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With the holiday season upon us, it always seems that invariably the stress levels go up while the physical activities diminish.

Aaaaah stress, such a simple word by most people’s definition. Often it is associated with um, say, chronic negative emotional states such as depression, anxiety, tension, or anger.Let’s take a minute and expand that thought though. Stress can be perceived by the body from forms of physical overuse, misuse and abuse, immobilization, disuse, and even postural stresses as well.

I’ve talked about the later in some capacity in previous newsletters, but perhaps at a level that was almost imperceptible. For those of you who are new to us, and even for those of you who have heard this before, it bears repeating.

For the purpose of this episode, we’ll talk about your body’s motor-sensory (muscle and nerve) system and how when the wrong information is feed through it with the stresses mentioned above, it will abandon its normal job of protecting and maintaining balance (homeostasis) within our body’s structure to creating and reinforcing what we call in the industry “conditions of medical necessity”.

But wait a minute doc, you had mentioned immobilization, disuse, and posture above. How can that cause stress on the body? To help you understand, let’s lay down some ground work. There is a diffuse network of mechanoreceptors (position sensors) throughout the body that are designed to keep track of where our parts are without having to consciously stop and think about it. Arthrokinetic sensors in and around the joints provide information about the joints positions and mobility (or lack thereof). Other sensors (Golgi Tendon Apparatus/Muscle Spindles) found within the muscular and tendon tissue over lapping these joints tell our nervous system how far or fast this tissue is being stretched or how hard it’s being contracted. Yep, for those of you who haven’t pried yourself from your work station long enough to remember, these muscles are there to propel us in a multitude of directions including upright bi-pedal repeated actions called WALKING, RUNNING, JUMPING, and MOOOOOOOVING.

Since I threw it out there, let’s use this scenario of immobility or lack of “functionitis” as our reference to demonstrate the amazing ability of the body to act reflexively (without conscious effort) to its environment, good or bad. To do this, we need an accurate understanding of the muscles form and function, that’s my job, and how it relates to the intended symmetry of the body. For example, let’s use sitting at your desk, the couch, or where ever for long periods of time. Few of us sit with proper posture, and even so, the very act of sitting for extended periods of time creates a symmetry imbalance in the body

Seen this person before?

Side Note: Did you know that sitting with bad posture, then adding additional stress by working with the hands extended in front of you (heavens forbid you were holding anything) increases the pressure within the lumbar spine to between 200 – 250% from a lying position.Standing upright only raises it to 100%.

Do this with any regularity and you will have a neuro- muscular adaptation, or habituation response. Okay, okay, stick with me, this is really cool stuff. In a roundabout way, the body reacts the same to low grade chronic stress put on it as a result of sitting in that work chair above as it does to a singular traumatic event. Albeit in a slower matter, still happens.

Here is the sequence:

Body’s sensors (aforementioned) are bombarded with tons of stimulation telling it that things are not in their normal symmetrical or balanced juxtaposition

Body responds with a defensive phase or sympathetic response. This is the fight or flight response of the body that increases tone in the soft tissue of the body

Then, it tries to adapt to its condition, I know I know it sounds awful but this is what goes on. The adaptation is an increase in contraction (facilitation) of the “tonic” or postural muscles such as the deep hip flexors and low back muscle.

Then a shutting down (inhibition) of the phasic muscles (antagonistic or opposing muscle groups that work to balance the system) happens as well. The two primary areas would be the abdominal and gluteal muscle groups. Yes the “core".

• Metabolic waste build-up.
• Increased tone means simultaneous local oxygen deficiency (ischemia) and edema which is a major contributor of pain.
• Pain reinforces tight muscles (hypertonicity).
• The nervous system senses the distressed tissues and leaves us with the feeling of irritability, which in turn reinforces the hyperactivity
  

It repeats it’s self!!! This is called the “pain reflex arch”. Without correction the normally soft pliable tissue develops adhesions or scare like tissue that is painful and functions poorly.

We have really just touched on this amazing response of the body. Check back with us next issue and we’ll talk all about how to remedy the situation both with your health care provider as well as things to do on your own.

Till then, stay loose and keep moving.

Dr. G

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Certain foods are powerful. They cast a spell over the most well-meaning dieter, and cause logical people to overeat until their sides hurt. They occupy your thoughts to the point of obsession as you try to ignore a plate of cookies. And when it's all said and done, they accumulate on your body in the most obtrusive way as a result of dozens of unused calories. Why does food hold such power? And, most importantly, how can you control your eating?

The End of Overeating

David A. Kessler, MD set out to answer these pressing questions in his instant bestseller, The End of Overeating. Despite being a pediatrician, a former FDA commissioner, and former dean of the medical schools at Yale and the University of California, San Francisco, Dr. Kessler struggles with his weight. Observing the current obesity epidemic, he knew that he wasn't alone. Dr. Kessler, with the insight of some of the brightest minds in medicine and science, discovered the following three reasons that most of us are compelled to overeat.

An Irresistible Combination Rewires Your Brain:

Think of your favorite treat - most likely it can be broken down into the basic building blocks of sugar, fat and salt. This combination is known of as the ‘three points of the compass', a combination that has been shown to literally alter the biological circuitry of your brain. Sugar, fat and salt give food a high hedonic value which gives you pleasure. This pleasure reinforces you to return to your favorite foods time and time again.

The Food Industry Targets You:

Everywhere you go you'll see the clever work of the food industry, tempting you with highly palatable creations. Food has become a science and your taste preferences the guiding light. The food industry has one goal - to get you hooked. By constructing food items that are high in sugar, fat and salt they know that you will come back time and time again.

Conditioned Hypereating Becomes a Way of Life:

Humans are conditioned to seek more reward. When readily available, hyper palatable food become our reward a pattern of hypereating quickly emerges. Dr. Kessler describes the cycle: "Foods high in sugar, fat, and salt, and the cues that signal them, promote more of everything: more arousal...more thoughts of food...more urge to pursue food...more dopamine-stimulated approach behavior...more consumption...more opioid-driven reward...more overeating to feel better...more delay in feeling full...more loss of control...more preoccupation with food..more habit-driven behavior...and ultimately, more and more weight gain."

Breaking the Cycle

The good news is that you don't have to remain trapped in a cycle of overeating. The following three tips will put you back in control.

1. Set Your Rules:

In order to resist overeating in today's tempting food environment, you must eat by a set of self-imposed rules. Predetermined rules take away the need to make food decisions in vulnerable moments. Dr. Kessler thinks these rules should be, "simple enough to fit with your busy life, but specific enough to remove uncertainty from the food equation."

For suggestions as to what rules you should adopt, let's turn to another authority on eating, bestselling author of ‘In Defense of Food', Michael Pollan:

• Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.
• Pay more, eat less. Look for quality of food over quantity.
• Eat meals. Cut out snacking, stick with structured meals.
• Don't get your fuel from the same place your car does. Gas stations are great for fueling your car, but the food they sell are not suited to fuel you.
• Try not to eat alone. Eating can become mindless when alone, leading to overeating.
• Eat slowly. Eat foods that have been prepared slowly – that means no fast food.

2. Make Negative Associations:

When was the last time you peeled a lemon and ate it whole? Probably never. That's because your taste buds have a negative association with the sour taste. Our taste buds have traditionally been our guide when it comes to food selection, but this must change for you to successfully avoid overeating. Since the food industry purposely crafts food items to please your taste buds (not waistline) what tastes good can no longer dictate what you eat. It's up to you to create negative associations with unhealthy food - despite their pleasing taste. Here are some negatives to focus on:

• Those extra calories will accumulate around your waist.
• Your health will suffer.
• You will become more disappointed with your appearance.
• You'll feel sluggish.

3. Give Yourself a Real Reward:

The bottom line is that we eat unhealthy food as a reward, even though it causes more harm that good. It's time to give yourself a truly beneficial reward – exercise. Exercise is a healthy reward that will not only release endorphins into your system, but will also give you the benefit of weight loss and improved health.
I truly believe that you can overcome your pattern of overeating with healthy eating and regular exercise. Call or email today to get started on a program that will truly change your life.

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