Stress, defined as: a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances.
That definition describes emotional stress. There is also physical stress and chemical stress.
All three types of stress if chronic can have an adverse effect on your overall health and wellness.
Stress v. Chronic Stress
When you are in a situation (or a perceived situation) and your heart rate increases, your breathing quickens, muscles become tense and your blood pressure rises you are experiencing stress. Once the situation you are in is over the stress should also begin to subside. If after the situation has passed and you remain in a stressed state you may be considered chronically stressed.
Emotional stress in small amounts is good for us. Susan David, Ph.D., wrote in Emotional Agility, “As uncomfortable as it feels at times, it’s the stress that keeps us moving forward. Stress kept us alive when a saber-tooth tiger wanted to eat us in the wild, and it keeps us alive today when someone swerves into our lane during rush hour traffic.”
Physical and Chemical Stress and Their Effect on Our Health
Physical stress occurs anytime you bend, twist, lift, fall, crash etc. Whether it be as simple as lifting a heavy box with your back bent rather using your legs or as serious as a car crash- physical stress is unavoidable.
Physical stress can cause vertebrae to become subluxated. If that vertebrae is sitting on a nerve this can start a chain reaction of health issues due to the compromised nerve. The health issues that may arise are dependent on which nerve is being compressed and to which part of your body that nerve goes.
Chemical Stress comes in many forms, most commonly as sugar. The toxins in non-organically raised food as well as the pollutants in the air we breathe are also forms of chemical stress. When inside the body, sugar creates inflammation which is where cancer grows. Also, cancer can only be fueled by sugar. Sugar is the root cause of just about all human disease.
Here are 8 ways to reduce stress naturally
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Fix your diet
There is a reason we are starting this list with the food you consume. Research has shown that the foods you eat affect your emotional state. Nutrient rich plant foods along with organically raised protein, anti-inflammatory fats and omega-3’s can help you maintain a healthy gut and brain, helping you better manage your stress levels. At the same time, stop eating foods that increase stress levels like trans fats and foods that are high in sugar. Processed foods and foods high in sugar causes your blood sugar levels to increase, which increases your inflammation.
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Exercise regularly
This is probably the quickest way to relieve stress naturally. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins which cause you to feel good! Exercising regularly also helps increase the oxygen levels in your blood which helps to fight cancer. If the thought of finding time to exercise stresses you out, let us know.. Our office has a workout program called MaxT3. The entire workout is over in 12 minutes. We can all find 12 minutes somewhere in the day.
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Sleep
Uninterrupted quality sleep is absolutely crucial to not just the way you handle stress but also your overall health.
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See your chiropractor regularly
This is a completely natural way to reduce both physical and emotional stress. Studies have shown that seeing a chiropractor helps reduce emotional stress. It is a chiropractor’s job to reduce the physical stress on your body by realigning your spine and allowing optimal nerve function.
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Be Thankful
It is impossible to completely eliminate stress. Finding a way to spin that stress into something positive can have a great impact on not only you but those around you as well. For example, if you are stressed about having to get off work and take your kids to soccer practice before racing home to prep dinner, think about how grateful you are that your children are healthy.
If you are stressing about running late to work, first be thankful that you have a job but also that you are healthy enough to work and make a living for yourself. It goes without saying that there are a lot of people who couldn’t work if they wanted due to health reasons.
Find the silver lining!
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Forgive and Forget
Holding grudges against people can cause lots of unnecessary stress on yourself. You may not realize it although every time that person comes to mind your heart rate probably goes up. Forgiving people can be tough sometimes, but letting go of the past allows you to focus on the future.
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Meditate
Slow down, breathe and try meditation. If you have never done this before- guided meditation, can be very soothing. You can search YouTube for thousands of free guided meditation videos.
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Have fun
Do things that you enjoy! Spend time with people that make you laugh. If possible do both at the same time. You will be amazed how quickly stress dissolves when you are surrounded by people who make you happy.
In conclusion, stress can be managed by following the 5 essentials to good health and maintaining a positive attitude and outlook on life.
If you would like to start seeing a chiropractor regularly to reduce stress click here to schedule an appointment.
Below are a list resources used in creating this blog.
https://www.chiroone.net/bewell/7-stress-relief-techniques
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26303312
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4688585/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1629015/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10658874
https://maxliving.com/healthy-articles/16-ways-to-relieve-stress