QUIK VIEW OF HEALTH: PHYSICAL, STRESS, WEIGHT
NAIL THIS DOWN...AND FINALLY IMPLEMENT!
This is the "QuikView", so you can scan/read what is necessary, but also link to what explains and/or implements the item.
"Just as the mind can affect the body, the body can affect the mind." (John J. Ratey, MD)
Read the following like a book consisting of outline points, consider them, then decide what to read as back up. But nail it down, decide, and then finally implement, now!
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Substitute movement for comfort food craving, and craving stops!
Weight puts stress on body, nervous system, heart, etc. - not acceptable.
No blood sugar level spikes, as insulin will save it to fat storage and stop the burning of fat!!!!
__ Stress kills!!! (plus it lowers quality of life, energy, length of life, effectiveness, relationships, etc., etc.)
Guaranteed resilience and reduction of stress can be achieved solely by physical means (beyond
"relaxation")
shields; this is called "stress inoculation"
"Challenges" are healthful, if...
Stress is stress - the difference is in degree (including duration)
Need "active coping" to limit stress - physical actions such as exercise and/or relaxation, other stress
reducing actions, renewal, burn-off and/or some way to bring about cessation
Physically can exercise self out of the stress/frenzy.
Recovery time - Stress must be paired with recovery, which will produce lots of benefits.
The Pause - Essential ingredient for "adjusting"
Exercise controls the emotions and physical feelings of stress and affects working of the cells and brain.
It should be used often and quickly in response to anxiety and other stresses.
Alarm System - Desensitize and deprogram it using physical means (can do this without psychological,
Stop the alarm asap, don't let it "practice" and groove in more, exercise and interrupt right away!
The stress response engraves a memory of what happened, in order to avoid it next time.
Brain functions activated: attention, energy, memory
Amygdala assigns "intensity" - whether a good or bad cause
Signals hippocampus (memory) to "record"
Signals higher brain (prefrontal cortex) to "evaluate" and respond
But sometimes it bypasses, to where you're not even conscious of it
The quick summary of what occurs chemically
Stimulates glucose released by liver
Blocks insulin receptors at nonessential tissues and organs, cuts flow to other areas.
Begins converting protein into glycogen and storing fat, which surplus is stored in belly.
Beefs up cells to cement the survival memory, shields neurons in that circuit from other
demands -may cut off other memories which have less "juice" so they are not "heard"
Adrenaline (epinephrine) - Converts glycogen, fatty acids into glucose
Activates big, necessary muscles, shuts down digestion, immune system, higher brain...
Chronic stress guzzles all the fuel to stay alert for the danger/threat --> thinking brain declines in
functionality
Impedes memory (hippocampus can end up shriveled)
Destroys connections between neurons
Makes it harder to learn
Impairs immune system, shuts related mechanisms down (misreplication causes cancer, toxins
and "germs" not properly handled create havoc elsewhere.
Stockpiling belly fat for energy source for the future (evolutionary, to adjust for famine)
Excitotoxic stress reduces energy conversion in cells, eventually putting it on a "death march",
because it has little energy to repair itself (result: Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, faster aging)
Cell dendrites atrophy
The amygdala keeps firing and becomes hyperreactive, perpetuating and causing more stress.
Evolutionary reducers of stress: Exercise, socializing (effects of socializing)
Substitute exercise for comfort substances, feel better, weight drops off quickly; and you'll find that
craving is stopped!
Low self esteem (or confidence) causes a lower stress threshold so one is more vulnerable to feeling
stressed
Must have outlets for frustration, a sense of control, and social support and "hope"
Stress inputs --> holding --> releasing, depleting stress - if not do the latter, will suffer
dangerous buildups. Simple formulas: Less stress in, more stress "out" = less stress held
Principle: Parts of the body compete for the limited resources, so overactivation in one part causes shut down or lowering in another.
Exercise is the highest return strategy of all.
Stress - Exercise controls the emotions and physical feelings of stress and affects working of the cells and
brain.
Protects cells with protective protein "layer", more effective than antioxidants!
Generates brain cells, increases ability to think, increases alertness, increases productivity dramatically
Causes the "buildup of waste-disposing enzymes, neuroprotective factors, and proteins that prevent the
naturally programmed death of cells."
__ Do this combination for long term health
Exercise, restrict calories (stop cravings as above), eat vegetables, use brain to learn (the latter actually affects weight!), sleep eight hours, do challenging (but not dangerous) activities
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