Stress may sabotage diets by short-circuiting self-control

People are less likely to resist tasty, unhealthy foods when they’re under stress because the promise of immediate reward trumps longer-term goals to eat well, a Swiss study suggests.

Using brain scans, researchers found that circuits in the brain associated with reward are amped up and those linked to self-control are dialed down in participants under stress. The more stressed people felt themselves to be, the stronger the effect.

“We find that stress increases reward signaling and thus may boost a craving for getting the instantaneously rewarding option,” which ties in with earlier studies of stress and decision circuits in the brain, said lead author Silvia U. Maier at the University of Zurich.

“The more stressed you feel, the less likely you become to override your own taste preferences when we present you with a really tricky challenge, say: your favorite chocolate bar versus a portion of broccoli,” Maier told Reuters Health by email.

“You could say it’s almost like stress is turning up the dial on signals about taste, and turning down the signal on health goals,” she said.

For the study, the researchers recruited 51 young adult men who reported making an effort to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly, but also still enjoyed junk foods with some frequency.

First, each participant used a computer questionnaire to rate images of 180 food items for healthiness, tastiness and their overall appeal.

Then 29 of the men were randomly selected to undergo the stress induction procedure, in which they immersed a hand in an ice bath for three minutes while they were videotaped and monitored. Social evaluation is one of the most potent human stressors, Maier noted.

All the participants were put in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner, which measures brain activity by mapping blood flow changes in the brain, and asked to complete several seven-minute computer-based decision trials, selecting from pairs of the foods they had previously rated on healthiness and taste.

In addition to the fMRI measures, the researchers also collected saliva samples from the men to measure the stress hormone cortisol.

As reported in Neuron, the researchers found that men who had undergone the stressful situation were more likely to favor taste rather than health in their food choices, compared to the men who had not been stressed.

“What's exciting about this work is that it identifies specific mechanisms for how stress affects self control: by amplifying the influence of short-term rewards on choices, and by impairing the influence of a brain region known to be important for self-control,” said Molly Crockett, an expert in neuropsychology at University College London in the U.K.

“When you're faced with an unhealthy food that's not very tempting, stress won't affect your self control much,” Crockett, who was not part of the new research, told Reuters Health by email. “But when you're faced with your most favorite tempting foods, stress will make it more difficult to resist those temptations.”

In studies of rats, a high-fat diet appears to blunt the stress response, and some researchers speculate that humans may change their diets to “self-medicate” the stress response in the brain, although that is still a hypothesis, Maier said.

“One very stressful day will most likely not sabotage your diet completely if the stress ends after this day and you return back to your routine of eating a healthy, balanced diet,” she said. “However, we find that even moderately stressful events may promote these lapses of self-control, and moderate stress may occur more often during your day or week.”

One way to combat this effect is to use pre-commitment, removing temptations before they occur, for example removing snacks, cigarettes or alcohol from the home if you know you will have trouble resisting later, Maier said.

SOURCE: bit.ly/1P6Cr0S Neuron, online August 5, 2015.

source: interaksyon.com

Quitting smoking makes you happier, says UK study

PARIS - Moderate or heavy smokers who quit tobacco get a boost in mental wellbeing that, for people who are anxious or stressed, is equivalent to taking anti-depressants, a study said Thursday.

British researchers examined 26 published investigations into the mental health of smokers.

They looked at standardized scorecards for symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress and quality of life, derived from questionnaires completed by volunteers.

The smokers were 44 years old on average and smoked between 10 and 40 cigarettes a day. They were questioned before they tried to give up smoking and again after their attempt -- an average of six months later.

Those who succeeded in quitting reported reduced depression, anxiety and stress and had a more positive outlook on life compared with those who continued smoking.

"The effect sizes are equal or larger than those of anti-depressant treatment for mood and anxiety disorders," said the study, published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

Quitters who had been diagnosed with psychiatric disorders enjoyed a similar improvement.

Lead investigator Gemma Taylor of the University of Birmingham's School of Health and Population Sciences said she hoped the findings would dispel a widespread misconception about smoking.

"It's a common myth that smoking actually is good for your mental health -- 'smoking relieves stress,' 'smoking helps you relax,' 'smoking helps you enjoy things' -- and that common myth is really hard to overcome," Taylor told AFP in a phone interview.

But actually, the study showed that "when you stop smoking and you break the nicotine withdrawal cycle, your mental health improves."

Taylor pointed to a mainstream theory in tobacco addiction research: that a smoker's psychological state fluctuates throughout the day as a result of exposure to nicotine.

The sense of calm or wellbeing from a cigarette is followed immediately afterwards by classic withdrawal signs of a depressed mood, anxiety or agitation.

Smokers, though, tend to misattribute these symptoms and blame them on stress or other factors.

And because nicotine has a calming effect, they perceive that cigarettes improve their mental health.

Smoking is already blamed for a wide range of physical diseases and disorders, ranging from cancer, blindness and cardiac problems to diabetes, gum disease and impotence.

The UN's World Health Organization (WHO) estimated last July that tobacco kills almost six million people each year, a toll that will rise to eight million annually in 2030.

About four out of every five deaths will occur in low- and middle-income nations, it said.

Despite a decline in smoking prevalence in some nations, in overall terms the number of people smoking today is greater than in 1980, due to population growth, according to a paper published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

source: interaksyon.com

Stress is bad for your career and health

MANILA, Philippines - Stress at work can greatly affect your performance, your career, but most especially, your health. Premier health institution Makati Medical Center lists down the factors that may cause workplace stress and how to deal with such situations early on.

“Stress brings about many health disorders,” begins Saturnino P. Javier, MD, a cardiologist at MakatiMed and president of the Philippine Heart Association. “It can worsen already existing illnesses such as asthma and diabetes, trigger headaches and gastrointestinal problems, can make you prone to depression and anxiety, and cause you to age faster than usual.”

“One of the most serious illnesses associated with stress concerns the heart,” he further warns. Stress may have a direct effect on the heart and blood vessels, and at the same time, it increases one’s likelihood of smoking or eating unhealthily — habits that may also increase heart risks. Sudden emotional stress can trigger serious cardiac problems, such as heart attacks.

“That’s why before heart problems even start, know what makes you stressed and how you can prevent it,” says Dr. Javier.  “The workplace is one of the most common places that put pressure on individuals, and being in the office during most days of the week, take time to assess and see if your work situation is causing you stress.”

“While stress is managed differently by different individuals, there are common situations at work that may cause it. Generally, an employee may feel stressed if he is under pressure from the demands of his job — be it the hours, the responsibilities, or the work load. If these are too much for him to take or greater than he can comfortably manage, it can pose risks to his health,” he says.

Tight deadlines, long hours, and heavy workload, changes within the organization or in the duties of the employee, job insecurity and few promotional opportunities, harassment and discrimination, and poor relationships with colleagues and bosses may be some of the causes of workplace stress.




“When your attitude towards your job and your behavior at work changes, you’re most likely stressed,” warns Dr. Javier. This could mean an increase in sick days, aggression, diminished creativity and initiative, mood swings, low tolerance of frustration and impatience, disinterest, and isolation.

Other common signs of stress are fatigue, muscle tension, sleeping difficulties such as insomnia, and dermatological disorders. Psychological symptoms include irritability, pessimism, feelings of discouragement and being overwhelmed, and cognitive difficulties such as the reduced ability to concentrate or make decisions. “Such signs tell you that your work is taking over your life and it’s about time you did something about it,” he says.

“Change your lifestyle — not only to battle stress, but also to aim to live healthier overall. Stop overeating, drinking, and smoking. While these seem to calm you and reduce stress, you’re only adding to it,” he says. “Stick to a good diet, exercise regularly, and spend time to relax both your mind and body so you can fight stress effectively.”

Non-competitive exercises, such as aerobics, have been shown to release endorphins, which are natural substances that help maintain a good disposition. “Of course, it helps a lot to set realistic goals for yourself, learn the art of saying no to tasks you know you can’t handle, and maintain a positive outlook in life,” Dr. Javier advises.

source: philstar.com