Episode 251: The Stress Imprint and Adrenal Updates

If the past 1.5 years have had a dynamic impact on your day to day stress, you’re not alone! We know that chronic, unresolved stress can drive serious bodily damage and we now know that it can impact us to the level of our genetic expression. Tune in to hear Ali and Becki discuss the imprint of stress on neuroendocrine, cardiovascular and emotional response and how you can stop stress in its tracks using diet, lifestyle and supplement interventions. 

In this episode, Ali and Becki unpack common symptoms of HPA-axis imbalance and adrenal dysfunction, from digestive distress to elevated blood sugar and difficulty achieving ketosis to chronic inflammation and beyond. Beyond driving chronic disease expression, stress can halt fertility, hinder weight loss, and even drive increased susceptibility to illness via its impact on the immune system. Learn how to harness your body’s stress response using yummy food as medicine interventions like our Maca Walnut Caramels and Sweet Potato Avocado Toast, how supplementation can ebb and flow based on current stressors and why you may want to reconsider your morning coffee! 

Also in this episode: 

• 12 Week Food As Medicine Ketosis Program NOW AVAILABLE as an archive for $99! 
• Adrenal Rehab Program just $99 with code ADRENAL99
• Episode 158: How to Rebound your Adrenals
• Episode 129: Are You Running on Adrenaline 
• Episode 222: Depression Immune Connection
• Apply to Become a Naturally Nourished Ambassador
• Symptoms of HPA Axis Imbalance
  • Neurohormone Panel
  • Episode 92: DHEA the Fountain of Youth
  • Episode 184: Harnessing the HPA Axis
• The Immune and Cortisol Connection
  • Sleep Support
  • The Anti-Anxiety Diet
  • The Anti-Anxiety Diet Cookbook
• How Stress Impacts Epigenetics and Your DNA
• Food As Medicine for Rebounding Your Adrenals
  • Vitamin C
    • Bio-C Plus
  • Redmond Real Salt use code ALIMILLERRD
  • Adaptogens
    • Calm and Clear
    • Maca Walnut Caramels
    • Wild Foods Cocotropics use code ALIMILLERRD
  • Nori Salmon Roll Ups
  • Sweet Potato Avocado Toast
  • Reduce or Eliminate Coffee
    • Wild Foods Decaf Coffee and Matcha use code ALIMILLERRD
    • Add Santa Cruz Medicinals CBD to coffee if continuing to drink! Use code ALIMILLERRD 
• Supplements to Support 
  • Adrenal Rebound Bundle
  • Stress Manager Bundle
  • Relax and Regulate
  • Calm and Clear
  • Adaptogen Boost
  • Adrenal Support
• References
  • Peters A, McEwen BS, Friston K. Uncertainty and stress: why it causes diseases and how it is mastered by the brain. Prog Neurobiol. 2017;156:164-188. doi:10.1016/j.pneurobio.2017.05.004.
  • Leonard BE, Song C. Stress, depression, and the role of cytokines. In: Dantzer R, Wollman EE, Yirmiya R, eds. Cytokines, Stress, and Depression. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, Volume 461. Boston, MA: Springer; 1999:251-265. doi:10.1007/978-0-585-37970-8_14.
  • Stankiewicz AM, Swiergiel AH, Lisowski P. Epigenetics of stress adaptations in the brain. Brain Res Bull. 2013;98:76-92. doi:10.1016/j.brainresbull.2013.07.003.
  • Glad CA, Andersson-Assarsson JC, Berglund P, Bergthorsdottir R, Ragnarsson O, Johannsson G. Reduced DNA methylation and psychopathology following endogenous hypercortisolism – a genome-wide study. Sci Rep. 2017;7:44445. doi:10.1038/srep44445.
  • Garland EL, Hanley AW, Baker AK, Howard MO. Biobehavioral mechanisms of mindfulness as a treatment for chronic stress: an RDoC perspective. Chronic Stress. 2017;1:1-14. doi:10.1177/2470547017711912.
  • Creswell JD, Irwin MR, Burklund LJ, et al. Mindfulness-based stress reduction training reduces loneliness and pro-inflammatory gene expression in older adults: a small randomized controlled trial. Brain Behav Immun. 2012;26(7):1095-1101. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2012.07.006.
  • Slavich GM, Cole SW. The emerging field of human social genomics. Clin Psychol Sci. 2013;1(3):331-348.
  • Mason R. 200 mg of zen: l-theanine boosts alpha waves, promotes alert relaxation. Alternative and Complementary Therapies. 2001;7(2):91-95.
  • Hidese S, Ota M, Wakabayashi C, Noda T, Ozawa H, Okubo T, Kunugi H. Effects of chronic l-theanine administration in patients with major depressive disorder: an open-label study. Acta Neuropsychiatr. 2017 Apr;29(2):72-79. doi: 10.1017/neu.2016.33. Epub 2016 Jul 11. PMID: 27396868.
  • Hidese S, Ogawa S, Ota M, Ishida I, Yasukawa Z, Ozeki M, Kunugi H. Effects of L-Theanine Administration on Stress-Related Symptoms and Cognitive Functions in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2019 Oct 3;11(10):2362. doi: 10.3390/nu11102362. PMID: 31623400; PMCID: PMC6836118.
  • Kahathuduwa CN, Wakefield S, West BD, Blume J, Dassanayake TL, Weerasinghe VS, Mastergeorge A. Effects of L-theanine-caffeine combination on sustained attention and inhibitory control among children with ADHD: a proof-of-concept neuroimaging RCT. Sci Rep. 2020 Aug 4;10(1):13072. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-70037-7. PMID: 32753637; PMCID: PMC7403383.

Sponsors for this Episode:  

This episode is sponsored by Santa Cruz Medicinals, makers of potent and affordable CBD with effective dosing. For more information check out www.scmedicinals.com and use code ALIMILLERRD for 15% off your order.