How to Hit the Brakes on Stress - The Holiday's Top Beauty Bandit

As we zig and zag in high gear throughout the Holiday Season, that dreaded demon lurks at every curve, just begging for a turn at the steering wheel.   No, it's not Speed Racer  --  it's
S T R E S S !

Stress in excess loves to dish out all sorts of serious roadblocks:  high blood pressure, muscle tension, headaches, etc., but, Fellow Beauties, stress is also a bonafide Beauty Bandit that can drain your battery A N D  your LOOKS!

Don't let this villain hi-jack you and steer you down a rocky road this time of year.  Take your control back with these stress-busting tips!

First, here's a peek at some of the grizzly sites south of Stress Highway.... Careful, hazards ahead...

The Village of Dull, Dry Skin * Wrinkle City * and Rash Road

NOBODY wants to be Mayor of  Wrinkle Town.  Funky Town?  Yes.  Wrinkle Town, no.  But stress has a way of locking the doors, putting the pedal to the metal, then giving us the full nickel tour of these nasty pit stops on auto pilot.

When we're stressed-up, we've got some serious stress-hormone action going on, which affects our skin.  What's happening?  It's a spike in cortisol, something that generally is GOOD for us in dire medical situations, but it can whack us out too.  (Remember what experts call "The 4 Pillars of Aging?"  One of them is THIS puppy.  The aging pillars are: 1. Excess Insulin  2. Excess Cortisol 3. Excess Blood Glucose and 4. Excess Free Radicals).

Author and rad dermatologist Jeffrey Benabio, MD, FAAD breaks it down for us: 

"Skin with elevated cortisol can change both the skin’s structure and function. Studies have shown that chronically elevated cortisol levels lead to a decrease in your skin’s natural lipid or fat barrier. These lipids are essential to keep your skin protected and to prevent it from drying out. Without a layer of lipids on your skin, it is no longer waterproof, and irritating soap and water from hand washing or bathing is able to penetrate the skin, causing inflammation. Without a protective lipid layer, the moisture in your skin evaporates easily, leaving the skin dehydrated. This dry, flaky skin is even more susceptible to damage or irritation.

Elevated cortisol also impairs your skin’s natural defense system. Your skin is constantly producing specialized proteins that act as bacterialcides, killing off unwanted intruders on your skin. Stress can lead to a drop in production of these first line defense proteins, leaving your skin vulnerable."

The consequences of lipids loss and lowered defenses?  Doctor Benabio warns us: "Rashes such as eczema and psoriasiscan be triggered or can flare, turning a minor irritation into a full blown outbreak."

What to do?  The good doc recommends switching to a non-soap product like Dove, slathering on the moisture and ingesting some Omega 3 rich foods like flaxseed oil, salmon and walnuts.

Zits

Stress puts our cortisol levels and sebaceous glands into overdrive and THAT can mean an oil slick on your face.  Try to double up on the washing with something non-irritating and stay away from cleansers that contain pore-clogging oil.  Zits are the Pits !

Not Eating Enough

WHO, seriously, would do this?  Skipping meals is NOT my thing, but it's just what Miss Seriouso Stresso would do.

It's important to keep the fuel coming.  If time is the issue, try a protein shake or juicing.  Skipping meals is just going to make Miss Cranky Pants MORE cranky - she'll have lower energy levels, low blood glucose and INCREASED stress.  Can you say vicious circle?  

Feel better and EAT.  But remember, just because S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D is D-E-S-S-E-R-T-S spelled backwards does NOT mean that DESSERTS is the best option for you !

Zero Sleep

Over-stressed and not catching the Z's you need?  Check out The Anti-Aging Analyst's Top 20 Tips for Falling Asleep.

Hair loss

GASP!  Clumps of hair in the shower drain.   It's called "telogen effluvium."  (Is that from Harry Potter?) 

Hair grows in repeating cycles --

*2 years in active growth (yippee)
*A resting phase of about 3 months
*A "shedding" phase where it falls from the scalp

Normally, we shed around 100 strands of hair per day, and we don't notice since every strand of hair is in a different phase of the cycle.  But add some messed-up stress into the mix and as much as 70 percent of your hair can prematurely enter the resting phase.  Three months later, watch out, missy !  Better buy some Draino!

Fortunately,  except for the unlucky few, hair usually will begin to grow back within six months.

What to do?  Well, DON'T pull out your hair!

Run, do not walk to your board-certified dermatologist, preferably one with experience in hair loss, and make sure to be tested for iron, hormone levels and thyroid function.

Stress affects everyone differently, and siggy (significant) stress should be avoided like light blue eyeshadow and Scrunchies.  So how do we hit the brakes on stress?

Enter Life Coach and Work-Life-Balance Expert Rachel Cates.  This expert suggests having an arsenal of solutions available to reduce stress, especially around the holidays.  I recently interviewed Rachel to get her top 5 Stress-Busting Tips:

1)  Meditation

Her number one suggestion to fight stress?  Meditation.  Rachel tells us that meditating for just 5 to 20 minutes a day can help reduce cortisol levels, regulate blood pressure, and help our bodies process oxygen more efficiently. 

What's the trick?  It's easy.  Her advice is to sit in a quite room, close your eyes, and concentrate on deep breathing and remove all thoughts.  This will help undo the damage done to your nervous system by the "fight or flight" response that is activated when stress levels increase.

2)  Exercise

Rachel tells us that exercise can decrease cortisol levels and increase endorphins, which make you feel happy!  She recommends finding an exercise program or activity that you enjoy such as rollerblading, swimming, or walking, and do that for at least 30 minutes a day.  Find the time, peeps - it's well worth it!

3) One Thing at a Time, Please !

Single Task!!  Studies have shown that multitasking can increase stress levels and reduce your ability to concentrate effectively.  If you have a lot on your plate, our expert recommends to write down everything you need to do for the day.  Prioritize the list according to what is most important and do those items first.  Concentrate on one task until complete, taking 10 minute breaks every hour.  I mean, you wouldn't text and DRIVE, would you?

4) Do It Up Right

Sleeping and eating that is.  Number 4 on Rachel's De-Stresser List is to maintain a balanced diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, and complex carbohydrates.  In particular, she too recommends foods like salmon and flaxseed which are rich in Omega 3 and can reduce stress symptoms.   She says to keep your intake of sugar, alcohol, coffee, and fast-food to a minimum and get 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night to allow your body the opportunity to relax, reset, and regenerate healthy cells.  That means less box food, Jack!

5) Let It Go

Finally, Rachel reminds us that the only thing in life you can control is yourself.  If a major part of your stress is due to worrying about something that hasn't happened yet or replaying in your mind something that has already happened, you are just spinning your wheels!  She says to choose to use your imagination to create positive outcomes for yourself that are empowering and resonate with your life goals. Embrace the present moment as an opportunity to make meaningful life decisions.  Stay in the NOW! And hug every turn !

If you want to keep your life running in tip-top shape throughout the year, or stop the race against stress, you may consider hiring a life coach who can help you break through roadblocks, unleash your true power or simply give you that badly-needed tune-up to put you back on track.  Contact Rachel Cates for private life-coaching sessions at www.uvlifecoaching.com.  And you can read more of Dr. Benabio's advice at www.thedermblog.com.

My fave ways to deal with stress?  I'm glad you asked ...

- Play with my dog.  She's crazy funny and makes me laugh.
- Subliminal tapes are my new thing! 
- Pump some iron!  Ohhhh yah.
- Stay away from mean people!
- Bubble bath, Bubble bath, Bubble bath.

Here's to cruisin' stress-free every day of the year !  And admiring the scenery along the way!  Ooooh, pretty!  Are those ROSES?

The Anti-Aging Analyst