STRESS AND THE HARD CHARGER: RECOGNISING THE HARD-CHARGER

There are a number of categories of hard-chargers that I have come to recognize over the years. They are broad categorisations that don’t take into account individual nuances. I’ve included them here to help you decide whether or not hard-charging is a problem for you. Because humans are such varied creatures they cannot be categorised rigidly. For this reason you may find you can fit into two categories, being, for instance, 60 per cent one and 40 per cent the other. If you can identify with any of these categories, but don’t have any symptoms, take heed now. Ill health could be just around the corner if you don’t slow down.

Hard-chargers fall into one of two camps, the adrenally competent and adrenally fatigued. The adrenally competent have all the symptoms of stress but have enough life left in their adrenal glands to be able to whip them along and keep themselves going. They are still able to produce enough beta endorphins to kill some of the pain and moderate the intensity of their symptoms. So long as they keep going they are OK. The moment they stop, they take a dive and start to feel lousy. Recognising that action is the only thing that makes them feel good they reason they should keep at it, so they get going again, not realising that it’s an excess of that particular action that has them feeling the way they are.

The adrenally fatigued are those hard-chargers who have pushed too hard for too long. They can no longer produce enough adrenalin to force their tired bodies to perform. Chronic, unrelenting fatigue that reduces only a little when they push themselves is the main symptom. However, they seldom get to push themselves, for now they lack the enthusiasm to do so. The adrenally fatigued are easily recognised by the way they flop into the armchair in my office on their first visit and say. ‘I don’t really know why I’m here, I’m just a bit tired, that’s all.’ Having said that, they then proceed to verbalise a litany of symptoms.

Hard-chargers are the classic Type A personalities described in life insurance company premium tables and popular psychology texts. They are forever tearing around like scalded cats. Type As in the workplace resent the Type B personalities who, being less ebulliently dynamic, are perceived as lazy under-achievers. At the end of the day, Type Bs are invariably more productive and make far fewer mistakes, a fact that is seldom ever admitted to by Type As.

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DEEP BREATHING EXERCISES: WHY DO WE NEED IT?

The deep breathing exercises are a good prelude to the mental relaxation exercises as they have the capacity to significantly relax the muscles especially when combined with adequate fluid and vitamin/mineral intake. So effective are they that some people elect to use them alone as their vehicle for relaxation. Many hard-chargers who have a bloated abdomen and the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome find that all these symptoms disappear after three to four weeks of the breathing exercises combined with a reduced workload, fewer commitments and the attendant rushing and speeding in cars.

This form of bloated abdomen and irritable bowel is caused by tight digestive tract muscles that cause food to get stuck in the intestines leading to fermentation, blockage and swelling. If three to four weeks of the deep breathing exercises don’t significantly improve the condition then food allergy and/or Candida albicans infection is a safe diagnosis. Some people have all three factors contributing to their bloated abdomen or irritable bowel. In all cases treatment commences with the Metabolism-Balancing Program, adequate fluid intake and deep breathing. Otherwise the severity of any food allergies or Candida infection will never be determined.

By relaxing the muscles, the deep breathing exercises also relax the brain. The muscles are connected to the brain by the sensory nerves. This makes it impossible to have relaxed muscles and a tense and agitated brain. The deep breathing exercises relax the muscles by suffusing them with oxygen and removing from them carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a major metabolic waste product of cellular respiration. Lying around in the muscles it acts as an irritant, causing them to contract, often to the point of spasm. Most importantly the breathing exercises lower the blood histamine levels, which reduces the number and intensity of one’s allergies. Conversely, shallow, rapid breathing raises the histamine levels, aggravating allergies.

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HYPERVENTILATION: WHAT IS IT?

Don’t confuse the deep breathing exercises (done slowly and rhythmically) with hyperventilation. ‘Hyperventilation’ means many, rapid, shallow breaths. This often accompanies and frequently causes anxiety, panic attacks and angina. It results in oxygen starvation of the tissues by causing the blood to become too alkaline.

Reduced levels of oxygen trigger the reflex mechanisms of yawning and sighing. Yawning and sighing are nature’s ways of forcing us to breathe deeply, in an attempt to raise the blood oxygen levels before they cause metabolic imbalances.

Hyperventilation is, in many ways, a misnomer, for although it draws in more air than normal breathing, the rapid in-out shallowness of its action means that less oxygen is taken up by the blood.

Also known as ‘over-breathing’, hyperventilation is, in fact, ‘under-breathing’. It causes serious acid/alkaline imbalances in the blood.

Water is important because we are made of it. Oxygen is important because we run on it. Under-drinking and under-breathing are epidemic and create metabolic imbalances that are stresses to the body. Stress can inflame mild (even asymptomatic) allergies into full-blown, troublesome ones.

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CHRONIS FATIGUE SYNDROME: EPIDEMIC

CFS, or ME or Epstein Barr virus, as it is otherwise known, is spreading. More and more people are enduring the unrelenting tiredness, depression, muscle pain, joint pain and often headaches and symptoms of fever it brings. This is not surprising given the dramatic increase in allergies since the massive industrialisation that’s taken place in the West since World War II. The consumption of sugar and white flour (both of which promote Candida yeast infections) has risen dramatically and our air, water, and food has become significantly chemically polluted.

Candida infection promotes our sensitivity to these chemicals which in turn lowers our resistance to the more common allergies of dust, dust mite, moulds, pollens, grasses, cats, dogs, feathers and foods. Often its the chemicals in the foods we’re reacting to rather than the foods per se. All the evidence suggests that CFS is on the increase in direct line with the increase in the number of allergy sufferers appearing in the statistics. The official allergy sufferer count is 45 per cent of the population, though most doctors and naturopaths agree its closer to 60 per cent.

Most of these allergy sufferers are suffering from varying degrees of CFS. Many of those with mild to moderate CFS didn’t even know they had it until their allergies were treated and they experienced a sudden rise in energy levels. They were so used to feeling below par they thought it was normal. Many a time I’ve had a patient remark to me, ‘I had no idea how tired I was,’ or, ‘Now I’ve got something to compare it to, I don’t know how I got by on my previous energy levels.’

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GLUE EAR: THE DISCOVERY AND THE EXPERIMENT

My introduction to the link between food, mood and learning came by way of treating kids for colds, ‘flu and allergies. Time and again parents would remark to me that in addition to their colds and allergies clearing up their child was more sociable and was getting better marks in exams. This was supported by reports from teachers that the child was trying harder and had a better attitude to work. At first I explained this as the result of less time off school and less physical discomfort giving rise to less distraction. But still time and again parents would insist the changes were so profound there had to be more to it. In time I decided to find out for myself and advertised for parents to volunteer their children for an experiment to determine the link between food, mood and learning. Fifteen children took part in the experiment, the full details of which will appear in a future book.

To summarise, all the children were slow learning under-achievers. Some of them were, to varying degrees antisocial. Some had definitive glue ear, some had suspected low-grade glue ear, some didn’t appear to have any glue ear. All of the children commenced their treatment regime by remaining on their normal everyday diet with the addition of Formula Six multi-vitamin and mineral supplement. As the following case histories indicate some were able to overcome their problems by the addition of Formula Six to their program and some had to embark on the full Anti-Candida/ Anti-Allergy regime to get a desirable result.

Space unfortunately precludes a detailed explanation of each child though the following notes will give you some idea of how successful the programs and Formula Six were.

Each child was subjected to before and after aptitude and intelligence tests by two independent educational psychologists one tested language, writing skills and English comprehension, the other tested mathematics. Their progress was monitored by their parents and schoolteachers on a day-to-day basis, and by me once a month. Both psychologists submitted written reports on their findings.

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HEART ATTACK AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE: WHY DO CHOLESTEROL AND FAT STICK TO THE ARTERY WALLS?

There is little doubt that high levels of fat and cholesterol in the blood contribute to heart attacks. Fats (known technically as lipids) and cholesterol can build up on the walls of any given artery to the point where blood flow is stopped. If this happens to the arteries that feed the heart the heart stops beating and we die of a heart attack.

Over the years a number of theories have gained acceptance only to be challenged by other theories. For the last twenty years the experts have agreed that the smooth inner lining of the artery becomes damaged and that passing fat, cholesterol and blood platelets stick to the damaged roughened section of artery lining forming a little bump. Over time more and more passing fat, cholesterol and blood platelets stick to the little bump that is growing on the artery wall and the bump continues to grow until it blocks the artery off.

There’s no clear consensus on the exact causes of artery wall injury. Cigarette smoke, high levels of fat and haemodynamic stress have all been mooted and there’s every possibility that all can be involved.

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SKIN PROBLEMS: REDUCING STRESS

All skin complaint owners must practise the deep breathing exercises described in the chapter on stress for at least ten minutes, though preferably fifteen to twenty minutes, each day. They can be done all at once or morning and afternoon. If you have time, do the mental relaxation exercises as well, though the deep breathing is priority one.

Some people like to do the deep breathing at one part of the day and the mental relaxation exercises at the other, rather than doing the mental relaxation exercises straight after the breathing. That’s fine. Do whatever is most comfortable for you.

Follow closely all the stress-reducing instructions laid down in the chapter on stress. Chilling is a stress. Keep all affected areas warm and, where possible, covered in winter. Chilling causes the body to withdraw blood from the skin and hold it in the centre core to conserve body heat. You cannot heal skin without a good blood supply to it. Keep the body at an even, warm temperature.

This section would not be complete if I were not to mention that the great majority of the acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and itchy rash sufferers I have treated have had a girlfriend, boyfriend or spouse in the waiting room indicating there is no lack of love in their life. And when I look back on my own teenage (acne) years I have to admit that it was I who had trouble talking to the girls not the other way around. I allowed myself to be so immobilised by some pimples on my face, I could not respond to Marcia Green’s overtures. Clearly my skin wasn’t a problem to Marcia and if I’d had the wisdom to focus on my good points I would have been much happier.

Looking back, my acne-induced shyness was just a big waste of time and I’m sure Marcia would have told me so if only I’d given her the chance. As a result of my attitude, some other lucky bloke swooped on Marcia and I was left to ponder what I was missing.

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SKIN PROBLEMS: ACNES

Of all skin conditions caused by allergy and Candida, acne is the most likely to be complicated by bacterial infection. If the red acne bumps have yellow heads then they have been infected by the bacterium Corynebacterium acnes.

The best way to tackle acnes is to raise the bacteria killing power of the while blood cells. You can do this by:

• eating three balanced meals per day as set out in the Metabolism-Balancing Program or, if applicable, the Anti-Candida Program or the combined Anti-Candida/Anti-Allergy Program;

• taking a good multi-vitamin and mineral formula that contains the six essential minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron and manganese, plus hydrochloric acid to facilitate absorption);

• significantly reducing stress levels by doing the deep breathing exercises described in the chapter on stress and, if you have time, the mental relaxation exercises as well;

• getting adequate sleep—’beauty’ sleep is no myth.

If acnes are proving to be very resistant to the white blood cells, nature’s own antibiotic, garlic, can be used to help kill the bacterium. The odourless garlic capsules are just as effective as the raw garlic and five to six capsules should be taken directly after breakfast.

Antibiotics should be avoided, wherever possible, as they aggravate Candida yeast infections which in turn aggravates the allergic condition that gives rise to acne. In the long-term antibiotics aggravate acne, even though initially they reduce the intensity of it.

Don’t confuse flat, red blotches under the skin with acne lesions. These are acne scars and will fade in time. If you are taking a good multi-vitamin and mineral formula containing the six essential minerals the scars will fade a lot more quickly. Be patient, scars can take up to twelve months to fade.

If after six to seven months of sticking strictly to everything, including the short course of antibiotics, you arc still getting red bumps (minus the yellow heads) breaking out you are more than likely allergic to something you are eating or are significantly stressed. Check yourself for allergies again by going back to your allergist for a second lot of allergy tests and reassess your stress levels.

Squeezing acne pimples produces more of them. When you squeeze a pimple only a small portion of it emerges through the top of the bump. The rest is pushed down into the skin where it spreads out and causes new areas of inflammation. These new inflammations spring up as new acne bumps. Leave pimples alone. Remember, if you kill one by squeezing it, four or five will come to its funeral and despite sticking to your program and resting you will never get rid of your acne.

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A COMMON MISTAKE TO AVOID

Some people, despite warnings to the contrary, start taking on greater responsibilities and work commitments after completing the program. Others start over-exercising and/or over-socialising. The new lease on life people experience when they’ve overcome their allergies can lead them into this ‘doing too much’ mode without their realising it. Because they feel so good, and because the human memory is so short when it comes to former pain and illness, they busily engage themselves without a thought that they might be overdoing it. After a while some of their former symptoms return and thinking that their allergies are returning they put themselves back on their Anti-Candida/Anti-Allergy Program only to find that this time it doesn’t work. Thinking they have acquired new allergies they take themselves back to their allergist for allergy tests only to find that nothing shows up. This is when they start to panic and begin to suspect serious diseases like cancer, diabetes, brain tumours, TB, polio and meningitis. Invariably (heir symptoms arc those of stress, stress being a great mimicker of allergy, and when they slow down the symptoms soon abate.

Now that you’re well, be ever careful that this doesn’t happen lo you. Constantly monitor yourself to make sure insidious ‘overdoing if is not creeping up on you. Constantly monitor yourself to make sure you’re adhering to the Metabolism-Balancing Program. It’s the Metabolism-Balancing Program that will keep your vitality and resistance to allergies high for the rest of your life—if you slick to it and keep taking the dietary supplements.

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HOW TO CURE YOUR ALLERGIES: A WORD OF WARNING

Don’t kid yourself you’re still on the Anti-Allergy Program if you’ve broken it only once or twice in the three month period. Many people try to delude themselves they’ve stuck strictly to the program, arguing that one or two little bits of this or that over three months couldn’t make much difference. Well, unfortunately a little bit of this and that, imbibed once or twice over a three month period is enough to make all the difference to the Anti-Allergy Program.

Around 95 per cent of people are able to overcome allergies by avoiding the allergenic food or substance for a three to six month period. The reason that this is able to happen is that the old departing generation of white cells after this period ‘forget’ to pass on to new generations of cells the fact that they were ever sensitive to the substance.

However, eating the food just once in that three months, even in minute quantities, is enough to jog the memory of the old white cells and re-establish the allergic sensitivity. Sometimes white cells can live and remember foreign substances for several years. It would seem that in those 5 per cent of people who don’t desensitise after twelve months’ abstinence, this mechanism is still intact.

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