Navigating Stress: The Endocannabinoid Symphony Unveiled

Welcome to Chip Talks Podcast, where we embark on a journey to unravel the intricate connections between stress, the endocannabinoid system, and dietary fats. In this episode, we synthesize insights from three enlightening discussions to shed light on the profound impact of omega-3 fatty acids on stress management and overall well-being.

Understanding Stress: A Primer on the Fight or Flight Response
Stress is an omnipresent force in our lives, triggering the innate fight or flight response ingrained within all mammals. When faced with perceived threats, our bodies release hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine to prepare us for action. However, chronic stress can lead to dysregulation of these systems, manifesting in a myriad of health issues.

The Endocannabinoid System: Master Regulator of Physiological Responses
Central to our discussion is the endocannabinoid system, a complex network of receptors and neurotransmitters that plays a pivotal role in modulating stress responses. While traditional teachings emphasize the role of dopamine and serotonin in stress management, these neurotransmitters are downstream effects of endocannabinoid signaling. By targeting the root cause of dysregulation, we gain deeper insights into the mechanisms underlying stress-related disorders.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Restoring Balance and Resilience
Enter omega-3 fatty acids, nature's antidote to stress-induced inflammation and hormonal imbalance. By rebalancing our omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratio, we can mitigate the adverse effects of chronic stress and restore harmony to our physiological systems. Dr. Artemis Simopoulos's pioneering research laid the groundwork for understanding the importance of this ratio in promoting optimal health.

Breaking the Cycle: Practical Strategies for Stress Management
Incorporating omega-3-rich foods into our diet is a simple yet powerful strategy for combating stress and fostering resilience. From fatty fish to flaxseeds, these dietary interventions offer a holistic approach to well-being that transcends traditional pharmacological interventions. By prioritizing self-care and mindful eating, we can reclaim control over our health and vitality.

Conclusion:
As we navigate the complexities of modern life, let us not overlook the profound influence of dietary fats on our stress resilience and overall health. Through a deeper understanding of the endocannabinoid system and the therapeutic potential of omega-3 fatty acids, we can chart a course towards greater well-being and vitality. Join us on Chip Talks Podcast as we continue to explore the frontiers of health and wellness, one conversation at a time.

Contact Information:
Chip Paul
Email: chip@neighborlywellness.com
Clinic Website: neighborlywellness.com
Natural Products Website: truemedx.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiptalks/

Connect with me:
My Website: www.chiptalkshealth.com
My Clinic: https://www.neighborlywellness.com/
My Brand: https://truemedx.com/

Transcript

 Hello, everyone, and welcome to another exciting version of chip Talks podcast. So today we're going to talk about stress. And stress is something that a lot of us experience. we may have low levels of stress. We may have high levels of stress. Stress is associated with something that all mammals have called a fight or flight response. So when you get scared, when you have a loud noise behind you, when a lion comes up behind you, you're going to have an immediate reaction called fight or flight. And fight or flight will cause a spike in some hormones, in particular, cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine. And those chemicals will help us make quick decisions. So again, if a bear is coming up behind us, we've got to make some quick decisions, will also help us be physically able to perform on those decisions, like if we have to fight the bear or run away. And then we'll also help kind of with long term energy store and kind of long term balance. And that's a hormone called cortisol. Okay? So that's how, if you're stressed, you're going to have low levels of one of those chemicals still active. And this is because it's just the way that we're designed. So again, if you're going to everything, all mammals will have the fight or flight response, right? And that's important. We need to, you know, a deer needs to understand that a wolf is coming up behind it, needs to run away, needs to get scared away, and we're no different. So we're going to have a fight or flight response based on certain things. Now, how does this work with your endocannabinoid system? So this is really cool. And again, this is still, I would say, somewhat theoretical, but I can walk you down the research paths to pretty well, prove this to you, let's say. But it looks like, and certainly the endocannabinoid system is not just our inhibitory system, it can also be excitatory. So it certainly does excitatory things. But it looks like one of the biggest things that it does is if we're having something like a fight or flight reaction, our bodies are kind of like a coiled spring. And so they're just all cells and everything are kind of just really sensitive and kind of waiting, you know, for some stimulation, right? And that stimulation could come from something like fight or flight. It could come from food, it could come from the environment. It could come from, you know, small, smelling something noxious, hearing something bad. It could come from 100,000 different things. But cells are just sitting there waiting, doing their thing, right, making their proteins or whatever, but they're responsive to external inputs. Okay. And so when I have a fight or flight response and something happens, those cells are going to do stuff. They're going to react right away, and they're going to react by producing or by releasing, let's say, norepinephrine, adrenaline, and cortisol. And those things are going to allow me to run fast, think quick, and sustain that for a while. So, and that's what you want in a fight or flight response? Well, if you dial that back a little bit. And again, how does that get dialed back? Well, that gets dialed back by the endocannabinoid system. So all of us write off in our fight or flight response, we're going to have a big reaction, right. And then we're going to dial that back based on input. So, as we assess that situation, as we make a determination about that situation, is it a bear, or did somebody just drop something behind me? Then we're going to basically make decisions, evaluate, and kind of go from there. So the endocannabinoid system kind of helps us calm that initial spring like reaction and helps us make decisions as to what's the best course of action from here. So in a long term or chronic stress type situation, you have cortisol, mainly active. You have other, you know, depending on how bad it is and how, let's say, interactive your stressful situation is. So let's say you're in a long, ongoing domestic abuse situation. You're also gonna have adrenaline and norepinephrine. If you're in a situation where, let's, say you're distressed at work, unless you're life threatened or something, that likely is gonna just be cortisol. Okay? And cortisol is, a chemical that will communicate to our fat stores. Because again, if we're going to be long term stressed or something is causing us to think that we're under stress long term, then we need energy to deal with that. So we have to activate our fat. So our fat kind of has to know, hey, gee whiz, we're under some stress here, and we might need some additional resources, depending on how long that stress lasts. So stress will cause your fat tissue to signal you to eat. Stress will cause your fat tissue to signal you to eat for the very reasons that I just said. Because you're in a situation that's demanding more energy, you're, you know, giving energy to that situation, and your body is, will accommodate you by signaling to your fat stores, and it will tell your fat stores, store more fat. We're under stress. We need more energy. Store more fat. And so this is why stress is directly related to obesity. So the more stress you're under, the more your body will demand that you eat and store fat. Okay? So hopefully that makes sense to everybody, but it's just, you know, it's just the way you work. Okay, so you're a sophisticated machine. This is part of the machinery. Can you get in the middle of that and stop that? Well, no, not really. You can become less stressed. there are, let's say, well, yes, I mean, you can, we can supplement into any of this stuff. and that's, you know, why I'm telling you this is because through the endocannabinoid system, we can, you know, supplement. Once we know what's going on, once we have a clear picture of what's going on and we know the consequences of, let's say, manipulating a pathway, then we can begin to start trying to manipulate that pathway, and we're not there yet. And pharma, good Lord, do we cause unintended harm all the time. So we need to understand how our bodies work. And this is what I'm telling you. So when you have a fight or flight response, be that big or be that little, be that a, you know, long term, let's say, chronic stress situation with cortisol, that is going to affect, basically through the signaling that cortisol does to fat. Your energy stores, your ability to store fat, and you're going to have a proclivity to store fat. You're going to want to store fat, you're going to want to eat more, you're going to be attracted to, and all this is explainable. It's all physiologically explainable. You're going to be attracted more to sweet foods, you're going to be attracted more to high fat foods, if you're under constant stress. Now, the other thing that's going to happen is you're not going to be able to sleep well. And this is the same system again. This is cortisol affecting your fat tissue, which affects leptin. Leptin is both the hormone that helps us sleep and also the hormone that helps us, with appetite suppression, you can become leptin resistant. And how would you become leptin resistant? Cortisol. So cortisol will cause you to become leptin resistant. Now, why? Well, if you're under stress, you don't want to fall asleep, do you. I mean, if that bear's coming up behind you, the last thing that you want to do is fall asleep. So all of these stress hormones will also interrupt sleep patterns. Okay? So it's a big deal. It's a big deal to be under stress, because, again, your body thinks, oh, I need energy, and I certainly cannot fall asleep. And so it's going to interrupt your sleep patterns, and it's going to interrupt your eating patterns, and you're going to, let's say, want to eat more fat and sugar, which will cause you to build more adipose tissue, which will satisfy the screaming demand of cortisol that's going on inside of you. So that's kind of the way that stress works. Okay, so. So what can we do to get in the middle of this? Well, it turns out that you're very programmable, okay? And right now, the programming that most of us are setting inside of ourselves is very inflammatory. It's very, stress inducing. It's very, Let's say it's just almost set up to be stress, accommodating. Obesity, accommodating, lack, of sleep, accommodating. Inflammation, accommodating. So chronic inflammation, accommodating. So by our diet, we set that tone. So right now, I'm setting my spring to really be sensitive and kind of go off, anytime there's any kind of inflammatory event. And how am I doing that? I'm doing that by my omega three and omega six fat balance. All right, so if I'm eating more omega six s than omega three s, and if you eat normal, most of us eat about a 20 to one ratio there. So 20 omega six s for every one omega three. And this is getting worse, by the way. So what does this do when we do this, what sets a programmable state inside of our body? So is it bad? Yeah, that far out of whack it's bad. But it sets a state in our body that's inflammatory, and it's sort of the higher that ratio is, the more sensitive our spring is going to be. The higher that ratio is, the more leptin, resistance we will have. And again, endocannabinoids and leptin are kind of a, way to measure, let's say, this reactive spring. So you want, we want kind of a balance, let's say, between our endocannabinoids and circulating leptin. And if we have that, then we're going to be not so tweaky. Our bodies are not going to be so quick to react. We're not going to be so quick to inflame. We're not going to be so quick to, make conformational changes, let's say, inside of our body based on our dietary patterns. So if we eat more omega six than omega three, we're going to set an inflammatory state. And again, if we eat way more omega six than omega three, that's going to wind that spring ever tighter and ever, let's say, more detrimental to us. if we eat in balance or within, let's say, four to one, omega six to omega three s, then we're in pretty good shape. So we're going to be healthy. Our spring is going to be, let's say, proper. It's going to be balanced, not going to be too inflammatory or too anti inflammatory, and we're going to be able to use the leptin that's in our system to mediate stress, to mediate our hunger cravings, and to mediate our, basically, wakefulness. So, again, if I'm in a. If I put you in a situation where you're under stress, you're going, your body will demand energy, and it's going to demand that energy in the form of two things, fats or sugars. And so, basically, your appetite will be increased. You will become more sensitive to fats and sugars. You will like them more. that's just kind of the way that your body works. So, but all of this stress, obesity, and sleep are all tied together due to this, let's say, leptin situation. And leptin is kind of the regulator of those things, in a long term stress situation. So what can you do? How can you fix this? It's really easy. Eat more omega three fatty acids. It's that easy. Okay. So eating more omega three fatty acids increases this disbalance that we have in our current diet. And again, we want to be about one to one. You basically can't eat too many omega three fatty acids right now, so we want to be, eating everything else as well. But we want to be about one to one in our diet. If we can be at one to one, then when we have a fight or flight event, when we have, let's say, a long term stress event, when that cortisol is impacting our adipose tissue, that leptin that we release will be properly used, and so we'll be able to manage those things better, whereas right now, we're literally doing this because we're so out of whack. So we can't really manage this balance between leptin and our endocannabinoids, obese people, just to sort of drive this home a little bit more. So people who struggle with weight and who are obese have way too many circulating endocannabinoids. And that's kind of a mystery to those of us who study the endocannabinoid system, because you'd think, well, you know, more circulating endocannabinoids means more control and finer control over body processes, but this can get out of whack. And what you're seeing in obese people is a. Is a kind of a. It's not a broken system, but it's an external, extremely dysregulated system on the high end. So they've almost got so many endocannabinoids that it doesn't, you know, they can't even signal with them anymore. In certain instances, they also have a lack of leptin. Okay, so, again, we want endocannabinoids and leptin to be balanced. We don't want them to do this. And they also have a lack of, let's say they show strong leptin resistance, which looks like a lack of leptin, and they show strong insulin resistance, which looks like a lack of insulin. So this happens. But again, all these things are related, is what I'm telling you, and they're related to our programming of ourself. And so it sounds so simple and so easy. It's like, come on. Shit. There's got to be more to it than that. You got to be telling me to take a drug. You got to be doing something. So managing my stress can happen by eating dietary fats? Are you kidding me? No, I'm, not mitigating. Your stress can happen through eating more omega three fatty acids. Eating more omega three. If you're obese, eating more omega three fatty acids will help you with your obesity problem. If you're an insomniac, eating more omega three fatty acids will help you with your insomnia. Okay? So that's just how you work. If you. If we want to get into. And this is, you know, I know I've got some medical people now listening to my podcasts and some PhD level people. And so, you know, as far as, like, what you guys are taught, let's say you're taught a lot of dopamine and serotonin stuff with stress, right? So stress is sort of managed with, you know, serotonin is the big management chemical in our body, and, you know, dopamine is kind of a sidekick to serotonin. And somehow these things, you know, work in stress situations. And certainly, you know, if you're in stress situations, your dopamine and serotonin will be dysregulated. But those are downstream things of your endocannabinoid system. So again, it's more important to go higher up in function to see what's going on up here and how what's going on up here affects all this stuff down here, like dopamine and serotonin, which it does, okay? So if I cause conformational changes in your endocannabinoid system, I'm absolutely going to affect your ability to manage, deal with, and regulate with dopamine and serotonin, because, again, the endocannabinoid system controls all that, right? Which is pretty cool. Okay, so let's recap for stress and long term stress. What happens is just like in fight or flight, we have certain hormones released in long term stress. The main hormone that we have released is something called cortisol. Cortisol will act on your fat, on your adipose tissue, and cause leptin to be synthesized. Sadly, because of our dietary pattern, we will be leptin resistant, meaning we all eat too many omega six s, which causes leptin resistance. So all that leptin that your fat is making telling you to calm down, it never gets to your hypothalamus, okay? It gets there in blood, but your hypothalamus never picks it up because you're leptin resistant because of the amount of omega six s we eat in our diet. Okay, so it's a horrible circle, but it's facilitated by our diet. and it can be broken very easily just by eating more omega three fatty acids. So, pretty cool stuff. Mad props to doctor Artemis Simopoulos, who came up with a science in the nineties. So she really figured all this out in the, in the nineties, figured out the importance of the omega three omega six ratio and how important that is in our function. What I've done is taken that and extended that into endocannabinoid system and really now looked at our programmability through omega three and omega six fatty acids. So again, big picture wise, we're going to program, a, tweaky state, an inflammatory state versus a non tweaky state with our balance of omega three and omega six fatty acids. All right? So let's leave it there. We will see you guys back next week for another exciting adventure and another exciting, episode of chip talks podcast. We'll see you guys later. Have a good one. Bye.