Everyone needs
a certain amount of stress in order to live
good. It's what gets you out of bed in the
morning and gives you the vitality and zest
to do all sorts of things.
Stress becomes
a problem ('distress') when there's too
much or too little.
A lack of stress means your
body is under stimulated, leaving you feeling
bored and isolated. In an effort to find
stimulation, many people do things which
are harmful to themselves (such as taking
drugs) or society (for instance, committing
a crime).
Too much stress,
on the other hand, can result in a range
of health problems. It can also cause feelings
of distrust, anger, anxiety and fear, which
in turn can destroy relationships at home
and at work.
Stress, either mental or physical, affects
the hypothalamus, causing the adrenal glands
to increase the production of cortisol (the
stress hormone). As we were not designed
to function under long-term stress, continued
high levels of cortisol have a detrimental
effect upon our health. Cortisol has a negative
effect on numerous areas in the body including
digestion, glucose and fat metabolism (causing
weight gain), sleep (interferes with deep
sleep known as REM sleep) and memory. Stress
is known to have a negative effect on sexual
function, libido, frigidity, fertility,
sperm count and mobility, uncomfortable
signs of menopause, PMS, etc.
“One of the most dramatic and
noticeable benefits of Maca is a reduction
in stress. Maca may provide raw materials
needed for the body to produce serotonin,
which creates relaxation. As an adaptogen,
it may also help lower cortisol (the
stress hormone), which interferes with
normal serotonin production. Normalizing
cortisol will help normalize serotonin
levels.”
Dr. Beth Ley, PhD |
A large proportion of all illness (perhaps
70-80%) is believed to occur because of
stress - because the level is too high,
and/or too long-term. High-stress modern
living is probably the main factor causing
chronic disease. Fortunately Mother Nature
has an answer to this challenge - a unique
class of herbal products called "adaptogens".
Adaptogens
have the most broad-spectrum healing properties
of any herbal medicines, but their unique
value is that they specifically relieve
stress.
When it comes
to dealing with stress effectively, proper
functioning of the adrenal glands is paramount.
The adrenals are among the most strained
glands in the endocrine system, as they
must endure the brunt of our emotional health
on a daily basis.
It’s critical that the adrenals remain
vital and healthy as they are great providers
of many hormones and as they’re heavily
relied upon during menopause and times of
stress. As an adaptogen,
Maca tones and strengthens the adrenal glands
and thus the entire body, giving us the
ability to help resist disease and to effectively
combat stress.
Stress can result from
many things: a high-pressure job, relationships,
financial problems, loneliness, crowds,
traffic jams and life changes. Because of
the complexity of today's world, stress
is experienced by everyone at one time or
another. Everyone has his or her own comfort
level where stress is concerned. What is
considered stress by one may be just a small
bump in the road to another.
The
three phases of stress progression
1)
Alarm phase
– When some new stress factor strikes
the organism it causes a sudden release
of internal stress-hormones – corticosteroids
and catheholamines. If the stress is very
intense it can damage the regulatory systems
of the organism permanently and at once
(for example in case of exposure to high
levels of nuclear radiation); but if you
are lucky, or if you are taking adaptogens,
you will smoothly progress further to the
"adaptation phase".
2) Adaptation
phase –
If the stress factor continues (for example,
in sport it might be heavy athletic training)
our body learns to tolerate the stressful
stimulus – "adapt" - and
increases its resistance to the stress factor.
The "adaptation phase" is usually
a safe period. The more we can stay in the
"adaptation phase", the better.
3)
Exhaustion
phase - appears,
when the organism fails to fight stress
any more and simply gives up. This third
phase usually develops after a period of
months or years. Everything depends on the
duration of the "adaptation phase".
Sometimes the organism may be lucky and
escape this third phase altogether, provided
that it can keep the stress under control.
We can help to achieve this by taking adaptogens;
they can help us to stay in the "adaptation
phase" for as long as possible.
Stress
may create an environment for other illnesses
and conditions to progress, such as appetite
changes, fatigue, headaches, irritability,
insecurities, memory loss, stuttering, teeth-grinding,
cold hands, high blood pressure, shallow
breathing, nervous twitches, reduced sex
drive, insomnia, gas, indigestion, heart
burn, stomach upset, withdrawal, anxiety,
panic and higher risk of heart attack.
Maca
stimulates the pituitary gland and
when the pituitary gland functions
optimally, the entire endocrine system
becomes balanced, because the pituitary
gland controls the hormone output
of the other three glands. |
• drinking alcohol (it changes your
mood, not your problem)
• denying the problem (the problem
will remain)
• taking drugs (including stimulants
such as caffeine or pain medication)
• overeating (binge-eating, poor diets)
• smoking cigarettes
• Take a nap - 20 to 30 minutes' downtime
will recharge your batteries.
• Get a massage - either visit a professional
massage therapist or ask a friend or partner
to give you an impromptu neck and shoulder
rub.
• Express yourself artistically -
divert your energies into something creative,
such as acting, playing an instrument, writing
poetry or singing.
• Have a laugh - not only will it
make you feel better, it will make you look
better too. Practice always having a smile
on your face.
• Be gentle to yourself - we talk
to ourselves all the time, even though we're
not aware of it. This 'self-talk'
determines our attitudes and self-image,
so change both with a bit of positive chatter.
Positive self-talk also promotes favorable
body chemistry as it activates the parasympathetic
nervous system and causes relaxation.
FDA-Required
Statement: Information on this site is provided
for informational purposes and is not meant
to substitute for the advice provided by
your own physician or other medical professional.
You should not use the information contained
herein for diagnosing or treating a health
problem or disease, or prescribing any medication.
You should read carefully all product packaging.
If you have or suspect that you have a medical
problem, promptly contact your health care
provider. Information and statements
regarding dietary supplements have not been
evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration
and are not intended to diagnose, treat,
cure, or prevent any disease.
*Maca
Live™ is not recommended
for women on birth control.
We cannot guarantee that
you will not get pregnant.
**If you are on Thyroid
medication check with your
doctor after being on maca
for a few months. It has
been know to stimulate the
thyroid to work and you
may need to lower your medication.
It can be dangerous if you
have too much thyroid medication
in your system.
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