Biofeedback & Stress

Stress Reduction & Biofeedback:

Stress affects us all. The deleterious effects of excess stress have been well documented in a wide range of medical publications.

Thousands of research articles, studies and books prove beyond a shadow of doubt, that stress can be a factor in any disease, as it alters biochemistry and neurological functioning, and can weaken the immune system and the digestive tract.

This neuro-psychological-immuno link is well established in many peer reviewed medical journals onPsychoneuroimmunology.

Fight or Flight Response

Stress can trigger the body’s response to perceived threat or danger, the fight or flight response. During this reaction, certain hormones like adrenalin and cortisol are released, speeding the heart rate, slowing digestion, shunting blood flow to major muscle groups, and changing various other autonomic nervous functions, giving the body a burst of energy and strength. Originally named for its ability to enable us to physically fight or run away when faced with danger, it’s now activated in situations where neither response is appropriate, like in traffic or during a stressful day at work.

When the perceived threat is gone, systems are designed to return to normal function via the relaxation response, but in times of chronic stress, this often doesn’t happen, causing damage to the body if stress is not reduced and managed.

Common physiological changes resulting from stress reactions include:

Increased Heart Rate, which can lead and / or contribute to heart conditions. Hormonal Fluctuations, which can lead and / or contribute to endocrine, reproductive, digestive disorders, obesity, diabetes and mental disorders.Constriction of muscles and blood vessels, can lead and / or contribute to pain, tension, circulatory issues, cardio-pulmonary issues and asthma. The suppression of non-essential life processes, which affects reproduction, higher executive brain function, digestion and immunity.

Many people think of stress only in terms of things like deadlines at work, family or relationship stress, financial pressures, traffic jams, or the death of a loved one perhaps. However, stress reactions also occur on the unconscious, cellular, subtle or energetic levels each time we are exposed to a toxin, pathogen or allergen; and every time our body experiences a nutritional deficiency or excess.

What are the benefits of Biofeedback?

Everyone can benefit from biofeedback. Most people report biofeedback sessions to be relaxing, soothing and beneficial. Yucha and Montgomery (2008), in their article “Evidence Based Practice in Biofeedback and Neurofeedback” published in The Journal of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback summarized the most current and complete medical research based on scientific rigor and consistency of outcome on biofeedback benefits and efficacy with the following health related issues.

What Is Epigenetics?

It has been well-accepted for a long time that nutrition is beneficial to health. The difference now is that research is showing us that it is not just the nutrients from the food we eat that supports our bodies. The actual genetic material from food enters our bodies and influences how and which of our genes are turned on or off. Not only that, but the food we eat also affects the 100 trillion bacteria that live in our intestines, and those bacteria have a huge effect on our health.

What Are Telomeres?

Telomeres are the DNA at very ends of our chromosomal strands (like the little plastic aglet on the end of your shoelaces). You can read more about what they do in the post, but the important thing to know is that:
1. Oxidative stress affects the length of your telomeres, and
2. Telomere length is correlated with health and the length of life.

Why Should You Care?

Ultimately, our health is determined not by our genes, but by how well we protect our DNA (and our telomeres!) from oxidative stress. We should take this as great news, because it means that your health is in your hands.

Why Chronic Stress Could be Making You Unhealthy, Unhappy and Just Plain Tired
If youre feeling a bit overwhelmed these days, youre not the only one.

In todays always-connected world, its practically impossible to hop off the hamster wheel and give yourself some much-needed downtime.

So you continue to burn the candle at both ends. And youre stressed all the time.

As a result, your health suffers. And so does your mood.

Because the reality is that your body simply isnt designed to handle the chronic stress that comes with modern life.

You see, when you become stressed, your body automatically reacts with a fight-or-flight response.

And your body quite literally cant tell the difference between encountering a man-eating saber tooth tiger and being stuck in a traffic jam.

So when you start to feel anxious (no matter what the cause) your body immediately begins pumping out cortisol and other stress hormones.

In the short-term, these stress hormones help give you extra strength and stamina. by raising your blood pressure and heart rate. And by directing blood away from your digestive system to your heart and large muscles.

That gives you enough extra strength to outrun that saber tooth tiger. Or to lift a car to save a trapped toddler.

And thats helpful when youre only experiencing short-term stress like running from that tiger.

But heres the problem

Why Chronic Stress Could be Destroying Your Health
When youre stressed out all the time at work, at home, even on vacation your adrenal glands continue to pump out additional stress hormones like cortisol.

As a result, your cortisol levels skyrocket. Even if your only threat is being late to an important meeting having an argument with your spouse or dealing with children who dont listen.

And that puts continuous strain on your body. Which makes you feel upset, sad and simply worn out.

It can also quickly eat away at your health:

making you more likely
to catch colds

keeping your body from healing properly

increasing your chances of gaining weight

interfering with your sleep

impacting your ability to
think clearly

causing you to age faster

making you feel sad and unmotivated

giving you gastrointestinal problems

causing your blood sugar level to become out of whack

and even damaging
your heart

What to do When Standard Stress Relief Strategies Just Dont Work
Now you probably already know that stress is bad for you.

And you may have tried many different things to try to lower your stress. Like meditating. Getting a massage. Or doing deep breathing exercises.

But if youre like many of the patients I see, it simply isnt enough.

The good news is that there is a NATURAL way to reduce the effects this stress has on your body and your mood.

The powerful herb Im about to tell you about actually REDUCES the amount of cortisol in your system. And this releases your tension, letting you remain calm and cope better.

So you can keep your cool even when dealing with the daily pressures of your everyday life.