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Here’s what’s new in the world of natural

Rosemary to boost brain health

Rosemary is a staple in many favourite fall recipes, but did you know it can also be a powerful herb for your brain? This evergreen shrub (originating from the Mediterranean and sub-Himalayan regions) is used in cooking all over the world—fresh and dried—and often enjoyed as tea. In folk medicine, it was commonly used as an herbal remedy for ailments like headaches, depression, and mental and physical fatigue.

Studies have found that rosemary and its compounds have a wide range of medicinal properties (we’re talking anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective!). And one clinical trial done on mice found that compounds within the herb, like ursolic acid, can produce a significant antidepressant effect.

Looking for a memory boost? Don’t forget to try rosemary! Inhaling its essential oil can even improve short-term memory of images and numbers.

Shrubs to spruce up your soda

Looking for a non-alcoholic twist for your next beverage? Try shrub soda! A shrub, or vinegar cordial, is a nonalcoholic syrup made with a combination of fruits, sugar, vinegar, and sometimes aromatics. While it may seem odd to add vinegar to a drink, the acidity balanced with the sweetness makes it a refreshing mixer when combined with carbonated water.

While more research is needed on shrub soda specifically, many shrub sodas use apple cider vinegar, which is known for its numerous health benefits. These include the day-to-day management of type 2 diabetes, controlling blood sugar, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease by aiding in weight management.

Buy them premade in a variety of flavours or try making your own to add to mocktails, cocktails, or a tall drink of soda water. Your tastebuds will thank you!

Late-night sweat sesh

Early birds swear by a morning workout to kick-start their day, but evidence is mounting for those night owls who live by their late-night routines. Granted, it’s harder to build consistency with a nighttime regimen since you have all day to get tired and make excuses, but one study found that time to exhaustion was extended by 20 percent in the evening.

On top of that, post-workout protein shakes are actually better absorbed and digested during sleep, which helps with muscle-building and recovery. And a post-workout shower before bed may help relax you, improve your sleep quality, and save you time in the morning.

Not only can you swap out unproductive TV time before bed, but you may also feel more relaxed after your workout because you’ve been able to let go of the stress of the day. One thing’s for sure ... no more rushing through the morning to squeeze in a workout!

Wake up your skin with coffee serum

Coffee serum for your face or body could be a great addition to your skincare routine this fall. We’re all aware that drinking coffee can give us the caffeine boost we need to get our day going, but it’s a great wake-up for the skin as well.

Coffee silverskin, the thin layer that covers the coffee bean, is finding popularity in the cosmetics industry as an eco-friendly skincare ingredient with anti-aging properties. It includes chlorogenic acid and caffeine, which are high in antioxidants and show potential as anti-wrinkle ingredients.

In a small study of 20 people, applying a coffee silverskin-based cream twice a day for 28 days was shown to improve skin hydration and firmness, similar to hyaluronic acid.

The high levels of caffeine in coffee silverskin and its ability to absorb into the skin also make it a promising candidate as an anti-cellulite product. Dare we say it’s buzz worthy?

Conquer stress to make the season merry

We know that the holidays can be one of the most stressful times of the year—but did you know that the way we experience stress is unique to each of us? The impact of stress on people’s health can vary greatly depending on their gender, age, and life stage. What’s more, stress is a matter of science and perception—and then some.

Defining stress

Stress can be defined as a real or perceived threat to a person’s physiological or psychological well-being. Physiological effects include chest pain, exhaustion, jaw clenching, digestive problems, and weakened immune system, while mental symptoms can include anxiety and depression.

“Stress is your unregulated negative emotional response to your perception of life’s events,” says positive psychology practitioner and stress consultant Elaine Sanders-Bruewer, co-founder of the Manitoba-based Stress Experts.

“Is stress in our heads? Yes, your perceptions, thoughts, and attitudes play a major role in your stress. Is stress in our bodies? Yes, you feel your emotions because they are physical. There are instruments to objectively and accurately measure your emotions, your resilience, and your stress. Stress is very real and very measurable. Is stress spiritual? Yes, your ability to be in the present moment and observe and accept life events also plays a major role.

“Stress is present on all levels: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual,” Sanders-Bruewer says. “This is because they’re all connected.”

What are some of the factors that affect our response to stress?

Gender

Gender is a clear determinant of human health, with traditional sex-specific patterns associated with various physical and mental conditions. (Research is generally lagging when it comes to health conditions among transgender people and those born with an intersex condition.)

Women

Women are more likely than men to report having a great deal of stress. Women are more likely to report physical and emotional symptoms of stress than men, such as headache, feeling as though they could cry, or having an upset stomach or indigestion. Women are also more likely to experience depression, insomnia, autoimmune diseases, and chronic pain.

Men

Men experiencing stress have a higher risk of acquiring infectious diseases and hypertension, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular conditions. Men are also more likely to misuse drugs and alcohol.

Why the differences?

A few reasons help explain why men and women respond to stress differently. Hormones may be one. In reacting to stress, men are more likely to produce adrenalin and cortisol (the “stress hormone”), triggering the “fight-orflight” response. The impulse to battle or flee a seemingly perilous situation is characterized by physical changes such as an elevated heart rate.

Women under stress can produce adrenalin and cortisol, too, but they also produce oxytocin, a chemical that can enhance bonding and affection for others. This gives rise to the “tend-and-befriend” response, with women seeking out social support as they work to protect their loved ones.

Age

Early years

Exposure to stress can begin as early as the prenatal period, while early-life stress in some infants has been associated with greater susceptibility to the effects of stress later in life and the development of stress-related psychiatric disorders.

Puberty

Puberty plays a role in the stress response. For example, youth aged 15 to 17 have been shown to display higher cortisol levels in response to stress than those aged nine to 13.

Adults

In adults, chronic stress can lead to structural and functional changes in the brain that can result in impairments in learning, memory, and decision-making. As people continue to age, stress can contribute to cognitive decline and immune system dysregulation— which affects the effectiveness of the immune response—while the loss of senses such as hearing can affect stress perception.

Later years

While stress can be challenging to manage at any age, it can get harder as people get older. Physically, the body may take longer to recover from stressful events as people’s heart and lung capacity goes down. A good night’s sleep can help reduce stress, but it’s common for older adults to sleep less soundly, which can lead to higher levels of stress hormones in the brain.

Life experience

There’s a saying that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger; however, in terms of life experience, the more of it you have, the more stress can take a toll.

Cumulative stress

Stress that exists throughout the lifespan, such as sustained economic hardship—and cumulative adverse life events (which include death, divorce, being laid off, and trauma, among many others) can significantly hamper physical and mental health.

Cumulative stress across a lifetime increases the prevalence of high blood pressure, or hypertension, physical disability, pain, chronic diseases, depression, and alcohol and drug use. While it’s not fully understood why this is the case, chronic stress may impair the functioning of the autonomic nervous system (the system responsible for involuntary tasks like breathing and heartbeat).

Positive stress?

What’s often overlooked is that positive events can also lead to stress. “Positive and negative life events are inevitable, and both impact your well-being,” SandersBruewer says. “The event itself, whether pleasant or unpleasant, good or bad, is not responsible for your stress. The event just happens. It is your perception of the event that more directly influences your stress.”

Attitude

“The way you look at the event, also known as your perception or appraisal of the event, is your interpretation of the meaning of the event itself,” she says.

“Stress is not connected to the event so much as it is to your attitude about it. The reason that you believe the event happened, the results that you believe result from it, and your interpretation of the event determine your emotional response to it,” adds Sanders-Bruewer.