The Universal Truth about Stress
And How Your Lifestyle can Balance It
It is true that as individuals, we have an incredible capacity to heal. And the same holds true to us having an equal potential to counteract that. The idea of stress being the force against us thriving in health, is something that we all must contemplate, as stress comes in many forms. It absolutely can come in the form of your boss, idyll co-workers, or in the emotional upheavals that we usually picture stress coming from. However stress will come through the foods you eat, the hormones you produce, the air you breath, and "micro-traumas" of posture and sitting hunched over your phone (to mention a few).
The universal truth about stress, is its effects on our health. As a chiropractor, I see stress manifest into bodily pain and dysfunction on a regular basis.
Here are Some Eye-Opening Facts on Stress:
and why we must focus on it to achieve optimum health
The Studies & Stats. 90% of all disease is stress related. CDC, 2011
Stress helps account for 66% of doctor visits and 50% of the deaths to Americans under 65. Stress is implicated in heart, stomach & mental disorders, headaches, backaches, high blood pressure & high cholesterol levels. CDC, 2011
Workplace stress costs more than $300 billion per year in health care and missed work. American Institute of Stress, 2011
Physical symptoms of stress: fatigue, headaches, upset stomach, muscle tension, change in appetite, teeth grinding, change in sex drive, and feeling dizzy.
Psychological effects of stress: irritability or anger, feeling nervous, lack of energy, feel like crying, and lying awake at night.
Luckily, we have the power to balance the stresses that we can and cannot control. There are countless articles and techniques to do so, and is it important that each individual researches which technique would work best for them. I say this because we are all so different. Yoga, deep breathing, and meditation may be the answer for some, while cardio and lengthening stretches may be more ideal for others.
Yet, as the universal truth of stress binds its effects to health, health is the cure for it. Meaning, take time to understand your lifestyle habits and goals. Begin ways to take stress out of your body, reinstate movement, fluidity, and momentum.
Those that begin with lifestyle focused chiropractic care begin to see how they can regain certain movements, certain activities, when stress is taken out of their spine and nervous system. Meditating, exercising, eating right, focusing on positive thoughts will quickly follow when you begin to pave the road to a balanced body, and balanced health.
Open yourself up to the stress you feel, and embrace that you have the potential to balance it!
Find out more on how bringing chiropractic care into your home can help you not add stress to your schedule and family, as you step to a more balanced lifestyle!
- Dr. Katherine McCarty, D.C.