Showing posts with label stress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label stress. Show all posts

Green Coffee For Protection Against Oxidative Stress

By Darrell Miller

It is recorded that coffee drinking originated in Ethiopia in North East Africa, from where Arab traders introduced the plant to the Middle East. From there it moved to Turkey in the 15th century, where it was highly prized as a daily beverage due its invigorating properties. It is also believed that the infamous Captain John Smith introduced the plant to Virginia.

The Brazilian coffee trade was due largely to the introduction of the bean to that country by the French in 1727, and the Boston Tea Party of 1773 rendered it the only non-alcoholic drink worth consuming by the patriots of 18th century America. Now over 50% of Americans drink coffee daily, although this seems a somewhat conservative estimate, and the tea houses of England have largely been replaced by coffee shops and the ubiquitous Starbucks.

So much for the history of a beverage that has been prized for its stimulant properties, but recent research has established that not only is coffee a stimulating drink, but that it is a strong antioxidant due to its polyphenol content. However, not all forms of coffee have this property, only the green coffee bean before it has been roasted. Polyphenols are very powerful antioxidants that scavenge the free radicals that destroy body cells, and not only accelerate aging but also threaten the health of your cardiovascular system and the health of other major organs.

Free radicals are compounds with a spare electron. Normally the electrons in all stable molecules come in pairs, and any free electron without a partner is like a lovelorn bachelor. It will seek a mate, and take it from wherever it can find one. Usually it secures its partner by stealing an electron from one of our body cells. This can totally destroy the cell, as it might anybody who has its partner stolen, and cell destruction is not a good thing. It is the destruction of body cells that promotes the appearance that aging brings: the wrinkles and the loss of energy that is generated by healthy cellular activity.

Antioxidants destroy these free radicals, and come in a number of different guises. Vitamins A, C and E are all powerful antioxidants, as are many of the compounds that are essential to our biochemistry such as beta carotene and polyphenols. These polyphenols are found in practically all plants to a greater or lesser degree, and another rich source is grapes, and those found in green coffee beans are what are known as hydroxycinnamic acids the most abundant of which is caffeic acid. Another is chlorogenic acid, and together they form a very potent team in preventing the oxidation by free radicals of LDL (low density lipoprotein).

Low density lipoproteins are those that carry cholesterol from the liver to areas of the body that need first aid due to damage, such the arterial walls. However, this can be attacked by free radicals and oxidized which results in the deposition of excess cholesterol that can build up till it eventually constricts, and sometimes completely blocks, the major cardiac arteries. This is a serious condition known as atherosclerosis that can eventually lead to cardiac disease and arrest or to strokes if the artery is in the brain.

Not only do chlorogenic and caffeic acid help to prevent this from occurring, but they also help to prevent the cellular degeneration caused by the free radicals. They must be extracted from the green coffee bean because roasting or heating in any way, including brewing, destroys them. In fact, brewed coffee contains some potentially harmful substances called diterpenes that some believe can increase your chances of coronary disease by up to fifth if you drink coffee regularly over your lifetime.

It is also believed that green coffee extract can reduce the risk of diabetes due to its effect on your blood glucose levels. Evidence is coming to light that some polyphenols, including chlorogenic acid, might have inhibiting properties on the activity of glucose-6-phosphate, otherwise known as Robison Ester, which is involved in the metabolism of blood glucose and which is affected by diabetes which reduces its concentration. Chlorogenic acid is though to be able to redress this imbalance and not only reduce blood glucose levels, but increase the glycogen stored in the liver as an emergency energy source for the body.

Green coffee bean extract also possesses other beneficial properties, not the least of which is its effect in increasing the metabolism of fats in relation to carbohydrates. This assists in weight loss and also increases stamina. The decrease in the risk of diabetes of up to 50% in men, and slightly less in women, could be due to a combination of the regulation of glucose-6-phosphate and the regulation of blood glucose levels and glucose and weight management in general. The vast majority of diabetes patients are overweight.

In animal studies, the presence of chlorogenic acid appears to reduce the hyperglycemic peak that arises through the action of glucagon, a hormone used to counter hypoglycemia. The fact that chlorogenic acid reduced this sugar peak indicates its potential use in reducing abnormally high blood glucose levels. Another effect of this was an increase in the animal's glycogen level and in the level of glucose-6-phosphate in the liver.

This indicates a reduction in glycogenolysis, by which glycogen is ultimately converted to glucose-6-phosphate and glucose, thus increasing the blood glucose levels and also of gluconeogenesis which is the production of glucose from carbohydrates and some glucogenic amino acids. In other words, green coffee bean extract can help to regulate blood glucose levels by preventing the liver from producing glucose from glycogen and carbohydrates.

However, the biochemistry apart, it must be stressed that these benefits are not obtained by drinking coffee, and it has to be repeated that the active agents in providing them are destroyed by the roasting and brewing processes. It is only the green coffee beans that can be used for protection of oxidative stress of human body cells and the gradual degradation into premature aging and many other related conditions.

More information on Green Coffee Extract can be found at VitaNet, LLC Health Food Store; your source for natural vitamins and health foods. http://vitanetonline.com/

Article source: http://www.artipot.com/articles/72788/green-coffee-for-protection-against-oxidative-stress.htm

Ashwagandha Herbal Way to Reduce Stress

by Dr John Anne

Ayurveda has a glorious world decorated by herbs and natural remedies. It has a divine origin and was created to treat people with all there despair they were suffering from. Ashwagandha is one of these herbs that is gifted to man by God.

Ashwagandha as the name suggest means smell of a horse (ashwa means horse and gandha means smell).

Ashwagandha is an herb that is famous by many names world wide few of them are Indian ginseng, Indian winter cherry and Samm Al Ferakh. Ashwagandha bears a great effect on our body.

This herb finds its reference in the very beginning of one of the greatest medicinal science, ayurveda. 


Ashwagandha is considered to be one of the best herb that helps in achieving a disease less condition and more importantly, the mental peace to attain the mental satisfaction important in todays fast moving and distracting life. 

It maintains the health and also helps in treating us from the diseases we may suffer from.

Pharmacologically Ashwagandha has the power to suppress vata dosha that is the ultimate cause of carrying the vitiated doshas to other parts of the body. As per modern sciences Ashwagandha has variety of pharmacological activities that facilitates it with the wonderful results it is presenting to us.

Adaptogenic properties - It is one of the best Adaptogenic agents that we are blessed with. It helps in increasing our bodys resistance and also helps us in fighting against any outer invasion that can harm our bodys homeostasis.

The powerful actions of the constituents of withinia help our body to maintain the required equilibrium to attain a disease free condition of the body. These actions are produced by it due to presence of high amounts of oxygen rich steroids derivative C-28.

It also contains at least 40 different types of withanolids that are having strong efficacy in promoting metabolism and inhibiting the free radical formation. This gives it an antioxidant property. It for this reason Ashwagandha has gained its popularity as one of the finest anti-oxidant.

Anti inflammatory and analgesic action - Ashwagandha has also been found very effective in relieving from pain and inflammatory condition that might be caused due to some mishap or injury.

The supremacy of Ashwagandha lies with the fact that it has the potential to normalize any kind of disturbances happening in the body. Due to its vata suppressing properties it is very much helpful in eliminating diseases that are caused by vata vitiation.

Cancer this name creates trebles in our body, but not to fear now. Researches held at various research centers throughout world has shown that Ashwagandha posses the properties that are very much beneficial in curbing the growth of cancer cells.

It strongly acts on the cancer cells there by inhibiting the action at the initial stage thereby helping our body to face the risk of cancer. In technical terminology it wipes out the spindle formation at the metaphase.

Nervine weakness - One of the best qualities that Ashwagandha is blessed with is the power to strengthen our nervous system.

The protective action of pentylenetetrazol helps in inhibiting the convulsions and wobbly movements of the body caused due to disturbances in are central nervous system (CNS). Researches have also proved that withinia has a strong effect on our nervous system. It provides proper nourishment and balance to it and also tones it up to facilitate better working.

Cardiovascular system - Recently astonishing effects of Ashwagandha has been seen on cardiovascular system.

Research conducted at All Indian Institute of medical science (AIIMS), New Delhi, India has shown that Ashwagandha has sufficient amount of various agents that are extremely helpful in preventing ailments like myocardial necrosis and high degrees of blood pressure.

Ashwagandha is slowly gaining its popularity as cardio-protective anti oxidant. It also has anti anxiety properties.

Aphrodisiac actions - as mentioned earlier also that Ashwagandha is called as Indian ginseng. It also finds its reference in the greatest love book ever written kamasutra. It is known to enhance the libido and increases the sense of indulgence to complete the act of love.

As per the researches, the presence of nitric oxide facilitates it with the power to dilate blood vessels essential to carry out the sexual activity to the fullest.

Mental health Ashwagandha has strong tendencies to fade away the negative energies that creep into our mind and helps to attain the new enthusiasm to fulfill our work. It promotes new zeal into our life and is also responsible for enhancing the memory skills due to presence of acetylcholine receptor capacity.

It is just miracle that a small bushy herb that grows wild here and there has the power to completely change our life in every means. It fills us with the new energies and makes us strong from inside.


Read more about the benefits of Ashwagandha herb and Ashwagandha Supplements at http://www.ayurvediccure.com - World's Finest Portal on Ayurveda and Herbal Remedies

Article Source: Sustainable Living Articles

Using Your Breath to Fight Stress and Improve Well-Being

Author: Jenna Beneck

If you are looking for simple ways to fight stress then regulating your breathing can help. Our breath is a natural and most important function of life and carries our chi or vital life energy. It is a known fact that if we stop breathing for long enough, then we die. 

Despite this fact, most of us take our breathing for granted and rarely stop to think about it. Find out how breathing properly can help to relieve symptoms of stress and calm and relax your mind.

When we are stressed, our body responds in preparation for "fight or flight" and we suffer various symptoms such as sweating, increased pulse rate, racing heart, and fast, shallow breathing. 

In earlier times this was necessary for our survival when hunting or protecting ourselves. However today it is usually only our perception of danger or negative thoughts that produce this reaction, so the body has few ways to deal with the effects.

Regular attacks of stress and anxiety start to turn our fast, shallow breathing into a habit. They may decrease our ability to breathe properly and could leave us with breathing difficulties such as hyperventilation or asthma. 

Often in today's society, we do little aerobic exercise and therefore we rarely breathe deeply. Our breathing simply becomes shallower than it needs to be as a matter of habit.

Just as stress and other states of mind affect our breathing, the way that we breathe affects our state of mind. When we breathe, we are taking in oxygen through the lungs to the brain and the cells in the body. 

Shallow breathing can affect the amount of oxygen circulating in the body. This makes us feel sluggish. The way we breathe also affects the amount of energy in our bodies. When our breathing is irregular and erratic, we are likely to feel lacking in energy.

Of course, it is not just the body that is affected by the way that we breathe but the mind also. For centuries disciplines such as yoga and meditation have involved using the breath as part of their techniques. Use of the breath is an important part of performing yoga postures.

Breathing meditation is common to calm the mind as part of preparative practices for meditation. Breathing meditation consists of watching the breath as we breathe in and out whilst trying to ignore all other distractions to the best of our ability. Concentrating on the breath has long been known to quiet and calm the mind.

In the same way as used in meditation, breathing exercises can be used to fight stress and quiet the mind and body. These are great because they are simple and free and you can do them anywhere. Simply concentrating on our breathing whilst drawing deeper, slower breaths can help us to relieve stress and relax our minds. 

Breathe deeply through your nose and feel your diaphragm move. Watch the breathe coming in and going out. Try to ignore all other distractions. Make sure, however, that you don't breathe so deeply that you get light headed.

When you breathe, allow yourself to enjoy the experience of being a living being. Mostly we forget to do this and move through life very unconsciously. 

When we can quiet our minds we can find peace and receive insights and access to our subconscious. Only when we become conscious of how we breathe, can we start to correct this.

So, to fight stress and find more energy, try watching your breath to make sure you are breathing efficiently. Get into the habit of taking deeper breaths. 

Improve your breathing through breathing exercises and regular aerobic exercise. Breathing properly will help you to cope with stress and improve your well-being.

Meditation is a powerful tool to aid stress relief and well-being. Used regularly it can help you to clear and calm your mind. Try the easiest way to meditate with a brainwave entrainment meditation download and experience the benefits for yourself. For further help in dealing with stress get more information on how to fight stress.

Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/http://jennabeneck.articlealley.com/using-your-breath-to-fight-stress-and-improve-wellbeing-2395505.html




Using Aromatherapy to Help Fight Stress

Author: Jenna Beneck

Did you know that you can use aromatherapy as part of your coping strategies for stress? Whilst some are sceptical about the power of alternative therapies to help and heal, aromatherapy has been shown in studies to help fight stress. Read on to find out how you can use aromatherapy to calm and relieve your stress and its symptoms.

Aromatherapy is a method of using scents or aromas, generally produced from plant essential oils, to create balance and healing in the body and mind. Think for a moment about the power of smell. 


Have you ever been overtaken by a scent that took you straight back to a past memory or reminded you of a person who is long since out of your life? Our sense of smell is very powerful and can produce impressive effects in the body and mind.

Aromatherapy works by stimulating our sense of smell, through the olfactory nerves in our nose. This affects our limbic system which is the part of the brain which regulates our moods, emotions and behaviour. 

This part of our brain also exerts control over our hormones and stress levels. It is thought to have evolved to manage our fight or flight response, an essential part of our reaction to stress.

It is therefore not surprising that scents can have a powerful effect on state of mind and emotions and, therefore, that certain essential oils should be effective in treating certain states of mind, such as stress. The main method of aromatherapy treatment is by inhalation which invokes the response in the brain specified above. 


And if our mind is responsible for producing the symptoms of stress in the body, then improving our state of mind can only help our stress symptoms. Studies have shown inhalation of essential oils to reduce blood pressure, pulse rate, subjective stress, anxiety and cortisol levels (the "stress hormone").[1][2]

Research has shown that our brainwaves are affected by aromatherapy. The frequency of our brainwaves corresponds to our state of activity or relaxation. For example, a brain actively engaged in mental activities would be generating beta brainwaves, whereas alpha brainwaves would indicate a more relaxed state of mind.


John Steele and Robert Tisserand showed that when calming oils are inhaled, they alter our brainwaves to a pattern of calmness[3]. Lavender has been found to produce the effect of alpha brainwaves. To relieve stress we would want to relax and it is no coincidence that Lavender is one of the most cited essential oils for stress relief.

Another method of applying aromatherapy is through topical application, directly onto the skin. The oils are absorbed into the body through the skin and there is evidence that the chemical compounds contained within have antibacterial and antioxidant properties and a beneficial effect on various tissues.

So, how can we best use aromatherapy to reduce our stress levels? Well, anything that is scented with an aroma that is known to help relax the mind should be able to help, although to a degree, the scents that relax us can be subjective. However, some of the fragrances which are most soothing for stress relief are lavender, camomile, sandalwood and ylang-ylang.

Adding aromatherapy oils to our bath can increase the relaxation benefits that we gain due to inhalation of the oils. Oils can also be inhaled via oil burners, on a tissue or using incense. You can also find candles, room fragrances and pillow sprays especially sold as stress relief products. And there are even scented "stress relief wraps" to apply, hot or cold, as compresses to stressed, tired muscles and joints.

Another fantastic way of relieving stress with aromatherapy is using massage. Professional massages will generally involve the use of aromatherapy oils, tailored to any symptoms from which you are suffering. You can also "do it yourself". There are ready mixed stress relief massage oils available or you can mix your own by following a formula which you find in a book or on the internet.

So, now that you know that aromatherapy has been shown to relieve symptoms of stress and help sufferers, why not try it in your own campaign to fight stress. Make it a part of your regular stress coping strategies and see how much it can help you.


References - 1. The effects of the inhalation method using essential oils on blood pressure and stress responses of clients with essential hypertension, Hwang JH, Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi. 2006 Dec;36(7):1123-34. - 2. Smelling lavender and rosemary increases free radical scavenging activity and decreases cortisol level in saliva, Atsumi T, Tonosaki K, Psychiatry Res. 2007 Feb 28;150(1):89-96. Epub 2007 Feb 7. 3. John Steele (aromatic consultant) from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Steele_%28aromatic_consultant%29

For relief from tension and anxiety, check out these coping strategies for stress that can help you devise a plan to cope with and manage stress. Alternatively, for more ways to manage and relieve stress, find out more about how to fight stress.

Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/http://jennabeneck.articlealley.com/coping-strategies-for-stress--using-aromatherapy-to-help-fight-stress-2395504.html

How to Prevent Oxidative Stress

by Matthew Keegan

Oxygen is necessary for humans. To breathe as well as product energy, our bodies require the use of oxygen. Organisms known as free radicals are produced as our bodies use oxygen. 

Oxidative stress is caused when these free radicals interact with the various cells in our bodies and essentially damage those cells. As a result the cell's membrane, proteins and even genes are affected. Many disease and even the aging process are linked to oxidative stress. 

Anti-Oxidants

Your body uses anti-oxidants to combat oxidative stress and work against the free radicals that can cause potential damage. Genetic makeup affects the amount of anti-oxidants your body produces. Some external factors also influence it including smoking, diet and pollution.

Lifestyle Plays a Part

The amount of anti-oxidants we produce and how much oxidative stress we are under relies in large part on our lifestyle. You will not produce as many anti-oxidants if your diet is not up to par and your bodies will come under more oxidative stress. This makes you more susceptible to disease and other problems.

Another activity that makes you more susceptible to oxidative stress is smoking, so you should either quit smoking or at the very least slow down. Today there are many drugs and products available to help you stop smoking. When you think of how many years you could add to your life, quitting smoking won't be easy but it is worth it.

Diet is Important

The anti-oxidants our bodies produce are not sufficient to get rid of all the free radicals in our bodies unfortunately. However, in the foods we eat for instance, there are more anti-oxidants available to us. 

You should include more anti-oxidant rich foods in your diet to increase the amount of anti-oxidants in your body and to decrease the amount of oxidative stress you are under. Some of these foods include tomatoes, carrots, tea and citrus fruits. Taking a multi-vitamin daily in order to combat oxidative stress is also a good idea.

We can better protect ourselves from many diseases such as cancer if we increase the amount of anti-oxidants in our bodies to help combat the free radicals and eliminate oxidative stress. 

By better protecting ourselves with eating better, quitting smoking and just living a healthy lifestyle we can hope to stay disease free and age more gracefully to have both a long and healthy life.

Matthew Keegan is an expert on Oxidative Stress.

Article Source: http://www.articlesphere.com/Article/How-to-Prevent-Oxidative-Stress/62131

Finding a Natural Stress Relief

By: Matthew Keegan

Consider where you naturally turn for stress relief. Is it a bar, the TV or Krispy Kreme. Many of the places and things people turn to for stress relief are not natural stress relief.

A Healthy Lifestyle

Living a healthy lifestyle can give natural stress relief. Ways to find natural stress relief include eating good healthy food, spending time with friends and getting some enjoyable exercise and fresh air.

You should have a diet that is complex in carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables while being low in fat to have a good, healthy diet. Any fat you eat should be "good" fat, or foods that are rich in omega-3 oils and antioxidants.

People talked about the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet a few years ago. There was less cardiovascular disease and cancer in people who lived in Mediterranean countries than the people in the US, even though they have more fat and calories in their diets. It was found that the Mediterranean diet consisted of plenty of complex carbs, fruits, vegetables and monosaturated omega-3 oils. In addition they had a little nice red wine which is high in antioxidants along with love and laughter, time spent with family and friends. That is a recipe for natural stress relief.

Natural stress relief can also be gained by enjoyable exercise. This doesn't mean goal oriented or competitive exercise. Rather it means a nice walk in the evening, skiing on a sunny winter day or just tossing a Frisbee with the kids. With these exercises you don't have to monitor your pulse or worry about the amount of time spent exercising. While doing something that moves your body you simply need to relax and enjoy yourself.

Natural stress relief can also be provided through loving relationships and spiritual practices. In fact the most important factors in developing stress resistance are friendships and spirituality.

Health Care and Natural Stress Relief

Some you may still be stressed out even when living a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes you will need help to deal with the large amount of stress in life. Sometimes you may need to find help from a health care provider.

Natural methods and remedies aren't very big in traditional western medicine. When getting help for stress from a physician they may have some good ideas about lifestyle changes, but typically anything they prescribe to help the situation won't be natural.

Natural stress relief methods are more likely to be used by alternative health care providers. To help relax your muscles and make sure your spine is adjusted there are massage therapists and chiropractors. Scents that are most likely to help relieve your stress can be found through aroma therapists. To help relieve stress you can also consider color therapy since some color are soothing and others are stressful. You can get advice about stress relieving plants through herbalists.

A naturopath is an alternative practitioner who uses a full range of therapies for natural stress relief. Just like doctors, naturopaths go to four years of professional school and many of them are also certified medical doctors. Physical therapies, herbs, nutritional therapy and many other methods are used by naturopaths to help you deal with your stress. Perhaps the best aspect is the fact that they help teach you what you uniquely need to learn so you can find natural stress relief.

The foundation of natural stress relief is living a healthy lifestyle. To deal with stress your physician can help too. However, an alternative care practitioner may be the best answer if you are looking for natural stress relief.