Pope reveals anti-stress secrets - and it's not prozac

Pope Francis has shrugged off recent in-fighting in the Vatican and other stresses of his job by joking: "I am not on tranquilizers."

"There is corruption in the Vatican. But I am at peace," the pontiff said in a personally revealing interview with Italy's Corriere della Sera, published on Thursday.

In it, the erstwhile Jorge Bergoglio reveals how feelings of anxiety he sometimes experienced while he was bishop of Buenos Aires disappeared following his elevation to the papacy.

And he insists that he is losing no sleep over the maneuvering of conservatives opposed to his reforms of Church teaching and governance.

The 80-year-old says his secret for dealing with stress is to write down all his problems in letters to Saint Joseph.

He then places the missives under a statue of the man described in the bible as the carpenter father of Jesus.

"And now he is sleeping on a mattress of letters! That's why I sleep well: it is the grace of God. I always sleep six hours. And I pray," Francis said.

Francis's reform drive has run into opposition from conservative cardinals and entrenched interests in the Vatican bureaucracy.

Tensions have appeared to be running particularly high of late.

Francis last month dismissed the head of the Knights of Malta after the ancient order challenged his authority in a dispute seen as being linked to a broader row over the direction of the Church.

And the last week has seen a series of anti-pope posters plastered all over Rome by unidentified agitators.

Asked how he dealt with such tensions and the challenges he faces, Francis quipped: "I'm not on tranquilisers.

"The Italians offer a good lesson - to live in peace you need a healthy 'couldn't care less' attitude.

"I don't mind telling you that what I am going through is a completely new experience for me.

"In Buenos Aires I was more anxious, I admit it. I felt more tense and worried. Basically I wasn't like I am now.

"From the moment I was elected I had a very particular feeling of profound peace. And that has never left me. I am at peace. I don't know how to explain it."

In what may have been an allusion to opponents led by US Cardinal Raymond Burke, Francis implied he had made his intentions clear in meetings with other senior clerics before his election.

"In the general assemblies we discussed the Vatican's problems, we discussed reforms. Everyone wanted them," he said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

VIRAL: Traffic compels ex-24K girl to twerk

MANILA - The daily stress triggered by the chronic heavy metro traffic can be fatal, according to doctors.

READ: Doctors warn: Heavy traffic can be fatal

To cope with the stress, some people honk hard on other vehicles, some open their windows and curse out loud in the air, while some just try to keep themselves sane with music.

However, Jan-jannie Loudette Vicencio Alipo-on, a former member of the 24K Girls of "Kapamlya: Deal or No Deal," has a different coping mechanism.

The ex-suitcase girl posted on Facebook a video of how the metro traffic turned her "beast mode" on.

Her video instantly became viral, and has now been Liked over 5,000 times and has already been shared by over 1,000 Facebook users.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Losing hair? You could be suffering from stress

MANILA -- Stress and illnesses can cause hair loss, according to a dermatologist.

In an interview on DZMM's "Magandang Gabi Dok", Dr. Rica Mallari said it takes around three to five years for hair to grow fully.

After five years, the hair will die, and new hair will grow out from the same root.

Mallari added that 90% of a person's hair is continuously growing, with the other 10% falling out.

However, certain conditions can cause growing hair to die prematurely, causing hair fall.

"Kasi kapag nagbuntis, nanganak, kahit 'yung fever, minsan 'yung nag-grow pa, hindi na nag-gogrow, parang nawala 'yung balance sa body," Mallari said, adding that 40% of a person's hair can fall out after suffering from stress or illness.

Excessive hair fall usually stops after a few months, once a person's body has recovered from the imbalance.

The cycle of hair growth and hair fall may continue as long as the imbalance is not addressed.

In some cases, the roots also lessen in size, causing stunted hair growth, or even hair loss.

"Kapag nawala na 'yung root, hindi na tutubo ang buhok," Mallari said.

Mallari advised those suffering from excessive hair fall and hair loss to consult their doctors before taking any medication.

If hair fall is due to stress, or hormonal imbalance, addressing the imbalance can solve the problem.

"Mahirap talaga magpa-grow ng buhok," Mallari added.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How to avoid stress, anxiety during the holidays

MANILA - Amid the happy and festive atmosphere this Christmas season, many people also suffer from stress and anxiety due to their busy schedule these coming holidays.

In an interview on the radio show "Magandang Gabi Dok", psychiatrist Bernadette Arcena explained that too much stress and anxiety can lead to serious health problems.

Among the conditions that can worsen due to stress and anxiety are heart problems.

"Kapag may cardiac problems, unang-una kailangan inumin mo 'yung gamot mo. Importante 'yun ah, you have your check up with your cardio," she said.

"Second, bibigyan sila ng mga exercises or some techniques para makabawas sila ng weight, or mamaintain nila 'yung tinatawag natin na timbang. So importante yun," she added.

Aside from maintaining the proper weight and taking medicines, Arcena advised people to eat the right kind of food to keep getting the right kind of nutrients the body needs.

Symptoms
Arcena said that although stress and anxiety usually affect a person's psychological health, these can also have physical manifestations.

Symptoms of stress and anxiety include headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, heavy shoulders, backache, abdominal upset, diarrhea, and muscle pain.

"A lot of these things can happen to a person na sobrang stressed," said Arcena, adding that stress not only affects the body, but also the mind.

"At times, 'yung mood mo apektado rin," the doctor added.

How to avoid stress
Arcena gave some tips to avoid stress and anxiety this coming holiday season.

First, one should know his or her priorities. Planning events, parties, and other things can help in preventing stressful situations.

It is also important to have time to relax.

"Importante 'yun ah, hindi lang tayo work nang work," Arcena said.

The doctor also suggests having micro-vacations, or even micro-breaks.

"Weekends lang, or during the day you can have micro-breaks," she added.

Arcena describes micro-breaks as five to ten minute breaks one should take every day whenever they start to feel stressed or anxious.

For those suffering from broken relationships, Arcena said it is important to learn to forgive oneself, and to surround oneself with happy people.

"Kasi may mga memories na attached with Christmas, so it is important to surround yourself with people. Go with people who can make you feel valuable, and don't be alone," she added.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Tech gets in your head, literally, to ease stress

LAS VEGAS - Yes, technology can get into your head, says the maker of a new brain-sensing headband that promises to reduced stress.

The Muse headband from Canadian-based Interaxon presented at the Consumer Electronics Show uses seven sensors, including five on the forehead and two behind the ears, to monitor brain activity and help people with stress-reducing exercises.

"It's based on neuro feedback," said company communications manager Gena Meldazy.

"The sensors detect and measure changes in your brainwaves." They then transmit this information to a smartphone app, which enables the user to find ways to relax and reduce stress.

It can deliver results in just a few minutes, for example, "very quickly before an important meeting," Meldazy told AFP.

The system uses a series of training exercises designed to calm and focus the mind, helping keep stress under control.

The product is set to be launched in 2015 at a price of $269, with the company taking preorders at www.getyourmuse.com.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Mid-life job stress linked to later health problems

NEW YORK - More strain at work might mean more illness in old age, according to a new study from Finland. The study found both physical and mental job strain were tied to hospital stays later in life.

Mental job strain can come from tight deadlines, high demands and having little control over one's work. Physical strain includes sweating, breathlessness and muscle strain.

"Job strain is something that is individually perceived, so persons working in similar jobs can report different amounts of job strain," lead researcher Mikaela von Bonsdorff said. "When talking about job strain it is important to remember that occasional feelings of job strain are not necessarily a bad thing, but persistent high job strain has been identified as a health hazard."

Recent studies have linked long-term job strain to lower functioning that lasts into old age, added von Bonsdorff. She is a gerontology researcher at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland.

The new findings come from a study of more than 5,000 middle-aged Finnish public sector employees who were initially surveyed about stress at work in 1981.

The researchers combined that information with data from national hospital records spanning the next 28 years.

With higher strain in midlife, days in the hospital tended to increase, especially for physical strain.

For instance, for every 1,000 men with low physical job strain, about eight days were spent in inpatient hospital care every year, on average. That compared to almost 13 days for every 1,000 men with high physical job strain, according to findings published in Age and Ageing.

"What was interesting was that these associations were clear also when we looked at hospital care that took place after the individuals had turned 65, indicating that these associations were also robust in older age and not that the association was due to hospital care that took place immediately after the baseline assessment of job strain," von Bonsdorff said.

For both men and women, hospital days increased as physical strain increased. But for mental strain, the link was only clear among men.

"Job strain of some sort can occur in basically any type of employment," Loretta Platts told Reuters Health.

"Although physical job strain is confined to certain sorts of occupations, such as manual occupations or low-level service occupations like being an electrician, caretaker, driver, builder, cleaner, waiter, waitress, cook or shop assistant," she said.

Platts is a doctoral candidate at Imperial College London. She studies how various factors influence quality of life after retirement and was not involved in the new research.

"The mechanism might be the development of musculoskeletal disorders from high physical strain jobs, which are often irreversible and painful, and can lead to osteoarthritis, a leading cause of hospital admissions in older people," Platts said. "In addition, immobility can be related to weight gain, which in turn leads to heart failure, high blood pressure and diabetes."

Mental strain has been linked to heart disease, another cause of hospital stays.

Still, the study can't prove that job strain causes poor health and more hospital stays, Platts pointed out.

High-strain jobs might be undesirable for many people, so it's possible people working those kinds of jobs were unable to get less stressful jobs for an unknown, but relevant, reason. That reason could also be connected to their healthcare use.

It's also possible that 28 years later, the people spending the most time in hospitals happened to think more negatively about their work in 1981, she said.

"This study was only of public sector employees and came from a country with a very developed welfare state. The consequences for people working in the private sector and in countries with less generous welfare states are likely to be worse," Platts said. "The public sector in Finland is probably a best-case scenario."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Hair loss, pimples linked to stress

MANILA – If you are shedding hair more than usual or develop dry, itchy skin, you may need a change of scenery or lifestyle.

According to dermatologist Dr. Grace Beltran, hair loss and skin problems may be caused by too much stress.

Beltran said stress can induce pimples, lesions and rashes, which may develop into a skin disease affecting a person’s entire body.

“Ang stress pwedeng directly mag-induce ng skin lesions, pwede ding may genetic problem to begin with tapos na-aggravate ng stress,” she told dzMM’s “Magandang Gabi, Dok.”

“The more stressed you are, the more sensitive you become,” she added.

Beltran said shedding and thinning of hair is also linked to stress, and may occur 3 to 4 months after a stressful episode in a person’s life, including sickness, surgery and pregnancy.

Beltran said a person experiencing stress should try and control it by relaxing, engaging in a new hobby or a change in lifestlye.

“Baguhin mo ‘yung lifestyle mo. Kapag nai-istress ka na, do something about it. Parang mag-liwaliw ka na kaunti,” she said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Lindsay Lohan Stressful Arrest Caused Pain Beneath My Breasts

Lindsay Lohan believes getting arrested is bad for her health ... 'cause she's telling friends the stress from her NYC bust aggravated her pre-existing pneumonia so badly, she had to be hospitalized.

We broke the story .. Lohan was rushed to the emergency room in NYC Sunday night with a lung infection ... but was released a short time later.

Now, Lindsay's telling friends the arrest caused her so much anxiety, it landed her in the hospital -- exacerbating the "walking pneumonia" she's been suffering from the last few weeks.

That's right, Lindsay is blaming stress for her damaged lungs ... Lindsay, the infamous chain smoker who blew through 49 packs of cigarettes in 47 days while she stayed at the Chateau Marmont this summer.

Makes total sense.

source: tmz.com

Study identifies genes linked to post-traumatic stress disorder

UCLA researchers studying DNA from Armenian quake victims find two specific genetic variations that contribute to post-traumatic stress disorder.

Just before noon on a December morning in 1988, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake shook over 40% of the territory of Armenia, centered in the northern city of Spitak. The temblor leveled entire towns and cities, killed an estimated 25,000 Armenians — two-thirds of them children trapped and crushed in their crumbling schools — and hastened the dissolution of the Soviet Union, of which Armenia was then a part.

But the Spitak disaster was more than a geopolitical milestone. The earthquake was, in the words of one researcher, a "psychiatric calamity" that has yielded a trove of knowledge aboutpost-traumatic stress disorder.

More than a dozen studies of Spitak's victims have helped tease out the long-term effects of PTSD and the range of factors that predispose individuals and groups to developing enduring symptoms of irritability, avoidance, intrusive thoughts and fears, vivid flashbacks and troubled sleep and appetite.

A new study of Spitak's victims by UCLA researchers zooms in on the molecular contributors to PTSD. It finds that in Armenians who carried two specific genetic variations associated with depression, PTSD was more common.

The two genes were, by the researchers' admission, "relatively very small" contributors to an individual's overall vulnerability to developing PTSD. In gauging how severely a subject would suffer from symptoms 14 years after the earthquake, several easy-to-spot traits were far more useful predictors than were single-letter changes on certain genes. Among them: Females were more likely than males to experience PTSD, as were older people, those who had lost family members, and those who had experienced traumatic events before the earthquake.

But among people who developed the worst PTSD symptoms, researchers identified two DNA variants that each contributed 3% to 4% to the severity of the disorder.

A third variant was found to account for 4% of an individual's vulnerability to depression in the wake of trauma, though no link to PTSD could be found.

The results, published Monday in the Journal of Affective Disorders, are based on a genetic analysis of 200 adults from 12 families in northern Armenia. All agreed to allow their DNA to be sent to Los Angeles, where it was combed for clues to psychiatric vulnerability.

The existence of a study population with clear genetic links, common family histories, and exposure to a single trauma allowed researchers an unusual opportunity to distill information about genes' role in PTSD, said UCLA psychiatrist Armen K. Goenjian, who led the study. But he added that the findings needed to be replicated in larger, more heterogenous populations.

Goenjian, an Armenian American, rushed to Spitak after the 1988 quake and helped establish a pair of psychiatric clinics for victims there. Those clinics remained open for 21 years.

Goenjian said that PTSD among Armenians "was an ongoing problem and much bigger than we first appreciated," given how widespread the destruction was, how the loss of loved ones was universal and how delays in rebuilding forced the population to confront constant reminders of their trauma.

The variants linked to PTSD were on genes that had some key things in common: Both have a role in governing the quantity and action in the brain of the neurotransmitter serotonin. And both have been found to boost an individual's risk of depression.

Those common threads may help to explain why PTSD is so frequently diagnosed in those who have had, or who will go on to develop, depression. Serotonin is believed to play a key role in mood regulation, and many antidepressants are thought to work by boosting serotonin and its availability in the brain.

Goenjian said his team had expected to find a link between the so-called serotonin transporter gene and the severity of PTSD symptoms. But it seemed to predict only more severe depression symptoms.

source: latimes.com