The pressures of life always catches up to us, and unfortunately, too much stress will take a toll on our health. There are three main types of stress that we may experience: physical stress from trauma, emotional stress from our thoughts and feelings, and chemical stress from toxins in the body. Stress overload may not affect us in noticeable ways at first. We may just feel tired or overwhelmed. However, if not addressed, too much stress will have consequences. For instance, it has been linked to poor cardiovascular health and a weakened immune system. The good news is that chiropractic care is a safe and painless method for managing stress and promoting a optimal function lifestyle.
THE 3 TYPES OF STRESS FOR YOUR BODY
Too much stress is not without consequences and can wreak havoc on the body. Many people have found that a large portion of their health concerns can be directly linked to stress in their lives.
Chemical stress refers to toxins in the body, both internal and external. For instance, smoking, drinking too much alcohol or taking too much medication to introduce harmful toxins into the body. Additionally, environmental factors such as air pollution or even inhaling cleaning solutions can also lead to chemical stress. Additionally, eating chemically-laden and highly processed foods brings chemical stress into the body. Even drinking not filtered water may affected your body.
Emotional stress is something we are probably all familiar with. Jobs, family, relationships, or money problems can affect our thoughts and emotions, all leading to too much stress on the mind and body.
Physical stress refers to injuries or illnesses that can lead to permanent damage. For instance, sitting for too long at work will cause muscle strain in the back. Repetitive motions such as lifting or bending over time can also physically affect the body. Any type of long-term stress may lead to health concerns such as adrenal fatigue, depression, or chronic pain. If you experience any type of stress, we can help.
YOUR WAY TO OPTIMAL HEALTH – 3 DIMENSIONS OF OPTIMAL FUNCTION
Wellness is the pursuit of continued growth and balance in the 3 dimensions of optimal function. Many people think about “wellness” in terms of physical health only. The word invokes thoughts of nutrition, exercise, weight management, blood pressure, etc. Wellness, however, is much more than physical health. Wellness is a full integration of physical, mental and spiritual well-being. It is a complex interaction that leads to quality of life.
Physical wellness encompasses a variety of healthy behaviours including adequate exercise, proper nutrition and abstaining from harmful habits such as drug use and alcohol abuse. It means learning about and identifying symptoms of disease, getting regular medical check-ups, and protecting yourself from injuries and harm. Developing such healthy habits today will not only add years to your life but will enhance the enjoyment and quality of those years.
Tips for optimal physical wellness:
- Exercise daily
- Get adequate rest
- Pay attention to your posture (How you sit, how you walk)
- Make sure that brain – body connection is restored (come regularly for your chiropractic adjustments)
- Learn to recognize early signs of illness
Emotional Dimension
Emotional wellness is a dynamic state that fluctuates frequently with other dimensions of wellness. Being emotionally well is typically defined as possessing the ability to feel and express human emotions such as happiness, sadness and anger. It means having the ability to love and be loved and achieving a sense of fulfilment in life. Emotional wellness encompasses optimism, self-esteem, self-acceptance and the ability to share feelings.
Tips for optimal emotional wellness:
- Tune-in to your thoughts and feelings
- Cultivate an optimistic attitude
- Seek and provide support
- Practice breathing techniques or meditate
- Accept and forgive yourself
Chemical Dimension
Chemical optimal function occur when your body has minimum toxins and maximum nutrition. We can define balanced body chemistry as having the right amounts of chemicals that support the proper functioning of the body.
The health of a person is said to be good when his body chemistry is well balanced. To attain and maintain this balance, your body continually needs the nutrients provided by the food that you eat. You get proteins (amino acids), vitamin, minerals and fats which are used for maintaining and sustaining the operations of the body. Too much or too little of these nutrients could lead to health problems.
How does body chemistry affect your body? Every day, your biochemistry constantly changes. It changes when you eat, study, work, exercise, and sleep. When you eat, the sugar in your blood increases; after jogging your heart rate goes faster, or your blood pressure rises after arguing with somebody.
Whatever you do that leads to changes creates either a balance or imbalance in your body chemistry which means that these changes can be damaging or beneficial. To achieve that balance just follow simple rules:
- Eat a variety of healthy foods
- Pay attention to your daily hydration
- Make sure you take proper dose of vitamins and minerals
- Control your meal portions
- Stop smoking and protect yourself against second-hand smoke
- Use alcohol in moderation, if at all
WHAT CAN CHIROPRACTIC CARE DO FOR ME?
Dr Ewa Lobato of Chiro Family Practice focuses on removing spinal misalignments and nerve interference to restore balance to the central nervous system. This allows the body to function optimally. When the body can function as it should, it has the ability to heal itself and bring about chemical balance to help us better deal with the stresses of life. Additionally, spinal misalignments lead to irritation and inflammation of the body, which will affect physical health. If you remove spinal misalignments, you remove nerve interference, inflammation, and irritation to feel your very best, both physically and emotionally.
Chiropractic care has numerous benefits, such as the ability to relieve muscle tension, improve circulation, and bring our bodies back to a more balanced and relaxed state so that we are better equipped to handle whatever life throws our way.
THE RESEARCH BEHIND CHIROPRACTIC FOR STRESS
Research supports regular chiropractic adjustments for stress relief and studies have shown that one of the most effective methods for reducing stress is chiropractic care. In fact, in case studies conducted about spinal health and stress, over 70% of people receiving chiropractic care found that their symptoms of stress were greatly reduced.
Don’t let stress affect your health. Schedule a consultation to address the stressors in your life. He will work with you towards achieving a happier, calmer, and more productive lifestyle.
References:
Hardy, K., Pollard, H. “The Organization of the Stress Response, and Its Relevance to Chiropractors: A Commentary.” Chiropractic and Osteopathy, 2006; 14: 25. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1629015.
Jamison, J. “Stress: The Chiropractic Patients’ Self-Perceptions.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1999 Jul-Aug; 22(6): 395-398. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10478772.