S-T-R-E-S-S Less with BAC
The Martial Art of Wellness
Volume 13 – February 2014
DEAR FRIENDS
Welcome to this month’s BioNews. We must learn to free ourselves from the control that others exert over us. As we learn we become FREE, we become powerful. This pursuit of self defense in wellness, I call “The Martial Art of Wellness.” And as we practice we become Wellness Ninjas.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“ Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. ”
— WorldHealth Organization, 1948
THIS ISSUE’S TESTIMONIAL ( I’m 75 feeling half that age. )
” Your green f2 superfood is really helping me. I’m 75 feeling half that age…my mind is sharper than it’s ever been ….writing a 375 page middle grade novel…Thanks ”
– Ellen Z., Nutrition Counselor, Board Certified by Columbia U Teachers College
MARTIAL ART OF WELLNESS ( S-T-R-E-S-S Less with BAC )
Article contributed by Maria Landis, ND, Fitness Coach
Life is a wonderful journey full of fun new opportunities, new relationships, interesting challenges, and of course, change. There are times when the dog runs away, the car breaks down, work is toxic, the kids are acting out, your significant other loses their job, you have to move and have no idea where your next stop will be, you have an illness or your mind, body and soul are just plum tired…All of that is stressful. Managing stress is as important as the air we breathe, the food we eat and what we think.
With more and more demands of work and home life, many individuals come under tremendous stress. Stress is, by and large, a physical reaction and occurs when a person feels threatened or overwhelmed. According to the American Institute of Stress, stress is defined as the response by the body to any demand for change. Chronic stress, even at low or moderate levels, can compromise the immune system and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke.
Without a strong, healthy immune system the body’s defenses decrease against infection, disease, and/or unwanted biological invasion caused by environmental, emotional and internal stressors.
Here are some suggestions that may be helpful in guiding you toward a stress free lifestyle:
Enjoy Balanced Whole Plant Based Nutrition
According to the University of New Hampshire, eating a healthy, well-balanced diet can help you manage stress and actually reinforces stress management techniques. Participants were encouraged to increase their consumption of plant-based whole foods like fruit, vegetables, beans, legumes and whole grains, which tremendously helped in stress reduction. These changes helped attenuate disease progression and had therapeutic potential for management of other related diseases.
“People everywhere who eat the most fruits and vegetables, compared with those who eat the least, slash their expectations of cancer by about 50 %. That includes cancers of the lung, colon, breast, cervix, esophagus, oral cavity, stomach, bladder and ovary.” – Dr Gladys Block, PhD
- Eating breakfast every day is important to avoid becoming ravenous and resorting to unhealthy foods. Breakfast sets the standard for your food choices for the rest of the day, and when the right foods are consumed, provides your body with nutrients that help you handle stress.
- Scientists believe carbohydrates cause the brain to produce more serotonin, a hormone that relaxes us. Eating an increased amount of fiber is helpful in preventing late-night binging. Some examples of healthy comfort foods include baked sweet potatoes, minestrone soup, or sautéed vegetables over rice.
- Chronic stress can weaken our ability to fight disease. By upping our intake of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, we can boost our immune system. Acorn squash and carrots, for example, are great sources of the antioxidant beta-carotene. And citrus fruits provide plenty of vitamin C, another stress-busting antioxidant.
- Eat smaller meals more frequently and eat slower so that your digestive system isn’t overloaded by too much food, leading to more stress.
- Cut down on sugar, drugs, alcohol and caffeine. According to Psych Central, many people develop a reliance on caffeine to combat the fatigue caused by stress. Unfortunately, caffeine raises the levels of stress hormones in your body and can make the damage done by chronic stress worse.
- Increase your intake of water, juice or decaffeinated teas. Drink at least 64 oz. of water every day to stay hydrated and help your body manage the effects of stress. Start each day with a glass of warm lemon water.
- Consume foods that can help reduce stress-related fatigue. These include foods rich in iron such as raisins and spinach. In addition, eat foods that contain protein, Vitamin C and Magnesium. These foods tend to decrease the exhaustion of your body’s resources due to stress.
- Increase foods with calcium. Calcium combined with magnesium in your body helps to facilitate the impulses between neurons both in your body and in your brain. Stress causes a depletion of the calcium stores in your body. When this occurs over a long period of time, your risk of fractures increases due to inadequate available calcium for formation of the bones.
Complement Your Nutritional Program With Bio-Algae Concentrates (BAC)
Stress, age, pressures of modern lifestyle, poor foods and poor eating habits all allow the body’s metabolism and immune system to become lazy, which leads to prematurely accelerated aging and system breakdowns. Even with great advances in medical science and the availability of many products for healthy living, instances of degenerative and heart diseases are increasing every day. Restoring the body’s metabolism to a more youthful state can help counteract the ravages of stress, aging and degenerative disease.
Introduce Bio-Algae Concentrates (BAC) as a complement to your nutritional program. BAC is a concentrated, efficient and comprehensive revitalizer that feeds the body energetically, thereby increasing the nutrient value from your daily food intake. BAC nourishes and stimulates the brain, nervous system, and glandular network, while at the same time cleansing and eliminating toxins. This, Wellness Warriors, is the essence of anti-aging rejuvenation that helps to protect your body against the ravages of a stressful environment.
The high chlorophyll content (higher than most foods) in BAC is useful for treating stress-related health conditions that could benefit from the energizing, purifying, rejuvenating, anti-inflammatory properties of chlorophyll.
BAC’s red algae species contain astaxanthin, beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, lutein, lycopene, xeaxanthin, quercitin, cryptoxanthin, carotenoids, and many other pigments that offer a powerful immunity and toxin shield against continuous pollution, toxins and stress.
Another immune-boosting element in BAC is its nucleic acids, RNA and DNA, which are critical for health and longevity. Nucleic acids are responsible for directing cellular renewal, growth, and repair and are easily depleted by lack of exercise, stress, pollution, and poor diet. Replenishing RNA/DNA is, therefore, important to every aspect of bodily health and longevity.
Bio-Algae Concentrates exhibits impressive immune-boosting properties that contribute to cellular vitality. When individual cells receive the nutrients and resulting energy that they need, they perform their myriad metabolic activities at an accelerated and more efficient rate. When each cell of an organ performs its job well, the organ itself will perform its metabolic activities at optimum levels. All cellular and organ functions are governed at the glandular level, overseen by the master gland; the hypothalamus.
The hypothalamus is in an area of the brain that is protected by a tightly-packed barrier of cells called the blood-brain barrier. BAC’s nutrients are proven to be capable of crossing the blood brain barrier where they reach parts of the body that are “out of bounds” for most supplements. By fueling all the cells of the body – including the hypothalamus/pituitary axis and other regions of the brain – BAC is said to “awaken the genius” within.
Engage In Relaxing Ways to Release Stress
Listed below are a few stress-reducing activities that release the mind, body and soul from the surge of anxiety caused by stress:
- Yoga
- Tai Chi
- Qi Gong
- Meditation
- Deep Breathing Exercise (Belly Breathing)
- Progressive Relaxation (Deep Muscle Relaxation)
- Visual Imagery
- Peer Sharing (Co-listening)
- Keeping a Stress Journal to help you identify the stressors in your life.
- What caused your stress
- How you felt both emotionally and physically
- How you acted in response
- What you did to make yourself feel better
Everybody has the power to reduce the impact of stress as it is happening in the moment. With practice, you can learn to spot stressors and stay in control when the pressure builds. Complementing your nutritional program with Bio-Algae Concentrates and adding sensory stress-busting techniques will give you powerful tools for staying clear-headed and in control in the middle of stressful situations. You will regain the confidence to face challenges, knowing that you have the ability to rapidly bring yourself back into balance…
Dare to dream, soar, and live peacefully and joyfully!