Do you feel as if you are being stalked by a grizzly bear?
Is your system always on high alert? Do you experience
headaches, body aches, digestive distress, anxiety, or
sleeplessness? The common culprit behind these symptoms
could be....STRESS!
What are the stressors in your life? Do you have neck or
low back pain from lifting and transporting patients? Do
you feel pulled in different directions, trying to meet the
needs of your patients and their doctors? Are you trying
to get more done in less time? "Stress" has become such a
common household word that we use it to describe everything
from the rush of the morning commute to the hours of
homework our children complete after their mandatory club
soccer practices.
Stress is harmful because stress imbalances every hormone
system in your body. To achieve optimum health and an
ideal body composition, you must focus on regular stress
management. When you experience a stressor, there are three
phases to your response:1) the stressful event,2) your
inner appraisal of it, and
3) your body's reaction. The stress response is difficult
to handle because once it begins, the mind has no control
over it. Sitting in traffic or being criticized at work
can trigger a stress response 'the "fight-or-flight"
reaction ' that has no hope of being physically carried
out, thus dissipating the hormones that create the body's
call to action.
Although you may not be able to control the stressful event
-- or your body's reaction to it -- your inner appraisal of
it, the link between the event and your reaction, is up to
you. The totally personal way in which you filter all
events determines how stressful they are. Everyone has a
different level of stress tolerance. What seems to create
the greatest perceived threat in any given situation are
these three factors: 1) lack of predictability, 2) lack of
control, 3) lack of outlets for frustration.
5 Strategies to Manage Stress
1. Receive some bodywork. Massage therapy or chiropractic
sessions can reduce the muscular and skeletal stress that
result from tense, overwrought muscles. Caring for the
physical body helps reset the emotional self as well.
2. Develop a practice of breath work. Breathing seems
such a natural event; we often don't realize when our
breath has become shallow and limited. When we breathe
fully and deeply, expanding the air into the bottom of our
lungs, we receive the full benefit of oxygenating our brain
and body. Our brain is 2% of our body's weight and uses
20% of our body's oxygen! Lack of oxygen increases
feelings of helplessness, fatigue, and uneasiness. Full,
deep breaths help balance the nervous system.
3. Meditate. Make time once or twice a day to turn within
and commune with the still small voice that is the "you"
inside your physical body. Even if it is only for five
minutes, turning your attention within can help reset your
thoughts and feelings and refresh your perspective.
4. Exercise. Move your body! Walking, biking, swimming or
dancing all get the blood moving, carrying fresh oxygen to
all parts of your brain and body. The "fight or flight"
response shared by humans and animals is extremely helpful
when you are faced with physical danger, like that grizzly
bear in the first paragraph. If the problem can be solved
by "fighting," taking action to scare the bear away, or by
"flight," running away so fast the bear can't harm you, the
solution itself dissipates the stress and bodily functions
return to normal. When stress is caused by a problem,
situation, or condition that can't be solved through such a
response, the impact extends for a longer period. Exercise
helps dissipate the hormones that accumulate in the body
when it is stressed.
5. Be here now. Keep your thoughts focused on the present
moment. It is really all that you have. Fretting about
past events or worrying about what may happen in the future
both sap your ability to enjoy where you are right now.
Reviewing the past and planning for the future are two
abilities of higher reasoning that humans have that
differentiate us from other mammals. Don't let
circumstances take over your opportunity to see the gift
that this moment brings you—that's why it's called the
"present!"
Our bodies are wired for health and vitality, not for
illness and disease. Health is how our bodies function,
not how they feel. Health comes from the inside out. And,
importantly, the choices we make play a part in our health
and well-being. For more information on health and
wellness, stress management, weight loss, and releasing
emotional blocks that may be sabotaging your health, go to
www.drmichaelroth.com or www.rothwellnesscenter.com.
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Dr. Michael B. Roth has been a holistic chiropractor for 23
years. His goal is to transform the health care system
from crisis/reactive care to a wellness model of health.
Dr. Roth is a dynamic speaker on health and wellness who
can motivate and transform your audience and you to bring
your own health and well-being to a new level!
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