Mastering Nutrition & Stress

Question 1

What is the knowledge that clients will need for nutrition, health, and wellness?

Answer 1

The knowledge that will matter to the client will be knowledge that helps them to cope better with, and/or reducing stress

Question 2

What is 1/2 of the equation when it comes to experiencing optimal health?

Answer 2

Eating healthy food and taking healthy actions.

Question 3

What is the other half of experiencing optimal health?

Answer 3

The other half is being the ideal state of digest and assimilate food.

Question 4

What is stress?

Answer 4

It is a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.

Question 5

What activates the stress response in the body?

Answer 5

The central nervous system, specifically the hypothalamus.

Question 6

What happens when the stress response is activated?

Answer 6

-heart rate speeds up
-blood pressure increases
-respiration quickens (shallow breathing)
-adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol hormones are released
-blood flow is routed away from digestion, and directed towards the arms and legs
-digestive system shuts down

Question 7

Why do we have a stress response?

Answer 7

It was essential for survival

Question 8

What is important to understand about how the brain is involved with the stress response?

Answer 8

The brain cannot differentiate between real and imagined stress.

Question 9

What are examples of “imagined” stress?

Answer 9

Getting fired because you are running late
Getting a failing grade on a test
Worrying about a loved one
Being frustrated with someone

Question 10

What do real and imagined stress have in common?

Answer 10

They both cause digestion to shut down because the body thinks it needs to survive a threat.

Question 11

What is the part of the nervous system that exerts the greatest influence over digestion?

Answer 11

The autonomic nervous system. It is a branch of the peripheral nervous system.

Question 12

What is the autonomic nervous system responsible for?

Answer 12

-stimulating enzymatic secretions to the digestive process
-optimum nutrient absorption
-turning digestion on or off

Question 13

What are the two branches of the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 13

-sympathetic which turns stress ON and turns digestion OFF
-parasympathetic which turns OFF stress response and turns digestion ON (responsible for relaxing the body and telling the body that you’re safe

Question 14

What are 4 ways people experience stress?

Answer 14

1. Biological/Chemical - in the processes of the body
2. Mentally/Emotionally - in your thoughts, beliefs, and feelings
3. Spiritually - in your sense of connection to that which is greater
4. Structural - in your bones and muscles

Question 15

What are the 5 big areas of life that stress affects?

Answer 15

Health, Money, Relationships, Career, Connection to that which is greater

It is all connected- …how you do one thing, is how you d everything

Question 16

How does a health coach help a client reduce or cope with stress?

Answer 16

With the 6 Ws…
Why to eat
What to eat
How to eat (this is not a W question, but one of the most important)
When to eat
Where to eat
Who are you being when you eat

Question 17

What happens with increased cortisol production?

Answer 17

Associated with weight gain (belly area especially)
Inability to lose weight or gain muscle
Premature aging

Question 18

What happens with decreased nutrient absorption?

Answer 18

Decrease in digestive enzyme production
Decrease bile flow from the gallbladder
Decreased oxygenation & gastrointestinal blood flow

Question 19

Why is there increased nutrient excretion with stress?

Answer 19

Stress increases the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, chromium, selenium, and various trace minerals

Question 20

How does stress affect the gut flora?

Answer 20

It destroys healthy intestinal bacteria which can lead to immune problems, skin disorders, nutrient deficiencies, and digestive stress

Question 21

How does stress lead to high blood pressure (hypertension)?

Answer 21

With increase in sodium and fluid retention

Question 22

How does stress affect thermic efficiency?

Answer 22

It diminishes the body’s ability to burn calories

Question 23

How does stress affect the thyroid?

Answer 23

Decrease thyroid hormone and therefore decreases the body’s metabolic activity

Question 24

How does stress affect blood cholesterol?

Answer 24

It raises LDL cholesterol levels

Question 25

How is stress a major factor in heart disease?

Answer 25

It increases blood platelet aggregation

Question 26

How does stress affect sex drive?

Answer 26

It decreases sex hormones lowering sex drive, energy, and decreasing muscle mass.

Question 27

How does stress affect digestion?

Answer 27

It decreases gastric emptying time leading to constipation and can be a risk factor in diseases of the colon.

Question 28

How is stress a major threat to the body?

Answer 28

Increases inflammation which is the basis of many ailments including brain and heart disease.

Question 29

How is stress responsible for food sensitivities?

Answer 29

It can increase food sensitivities most likely due to decreased immunity and leaky gut.

Question 30

How does stress affect the stomach?

Answer 30

It can affect hydrochloric acid (stomach acid) by reducing it as the nervous system diverts blood flow away from the digestive organs.

Question 31

How does stress affect growth?

Answer 31

It can decrease growth hormones which are key to growing, healing, and rebuilding tissues which help burn fat and build muscle.

Question 32

How does stress affect insulin?

Answer 32

It can increase insulin resistance with chronic low-level stress. Target cells become unresponsive to insulin (a factor in diabetes, weight gain, heart disease, and aging.

Question 33

How does stress cause heartburn?

Answer 33

It increases erratic function of LES or lower esophageal sphincter opens inappropriately causing gastric reflux..

Question 34

How does stress age you?

Answer 34

It increases oxidative stress causing premature aging in the body and a precursor to many diseases.

Question 35

How does stress affect bond density?

Answer 35

It increases the risk of osteoporosis by increasing the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium and boron.

Question 36

With meals, how can this cause stress?

Answer 36

It’s a biological/chemical stress because every time you eat, your different food choices will either promote stress in the body or help reduce it.