The Nervous System

The nervous system is another system of the body that can be more difficult to understand.  It is what the body uses to communicate lots of things--many of which we do not even think about.  Without it, we would not know pain, motion, hunger, etc.  As is almost always the case, problems with the nervous system are often linked to other systems of the body--usually intestinal and digestive.  What we eat and digest, the condition of the colon, and the toxins that reside there and in the liver play key roles in many imbalances.

Common Concerns of the Nervous System
Stress, insomnia, depression, nervous disorders, headaches, and multiple sclerosis, attention deficit disorder (ADD), and ADHD.

Functions of the Nervous System  
The nervous system is an internal communications system that is used to control bodily functions and movement, alert the brain of pain, etc.  It communicates by sending short, electrical impulses to special cells.

How Does it Work?
The central nervous system (CNS) is composed of the brain and the spinal cord.  The brain itself weighs only about 3 pounds, yet its 10 billion brain cells use about 20% of the body's energy supply!  The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is basically a collection of nerves extending from the spinal cord to internal organs and virtually every other part of the body.  Most of the PNS controls and monitors voluntary functions, such as movement.  We call this the somatic nervous system.  However, some of the PNS controls and monitors involuntary functions, such as digestion, adrenal gland function, etc.  We call this the autonomic nervous system.

You can break the autonomic nervous system down even further.  One branch of the autonomic nervous system is involved in starting, or initiating, the "fight or flight" response when some kind of physical, emotional, or environmental stress condition occurs.  We call this the sympathetic nervous system.  A simple example is the response that you have when you find yourself in a situation that is dangerous.  Due to the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, your body will raise its blood sugar, heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolism to convert energy at a higher rate and direct all available energy sources to react to the danger.  It also shuts down "non-essential" processes, such as digestion and elimination, so that energy can be focused to the situation at hand. As you might imagine, you do not want your body to stay in this condition for very long.  It would be overwhelmed by the physiological effects caused by its own actions for coping with that stress.  Therefore, the body needs another part of its nervous system to signal the organs to return to its initial state--slowing heart rate, increasing glandular and intestinal function, etc.--as it were before the stimulus took place.  This "rest and digest" response is done by the parasympathetic nervous system.  It operates opposite to the sympathetic nervous system, and the purpose of their two reciprocating actions is to allow the body to cope with the stress without it becoming overwhelmed by its actions to adjust.  A good example of your "rest and digest" function is you taking a walk in the park, then deciding to stop under a tree and rest.  Your body increases its digestion and slows energy usage since there is no need to use much energy at all.  In general, many nervous system problems are due to an imbalance of the two systems.  Most people with nervous system problems fall more into the category of excessive sympathetic/deficient parasympathetic.  In other words, their bodies do not normalize well after a environmental, physical, or mental stress situation occurs.  These people generally experience poor digestion and high blood pressure.  This is why, traditionally, people attempted to eat a relaxing meal.  Digestion is very difficult when the body is not relaxed.  Nervine herbs can be used to calm and soothe, as well as high concentrations of certain vitamins and minerals that are often completed when handling the stress.  The Nature's Sunshine nervous system key product--Nutri-Calm, is a combination of herbs and B-Complex vitamins to nourish the nerves and help the body cope with stress.  It contains lots of Vitamin C, as well as the time-honored nervine herbs Hops, Passion Flower, and Valerian.  The product Stress-J (available also in liquid form) contains one of the most popular herbs for relaxation--Chamomile.  This herb is famous for its use in teas before bedtime to help the body relax.  Nervine herbs work by increasing parasympathetic nervous function, while slowing down the sympathetic nervous function.  Chinese Stress Relief is a Chinese formula used to support emotional balance, nourish the nervous system, improve gastric function, and strengthen the urinary system. A smaller percentage of people actually have an imbalance in the opposite direction.  In other words, they are excessive parasympathetic/deficient sympathetic.  Their nervous system keeps the body too much in the "rest and digest" state.  They have good digestion and low blood pressure, but tend to be very sensitive to noise or touch--getting too much sensory input.  They also seem to have increased tension when given nervine herbs--again indicating excessive parasympathetic activity; thus, counter-intuitively, they actually experience relaxation with stimulants such as ephedra, caffeine, or Bee Pollen.  Energ-V is a combination of Eleuthero and other stimulating herbs that can be a help in this situation.

The nervous system is made up of groups of special cells called neurons.  Perhaps one way to visualize a neuron is to compare it to a two-way radio or a "walkie-talkie".  A neuron has a dendrite to receive input (the microphone on the radio) and also an axon to transmit signals to other cells (the antenna).  There are three types of neurons:  Sensory Neurons (receive impulses and signal the central nervous system), Inter Neurons (connect two or more neurons), and Motor Neurons (carry impulses from the CNS to muscles, glands, etc.)

Neurons, the cells composing the nervous system, can be an interesting study all to themselves.  As you may have learned in Jr. High or Sr. High science class, two different metals used together can generate an electric current.  You may have even been told to experiment with this by placing two different metals on your tongue at the same time--causing you to experience the "tingling" feeling.  The neuron has the elements sodium and potassium both inside it and outside it.  When the nerve wants to signal the brain, it changes the concentrations of sodium and potassium--causing an electrical signal.

This electrical signal travels from the axon (antenna) of the neuron to the dendrite (microphone) of the next neuron.  The signal goes from cell to cell until the message reaches the brain.  Many of these spaces, or junctions, between cells are comparatively small--allowing the electrical impulse to cross it quickly and go on to the next nerve.  These are called gap junctions.  However, most of the transmission takes place across larger spaces--called synaptic junctions.  Because there is a wider space for the electrical impulse to cross, the signal needs the help of a chemical messenger--called a neurotransmitter.  The neurotransmitters are given off by one cell and received by special receptors on the neighboring cell, after which they are deactivated and recycled.  There are many neurotransmitters in the body:  serotonin (responsible for mood, sleep, appetite), acetylcholine (used primarily by parasympathetic nervous system), dopamine, GABA (gamma amino butyric acid), and norepinephrine(also called noradrenaline--used by sympathetic nervous system).

It is interesting to note that about 90% of all neurological activity intestinal tract (enteric nervous system).  Liver or intestine malfunction prevents significant amounts of neurotransmitters from being produced.  The famous saying among herbalists, "Death begins in the colon" certainly comes to mind.  What we eat and the condition of the colon are vitally important to our health!  Learn more about the Intestinal System and the importance of cleansing. Abnormal levels of neurotransmitters can cause a variety of problems.  For example, a lack of serotonin is linked to several conditions--obesity, depression, sleep disorders, anxiety, and migraine headaches.

Poor memory is actually often a function of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.  Alzheimer's Disease, perhaps the most famous example of a serious memory problem, is linked to its deficiency.  Other things affecting memory loss are low blood sugar and poor blood circulation to the brain (often caused by hardened arteries). Nature's Sunshine has several products that are excellent for use with memory problems.  Ginkgo/Gotu Kola with Bacopa is a powerful combination.  Ginkgo improves blood circulation to the brain, while bacopa stimulates memory and improves concentration.  Studies have shown people who take bacopa decrease their memorization time, increase memory time, and decrease retrieval time.  The product Brain Protex with Huperzine is full of antioxidants to help prevent brain cell damage, and also has Ginkgo and huperzine to "feed" the brain and improve circulation.  Alpha Lipoic Acid is another good product for brain health.  Often called the "Universal Antioxidant", it can cross any membrane in the body due to its solubility in both fat and water.  It offsets cell and oxidative stress, while enhancing the activity of other antioxidants.

As mentioned earlier, more serotonin is produced in the intestine than in the brain, and it is very much related to a person's mood.  Traditional alternative medicine's position was that melancholia (bad mood), was caused by "black bile"--related to toxins in the liver.  Today, it seems that many things support this.  Many anti-depressant drugs are thought to work because of action that supports the liver and/or helps defeat toxins and fungi.  Chinese Mood Elevator works by strengthening the liver and raising neurotransmitter levels--thus helping "sagging" feelings. 

Studies have also found Sam-e to be necessary for liver detoxification.  It restores glutathion (the most potent detoxification agent in the body) in the liver.  Sam-e helps with emotional well-being, energy, depression, liver and joint health, arthritis, hepatitis, mobility and more--all due to its detoxification effects.  Studies have even found it to be just as effective as Prozac and other anti-depressants--without the side effects!  Other herbs with anti-depressant qualities are St. John's Wort, Damiana, and Black Cohosh.  St. John's Wort does contain hypericin, a substance that seems to prolong serotonin activity.

Essential fatty acids are also very important to the nervous system and seem to help with mood disorders.  The brain and nerves are over 50% fat in composition.  Omega-3 fatty acids also reduce inflammation in the intestine.  Inflammation often causes release of toxins--toxins that inhibit neurotransmitter production.

Sleep is very important to health; without it, the body's anxiety levels rise and its resistance to disease decreases.  Since lack of sleep is often caused by stress, thus preventing relaxation, sometimes nervine herbs (herbs that calm or soothe) can be of great help.  Herbs such as Hops, Valerian, and Passion Flower are well-known nervine herbs.  Nature's Sunshine has put these three into a combination called Herbal Sleep.  5-HTP Power is a product containing hydroxytryptophan, which can be broken down into serotonin, then into melatonin-- the neurotransmitter responsible for sleep.  Since serotonin helps regulate mood, sleep, and appetite, it has several uses--sometimes even a role in weight loss.

Issues of nervous over-activity are becoming more and more prevalent.  People with these types of conditions experience excess neuron activity in the brain.  Hyperactivity and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) are two common examples.  Nature's Sunshine has a product called GABA Plus.  GABA (gamma amino butyric acid) is a neurotransmitter produced in the brain that dampens, or limits, neuron activity in the brain.  The result is to tone down excessive brain activity and promote relaxation.  Focus Attention (available in capsules or powder) provides nutrients needed for normal brain stimulation and supports blood circulation in the brain.  Again, Omega-3 oils are also necessary--especially at a young age because of their role in developing the brain and nervous system.

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