Stress is multi-faceted, harmful and debilitating – and it affects all of us. Stress is not a one-size-fits-all issue, but one that manifests itself differently in each person. What is common is the ability of stress to cause real and lasting physical damage. It affects the thyroid, adrenal glands, digestive tract, nervous system, heart, and muscles.
It is readily apparent that we are an overstressed, malnourished, and sleepless society. This leads to pain, exhaustion and prolonged illness – which, in turn, causes even more stress! What a vicious cycle.
We all know that we should reduce the amount of stress in our lives, but before we can do that, we need to understand where it is coming from.
Stress starts in the brain, then spreads through the whole body. It falls under three different categories: physical, psychological, and chemical. All three are present in our lives every day, which may make you question whether we even have a fighting chance to reduce stress. The answer is yes. We need to increase our body’s ability to handle stress with what is called a person’s General Adaptive Potential (GAP). The wider our GAP, the more we’re able to handle the emotional difficulties that we experience.
Boost the Nervous System
The first step in preventing lasting harm from stress is to make sure the nervous system is functioning as well as it possibly can. The best way to do that is to get regular chiropractic adjustments. This will take pressure off the nervous system and allow the body’s self-regulating system to do its job.
Become Emotionally Resilient
The next step is to focus on your emotional response and becoming more resilient to your emotions. We need to acknowledge how we feel, and also know why we feel the way we do. This will help you identify and understand where your stress is coming from.
Focus on Well-Being
Exercise is often said to be the most underused antidepressant out there. When you’re feeling stressed, moving your body – ideally, outdoors – can be powerful in fighting off those negative effects of stress.
Eating a balanced diet of whole, healthy foods is critical. The food we eat can either nourish the brain or destroy it, and good fats like coconut, fish, and avocado oil are great places to start.
If there are nutritional gaps in your diet, use high-quality supplements to fill them. Vitamin D and magnesium deficiencies are rampant in the U.S., and both are linked to diseases such as anxiety and depression. Making sure these are in your diet is important.
The link between your brain and digestive tract is a powerful one. The more healthy bugs in your gut, the better your brain will work. This is why a daily probiotic is a must.
As you can see, there is no single solution to this problem. The good news is that small changes can have a huge impact on your stress levels and overall health. Keep learning and working on your health, and you will see the results.
At Opp Family Chiropractic, we’ll work with you to identify the underlying causes of your stress and any related issues it has caused, and develop a chiropractic care treatment plan that will fit your budget and your life. Our advanced chiropractic techniques can help you achieve better health. Call our St. Francis chiropractic office today to get started.