Tag: health

A condition called ‘Leisure Sickness’.

Today’s post is about a condition call ‘leisure sickness’.

I was chatting with a colleague this week about how often she gets ill when she finally gets some time off. This has also happened with myself and, I am sure, many of you. Some health experts refer to this condition as leisure sickness.

Are we imagining this?

A study was done in 2001 by Dutch researcher Professor Vingerhoets, of a condition that he termed ’leisure sickness’. This is a condition where people develop symptoms of sickness as soon as they take a break from work.

This study of almost 2,000 Dutch people found approximately 3% of them reported getting colds and flu or having headaches, fatigue or nausea when they took a break from work.

Why does it happen?

It could be linked to the way we manage our work stress and approach our work/life balance. Some of the study participants acknowledged they were struggling to manage their stress in the build up to their break.

The study data highlighted workload in conjunction with personal characteristics. In particular a high need for achievement along with a high sense of responsibility with respect to work and the inability to adjust to not being busy.

One of Prof Vingerhoets’ theories is that acute stress may hold off illness. And when we relax on holiday our resistance to disease is lowered and we can get sick.

Another theory is that actual physiological processes linked to stress play a key role in the development of these health problems.

People who work a lot develop higher levels of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. Not only during working hours, but also during rest periods when they don’t need it. This creates a hormonal imbalance, which in turn can result in a weakened immune system leaving the body vulnerable to infection.

Avoiding leisure sickness

There are several suggestions on how to avoid leisure sickness.

You can decrease your stress before you go away. Don’t try to finalise everything a couple of days before your break. Prioritise what you need to complete before you go allowing a realistic time frame.

A University of Sydney Professor, Thomas Buckley, studied the link between work stress and health. He found that people who try to get everything done before they leave might also mean they neglect their usual healthy routine. 

He recommends people try and maintain any exercise and eating patterns before a holiday. Continuing these patterns in the first days of the holiday will also help your body transition from rushed to relaxed and promote better immune function.

If you can, organise a calm start to your journey. Book a preferred seat in advance and check in online. Arrange transport to the airport or station so you arrive in plenty of time.

Maintain hygiene when travelling, as coming into contact with a large number of people in a confined space can increase your risk of getting ill. Washing your hands frequently as you travel will help reduce exposure to bacteria.

If possible, choose a window seat when flying. When US researchers looked at how many people passengers encountered on a flight, those in an aisle seat had close contact with 64 people while those in the window only had contact with 12 people.

You could also consider planning some activities for your holiday to provide a sense of achievement and accomplishment.

Is it time for a change?

Leisure sickness can be “a clear signal from your body that you need to go somewhat easier on your work, and strive for more balance in your life,” says Prof Vingerhoets.

But if you can’t change your job (or your attitude), Vingerhoets suggests some exercise on a Friday evening, which can help with the transition from work to weekend leisure.

Till the next post,

 

Live clean n prosper.

Sources – PubMed.gov ,HCF, Web MD, University of Melbourne

A bit about Buckwheat

Todays post is about Buckwheat. After sharing my Digestive Biscuit recipe and the reference to buckwheat being good for digestion, I thought that this topic should be next.

So, what is buckwheat?

The buckwheat plant was domesticated in north western China 3,000 years ago and despite the name, is not related to wheat in any way. Instead, buckwheat is actually related to sorrel, knotweed, and rhubarb. Its seeds so closely resemble the much larger seeds of the beech tree that the plant has been called “beech wheat,” or buckwheat. It is actually a soft leaf, green plant with pretty white flowers.

Buckwheat is not classified as a ‘true’ grain, but rather a ‘pseudo-cereal’. Its nutritional profile, nutty flavour, appearance and culinary applications have led it to be commonly referred to as a grain.

It has many Health Benefits
  • It’s gluten free
  • High in protein (13-15%), second highest only to oats, and rich in the amino acid lysine.
  • Rich in polyunsaturated essential fatty acids, such as linoleic acid.
  • Contains vitamins B1, C, E and P as well as high levels of zinc, copper, and manganese.
  • High in soluble fibre.
  • A rich source of antioxidant compounds.
  • Contains rutin, a bioflavonoid that helps control blood pressure.
Beneficial to the Cardiovascular System

Diets that contain buckwheat have been linked to lowered risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure. The beneficial effects are due in part to its rich supply of flavonoids, particularly rutin.

Rutin protects against disease by extending the action of vitamin C and acting as antioxidants. This helps maintain blood flow and keep platelets from clotting excessively.

It’s also a good source of magnesium. Magnesium relaxes blood vessels, improving blood flow and nutrient delivery while lowering blood pressure—the perfect combination for a healthy cardiovascular system.

Supports digestive health

Buckwheat has high content of fibre, about six grams in every one cup serving. The fibre helps to fill you up, suppresses the appetite and lowers the chances of over eating. It also helps move food through the digestive tract. This type of insoluble fibrous food is essential for cleaning and strengthening intestines.

Buckwheat is also one of the foods to eat to heal and seal a leaky gut. This is because it is the world’s best source of vitamin P. It actually helps to increase collagen formation and increase intestinal resilience.

Main forms of buckwheat

As flour – it may be used to make gluten free crepes and pancakes. It is also used in conjunction with other flours to make muffins, rolls, bread and cookies. Also works well as a thickener for sauces, soups and casseroles.

Buckwheat groats – are dehulled buckwheat kernels. The groats are used in many dishes throughout the world. In Europe the toasted groats (Kasha) are used in dishes like pilafs.

Soba noodles – buckwheat flour is mixed with wheat flour to produce these Japanese noodles. The buckwheat flour content can range from 50% to 80% depending on the type of noodle produced.

With so many health benefits, it seems like a good idea to include buckwheat as a regular part of our diet.

Till the next post,

Live Clean n Prosper

Sources – Wikipedia – Worlds Healthiest Foods – Grains & legumes Nutrition Council, Aust – Foundation for Alternative and Integrative Medicine 

A bit about Adrenal Fatigue

Is adrenal fatigue a real disease? At this time there is no approved test or formal criteria to define and diagnose adrenal fatigue.

Todays post is about Adrenal Fatigue.

I was having a conversation with someone about this condition recently and decided to research it a bit more. Here is what I found.

It seems that many health professionals do not recognise ‘Adrenal fatigue’ as an actual illness or health issue.

What Is It?
James Wilson, PhD, a naturopath and expert in alternative medicine came up with the term “adrenal fatigue” in 1998. He describes it as a “group of related signs and symptoms (a syndrome) that results when the adrenal glands function below the necessary level.” He says it’s usually associated with intense stress and often follows chronic infections like bronchitis, flu, or pneumonia.

The adrenal glands, which are small organs above your kidneys, respond to stress by releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones are part of your “fight or flight” response.
According to James Wilsons’ theory, if we are subjected to long-term stress, the adrenal glands burn out from prolonged production of cortisol. So adrenal fatigue sets in. The adrenal depletion would cause brain fog, low energy, depressive mood, salt and sweet cravings, lightheadedness, and other vague symptoms.

Is the condition real?
Low energy and tiredness are among also the most common reasons patients seek help from a doctor. Despite being so common, it is often challenging to come up with a diagnosis, as many medical problems can cause fatigue.
Adrenal Fatigue, in theory, links stress exposure to adrenal exhaustion as a possible cause of this lack of energy.
However, too much cortisol can also derail the body’s most important functions creating similar symptoms.

Is adrenal fatigue a real disease?
I was not able to find any scientific studies to support the theory.
The Endocrine Society (the world’s largest organisation of endocrinologists) does not recognise this condition. The Endocrinologists are categorical: “no scientific proof exists to support adrenal fatigue as a true medical condition.”

At this time there is no approved test or formal criteria to define and diagnose adrenal fatigue.

What about Adrenal Insufficiency?
Also known as Addison’s disease, is a recognised condition that can be diagnosed with blood tests. It is a medical condition that occurs when your adrenal glands aren’t producing adequate amounts of one or more essential hormones.

Symptoms include chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle weakness, weight loss, and stomach pain. You might also have nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, diarrhoea, depression, or darkening of the skin.

So what’s a person to do?
Regardless of what we call it, there are millions of people suffering from similar symptoms.
Just because at this stage there are no tests for this condition or that it is not recognised as an actual medical condition, doesn’t mean that it’s not possible.
It is important to seek advise from your health care professional. There are usually various tests that need to be conducted to rule out known health conditions. Treatments include personalised plans involving supplements, counselling and some lifestyle changes.

I hope you found this interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

Sources – www.health.harvard.edu, www.healthdirect.gov.au, www.webmd.com