Coffee Beans May Be Newest Stress-Buster

Just sniffing that first hot cup of coffee in the morning may help ease some stresses you might be feeling, a South Korean trial indicates.

When rats inhaled the aroma of roasted coffee beans, a number of genes were activated, including some that produce proteins with healthful antioxidant activity, the researchers reported.

"The meaning of it is not totally clear yet," said Dr. Peter R. Martin, director of the Institute of Coffee Studies at Vanderbilt University. "What it does show is that coffee smells do change the brain to some degree, and it behooves us to understand why that is happening."

The findings, from a team led by Han-Seok Seo at Seoul National University in South Korea, were expected to be published in the June 25 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

The experiment was done with laboratory rats, some of whom were stressed by being deprived of sleep. The researchers did detailed genetic studies that showed the activity of 11 genes was increased and the activity of two genes was decreased in the rats that smelled the coffee, compared to those who did not. In effect, the aroma of the coffee beans helped ease the stress of the sleep-deprived rodents.

The experiment provides "for the first time, clues to the potential antioxidant or stress-relaxation activities of the coffee bean aroma," the researchers wrote.

And they added, "These results indirectly explain why so many people use coffee for staying up all night, although the volatile compounds of coffee beans are not fully consistent with those of the coffee extracts. In other words, the stress caused by sleep loss via caffeine may be alleviated through smelling the coffee aroma."

"They used the latest in technology to see how brain expression of RNA changed," Martin said. RNA is the molecule that carries out the instructions encoded in genes. "This is just the beginning of a very interesting line of investigation," he added.

The aromatic compounds responsible for coffee's odor may be antioxidants, "but they are not the same as the major antioxidants that are in the drink," said Joe A. Vinson, a chemistry professor at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.

Chemically, the antioxidants in liquid coffee are polyphenols, Vinson said. Those in the aroma are heterocycle compounds containing sulfur or nitrogen atoms.

"There are two ways to get things into your system, and the quickest way is to smell them," Vinson said. "Caffeine gets into the brain via the blood stream. Here, aromatic molecules get into the brain through the olfactory system. The levels in the air are parts per million, so obviously these are minor components in the air. But they are doing something."

What Is Depression?

About one in 10 Americans suffers some form of depression, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Women experience depression twice as often as men. Depression has devastating effects on a person's relationships with family and friends, on the ability to do productive work, and, of course, on the ability to enjoy life.

With so many people suffering, you would think a simple definition of "depression" would be easy, but it's not. Depression has many meanings among doctors, mental-health professionals and people on the street.

Why Are There So Many Definitions?

One reason for this is that there are many varieties of depression. Depression suggests words such as blue, down, gloomy, and cheerless, or feelings of sadness, grief or general world-weariness.

But when professionals use the word "depression," they're referring to an illness that deserves care and treatment. Some depressive disorders are mild, others severe. There are many possible triggers for depression: troubled family relationships, career disappointments, deaths in the family and other losses, and various kinds of stress. A person who has been neglected or treated badly as a child may be poorly equipped to handle life's normal ups and downs or may develop a negative outlook or become very self-critical. Genetic makeup also plays a role, accounting for about 50 percent of a person's temperament and personality.

Depression can be caused by other medical conditions. Health-care providers see depression more often in people who have serious health problems, such as heart disease and cancer. Depression also can occur in connection with illnesses that affect the brain, such as stroke or epilepsy. And sometimes depression is the result of other psychiatric disorders, for example, obsessive-compulsive disorder or schizophrenia.

Fortunately, depression can be treated. Drug treatment is helpful, and so is psychotherapy (talk therapy).

Antidepressants

Antidepressants are medications used to treat major depression and many other conditions (e.g., personality disorders, anxiety disorders). They appear to work by increasing the levels of the neurotransmitters (chemicals that convey nerve messages) serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain. They are usually taken in pill form once or several times daily. However, extended-release and controlled-release versions are available for many antidepressants. These can be taken less frequently.

There are many classes of antidepressants. They include monoamine oxidase inhibitorsDepression comes in many forms, from mild sadness to a mood disorders such as major depression.monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and other serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), among others. All antidepressants are about equally effective against depression, though different patients may respond better to one medication than another.

It typically takes two to three weeks to experience the effect of antidepressant medications. Initially, only side effects (e.g., nausea, drowsiness, weight gain) may occur. However, in most cases, the side effects, which vary according to the particular medication, improve or go away after about a week or two. Newer antidepressants have fewer side effects than older antidepressants.

When antidepressants are stopped suddenly, they may cause withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, headache and dizziness.

It is generally recommended that patients refrain from consuming Alcoholwhile taking antidepressants. A number of other drugs may also interact poorly with antidepressant medications. Therefore, patients should notify their physician of all medications they are taking before starting a new antidepressant.

The safety of antidepressant use in pregnancy is not completely understood. The SSRI paroxetine appears to be more likely to be associated with birth defects. Any woman taking antidepressants who is nursing, pregnant, or plans to become pregnant should discuss the medication with an obstetrician.

The SSRI fluoxetine is the only antidepressant that has been approved for use in children. However, close monitoring of any children on antidepressants is recommended due to potentially increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in children taking these medications. Antidepressants generally work as effectively in elderly patients as in younger adults.

How to cope with stress

There are various ways for individuals and their loved ones to cope with stress and other difficult situations. A good start in developing resilience and coping skills is to become informed about mental and behavioral health. Knowledge can empower individuals and their loved ones to achieve personal growth, understanding, positive changes and emotional well-being.

A mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, may be able to first evaluate the need, and then provide appropriate coping tips and referrals for support groups. Other sources of information on mental and behavioral health include the Internet, community centers and libraries.

Tips and strategies for coping with stress include:
1)Eat a well-balanced and healthful diet.
2)Avoid or reduce alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking.
3)Exercise regularly and get adequate amounts of sleep.
4)Engage in activities that boost self-esteem, such as learning a new skill or hobby or joining a local social group.
5)Accept personal feelings. It is normal to experience feelings of anger, sadness and grief from time to time.
6)Build strong, positive relationships with family and friends.
7)Seek medical help when necessary. Individuals should seek assistance from a physician or mental health professional if symptoms of stress are alarming in nature (e.g., pounding heart, shortness of breath, mood disorders) or impede daily functioning.

Stress & Diabetes

Stress is a person's physical and emotional response to change or a perceived threat. Certain amounts of stress are normal, but excessive levels can be a risk factor for the development of diabetes and may complicate its treatment.

Stress comes from many sources. For example, major life events, such as a birth, job change or divorce, are common sources of stress. Other stressors include daily encounters such as heavy traffic, personal conflicts and workplace pressures. And factors such as toxins, viruses or certain medications can stress organs including the pancreas.

Stressful periods trigger the release of hormones by the endocrine system. These hormones prepare the body for an immediate "fight or flight" response, in which it either combats or flees from the perceived danger. The amount of glucose in the bloodstream increases in the presence of the hormones. Blood pressure and flow also increase to provide energy to the muscles. In addition, the stress-response hormones cause the suppression of the immune, digestive and other systems that are not immediately needed.

In the short term, stress can be a positive response. However, chronic stress may damage tissues and contribute to a variety of medical conditions. For people with diabetes, the stress response can impair control of glucose. Stress may also cause patients to make poor dietary choices and skip glucose checks and medications.
Stress management techniques including exercise, relaxation techniques, counseling and establishment of a sick-day plan can help patients control stress and diabetes.

Stress is always a part of life…from being stuck in traffic to falling behind on paying bills. Too much stress can wreak havoc on our bodies. Sometimes even small tasks, such as making dinner or picking up the children from school, can become overwhelming. Stress can cause physical symptoms, and may increase the rate of progression of a disease. Try the following ways to reduce your stress.

1) Adjust your attitude. You can better cope with stress by focusing on three ideas: challenge, control and commitment.

1.1) Interpret stressful situations as challenges, not as threats.
1.2) Determine what you can control; sometimes the only thing you will be able to control in a stressful situation is the way you respond, but that’s a start.
1.3) Eat healthy food, think positively and maintain relationships with people you care about.

2) Learn to problem solve. Think through difficult situations systematically.

2.1) Break problems into smaller pieces to make them less overwhelming
2.2) Focus on problems that really need your attention and leave the rest
2.3) Know your limits
2.4) Learn to be flexible
2.5) Be realistic about your choices

3) Communicate. Find someone safe to talk to about your worries; it will reduce stress and help you deal with practical problems. Do not keep your troubles inside you.

4) Exercise. Regular exercise reduces stress. It helps protect the cardiovascular and immune systems from the consequences of stressful events. Whether it's swimming, walking or another form of exercise, find time to do the activity on a regular basis.

5) Take control of your diet and your sleep. It's hard to do, but if you eat a well-balanced, nutritious diet and get a good night's sleep, you'll have more energy to cope with stress. And if you're tired and cranky, you’ll be more susceptible to stress-related ailments.

6) Do something for others. Volunteering for a worthy cause can be a great experience. It also can help you forget about your own problems and increase your self-esteem.