Most of us are all too familiar with the feeling of being stressed—your heart races, your breathing becomes
rapid and shallow, your blood pressure rises and your hands
become cold or clammy as blood rushes to your limbs to
prepare for escape. Most of the time; however, there is no
life-threatening need for escape as we sit trapped in traffic
or in front of our computers. This is our initial response to
stress, otherwise known as an adrenaline rush or a sympathetic
nervous system response. The parasympathetic nervous
system response, or relaxation response, is just the opposite;
your breathing slows and deepens, your muscles relax, your
blood pressure lowers, your pulse rate slows and blood flow is
directed back to your internal organs.
If you always feel tense or anxious, your body will remain
in a constant state of heightened arousal. This chronic stress,
particularly psychological stress, is the most detrimental to
your health—not to mention your body composition.
The Effects of Stress
Stress, whether caused by physical, emotional, mental
or environmental factors, real or imagined, causes our
bodies to release a biochemical called cortisol. The Cortico-releasing
chemical (CRH) produced by our master gland,
the hypothalamus, stimulates the pituitary gland to produce
ACTH, which then travels to the adrenal glands (stress glands).
These two small glands rest atop the kidneys and produce
cortisol. This network is called the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal
(HPA) axis because all three glands are in constant
communication with each other, depending upon our level of
perceived stress. Cortisol is produced by the adrenals when
under prolonged stress, whereas adrenaline is released as an
immediate response to stress. Both processes are necessary
in small amounts, but in excess they can be harmful. Over
an extended period of time, stress can lead to many health
conditions such as:
- Increased weight gain around the abdomen (belly fat)
- Insomnia or sleep disruption, i.e. waking too early or between 2 AM and 4 AM
- Damage to the area of the brain responsible for memory
- Increased back pain and tension headaches
- Decreased sex drive and reduced libido
But there is one supplement, Relora, which is being proven
through research and clinical studies to put the brakes on a
body that is in stress overdrive. By blending two proprietary
herbal extracts from Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron
amurense, Relora can manage the effects of stress, sometimes
in as little as two weeks.
Protect Your Brain from Stress with Relora
Mental or emotional stress is the most harmful type of stress,
because it is not followed by a relaxation response, unlike most
physical stress which is followed by a period of rest. Not to
add to your stress level, but accumulating research indicates
that continuous or intense stress may negatively influence
the brain and its functions. Studies find evidence that stress
may alter brain cells, brain structure and brain function. As
a consequence, memory problems may occur. One study
published by the journal Neuron (January 2010) reveals
complex molecular mechanisms associated with stress. The
researchers observed that in contrast to stress-resilient mice,
stress-vulnerable mice exhibited changes in behaviors when
exposed to mild stress.
Serotonin is often thought of as our “happy chemical” and
high levels of stress rob of us this valuable neurotransmitter.
Research looking at Relora’s impact on central nervous system
receptors found, amazingly, that Relora has an effect on some of
the brain’s receptor binding sites. Most noteworthy among these
interactions was the strong binding at the serotonin transporter.
Relora and The War on Belly Fat
Studies show that stress causes abdominal (belly) fat— even in
people who are otherwise thin. Results published in the journal
of Psychosomatic Medicine (2000) established a link between
cortisol and increased storage of abdominal fat. It was found
that abdominal fat, versus overall weight gain, is directly related
to a person’s greater psychological vulnerability to stress and
cortisol reactivity. If you gain weight in your abdomen and waist
instead of on your hips and thighs, you may be genetically
programmed to secrete more cortisol (which in turn creates
more belly fat) at lower levels of stress than women who gain
weight in other places than their abdomen. One open label trial
(2006) of more than 1,200 participants with mild to moderate
stress, demonstrated that Relora was effective in managing
stress, promoting restful sleep and helping to manage stress-related
eating in as much as 90 percent of participants.
Stop Your Cravings with Relora
Under stressful conditions, cortisol provides the body with
glucose (sugar) by tapping into protein stores in the liver.
Elevated cortisol consistently churns out glucose, which leads
to long-term increased blood sugar levels—and metabolic
syndrome. Furthering the tie between cortisol and appetite, a
2001 study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology demonstrated
that cortisol injections are associated with increased appetite,
cravings for sugar and weight gain. Most of us have experienced
these stress-induced food cravings, which tend to take hold at the
least opportune times, such as late at night.
A pilot study published in Alternative Therapieswas
conducted in healthy, overweight women between the ages of
20 – 50 years, who typically eat more in response to stressful
situations and score above average for self-reported anxiety.
Researchers found that the treatment group tended to have
lower levels of cortisol in the evening (when cravings go hand-in-hand with high cortisol levels), whereas the placebo group
experienced higher levels of cortisol during those same hours.
The group receiving Relora experienced no weight gain as
compared to their counterparts that added 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) to
the scale over six weeks.
Improve Your Slumber with Relora
In addition to our weight, high cortisol can also negatively
affect our sleep patterns, making it difficult to fall asleep or
to stay asleep once we finally do go to bed. In a dangerous
catch-22, inadequate sleep further increases cortisol levels.
This signals the secretion of ghrelin which increases appetite,
and at the same time decreases leptin levels, which tells
the body it is satiated. Extensive research, including a paper
published in The American Journal of Human Biology (2009),
links lack of sleep to some wellness parameters. In similar
findings presented at the American Heart Association’s
2012 Scientific Sessions, researchers studied 17 healthy
young men and women for eight nights, with half of the
participants sleeping normally and half sleeping only two-thirds
their normal time. The sleep deprived group, who
slept one hour and 20 minutes less than the control group
each day, consumed an average 549 additional calories
each day.
Taking Relora before bed may reverse this poorly-timed
cortisol pattern. In the aforementioned study, bedtime
cortisol levels in the Relora group decreased, while some
in the placebo group had cortisol levels increase or remain
unchanged. For this reason Relora may be an ideal solution
for patients who tend to wake up throughout the night,
for highly stressed individuals who have problems falling
asleep and for menopausal women with hot flashes that
cause sleep disruption.
Balance your Body with Relora
As if our metabolism were not already in sufficient jeopardy,
cortisol inhibits the function of the thyroid, the master of
our metabolic rate. Over time, this exposure to cortisol
decreases cellular response to insulin and leads to increased
insulin levels. Many people already have an imbalanced
ratio of cortisol to DHEA (a precursor hormone to estrogen
and testosterone). This adrenal chemical tends to naturally
decrease as we age. At the same time, it protects against the
harmful effects of cortisol. In a healthy individual, cortisol
peaks in the morning and slowly decreases throughout the
day; for someone with stress, the reverse is often true.
A 2001 pilot study looked at Relora’s impact on this
ratio. A two-week regimen of Relora in subjects with mild
to moderate stress experienced a significant increase
in salivary DHEA (up to 227 percent) and a substantial
decrease in morning salivary cortisol levels. In addition,
Relora increased the DHEA levels from subnormal limits to
within normal limits in seven (7) out of ten (10) subjects
whose initial levels were below normal, showing its ability
to restore balance.
Be Yourself with Relora
Stress is an inevitable part of our everyday lives, but don’t
let it take control. Stress and its related biochemistry can be
overwhelming and rob us of our physical health and mental
well-being. Scientific studies, healthcare professionals and
consumers agree that Relora can be the game changer in our
ongoing fight to knock out distractions and regain control in
our hectic lives. All-natural Relora is just what you’ve been
waiting for.