When asked, Most individuals find themselves locked in the ‘mad, sad, glad’ triad and really struggle to identify and feel many other feelings. Take a moment now & think to yourself, What am I feeling? When was the last time you really sat to think about how you were feeling & how those feelings occurred in your body.

See the feelings wheel: The Emotion Wheel: What It Is and How to Use It (positivepsychology.com)

The Tao of Fully Feeling incorporates reclaiming our feelings by focusing on ourselves & what we have control over. It also allows us to center ourselves in the fullness & richness of our feelings without numbing. It can often be a long journey back to our own feelings but the value is tremendous. We can help guide you here at STA. There are many things that block our ability to feel; being too busy, substances, over eating, compulsively worrying about others problems, etc.. Sound familiar?

We often get stuck in ‘fight or flight’ instead of living in a fully mindful place. We get trapped in blame and the hustle & bustle of keeping up with everyone else instead of taking time to fall into mindfulness practices such as yoga, meditation, journaling, recovery meetings, walking in nature. When we are not able to sit fully in our feelings, We are also unable to set boundaries, communicate our truth to others and also to fully live in the vessel of our bodies.

If you’d like to read more, please find the attached article: Pete Walker, M.A. Psychotherapy (pete-walker.com)

If you or someone you know is looking to learn about feeling more fully, please reach out today. We have many individual & group therapists and we look forward to helping you!

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The post What is the “Tao of Fully feeling”? appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Well.. I’m here to tell you that if you don’t take care of yourself, things will only get harder and more difficult. The process is essential to our overall wellbeing and the overall wellbeing of our relationships, work, etc. Though it is helpful anytime, Self care works much better when it is proactive rather than reactive. The 45 minute therapy session each week is great start but it is equally important to make sure you are follow through on the changes in your daily life in the other 23 hours out of the day.

How to make time for self care:

1. Prioritize yourself & set a schedule
2. Start with smaller increments of time 10-15 minutes
3. Start with smaller, more managable goals
4. Pick friends who will help hold you accountable
5. Journal/track changes

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health and wondering how to take care of oneself properly, please reach out today. We look forward to helping you!

Make an appointment: https://www.specializedtherapy.com/make-an-appointment/

The post Self care is… first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Self care is… appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

• The limits and rules we set for ourselves and within relationships, to protect our well-being
• Knowing our limits in a given situation, knowing what’s acceptable to us,  and what isn’t
• Knowing our values
• Having self-respect, meaning acknowledging our needs, not just another person’s
• Having respect for others, not being self-serving
• Being assertive, saying no without ambiguity

Why are Personal Boundaries important?

• They are a safeguard to overextending yourself.
• They are a self-care practice. 
• They define roles in relationships. 
• They communicate acceptable and unacceptable behaviors in relationships.
• They are parameters for knowing what to expect in relationships. 
• They are a way that you ask people to show up by upholding your needs.
• They are a way to create clarity. 
• They are a way to feel safe. 

How do I know what my Personal Boundaries are and how do I set them?

• Define them
• Examine experiences and notice where boundaries are lacking
• Connect to the intuitive voice (the feelings, sensations in your body, such as feeling pressure in your chest)

Quick Exercise

1. Think about a past, present, or future experience. Example: How do you feel when you think about, say, seeing an old friend?
2. Does your chest tighten? (Think about your feelings, sensations in your body, thoughts)
3. Is there a feeling of resentment leading up to it? (“Ugh I don’t want to go” could be a related thought)
4. How about during the meeting? Do you feel energized, calm, nourished, or depleted, guarded, and limited?

Types of Boundaries

Physical Boundaries

• The amount of personal space, physical contact, that is most comfortable for you and your preferred timing for physical contact
• Your overall comfort with verbal comments on your appearance, sexuality, etc.
• Your overall comfort with sharing your personal space (apartment, bedroom, office, etc.) with others (including friends, partners, colleagues, etc.), sharing personal digital passwords, etc. 

Mental/Emotional Boundaries

• Your overall comfort with sharing your personal thoughts, opinions, and beliefs with others without changing them to match those of another or insisting that others change to match yours
• Your ability to choose which personal thoughts, opinions, and beliefs, you share with others without feeling it necessary to overshare or attempting to insist that they overshare

Resource Boundaries

• Your ability to exercise choice around where and how your time is spent, avoiding any tendency toward people pleasing, etc. and to allow others to have a similar choice
• Your ability to negate personal responsibility for others’ emotions, avoiding the tendency to play the role of “fixer” or to make others responsible for your emotions
• Your ability to limit the amount of time spent on venting problems on the part of either person

Examples:

Physical: Friend makes jokes about other people’s weight

Change needed: You want them to stop

Mental/Emotional: A friend often emotionally dumps about her ex-boyfriend

Change needed: You want a more reciprocal relationship

Resource: Friend insists on a venue closer to their house than to your dwelling

Change needed: You want to meet at a more fair location for consideration of your driving time

Identify the specific commonly crossed boundaries to identify changes you would like to see. Use the following prompts:

My physical self feels uncomfortable/unsafe when _____________ (friend makes comments about my appearance)

To create space for my physical self to feel more comfortable/safe, I_________ (I will no longer be around people who do this)

My mental/emotional self feels uncomfortable/unsafe when _____________ (my family member makes comments about my new health choices)

To create space for my mental/emotional  self to feel more comfortable/safe, I_________ (I will no longer defend, argue about my personal health choices)

My resources feel  uncomfortable/unsafe when _____________ (my cousin call me at all hours to talk)

To create space for my resources to feel more comfortable/safe, I_________ (I will no longer take those calls)

References:

LePera, Nicole. How to do the Work; Recognize your patterns, heal from your past, and create your self: New York, HarperCollins, 2021

Tawwab, Nedra Glover. Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A guide to reclaiming yourself: New York, TarcherPerigee, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2021

The post Understanding Personal Boundaries and Quick Tips first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

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Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine have recently discovered that sleeping for less than 4.5 hours a night and more than 6.5 hours a night, accompanied by poor sleep quality, can gradually attribute to cognitive decline. However, cognitive decline is not the only major concern for a sleep-deprived individual.

Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can substantially intensify amygdala reactivity to negative emotional stimuli. Amygdala is a complex part of the limbic system that processes emotions such as fear and aggression. In addition, the amygdala plays a pivotal role in decision-making and reward processing.

Amplified activity in the Amygdala makes the sleep-deprived individuals feel negative emotions more strongly while also intensifying an individual’s reactions. Sleep-deprived individuals are more prone to irritability, emotional volatility, anxiety, aggression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide completion. Additionally, sleep deprivation can severely impair the activity of the salience-detection network (amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, and anterior insula), resulting in the inability to accurately interpret visceral emotions and facial expressions on other people. For instance, even a simple harmless glance could be misperceived as a judgmental rejection. Disruption in the salience-detection network results in altered social behavior, mood disorders and can even reduce self-awareness.

Sleep deprivation also severely disrupts the dopaminergic system. Dopamine is associated with the reward center of the brain and just one night of sleeplessness can reduce the availability of D2 and D3 receptors with varying adverse consequences. Changes in dopamine receptors have been associated with impulsiveness and severe inability in decision-making.

Chronic sleep deprivation or insomnia may also result in depression. Several longitudinal studies clearly show that chronic insomnia and alterations in sleep patterns increase the likelihood of depression.

Sleep deprivation can lead to the accumulation of adenosine; a neurotransmitter secreted by astrocytes, a type of glial cell in the brain. This increased build-up of adenosine in the cortex and basal forebrain can sometimes induce a transient mood-altering effect that lasts for up to 48 hours. Although adenosine is certainly necessary for the normal functions of the brain, overproduction and prolonged extracellular accumulation may result in chronic inflammation, fibrosis, and organ damage. This may not only lead to brain fog, but also may attribute to further worsening of adverse impulses and negative emotions. Chronic sleep deprivation thus intensifies negative feelings, induces mood disorders, and can result in reduced self-awareness.

Sleep deprivation can also make you overthink certain memory events of the past and can even alter your memory of negative experiences. The result is sometimes a modified and yet empathically fueled recount of a previous experience that your brain considers accurate. However, in reality, the situation may not even be as bad as you think! This could be a result of disruption in synaptic and memory consolidation attributed to impaired hippocampal cAMP and mTOR signaling. Nonetheless, if you are sleep-deprived, it is time to seek help!

If you or anyone you know may be suffering from sleep disorders or any other mental and physical health concerns, please contact The Functional Medicine Center for Personalized Care, LLC (www.FxMedCenters.com) at 201-880-8247 or Specialized Therapy Associates at 201-488-6678

Ishtiak Ahmed Chowdhury

References:

1. Krause AJ, Simon EB, Mander BA, et al. The sleep-deprived human brain. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2017;18(7):404-418. doi:10.1038/nrn.2017.55

1. Al-Abri MA. Sleep Deprivation and Depression: A bi-directional association. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2015;15(1):e4-e6

3. Havekes R, Abel T. The tired hippocampus: the molecular impact of sleep deprivation on hippocampal function. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2017;44:13-19. doi:10.1016/j.conb.2017.02.005

4. Borea PA, Gessi S, Merighi S, Vincenzi F, Varani K. Pathological overproduction: the bad side of adenosine. Br J Pharmacol. 2017;174(13):1945-1960. doi:10.1111/bph.1376

5.  Website: Melatonin: Is it safe for treating insomnia? (specializedtherapy.com)

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The post Sleep deprivation and its association with amplified negative emotions appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

In their book, Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, Emily Nagoski, Ph.D. and Amelia Nagoski, DMA (2019) write about what they call the “Something Larger”, or the source of meaning in our lives. Sources of meaning can be the pursuit and achievement of certain goals, service to a spiritual calling, connection with others, etc. The “Something Larger” gives one the thought “my life has a positive impact”.

Making Meaning When Terrible Things Happen- How to Deal With a Turbulent Life:

According to Nagoski and Nagoski (2019), sometimes life is stable and flowing, and we are regularly engaged in Something Larger, and the world just makes sense. Other times, life gets turbulent, and we clutch onto that meaning for dear life because it gets us through the storm, it helps us tolerate the despair. And sometimes those rocky times last too long and you feel numb, stuck, and hopeless. Little by little, you start to rebuild, with kindness, compassion, and approaching tasks in small steps (and with help from others!). Eventually, we go from coping to thriving again and can even come out of it with a greater sense of meaning in our life.

The Origin Story

Rewriting the narrative of your experience, focusing on the lessons and strengths you gained through adversity is a way for you to turn terrible into an opportunity to explore your sense of meaning in life.

Answer the following questions:

What parts of the adversity were uncontrollable to you? (the weather, other people, your life circumstances at the time, etc.) (Nagoski and Nagoski, 2019, pp. 69-70)

What did you do to survive the adversity at the moment? (Nagoski and Nagoski, 2019, pp. 69-70)

What resources did you leverage, to continue surviving after the adversity had passed? Be specific. (Money, information, friends, ability to research and seek, accepting help, persistence, coping skills, hope, etc.) (Nagoski and Nagoski, 2019, pp. 69-70)

Think about how the experience empowered you, think about what you learned, what insight you gained. (write it down)

Write a summary:

Even though I couldn’t control____________ (adversity), I managed to_______________(survival tactic), and then I used____________________ (resource) to grow stronger. After that, I could_______________(skill/win/insight) (Nagoski and Nagoski, 2019, pp. 69-70)

Meaning enhances well-being when you’re doing well, and it can save your life when you’re struggling (Nagoski and Nagoski, 2019).

If you would like personalized support and guidance on Making Meaning When Terrible Things Happen, please call Specialized Therapy Associates at 201-488-6678 to schedule your complimentary consultation.

Reference:

Nagoski PhD, Emily and Nagoski DMA, Amelia (2019). Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. Ballantine Books.

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The post Making Meaning When Terrible Things Happen appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Have you been experiencing difficulty focusing, or been having difficulty with your motivation to do things you used to do or to plan for your future? These executive functioning skills are how our brains help us to set goals, create plans, and to carry out those plans. When we are experiencing a high level of stress, we hit a brick wall and all of those skills stop functioning properly.
With stress, an individual may feel overwhelmed and cannot make decisions, they may experience difficulty with organizing, planning, and getting started. An individual under extreme stress may lose interest in activities, have mood swings, and be unaware or deny poor decision-making.
To regain temporary focus, an individual might want to work on simple problem-solving strategies:
– First, they will need to identify what the problem is.
– Next, they can consider some alternatives and options and create a list of strategies to move forward.
– Next, they can create an effective plan by laying out the steps to that plan.
– Finally, they may consider creating the plan in writing and planning and initiating action for that plan.
Sometimes it is difficult to initiate these steps on your own and we can help guide you through that process. At Specialized Therapy Associates and Fx Med Centers, our therapists and specialists are trained to help guide individuals to carry out these goals and plans.
You may also be concerned about the way you are processing information, and at Specialized Therapy Associates we can evaluate the way you learn information for planning and processing potential. (What does she mean by processing potential?) Some of our evaluations include neuropsychological evaluations, ADHD evaluations, and dementia identification.
If you are interested in an evaluation, you can contact our offices at (201) 488-6678. All evaluations are being conducted virtually at this time.

Author: Jill Caruso, PsyD
Assistant Director, Specialized Therapy Associates
4 Forest Avenue, Paramus, NJ 07652
(201)488-6678

The post Dr. Caruso has advice for Pandemic induced stress first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Dr. Caruso has advice for Pandemic induced stress appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Due to the COVID pandemic, A lot of us are still working from home. This has both positive and negative attributes. Current clients report that it’s nice to reduce the commute time and the stress of traffic while others report that they miss the down-regulation & alone time to separate work from home life.  Some like being able to dress down more often while others struggle with being motivated without having the dress code and structure of a work setting. Lastly, many reports that it’s nice to not have the pressure to interact all day while others found work to be one of their primary forms of connection which they miss.  Needless to say, it’s a mixed experience for most individuals. Take a moment now to think about your work/life balance is affecting you. As a society, it’s clear We are struggling with finding the balance in this ‘new normal’, which leads me to one of the most important therapeutic questions in regards to this topic, Are we working from home or living at work?

This lack of boundaries between home & work is causing people to experience loss of identity, a significant increase in the amount of hours worked and loss of work/life balance, and significant amounts of anxiety & stress in addition to the multitude of other stressors we already experience on a daily basis.

So, What’s the first step towards healing? 

Fear & Anxiety are inevitable in times of crisis, as they naturally respond in a trauma situation (which a pandemic qualifies as trauma), however, now We are in collective grief. All parallel processing & struggle simultaneously. We also live in a time where overdoing is viewed as a status symbol & how busy we are is something we humble brag about.. but it’s important to remember. It’s not a contest and that our journey is ours.

The first is to recognize what your body is trying to tell you and listening to the stress & anxiety cues. Stress is our body’s way of responding to any sort of external threat of danger (whether real or imagined), which most of us would call the fight or flight response, and generally alleviates after the ‘stressors’ have passed. Anxiety, however, is our internal reaction to feeling ‘stressed’, which for most people starts with Anticipatory Anxiety; Anxious about being Anxious. It’s a pervasive feeling of not being safe emotionally & manifests in physical symptoms. Stress, however, is often categorized by Loneliness, Insecurity, Loss of Concentration & Memory, worried & panicked thinking, restless/keyed up and edgy, avoiding others, fatigue & difficulty sleeping, eating issues- over or under eating, teary/mood swings, obsessiveness with working & routine, compulsive behaviors/overdoing it, fear of silence/the quiet.

What can I do about my stressors relating to the work, COVID, Childcare situation and ultimately find balance? 

1. 1. Focus on what you can control
   2. Let go of comparing your COVID experience to others (‘Living their best life’, etc), although we may not have all caught COVID physically, we almost all caught it emotionally & it’s very challenging to carry the weight of collective grief around.
   3. Reduce catastrophizing & focus on what you can control and Stay in the moment
   4. ‘Thought Stopping’ by identifying irrational thinking
   5. Tolerating Distress & Ambiguity through Radical Acceptance

How can I take better care of myself during this time? 

Establish a self-care plan:

1. 1. Assess current ‘coping skills’ you’re using (ie: overeating, drinking, isolation, phone, etc.
      1. Community—essential to have a strong support system
      2. Eating
      3. Sleeping
      4. Exercising?
   2. Starting the day off right with a strong morning routine and following that throughout the day:
      1. Meditating (Visualizing things going well & you handling the day with ease), Reading, Journaling, Exercising, Praying—- Limiting social media & TV
      2. Midday mantras (“I will not scare myself by repetitively examining details over and over”), eating healthy and a wind-down routine at night time that is nourishing & not just binge renewing

If you or someone you know is struggling with the boundaries regarding living at work vs. working from home and is experiencing stress & anxiety as a result, please reach out to us today or visit our website or call 201-488-6678. We look forward to working with you!

The post Working from home or Living at work? first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Working from home or Living at work? appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Nourish Your Heart this Valentine’s Day with guidance from our team at Specialized Therapy Associates using our  Heart Healthy Eating Plan

With Valentine’s day right around the corner, it’s a perfect time to talk about nourishing your heart! What better way to nourish your heart than following a heart-healthy Mediterranean-style eating plan? Now, I know what you’re thinking… a Mediterranean diet? That’s old news! We’ve heard time and time again on the news, from our doctors, magazines, and media outlets that a Mediterranean diet has extraordinary health benefits. However, in a world flooded with diet culture propaganda, the Mediterranean diet has seemingly withstood the test of time and experts agree that the research on its cardiovascular benefits and disease prevention is indisputable!

Has anyone ever broken down the reasoning behind why the Mediterranean diet is best for long-term health? What exactly it consists of? Who exactly it benefits? How it lowers your risk of chronic disease? When in life you should follow it? And where you can find quality ingredients and easy recipes to make following it easier? Well, you’re in the right place for some evidence-based, research-backed answers! Read on to learn more about how a heart-healthy Mediterranean-style eating plan could benefit you and your loved ones this Valentine’s season, and always.

Why the Mediterranean diet? Research shows that following a Mediterranean-style eating plan significantly reduces your risk for heart disease¹, diabetes, cancer-related death, cardiovascular disease-related deaths, and death from any cause^1,2. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, one of the most widely circulated medical journals in the world, found that eating more foods consistent with a Mediterranean-style was associated with a 28% reduced risk in cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke³. The outcome was associated with less inflammation, better blood sugar levels, lower insulin resistance, and lower BMI^3,4.

What does it consist of? The Mediterranean diet includes healthy fats in the form of monounsaturated fats from olive oil, olives, nuts, seeds, avocados, and polyunsaturated omega-3 fats from fatty fish like salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, and shellfish. The Mediterranean diet is rich in disease-fighting phytonutrients, or “plant nutrients”, and antioxidants from a diverse variety of fruits and vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.  It contains a moderate intake of dairy, chicken, cheese, and red wine, as well as very little intake of red meat and sweets, and little to no saturated fat, trans fat, and processed foods.

Who does the Mediterranean diet benefit? Although the Mediterranean diet is most well-known for its impact on disease prevention, it can benefit anybody regardless of age, race, sex, or gender.

Following a Mediterranean-style eating plan has also been shown to promote healthy aging. It has a beneficial effect on brain health and overall cognition⁶ by lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia⁷. In a Nurses’ Health Study, adherence to a Mediterranean diet resulted in a 46% higher chance of healthy aging, which was defined as being free from cancer, heart attack, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, Parkinson’s, MS, and more⁸.

How does the Mediterranean diet lower your risk for chronic disease? One of the many ways a Mediterranean diet promotes longevity is by preserving telomere length⁹, the portion of our chromosomes that preserve DNA from damage when exposed to negative factors such as chronic inflammation, environmental toxins, or psychological stress.

Another way the Mediterranean diet protects against disease is through its emphasis on healthy fat intake. A study found that people at high risk for heart disease who went on a Mediterranean diet with ≥ 4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil or nuts had a 30% lower risk for stroke after 5-years compared to those who followed a low-fat diet. This is because consuming olive oil and nuts is associated with improved HDL-C function, commonly referred to as the “good cholesterol” because it carries cholesterol away from arteries and back to the liver for excretion or re-use¹⁰. This lowers the risk of arterial blockage and promotes healthy blood flow, resulting in a reduced risk for heart attack and stroke.

Where can you find quality ingredients? The Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating a variety of plant foods to diversify your phytonutrient intake which gives your body a wide selection of disease-fighting nutrients! When optimizing the diversity of your plant food intake, it is best to consider purchasing whatever produce is in season. This way, you are sticking to the way our ancestors ate- whatever they could grow, which was dependent on the season.

For example, the wintertime is great for eating winter squash like acorn, butternut, pumpkin, delicata, kabocha, and spaghetti squash. Spring is a great time for asparagus, swiss chard, collard greens, apricots, mushrooms, onions, and artichokes. Summer is best for berries, corn, eggplant, watermelon, and peppers and Fall is best for apples, kale, carrots, celery, yams, pears, kale, and ginger. All of these foods are great ways to nourish your heart.

A great way to do this is to purchase from local farmers, farmer’s markets, or join your local Community Supported Agriculture program.

Finally, check out the Specialized Therapy Associates & FX Med Center Pinterest board for some healthy and delicious Mediterranean-inspired recipes!

If you wish to Nourish Your Heart further by improving your physical and mental health please call 201-488-6678 today to speak with our intake staff. Together we can nourish your heart, mind, and soul so you can live your best life!

References:

1. Fung TT, Rexrode KM, Mantzoros CS, Manson JE, Willett WC, Hu FB. Mediterranean diet and incidence of and mortality from coronary heart disease and stroke in women. Circulation. 2009 Mar 3;119(8):1093-100. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.108.816736. Epub 2009 Feb 16. Erratum in: Circulation. 2009 Mar 31;119(12):e379. PMID: 19221219; PMCID: PMC2724471.
2. Lopez-Garcia E, Rodriguez-Artalejo F, Li TY, Fung TT, Li S, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Hu FB. The Mediterranean-style dietary plan and mortality among men and women with cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Jan;99(1):172-80. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.068106. Epub 2013 Oct 30. PMID: 24172306; PMCID: PMC3862454.
3. Ahmad S, Moorthy MV, Demler OV, et al. Assessment of Risk Factors and Biomarkers Associated With Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Among Women Consuming a Mediterranean Diet. JAMA Netw Open. 2018;1(8):e185708. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.5708
4. Shai I, Schwarzfuchs D, Henkin Y, Shahar DR, Witkow S, Greenberg I, Golan R, et al. Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial (DIRECT) Group. Weight loss with a low-carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or low-fat diet. N Engl J Med. 2008 Jul 17;359(3):229-41. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0708681. Erratum in: N Engl J Med. 2009 Dec 31;361(27):2681. PMID: 18635428.
5. De Lorgeril M, Salen P, Martin JL, Monjaud I, Delaye J, Mamelle N. Mediterranean diet, traditional risk factors, and the rate of cardiovascular complications after myocardial infarction: final report of the Lyon Diet Heart Study. Circulation. 1999 Feb 16;99(6):779-85. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.99.6.779. PMID: 9989963.
6. Loughrey DG, Lavecchia S, Brennan S, Lawlor BA, Kelly ME. The Impact of the Mediterranean Diet on the Cognitive Functioning of Healthy Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Adv Nutr. 2017 Jul 14;8(4):571-586. doi: 10.3945/an.117.015495. PMID: 28710144; PMCID: PMC5502874.
7. Aridi YS, Walker JL, Wright ORL. The Association between the Mediterranean Dietary Plan and Cognitive Health: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2017 Jun 28;9(7):674. doi: 10.3390/nu9070674. PMID: 28657600; PMCID: PMC5537789.
8. Samieri C, Sun Q, Townsend MK, Chiuve SE, Okereke OI, Willett WC, Stampfer M, Grodstein F. The association between dietary plans at midlife and health in aging: an observational study. Ann Intern Med. 2013 Nov 5;159(9):584-91. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-159-9-201311050-00004. PMID: 24189593; PMCID: PMC4193807.
9. Crous-Bou M, Fung TT, Prescott J, Julin B, Du M, Sun Q, Rexrode KM, Hu FB, De Vivo I. Mediterranean diet and telomere length in Nurses’ Health Study: population-based cohort study. BMJ. 2014 Dec 2;349:g6674. doi: 10.1136/bmj.g6674. PMID: 25467028; PMCID: PMC4252824.
10. Hernáez Á, Castañer O, Elosua R, et al. Mediterranean Diet Improves High-Density Lipoprotein Function in High-Cardiovascular-Risk Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Circulation. 2017;135(7):633-643. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.116.023712

The post Nourish Your Heart this Valentine’s Day first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Nourish Your Heart this Valentine’s Day appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Eat your Broccoli!: Learn why this much-maligned food is more than it seems!

Do you remember being told to “eat your broccoli” as a child? It’s no secret that most children want to run in the opposite direction at the mere sight of broccoli because of its “stinky” smell, bright green appearance, and bitter taste. Broccoli has gotten a bad reputation over the years, but based on current research, it seems like it’s time for broccoli to make a comeback! And here’s why…

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable, otherwise known as Brassica vegetable. Other Brassica vegetables include cauliflower, mustard greens, turnips, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, kale, and cabbage. Brassica vegetables contain a compound called sulforaphane. Sulforaphane is a plant chemical with powerful health benefits that range from decreased risk of death from any cause to improving cognitive function in patients with thought and behavior disorders. Sulforaphane’s main mechanism of action is by increasing glutathione production, otherwise known as the “mother of all antioxidants”. Thus, sulforaphane has extraordinary antioxidant potential in the body!

Sulforaphane is found in Brassica vegetables that contain high levels of glucoraphanin. What is glucoraphanin you may ask? Glucoraphanin is a plant molecule naturally present in Brassica vegetables that is responsible for their pungent smell. Glucoraphanin is important because it is the building block for sulforaphane production and is associated with decreased risk for thought disorders like schizophrenia¹, cancer², cardiovascular disease³, autism⁴, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease⁵. Sulforaphane has also shown to be beneficial in reducing symptoms and severity of chronic skin conditions, like eczema⁶.

How does sulforaphane lower the risk for chronic disease? Great question! Sulforaphane works by targeting and binding to DNA sequences that are responsible for inflammation and reducing their expression^2,3,6. In addition to reducing inflammation, sulforaphane increases the production of powerful antioxidants like glutathione². Glutathione then acts like a magnet, grabbing toxins and free radicals from the body and delivering them to the colon to be excreted in the feces and prevent them from damaging tissue.

Research shows that one of the underlying causes of schizophrenia may be high levels of oxidative stress. In a pilot study, supplementation with sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout extract improved cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia⁷. Furthermore, there’s evidence that shows that people with neuropsychiatric disorders have low levels of circulating glutathione, thus suggesting a potential role for sulforaphane in psychological symptom improvement.

Of all the Brassica vegetables, broccoli sprouts have the highest levels of glucoraphanin which means they have the highest potential to produce sulforaphane. In decreasing order, Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, turnips, kale, watercress, kohlrabi, red cabbage, broccoli, horseradish, cauliflower, and bok choy, also have the potential to produce sulforaphane⁸.

How do you optimize sulforaphane production to get the most antioxidant potential from Brassica vegetables? This is where glucoraphanin comes into play! Sulforaphane is produced by a chemical reaction between glucoraphanin and myrosinase, an enzyme that is only activated only when you chop or chew the vegetable.  Unfortunately, boiling, blanching, roasting, or steaming Brassica vegetables destroys myrosinase activity which wrecks its sulforaphane potential. Luckily, researchers have discovered a way around this.  Raw ground mustard seeds contain myrosinase, so adding them to your favorite cooked crucifers is enough to offset the antioxidant potential lost during cooking and increases sulforaphane production by almost fourfold in humans⁹!

Eat your broccoli and your other vegetables. If you would like more guidance on how to get the most out of the foods you eat and capitalize the power of broccoli, please contact Specialized Therapy Associates at (201)-488-6678 to make an appointment with one of our functional nutritionists. You can also visit us online at Specialized Therapy. Together, we can achieve your ultimate mind-body balance.

By Taylor Groff, MS Functional Nutritionist

References:

1. Shiina A, Kanahara N, Sasaki T, et al. An Open Study of Sulforaphane-rich Broccoli Sprout Extract in Patients with Schizophrenia. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2015;13(1):62-67. doi:10.9758/cpn.2015.13.1.62
2. Houghton CA. Sulforaphane: Its “Coming of Age” as a Clinically Relevant Nutraceutical in the Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Disease. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019;2019:2716870. Published 2019 Oct 14. doi:10.1155/2019/2716870
3. Bai Y, Wang X, Zhao S, Ma C, Cui J, Zheng Y. Sulforaphane Protects against Cardiovascular Disease via Nrf2 Activation. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2015;2015:407580. doi:10.1155/2015/407580
4. Klomparens EA, Ding Y. The neuroprotective mechanisms and effects of sulforaphane. Brain Circ. 2019;5(2):74-83. doi:10.4103/bc.bc_7_19
5. Sun Y, Yang T, Mao L, Zhang F. Sulforaphane Protects against Brain Diseases: Roles of Cytoprotective Enzymes. Austin J Cerebrovasc Dis Stroke. 2017;4(1):1054. doi:10.26420/austinjcerebrovascdisstroke.2017.1054
6. Wu W, Peng G, Yang F, Zhang Y, Mu Z, Han X. Sulforaphane has a therapeutic effect in an atopic dermatitis murine model and activates the Nrf2/HO 1 axis. Mol Med Rep. 2019;20(2):1761-1771. doi:10.3892/mmr.2019.10405
7. Shiina A, Kanahara N, Sasaki T, et al. An Open Study of Sulforaphane-rich Broccoli Sprout Extract in Patients with Schizophrenia. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2015;13(1):62-67. doi:10.9758/cpn.2015.13.1.62
8. McNaughton, S., & Marks, G. (2003). Development of a food composition database for the estimation of dietary intakes of glucosinolates, the biologically active constituents of cruciferous vegetables. British Journal of Nutrition, 90(3), 687-697. doi:10.1079/BJN2003917
9. Okunade O, Niranjan K, Ghawi SK, Kuhnle G, Methven L. Supplementation of the Diet by Exogenous Myrosinase via Mustard Seeds to Increase the Bioavailability of Sulforaphane in Healthy Human Subjects after the Consumption of Cooked Broccoli. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2018;62(18):e1700980. doi:10.1002/mnfr.201700980

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The impact of holiday stress and pandemic stress on your immune system and the role of perception.

We are undoubtedly living through a stressful time in history. The coronavirus has proposed new and unforeseen challenges to each and every one of us as individuals and collectively as a nation. Suddenly, our daily routine built on stability and predictability has taken a deep dive into uncharted turbulent seas and we have been left to tread water. Between staying on top of the rapidly evolving CDC guidelines, managing our newly virtual careers, keeping small businesses afloat, online schooling, and trying to stay socially connected at a physical distance, it is no wonder we are more stressed than ever!

On top of all that, the holiday season is upon us which proposes a whole new set of challenges. Stress levels tend to be higher this time of year due to the demanding nature of the holiday season. This increase in stress comes with an increase in the incidence of cold and flu, especially as we transition into the winter months. This is no coincidence because stress suppresses the immune system which increases our susceptibility to cold and flu⁴.

This year, we must consider the double affliction of holiday stress and pandemic stress on our immune system’s ability to cope with potential invaders like COVID-19. Therefore, in addition to eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and taking immune-boosting supplements like vitamin D, we must make sure we have our stress levels under control this holiday to make sure our immune system is in fighting shape.

To do this, we must first understand how stress suppresses the immune system so we can determine where and how we can intervene to alleviate its effect.

When we perceive emotional or environmental stress, our hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis becomes activated in our brain¹. Once activated, the brain sends a signal to the hypothalamus to release corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) which signals the pituitary gland to secrete an adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)¹. ACTH signals the adrenal gland to produce and excrete cortisol, the primary stress hormone^1,2. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that normal physiologic levels is anti-inflammatory ². This should be considered a good thing… right? In acute situations, yes! Glucocorticoids are so effective at reducing inflammation that they have been reverse-engineered into pharmaceuticals to be prescribed in conditions caused by inflammation like allergies, asthma, and autoimmunity.

However, in today’s world, we are faced with chronic stress which keeps our cortisol constantly activated, and our immune system chronically suppressed. So, the hormone with the initial intention of protecting us by lowering inflammation is causing more harm than good by chronically suppressing our immune system. The current state of the coronavirus pandemic on top of holiday stress comes at an incredibly high price to our immune system. So, what do we do?

The only way to mitigate activation of the HPA axis is to halt cortisol release is by intervening at the source- taking back control over how we perceive stress and what stressed us out. Of course, this is easier said than done, but research shows that people who are better equipped to handle stress with appropriate coping mechanisms have a heightened ability to fight off viral or bacterial threats to the immune system⁵.

There are thousands of studies that link mindfulness meditation to lowering stress levels and improved immunity. From a functional medicine perspective, this is an imperative intervention to bolster your immune response³. In addition, speaking to a licensed clinical therapist or making time for stress-lowering activities like biking, journaling, or painting are quintessential to prime your immune system’s defense and should become a non-negotiable part of your lifestyle- especially this year, this time of year, and always.

If you would like more guidance on how to beat the stress of the holidays, please contact Specialized Therapy Associates at (201)-488-6678 to make an appointment. You can also visit us online at Specialized Therapy.

By Taylor Groff, MS Functional Nutritionist

References:

1. Katz, D. A., Locke, C., Greco, N., Liu, W., & Tracy, K. A. (2017). Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and depression symptom effects of an arginine vasopressin type 1B receptor antagonist in a one-week randomized Phase 1b trial. Brain and Behavior, (3). https://doi-org.uws.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/brb3.628. Retrieved from: https://uws.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.485132319&site=eds-live&scope=site
2. Sapolsky, R. M., Romero, L. M., and Munck, A. U. (2000) How Do Glucocorticoids Influence Stress Responses? Integrating Permissive, Suppressive, Stimulatory, and Preparative Actions. Endocrine Reviews 21(1): 55–89.
3. Black DS, Slavich GM. Mindfulness meditation and the immune system: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2016;1373(1):13-24. doi:10.1111/nyas.12998
4. National Institutes of Health (US), National Institute of Mental Health. Fact sheet on stress
   [cited 2013 Aug 21] Available from: URL: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/stress/index.shtml
5. Abdurachman, Herawati N. THE ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN BOOSTING IMMUNE RESPONSE: AN OPTIMAL EFFORT FOR TACKLING INFECTION. Afr J Infect Dis. 2018;12(1 Suppl):54-61. Published 2018 Mar 7. doi:10.2101/Ajid.12v1S.7

The post Holiday Stress and Pandemic Stress first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Holiday Stress and Pandemic Stress appeared first on Specialized Therapy.