Stress is a part of everyday life. We all experience it from time to time. Whether it’s being stuck in traffic, feeling like you’re buried in household chores, having conflict with your partner, a looming deadline at work or any number of things, stress is something we all have in common.

Our bodies are built to be able to handle these relatively small and contained moments of stress. We’re pretty tough like that! It’s when stress becomes chronic, persistent and over a long period of time, that it can have serious consequences for our health. Chronic stress can cause chronic pain.

Chronic stress can be exhausting on the hypothalamus, the pituitary glands and the adrenal glands, resulting in what is commonly known as burnout. But researchers have found that chronic pain can also be a result. Beta-endorphins are usually released with stress as pain suppression, allowing us to face adverse situations, but if the body is exhausted, this morphine-like hormone no longer gets released and we can become very sensitive to pain.

According to scientific research, here are some explanations of what happens in your body and its relationship with pain when you are experiencing chronic stress:

1. Chronic stress alters the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) which is known as the body’s ‘stress system’. The HPA controls the body’s cortisol and stress hormone levels. Among the various functions of the HPA, is the release of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), which causes the adrenal cortex to release cortisol, as well as beta-endorphin, a morphine-like hormone. Both ACTH and beta-endorphin are released together in response to stress. Endorphins are thought to be important in reducing pain during times of stress. However, long-term stress can lead to the suppression of the HPA axis in the brain, which not only leads to burnout or exhaustion, but also less pain-killing beta-endorphins being released. Basically, this leads to an increase in both perceived and actual pain.

2. A study on the epigenetic impact of chronic stress revealed that it can increase the DNA methylation of the NR3C1 gene which causes issues with neurons in the L6-S2 spinal vertebra. This affects organs in the pelvic area, which include the large intestine, colon, bladder and genitals. It also affects CNR1 transcription, which is related to peripheral pain pathways and results in chronic neuropathic and inflammatory pain where variance in the GAD65 gene may also play a role. Increased DNA methylation in the NR3C1 promoter is tightly linked to the down-regulation of NR3C1 expression in the brain, the glucocorticoid receptor gene that influences behavior, mood, learning and memory, which can also be hindered in chronic pain conditions. So in a nutshell, chronic pain can change the expression of the genes related to pain.

3. Studies on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) showed changes in specific noncoding microRNAs in intestinal mucosa which can also lead to a whole gamut of painful conditions. Once again, chronic stress caused adverse changes on a molecular level leading to pain.

Understanding the effects chronic stress can have on the body provides clues as to how to mediate or prevent challenging conditions like IBS, fibromyalgia, chronic migraines and many other conditions. Once we understand the importance of managing stress we can do something about it. Practicing mindfulness is a good place to start and this article could help with some pointers. Ensuring you are the healthiest you can possibly be also goes a long way and ph360 can help with that.

References

Charmandari, Evangelia, Constantine Tsigos, and George Chrousos. “Endocrinology of the stress response 1.” Annu. Rev. Physiol. 67 (2005): 259-284.

Hong, Shuangsong, Gen Zheng, and John W. Wiley. “Epigenetic regulation of genes that modulate chronic stress-induced visceral pain in the peripheral nervous system.” Gastroenterology 148.1 (2015): 148-157.

Denk F, McMahon SB. Chronic pain: emerging evidence for the involvement of epigenetics. Neuron.2012;73:435-444.

Descalzi, Giannina, et al. “Epigenetic mechanisms of chronic pain.” Trends in neurosciences 38.4 (2015): 237-246.

Won, Eunsoo, and Byung-Joo Ham. “Imaging genetics studies on monoaminergic genes in major depressive disorder.” Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 64 (2016): 311-319.

Jung, Seung Ho, et al. “Molecular mechanisms of repeated social defeat-induced glucocorticoid resistance: role of microRNA.” Brain, behavior, and immunity 44 (2015): 195-206.

Witzmann SR, Turner JD, Meriaux SB, Meijer OC, Muller CP. Epigenetic regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor promoter 1(7) in adult rats. Epigenetics. 2012;7:1290-1301.

Zhou Q, Verne GN. miRNA-based therapies for the irritable bowel syndrome. Expert Opin Biol Ther.2011;11:991-995.

‘Birthday cake doesn’t have any calories!’ We’ve all heard some version of this joke at a birthday celebration at some point. The implication behind the joke is that a birthday is a time for celebration and you shouldn’t deprive yourself of things you enjoy – i.e. birthday cake.

Of course, your birthday is a time for celebration and you should do what you enjoy, but there is something else at play here as well. Something more subtle. You see, when we go to a birthday, we associate that experience with certain types of food (mainly cake), we expect that food to be there, and we begin to crave it. It’s called an environmental trigger for food cravings. And knowing how to recognize these triggers could make all the difference when trying to stick to a healthy diet.

Environmental Triggers

Environmental triggers can include things like watching TV and being triggered into a food craving through commercials, having the habit of finishing a meal with something sweet, or associating events (like Christmas or Birthdays) with certain foods. It’s everyday things in your environment that make you reach for the chips or the biscuits. Because they are everyday things, and because the cravings come up before you even have a chance to realize it, they can be hard to recognize. Hard, but not impossible.

Emotional Triggers

Emotional triggers (like feeling bored, depressed, anxious, tense, or sad) and physiological triggers (like social events or being around others who are eating) can both promote a sense of feeling hungry or an urge to eat something in particular, despite not being physically in need of food. Emotions are tricky, and we don’t always understand what brings them on, but it’s understandable that when we feel emotional the instinct is to reach for something that makes us feel good – some ice cream perhaps, or a pizza. This seems to be especially strong in what scientists call “restrained eaters”, meaning people who limit the amount or types of foods they eat.

Mind Over Pizza

Knowing when you’re most likely going to be tempted, recognizing temptation and having methods available to resist temptation may prove to be essential for people who struggle most with healthy eating.

Dietary restrictions can be difficult to follow for some, and various strategies can be applied to make it easier to follow healthy food choices. Mindful eating is all about being aware of what you’re putting into your body and how (you can read more about mindful eating here). Being aware of your triggers can help you to be more mindful of your eating habits and stop those cravings. A few ways to put this into practice are:

• Smaller portion sizes or plate sizes – there is something to the idea of ‘out of sight, out of mind’
• Setting clear and measureable goals – don’t drastically change everything all at once. It will result in a shock to your system and even more cravings. Make meaningful, thought out changes, slowly and deliberately.
• Making restricted foods less readily available – just don’t buy the chips and the ice cream. If it’s not there when the craving strikes, you have more time to put your mindfulness approach into practice and avoid the instant gratification of food that is not good for you.
• Being aware of the impact from advertisements – ads are everywhere and we are so used to them, but food companies spend millions on advertising for a reason. It works. It makes you want to eat. Practice your mindfulness and be aware of how a food ad makes you feel when it comes on.

The most successful approaches are ones that are personally meaningful and effective based on one’s physical condition and personality traits. With ph360 you can learn exactly the best diet for you. With a little practice you can learn what your environmental and emotional triggers are and you can take control of your cravings

References

Vanderlinden, Johan, et al. “Which factors do provoke binge-eating? An exploratory study in female students.” Eating Behaviors 2.1 (2001): 79-83.

Lattimore P, Caswell N. Differential effects of active and passive stress on food intake in restrained and unrestrained eaters. Appetite. 2004;42(2):167-173.

Tanofsky-Kraff, Marian, et al. “Psychometric properties of a new questionnaire to assess eating in the absence of hunger in children and adolescents.” Appetite 51.1 (2008): 148-155.

Polivy, J., and C. P. Herman. “Eating in response to external cues. “Managing and Preventing Obesity: Behavioural Factors and Dietary Interventions (2014): 181.

Papies, Esther, Wolfgang Stroebe, and Henk Aarts. “Pleasure in the mind: Restrained eating and spontaneous hedonic thoughts about food.” Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 43.5 (2007): 810-817.

Ouwehand, Carolijn, and Esther K. Papies. “Eat it or beat it. The differential effects of food temptations on overweight and normal-weight restrained eaters.” Appetite 55.1 (2010): 56-60.

Scott, Maura L., et al. “The effects of reduced food size and package size on the consumption behavior of restrained and unrestrained eaters.” Journal of Consumer Research 35.3 (2008): 391-405.

Papies, Esther K., and Petra Hamstra. “Goal priming and eating behavior: enhancing self-regulation by environmental cues.” Health Psychology 29.4 (2010): 384.

Blechert, Jens, et al. “To eat or not to eat? Availability of food modulates the electrocortical response to food pictures in restrained eaters.” Appetite 54.2 (2010): 262-268.

Harris, Jennifer L., John A. Bargh, and Kelly D. Brownell. “Priming effects of television food advertising on eating behavior.” Health psychology 28.4 (2009): 404.

It’s amazing how far we have come when it comes to health and medicine. From the blood-letting and lobotomies of the past, to the key-hole surgery and genetic testing of today – the field certainly has advanced by leaps and bounds. But there is always room for improvement and the next health trend expected to go is the one-size-fits-all approach. Personalized health, with recommendations based on each individual’s genes and environment, is the direction in which the health and medicine field is heading. Below, 16 experts tell us how they think this advancement is coming about.

Personalized Health is emerging as a movement in health and medicine. A movement that can benefit the world by concentrating on the individual. This shift towards personalized health is possible because of increasing advancements in technology. You can read more about how one particular tech advancement – the internet – has the potential to transform healthcare here. The further that technology advances, the more the health and wellness field can take advantage of it, and therefore, the better off we all are.

It seems like we as a society are starting to wisen up when it comes to health. Thanks to science, we now know more about how the human body works and what it needs than ever before, and we are putting that knowledge into practice. Just look at the popularity of wearable fitness devices like Fitbit, growing fitness trends like CrossFit, and the increasing availability of healthy foods. We’re definitely getting healthier, right?

It may seem that way, but unfortunately obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other common health issues are still rampant. In some cases they’re even on the rise. If we seem to be embracing new health tech, exercise and diets, then why are we still so unhealthy?

Why our attempts at health are failing.

One big reason that we just can’t grasp that elusive thing we call ‘health’ is because we accept so many things as ‘healthy’ just because someone says it’s the answer to all our health concerns, or because it has worked for someone else – a celebrity perhaps or someone we know.

So it’s not that we’re not trying – we’re buying the fitness trackers, we’re signing up for CrossFit, we’re shopping at Whole Foods. We really are making an effort to improve our health. But what we think is healthy for us may be the very thing holding us back. It’s our so-called ‘healthy’ lifestyle that is often responsible for destroying our health.

Here are some common ‘healthy’ habits that could be doing you more harm than good.

1. You’re avoiding dairy altogether. Ancient medicine suggests that if you tend to store excess fat around your vital organs and midsection, you can benefit from low-fat dairy products, like kefir and yogurt, which are full of healthy probiotics. If you tend to be more pear shaped, on the other hand, you may suffer from sinus congestion and skin irritations when consuming dairy. This isn’t a rule of thumb and there are exceptions, but the idea is that dairy (and any food for that matter) may be good for one person and not another.

2. You’re eating too little or not often enough. First off, men burn more calories than women. There are many reasons for this, but the gist is that women should be consuming a minimum of 1,200 calories a day while men should be consuming a minimum of 1,800. On top of this, physically active people need to increase their daily caloric intake up to twice their basal metabolic rate (BMR) and younger adults with faster metabolisms will find that they can benefit from more calories and larger meals than seniors.

Some people have a body type that naturally stores away nutritional resources. If you’ve got this type of body and hence a slower digestive system, it’s important to avoid eating late at night because your body will just store away the unused energy into fat. If, on the other hand, you’ve got a body type that has difficulty keeping energy stores, it’s important to eat frequently, maybe up to 4-6 meals a day. Skipping meals could lead to fatigue, weakness, lethargy, poor concentration, muscular depletion, demineralization of the bones and other unpleasant side effects.

3. You’ve become vegan/vegetarian. If your body is the kind that naturally builds muscle easily but you tend to gain more weight in your mid section than in your legs, low-protein diets that tend to have higher amounts of grains and thyroid-stimulating foods like refined flour may not be ideal for you. Including animal protein in your diet will benefit the development of your muscles, increase your energy production and use, and will improve your mood and mental focus. On the other hand, if you’ve got a tendentially lean body shape and tend to gain weight in the lower half of your body, you may benefit from a much higher ratio of vegetables relative to animal protein and may even do well on a vegan or vegetarian regimen.

4. You do cleanse after cleanse. If you’ve got the type of body that uses energy a lot throughout and benefits from frequent meals, it’s only normal that your body wouldn’t benefit from cleanses. In fact, the lack of nutritional intake may trigger your body’s stress mechanism and have the opposite effect of what you want. Instead, knowing what organs may need cleansing and what dietary changes are optimal for your body type  may have more benefits. For instance, a sluggish liver will benefit from a reduction of animal fats, drinking lemon juice on an empty stomach in the morning, and increasing sulfur-rich vegetables like garlic and onions. No need for a juice cleanse or fasting detox in this case.

5. You’re eating what you ‘should’ be eating all of the time, and not eating the foods you enjoy. Sticking to a prolonged rigid diet can be detrimental for some people and there are many reasons why it can alter the body and the mind in a negative way. You may feel a sense of starvation that triggers stress-related hormones, or you may inadvertently slow down your metabolism by not eating enough or by skipping meals. Alternatively, you may feel drops in serotonin that can trigger carb cravings or may fall into a depressive state from a deprivation of feel-good foods. Finding ways in which you can enjoy healthy eating full of beneficial foods combined with fun recipes and plenty of variety can reduce food cravings and improve mood all while keeping your body healthy.

Yes, health issues like obesity and diabetes are still prevalent, but we are starting to sit up and take note. The fact that we are embracing new health technology, like Fitbit and ph360, jumping on board with fitness trends and making wiser food choices shows that we really do have the willingness to make a positive lasting change to our health. Where we are somewhat falling short is the application – assuming that all ‘healthy’ habits are good for everyone. The fact is that we are all completely unique and will need different things when it comes to health.

Knowing exactly what is best for us as individuals doesn’t have to be difficult. Once again technology comes to the rescue with ShaeTM – a personal health assistant that can provide you with exactly what you need when it comes to food, exercise, and environment. We are starting to embrace health. The next, and final step, is embracing personalized health.

Do you remember what the internet was like 15-20 years ago? The days of dial-up, when you would turn your modem on and go make a cup of tea while it connected to the internet, making that distinctive noise – the sound of the internet firing up. Oh, and the frustration when someone picked up the phone to make a call and interrupted your AOL chat!

Fast forward to today and we all carry around palm-sized computers capable of connecting to the internet wirelessly, almost anywhere. It is undeniable that we are becoming more and more connected to each other. With Bill Gates’ and Mark Zuckerberg’s pledge to make the internet accessible to everyone by 2020, as well as continuing technological advances, we are poised to reap the benefits of connectivity more than ever.

What the expansion of internet access means for you

The most obvious impact of universal internet access is on communication. Through the use of technology like Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and more, we are already able to speak face-to-face with loved ones in real time. Universal access also makes business communication faster and more convenient. With further tech advances and wider internet availability, the quality and usability of such services will only improve.

Education is another sector which could be positively impacted by universal internet access. There are already several education programs offering ‘virtual classroom’ settings where students can connect to teachers and peers wirelessly. Imagine the possibilities this holds for remote communities in the developing world – children who previously would not have had the opportunity to attend school at all could have their lives completely changed by a laptop and an internet connection.

Universal internet access is already starting to have a huge effect on many other aspects of our personal and professional lives, but above all, it is set to have a profound impact on health.

Here are 3 ways universal internet access will transform world health:

1. It will enable everyone to access the most up-to-date health information. No more waiting for test results, information and health advice when you can be connected to your health professionals and institutions. Importantly you will have access to not just generic information about a symptom or health condition you might be experiencing, but information personalized to your biological, neurological and epigenetic profile. Increased access to the internet coupled with further advances to technology will also make it possible for health professionals to gain access to the information and education necessary to provide truly personalized health care.¹ The real power here is you and your health professional collaboratively having access to personalized health information tailored to you.² There are already companies, such as ph360, striving to provide this kind of information to every person. With nothing more than a device and an internet connection you can log onto ph360 and get completely personalized information for optimal health. With wider access to internet a service like ph360 can ultimately have far reaching impacts on health the world over.

2. It will create communities of people with common health concerns or interests to form support groups. It’s no secret that we, humans, are pack animals – we need each other to survive. Having healthy familial bonds, strong friendships and a supportive wider community are essential to our overall health and well-being.³ Being a part of a supportive group, especially when dealing with health issues, can go a long way to ease the stress and hardship associated with those health issues. Online support groups specifically can be a fantastic coping tool due to the instant availability and breadth of members involved.⁴ Internet access is already making it possible for us to connect to loved ones all over the world. Universal internet access will enable people suffering with health issues to connect to others who are dealing with the same difficulties and who understand.

3. It will empower you to take control of your own health. Most importantly, everyone will have, at their fingertips, access to up-to-date tools that can help them to implement personalized health recommendations. Regardless of what aspect of life we are discussing, having someone to motivate and guide you can have a huge impact on your chances of success.⁵ We already have some access to personalized information but tech advances and better internet access will make it easier than ever before to put those recommendations into practice. One virtual health assistant, Shae^TM, due out late this year, requires a reliable internet connection to be able to provide real time updates on recommendations for foods and lifestyle habits as well as practical advice for implementing those recommendations on a daily basis. Imagine a world where everyone has access to their own Shae, making health and prevention not only a possibility but a reality. In fact, many in the health field say it is possible and you can read more about that here.

Gates and Zuckerberg have the right idea in trying to increase internet access the world over. The implications of greater internet access coupled with technological advances are truly exciting. This is especially true for health. Embracing such advances and finding ways to use them effectively could have a serious and profound impact on world health.

References

1. Fernandez-Luque, L., Karlsen, R. and Vognild, L.K., 2009. Challenges and opportunities of using recommender systems for personalized health education. In MIE, pp. 903-907.
2. Glaser, J., Henley, D.E., Downing, G., Brinner, K.M. and Personalized Health Care Workgroup of the American Health Information Community, 2008. Advancing personalized health care through health information technology: an update from the American Health Information Community’s Personalized Health Care Workgroup. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 15(4), pp.391-396.
3. Uchino, B.N., Holt-Lunstad, J., Uno, D., Campo, R. and Reblin, M. 2007. The social neuroscience of relationships. Social neuroscience: Integrating biological and psychological explanations of social behavior: 474.
4. Eysenbach, G., Powell, J., Englesakis, M., Rizo, C. and Stern, A., 2004. Health related virtual communities and electronic support groups: systematic review of the effects of online peer to peer interactions. Bmj, 328(7449), p.1166.
5. Mallett, C.J., 2005. Self-determination theory: A case study of evidence-based coaching. Sport psychologist, 19(4), p.417.

How many diets have you tried only to find that you swing back and sometimes even beyond where you started? There are thousands of different diets out there, along with government and medical guidelines on what you should be eating, yet the result is that you get confused and disheartened. Further pressure and frustration is added by the media’s constant pressure for you to look like a supermodel and its message that if you are larger than a US size 8, you are overweight. Diet X worked for your friend and when she encourages you to give it a go, you do. Yet again it doesn’t work for you and you feel like a failure.

You are not alone. Over 85 percent of diets fail! Why? Well there are 3 important secrets to weight loss that everyone should know — and interestingly that no one ever really tells you.

1. Why a diet may have worked for your friend, but not you.

Your genetics

Every one of us is unique; even identical twins. You are born with a genetic blueprint that you inherited from your parents. This blueprint determines whether you will be tall or short, have thin bones or heavier bones and whether your digestion is naturally fast or slow. Identical twins have the same blueprint at birth, yet as the years go by one stays slim and the other becomes overweight, even though what they eat is similar. Why is this? It’s due to what we today know as epigenetics.

Your epigenetics

Only 5-10% of your gene expression is set at birth, and the rest of your genes contain switches that are turned on or off. Given that each cell within your body contains about 30,000 genes you have a huge number of switches that are constantly being switched on or off. What triggers the switch? It’s your epigenetics – your lifestyle and environment. This includes what you eat, how you exercise, who you socialize with, the work you do, toxins and chemicals you are exposed to, how you use your mind, your home environment and the local climate and weather. Any of these can have an effect on whether you lose, gain, or maintain weight.

Your microbiome

For every one gene we have 100 microbes. No two microbiomes are the same. Millions of these microbes live in our gut. They are essential to helping us digest food, yet for many people in the western world, the variety of these microbes is depleted compared to indigenous people who live off the land. A healthy microbiome creates a healthy you  –  it’s not only vital for digestion but your immune system as well. If your microbiome is compromised your health is too. Not only is it likely that you’re not getting as many nutrients from the food you eat as you can be, but the walls of your intestines can become damaged and result in inflammation, a root cause of nearly all diseases.

2. You are not just what you put in your mouth.

“You must count calories and increase your exercise” is the recipe for weight loss frequently shared with us by the medical profession and media. Yet if it was this simple there wouldn’t be an obesity epidemic!

Of course, if you want to lose weight you don’t want to eat an excessive amount of food, but more important than the amount of calories is what those calories are made of. Not all calories are equal.

Avocados for example are high in calories, yet their fat is very healthy for many people and the way the calories are digested means they are likely to aid weight loss. What is more important than calories is eating the right foods for your body and your type of digestion.

The same is true for exercise. Exercise can aid in weight loss, but it’s important to do the right type of exercise for you. Not everyone is designed to be a marathon runner or to lift heavy weights.

Beyond food and exercise, weight loss really involves your whole lifestyle and environment:

Your mind and limiting beliefs

Are you thinking “I’ll never lose weight,” consciously or subconsciously? The thoughts you think influence how you feel and the actions you take.

Your social interactions and relationships

Are you spending your time with people who lift you up and are supporting and loving, or people that leave you feeling drained or constantly on edge?

Work

Are you doing a job you love, that doesn’t feel like work? Or do you have to drag yourself to work each day, and are left feeling constantly stressed?

Home

Is your home a place to relax and have fun? Does it suit your needs? Or does it and the events that take place within it leave you feeling stressed and disconnected?

Climate

Some of us thrive in a hot, dry environment, whereas others do best when it is cool and moist, or anything in between. Do you live in a climate that energizes you?

3. You may not even need to lose weight.

The media bombards us with images of tall, slim models and actively encourages young girls and women to aspire to be the same. Yet we are not all tall and small boned! There is an ideal weight for you and it might not be what you think it should be.

The only perfect weight is the weight that is right for YOU, and it’s determined by your body’s unique biology and chemistry.

Losing weight or keeping it off isn’t always easy. Thankfully you’re now better prepared to navigate the many suggestions and recommendations that exist out there to help you lose weight.

And if you want personal evidence of just how different each of our journies to weight loss (or health, for that matter) is, then grab a friend and check out ph360 together to discover what YOU need, not just to lose weight, but to become healthier and happier than you’ve ever been before.