I don’t know about you, but I’ve reached my worry threshold. The world around me seems like a giant, roiling mess—what with my plummeting 401(k); my fears that finances will worsen before they improve; and my college loans, credit cards, and mortgages getting harder to come by. And don’t even get me started on the election. Yikes! Please, enough already! (And this is coming from a woman who can beat Pollyanna at optimism with eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back.)
I know that unrelenting stress is unhealthy. Stress hormones that drip continually into your system (instead of just occasionally, when they boost your heart rate and speed your breathing to help you deal with immediate emergencies) can suppress your immune system, disrupt your sleep, and trigger inflammation that plays into chronic diseases such as arthritis, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and gastrointestinal problems such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Since I can’t wish away my stress, I’ve decided to deal with it in a positive way. And since I made that decision, I’ve discovered that by simply admitting I’m really worried—and taking positive steps to lessen my fears—I feel better and more in control. Here’s what I’m doing to help reduce the unhealthy effects of the current drama in my life.
Start with a long-term strategy
Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea) is a Siberian herb that herbalists classify as an “adaptogen,” meaning it helps your body normalize its response to stress. Other herbs that fit into this group include Asian and American ginseng, astragalus, licorice, cordyceps, and reishi, among others.
In a new UCLA study, 10 people diagnosed with general anxiety disorder (GAD) took rhodiola for 10 weeks. Five of them experienced at least a 50% reduction in symptoms, which included exaggerated worry and tension, headaches, fatigue, sweating, nausea, and hot flashes. Who knew you could worry yourself into hot flashes?
Alexander Bystritsky, MD, director of the Anxiety Disorder Program at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, cautioned me via email that his study wasn’t conclusive because of its size and because rhodiola’s effects weren’t compared to a placebo. He hopes future studies will confirm his findings.
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Comments (5)
There is a lot of research showing how and why exercise should be recommended by doctors to their patients who suffer from anxiety, depression, etc…
A good primer for this subject is Dr John Ratay’s book: SPARK: The revolutionary new sciences of exercise and the brain
To begin an exercise program, you will need to learn some of the basics - http://healthhabits.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/the-components-of-physical-fitness/
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I enjoyed learning about the product that is helping you with worry. I will be trying it for myself. Thanks for all your information it saved me the time to find it all.
The information seems helpful, but I want to emphasize that nutrition still needs to be an emphasis. I’ve been trying a supplement to help boost my energy and it contains the rhodiola - no ill effects yet and I do seem to feel better after dealing with hypothyroidism, possibly other endocrine deficiencies and anxiety.
I am a diabetic type 2 patient. Until recently,my blood count was under 100.It has now risen over 200.My doctor prescribed Glucovance (Glucored)along with Glyburide and Glucophage..The blood count is still high and besides I am suffering from loose bowels.