you travel for your job, or perhaps you just don’t know why! It happens! Sometimes our sleep issues are things we don’t think could contribute like a poor diet, improper digestion, a Rx side effect, chronic adrenal stress (from caring for a loved one, a job you don’t love, a difficult personal situation) or hormone disruption. Hormone disruption is defined as menopause, birth control, blood sugar issues, stress, etc. Needless to say, there are a multitude of reasons why sleep may evade us.

Is Sleep Really that Important to our Health?

Did you know that recent research has shown that there is a specific kind of lymph in the brain called glymph? Think of the lymphatic system as the sewer system of the body, it follows our circulatory system so goes everywhere we have blood, and picks up the trash we made as a result of our daily cellular processes. The glymphatic system is a waste clearance pathway specifically for the central nervous system; the brain and spinal cord. Glymph cleans up all our brain’s trash during our sleep cycles. It ONLY works when you sleep. It also has other important functions such as the distribution of glucose, neurotransmitters, fats and amino acids, all vital for a properly functioning brain.

Recent studies indicate a failure of the glymphatic system (poor sleep) may contribute to pathology in neurodegenerative disorders (think Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Dementia), brain trauma, and stroke (1 Science Daily 2/27/19). The deeper the sleep the better, so if you have a sleep issue it’s important to get to the underlying cause and fix it, not just cover it up with a prescription. Drinking plenty of water, regular exercise, and getting enough good sleep are all essential to a well functioning glymphatic system.

Purposeful Calm

Many of us suffer from being wired and tired. That means that we are up at 6am take care of our daily responsibilities and finally fall into bed by 11pm or midnight. Maybe we found time to go to the gym and do some strenuous cardio or run a few miles (hard on the adrenals by the way if they are not amazing) and we put that last load of laundry in just before crashing. Now you’re laying there in bed pondering all the things you didn’t get done, or need to do tomorrow, but, most importantly, you’re not sleeping! So tragic! All you need is sleep, but it doesn’t come. We 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 its 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!

Its 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 its planned down time or spontaneous purposeful calm, enjoy the benefits of refueling your spirit, your body, your mind.

Quality down time can also benefit our adrenal glands, thyroid, 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. Remember, stressed out adrenals can keep you awake at night by making too much cortisol, so be nice to them!

The act of self-care has never been more important with our busy lifestyles. 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. 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 movie night. Plan a vacation! The options are endless and should be something that brings YOU joy and rejuvenation.

To finish today, I want to offer some practical solutions to improve your sleep.

Solutions for Improving your Health through Standard Process and MediHerb

If sleep is an issue you must first identify the cause…

1. If a snoring partner, you know what you need to do. Move them or you. Eliminating allergens, starting a detox program, and losing weight can all help with snoring.
2. If you have a hormone issue you may need to balance them with lifestyle changes, herbs or start a detox program. Lab and saliva test can help us determine if hormones are keeping you from sleeping.
3. If you have stress or anxiety there are whole food supplements and herbs that can be helpful while you establish a healthier lifestyle and/or wean off anti-anxiety meds. Some examples are:

• Adrenal Complex
• Ashwaganda Complex
• Drenamin
• Adrenal Tonic
• Dessicated Adrenal

To work with me on a plan specific to your needs and concerns, call my office to schedule an appointment!

CONTACT:

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

Cascade Chiropractic & Nutrition

2371 Iron Point Rd, Ste 130

Folsom, CA 95630

916-844-2800

virbydc@gmail.com

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