Stress and the Nervous System

It’s time for podcast number four, and in this one I talk with fellow naturopath Laura Burton from http://www.burtonhealth.com.au about stress, neurotransmitter health, adrenal health, ways to deal with and reduce stress via diet and lifestyle techniques. Want to subscribe to get podcasts automatically? You can do that here: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/health-wellbeing-podcast/id1006574743 Podcast Breakdown: 4:27 What have Laura and I been up to? Laura has been busy with her Tea Club and clinic life, and I have been busy in the clinic as well. I also have the Stress Talk coming up this Saturday at Windsor. 5:50 Stress has a big impact on our everyday life and it can be difficult to recognise stress because it comes in so many different forms. Sneaky stress! 7:00 The impact of over-exercising or the wrong forms of exercise on stress and adrenal health. 8:22 Stress impacts on nervous system balance. 8:54 The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. 9:24 Serotonin 10:45 Histamine 12:52 GABA 14:14 Dopamine 14:46 Adenosine 15:26 Laura talks about diet and nutrients for neurotransmitter and mood health 17:30 Digestive health is important in neurotransmitter health because we need to be able to breakdown our foods to absorb the nutrients required for neurotransmitter production 18:22 Vitamin C and other nutrients required for neurotransmitters and adrenal health 21:28 Iron supplementation risks, haemochromatosis and anxiety 22:40 Laura sums up how a balanced diet can usually provide the variety of 22:11 Adrenal health: How norepinephrine and epinephrine work in the body, and why high cortisol can impede muscle gain from exercise. Chronic stress can suppress out immune system and reduce our ability to heal from injuries. 24:50 Adrenal fatigue symptoms we’d look for in clinic. 26:36 Saliva testing for adrenal fatigue 28:00 Diet and lifestyle ways to deal with adrenal fatigue 29:29 Hugs for relieving stress! 30:39 Meditation increases dopamine and serotonin 31:09 Mindfulness, meditation and breathing exercises. One moment meditation video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6eFFCi12v8 35:29 Changing our mindset and ways of thinking 37:43 Gratitude practice 40:31 Our favourite stress herbs