Estrogen, Anxiety, Depression, and Panic Disorders
Estrogen has many effects on the body in both women and men but it’s most pronounced effects are in women due to the increased circulating concentrations of estrogen during various age- and biologic-related intervals. In women, both higher and lower concentrations of estrogen and its metabolites are associated with anxiety, depressive, and panic disorders.
In females, there appears to be an increased risk of anxiety, depressive, and panic disorders during the premenstrual and postpartum (i.e., after giving birth) periods when estrogen levels are actually lower, as well as after the onset of puberty, when estrogen levels are actually higher, and in some cases even prior to giving birth, the so-called “antenatal” period. Indeed, fluctuations in estrogen levels can have similar effects to higher or lower levels of estrogen in the body at different times in the female lifespan.
On the other hand, anxiety and depressive disorders tend to decrease after menopause but not necessarily disappear. The average age of menopause in the US is approximately 51 years of age with a range somewhere between 40 and 61 years of age when there are often clear and present biological signs. Complete cessation of menstruation for one full year or “amenorrhea” is the defining characteristic of having reached menopause. Biological “markers” include, among other things, inconsistent menstrual periods, increase in psychosocial stress, changes in mood states and emotional lability, as well as cognitive and mnemonic adjustments such as decrements in reasoning ability and forgetfulness. A history of smoking cigarettes or having had a hysterectomy typically brings on menopause sooner.
Hence, the inclination in psychiatry and medicine to stabilize or restore estrogen levels through hormone replacement therapy, use of birth control medications, and other biologic treatments during the postpartum, perimenopausal (during menopause), and postmenopausal periods to alleviate mood swings, depression, and anxiety.
Sunday, April 23, 2017
Longevity and Anti-Aging Nutraceuticals
Resveratrols in red wine may be a key to anti-aging and longevity
Check out the research at the National Institute of Health and David Sinclair, Ph.D. at Harvard Medical School.
National Institute of Health (NIH): https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-resveratrol-may-fight-aging
The French Paradox
As it turns out, the so-called "French Paradox" (low rates of cardiovascular disease but high rates of red wine consumption) may be due to the imbibing of red wine as well as the consumption of moldy cheese: http://www.thefrisky.com/2012-12-13/is-moldy-cheese-the-key-to-the-french-health-paradox/
NAD+ and Resveratrols
Elysium Health (founded by Dr Leonard Guarente at MIT) is theorizing that a NAD+ precursor (nicotinamide riboside) combined with a resveratrol variant (pterostilbene) may have synergistic effects in promoting longevity. NAD+ is crucial to DNA repair and energy production and declines with age. Pterostilbene is found in almonds, lingonberries, grape leaves, and blueberries: https://www.buzzfeed.com/nidhisubbaraman/age-no-more?utm_term=.kxkdQxPnV#.ojgRJ0Gde
Fish Oil May Enhance Cognition
Fish oil supplementation (FOS) may prevent cognitive decline and preserve brain volume with age: http://www.alzheimersanddementia.com/action/doSearch?searchType=quick&searchText=fish+oil&occurrences=all&journalCode=jalz&searchScope=fullSite&startPage=1
Resveratrols in red wine may be a key to anti-aging and longevity
Check out the research at the National Institute of Health and David Sinclair, Ph.D. at Harvard Medical School.
National Institute of Health (NIH): https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-resveratrol-may-fight-aging
The French Paradox
As it turns out, the so-called "French Paradox" (low rates of cardiovascular disease but high rates of red wine consumption) may be due to the imbibing of red wine as well as the consumption of moldy cheese: http://www.thefrisky.com/2012-12-13/is-moldy-cheese-the-key-to-the-french-health-paradox/
NAD+ and Resveratrols
Elysium Health (founded by Dr Leonard Guarente at MIT) is theorizing that a NAD+ precursor (nicotinamide riboside) combined with a resveratrol variant (pterostilbene) may have synergistic effects in promoting longevity. NAD+ is crucial to DNA repair and energy production and declines with age. Pterostilbene is found in almonds, lingonberries, grape leaves, and blueberries: https://www.buzzfeed.com/nidhisubbaraman/age-no-more?utm_term=.kxkdQxPnV#.ojgRJ0Gde
Fish Oil May Enhance Cognition
Fish oil supplementation (FOS) may prevent cognitive decline and preserve brain volume with age: http://www.alzheimersanddementia.com/action/doSearch?searchType=quick&searchText=fish+oil&occurrences=all&journalCode=jalz&searchScope=fullSite&startPage=1
Aging Gracefully: The Overmineralization Hypothesis
The overmineralization hypothesis argues that the buildup of minerals over time leads to the oxidation of bodily tissues and speeds up the aging process in the human body. Women age less quickly because they lose iron with age as a result of monthly menstrual cycles whereas men tend to build up minerals more quickly in the body leading to shorter lifespans. Diet and nutrition appear to play a major role. The aging process, however, declines significantly in the elderly. On the one hand, men accumulate iron in their bodies up until middle age whereas females only begin to accumulate iron with cessation of menstruation or menopause. In both women and men, there is some evidence that dietary iron up to 10 mg achieves iron adequacy without inducing anemia.
Iron and copper play a destructive role in brain aging in such degenerative disorders as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease. Iron accumulates in the striatum and substantia nigra in the subcortex of the brain with age and impacts on cognitive and motor abilities. Iron accumulation leads to problems in cellular metabolism due to oxidation of the mitochondria (key structures inside the cell that facilitate cell metabolism) and appears to produce degenerative brain conditions. More than 90% of oxidation that occurs in the body is in the mitochondria and the major free radical in the mitochondria is the superoxide radical that releases iron from binding proteins. Indeed, the accumulation of iron and calcium in the mitochondria are age-related.
Physical exercise is beneficial to health for many reasons but it also leeches iron, a mineral, from the brain and body.
Green tea extract and quercetin remove or “chelate” iron from the body.
Polyphenols (bioflavenoids) including rinds of citrus fruits; the skin and seeds of grapes, berries and cherries; and the phytonutrients in wine chelate iron and copper from the body.
Resveratrols are a group of phytonutrients found in red wine that have a number of important benefits and are now being investigated by scientists including David Sinclair at Harvard Medical School. Resveratrols chelate copper and reduce oxidation of cholesterol induced by unbound copper in the body. They inhibit the shortening of cell telomeres, which are linked to aging and stress as well as the formation of the superoxide radical. Most importantly, they activate the Sirtuin 1 DNA repair gene that appears to be one of the central genes that impacts on the aging process.
Phytic acid IP-6 (“phytate IP6”) derived from rice and wheat bran, whole grains, seeds, and soy protein impacts on iron oxidation. Soy protein chelates iron and calcium. The health benefits of soy protein (which contains IP-6) is its iron control effect, which produces the cardiovascular health benefits, NOT the weak phytoestrogens in soy. Phytic acid IP-6 inhibits the shorting of the end caps or telomeres of cells and telomeres shorten each time the cell divides. Cell shortening is correlated with increasing age as well as the effects of psychosocial stress (work, family, friendships) on the body. IP-6 is also critical for cellular (DNA) repair and cell longevity. It regulates the influx of calcium into the mitochondria thus reducing oxidative damage.
Under normal conditions, iron and copper are bound to transport proteins (i.e., ferritin and ceruloplasmin) and do not cause tissue damage because the majority of iron is bound to red hemoglobin pigment in the bloodstream. In the skin, brown melanin pigment binds to iron. But when set free iron and copper can damage bodily tissues and DNA and raise cholesterol. Thus, some observers believe that copper and iron chelation therapy may be helpful in diminishing the effects of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. About 50% of adults over 80 year of age will show some symptoms of dementia.
The cellular cleaning process or what is called “autophagy” can increase longevity. That is, lysosomes continually cleanse cells of cellular debris. Caloric restriction (eating about two-thirds or less of your normal caloric intake), iron chelation, and the use of resveratrols and IP-6 appear to facilitate autophagy.
The overmineralization hypothesis argues that the buildup of minerals over time leads to the oxidation of bodily tissues and speeds up the aging process in the human body. Women age less quickly because they lose iron with age as a result of monthly menstrual cycles whereas men tend to build up minerals more quickly in the body leading to shorter lifespans. Diet and nutrition appear to play a major role. The aging process, however, declines significantly in the elderly. On the one hand, men accumulate iron in their bodies up until middle age whereas females only begin to accumulate iron with cessation of menstruation or menopause. In both women and men, there is some evidence that dietary iron up to 10 mg achieves iron adequacy without inducing anemia.
Iron and copper play a destructive role in brain aging in such degenerative disorders as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease. Iron accumulates in the striatum and substantia nigra in the subcortex of the brain with age and impacts on cognitive and motor abilities. Iron accumulation leads to problems in cellular metabolism due to oxidation of the mitochondria (key structures inside the cell that facilitate cell metabolism) and appears to produce degenerative brain conditions. More than 90% of oxidation that occurs in the body is in the mitochondria and the major free radical in the mitochondria is the superoxide radical that releases iron from binding proteins. Indeed, the accumulation of iron and calcium in the mitochondria are age-related.
Physical exercise is beneficial to health for many reasons but it also leeches iron, a mineral, from the brain and body.
Green tea extract and quercetin remove or “chelate” iron from the body.
Polyphenols (bioflavenoids) including rinds of citrus fruits; the skin and seeds of grapes, berries and cherries; and the phytonutrients in wine chelate iron and copper from the body.
Resveratrols are a group of phytonutrients found in red wine that have a number of important benefits and are now being investigated by scientists including David Sinclair at Harvard Medical School. Resveratrols chelate copper and reduce oxidation of cholesterol induced by unbound copper in the body. They inhibit the shortening of cell telomeres, which are linked to aging and stress as well as the formation of the superoxide radical. Most importantly, they activate the Sirtuin 1 DNA repair gene that appears to be one of the central genes that impacts on the aging process.
Phytic acid IP-6 (“phytate IP6”) derived from rice and wheat bran, whole grains, seeds, and soy protein impacts on iron oxidation. Soy protein chelates iron and calcium. The health benefits of soy protein (which contains IP-6) is its iron control effect, which produces the cardiovascular health benefits, NOT the weak phytoestrogens in soy. Phytic acid IP-6 inhibits the shorting of the end caps or telomeres of cells and telomeres shorten each time the cell divides. Cell shortening is correlated with increasing age as well as the effects of psychosocial stress (work, family, friendships) on the body. IP-6 is also critical for cellular (DNA) repair and cell longevity. It regulates the influx of calcium into the mitochondria thus reducing oxidative damage.
Under normal conditions, iron and copper are bound to transport proteins (i.e., ferritin and ceruloplasmin) and do not cause tissue damage because the majority of iron is bound to red hemoglobin pigment in the bloodstream. In the skin, brown melanin pigment binds to iron. But when set free iron and copper can damage bodily tissues and DNA and raise cholesterol. Thus, some observers believe that copper and iron chelation therapy may be helpful in diminishing the effects of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. About 50% of adults over 80 year of age will show some symptoms of dementia.
The cellular cleaning process or what is called “autophagy” can increase longevity. That is, lysosomes continually cleanse cells of cellular debris. Caloric restriction (eating about two-thirds or less of your normal caloric intake), iron chelation, and the use of resveratrols and IP-6 appear to facilitate autophagy.
Enhancing Cognition: Nootropic & Promnestic Drugs
We can enhance cognition in two major ways: Cognitive enhancers (nootropic agents) and memory enhancers (promnestic agents). Together, these substance can augment cognitive (intellective) functions as well as abet memory.
Promnestic drugs
The drugs used to boost cognitive functioning in Alzheimer’s disease do so by one of two methods. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors impede the degradation of acetylcholine, a major neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS) that is involved in the formation, storage, and recall of memories--or, at least, that’s the theory behind it. As it turns out these drugs are not very effective in attenuating the inexorable effects of Alzheimer’s disease but they may work as cognitive enhancers in normal individuals.
These four promnestic drugs (cholinesterase inhibitors) include:
Aricept (Donepezil hydrochloride)
Cognex (Tacrine hydrochloride)
Exelon (Rivastigimine tartrate)
Reminyl (Galantamine hydrochloride) and also available at your local health food store without a prescription
NMDA Receptor Antagonists, operate in the CNS by way of a different neurotransmitter route. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists ("antagonists" decrease the availability of a neurotransmitter) operate in the CNS by preventing glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter, from activating NMDA receptors and impeding new memory formation and include the following drug:
Namenda (Memantine hydrochloride)
Other drugs that putatively boost attention and sustain it include caffeine, the alpha 2 agonists ("agonists" increase the availability of a neurotransmitter) such as clonidine and guanfacine (Tenex), the dopaminergic and pro-noradrenergic antidepressant, buproprion (“Wellbutrin”), and the noradrenergic selective reuptake inhibitor, reboxetine (“Edronaz”). With regard to reboxetine, prefrontal noradrenergic pathways that subserve the neurotransmitter, norepinephrine (the adjectival form is "noradrenergic"), appear to play a role in focusing and sustaining attention as well as boosting interest and motivation. Low levels may induce depression. Hyperactivity and impulsivity, on the other hand, are mediated by the nigrostriatal dopamine pathway and may be reduced by drugs that "antagonize" or decrease the availability of dopamine in the CNS.
Nootropic drugs
Nootropic drugs purportedly enhance cognition and learning and may even reverse learning impairments. Piracetam is now available in the US through health food stores as well as online. Vinpocetine, another nootropic drug, is also worth checking out at your local health food store or online. You might also consider Bacopa monnieri.
We can enhance cognition in two major ways: Cognitive enhancers (nootropic agents) and memory enhancers (promnestic agents). Together, these substance can augment cognitive (intellective) functions as well as abet memory.
Promnestic drugs
The drugs used to boost cognitive functioning in Alzheimer’s disease do so by one of two methods. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors impede the degradation of acetylcholine, a major neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS) that is involved in the formation, storage, and recall of memories--or, at least, that’s the theory behind it. As it turns out these drugs are not very effective in attenuating the inexorable effects of Alzheimer’s disease but they may work as cognitive enhancers in normal individuals.
These four promnestic drugs (cholinesterase inhibitors) include:
Aricept (Donepezil hydrochloride)
Cognex (Tacrine hydrochloride)
Exelon (Rivastigimine tartrate)
Reminyl (Galantamine hydrochloride) and also available at your local health food store without a prescription
NMDA Receptor Antagonists, operate in the CNS by way of a different neurotransmitter route. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists ("antagonists" decrease the availability of a neurotransmitter) operate in the CNS by preventing glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter, from activating NMDA receptors and impeding new memory formation and include the following drug:
Namenda (Memantine hydrochloride)
Other drugs that putatively boost attention and sustain it include caffeine, the alpha 2 agonists ("agonists" increase the availability of a neurotransmitter) such as clonidine and guanfacine (Tenex), the dopaminergic and pro-noradrenergic antidepressant, buproprion (“Wellbutrin”), and the noradrenergic selective reuptake inhibitor, reboxetine (“Edronaz”). With regard to reboxetine, prefrontal noradrenergic pathways that subserve the neurotransmitter, norepinephrine (the adjectival form is "noradrenergic"), appear to play a role in focusing and sustaining attention as well as boosting interest and motivation. Low levels may induce depression. Hyperactivity and impulsivity, on the other hand, are mediated by the nigrostriatal dopamine pathway and may be reduced by drugs that "antagonize" or decrease the availability of dopamine in the CNS.
Nootropic drugs
Nootropic drugs purportedly enhance cognition and learning and may even reverse learning impairments. Piracetam is now available in the US through health food stores as well as online. Vinpocetine, another nootropic drug, is also worth checking out at your local health food store or online. You might also consider Bacopa monnieri.
How to Treat Insomnia or Getting Rid of Agrypniaphobia
General considerations
Excessive anxiety, being upset and tense and having difficulty relaxing, as well as apprehensiveness about the future, all interfere with restful sleep.
Rx: What are some of the treatments for insomnia? Relaxation and stress-reduction are very effective but part of the solution depends on whether you are having trouble initiating sleep or staying asleep.
Of the former, limit caffeine and alcohol consumption in the evenings. Eat regular and healthy meals and take a multivitamin supplement once-a-day. Set your alarm and put the clock underneath your bed to avoid nervousness caused by clock-watching.
Use soothing music to fall asleep to, if that is helpful (e.g., quiet piano solos). A hot bath before sleep is also very effective (particularly, when followed by a loving massage). So are regular and satisfying sexual unions.
For the latter, use a contoured pillow to avoid stress on neck and turn over your mattress to get even wear (or consider getting a more comfortable mattress). Set room temperature to 75 degrees F or below and keep humidity down; higher temperatures tend to disturb sleep, particularly, REM sleep and stages 3 and 4 (see below).
Keep noise down during sleep: Women are more sensitive to noise and noise sensitivity increases with age. Only use sleeping pills for emergencies as they depend to depress REM and thus interfere with the quality of sleep. They also cause rebound insomnia. In general, psychoactive drugs are not effective in the treatment of insomnia, at least, not on a long-term basis.
A specific plan
Get up at the same time every morning and get regular exercise 3x-a-week in the morning, preferably. One approach, if you have trouble initiating sleep, is to begin by going to bed four hours before you plan to get up. And increase that by one half-hour a night for every five days of sleep in which you slept for at least 90% of the evening, an index of your “sleep efficiency” or the percentage of time you actually slept. Continue this procedure until you are getting a full night’s sleep. Generally, this is 8 – 8 1/2 hours but some people need less and some more.
Biology of sleep and dreaming
There are five stages of sleep that have been revealed through the use of electroencephalograms (EEG), eye movement recordings, and recordings of muscle activity. Neurons (nerve cells) in the brain generate electrochemical signals that routinely spread across the cortex or outer layers the brain and produce an electrical field that can be measured and manifest regular rhythms or “brain waves.” They are measured by EEG (measured in hertz or Hz).
Here are the five stages of sleep (recently, stages 3 and 4 have been consolidated into one stage):
Awake 1: Eyes open – Beta waves (14-30 Hz)
Awake 2: Relaxed with eyes closed; Alpha waves (8-13 Hz)
Non-REM (NREM) Sleep:
Stage 1: Theta waves (4-7 Hz)
Stage 2: Bursts of high-frequency waves (i.e., sleep spindles)
Stage 3: Delta waves (1-3 Hz)
Stage 4: Delta waves
REM Sleep:
Rapid eye movement with theta waves
These stages cycle through 90” periods. The first four stages are called non-REM sleep (NREM). Disorders such as sleeptalking or sleepwalking occur in stages three and four (i.e., not when you are dreaming). Night terrors, which may occur in children 3 – 8 years of age and during the first two hours of sleep, turn up in Stage four. They are believed to be due to faulty maturation of brain stem and psychosocial stress. Nightmares occur during REM sleep when dreaming occurs. Surprisingly, when sleeping we do monitor the outside environment. For example, mothers are particularly responsive to their infant’s nighttime cries. Insomniacs appear to be completely unable to shutout outside stimuli and may be partly the cause of their sleep problems. In any event, sleep problems are very common. In the US, about 50% of adults report problems in initiating or staying asleep. You are not alone.
Some suggesting reading
Hauri, P., & Linde, S. (1990). No more sleepless nights. NY: Wiley.
General considerations
Excessive anxiety, being upset and tense and having difficulty relaxing, as well as apprehensiveness about the future, all interfere with restful sleep.
Rx: What are some of the treatments for insomnia? Relaxation and stress-reduction are very effective but part of the solution depends on whether you are having trouble initiating sleep or staying asleep.
Of the former, limit caffeine and alcohol consumption in the evenings. Eat regular and healthy meals and take a multivitamin supplement once-a-day. Set your alarm and put the clock underneath your bed to avoid nervousness caused by clock-watching.
Use soothing music to fall asleep to, if that is helpful (e.g., quiet piano solos). A hot bath before sleep is also very effective (particularly, when followed by a loving massage). So are regular and satisfying sexual unions.
For the latter, use a contoured pillow to avoid stress on neck and turn over your mattress to get even wear (or consider getting a more comfortable mattress). Set room temperature to 75 degrees F or below and keep humidity down; higher temperatures tend to disturb sleep, particularly, REM sleep and stages 3 and 4 (see below).
Keep noise down during sleep: Women are more sensitive to noise and noise sensitivity increases with age. Only use sleeping pills for emergencies as they depend to depress REM and thus interfere with the quality of sleep. They also cause rebound insomnia. In general, psychoactive drugs are not effective in the treatment of insomnia, at least, not on a long-term basis.
A specific plan
Get up at the same time every morning and get regular exercise 3x-a-week in the morning, preferably. One approach, if you have trouble initiating sleep, is to begin by going to bed four hours before you plan to get up. And increase that by one half-hour a night for every five days of sleep in which you slept for at least 90% of the evening, an index of your “sleep efficiency” or the percentage of time you actually slept. Continue this procedure until you are getting a full night’s sleep. Generally, this is 8 – 8 1/2 hours but some people need less and some more.
Biology of sleep and dreaming
There are five stages of sleep that have been revealed through the use of electroencephalograms (EEG), eye movement recordings, and recordings of muscle activity. Neurons (nerve cells) in the brain generate electrochemical signals that routinely spread across the cortex or outer layers the brain and produce an electrical field that can be measured and manifest regular rhythms or “brain waves.” They are measured by EEG (measured in hertz or Hz).
Here are the five stages of sleep (recently, stages 3 and 4 have been consolidated into one stage):
Awake 1: Eyes open – Beta waves (14-30 Hz)
Awake 2: Relaxed with eyes closed; Alpha waves (8-13 Hz)
Non-REM (NREM) Sleep:
Stage 1: Theta waves (4-7 Hz)
Stage 2: Bursts of high-frequency waves (i.e., sleep spindles)
Stage 3: Delta waves (1-3 Hz)
Stage 4: Delta waves
REM Sleep:
Rapid eye movement with theta waves
These stages cycle through 90” periods. The first four stages are called non-REM sleep (NREM). Disorders such as sleeptalking or sleepwalking occur in stages three and four (i.e., not when you are dreaming). Night terrors, which may occur in children 3 – 8 years of age and during the first two hours of sleep, turn up in Stage four. They are believed to be due to faulty maturation of brain stem and psychosocial stress. Nightmares occur during REM sleep when dreaming occurs. Surprisingly, when sleeping we do monitor the outside environment. For example, mothers are particularly responsive to their infant’s nighttime cries. Insomniacs appear to be completely unable to shutout outside stimuli and may be partly the cause of their sleep problems. In any event, sleep problems are very common. In the US, about 50% of adults report problems in initiating or staying asleep. You are not alone.
Some suggesting reading
Hauri, P., & Linde, S. (1990). No more sleepless nights. NY: Wiley.
Stress Reduction Techniques: How to Begin to Ameliorate Disease and Disorder
Meditation is a very effective technique for relieving psychosocial stress and has significant scientific support. Herbert Benson, M.D., at Harvard Medical School, has been promoting meditation for stress reduction since the mid-1970s. Here are some essential components of Dr. Benson’s relaxation technique:
(1) A quiet environment.
(2) A comfortable position: You should start by closing your eyes and relaxing your muscles progressing from the feet to the head. You should breathe slowly and naturally and use one of the mental devices below as you exhale.
(3) A mental device: A sound, word, phrase or prayer repeatedly silently or aloud or with a fixed gaze on an object.
(4) A passive attitude: Please do not worry about how well you are performing the technique and put aside distracting thoughts.
Practice the technique once or twice daily before breakfast and before dinner for 10-15 minutes. You may also elicit the relaxation response while exercising, too.
Remember, there are two basic kinds of meditation. Either of these two are equally effective.
The path of concentration (e.g., yoga, transcendental meditation, Sufism). The mind focuses on a specific external object. For example, a mantra, a prayer, a picture, a candle flame, a spot in the lower abdomen, a bodily sensation, or a mandala.
The path of mindfulness (e.g., Krishamurti, Gurdjieff). The mind observes itself. For example, focus your mind on internal sensations, mental states, workings of the mind, breathing, position of the limbs, bodily states, or mood.
Physical exercise
Vigorous physical activity has many important health benefits, both mental and physical. Proper training (conditioning and technique), equipment, clothing, and footwear can reduce sports injuries. Consider joining a health club or purchasing weights and equipment for home use. A fitness instructor may be a good idea, initially, too.
Here are some of the reported benefits of physical exercise:
Increases the number and size of blood vessels in heart and muscles
Increases elasticity of blood vessels
Increases efficiency of exercising muscles
Increases efficiency of the heart
Increases tolerance to both physical and psychosocial stress
Decreases cholesterol and triglycerides
Lowers blood pressure reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke
Improves alertness, attention, and motivation
Encourages neurons to bind together and thus facilitates information storage
Facilitates the development of new neurons in the brain arising from stem cells in the hippocampus
Improves cognitive flexibility and executive function (also known as "multitasking")
Provides distraction from everyday problems and reduces muscular tension
Builds brain resources (serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA - inhibits fear and anxiety - and BDNF or brain-derived neurotrophic factor builds and maintains cell circuitry).
Teaches your mind/brain a different outcome for activation of the sympathetic nervous system or SNS thus re-routing brain circuits (the SNS is behind anxiety, depression, panic, and phobia). That is to say, we learn that certain physical signs (e.g., sweaty palms, heart palpitations or heavy breathing) aren't inexorably tied to attacks of anxiety.
Increases self-mastery and resilience
Increases "active coping" or actually doing something in response to whatever danger or problem is causing your anxiety
Hatha yoga as well as other forms of yoga are also effective for stress-reduction. Hatha yoga involves physical postures or "asanas" that are intended to promote physical well-being; improve flexibility, strength, and stamina; as well as encourage mental relaxation. Hook-up with a yoga instructor in your neighborhood or purchase a yoga DVD.
Therapeutic massage: Therapeutic massage involves the manipulation of soft tissues of the body including skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. It reduces pain and psychosocial stress and may induce the relaxation response as well as reduce anxiety and depression. It aids sleep and may have cardiovascular benefits as well. It has recently received scientific and medical support, too. Find a practitioner in your area.
Some suggested reading
Benson, H. (1975). The relaxation response. NY: HarperCollins.
Ratey, J. J. (2008). Spark: The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain. NY: Little, Brown, & Co.
Meditation is a very effective technique for relieving psychosocial stress and has significant scientific support. Herbert Benson, M.D., at Harvard Medical School, has been promoting meditation for stress reduction since the mid-1970s. Here are some essential components of Dr. Benson’s relaxation technique:
(1) A quiet environment.
(2) A comfortable position: You should start by closing your eyes and relaxing your muscles progressing from the feet to the head. You should breathe slowly and naturally and use one of the mental devices below as you exhale.
(3) A mental device: A sound, word, phrase or prayer repeatedly silently or aloud or with a fixed gaze on an object.
(4) A passive attitude: Please do not worry about how well you are performing the technique and put aside distracting thoughts.
Practice the technique once or twice daily before breakfast and before dinner for 10-15 minutes. You may also elicit the relaxation response while exercising, too.
Remember, there are two basic kinds of meditation. Either of these two are equally effective.
The path of concentration (e.g., yoga, transcendental meditation, Sufism). The mind focuses on a specific external object. For example, a mantra, a prayer, a picture, a candle flame, a spot in the lower abdomen, a bodily sensation, or a mandala.
The path of mindfulness (e.g., Krishamurti, Gurdjieff). The mind observes itself. For example, focus your mind on internal sensations, mental states, workings of the mind, breathing, position of the limbs, bodily states, or mood.
Physical exercise
Vigorous physical activity has many important health benefits, both mental and physical. Proper training (conditioning and technique), equipment, clothing, and footwear can reduce sports injuries. Consider joining a health club or purchasing weights and equipment for home use. A fitness instructor may be a good idea, initially, too.
Here are some of the reported benefits of physical exercise:
Increases the number and size of blood vessels in heart and muscles
Increases elasticity of blood vessels
Increases efficiency of exercising muscles
Increases efficiency of the heart
Increases tolerance to both physical and psychosocial stress
Decreases cholesterol and triglycerides
Lowers blood pressure reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke
Improves alertness, attention, and motivation
Encourages neurons to bind together and thus facilitates information storage
Facilitates the development of new neurons in the brain arising from stem cells in the hippocampus
Improves cognitive flexibility and executive function (also known as "multitasking")
Provides distraction from everyday problems and reduces muscular tension
Builds brain resources (serotonin, norepinephrine, and GABA - inhibits fear and anxiety - and BDNF or brain-derived neurotrophic factor builds and maintains cell circuitry).
Teaches your mind/brain a different outcome for activation of the sympathetic nervous system or SNS thus re-routing brain circuits (the SNS is behind anxiety, depression, panic, and phobia). That is to say, we learn that certain physical signs (e.g., sweaty palms, heart palpitations or heavy breathing) aren't inexorably tied to attacks of anxiety.
Increases self-mastery and resilience
Increases "active coping" or actually doing something in response to whatever danger or problem is causing your anxiety
Hatha yoga as well as other forms of yoga are also effective for stress-reduction. Hatha yoga involves physical postures or "asanas" that are intended to promote physical well-being; improve flexibility, strength, and stamina; as well as encourage mental relaxation. Hook-up with a yoga instructor in your neighborhood or purchase a yoga DVD.
Therapeutic massage: Therapeutic massage involves the manipulation of soft tissues of the body including skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. It reduces pain and psychosocial stress and may induce the relaxation response as well as reduce anxiety and depression. It aids sleep and may have cardiovascular benefits as well. It has recently received scientific and medical support, too. Find a practitioner in your area.
Some suggested reading
Benson, H. (1975). The relaxation response. NY: HarperCollins.
Ratey, J. J. (2008). Spark: The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain. NY: Little, Brown, & Co.
Announcing New Consulting Practice
Professional background
Dr Jay Seitz is a practicing neuropsychologist in specializing in clinical neuropsychology with children, adolescents, adults, and late-age adults. He has been licensed in New York for the professional practice of psychology since 1991. He has additional training in CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy), REBT (rational-emotive behavioral therapy), biofeedback and pain management, and neurocognitive rehabilitation for patients who have suffered damage to the brain. He was previously on the graduate and doctoral faculties of Adelphi University and the undergraduate and graduate faculties of New York University and City University of New York (CUNY, tenured 2001).
Clinical practice
Dr Jay Seitz performs neuropsychological and neurocognitive evaluations and treats individuals with central nervous system disorders including problems with attention and concentration (ADHD), memory impairment, cognitive processing and language disorders, obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (OCD), autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), intellective and learning disorders, traumatic brain injury (TBI), multiple sclerosis (MS), epilepsy and seizure disorders, dementia, and mild cognitive impairment (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia), frontal lobe disorders and executive control dysfunctions, genetic and chromosomal syndromes (e.g., Fragile-X, Down’s Syndrome), CNS infections, and exposure to environmental toxins in utero.
Announcing new consulting practice
Dr Jay Seitz is starting up a consulting practice specializing in helping companies, businesses, hospitals, clinics, and medical practices leverage developments in healthcare, mental health care, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals to enhance cognition and higher-order cognitive abilities for healthy aging as well as to ameliorate disease and disorder (e.g., dementia).
Academic work
Dr Jay Seitz is currently writing a book on the evolution of intelligence in hominins from the perspective of cognitive neuroscience. He has published on the use and misuse of projective testing in children, the bodily basis of thought; the embodied nature of musical performance; the cognitive value of modern dance and ballet; the role of the brain in spatial-temporal thinking; the neural, evolutionary, cognitive origins of human creative thought; as well as the nature of human intelligence and the underlying architecture of the human brain that supports it.
Midtown East Neuropsychology, PLLC
www.midtowneastneuro.com
(917) 209–9623
e-mail
Professional background
Dr Jay Seitz is a practicing neuropsychologist in specializing in clinical neuropsychology with children, adolescents, adults, and late-age adults. He has been licensed in New York for the professional practice of psychology since 1991. He has additional training in CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy), REBT (rational-emotive behavioral therapy), biofeedback and pain management, and neurocognitive rehabilitation for patients who have suffered damage to the brain. He was previously on the graduate and doctoral faculties of Adelphi University and the undergraduate and graduate faculties of New York University and City University of New York (CUNY, tenured 2001).
Clinical practice
Dr Jay Seitz performs neuropsychological and neurocognitive evaluations and treats individuals with central nervous system disorders including problems with attention and concentration (ADHD), memory impairment, cognitive processing and language disorders, obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (OCD), autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), intellective and learning disorders, traumatic brain injury (TBI), multiple sclerosis (MS), epilepsy and seizure disorders, dementia, and mild cognitive impairment (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia), frontal lobe disorders and executive control dysfunctions, genetic and chromosomal syndromes (e.g., Fragile-X, Down’s Syndrome), CNS infections, and exposure to environmental toxins in utero.
Announcing new consulting practice
Dr Jay Seitz is starting up a consulting practice specializing in helping companies, businesses, hospitals, clinics, and medical practices leverage developments in healthcare, mental health care, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals to enhance cognition and higher-order cognitive abilities for healthy aging as well as to ameliorate disease and disorder (e.g., dementia).
Academic work
Dr Jay Seitz is currently writing a book on the evolution of intelligence in hominins from the perspective of cognitive neuroscience. He has published on the use and misuse of projective testing in children, the bodily basis of thought; the embodied nature of musical performance; the cognitive value of modern dance and ballet; the role of the brain in spatial-temporal thinking; the neural, evolutionary, cognitive origins of human creative thought; as well as the nature of human intelligence and the underlying architecture of the human brain that supports it.
Midtown East Neuropsychology, PLLC
www.midtowneastneuro.com
(917) 209–9623
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