July 2009

Tue, 07/28/2009 - 10:47 — Newsletter

Stress and Adrenals

We all deal with stress; stress from our job, our family, our lifestyle or an illness. The body's response to stress is the same; however our ability to bounce back from stress differs from person to person. The difference has to do with our adrenal glands and how well are they functioning.

The adrenal glands are responsible for the regulation of stress, through the synthesis of cortisol and adrenaline. Cortisol regulates blood glucose, fat and protein metabolism, inflammation and lymphatic function. Adrenaline is part of the "flight or fight" response initiated by the sympathetic nervous system. The adrenal glands also plan an important role in maintaining homeostasis within the body by regulating water and electrolytes and producing steroid hormones.

A simple way to assess adrenal function is via a saliva cortisol test. The normal cortisol circadian rhythm is elevated in the morning and as the day goes on it decreases. Some people may present with low levels of cortisol throughout the day, high levels throughout the day or a spike in the evening which might be interfering with normal sleep.

Here are five ways to improve your adrenal function:
- Proper nutrition and supplementation to deal with vitamin and mineral deficiencies
- Avoid food that reduce the adrenal function - refined sugar, high carbohydrates and caffeine
- Remove obstacles to good health - food allergies, leaky gut
- Regulate your sleep - consistent sleep and wake times
- Light exercise with bursts of interval training

Are you interested in how well your adrenals are functioning? If so, call today and I can help you test your adrenals, 415.912.9934.

Stress Eating and Sugar Cravings

Dr. Anita will be speaking about stress eating and sugar cravings at Pharmaca in Novato.

This talk will focus on the ins and outs of stress eating and sugar cravings; including learning how sugar negatively influences the body and how to gain control of your stress eating. From the talk, you will walk away with several family friendly recipes.

Join Dr. Anita at Pharmaca in Novato, 7514 Redwood Blvd, on Saturday August 15th at 1pm.

Relaxing Face Mask

This is a great face mask to help hydrate dry skin and soothe sunburns. It is also a great way to relax after a long week of work.

Ingredients
2 tbsp powdered milk
2 tbsp cooled chamomile tea

Instructions
Mix ingredients into a paste. Apply to face or any dry skin. Leave on your skin for 10 minutes and then rinse with warm water.
Sincerely,
Logo Anita M. Larrow, ND
Bringing Naturopathic Medicine to your Door
PO Box 202
Novato, CA 94948
Tel: 415.912.9934
www.drlarrownd.com