Is Stress Affecting Your Health?  
By Doctor Barb Smith, Chiropractor 

We live in a world filled with potential stressors. Conflicts, uncertainties, deadlines, failures, losses and too many or too few choices are but some of the factors that can cause stress.    

Stress is the body’s response to the demands that are made upon it. Importantly, recent research differentiates between the causes of stress and stressors. Causes can include physical triggers like exertion or physical trauma but may also include emotional triggers such as depression and anxiety. It is easy to get the causes of stress and stressors confused but the distinction is important.     

The body itself can not distinguish between good and bad stress, so signs of stress like surging adrenalin and increased heartbeat, blood pressure and blood sugar levels are present both at the birth of a new baby and after missing an important meeting because of traffic. However individuals usually handle the two types very differently. ‘Good stress’, like the birth of a new baby, is normally followed by a release of emotion and a period of relaxation. The same is not normally true for ‘bad stress.’ Without a period of release and relaxation stress can be hugely detrimental to a person’s physical, mental and emotional state.   

Surging hormones that we inherited as part of a historic physiological response (fight or flight) and that are associated with stress, like corticosteroids, weaken the immune system. A weakened immune system increases a person’s vulnerability to numerous disorders, infections and diseases. The list of conditions that can be triggered by emotional stress and strain are wide-ranging and staggering: heart disease, ulcers, neck and back ache, depression, insomnia and irritable bowl syndrome. Furthermore stress can transform an acute injury into a chronic condition.  

Medical research points to a spinal component in many stress related disorders and this highlights the importance of optimal spinal health in the prevention and management of stress and stress induced illness. The spine protects the nervous system which is directly connected to the body’s immunity, and so may be considered the foundation of health. When the body is under stress, spinal movement is restricted and the bones may become misaligned. An individual that is consistently stressed-out is constantly engaging their fight or flight mechanism and, in turn, destroys the natural balance of their bodies and the connection between the mind and the body. 

While it is probably impossible to eliminate all the stress from your life, it is possible to better manage what can sometimes seem like an overwhelming situation or series of events. Each of us has the power to determine the extent of our response to a particular cause, to generate a reaction to that cause and to resist a stressful response. It is vital that we all learn to manage a world full of stressors as stress can cause problems at home, work, school and in social setting. 

Stress survival strategies are abundant. For example if you can use your stress energy positively, if you can acknowledge a positive aspect of a negative situation then you are reframing the stressor. With time, reframing can ‘profoundly alter thought patterns’. In other words, you can teach yourself to be an optimist and become more resilient to stress. By maintaining a more reasonable perspective, you can gain greater control of your responses to negative things and adopt more healthful behaviours. 

Part of maintaining a reasonable perspective means learning how to say no. Re-evaluate your daily schedule and make a list of obligations you can cancel or delegate to others. Saying no is OK, especially if you are doing so for your health. You must learn to be comfortable saying no and here are some tips to help. 

·                    Wait 24 hours before agreeing to a project that requires a major time commitment.

·                    Repeat “It will be ok if I say NO”.

·                    Create a ‘saying no’ script.

·                    To those people who will not stop pressuring you for your time, repeat your ‘say no’ script like a broken record, always repeating the exact same message “I am taking this time for my health and I cannot commit”. 

Reducing stress is important in and off itself, but also as an intrinsic part of any

wellness plan. Alongside proper nutrition and exercise, reducing stress is vital for disease prevention. Whenever there is emotional or psychological stress the body suffers, and the list of physical consequences is long. Tips to reduce stress include minimizing the effects, and there are a number of ways to do so. 

·                   Take time to relax each day. Breathing exercises, T’ai Chi, mediation and indulging in a preferred hobby or craft are ideal ways of taking time for yourself to relax.

·                   Exercise regularly. The most effective way to fight surging hormones that are produced by stress, like cortisol, is to exercise. During periods of stress it is critical that you stick with your workout routine.

·                   Learn to ‘let go’ and adopt. Reframing can teach you how to be an optimist, replace negative “what ifs” with positive ones, like “what if” you do get the promotion. Optimism breeds resilience.

·                   Avoid excessive alcohol, drugs, caffeine, fats and sugar all of which put additional stress on the body. It is counterproductive.

·                   Turn to comfort food, but not the greasy stuff. Foods with B vitamins ‘combat the negative effects of emotional and physical stress on the body’.

o       B5 helps the immune system. Look for it in red meats, chicken, fish, eggs, whole grains, broccoli and cauliflower.

o       B1 boosts immune function and helps the body metabolize food. Found in whole grains, egg yolks and fresh vegetables.

o       B2, B3, B6 and B12 are all recommended. B vitamins work together so try to take them together. If taken as a supplement, look for them in complex form.

·                   See a chiropractor. Chiropractic is a holistic art, science and philosophy that treats the whole person. Chiropractors are spinal experts trained in the detection and correction of spinal misalignments. They  work with you to restore the normal functioning of the spine and nervous system. They encourage their patients to identify the sources of stress in their lives and recommend ways of curbing the anxiety. Because chiropractic can relieve the psychological and physiological aspects of pain and stress it is an effective way to reduce stress. 

At the end of the day stress is evidence of a disruption of the natural balance between the mind and the body as the body struggles to cope with mental and, or emotional strain. It is important that we, at work, in our families and throughout out our lives learn to cope with stress and its triggers. Managing stress is a question of physical, mental and emotional health, but ultimately it is a question of quality of life.

 
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Chiropractic For Life
At Chiropractic For Life, our mission is "Helping People Make Healthy Choices". Dr. Smith uses a variety of methods including low force techniques such as Activator, Network Spinal Analysis, Neuro Emotional Technique. Other: Applied Kinesiology, Ayurvedic Medicine, Craniosacral, Homeopathy, Meditation, Reiki, Yoga, Health and Nutrition Products.

Contact: Dr. Barbara Smith
Website: www.doctorbarb.com