Life Energy Holistic Partners


The Stress Stack™ Dietary Influences Lifestyle Influences The "Cognitive Filter" The Nutritional Gap Toxic Influences Trigger Factor

The Stress Stack™

STRESS. The mention of the word brings a variety of reactions from virtually everyone: a knowing nod of the head, rolling the eyes, and numerous body language and verbal acknowledgements that each person truly knows what stress is. But do we really? And do we understand the effects and costs of the imposition of stress on our bodies and our society in 21st Century civilization?

As a nationally board certified traditional naturopath, I have seen the stress management part of our practice explode into its single largest component. That is understandable: virtually everyone who walks through my office door, from children to the elderly, exhibits the impact of the stress of contemporary life. The problem is that most of us don’t know exactly to what degree stress impacts our lives and, of equal importance, how we can change those factors which negatively affect us. But what exactly is stress? And what factors contribute to the body’s stress response? We’ve extensively researched the many personal and professional definitions of stress, and the most comprehensive definition we can offer is stress is any input to the human physiology that results in expenditure of the body’s finite energy resources on activation of the fight-flight response, as well as the resulting effects of those inputs.

Our research has clearly shown that the key factors which precipitate a stress response are one’s diet (i.e., the foods and beverages we consume that directly contribute to the stress response), lifestyle (i.e., the everyday environmental factors at home or work which cause stress), cognitive filter (i.e., the factors which create the prism through which we view the world), “nutritional gap” (i.e., the difference between what we eat and what our bodies really need), toxic burden (i.e., the toxins which we have been exposed to and carry around), and the “trigger factor” (i.e., that pivotal event that can potentially topple us into ill health).

All of us have to deal with each of these factors to varying degrees, based on our unique life experiences. The combination of these factors creates a “stress stack,” stretching vertically toward the “catabolic threshold.” That threshold is the limit beyond which our bodies cannot further withstand chronic stress, and we start to manifest ill health. The mix of each of these factors is unique to each of us. One person may have a very large part of the stress stack having to do with dietary influences, while another may experience the most stress due to the influence of the cognitive filter. So each person’s solution to alleviating stress must be individually crafted for best results.

Our concept of stress management is built around correcting the excessive influences of the stress-causing factors contained in the Stress Stack™.

Learn more about Unraveling the Stress Stack™ and start your recovery from chronic stress today!

Dietary Influences

In our society we use many things to help us cope with stress, most especially foods and beverages. What most people aren’t aware of is that many of these “crutches” actually increase the stress load on the body, in the process contributing to the problem of chronic stress in our lives and in society at large.

Of these means which our society uses to cope with stress, by far the most prevalent are caffeinated beverages and foods. We should emphasize at the outset that caffeine is a drug, attaching to the same cell receptor sites as heroin and cocaine. The supposed “energy boost” one feels after ingesting caffeine is actually the tension felt by the body as it deals with caffeine. The reaction of the body to caffeine can be summed up as: Caffeine = Stress.

And then there’s chocolate. We know what this food holds in terms of emotional contentment; it is a preeminent “comfort food.” We certainly don’t dispute the research that has identified chocolate as a source of antioxidants. Unfortunately, however, two other substances in chocolate, caffeine and theobromine, combine to make a three ounce chocolate candy bar the equivalent, caffeine-wise, of a large mug of coffee.

Aspartame, commonly known as NutraSweet, Equal or Spoonful, it is one of the world’s most widely used artificial sweeteners. Most of us know of aspartame through our consumption of so-called “diet” sodas. But does aspartame really live up to its billing as an aid to weight loss?

To start with, aspartame is approximately 180 times as sweet as sugar, but with zero calorie content. When the body ingests and identifies a substance this sweet, it instructs the intestinal tract to prepare for an enormous intake of calories. The body creates enzymes to convert future calories to fat. Because its effect on appetite lasts for up to 90 minutes after ingestion, it causes an overwhelming urge to overeat. That is why the more aspartame one consumes; the more likely they are to gain weight. Dr. H.J. Roberts, the world’s leading expert on aspartame, identified it as a diabetic reactor and neurotoxin and advises all his diabetes patients to avoid aspartame products. Perhaps the most dangerous component of aspartame is methanol, also known as wood alcohol. The EPA recommends consumption of no more than 7.8mg/day of methanol, but an average soft drink containing aspartame contains 56mg. Once ingested, the methanol converts to formaldehyde and formic acid (ant sting poison). Formaldehyde, a deadly neurotoxin, is common embalming fluid, a Class A carcinogen. It is obvious, therefore, that aspartame contributes greatly to the chronic stress load on our bodies.

A widely accepted means our society uses to relax and “de-stress” is through consumption of alcoholic beverages. Most of us are well familiar with the societal challenges we face in dealing with chronic alcohol abuse. But one area many experts ignore is the effect of even moderate alcohol consumption on the body’ stress response. Alcohol is the most highly refined form of sugar available in any food or beverage.

The introduction of processed/refined sugar of any type into the body causes the adrenals to release hormones called glucocorticoids (otherwise known as cortisol) to aid the body in the processing and absorption of the alcohol. This acts as a stimulus for the adrenal glands. Over time, regular consumption of alcoholic beverages can result in “rebound effect” later on at night, causing the person to awaken and disturbing the natural sleep cycle. Obviously, alcohol also adds to the chronic stress load we must deal with.

A headline from an online news article said it all not long ago: “The U.S. Is Eating Itself To Death.” The article went on to describe the soaring rates of obesity, the prevalence of “super size” portions in fast food restaurants, and the effect this all has on our nation’s collective health.

But does it contribute to stress? Absolutely! Because we are such a clock-oriented society, we have fallen into the trap of believing that the less time we spend on any given activity, the more efficient we have become. This belief has given rise to the huge number and variety of fast food restaurants.

The primary stressors in these food sources are the types of foods (usually high calorie, high fat), the chemical soup that usually accompanies them in the form of preservatives, additives and pesticides, and the predominance of partially hydrogenated fats (also known as trans fats). Trans fats are definitely the worst. They literally rob our body of the raw material we need to deal effectively with stress.

All of these factors come together with a vengence in the food selections offered in most public settings. To the extent we routinely expose ourselves to this type of nutrition, we continue to add to our stress load, sometimes daily, for years on end. To reduce the stress that dietary influences add to your stress load, Contact Us for an appointment today!

Lifestyle Influences

There are a whole host of factors in our society, and therefore our daily lives, which impact our bodies’ ability to respond to and withstand stress. Many of these factors have become so ingrained in our society that they are widely accepted as “normal”. Deepak Chopra, MD calls this phenomenon “the hypnosis of social conditioning.”

When examining the structure of our society, it is apparent that, despite our self-perception as an advanced civilization, we are still a sub optimizing society, much like our ancestors. In fact, there is some fascinating preliminary research which indicates that tribalism may be a genetic human trait. If so, it can be a plausible explanation why, when groups of people, organizations or governments interact, it is frequently stressful.

In Corporate America, the level of stress has risen dramatically over the last several decades, such that the majority of corporate employees cite stress as the major cause of ill health, job dissatisfaction and their desire to change jobs. With its dual emphasis on quality AND quantity, Corporate America has placed a stress load on corporate employees which is unprecedented in human history.

At the same time, the natural friction between the desires of corporations to provide good service and maintain operational cost effectiveness has foisted a much greater workload on the customer, in terms of time spent interacting with the corporation over issues such as product problems and service. When the perception is created that the corporation’s money is more important than the customer’s time, customer stress is generated. In major metropolitan areas, the daily stress of traffic congestion adds immeasurably to the commuter’s stress load. Using road systems designed for the “average” traffic flow, commuters suffer through the daily mess caused by accidents and the overwhelming of the infrastructure by too many vehicles in too little space.

The prevalence of stressful content on TV and in the mainstream media (e.g., violent programming, negative news stories) also creates a stress response. In many cases, the content is so stimulating that an accompanying emotional response (e.g., fear, shock, etc.) is also generated. The widespread use of technology in American homes and workplaces also generates its own kind of stress. Long term exposure to the electrical fields generated by home and workplace appliances and computers is increasingly being recognized as harmful. (See Toxic Influences for more information.)

As our society has become progressively more automated, our personal relationships, at home and at work, have become more fragmented. The gradually increasing isolation of most Americans, despite their ever increasing sense of connectedness, has created an epidemic of loneliness. Research has recently identified loneliness as a primary factor in the body’s inability to mount an effective stress response.

Despite our apparently sophisticated civilization, our body’s stress response operates in essentially the same way as our ancestors. As such, we still need regular exercise to help our bodies normalize their stress responses. However, the advent of myriad labor saving devices, which impact virtually every area of our lives, has created another “hypnosis of social conditioning” which has convinced too many of our fellow citizens that exercise is merely an option in pursuing good health. As such, they deny themselves perhaps the most important remedy to combat a chronic stress response.

One of the most widespread stressors in American life is sleep deprivation (See Living in an Adrenaline Nation for more information). With the virtually endless options available for nighttime entertainment, as well as the desire of Corporate America to increase worker productivity, we have truly become a 24/7 Society. The physiological costs that those of us who routinely deny themselves adequate rest add significantly to our stress load.

Finally, although may of us recognize that we routinely deal with too much stress in our lives, our societal fixation on stress-relieving “quick fixes” – TV, alcohol, caffeine, video games, etc. – lead us down a path that actually increases our stress load. Many of these so-called “relaxers” actually precipitate a stress response and add to the size of our personal Stress Stack™. To get effective help in minimizing the stress of lifestyle factors in your Stress Stack™, Contact Us for an appointment today!

The "Cognitive Filter"

The "cognitive filter" is what shapes our stress response. Of all the stressors which impact the human body/mind/spirit matrix, perhaps the most influential is what we call the “cognitive filter”. It is the overlay of influences and experiences through which we perceive, interpret and act upon the events which shape our reality.

In order to best understand how our cognitive filters work, we need to know how our bodies work to generate those filters. Perhaps the closest equivalent which has already been described is the “life grid” concept developed by British physician Leon Chaitow. The baseline factors are comprised first of the individual’s current and past biochemical stressors. These can include not only the various toxic influences which impact one’s long term health (e.g., mercury in the dental fillings or fluoride in the drinking water), but also those near term influences such as the food we eat, the cosmetics we use, the beverages we drink, the prescription and recreational drugs we consume, etc.

When dealing with toxic influences especially, one must be prepared to deal with both the biochemical and energetic levels. To do less would permit the individual to achieve biochemical balance, only to suffer a relapse because the energetic imprint of the ailment allows it to be first energetically and then biochemically reestablished.

The second input variable is the current and past psychological load. This is comprised of the totality from birth of one’s thoughts and mental and emotional reactions as stored in the brain. Obviously, repetitive patterns (positive or negative), imprinted within the brain structure, have a much greater influence than discrete events, unless those individual events are overlaid with exceptionally strong emotional content.

>The third input is current and past biomechanical overuse and misuse. Since none of us are structurally perfect, we are required to compensate for our flaws by overuse of some components and under use of others. When injury and illness are overlaid, the tendencies are exacerbated, creating visible imbalances and manifestations.

The fourth input is the spiritual component. By that we do not mean the religiously oriented sense of the word, but the sense of being part of something much larger and more significant than us as individuals. Each one of us possesses a different level and comprehension of the concept of “spiritual awareness”. The primary point here is that it can play either a positive or negative role in our lives with respect to our ability to manage stress.

This framework is initially filled in with the components of our own biomechanical individuality, toxicity levels, nutritional status, and endocrine balance. For example, each of us has a distinct gait, way of posturing ourselves in different situations, and using certain portions of our anatomy. These biomechanical habits are generated as a function of the previously mentioned influences. That is biomechanical individuality. Additionally, because of the unique environmental factors we each have been exposed to, the level and mix of different chemical and biological toxins in each of us is also unique.

Further, our individual nutritional likes and dislikes, as well as the availability or lack of certain foods in our environment create both the fills and gaps in our nutritional status. In effect, it means that what you eat (or don’t eat) has a profound effect on how you think. (See Dietary Influences and The Nutritional Gap for more information.)

All of these factors exert a direct and profound effect on the balance or imbalance which manifests in our endocrine, or glandular, system, the primary manager and balancer of our body’s available energy. (See our Resources section for more information on the endocrine system and its effect on our stress response.)

A further filling in of our cognitive filter occurs with our unique psychological features, personality, emotional and behavioral characteristics. Some of these are learned from our primary caregivers while we are growing up, some from our peers, some are inherited genetically, and some are directed and shaped by our life experiences. Additionally, our social support system (or lack thereof), coping abilities, and degree of general “hardiness” help also to fill in the factors that comprise our cognitive filter.

There are three important additional ideas that require discussion to reach a complete understanding of the cognitive filter. The first is that the cognitive filter is constantly changing. Every life experience we undergo, positive or negative, contributes to the structure of the cognitive filter.

We offer several unique and effective tools to help you reshape your cognitive filter to better handle your personal Stress Stack™. To learn more Contact Us for an appointment today!

The Nutritional Gap

One of the prevalent myths surrounding nutrition, and promoted for years by the conventional medical and dietetics communities, is the adage of “eat a balanced diet and you don’t need to take vitamins.” While this would be true in an ideal situation, NONE of us live in that ideal situation. The very words of the adage “eat a balanced diet,” by definition, mean selecting from a wide variety of ALL foods so we may obtain all the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients necessary to sustain a healthy body. There are several important reasons why none of us meet that ideal standard.

First, the fast food and high carbs that comprise the Standard American Diet, ironically abbreviated to SAD, contribute to this gap by exaggerating the imbalances, i.e., providing too much of some types of nutrients and too little of others. (See our web page Dietary Influences for more information).

Additionally, our own personal food preferences contribute greatly to the problem. How many times have we heard someone say “I don’t like fish (or vegetables, or whatever nutritious food we may name)?” If that person as a result deliberately avoids those types of foods, are they TRULY consuming a balanced diet? Published statistics show that less than 6% of our population truly eats a balanced diet. Those who “eat organic” may be smiling a self satisfied smile right now, convinced that they don’t fall into that category. Not so fast! They, too, have food preferences, like and dislikes, even if they are eating food that is demonstrably healthier. As such, they are NOT necessarily eating a balanced diet!

Finally, the most compelling evidence comes directly from the records of the Department of Agriculture. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in December 2005, a researcher examined the change in nutrient content of common fruits and vegetables from 1950 through 1999. He found that the content had declined (depending on the produce and nutrient examined) between six and 38 percent. This was attributed to the reduction in available soil nutrients that has occurred due to repeatedly growing the same crops on the same soil, as well as the use of fertilizers which support increased crop size but not increased nutrient value. In a nation with an obesity rate in excess of 60 percent, the solution definitely is NOT to eat between six and 38 percent more of these foods!

It is therefore safe to say that almost NO ONE in America today eats a “balanced diet,” and the gaps in the nutritional status of all of us contribute greatly to our ability or inability to handle stress. We can say with certainty that virtually no one can do without nutritional supplementation, especially those nutrients which fuel our bodies’ stress response. In other words, if you’re not taking a good quality suite of nutritional supplements, you are leaving your body’s stress response mechanism open to exploitation by nutritional deficiencies. We offer many effective alternatives to address these nutritional gaps as a part of our consultation process. See the Services and Products for more information, or Contact Us for an appointment today!

Toxic Influences

It is a little known fact that our species has been exposed to more chemicals and toxic influences in the last fifty years than during all the prior 200,000 years of human history combined. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that we are exposed to almost 500,000 potentially toxic synthetic chemicals throughout our society today. Almost 5,000 new ones are added every year. While most of these chemicals have been developed for the purpose of enhancing our quality of life on this planet, there is definitely a down side. When these chemicals are disposed of, transported or mishandled, there is always a risk of toxic chemical exposure; these episodes are what we usually hear about in the media. However, it is the daily exposure we all undergo, in small increments, that holds the greatest potential for chronic stress and widespread ill health.

There have been many well-written books on the subject of toxic exposure, so we won’t try to duplicate their efforts here. However, the best one we have seen, from a self-help standpoint, is “The Detox Solution,” by our colleague Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald. She has appeared on TV and radio to discuss her findings, and they are worth reading in her own words. See the Resources section for how to obtain this important and helpful book.

There is no doubt that the fertilizers and pesticides which are used to help grow our crops of fruits and vegetables are valuable aids to the productivity of American farmers. The “Breadbasket of America” is truly a success story. But as time has gone on, we have discovered that this unbridled productivity has a definite down side. The chemicals we have used on our fruits and vegetables did not increase the nutritional value of the food, but were used to grow bigger, better looking crops that sell well at the market. In the process, we have progressively grown less and less nutritious food, and paid the price of chronically exposing ourselves to continuing doses of these same chemicals. (See Nutritional Gap for more information.)

When we look across the huge spectrum of products which have been created over the last century to help make our lives easier, there is a common denominator for many of them: they are made of synthetic chemicals derived from petroleum. While these plastics, cleaners, machine parts, etc. all serve productive functions, many of them also have an unintended side effect: when introduced into the body, even in small doses, they mimic the effects of certain hormones, especially estrogen. As such, they have been collectively assigned the name xenoestrogens (“xeno” being a prefix meaning “from a foreign source”). The significance of these substances is that, once they are introduced into the body, they migrate to the same receptor sites on our cells as do the real estrogens produced by our own hormonal systems. Once there, they act as a multiplier of the effects of real estrogen, including the tissue proliferation associated with uterine, breast, and other forms of cancer.

How do they get there? Let’s look at couple of examples. Many, if not most of us, have purchased and consumed bottled water at one time or another. If we were to look at the bottom of that bottle (regardless of the brand), we would see the number “1” in the triangular recycling symbol. That indicates, among other things, that the plastic used to manufacture that bottle is the softest, cheapest type available for that purpose. As such, it is very susceptible to changes in temperature, such that at high temperatures (like those sometimes encountered during long distance shipping), molecules of the plastic actually slough off into the water, which we then consume.

Each time this occurs it creates a small amount of stress; the human body is easily able to handle this negligible individual load. But if it is a recurring pattern, and is reinforced by other activities such as heating or microwaving food in similar soft plastic containers, these chemicals can, over time, build up in the human body to toxic levels, accentuating the effects of hormones like estrogen and making the likelihood of the occurrence of serious illnesses such as cancer much greater.

A second source of these xenoestrogens is found in the chemicals used to process and manufacture cosmetics products. Many of the ingredients in these products, designed to sooth and beautify the skin, have the unintended consequence of adding to the xenoestrogenic load and again increasing the likelihood of serious illness. All of that, collectively and cumulatively, is stress.

A third source of toxic exposure is prescription drugs. The natural and alternative health community has a MAJOR disagreement with the medical and pharmaceutical communities concerning the use of synthetic versus natural substances for therapeutic purposes. The medical community asserts (and quite a few of their studies show) that a synthetic source of a chemical is equally safe and effective as a natural source. However, their argument begins to break down when the subject of drug side effects is addressed. Most substances introduced into the human body, whether they are natural or synthetic, derive their mechanism of action from interacting with (latching onto, really) the cell receptor sites having to do with the particular physiological activity the substance addresses.

In the case of natural substances, innumerable studies have shown conclusively that natural substances interact completely with the appropriate cell receptor sites. Not so with synthetic substances. Even if the chemical composition is identical to a natural substance, the mechanism of action is not quite as effective as it is with the natural substance. Numerous studies have proven this, but the medical community remains in denial. Most likely, it is because this fact is the inconvenient “elephant in the parlor” that refutes one of their most cherished beliefs.

Additionally, it is the comprehensive explanation for why synthetic prescription drugs generate side effects. When the synthetic molecular structure of the drug does not align accurately with the cell receptor site, side effects result. These side effects cause stress. Combine that with the fact that many of our prescription drugs are also combined with stress-causing ingredients like caffeine, and we have a real “witches’ brew” of stress generating ingredients.

We have several very effective tools to help you reduce the toxic burden of your personal Stress Stack™. Contact Us for an appointment today!

Trigger Factor

The "trigger factor" is the straw that breaks the camel's back. When people ultimately succumb to a stress-related illness, they frequently do so because they experience a single significant event, a “trigger,” that pushes their bodies over the edge. Because most people think linearly about their health, they assume that this singe incident is responsible for their descent into ill health. The event is usually an acute traumatic incident such as a job loss, death of a spouse, or accident causing injury.

In many cases, however, this event simply pushes their bodies over the edge, as opposed to being the proximate cause of ill health. When their stress loads are examined more closely, it becomes apparent that they quite frequently have been carrying a very high stress burden for a very long period of time. Their bodies have literally been teetering on the brink of ill health. In reality, it is the accumulation of the other five Stress Stack™ factors’ influences, combined with the “trigger,” that overwhelms the body’s ability to respond.

The effectiveness of the trigger factor increases in direct proportion to the magnitude of the other five factors in the Stress Stack™. The bigger the influence of the other five factors, the more likely it is that the “trigger” will actually be pulled, and we will descend into ill health. Conversely, if we embark on a strategy to decrease the magnitude of each of the other five factors, we back down from the catabolic threshold (the border between good and ill heath), and make it much less likely that the trigger factor will ever intrude into our lives.

At the same time, it is very important to note that both the “trigger” and the mix of factors in the Stress Stack™ is unique to each individual. Therefore, the strategy for addressing the Stress Stack™ must also be unique, and comprehensively address the other five factors in a way that makes sense to us individually.

Have you already identified a “trigger factor” in your personal Stress Stack™? Do you need help in backing away from the catabolic threshold? Contact Us for an appointment today!