Ki Center Blog

These days, chronic stress and anxiety seems to be increasing with more and more prevalence. I can speak from first hand experience as I have been going through some serious issues this past year myself. Fully a third of my new clients are experiencing a marked increase in their stress levels with the associated physical symptoms.

Besides the obvious problems of employment, economics and world problems, there seems to be a general feeling of uncertainty about life in general. We are all feeling it; its just a matter of to what degree.

How it affects you

Long term chronic stress and anxiety will wreak havoc on your immune system, the adrenal glands, and the pancreas. As a result you will have a constant roller coaster ride of adrenalin, high and low blood sugar fluctuations, and other symptoms like the lack of quality sleep. When the blood sugar goes up and down over and over, it can create the same symptoms that diabetics experience. Unfortunately, if you do not address the cause of the stress, whether it is in relationships, your job or whatever, the physical load on your body, gone unchecked, will send you on downward spiral of poor health.

What helps

The protocols I use to stabilize mood and brain chemistry, as well as the blood sugar and support of the adrenal glands, can help tremendously to balance out physical symptoms. As to the cause of the stress, you will need to take a heart felt look at what is working in your life and what is not.

Deep breathing can help more than you know. I've talked about this simple yet effective practice in previous columns. Begin by finding a quiet place that you can have five minutes of uninterrupted space. Start with a deep full breath through the nose, hold for a count of three and exhale through the mouth. Do this for at least five repetitions. You will be amazed at how it can help you to relax. The nice thing about this simple technique is it can be done anywhere, even while driving. I am not saying that this alone will reverse your stress, but it can help. When you combine the nutritional support with this breathing technique, you will at least give your body and mind a fighting chance to cope with all that is troubling you.

Anti-anxiety drugs should be used as a last resort. Not only are the side effects problematic, you can risk the potential for dependence on these drugs as well. In most cases, I can find a nutritional or herbal protocol that will benefit your emotional stress without the use of prescription medications. Or if already taking them, it can help you to begin the weaning process to get off of them.

No amount of nutrition or drugs for that matter, will correct the problem until you address the initial cause. Whether you get into some counseling, psychotherapy or support from friends and family, you must correct the cause or struggle with the stress and anxiety.

Another powerful tool I can recommend is exercise. If you can find the time and motivation for daily aerobic exercise, the benefit from this activity can also add to the healing process. Whether you go to a gym or simply power walk around the neighborhood, the release of endorphins and the use of excess adrenalin will benefit your body chemistry. And of course proper exercise will help to stabilize blood sugar and help you sleep.

Don't wait too long

The worst thing you can do is nothing. And men, this is directed at you more than women. We men have a tendency to compartmentalize our stress and anxiety. It does no good to ignore the problem or just brush it aside for later consideration. It will continue to eat at your emotions, and can ultimately result in damage to the one support system you do have—your family. Most women are innately aware that talking about the emotions and addressing the problem is healthy. It will probably not take away the stress but it can help to deflate the sometimes overwhelming feeling of fear and uncertainty that goes along with chronic stress and anxiety.

The extreme amount of stressors in our society these days are not going to go away quickly. The best advice I can give is to buckle in for a wild ride. Support your body chemistry, get a support system in place and do all you can do, like the breathing and exercise, to help support the bodys needs during this difficult time.

One of the most common problems I see at the clinic is a chronic B vitamin deficiency. One of the indicators for this is a tongue that is heavily ridged and grooved. The tongue should be smooth, without what looks like a ‘road map’ on the surface. If I see this, and the common symptoms for B complex deficiency syndrome (BCDS) are evident, then I can almost guarantee a B vitamin deficiency. Incidentally BCDS is the most common deficiency in the world.

Complications with digestion

If you are one of those people who need to lie down after eating a meal, have been diagnosed as being hypoglycemic, and still suffer from lactic acidosis after being on a hypoglycemic type diet, and have poor digestion on top of that, then severe BCDS is probably the culprit.

Symptoms including dementia, chronic fatigue, chronic diarrhea, depression, acid reflux and hypochlorhydria (too little stomach acid and enzymes) can cause, or worsen a B vitamin deficiency, which in turn will make these symptoms even worse. For the digestive problems, the little purple pill will only cover up the problem, not fix it.

The most common cause of indigestion is hypochlorhydria. Too little stomach acid, not too much is the problem in probably ninety percent of the people coming to see me for digestive problems. Poor digestion will definitely make a B deficiency worse. This type of condition is very easy to figure out, and even more importantly, very easy to fix. Of course all of the prescription drugs for indigestion will make the symptoms better, but will do absolutely nothing to fix the problem. And as I have said before, I want to go after the cause of the problem and fix it, not just chase the symptoms.

ADD and ADHD

In children and teens, the first signs of severe BCDS are mental and emotional. This can manifest as depression, delusions or disorientation. Anxiety, rage, hostility, and vague fears are all textbook symptoms of BCDS. Of course powerful drugs are available and readily prescribed for these types of problems, but why not try an easier and safer alternative without side effects first.

A diet of heavily processed foods, high sugar cereals and breads, and low in fresh vegetables complicate BCDS even more. Alcohol consumption will also deplete B vitamins in the body. Now I am aware that many folks take a B vitamin supplement, most however are devoid of the complete complex (all the parts) of real B vitamins. There is no such thing as a riboflavin bush or thiamin tree in nature. B vitamins in their whole food form are only found in nature through real foods. So supplementing with synthetic fractions is not going to fix the problem. As a matter of fact, synthetic fractions mostly derived from a coal tar derivative, will only make BCDS worse.

When I find this type of deficiency in my clients, I recommend a superb B complex product from Standard Process called Cataplex B. It provides all of the water soluble components of the B complex in a whole food, organic product. When mental and emotional problems exist as well, I will add Cataplex G which contains all of the fat soluble components of the B complex.

Incidentally, Cataplex G is the calming side of the B vitamin complex. So if you suspect that your young person might have a B deficiency, climbs the walls, is very agitated and can't sit still, and has learning difficulties, is highly ticklish, then both components of the B complex are needed. Good sources of B vitamins are absolutely essential for developing brains. And by the way, doesn't this sound suspiciously like ADD/ADHD? If this were my child I would try a harmless whole food nutrient before Ritalin and other mood altering drugs.

As I said earlier, B vitamin deficiency is extremely prevalent in our country, and in fact the whole world. With the introduction of highly processed foods, fast foods and soda pop, the content of good B vitamins in these “non-foods” is just non-existent. Please do not be misled on the labeling of these products as being fortified with eight essential vitamins and minerals. When you add synthetic, fractionated imitation nutrients to non-foods, you still come up empty.

Foods high in B vitamins

Some of the best sources of good B vitamins can be found in liver, fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains (no gluten) and fresh fish. You can certainly eat your way to a good vitamin B balance, but if you suffer from any of the above mentioned problems, please consider a quality supplement that contains all of the whole food components of the B complex to tip the scales in your favor.