LiveLongAgeWell

Considering our current economic times, I will continue to regularly blog about research and ideas that hopefully will help us cope better. Previously I’ve addressed topics such as deep breathing, omega-3 supplements, and eating more fish (you are trying to eat more fish, aren’t you?)… as ways of cooling off our body’s stress response. Often we can’t control our outside stresses, but we can control how our body responds to those stresses, and that’s a big help.

This week at the American Heart Association’s meeting in New Orleans, a preventive cardiologist Dr. Michael Miller presented research showing how blood vessels respond differently to music we like, versus music that makes us feel anxious. Dr. Miller previously showed that laughter was good for the heart, since it seemed to relax our blood vessels and thus allow better blood flow. In the current study he found that when a group of volunteers were exposed to music they really liked, even their blood vessels relaxed, resulting in a 26% better blood flow. In contrast, music that made the test subjects feel anxious temporarily dropped their blood flow by 6%.

While Dr. Miller measured blood flow only in the arm, it’s likely that pleasant music would cause increased blood flow throughout the body, an effect that is good for the heart. (The opposite of what occurs in a person with high blood pressure where the vessels tend to be constricted and tight—not a heart-healthy process.) Dr. Miller didn’t discover the mechanism that made music open up vessels, but he suspects it has to do with the release of endorphins, chemicals released from deep in the brain which result in feelings of well-being.

One of the best ways to keep your brain functioning well as you get older is to frequently challenge it with new ideas, new activities….and even new types of music; music you might not initially like, but with a flexible brain, you learn over time to actually enjoy. Dr. Miller’s research suggests to me though that in times of stress—particularly if you already have high blood pressure or heart disease—one healthy way to chill out is to pro-actively seek out music that is most relaxing for you, and allow your blood vessels to open up and relax too.

Remember this for example next time you go to the dentist for some uncomfortable work, or on an airplane if flying stresses you. Be assertive; protect your heart as well as your mind…bring your iPod and put on whatever you most like, from hip-hop or rap to classical or christian contemporary, and let the blood flow. Don’t be shy; the research supports you.

Finishing the “mini-series” on stress reduction, we end the week with the easiest hint so far. This anti-stress action might seem obvious and simple, but we (myself included), probably need to do it much more often.

I suspect many people, despite being inundated with usually depressing news, are strangely drawn to it, at times nearly addicted to the constant feed, 24/7  available. While energy becomes more expensive, information becomes cheaper; it’s easy to get addicted to it, and I suspect a near constant flow of volatile and often negative news might not be a positive factor for our aging well.

Next time you find yourself glued to, for example, the Dow, and it’s making you a little sick but you can’t pull yourself away, shut it off. Do something else. Take a walk, watch YouTube, work, call a loved one, drink tea, listen to music. The earth will continue to rotate and the news will continue the same whether or not you are watching.

Then consider the times you are lucky enough to be talking with a loved one, yet you are also multi-tasking some trivial news feed, turn off the one that is not vital, and tune into your partner. The more you connect with what’s truly important, the happier you should be.

Next week we’ll cover less-weighty topics such as ways to improve your looks…and a podcast! Have a great weekend!

The next few months will probably be marked by financial and political volatility, so especially during these times I’ll feature some tips to help us all cope better with stress. Chronic stress depresses our immune system, and among other issues, raises the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. To live long and age well, we each need to figure out, for ourselves, what works to help us control the inevitable periods of higher anxiety.

Last week I talked about eating more fish and perhaps taking fish oil as ways to boost mood. Fish is fantastic “brain food”, but it doesn’t work instantly, so today let’s talk about something that does—deep (abdominal) breathing. It’s free, easy to do, and can be done almost anywhere at anytime. It’s so simple and basic that typically we don’t even think about it, but for many people, focused breathing can have a very powerful calming effect.

When tense, we tighten our chests and take shallow, weak breaths (which can make us even more tense). We fail to expand the lowest part of our lungs; pulse and blood pressure rise. Now if we breathe in the opposite way—deep, slow, and using the abdomen more than the chest—our body seems to reset itself to what it experiences when we are calm…easy and relaxed. Such breathing is fundamental for meditation and yoga, but when we don’t have the time or training or desire for those, we can get much of the benefit from just practicing this abdominal breathing.

Next time you feel “uptight”, try this:  first breathe out completely, then inhale very slowly and deeply through your nose, and as you breathe in, make sure your abdominal muscles are relaxed, and that your abdomen protrudes out as you breathe in. Feel the oxygen expanding the bottom of your lungs. Breathe in for the count of three, hold the breath for a second or two, then even more slowly breathe out either through your nose or mouth. When first practicing, it’s good to place your hand on your navel and note that your hand rises an inch or so each time you inhale.

There is no one formula as to how to do this right, so experiment to see what makes you feel most relaxed. Don’t hyperventilate or try too hard. You can do it for just a few breaths, or up to 10 minutes or longer if you are advanced, at best several times a day. Try picking a calming word to say as you let out each breath, and imagine the tension leaving your body each time. For much more about the subject, read this article from Discovery Health.

On Friday, after a couple news items, I’ll finish out this mini-series on stress reduction with one more quick (and even easier) technique. In the meantime, give focused, abdominal breathing a try and see what happens!

As I write this, the American economy may be in its worst crisis since the Great Depression. So a few days ago a friend asked if a “natural” herbal remedy he was taking was good to calm his nerves and help his mood. I recommended he consider, as a supplement, fish oil. Wednesday we will talk about fish oil capsules, but today let’s consider how fish is a “brain food”, and might help your mood.

That fish is good for your brain makes sense when you realize that your brain cell membranes are mostly “lipids”…fat…and here we are talking about the particular type of fat called “omega-3 fatty acids”. These omega-3s you get in your diet from fish as well as some nuts and soy, but the best source is fish. Brain tissue nourished with more omega-3s seems to function better because the individual brain cells then communicate easier via the various neurotransmitters. It’s almost as if omega-3s act as a lubricant to make your brain work more efficiently.

In the typically poor, processed American diet, most people don’t get enough of these good omega-3 fats but rather consume too much of the unhealthy saturated fats. Various studies have shown that countries with high fish consumption, like some Asian countries, have a much lower depression rate than countries with lower fish intakes. That alone is not proof that fish is the reason, but there have also been numerous “double-blind clinical trials” that show a positive effect from omega-3s on helping depression and possibly anxiety.

So particularly during these stressful times, we should make sure to eat fish at least two, preferably three, times per week. The best fish with the highest levels of omega-3s yet lowest mercury content are salmon, sardines, herring, and wild trout. Tuna is a good source, but contains more mercury. If you like canned tuna, try instead the healthier canned salmon. GotMercury.org has a convenient fish mercury calculator, and if you have heart disease, talk to your doctor and read this information from the American Heart Association before eating lots of fish.

Finally, everyone should avoid deep-fried or fast food fish, and don’t depend on fish as a quick cure for the blues…but over the long-term, adding fish to your regular diet, perhaps more than any other food, can boost your mood and make your brain work better too!