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Stress

We are all exposed to stress more often than we actually would like to admit. But just a little bit too much stress may cause debilitating symptoms such as  feelings of not coping, depression, anxiety, inability to concentrate, fear for exams, sleeplessness and a vicious cycle of not feeling fresh the next day, not being able to perform at your best (school or your job), an overactive mind at night again causing sleeplessness. Stress symptoms can affect your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Mental, emotional and physical stress such as worry, anxiety, pain and over-exercising all affect the body. Left unchecked, stress can contribute to many health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, negative immune changes and diabetes.

The body is designed to cope with a little bit of stress, stress gets the body geared to perform at its peak for a short time period which is part of the fight-or-flight response. This is the body’s response to a perceived threat or danger. During this reaction, certain hormones like adrenalin and cortisol are released, speeding the heart rate, slowing digestion, shunting blood flow to major muscle groups, and changing various other autonomic nervous functions, giving the body a burst of energy and strength. Originally named for its ability to enable us to physically fight or run away when faced with danger, it’s now activated in situations where neither response is appropriate, like in traffic or during a stressful day at work. When the perceived threat is gone, systems are designed to return to normal function via the relaxation response, but in our times of chronic stress, the relaxation response often doesn’t happen enough, causing damage to the body.

The human body cannot cope with the excess chemicals caused by chronic stress, this causes changes in the immune system and other organs in the body which may lead to cancer, ME (chronic tiredness syndrome), cardiovascular problems, gastrointestinal disease and many more.

Some "chemicals" known as neurotransmitters, are needed to make us sleep well, inducing a sense of calm, making us feel happy and relaxed. Opioids, Serotonin, GABA, dopamine and norepinephrine are five well-known neurotransmitters.

 

Neurotransmitters are the brain’s messengers that leap across the gaps between brain cells. Each cell membrane contains receptor sites, where neurotransmitters can bind, setting off a chain reaction into motion within the cell. Diet, stress, prescription medication intake, toxin accumulation in the body, altered immune system functioning, etc. may cause changes in the body’s pH, increasing permeability of our cells, and interfere with neurotransmitter formation and functioning.

The body and brain use large quantities of neurotransmitters every day to cope with life. People exposed to higher the stress loads, engaging in increased physical activity and people that don't tend to get enough sleep, utilise higher amounts of these protective messengers. When the supply of neurotransmitters run short, the stress cycle begins. Depletion of one type of neurotransmitter affects the formation or balance of the others. Low opioid levels cause a sense of urgency, and many people find relief from these feelings from an artificial opioid that is released by alcohol or anti stress drugs. Low opioid levels may cause an increase in dopamine which creates feelings of alertness and anxiety, leading to emotional fatigue.

 

Two neurotransmitters, namely serotonin and melatonin are produced by the pineal gland, a small pea-sized gland situated behind the eyes.  When sunlight enters through the pupils, this gland is stimulated to produce neurotransmitters that directly affects our hormonal function.  We need at least 20 minutes of  exposure to natural light daily in order to maintain circadian (daily) rhythms.

Melatonin is primarily responsible for regulating our sleep cycle and helps the brain to distinguish between day and night.  Suppressed melatonin causes alertness at night time. This explains why many people suffer from winter depression. Try your best to spend 20 minutes outside every day, some sun exposure is desired in order to make Vitamin D. Sunlight has a balancing effect on the reproductive hormones (oestrogen, testosterone and progesterone) having a positive effect on fertility and can reduce impotence. Studies indicate that deprivation of natural sunlight is linked to increased carbohydrate binging!

 

Carbohydrates stimulate serotonin production, and this reduces anxiety and fatigue.  But daily sunlight exposure can also increase serotonin.

Serotonin, our natural anti-depressant, is distributed in all body tissues and in the central nervous system and influences our moods. 

NEUREST, a 100% natural supplement containing amino acids such as DLPA and a combination of B Vitamins and minerals, is specifically designed to support the formation of Neurotransmitters, supporting receptors to utilise these neurotransmitters effectively whilst maintaining a balance of the variety of neurotransmitters in order to support feelings of being happy, calm, relaxed and being able to concentrate on the task at hand and being able to stay focused for longer. As this specific combination of ingredients in Neurest not only enhances concentration and improves the ability to cope with stress, you also get the beneficial effect of being able to produce the essential neurotransmitters at night in order to fall asleep and have better sleep at night, waking up in the morning being refreshed and ready for the next day. Taking Zoë Night late afternoon and at supper time facilitates the exchange of neurotransmitters and minerals in order to further facilitate better sleep patterns and better quality sleep.

 

Neurest is also indicated and safe to use for children suffering from anxiety, restlessness, ADHD, ADD, night terrors, etc.

Take Neurest as per your Health Clinician indications and supervision. Dosage is dependent on each individual but the following dosage instruction may be implemented:

Adults:

1-3 capsules one to three times per day.

Children (4-11 years old)

1-3 capsules mornings, repeat 1-2 capsules by noon

Babies (0-3 years old)

½ to 1 capsule one to three times per day

Some important facts to know about Neurest®:

 

When taking natural food supplements instead of anti-depressants, calming agents and sleeping agents, the person may at first experience little or no changes at all. After continued use the person may gradually progress to improved sleeping, greater patience, greater relaxation, peace of mind, concentration and work performance, less indulgence with food/drinks and a sense of well-being.

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