For every feeling or thought we experience, a hormone/chemical is released.
Thoughts affect neurotransmitters known as chemical messengers. These messengers tell the brain to communicate to different parts of the nervous system controlling almost all of the body’s functions including hormone function in the adrenal medulla.
Think of it as this way, consider an emotion you have recently experienced. When you are sad, worried, angry or frustrated, how does your body react? Your muscles tense, you get over heated… possibly sweat, your heart pounds and you even experience gastrointestinal discomfort to the point of sickness. These are known as fight or flight symptoms. These symptoms mentioned above is considered acute, short term experience. Chronic fight or flight symptoms can lead to co-morbidities.
It is like a domino effect… when one thing is off, the rest will be affected.
Many who experience this are often sent from doctor to doctor, as it is sometimes difficult for medical providers to diagnose and treat.
There are ways to take control of your life and head down the path to improved health.
Balance Lifestyle-
Life can get hectic! Learning to created a balance around work, school, and home life is important to mental health. A positive outlook can help you achieve a balanced lifestyle. Dont take on that extra project. Learn to put yourself first at times. Also, find ways to let some things go in life that is out of our control. Dont sweat the small stuff.
Resilience- By managing our outlook and stress levels, we can control excessive neurochemical transmission. Resilient people recover quicker because they are able to manage their attitude and stress effectively. Resiliency is a learned behavior. Here are a few key things to keep in mind… Keeping a positive outlook, accepting change, having a good social support system, and the capability to keep things in perspective.
Therapy
Therapy can help you achieve the above mentioned goals.
You may not feel like exercising, eating nutritious foods, or taking medicine that your doctor prescribes. You may abuse alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs. Other signs of poor emotional health include:
I bet you are wondering….. Why is she posting this in a Pediatric blog?
A healthy mind starts at any age. In fact, being proactive on ways to properly handle stress in the pediatric years will benefit your mind and body in the adult years. The best way to educate our children to have a healthy mind is to lead by example and help them learn to manage stress at their development level.
Stress can have a negative impact on our immune system, making people more vulnerable to a disease. This is why managing stress by practicing the various techniques mentioned can lead to a healthier mind and body resulting in a better quality of life.
How do you manage stress and find peace in times of increased stress? How do you educate your children? Comment below.
]]>Vitamin A deficiency dates back as far as 1819, during a study with malnourished dogs. During 1912, a biochemist discovered there was an unknown substance present in milk that were not fats, proteins or carbohydrates. In 1917, researchers discovered this substance while researching the role of dietary fats. In 1920, the substance was finally referred to as vitamin A.
Some vitamins are not considered a single compound. What I mean by this is that there are various forms of Vitamin A including retinoids and carotenoids. There are also derivatives from these compounds such as retinyl. Sounds confusing I know. I will try to break it down to better understand the different forms to help choose the best for your needs.
Vitamin A comes from two sources. Carotenoids and retinoids. Carotenoids such as beta carotene, lycopein and lutein are plants based and retinoids such as retinol and retinal come from animal sources.
Beta Carotene, a carotenoid, is the precurser (ProVitamin) for Vitamin A. Beta carotene is a red/orange pigment found in many fresh fruits and vegetables. Once consumed, beta carotene converts to Vitamin A in the intestines and liver. The advantage of beta carotene is that the body only converts as much as it needs when needed.
Retinoid is preformed, readily used Vitamin A and includes retinOL and retinAL. It does not need conversion. The main difference of the two retinoids is the potency and how fast each works. A common retanOL used is prescription strength retinoic acid such as Retin-A.
They couldn’t just make this simple! Still with me?……
Lastly, we have synthetic, man-made version of Vitamin A derivatives known as esters found in supplement forms. These derivatives are also found from remnant retinoids. In other words, retinoids can convert into esters and esters are also found in supplement forms.There are few out there and they are named for the amino acid they are bound to.
Foods
A good way to get your vitamin A is to think about eating in color. Most yellow/orange foods contain Vitamin A. You can get recommended amounts of vitamin A by eating a variety of foods, including the following:
The following are some symptoms of vitamin A deficiency:
Vitamin A deficiency can result from inadequate intake, malabsorption of fat, and/or liver disorders. A prime example is people with Irritable Bowl Disease, Ulcerative Colitis or Crohns Disease. These GI disorders have a hard time absorbing nutrients such as Vitamin A.
The Concern….
Vitamin A toxicity can occur due to high doses of preformed vitamin A retinol and esters found in some supplements. In some personal care products and supplements, vitamin A compounds and derivatives can be harmful.
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble, meaning that any amount not immediately needed by the body is absorbed and stored in fat tissue or the liver. If too much is stored, it can become toxic resulting in liver damage. In contrast, preformed vitamin A, beta-carotene is not toxic even at high levels of intake because the body only coverts when it is needed.
What do you use Vitamin A for? Comment below.
]]>Here are a few tips to help keep your family safe this Flu season….
When to wash your hands
How to wash your hands
The CDC recommends in 5 easy steps:
1) Wet- your hands
2) Lather- Any type of soap. It doesn’t need to be antibacterial
3) Scrub- for at least 20 seconds
4) Rinse- your hands
5) Dry- Use a paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the door in a public facility
Other ways to protect during Flu season
https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
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The most commonly used elderberry for medicinal purposes is Black elderberry. Elderberry is botanically known as Sambucus nigra and is a native tree to the European continent. The tree bears cream-colored flowers that are followed by dark purple berries in the autumn season.
Elderberry is one of the top antiviral herbs that aids in boosting Immunity, beneficial for the respiratory system and helps to reduce inflammation. Elderberry has been traditionally used for improving sinus issues such as congestion, relieving pain and inflammation, water retention, constipation and even cancer.
So how does elderberry work? Here’s what you need to know……
Elderberries are rich in nutrients such as organic pigments, amino acids, tannin, carotenoids, and vitamins like A, B and C, iron and potassium. It also contains flavonoids which have antioxidant properties that help boost immunity by removing free radicals. It also contains a chemical, that helps stimulate the immunity.
The easiest way for a child to consume elderberry is to purchase a liquid or gummy. However, there are other ways to consume elderberry including…
When you purchase elderberry, be careful of the extra additives such as sugars.
Like many medications on the market, supplements can be a cause for concern depending on your health history and your sensitivity tolerance. Elderberry has few side effects when used properly. It is a flower so an allergic reaction can occur.
This is also not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding because there is not enough research on fetal health and development.
Elderberry is generally safe to consume. However, due to the actions of the supplement, elderberry could potentially interact with the following medication.
*Disclaimer- Elderberry does not cure. Please seek advice from your child’s health care provider before introducing anything new. Only their provider knows their health history.
How do you prepare elderberry for your child (i.e gummy, liquid)?
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