I didn't used to be a very anxious guy.
But it seems the more tasks I take on, the more pressure there is to maintain a fit body or healthy nutrition protocol, the older and more active my twin boys become, and the more responsibilities it seems like I have...the less "laid back" I get. Sleep quality diminishes. I sometimes laugh less. There are more days where I need to remember to simply stop and smell the roses.
During the summer last year, a WellnessFX blood cortisol reading that was extremely high convinced me I needed to do some serious stress management before I started to take years off my life. So I delved into the type of protocols I outline in the article "7 Of The Best Ways To Stop Stress".
Since then, I've been very interested in the anti-aging, life-enhancing, health-bestowing benefits of properly managing stress and anxiety.
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As a a holistic medical physician practicing in Florida, today's podcast guest Dr. Eudene Harry noticed a similar thread running through many of her patients’ lives.
They were all extremely stressed out.
And that stress was drastically affecting their physical health in a variety of negative ways. So, Dr. Harry decided to make stress and anxiety management and elimination a primary focus of her work. Several years later, the ultimate result was her new book: Anxiety 101: The Holistic Approach to Managing Your Anxiety & Taking Back Your Life. Now I have to admit that when I first got this book, I figured it would be the typical ho-hum advice, like "quit worrying", "get a massage", "sleep more" or "learn to meditate". But in this book, Dr. Harry goes way above and beyond, not only giving one of the most thorough biological and biochemical explanations of anxiety I've ever seen, but providing a comprehensive list of the wide variety of integrative holistic treatment options available - and many, many techniques, tips, foods, supplements and strategies I didn't know about.
In addition to a refreshingly unbiased review of the pharmaceuticals commonly used to treat anxiety (serotonin boosters, GABA boosters, and beta blockers), a long list of alternative therapies are included in this book, including many of the strategies we talk about on this show, such as: Natural anxiety remedies, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), neurofeedback, exercise, herbs, nutrients and vitamins, nutrition, meditation, visualization, essential oils, massage, probiotics, laughter, sleep, and weight loss. You're going to learn about all that and much more in today's interview, which includes:
-How the concept of a "brighter tomorrow" can actually make you more anxious, and exactly what you can do about it...
-The surprising role that genetics plays in anxiety...
-Why you need to pull a specific part of your brain - the locus coeruleus- out of a tonic state...
-One rogue molecule that can make you more anxious no matter how good your stress management techniques are...
-The link between probiotics, progesterone hormone and anxiety...
-How something called a "functional deficiency" can wreak havoc on your stress and anxiety levels...
-How L-Theanine, Valerian, Kava and Apigenin can also help with anxiety...
-A simple "hand-warming" technique that can instantly eliminate anxiety...
-And much more!
Do you have questions, comments or feedback about how to eliminate anxiety and take your life back? Leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com, and be sure to check out Dr. Harry excellent book "Anxiety 101: The Holistic Approach to Managing Your Anxiety & Taking Back Your Life".
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