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Understanding Stress and Performance Study Guide

This guide explores the biological mechanisms of stress, focusing on the hormone cortisol. It covers the natural cortisol rhythm, its essential functions in regulating blood sugar, blood pressure, and inflammation, and the immediate fight-or-flight response mediated by adrenaline and noradrenaline. The guide also details the health issues arising from cortisol dysregulation, including Addison's disease (hypocortisolism) and Cushing's disease (hypercortisolism). Furthermore, it examines the detri

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History of Exercise as Medicine and Exercise Physiology

Historical Perspectives of Exercise as Medicine

A historical overview of exercise as medicine, from ancient anatomical studies to the development of germ theory and circulatory science.

  • Exercise as medicine
  • Anatomy and physiology
  • Hygiene factors
  • Kinesiology
  • Circulation of blood
  • Germ theory

Foundations and History of Exercise Physiology

Exercise physiology is the study of how body structure and functions are altered when exposed to acute and chronic physical activity.

  • Exercise physiology
  • Acute and chronic physical activity
  • Cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, and metabolic systems
  • Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max)
  • Exercise is Medicine (EIM)
  • Kinesiology
  • Germ theory

Mortality Risks, Life Expectancy, and Healthcare Economics

Life Expectancy and Healthcare Economics

An analysis of life expectancy, health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE), and the economic implications of healthcare spending relative to GDP.

  • Life Expectancy
  • Health-Adjusted Life Expectancy (HALE)
  • Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
  • Canada Health Act
  • Canada Health Transfer
  • Micromorts
  • Public Health Expenditure

Introduction to Fitness and Health

Common Fallacies and Lifestyle Factors in Health

An exploration of common fallacies about exercise and health, complex lifestyle relationships, and mortality trends.

  • Common fallacies about exercise and health
  • Lifestyle factors in health
  • Reverse causality
  • Leading causes of death
  • Life expectancy

Definitions of Health and Physical Fitness

This topic explores the World Health Organization definition of health, the health continuum, and the distinction between health-related and performance-related physical fitness.

  • World Health Organization health definition
  • Health continuum
  • Physical fitness components
  • Health-related fitness
  • Performance-related fitness
  • Comprehensive health exams
  • Body, mind, and spirit connection

Understanding Stress and Its Impacts

Understanding Stress and Performance

Stress is any type of challenge, threat, or change that impacts productivity, performance, and physical or mental well-being.

  • Challenge, threat, or change
  • Stress-performance relationship
  • Optimal stress range
  • Physical and mental manifestations of stress
  • Impact on sleep and appetite

Understanding Stress and the Fight or Flight Response

The fight or flight response triggers physiological, mental, emotional, and behavioral changes in response to stress.

  • fight or flight response
  • muscle tension
  • adrenaline
  • brain fog
  • procrastination
  • perfectionism
  • coping mechanisms
  • psychological distress
  • academic workload
  • setting boundaries

Biological, Environmental, and Psychological Factors in Mental Health

Understanding Schizophrenia Symptoms and Treatments

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness characterized by positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and various neurobiological, biological, and genetic vulnerabilities.

  • Schizophrenia
  • Positive symptoms
  • Negative symptoms
  • Hallucinations
  • Anhedonia
  • Antipsychotic medications
  • First generation medicines
  • Clozapine
  • Agranulocytosis
  • Dyskinesia

Biological, Environmental, and Personality Influences on Mental Health

This lecture explores mental health through biological conditions, environmental influences, and personality factors, including the impact of television on eating disorders and the role of cognitive appraisals in stress.

  • biological conditions
  • environmental influences
  • eating disorders
  • body image
  • post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • trauma
  • cognitive appraisals
  • cognitive behavioral therapy
  • cognitive restructuring
  • daily hassles
  • coping mechanisms

Biology and Functions of Cortisol

Biology of Cortisol and Stress Response

This content explores the cortisol circadian rhythm, the physiological benefits of stress hormones, and the health implications of Addison's and Cushing's diseases.

  • cortisol circadian rhythm
  • stress hormone functions
  • blood sugar regulation
  • anti-inflammatory effects
  • fight or flight response
  • adrenaline and noradrenaline
  • Cushing's disease
  • chronic stress symptoms
  • immune suppression

Cortisol Elevations and Cushing's Disease

Elevated cortisol causes central weight gain, skin striations, muscle loss, and profound physiological effects in humans and animals.

  • Cushing's disease
  • Cortisol secretion
  • Central weight gain
  • Skin striations
  • Muscle loss
  • Pituitary tumor
  • Heart disease
  • Bone fragility
  • Visceral fat

Levels of Evidence and Complementary Medicine

Levels of Evidence and RCT Limitations

This lecture examines the pyramid of evidence, comparing case control studies, cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials through the lens of estrogen replacement therapy.

  • levels of evidence
  • expert opinions
  • case control study
  • retrospective study
  • cohort study
  • prospective study
  • randomized controlled trial
  • placebo
  • double blinded
  • researcher bias
  • placebo effect
  • estrogen replacement therapy
  • menopause
  • cardiovascular events
  • breast cancer
  • individual patient complexities

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Evidence

An examination of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) regarding the lack of randomized controlled trials, regulatory oversight, and the distinction between evidence-based medicine and unsubstantiated health claims.

  • complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
  • evidence-based medicine
  • randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
  • biologically based therapies
  • manipulative body medicine
  • placebo effect
  • conflict of interest
  • regulatory oversight
  • unsubstantiated health claims
  • active compounds

Understanding Stress and Mental Health

Understanding Stress and Mental Health

An exploration of stress responses, the mental health continuum, and various clinical diagnoses and coping strategies.

  • Fight or flight response
  • Mental health continuum
  • Generalized anxiety disorder
  • Depression
  • Social anxiety disorder
  • Panic attacks
  • Coping strategies
  • Perfectionism and procrastination

Evidence Based Medicine and Stress Management

Stress Response and Evidence Based Medicine

This content explores the physiological stress response and the systematic approach of evidence based medicine in healthcare decision making.

  • stress response
  • cortisol
  • evidence based medicine
  • complementary alternative medicine
  • clinical judgment
  • patient values and preferences
  • scientific literature
  • clinical trials
  • animal studies
  • lifestyle therapies

Health Care Systems and Determinants

Healthcare Systems and Health Promotion

An analysis of universal health care models, social determinants of health, and health promotion principles.

  • Universal health care
  • Public versus Private Health Care
  • Mixed Public-Private Health Care
  • Health promotion
  • Social Determinants of Health
  • Built Environment
  • Equity
  • Empowerment

Understanding Locus of Control and Stress

Locus of Control and Stress

A psychological examination of the locus of control spectrum and the origins of the concept of stress.

  • locus of control
  • internal locus of control
  • external locus of control
  • personality traits
  • stress
  • stress and strain

Levels of Evidence and Study Designs

Levels of Evidence in Research

An overview of research study designs ranging from case reports and case control studies to cohort studies, randomized controlled trials, and meta analysis.

  • case reports
  • case series
  • case control studies
  • retrospective study design
  • cohort studies
  • randomized controlled trial (RCT)
  • placebo
  • meta analysis
  • evidence based practice
  • confounded variables

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