Stress

Stress comes in many forms:

• Physical
• Mental
• Emotional
• Environmental
• Social
• Etc.

Each of these avenues of stress can create a host of different responses on the body’s systems:

• Nervous system
• Hormones
• Hydration
• Adrenal
• Musculoskeletal
• Digestive
• Etc.

How a person receives stress and then how their body expresses stress is different. Here is an example: Many times, when I am working with Type A personality clients, they don’t recognize that they are even carrying stress. Being Type A, they have the mental fortitude to be able to power through, only get 5 hours of sleep, not eat much, barely drink any water…but yet they are losing muscle and gaining body fat! They don’t realize the impact on their health because they are so hyper-focused on their job, a situation, or a goal.

It may be a month or so when the impact is felt – when they can’t fit into their clothes or they have a physical stress response. For example, they get very sick, develop a migraine, their blood pressure is high, they start having diarrhea…or their doctor tells them their blood work is way off!

At that point stress has reared its ugly head and produced a physical symptom on their body that of course they don’t like! Now it’s not only taking them away from their lifestyle, but if they have any kind of body composition or athletic performance goal, they are greatly suffering in that area too!

1. How do we identify and catch stress before it’s too late?
2. How do athletes and non-athletes manage stress to perform better in their sport or job?

Let start with Question Number One

How do we identify and catch stress before it’s too late?

Recovery rate from workouts, improving sleep quality to feel rested, healing an injury, or mentally healing from a traumatic experience are all extremely important. Being able to understand when you need to “down shift” or “slow down” or “deload” is important for longevity but also for short term health and performance.

When your body and its different human systems get pounded day in and day out, without getting proper recovery (sleep, stress management, hydration, etc.) something is going to give. The first layer will be your immune system. The immune system is your body’s first layer of defense to stress. It will help to protect you from external viruses and bacteria that try to infect your body. It’s a combination of lymph, white blood cells, and antibodies that help protect against infection. It also helps you rebuild and recover from injuries and tissue damage.

Oxidation & Antioxidant

Have you ever heard of the word “oxidation?” And how about the word “antioxidant?”

“Oxidation is a normal and necessary process that takes place in your body. Oxidative stress, on the other hand, occurs when there’s an imbalance between free radical activity and antioxidant activity. When functioning properly, free radicals can help fight off pathogens. Pathogens lead to infections.” (1)

Although free radical activity helps fight off pathogens, the immune response itself can become inflammatory and cause stress of its own in excess and without a balance of antioxidants.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3614697/

One way to identify stress is to listen to your body. Be self-aware. If you start to feel “run down,” take the steps needed to recover. We have all been there…Just a small headache, a little tickle in your throat, sneezing and feeling cold or hot…these are all signs that your body is saying slow down! Listen to it! This is a sure sign that you need to take a step back and rest.

Question Number Two

How do athletes and non-athletes manage stress to perform better in their sport or job?

When your body is under stress from a heavy or hard workout, family issues at home, mental stress at work, or even self-induced anxiety, it can have an effect on your immune system. This in turn will have a direct effect on your recovery! So, is it wise for people to “train hard all the time” or “no pain – no gain” or “never take a rest day”… Absolutely not!

Letting your body heal, rest, restore, and recover will not only rejuvenate your body from any stress, but also BOOST your immune system! Here is a great graphic that explains the documented relationship between upper respiratory tract infections and exercise intensity:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2803113/

This study from the Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews (3), shows that exercise, recovery time, and stress management when properly programmed can have an immune boosting effect. OR if mismanaged, can actually have a negative effect. And since exercise is a form of stress, this needs to be considered in the big picture to know when it’s important for you to recover and rest to improve performance, but also to reduce your risk of infection!

Understanding the Factors of Stress

So simply put, a person must understand all of the factors of stress in their lives, and then make educated decisions on what kind of “exercise stress” they need to improve performance, recover, and actually boost immunity. This is yet another reason why it is important to have a Professional Coach, or Health Advisor that understands these scientific principles to help manage stress, recover faster, and boost the immune system.

To expect that the general population know these scientific facts is wrong. This I why there are professionals in fitness, nutrition, and recovery coaching that help clients expedite this process and deliver them the advice and tips they need to be able to manage their health for the short and the long term. We have only discussed the relationship between stress, exercise, and immunity. But there are many factors that can affect your body’s systems and stress level!

• Nutrition
• Blood Chemistry
• Micronutrients
• Antioxidants
• Physical recovery therapies
• Psychology
• Etc.

All of these methods should also be considered to help an individual achieve optimal health and performance.

My Advice

Seek out a professional coach if you are looking to maximize your recovery and boost your immune system. Each individual is different. Their lifestyles are different. Their methods of management and application of specific recovery methods will be different. There is a lot to consider. Seek out a professional that can deliver you the tools needed. Make sure they are using scientific principles, and then using those principles to apply the right methodology to what you need to improve your recovery and immunity.

Ultimately, the connection between recovery, immunity, and health is balance.

Thank you!

Chris Edwards, TriCore Owner and Managing Director

1. https://www.healthline.com/health/oxidative-stress
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/fun-facts
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2803113/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3614697/

The post Athletic Recovery & Immunity – What’s the Connection? first appeared on TriCore Wellness.

GI Tract

The GI tract contains trillions of microorganisms, including good and bad bacteria, viruses, and fungi.(2) Theses microorganisms are referred to as the microbiota, and the sum total of their genetic material is referred to as the microbiome. The human microbiome is different in every individual and directly influences our response to nutrition, immunity, behavior, and disease.(2) As a result, our microbiome is responsible for communication between the gut and the brain. So, any kind of stress disrupts this natural flow of communication. One of the main communicators affected in these instances is the vagus nerve.

Vagus Nerve

The vagus nerve (VN) is a cranial nerve that extends from the brain to the colon and supplies sensory and motor function information to most of the digestive tract.(3) The VN is comprised mostly of afferent neurons, which are nerve fibers responsible for detecting issues through communication received via microbial metabolites.(4) The information received by the VN is sent to the central nervous system and then a response is elicited.(3) Stress inhibits the function of the VN, which then leads to imbalances in the body.(3)

Communication

A disruption in the communication between the brain (VN) and the gut will then lead to dysbiosis. Dysbiosis is an imbalance in the microorganisms normally found in the GI tract.(5) In addition to stress, microbial changes are heavily influenced by genetics, diet, infection, or medications such as antibiotics.(5) When the bad microorganisms outweigh the good, it can lead to disease. So, to avoid these issues, stress management techniques and a healthy lifestyle are vital. Furthermore, managing stress, eating a balanced diet, and exercising will help maintain balance and a positive flow of communication between the brain and the gut.

Lisa Fenda Wallace, B.S., B.A., CPT, TriCore Dietetic Intern

Reviewed by TriCore Lead Clinical Nutritionist: Beth Ellen DiLuglio, MS, RDN, LDN

References

1. Konturek P, Brzozowski T, Konturek SJ. Stress and the gut: pathophysiology, clinical consequences, diagnostic approach and treatment options. J Physiol Pharmacol. 2011;62(6):591- 599. http://www.jpp.krakow.pl/journal/archive/12_11/pdf/591_12_11_article.pdf. Accessed January 20, 2021.

2. MacGill M, Sethi S. What are the gut microbiota and human microbiome? Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/307998#new-findings-on-the-microbiome. Published June 26, 2018. Accessed January 20, 2021.

3. Bonaz B, Bazin B, Pellissier S. The vagus nerve at the interface of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Front Neurosci. 2018;12(49), 1-9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5808284/pdf/fnins-12-00049.pdf. Accessed January 20, 2021.

4. Browning K, Verheijden S, Boeckxstaens G. The vagus nerve in appetite regulation, mood and
intestinal inflammation. Am J Gastroenterol. 2017;152(4), 730-744.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5337130/?report=classic. Accessed January 20,
2021.

5. Peterson C, Round J. Defining dysbiosis and its influence on host immunity and disease. Cell
Microbiol. 2014;16(7), 1024-1033. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4143175/.
Accessed January 20, 2021.

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Our brain is chemically wired to adapt to changes. Simply making your bed every day sets off happy chemicals in your brain that makes you feel good and leads to wanting to do more and leads to positive change that everyone will notice.

Summer Training Tips

Here are some summer training tips that you can use to start following through on your goals to health and performance improvement:

1. Daily habits – Start small like making your bed, getting up at a consistent time every
day, or drinking a glass of water every morning.
2. Accountability – This is key for reinforcement and keeping you on track. A personal
coach is great for that.
3. Try something new once a week – get outside your comfort zone by trying a new
style of fitness.
4. Learn! – Start by reading some articles that interest you then read a new book or get
a new audio book that helps you learn more about your body and health.

One thing that we promote at TriCore is gaining a heightened state of awareness on your health and body stats. This can help you overcome many mental barriers like the negative emotions many people have about scales and making progress on your health and wellness goals. We use devices like the Withings Body Cardio Scale to help our clients understand that progress happens every single day! And knowing the difference between lean body mass gain VS fat gain is huge to overcoming negative emotions that come from seeing the scale change.

Education
Consistency
Accountability

These are the things needed to help overcome your challenges. Hiring a coach can help you have more mental toughness to stay on track, and that is something some people can’t live without!

Brian Baker, TriCore Coach

The post Summer Training Tips from Coach Brian Baker! first appeared on TriCore Wellness.

The New You program works, simply because there is little room for guessing and error. You have direct access to me, as your coach, to get your questions answered and help you stay motivated. Being able to keep track of your body stats, workouts, nutrition and recovery, and having that data able to transfer over to me for review, gives me the tools I need to coach you to success! It provides a layer of accountability for you, but also for me to ensure that your plan is working!

In this program, you receive multiple checkpoint meetings, a Metabolic Coaching session, and online services to help you optimize your Fitness, Nutrition, and Recovery. Our wifi Smart Scale tracks your body stats for the ultimate layer of accountability! Weight, muscle mass, fat mass, hydration, BMI and more are measured. During the program you also get our premiere Private Wellness service. This concierge service gives you daily texting with me 7 days per week as well as a structured fitness and nutrition plan in your TriCore App!

There are three phases to the New You Program.

• In the first 30 days, you will establish a balanced metabolism!
• In the Second 30 days, you will rev up your fat burning potential!
• In the last 30 days, you will tone up and look shredded!

Your body takes about 30 days to see habit changes and body transformations, Therefore, 3 blocks of 30 days gives us the right amount of time to make a New You! So, If you are struggling to find a plan that actually works for your needs, The New You Program is your answer!

Thanks!

Nic Newell, TriCore Pro Coach

The post Why new you? first appeared on TriCore Wellness.