Fatty liver disease: Should you be tested?
Even a little exercise linked with lower stroke risk in people with afib
Testosterone therapy without evidence of deficiency may boost heart risk
Weight-loss drug may lower risk of heart attacks and infections
Migraine: How it's diagnosed and what that means
Tricep workouts you can do at home
Mindfulness practices to reduce stress and improve focus
Antihistamines may not offer meaningful relief from eczema symptoms
Overweight and taking blood pressure medications: Study finds it's a trend that's working
FDA approves first mRNA-based flu vaccine
Pediatric health Archive
Articles
Take steps to prevent or reverse stress-related health problems
The relaxation response appears to manage stress and some chronic conditions at the deepest levels.
Image: © XiXinXing/Thinkstock
Chronic stress takes a toll on the body: it contributes to everything from high blood pressure and heart disease to anxiety, digestive disorders, and slow wound healing. On the flip side, managing stress helps control many chronic conditions or reduce your risk for developing them. Strategies include regular exercise, a healthy diet, and better sleep. And one strategy in particular—eliciting the relaxation response—may enable you to manage stress right down to your genes.
The anti-stressor
Relaxation response and genes
In the past decade, several studies from the Benson-Henry Institute have suggested that the relaxation response is associated with changes in genes that influence health. Among the findings are effects on the following:
Blood pressure. The relaxation response may activate genes associated with dilating the blood vessels and reduce activity of genes associated with blood vessel narrowing and inflammation. "It increases nitric oxide production, which in-creases the elasticity of the blood vessels and relaxes them," says Dr. Mehta. That can help lower blood pressure.
Blood sugar. The relaxation response may improve insulin activity by activating genes that help to control blood sugar.
Digestion. The relaxation response may reduce the activity of genes directly linked to the processes of inflammatory bowel disease (including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis). "Stress stimulates the digestive tract, which may cause diarrhea or nausea. The relaxation response returns gastrointestinal movement to a balanced state," explains Dr. Mehta.
Inflammation. "The relaxation response appears to turn off genes implicated in inflammation, and the stress response itself," says Dr. Mehta. While we need inflammation to fight infection and heal the body, chronic stress puts the body in a constant state of inflammation. That can increase plaque buildup inside coronary arteries, which may raise the risk for heart attack, stroke, and chest pain, and can also trigger unregulated cell growth, contributing to cancer risk. Does this mean the relaxation response can prevent health problems, or even reverse health problems that have already appeared? "It's encouraging, and we are studying that question right now," says Dr. Mehta.
Trigger the response
More ways to get there
Other techniques that evoke the relaxation response include mindfulness meditation, tai chi, yoga, and the following methods.
Focused breathing. Focusing on slow, deep breaths can be calming. Make sure your belly moves in and out as you breathe.
A body scan. Concentrate on one part of the body. Imagine it is open, warm, and relaxed, and that you are releasing tension from that area. Move on to another body part and repeat the process.
Guided imagery. Create a soothing scene in your mind that makes you feel relaxed. It may be a place or an experience. Allow your senses to be involved, imagining the smells you are encountering, the sounds you are hearing, and the ways things feel in your hands.
Repetitive prayer. Repeat a favorite prayer from your faith either silently or out loud. You can use a guide (such as your breathing or a rosary) to help with the repetition.
For more information, contact the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at 617-643-6090 or www.bensonhenryinstitute.org.
Emergencies and First Aid - Emergency Checklist
This list describes your priorities in an emergency situation. Follow these steps:
- Evaluate the scene to protect yourself and others from injury or danger.
- Be calm and reassuring.
- Do not move the person unless he or she is in imminent danger or unless you cannot provide assistance without moving the person.
- Get help. Call out for someone to phone 911 or, if the person does not need immediate assistance, make the call yourself.
- If the situation is a choking emergency, perform the Heimlich maneuver (see Choking).
- Look, listen, and feel for breathing (see Breathing Difficulties).
- Feel for a pulse to determine if the heart is beating.
- Control bleeding with direct pressure.
- Treat for shock.
- If the person is unconscious, move him or her into the recovery position.
Emergencies and First Aid - Removing a Stuck Ring
Removing a Stuck Ring
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Emergencies and First Aid - Choking
Choking
A person who is choking will instinctively grab at the throat. The person also may panic, gasp for breath, turn blue, or be unconscious. If the person can cough or speak, he or she is getting air. Nothing should be done.
Immediate care
If the person cannot cough or speak, begin the Heimlich maneuver immediately to dislodge the object blocking the windpipe. The Heimlich maneuver creates an artificial cough by forcing the diaphragm up toward the lungs.
Emergencies and First Aid - Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
When you are alone and have to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), your primary effort should be compressing the chest to help the person's heart pump blood. If there is a second person helping, providing breaths can be done at the same time as compressions are performed.
The brief review of CPR on the following pages can help you in an emergency; however, this information should not take the place of a certified course in CPR.
Emergencies and First Aid - Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation
Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation
Mouth-to-Mouth-and-Nose Resuscitation on a Child Under Age 8 or on an Infant
Place the child on a hard, flat surface.
Look into the mouth and throat to ensure that the airway is clear. If an object is present, try to sweep it out with your fingers. If unsuccessful and the object is blocking the airway, apply the Heimlich maneuver. If vomiting occurs, turn the child onto his or her side and sweep out the mouth with two fingers.
Tilt the head back slightly to open the airway.
Place your mouth tightly over the nose and mouth. Blow two quick, shallow breaths (smaller breaths than you would give to an adult). Watch for the chest to rise.
Remove your mouth. Look for the chest to fall as the child exhales.
Listen for the sounds of breathing. Feel for the child's breath on your cheek. If breathing does not start on its own, repeat the procedure.
Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation on a Child Age 8 or Older or on an Adult
1. Make sure the person is lying on a hard, flat surface. Look into the mouth and throat to ensure that the airway is clear. If an object is present, try to sweep it out with your fingers (wear disposable surgical gloves if they are available). Apply the Heimlich maneuver if unsuccessful and the object is blocking the airway. If vomiting occurs, turn the person on his or her side and sweep out the mouth with two fingers. Do not place your finger in the mouth if the person is rigid or is having a seizure. | 2. Tilt the head back slightly to open the airway. Put upward pressure on the jaw to pull it forward. |
3. Pinch the nostrils closed with thumb and index finger. Place your mouth tightly over the person's mouth. Use a mouthpiece if one is available. Blow two quick breaths and watch for the person's chest to rise. | 4. Release the nostrils. Look for the person's chest to fall as he or she exhales. Listen for the sounds of breathing. Feel for the person's breath on your cheek. If the person does not start breathing on his or her own, repeat the procedure. |
Emergencies and First Aid - Medical Identification Tags
Medical Identification Tags
A person with a serious medical condition such as diabetes, a drug allergy, or a heart condition should carry information about the condition on a necklace or bracelet, or on a card that can be carried in a pocket or wallet, so that proper care can be given in an emergency.
Be sure to check for a medallion or card if you find yourself in the role of rescuer. If you or a member of your family has a life-threatening medical condition, obtain a medical identification tag or medallion from your local pharmacy and wear it at all times.
Emergencies and First Aid - Emergency Phone Numbers
Emergency Phone Numbers
Write down important telephone numbers and post them where you can refer to them easily, such as near your telephone or on your refrigerator. List the serious medical conditions (such as asthma or diabetes) of each family member on the back of the list. Teach your children how to call 911 and tell them to show the list to emergency medical personnel.
The list should include the phone numbers of the police, the nearest fire department, ambulance services, a poison control center, and your doctors and the contact numbers for work, other locations, and a nearby relative or friend. You may also wish to include the phone numbers of the gas and electric companies, your childrens schools, the local pharmacy, or home health aides.
Emergencies and First Aid - How to Make a Sling
How to Make a Sling
1. To make a sling, cut a piece of cloth, such as a pillowcase, about 40 inches square. Then cut or fold the square diagonally to make a triangle. Slip one end of the bandage under the arm and over the shoulder. Bring the other end of the bandage over the other shoulder, cradling the arm. | 2. Tie the ends of the bandage behind the neck. Fasten the edge of the bandage, near the elbow, with a safety pin. |
Collar and Cuff Sling |
Use a collar and cuff sling for a suspected fracture of the collarbone or elbow when a triangular sling is not available. Wrap a strip of sheet, a pants leg, or pantyhose around the wrist and tie the ends behind the neck. |
Emergencies and First Aid - How to Splint a Fracture
How to Splint a Fracture
For a lower arm or wrist fracture (left), carefully place a folded newspaper, magazine, or heavy piece of clothing under the arm. Tie it in place with pieces of cloth. A lower leg or ankle fracture (right) can be splinted similarly, with a bulky garment or blanket wrapped and secured around the limb. A person with a hip or pelvis fracture should not be moved. If the person must be moved, the legs should be strapped together (with a towel or blanket in between them) and the person gently placed on a board, as for a back injury. | |
Fatty liver disease: Should you be tested?
Even a little exercise linked with lower stroke risk in people with afib
Testosterone therapy without evidence of deficiency may boost heart risk
Weight-loss drug may lower risk of heart attacks and infections
Migraine: How it's diagnosed and what that means
Tricep workouts you can do at home
Mindfulness practices to reduce stress and improve focus
Antihistamines may not offer meaningful relief from eczema symptoms
Overweight and taking blood pressure medications: Study finds it's a trend that's working
FDA approves first mRNA-based flu vaccine
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