The holiday season is here! During this time of year, many of us place ourselves under a lot of pressure to prepare the best meals, give the greatest gifts, and have the house decorated perfectly. Not to mention, your waistline can really take a hit, and who wants to start the New Year with an extra five pounds? We’ll venture to say – no one. But if you have a sweet tooth, we’re here to help.
In addition, high levels of stress can suppress your immune system and adrenal glands, which can result in illness, extreme fatigue and feelings of depression during a time of year that is supposed to be filled with joy. While you are making your list and checking it twice, be sure that your health is at the top. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Address your adrenal fatigue
Adrenal fatigue, often referred to as chronic fatigue, is a condition in which the adrenal glands through chronic emotional or physical stress are unable to meet the body’s demands for cortisol production. The adrenal glands are key players to how your body responds to stress. If you are experiencing extreme fatigue after a full night’s rest, anxiety or panic attacks, headaches, low libido or depression you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue. The best approach to treating this is not by increasing the number of pumpkin spice lattes you drink, but by supplementing with bioidentical cortisol. A great resource for learning more about cortisol is Dr. Broda Barnes’ book, “Safe Uses of Cortisol.” If you don’t address your adrenal fatigue now, it is only going to get worse.
Nutritional supplements to help alleviate stress
• Vitamin B Complex: All B-vitamins are needed and work together throughout the adrenal cascade (1-2 capsules daily with food)
• Magnesium: Essential for enzyme production in the adrenal cascade (400mg-800mg/day)
• Vitamin C: Most important! Vitamin C is used all along the adrenal cascade and acts as an antioxidant within the adrenal cortex itself (2000mg – 4000mg/day with food).
• GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid): An amino acid produced in the brain. (500-1000mg taken at bedtime).
• Phosphatidyl Serine (PS): Studies show supplemental PS has been shown to improve mood and blunt the release of cortisol in response to physical stress (100mg taken around 6pm reportedly helps prevent waking do to a cortisol surge)
Avoid the holiday binge
Yeast overgrowth in the body can cause a host of symptoms including headaches, gas, bloating, fatigue, and skin rashes. Yeast thrives on sugar, therefore sweets, pastas and breads – some our most favorite things to eat during the holidays – will exacerbate the yeast in the colon as well as the uncomfortable symptoms mentioned above. Although we recommend a yeast-free eating plan year round, we know it’s not always ideal during the holidays. To avoid feeling remorseful when January 1 rolls around, try these tips to stay as close to a yeast-free eating plan as possible:
• Bring a healthy dish to your holiday parties like deviled eggs, a
vegetable tray, shrimp cocktail or a deli tray.
• Make healthy sides to go along with your holiday meals like bean salad, sautéed spinach, fresh salad, mashed sweet potatoes or roasted eggplant.
• Research healthy treats that contain all-natural sweeteners like
Stevia. You can still have that satisfying taste without the added sugar or high fructose corn syrup.
A few personal favorites include the following: yeast-free almond pound cake, pumpkin cheesecake, high-protein pumpkin muffins. For extra brownie points, try serving with yeast-free hot chocolate.
For more healthful cooking ideas, and to get the complete yeast-free recipes of the desserts listed above, please visit the vitamin blog at: www.physicianspreference.com/blog.asp.
Steven F. Hotze, M.D., is the founder and CEO of Hotze Health & Wellness Center (HHWC), Physician’s Preference and Hotze Pharmacy. Dr. Hotze’s radio program, “Health and Wellness Solutions”, airs Monday-Friday on KSEV 700 AM from 12-1 p.m. CST. For more information, visit, www.hotzehwc.com.
Follow Dr. Hotze on Twitter: twitter.com/DoctorHotze. Friend Dr. Hotze on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DoctorHotze, and HHWC on FB: www.facebook.com/HotzeHWC.
