Thanksgiving is next week, so it’s safe to say the holidays are upon us! 

And while they should be a festive time, sadly, for many people they are instead filled with sickness or depression (or both).   

But there are some very good reasons why that happens. 

First, the holidays bring about stress for a lot of people.  Stress can cause a domino effect of physical and mental issues which can quickly turn a joyous season into a dreaded time. 

Plus, one can bring on the other—physical illness can lead to mental issues and vice-versa. 

Here’s what’s going on behind the scenes with your physical and mental health and more importantly, how you can stay healthy and happy 365 days a year! 

Physical-Mental Connection #1:  The brain-gut axis 

There is a series of chemical and electrical signals that continuously pass back and forth between the central nervous system (your brain) and the gastrointestinal system (your gut).  What affects one affects the other. 

The brain-gut axis is the reason why you feel butterflies in your stomach when you're nervous or rocket to the bathroom with diarrhea when you’re upset.   

It's also the reason conditions like anxiety and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome frequently go hand in hand. 

Physical-Mental Connection #2:  Nutrients for your body and mind 

Getting enough nutrients is not only vital for your physical health, but your mental health as well. 

Five nutrients that are especially crucial for mental health are:  Zinc, vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium and vitamin D. 

Physical-Mental Connection #3:  The gut microbiome impact 

Stress can cause the protective mucosal barrier in your inner gut wall to become less effective at defending your body against harmful bacteria and viruses. 

That's why you may notice that you get sick easier when you're under stress--your body literally cannot fight illness off as well.  

And when you’re not feeling well physically, that can in turn affect your state of mind!   

Physical-Mental Connection #4: The importance of sleep 

Proper sleep is vital for physical and mental health, but current estimates show that at least half of us have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night.   

Lacking sleep takes its toll in many ways—and it doesn’t take long to see it happening.   

Here is how just one poor night’s sleep can affect your body and mind: 

• Your mood becomes depressed 
• Your ability to concentrate drops 
• Levels of essential body and mind nutrients like zinc and magnesium fall 
• Vitamin C gets used up at an alarming rate  
• Your immune cells’ functioning goes way down (another reason you get sick easier) 

 

Take care of your body and mind

Although the network between body and mind is very real, unfortunately it is seldom a top priority in the mainstream medical community.  Instead the focus is placed on what medications they can prescribe to cover up symptoms.  

For example, chances are excellent that many people suffering from anxiety or depression have not been asked, “How’s your diet?”  

But they have most assuredly been given Prozac, Valium or Lexapro. 

And on the flip side, people suffering from chronic bronchitis, sinus infections or indigestion have probably not been asked, “Got a lot of stress going on?”   

But they’ve certainly taken boatloads of antibiotics or acid reducers. 

If I’ve just described you, listen up.  Because a whole new world of relief can open up for you when you help pamper your body and mind and create a state of optimal health in both! 

Here are 5 important things you can do: 

1- Support a healthy microbiome

Stress clearly takes its toll on your gut microbiome, which in turn can harm your physical health, which can then affect you mentally! 

But Super Shield multi-strain probiotic formula can help you support your gut wall and immune system and curb this mind/body sickness cycle. 

Super Shield’s 13 super potent strains of friendly bacteria can help repopulate your intestinal flora supply and bring it into a more healthful balance.   

This is especially important because contrary to what most people think, your intestinal microbes are not “permanent residents”—they only reside inside of you for about 12 days.  So it’s crucial to consistently support a strong population of them with probiotic supplementation. 

Having a healthy gut microbiome can help pave the way for complete, comfortable digestion (goodbye gas, bloating and constipation!) as well as support strong immune function (no more catching every cold and bug around!). 

Plus 90 percent of your body’s serotonin (your natural feel-good chemical) is produced in your gut and all the antidepressants in the world won’t change that. 

2- Stay away from the junk 

There’s no getting around it—you must have a healthy diet of real foods if you want to have any measure of physical or mental health. 

Choose fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, poultry, wild-caught fish, eggs, dairy and healthy fats (like real butter, coconut oil or olive oil).  An occasional dessert is OK (especially around the holidays) but let that be the exception and not the norm. 

Stay far away from processed, packaged stuff and drive right by the drive-thru. 

And if you’re bothered by digestive problems, my Great Taste No Pain system will show you how to create delicious nutritious meals that are a snap for your body to break down—goodbye gas, bloating, heartburn and constipation! 

3- Supplement with vitamin D

Although a healthy diet can help support the nutritional needs of your body and mind, a big exception to that is vitamin D.   

Food sources of vitamin D are very limited, and although our skin makes vitamin D through direct exposure to sunlight, many people have been unnecessarily frightened into avoiding the sun like the plague or slathering on toxic sunscreen for fear of skin cancer.  

Not only has this NOT decreased our rates of skin cancer, but vitamin D deficiency is now through the roof, and it is vitamin D that PROTECTS you against cancer! 

To help ensure your body maintains health-supporting levels of vitamin D, in addition to getting out in the sun unprotected for 20 minutes or so whenever possible (never getting a sunburn), our Optimum DK Formula with FruiteX-B is the perfect supplement!   

Optimum DK Formula provides a trifecta of nutrients that work effectively together for your immune and mental health—vitamin D3, vitamins K1 and K2, plus the mineral boron!    

4- De-stress

Since stress can be so harmful to both your physical and mental health, it's crucial to fight it and minimize its devastating effects on you. 

One of the best ways to fight stress is to exercise—so get your doctor’s OK and do it for at least 30 minutes, 3-4 times a week.   

You can also try yoga, meditation, massage, acupuncture, prayer, counseling, or taking up a hobby.  Even adopting a pet has been shown to reduce stress, so if you’re an animal lover, pay a visit to your local shelter.     

5- Encourage sound sleep

Seven to nine hours of sleep is what most adults need each night, so if you are regularly getting fewer than that, it’s time to do something about it.   

Here are some things to try: 

• Have a snack of leftover turkey in the evening.  
• Take a warm bath with Epsom salts. 
• Avoid watching TV or using the computer just before bed. 
• Avoid coffee, soda and alcohol at night. 
• Try our Soothing Zzzz’s Blend melatonin gummies! 
• Darken your room and keep it at 70°F or cooler.   
• Check your medications.  Medications like bronchodilators for asthma and certain antidepressants can trigger insomnia.  Talk to your doctor about alternatives.   

 

Take care of your body and mind now and enjoy the holidays! 

To your health, 

Sherry Brescia