How Stress Impacts Your Health

It is estimated that 90% of diseases are caused by stress. If we can get a handle on the stress that affects our lives, we might be able to live longer, healthier, happier lives.

Merriam-Webster defines stress as: "a physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental tension and may be a factor in disease causation; a state resulting from a stress: one of bodily or mental tension resulting from factors that tend to alter an existent equilibrium".

Stress can be a positive force that keeps us alert, ready to avoid or handle danger or meet deadlines. It can also enhance our emotional intelligence and creative capabilities. 

But, stress can also be a negative force that weakens our immune system and makes us susceptible for multiple diseases and health problems.

Stress can come from your external environment, your inner thoughts and your body itself.

During a 'fight or flight' instance, the body releases stress hormones to allow a burst of strength and endurance. For example, your heart speeds up, your breathing quickens, your muscles tense, digestion stops, and blood flow to your muscles and brain increase up to 400%.

When you are under stress, the 'fight or flight' hormones still flood your system, and after repeated instances, this reaction can harm your physical, mental and emotional health.

Stress is known to build up and when symptoms start to surface, it's the body's way of getting our attention to do something about it.

Stress Indicators
You may notice one or more of these signs when your body is under a lot of stress:

• Anger
• Anxiety disorders (OCD, panic attacks)
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Cancer
• Chemical dependence (drugs, alcohol, nicotine)
• Chest pain
• Chronic fatigue
• Circulatory system problems (feeling cold, or hot and sweating)
• Cold / flu
• Depression
• Diabetes (High blood sugar levels)
• Dizziness, light-headedness
• Eating disorders
• Exhaustion
• Hair loss
• Headaches / migraines
• Heart disease (heart attack, stroke)
• High blood pressure
• Hormonal changes
• Immune system disorders (a compromised immune system can lead to the majority of all diseases - the immune system is the most important factor in overall health)
• Infertility
• Interleukin-6 (high levels of this immune system protein have been associated with diseases such as cancer, diabetes, infections, heart disease, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis).
• Loss of energy and motivation
• Memory lapses
• Menstrual irregularity
• Mood swings
• Muscle aches and pains
• Nervous system
• Nightmares
• Post traumatic stress disorder (flashbacks, re-living traumatic events)
• Sexual dysfunction
• Skin conditions (breakouts, rashes, cold sores)
• Sleep disturbances
• Speaking and swallowing difficulty
• Stomach distress (nausea, indigestion, ulcers, constipation, diarrhea)
• TMJ (Temporomandibular joint and muscle disorders are problems or symptoms of the chewing muscles and joints that connect your lower jaw to your skull).
• Weight gain /obesity
• Weight loss (unwanted)

How to Protect Your Kidneys

Sometimes we forget how important our kidneys are until they begin to fail -- usually due to one or more of the following risk factors: high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, frequent UTIs, obesity, overuse of OTC/prescription drugs, an autoimmune disorder.

The good news is that there are a lot of simple things that we can do to protect our kidneys.

But, don't wait until you find out that you have protein leaking in your urine or that you have to go on kidney dialysis before you decide to do something about your kidneys!

Your Kidneys

Each of your kidneys is about 4 to 5 inches long and about 1 inch thick, weighing in at about 4.5 to 5 ounces. To put it into easy-to-visualize terms, each of your kidneys is a bit larger than a deck of cards.

Although your kidneys make up less than 0.5 percent of your total body weight, they receive close to 25 percent of the total amount of blood that your heart pumps while you're resting. Also, your kidneys use up about 20 to 25 percent of your body’s supply of oxygen.

Although your kidneys are small organs (each about the size of a deck of cards), they receive so much of your blood and oxygen because they are responsible for five critical functions:

1. Your kidneys keep your blood clean by filtering it of waste products and eliminating these waste products from your body as urine.
2. Your kidneys help maintain a proper balance of fluids throughout your body.
3. Your kidneys secrete a hormone called erythropoietin, which is responsible for stimulating the production of red blood cells in your bone marrow.
4. Your kidneys produce an enzyme called renin, which is needed to help maintain your blood pressure.
5. Your kidneys convert vitamin D to its most active form.

How to Keep Your Kidneys Healthy

Recent studies indicate that 26 million American adults suffer from chronic kidney disease (CKD) and that the number is likely to rise unless Americans get serious about prevention. Primary risks include: diabetes; heart disease; high blood pressure; a family history of kidney failure; and age 60-plus. Secondary risks include: obesity; autoimmune diseases; urinary tract infections and systemic infections. Exercising regularly and controlling weight are just two of the ten ways keep your kidneys healthy.

Here are three important ways to protect your kidneys from prematurely breaking down:

1. Don't drink too much water.

Given the work that your kidneys are forced to undertake to filter your blood and produce urine, drinking large amounts of water when you’re not thirsty is a good recipe for prematurely wearing down your kidneys as you age. Your body is not like a plumbing tube that gets cleaner by flushing large amounts of water through it. A number of your organs, including your kidneys, are designed to keep your body clean by continuously eliminating waste materials. If you want to prevent illness as you age, a top priority should be to prevent unnecessary burden to your kidneys and other waste-eliminating organs.

2. Don’t eat too much protein, especially animal protein.

Eating more protein than you need leads to a greater workload on your kidneys, which must filter a by-product of protein metabolism called blood urea nitrogen (BUN) out of your blood. This increased workload can contribute to premature breakdown of the glomeruli in your kidneys.

If you have healthy kidneys, you can safely eat up to half of your body weight (in pounds) in grams per day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds and are in good health, you can safely eat up to 75 grams* of protein (~ 10 oz.) from minimally processed foods per day. If you have problems with your kidneys, you should decrease this amount to a level that results in a healthy blood urea nitrogen level.

If your current health status is such that you need an objective way to monitor how well your body is responding to the amount of protein that you are eating, ask your doctor about monitoring your BUN level. Whenever you eat protein, your body breaks it down into amino acids that contain nitrogen. Nitrogen separates from amino acids and combines with other molecules to form urea. Urea is eliminated from your body when your kidneys filter it out of your blood and into your urine.

A healthy range for BUN is between 4 to 17 mg/dL. Anywhere between 18 to 21 mg/dL is a sign that you may be eating too much protein, and possibly that your kidneys are under excessive strain. More than 21 mg/dL is a strong sign that you need to significantly reduce your protein intake.

The link between eating too much protein and developing kidney disease is one that is not often talked about by supporters of a high-protein diet. While it is important to keep your blood sugar and insulin at healthy levels by avoiding sugar and other simple carbohydrates, please know that a high-protein diet poses a danger to your health, especially if most of your protein is cooked using high temperature techniques. Your health is best served by replacing simple carbohydrates with lots of high quality fat, and moderate amounts of healthy protein and non-starchy plant-based vegetables.

*Note: There are about 7 g of protein in 1 ounce of cooked meat. So, for example, 4 ounces of raw boneless skinless chicken breast yields about 3 ounces of cooked chicken, or 21 g of protein. Most healthy adults need about 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. To calculate pounds, divide your weight by 2.2 to convert to kilograms and multiply by 0.8 to find the protein grams recommended for your weight each day. For example, a 175-pound person would need about 64 g of protein each day.

3. Don’t take prescription drugs and over-the-counter pain pills on a regular basis.

As many professional athletes have discovered during the past several years, regular use of prescription anti-inflammatory pain medication like Vioxx, Indocin, and Naprosyn poses even greater danger to kidney health than over-the-counter pain killers.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and aspirin are known to cause kidney damage if taken regularly. Acetaminophen (Tylenol and Excedrin) can also cause kidney damage and failure if used regularly. All of these over-the-counter pain medications probably don’t pose significant danger if your kidneys are relatively healthy and you use them for emergencies only.

Here are additional ways to keep your kidneys healthy.

• Follow a healthful plant-based diet
• Don't smoke or abuse alcohol
• Don't overuse over-the-counter painkillers or NSAIDs
• Control weight
• Monitor blood pressure & cholesterol
• Exercise regularly
• Get an annual physical
• Know your family's medical history
• Learn about kidney disease
• Talk to your doctor about getting tested if you're at risk for CKD

Please remember that the best "medicine" for all of your organs, your kidneys included, is eating a plant-based, minimally processed diet, getting enough physical and emotional rest, getting regular exposure to fresh air and sunlight (without getting burned), and being physically active.

  

THE FIBROMYALGIA SERIES PART M

We're already to the letter "M."

Where would we be 

without the pain in our body?

Which leads me to .....

M - is for our muscles. That lovely old fibrous tissue that gives us chronic, widespread, musculoskelatal pain which is our namesake.

M - is for moron. I feel like one when the fog sets in and I can feel my IQ drop by 60 points. It's very disconcerting to not be able to remember things. It really is embarrassing when you stop mid-sentence because you can't remember the next thing you were going to say.

M - is for motionless. There are those days when the pain is so intense that I just want to shut out the lights and lie motionless until it passes. 

M - for melancholy. Because the pain and fatigue are our constant companions it's tough to remain upbeat. This is a constant struggle because I just don't want to remain in that state. I will say.....it's work.

M - is for management. We must be ever mindful to manage our symptoms and not let them run away from us. We live with our doctors on speed dial and scour google for ideas and articles about the latest thing just in case it can help. I think most of us can run down numerous management tools that work and those that are junk.

M - is for mysterious. Odd symptoms appear and disappear at will. I have no idea what they can be attributed to and I end up throwing all of them into my Fibromyalgia wastebasket.

M - is for massage. At times, massage seems to help. When my muscles are in real bad shape the thought of anyone "kneading" those muscles is terrifying. I'd be screaming through the treatment and I don't think I'd help their business. 

M - is for memory. Memory? What is that???

M - is for money. Fibromyalgia isn't cheap. Even with insurance the co-pays can be ridiculous. It seems that the month starts and ends with doctor appointments and trips to Sam's Club for my prescriptions.

M - is for mellow. Believe it or not, I've mellowed in my old age. Now, there are those in my family that would hotly debate that statement but I believe it to be true! Not getting on my soapbox about everything has helped. Stress is a killer and it just isn't worth it. I'm not going to change the world. I need to just take a chill pill.

M - is for merciful. Even on the days that are terrible I go back to my mantra, "it could be worse." It could be a lot worse and I don't even want to think about it. People are dying and have cancer.....I'm grateful that what I have can be managed and isn't life threatening. It is life changing but I can deal with that. I am thankful that God has been merciful and I thank him every day that my family and friends are happy and healthy. Me? I'll get through this.

M - is for meaningful. Even when things are tough, we need to find something that makes our life meaningful. For me, it's this blog. For you it may be looking up in the sky and seeing a beautiful sunset or the soft breath of a dog sleeping next to you. What ever you find that is meaningful.....revel in it. 

Even though life is tough,

Even though life sometimes isn't fair,

Even though we think the pain will never end,

Even when we think we can't take much more,

just remember,

it truly is better than the alternative.

Doctor-Patient Relationship

Doctor appointments are more enjoyable and helpful, especially if you have had a good relationship with your doctor over the years. But, even a good doctor-patient relationship can turn dysfunctional over time. Doctors may have the best of intentions, but their model of practice may no longer fit what you need.

In any given year about 10% to 15% of patients at least consider switching doctors. In one two-year study, 15 percent of patients moved to different practices because of dissatisfaction with the care they were receiving.

One reason may simply be that patients today have come to expect a higher level of care. Patients tend to be armed with more information about health care, either through news stories or after having researched their condition over the Internet. These more-savvy health care consumers also want doctors whose treatment philosophies are more in tune with their own lifestyles and choices.

More often than not, the reason for patient dissatisfaction comes down to poor communication. Patients don't really know how to evaluate medical skills, but they do know if a doctor interrupts them when they're listing their concerns.

Too much talking, too little listening
Patient-doctor communication can be further hampered by age. Doctors tend to be more egalitarian with younger patients, sharing the decision making with the patient. Plus, many doctors may focus only on physical symptoms, without addressing psychological or social concerns, like whether the patient has the transportation to get to a medical test.

Substandard communication isn't just annoying, though. It also has serious implications for your health. Research shows very clearly that when patients are actively involved in their decision making, and their opinions and perspectives are incorporated into a health care plan, there are much better outcomes.

Despite all this, even patients who are less than pleased with their doctors may be hesitant to leave them. First, there are logistical challenges, such as transferring a long medical history or finding a conveniently located doctor who is covered by the patient's health plan. 

And boomers monitoring the health of their aging parents should know that Americans over 70 often resist changing doctors, mostly because they were raised with a profound respect for authority and don't want to offend.

If you do decide to find a new doctor, try to leave on the best possible terms, because your new doctor may need to consult your old one. Consider sending the old doctor a letter describing the specific reasons you decided to change. It may be hard to write — and also hard to hear as a doctor, but we all learn things from what we've done wrong.

10 Warning Signs That You May Need a New Doctor

So how do you know if your doctor isn't "the one"?

Your gut is often your best guide, experts say. But here are a few warning signs that you might need to give your doctor the boot.

Be wary of a doctor who:

1. Dismisses every complaint, blaming age or your sex.

2. Dismisses the importance of nutrition and other lifestyle changes.

3. Insists that nothing can be done. There is always something to try.

4. Spends too little time with you.

5. Scoffs at your research all the time.

6. Interrupts you frequently, especially if you're a patient with complex, multiple issues.

7. Writes a prescription with minimum discussion.

8. Recommends treatments without considering your lifestyle.

9. Has you taking multiple medications with no improvement in your health.

10. Keeps referring you to more specialists without any improvement.

THE FIBROMYALGIA SERIES PART O

Yes, it's the O series.

And I am tired.

Just tired....or......

O - is for out of gas. I have just been soooo tired lately. It feels like there is just nothing left. The fatigue has taken over or, as I call it, I've been visited by the twins. (The twins are pain and fatigue.)

O - is for ouch. I've had a lot of that too lately. It usually starts in my hands and works its way out. All I know is that my whole body has said "ouch" for way too long.

O - is for that out of control feeling when both of the twins hit me with a vengeance. I just feel slammed by them and my body is out of control. 

O - is for organized. I have to be organized otherwise I would forget everything. My OCD kicks in and it feels kind of good to keep a little of it around. Organization makes me feel good and safe. Everything, I mean everything, goes into my phone. Checking it is a whole other issue but at least I put it in there. 

O - is for ostrich. Like that beautiful bird, I tend to put my head in the sand when it comes to symptoms. I tend to think everything is due to the Fibromyalgia and that is just not true. On the other hand, I'm more aware of everything that happens in my body. I don't know whether that is prudent or sad.

O - is for organic. Ever since the Fibromyalgia I've been more aware of the food that I eat. I look at labels and try to go for the organic whenever possible. I think that pesticides and processed food is responsible for a lot of the illnesses that are more prevalent today.

O - is for objective. I read a lot of research and articles. A lot of them. I try to remain objective when it comes to the management of Fibromyalgia. I also come unglued when I read stupid articles from people that don't have a clue about the science and truth about this illness.

O - is for opinionated, ornery and outspoken. I am and I know it.

O - is for oppressive. The fatigue and pain sometimes feel so oppressive. It weighs me down and I can't seem to get out from under it. My attitude goes in the toilet and I get depressed. There are times that I can deal with it and times that I can't. Lately, I've been in the "can't" category.

O - is for outside. I need to just go outside and walk. The weather has been beautiful in Las Vegas and I should take advantage of it. Actually, I need to just go outside, look at the sky and breathe in the fresh air. It could be a lot worse and I need the Vitamin D.

O - is for Okay. I'm getting there and I will get there. I'm just going to put on a Disney classic cartoon. They always make me smile. How about Robin Hood??? 

There we are.....

Roger Miller singing......

O de la le

O de la le

golly what a day.

That's it!

THE FIBROMYALGIA SERIES PART R

So here we are

at the letter R.

Most of all we reflect....

and remember.....

R - is definitely for remember. Fibromyalgia is tough on your life. Most of us were Type A personalities that would thrive on the stress of our lives or careers. Once this lovely syndrome Velcros itself to us, we remember with longing our lives and for those of us who lost it....our careers.

R - which brings us to reinvent. If you lost your job or career, Fibromyalgia causes you to have to reinvent your life purpose. This is a tough one. I still struggle with this one but every time someone comments how I've helped them I know that I've found something that I wouldn't trade for the world. It has given me a creative outlet and it's given me purpose.

R - is for reluctance. Even though I've found an outlet, I've been reluctant to let my old life go. I still go through periods of longing and wish I could try sales again. Every time I think I can do it a doozy of a flare serves as a reality check. Ooh......another R.

R - Here we go. Reality check. Like I said.....just when I think I can disregard my body and run headlong into another idea, a flare comes along and slaps me and says...."not so fast..."

R - is for rebellious. Yes, I'm a rebel. Just look back at the other words. I try to live in a way that is kind to my body but every now and then I say.....eff it and push myself. I need to keep saying..."if you push you will pay." I cannot forget this because it is true.

R - is for relax. I need to do this more often. It's not in my nature to live on the comatose side of life but I push too much. If we just close our eyes....shut out the world.....it will help our pain. When life's challenges come at us: just relax.

R - is for recognize. Listen to your body and recognize what it's trying to tell you. I know that my flares usually start in my hands. I'll start rubbing them and then, before I know it, the old familiar ache starts to spread throughout my body. It's also very important to write symptoms and feelings down for your doctor. I hope you have one that listens to you.

R - is for reminders. When the fog hits and you don't know why you walked into a room it's helpful to have little reminders around. I make lists and lists in my phone. I have all my appointments in the calendar. What screws me up is that I forget to look at my phone.

R - is for those restless nights. Even though we have fatigue, we don't get enough restorative sleep. Thank goodness for my iPad. I don't know what I'd do without it. To try to get to sleep, I spray lavender on my pillow and I use melatonin tabs called Mid Nites. I know there's medication to help sleep but I take muscle relaxers and pain medication. I'm afraid to take a sleeping pill on top of that. 

R - is for responsible. Remember that all medications are powerful and we need to be responsible with them. That means responsible in taking them and responsible in where we keep them. If you have others in the house with you take care who has access to them. 

R - is for relatives. My hope is that they recognize what is happening to you and don't make you feel like your faking it or being lazy. Fibromyalgia is real. It's tough enough to deal with the symptoms of this illness without friends or relatives making it worse. If you have people in your life that don't believe you, get to a support group. Reach out....it will help you. None of us can go through this alone.

R - is for realization. Fibromyalgia isn't going away and right now there is no cure. We need to learn management tools so that we don't get overwhelmed. Fortunately, there is a research going on out there that may help point to a cause. 

R - is for renewed. I may not get enough sleep but each day I wake up feeling a sense of renewal. I know that life could be a whole lot worse so I try to be grateful for each day. Gratitude and laughter go a long way.

R - is for rewarding. Thank you so much for reading my blog and commenting. All of you have truly given my life a direction that has so much meaning. It truly is one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. 

and lastly.....

R - is for ridiculous. 

Reduce it down to the ridiculous and find something to laugh about each and every day.  

Find joy and happiness and love. 

Sometimes the pain makes it very difficult but find it......

in spite of the pain.

THE FIBROMYALGIA SERIES PART B

Here we are to the letter B.

If you were to ask anyone to name a trait....

and it's not brilliant.....

B - definitely have to start with bitchiness. When I am exhausted and the pain has moved in and taken up permanent residence, I tend to get a tad bitchy. It starts out with being snappy and as the day progresses it can definitely move into the bitch range.

B - feeling like you are bound by pain. I have to remember that this too shall pass. I have two pain levels: manageable and voodoo. The other words in this category are Bad, Bone-tired and Beaten down.

B - is feeling betrayed by your own body. Every time a bizarre symptom rears its ugly head we wonder if it's something to do with Fibromyalgia or another body part is deciding to revolt.

B - is for the belligerent stance we take when a doctor gives us that "Fibromyalgia-isn't-real" look. If this look has been given to you.....find another doctor. This brings me to another word for doctors that either don't believe you or patronize you......Bogus.

B - is for keeping the emotions that are tied with chronic illness bottled up inside of you. This isn't good for you or anyone else for that matter. I have trouble in this area. I think when you're somewhat reserved opening up is difficult. That's why I was surprised how much I could open up in this blog and it was truly healing. If you have trouble in this area....get a journal and write. Trust me...it helps.

B - Which brings me to balance. Life in general is easier when we find balance. It can take a bloody and bruised, bedraggled soul and bring it peace. Take time to be quiet and listen to that inner voice that is in there buried beneath the struggles of chronic illness.

B - is for beige. Beige is looked at as a flat, neutral color. We don't have to live life in beige because of Fibromyalgia. Find joy in something and laugh every single day. 

We may not be able to run at full speed and we may be tired and hurting. There are lots of challenges that we face every day because of this, however.......

Remember.......

In all things we are blessed.

Baggy sweats or pajamas still feel really good........

We can still walk barefoot and feel the cool grass under our feet...

A glorious sunrise or sunset is still breathtaking.

And even though we look in the mirror and see pain....we are still beautiful. 

and maybe, just maybe.....

in the midst of pain we can find purpose and bliss.