Experiencing a little bit of stress at times is not necessarily a bad thing. We all need that little bit of adrenalin to get us going, to motivate us in completing a task. For some of us, it drives us to success. When the life stressors become overwhelming, it is a totally different story. When we are facing issues at home, financially, dealing with loss, or a state of affairs that’s beyond our control, it can trickle into our lives and take over. It is very challenging when we feel lack of control over our personal sense of well-being and safety. Truth be told, I have been in this situation many times. I have lived through most of the most common stressful life events. I have lived those moments of such extreme stress where I could not remember where I was going and what I was doing. I would misplace my keys, and find cereal I placed in the refrigerator instead of the pantry. I would be even driving to places I have been to countless times before, and all of a sudden not realize where I was going. The stress became so intense that it effected my ability to think clearly. I recall where my memory declined so much that I truly became full of fear. At this point the stress was toxic, and was giving me what I call Cortisol Brain.
Studies have shown that women struggle with stress more than men. Interestingly, Millennials and Generation Xers face a great deal of stress. And, not surprisingly, those who struggle with their identity and face discrimination and encounter social biases are afflicted by an enormous amount of stress.
What is happening to our brains when we are under stress?
When stress occurs, the emotional center of the brain, the amygdala, sends a signal to the hypothalamus, the command center of our brain. A signal is then sent to the adrenal glands to activate the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. Once activated, a series of hormones is released to create the stress response. As we all know, our greatest stress managing hormone is cortisol. Cortisol serves its purpose in a healthy, natural way by helping metabolize glucose, controlling blood pressure, and, of course, aiding in our “fight or flight” response. Over periods of chronic stress, when your body has been under constant attack, the fight or flight response cannot turn off. This causes a downward spiral in your health, leading to anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, heart disease, digestive issues, and memory impairment. In terms of the health of our brains, studies show that under chronic stress and elevated cortisol the volume of our brain decreases in size, that is our brains actually shrink! Very frightening.
What can we do to manage stress and protect our cognitive health?
Although most stressful events tend to be more than likely out of our control, we do have the strength and capability of grasping control of our mental and cognitive health. There are many supplements that Arte supported by research that have been shown to be extremely helpful in the health of our brains and managing stress.
Let’s take a look at some for cognitive health. When it comes to anti-aging from a cognitive perspective, I not only take these myself, but recommend them to my patients.
Turmeric is one of my favorite spices and supplements to take. I always say to my patients that if they are going to decide on a supplement to take, to take turmeric. There are thousands and thousands of studies on turmeric. It is one spice that has received a great deal of credit for its many benefits, and is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine. The main active constituent in turmeric, curcumin, is highly recognized for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihyperlipidemic, antimicrobial, and anti-tumor activities. The effect of curcumin on the brain is that increases a hormone called Brain Derived Growth Factor, which helps improve memory and is beneficial in neurodegenerative diseases.
“The scripture of longevity,” Ashwagandha, is another one of my faves that I take daily. I especially love Ashwagandha because it is not only beneficial for cognitive health, but it is also an adaptogen which balances cortisol and helps our bodies adapt to stress. Not only does it balance the adrenal glands, but the thyroid, as well. It further provides benefits to the immune system, improves memory, boosts stamina, and alleviates anxiety. So, this is a nice all in one when we’re looking to improve many aspects of our health.
An amino acid found in green tea, L-theanine, has been shown in studies to be useful for both anxiety and memory. Randomised controlled trials and cross-over studies have presented evidence that l-theanine is beneficial in reducing anxiety, and in improving memory and attention. Furthermore, it decreases high levels of cortisol associated with stress.
Just to expand a little more on teas, I prescribe teas a lot in my practice. They’re safe and easy to take for children, adolescents and adults. They are especially useful for people who are very sensitive when they take medications or herbal medicine. The way I advise my patients to use teas is to start off with one bag in a cup of water and then slowly increase it to as many as three bags until they feel relief. Some great teas are lemon balm, passionflower, gotu kola, and rose tea, all of which wonderfully help ease anxiety and stress.
More ways to address stress…
Everything I mentioned so far are all great ways to address an imbalance in cortisol preserve our cognitive health when faced with stressful situations. There is more we need to do, however. I tell my patients that you can take as many pills you want, whether it’s pharmaceutical or natural, but you have to work on your lifestyle. Practicing stress management daily is key to living a healthy life, physically and mentally. Incorporating a healthy, nutrient-rich diet along with daily exercise are the foundation. As most of you know, exercise can be more if not equally effective as anti-anxiety pills. It’s important to take the time to just quiet the brain through meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, or even listening to relaxing music or a podcast. There is an art that I am obsessed with lately called niksen. It is an art practiced in the Dutch culture that simply involves nothing. It is the art of doing nothing. Let’s not forget about laughter being another natural way to alleviate stress and release those feel good hormones. So next time you’re feeling stressed grab a friend or sit by yourself, have a laugh or do niksen.